FCC and onboard credit for friends

[morriscats]

We have finally been successful in getting our friends to cruise to Hawaii next year. We booked first, using 2 FCC's. When they decided to go I called our TA and asked if we could use 1 FCC for our stateroom and have my husband book the other stateroom using the other FCC and then just switch. The TA said "no" - he had never done this and there would be a problem with the room cards being in the wrong name. Our friends paid the higher deposit - Then I asked how to apply the friends and family invitation and he said for our particular sailing Princess would not honor these either. I don't see any restriction on the invitation. Should I just send this in to Princess and hope our friends get the onboard credit?? Thanks for any help.

[Toto2Kansas]

We have finally been successful in getting our friends to cruise to Hawaii next year. We booked first, using 2 FCC's. When they decided to go I called our TA and asked if we could use 1 FCC for our stateroom and have my husband book the other stateroom using the other FCC and then just switch. The TA said "no" - he had never done this and there would be a problem with the room cards being in the wrong name. Our friends paid the higher deposit - Then I asked how to apply the friends and family invitation and he said for our particular sailing Princess would not honor these either. I don't see any restriction on the invitation. Should I just send this in to Princess and hope our friends get the onboard credit?? Thanks for any help.

 

Sounds like you really need to find yourself a new TA that knows about Princess and FCC's.

 

I would send the coupon to Princess and see what happens, it can't hurt. But it's a shame your TA didn't want to book your cabins that way, it's done all the time. You just see the pursers desk once onboard to get them changed around. The TA would have had no extra work in here with switching those cruise cards, it is all done onboard after you check in.

[Colo Cruiser]

We just did this on the Island with my in laws, went to the pursers desk once onboard and switched. Very painless and we all got the credit not to mention 2 Elite setups. :D

[Pia1913]

Princess eliminated the Share the Wealth coupons effective August 1st. I understand they were honoring them for a short period of time, but what that period is is anyone's guess. We have submitted them for our Ruby cruise on Nov. 22nd, but don't know as yet whether the two families (4 cabins) will get the credit. It's a wait and see situation.

 

Pia

[bobcan]

We have finally been successful in getting our friends to cruise to Hawaii next year. We booked first, using 2 FCC's. When they decided to go I called our TA and asked if we could use 1 FCC for our stateroom and have my husband book the other stateroom using the other FCC and then just switch. The TA said "no" - he had never done this and there would be a problem with the room cards being in the wrong name. Our friends paid the higher deposit

 

Your TA should have contacted princess before saying no. We recently booked two cabins on the Ruby using the method you suggest (at the suggestion of the princess booking agent our TA was dealing with).

 

Get your TA to call Princess again and see if they could make this change, I know it won't get your deposit back but all four of you would be eligible for the onboard credits laid out in the FCC.

 

bob

[morriscats]

Our TA did call Princess on the credit for friends. He didn't say Princess had eliminated it altogether - just that for popular sailings that sell out this would not be honored. I am going to send in the invite and see what happens.

[SeattleCruiselover]

I got the word straight from the horse's mouth (the Future Cruise Consultant) on Golden three weeks ago. There is no more Share the Wealth, period, on ANY sailing. I was trying to buy FCC's for my youngest daughter, who is a Captain's Circle member, and was told that, since she was not on the same cruise as I, it could no longer be done, and she would have to get them herself on her next sailing. So this cannot be done any longer.....sorry.

[Toto2Kansas]

I got the word straight from the horse's mouth (the Future Cruise Consultant) on Golden three weeks ago. There is no more Share the Wealth, period, on ANY sailing. I was trying to buy FCC's for my youngest daughter, who is a Captain's Circle member, and was told that, since she was not on the same cruise as I, it could no longer be done, and she would have to get them herself on her next sailing. So this cannot be done any longer.....sorry.

 

I think I am confused here. You were trying to buy FCC's for your daughter that was not sailing with you? That has never been allowed. In order to purchase FCC's you must be on a Princess ship to purchase them. It doesn't matter if who you are trying to buy them for is a Captain's Circle member or not, they must be on the ship. FCC's can not be purchased for anyone except those onboard at the time.

