Tell me about booking your next cruise onboard your current cruise

[Ugly Betty Fan]

I've read a few posts that have indicated that booking your next cruise while on your current cruise is often a good deal. Can someone tell me what these advantages might be and, can you book any cruise or does it have to be the same ship?

 

For example, if our 2008 cruise goes well, our next cruise will probably be in 2009 or 2010, but, I'm not sure I want to wait until next July to book our 2009 cruise.

 

Can someone enlighten me to how this whole thing works?

 

Thanks!

[azdmelani]

you can talk to the future booking person and do a specific sailing. Or, you can do a general credit. you get a reduced $100 deposit and $25-150 of onboard credit depending on the category ansd length of your cruise.

[Nymue]

I believe the $100 credit is good for any cruise within 4 years. However if you do not use it, it is refunded. So it's a great deal with nothing to loss :D

You get at least some, if not all, of your deposit back in the form of an on board credit!

[AmyinGA]

We did an open booking on our last Princess cruise that was 3 years ago. We just booked a cruise for September. It was great to just apply our deposit and know that we have onboard credits too.

[Colo Cruiser]

Usually, booking an actual cruise while onboard Princess offers no deal that I have ever seen. I just book a few FCC's and look for a good deal once I am home. :)

[Coolmama_1]

I love the open booking and filling out the fcc form is one of the first things we do. It feels great to know that I can book a cruise whenever I want and get the obc as well.

[OhioDogLover]

We found the system to be flexible.

We did an onboard booking, but then cancelled the cruise we chose on board. We left the credit in place. Recently, we booked a different cruise with Princess, which applied the deposit we had already made and is giving us the onboard credit. Just make sure that you reference the onboard deposit when making the reservation. We forgot to do that and had to call Princess, but they applied it, no problem, of course.

 

Ohiodoglover

[sonomaphil]

It's the best deal out there! Your interest on the $100 is the OBC!

[Plant]

IMO, this is one of the best deals ever! On your next Princess cruise visit the Future Cruise Consultant. (We always go on the first sea day-no line.)

 

Put down a $100.00 pp deposit for any cruise in the next 4 years and get an onboard credit, too. You don't have to specify which cruise you want. If you don't use it (don't know why you wouldn't:) ) you get your deposit back.

 

The normal deposit for a cruise is $250.00 pp, so this is a great deal! Yes, you could get interest on your $100.00 at the bank, but these days you wouldn't get much :o . As sonomaphil said, the OBC will be much more than the interest!

[NthernLgts]

Do not book a specific cruise onboard. Put the $100/pp down on a future cruise, then go hunt for your best bargain wherever you find it, and use it then. Everyplace will accept the $100 you pre-paid & you have 4 years to sail. If you dont sail, you still get your money back.

 

For our upcoming cruise, we put $200 down ($100/pp) 22 months ago for a cruise to be determined, the one next month. In exchange for that, we got $100 (total) shipboard credit and didnt have to put up any more money until final payment 30 days ago.

[bionicbeacher]

I've read a few posts that have indicated that booking your next cruise while on your current cruise is often a good deal. Can someone tell me what these advantages might be and, can you book any cruise or does it have to be the same ship?

 

For example, if our 2008 cruise goes well, our next cruise will probably be in 2009 or 2010, but, I'm not sure I want to wait until next July to book our 2009 cruise.

 

Can someone enlighten me to how this whole thing works?

 

Thanks!

 

Hi .....this is our experience and our present practice of using the Future Cruise Credits (FCC's) which can only be purchased while On Board a Princess Cruise. You do this by visiting the Future Cruise Desk and speak with their Rep or fill out a form that you will find in the immediate vicinity of the Desk.

 

As far as we know they are only available to Passengers from the USA and Canada ...however, we have heard that some people from the UK when using an American TA have managed to use them as well. But we haven't spoken with anyone ourselves to confirm that this is true.

 

If you use Princess Air and fly from a city in the US and use an American TA you will need a FCC in US dollars....if you are Canadian and use Princess Air and fly from a Canadian airport you will need a FCC in CAD......if you are Canadian and use an American TA and arrange your own air...you will most likely need a FCC in US unless the TA will book you somehow in CAD and vice versa if you are an American using a Canadian TA

 

As we mentioned, you can purchase the FCC's while on Board ...you can purchase as many as you wish ...for flexibility ...we have one FCC in US funds and Four in CAD funds. US ....$100.00 ....Canadian ...$125.00.

 

When you buy them they are charged directly to your Credit Card and not to your On Board Account......they are good for 4 years ...and are totally refundable.

