Future Cruise Credit when booking onboard

[Eno]

I read many posts but am still confused.

We are sailing for the first time on princess next month, there are three adults in the room (me, husband and adult daughter).

We already have a Norwegian Fjords cruise booked with Celebrity in May 2025 but am thinking of a Princess Caribbean cruise for 2026.

How does the onboard cruise credit work - Assume (again only assuming from posts that I have read), we can purchase for 100.00 a future cruise credit and can use it to book a cruise within one year.  Now is it that we book it within one year (so book by April 2025) but can be for a cruise in 2026?  With this we get a 150.00 OBC?  Since there are three of us we book a mini suite.  Assume (lots of assumes here), we can only do one - so 100.00 that can be used for a future deposit and get one 150.00 OBC.

[LACruiser88]

What you are referring to is a Future Cruise Deposit (FCD), not a FCC   I know it's a bit confusing.  And yes, you can book a cruise into 2026.  There are no limits as to how many FCD's you can purchase.  We usually have at least 3 pp available.  We never know when we will book another cruise and it's nice to just be able to apply a FCD to a new booking.

 

Below are FCD details:

 

 

Edited March 24 by LACruiser88

[Globaler]

13 minutes ago, Eno said:

I read many posts but am still confused.

We are sailing for the first time on princess next month, there are three adults in the room (me, husband and adult daughter).

We already have a Norwegian Fjords cruise booked with Celebrity in May 2025 but am thinking of a Princess Caribbean cruise for 2026.

How does the onboard cruise credit work - Assume (again only assuming from posts that I have read), we can purchase for 100.00 a future cruise credit and can use it to book a cruise within one year.  Now is it that we book it within one year (so book by April 2025) but can be for a cruise in 2026?  With this we get a 150.00 OBC?  Since there are three of us we book a mini suite.  Assume (lots of assumes here), we can only do one - so 100.00 that can be used for a future deposit and get one 150.00 OBC.

If you gamble then you may want to see what kind of offers come after your cruise next month.

[mtnesterz]

I might mention, because someone previously had a similar question didn't realize. When you say $100FCD for your deposit for your '26 cruise, you'll really want a FCD for each passenger, not one per cabin reservation. If all three are going, it would be three, meaning $300, then receive a total of $450 in shipboard credit.

If you, or Princess, cancels, it goes back to your account. You still need to book within a year.

If you change your mind, and don't want to use them, or the book-by time runs out. You get your money back. I mentioned that to tell you it's really a no-brainer to buy.

Another thing, some are reporting trouble with bookings done on the ship. Get your FCD on the ship, book at home through your CVP or TA.

Edited March 24 by mtnesterz

[cr8tiv1]

I hope, as brand new passengers to Princess, someone offered you a referral.  Too late now, but ... you can do a referral for someone ELSE new to Princess.  Each will get $25 OBC.

 

https://www.princess.com/html/global/cc/referral-reward/faq.html

 

There is absolute no risk involved with FCDs.  You use it for a reduced deposit or you get the $100 back after a year.  You may also extend the expiration date online.  Wise to purchase more than one.

 

Recently, deposits have been more than $100.  This makes a FCD "valuable" in savings and getting OBC.

[Eno]

Sounds good since if we don't go back on Princess, we can get the money back.  We would be booking a 7 day cruise in a mini suite so for each 100.00 that we purchase would receive 50.00 OBC.  Would probably buy 4 or 5 in total.  I book online and in Canadian dollars and lately the deposit, well during a special, works out to be about 400.00 Canadian for the three of us.  Since all three of us will be travelling but only me doing the booking, can I use the FCDs that are in my name and also my husband's name when booking?  The OBC would be in US.  Again I assume I can book online, but the wording in the post above states through your Travel Advisor or CVP.

Edited March 25 by Eno

[Globaler]

1 hour ago, Eno said:

Sounds good since if we don't go back on Princess, we can get the money back.  We would be booking a 7 day cruise in a mini suite so for each 100.00 that we purchase would receive 50.00 OBC.  Would probably buy 4 or 5 in total.  I book online and in Canadian dollars and lately the deposit, well during a special, works out to be about 400.00 Canadian for the three of us.  Since all three of us will be travelling but only me doing the booking, can I use the FCDs that are in my name and also my husband's name when booking?  The OBC would be in US.  Again I assume I can book online, but the wording in the post above states through your Travel Advisor or CVP.

I booked 2 cruises and was able to do that - however get a CVP it makes it a lot easier.

[NavyVeteran]

2 hours ago, Eno said:

Sounds good since if we don't go back on Princess, we can get the money back.  We would be booking a 7 day cruise in a mini suite so for each 100.00 that we purchase would receive 50.00 OBC.  Would probably buy 4 or 5 in total.  I book online and in Canadian dollars and lately the deposit, well during a special, works out to be about 400.00 Canadian for the three of us.  Since all three of us will be travelling but only me doing the booking, can I use the FCDs that are in my name and also my husband's name when booking?  The OBC would be in US.  Again I assume I can book online, but the wording in the post above states through your Travel Advisor or CVP.

You can use one FCD for each passenger. Although you can use more than one in your name, you only receive OBC for one for each passenger. If all three of you are going to be sailing with Princess, then you need to purchase FCDs for each of you. Buy enough to cover any cruises you will book until your next cruise (when you can buy more if you need them). 

You should be able to use them to book online. You enter the passenger information for each passenger when you make the booking before you pay the deposit. If everything is working the way it should, the system recognizes each passenger's Captain's Circle account and recognizes that each passenger has a FCD. It then asks you if you want to use the FCDs.

[cr8tiv1]

I am re-reading OP's original post.  With the "new" information (We would be booking a 7 day cruise in a mini suite).  

 

OP would use $100 FCD to book the cruise, thereby reducing final payment by $100.

 

OP would then receive ONLY $50 OBC per person for a 7 day mini-suite.  

 

OP would not receive $150 OBC per person.

 

That is still a good return on initial investment.