 

The share the wealth coupons used to be available when you purchased an FCC onboard, and you filled them out and sent them in when friends or family were going to join YOU on a future cruise. Same ship, same sailing, they could only be used that way. They originally entitled the person you wanted to sail with you to a lowered deposit and shipboard credit if they decided to join you on your sailing. But then they changed it to only the shipboard credit, no lowered deposit as it used to be.

 

So, did I misunderstand here or did you type that incorrectly?

[bubbadog]

just give one of the ffc to your friends,and let them use it for their booking,i dont see anything wrong with that,have a great cruise:D

[Toto2Kansas]

just give one of the ffc to your friends,and let them use it for their booking,i dont see anything wrong with that,have a great cruise:D

bubba, now you know you can't do that. FCC's are non-transferable. ;)

[LARGIN]

Toto is correct.. FCC's are non-transferable..

[Coral]

I don't have much knowledge here but I can say that I purchased 2 FCCs last week by just depositing them in the slot. I received my confirmation with no "Share the Wealth coupons". I used to get them with the coupons. Not sure if it was an oversite or if they are discontinuing the program.

 

I never used the coupons and gave them away usually on this board - so I didn't bother to ask.

[morriscats]

Sounds like you really need to find yourself a new TA that knows about Princess and FCC's.

 

I would send the coupon to Princess and see what happens, it can't hurt. But it's a shame your TA didn't want to book your cabins that way, it's done all the time. You just see the pursers desk once onboard to get them changed around. The TA would have had no extra work in here with switching those cruise cards, it is all done onboard after you check in.

Since I have a TA how would Princess tell me if they are accepting the share the wealth card or not?? I am going to send it in and hope for the best. Thanks.

[Lynda90]

Since I have a TA how would Princess tell me if they are accepting the share the wealth card or not?? I am going to send it in and hope for the best. Thanks.

Just fill out the info and mail it to Princess. The address should be on the card and is already addressed. That's the way I did it last year. Never got my TA involved in it. Very easy. Curious to know if they still work. I'll ask on my cruise next month as I'm out of FCC's.

[KAWS]

I believe there's an expiry date on those Share the Wealth cards, so I'd try sending it in.

 

I'm bummed that they discontinued them. I was planning to pass one of them over to our friends for a cruise we're planning for 2012. Well there goes my incentive for pushing Princess with my friends. Now it's all an even playing field!

 

I guess the best you can do now is sign up your friends at Princess and get the $25 pp OBC that comes with it.

[Pia1913]

I just got off the Crown; bought 3 FCC's. No Share the Wealth. Not an oversight, Coral. They don't exist any longer said the cruise consultant. This was confirmed by an email waiting for me from a well know Cruise Critic TA.

 

Pia

[SeattleCruiselover]

I think I am confused here. You were trying to buy FCC's for your daughter that was not sailing with you? That has never been allowed. In order to purchase FCC's you must be on a Princess ship to purchase them. It doesn't matter if who you are trying to buy them for is a Captain's Circle member or not, they must be on the ship. FCC's can not be purchased for anyone except those onboard at the time.

 

The share the wealth coupons used to be available when you purchased an FCC onboard, and you filled them out and sent them in when friends or family were going to join YOU on a future cruise. Same ship, same sailing, they could only be used that way. They originally entitled the person you wanted to sail with you to a lowered deposit and shipboard credit if they decided to join you on your sailing. But then they changed it to only the shipboard credit, no lowered deposit as it used to be.

 

So, did I misunderstand here or did you type that incorrectly?

 

I asked her if I could buy them in my name and transfer them to her, or use a Share the Wealth coupon, and she said that we could no longer do either one of those.

[Toto2Kansas]

I asked her if I could buy them in my name and transfer them to her, or use a Share the Wealth coupon, and she said that we could no longer do either one of those.

 

It sounds like the share the wealth coupons are no longer being issued, so that is why you received that answer. But honestly, you have never been able to transfer an FCC to anyone. They are only good for those names who purchased them. As far as I know, you have never been able to purchase an FCC and transfer it or give it to someone else, it has always been a rule. And even with the share the wealth coupons, when they were being used, the one who you gave it to HAD TO BE SAILING WITH YOU on the next cruise you booked, they could not be used for just any sailing.

Possibly the one who answered your question didn't realize the way they worded it.