 

Their big advantage is to allow you to book a future Cruise or future Cruises, while on board or while at home .....with a reduced deposit (One FCC with a cost of $100. or 125. Explained a little further on).

 

Normal circumstances usually dictate that you would pay a deposit of approx. 25 percent of the Cruise ...and if you were booking 2 or more Future Cruises ...this certainly would add up. Not only can you book multiple Cruises using a FCC ...you only need one FCC per Cruise to cover the first two people in the Cabin....the deposit for the second person when using a FCC can be paid for on your Credit Card ( Therefore, One FCC + $100.00 or $125.00)

 

When booking a Cruise using a FCC and depending on the length of the Cruise and the type of Cabin that you book....Princess gives you an Onboard Credit in USD ....which could be $25 to $150 USD PP

 

If you have to cancel a Cruise before Final Payment Day the FCC is automatically returned to your Captain's Circle Account to be used again at a later date or on another Cruise ...... if you cancel after Final Payment has been made and you have the appropriate cancellation Insurance you will have to recover the FCC value through your Insurance Claim.

 

We presently have several future Cruises booked....all of them were booked with one FCC each with the exception of one...we ran out of FCC's and had to put down 25 percent...missing out on the OBC for it.

 

When we Cruise this Fall on the Royal we will replenish our Account with a few FCC's.

 

Hopefully, we haven't bored you with this info....this is how we use the FCC process ...hope it answers your question.

 

Cheers

Ken & Jan

Toronto, Canada

[AZbeachboy]

I believe the $100 credit is good for any cruise within 4 years. However if you do not use it, it is refunded. So it's a great deal with nothing to loss :D

You get at least some, if not all, of your deposit back in the form of an on board credit!

 

This is a little confusing. You get all the deposit back, but no future OBC.

 

Great information all.

[Plant]

This is a little confusing. You get all the deposit back, but no future OBC.

 

Great information all.

 

Yes, if you don't cruise with Princess in the next 4 years you get your deposit back. If you do cruise you get the OBC in addition to the the lower deposit.

[AZbeachboy]

Yes, if you don't cruise with Princess in the next 4 years you get your deposit back. If you do cruise you get the OBC in addition to the the lower deposit.

 

I understood that. I was responding to the thread above and the way they wrote the answer to the thread. I was confusing the way it was written.

[vacation fool]

This is a little confusing. You get all the deposit back, but no future OBC.

 

Great information all.

 

What I am confused about is that OP said that only one FCC ($100) is needed for 2 people in cabin. So does this mean when i do book a specific sailing that the $100 deposit I made on board covers both myself and DH and no more money is then due til final payment?:confused:

[Retired 07]

Here is a bit of info that may come in handy for some of you.

 

On our first cruise, (just this past May to Alaska) we put down $200 for a future cruise. Now we just booked a 4 day repositioning cruise for September, and wanted to use our deposit. We were told that would be fine, however, since it is less than a 7 day cruise, we would LOSE our on board credits. So, we reversed our deposit, had it reapplied to our account, and will save it for another future cruise.

 

Actually, nobody told us this when we booked. I noticed that when I checked "my princess" that my OBC's were gone, so I called Princess, and they straightened it all out.

[cactusrose]

What I am confused about is that OP said that only one FCC ($100) is needed for 2 people in cabin. So does this mean when i do book a specific sailing that the $100 deposit I made on board covers both myself and DH and no more money is then due til final payment?:confused:

 

No you will have to put an additional $100 down when you make the booking and both people in the cabin will get the OBC. This just means you only have to tie up $100 when you pay for the FCC. We usually get a few FCC when on board but will only use one of them when we book because you never know when you might see another cruise you want to book before you can buy more FCC. We currently have 7 cruises booked using one FCC and an additional $100 deposit for each.

[vacation fool]

No you will have to put an additional $100 down when you make the booking and both people in the cabin will get the OBC. This just means you only have to tie up $100 when you pay for the FCC. We usually get a few FCC when on board but will only use one of them when we book because you never know when you might see another cruise you want to book before you can buy more FCC. We currently have 7 cruises booked using one FCC and an additional $100 deposit for each.

 

Thanks for all the great info. It is interesting as on RCL when u book the specific sailing i was told that the additional deposit is the regular full deposit for 2nd passenger ($200) vs the same reduced deposit of $100 so I am surprised that Princess keeps it at $100.:rolleyes:

[geoherb]

Another thing not mentioned above is if you originally book an inside cabin and later change your mind and book an outside cabin, the onboard credit is increased. We found this out when prices for our Alaskan cruise dropped before the final payment date. It turned out by switching from an inside to an obstructed view at the same price we ended up paying less after figuring in the increased onboard credit.