FCC Question

[Michelle19]

Am I the only one who does not understand the whole FCC thing? :(:(:(

[Times Prince]

Pay 100 per person deposit.

 

This deposit is used as your total deposit on the next cruise (not a percentage of the cruise price).

 

Then you get an onboard credit, the size of which depends on the cabin type you book.

 

e.g. I buy FCC, giving $100

 

When I book a cruise that same $100 is used as my deposit (which I would have had to pay anyhow) (net balance is now zero)

 

Then, because I like balconies I get $100 back as onboard credit.

 

So for my 100 investment I get 200 in value.

 

Got it now?

[caribill]

Then, because I like balconies I get $100 back as onboard credit.

 

So for my 100 investment I get 200 in value.

 

 

The $100 of OBC is for an outside cabin on a 10-15 day voyage.

 

The full list of OBC

Inside cabin:

$25 for a 7-9 day cruise

$75 for a 10-15 day cruise

$125 for a cruise greater than 15 days

Outside cabin (oceanview, balcony,mini-suite,suite):

$50 for a 7-9 day cruise

$100 for a 10-15 day cruise

$150 for a cruise greater than 15 days

 

Above is for each of the first two persons in a cabin that used an FCC. If only one person has used an FCC, then only one person will get the OBC.

[Michelle19]

okkee dokee :confused:

[julia]

To put it another way... give Princess $100 (per person, while on board a cruise) towards a future cruise (any cruise). You will get a certificate with a FCC # in return. Down the line, when you find the cruise you may want to book (up to four years later), then that $100 certificate will go towards your cruise deposit(s). THEN, you will be rewarded (anywhere from $25-$150) on your original investment in the form of an onboard cabin credit (to use any way you'd like).

 

It is a no-lose investment.

[Astro Flyer]

Depending upon how often one takes a cruise, you could consider purchasing more than one FCC. I learned this the hard way when we lost $150/pp OBC because we didn't have another FCC available.

[Pam in CA]

Depending upon how often one takes a cruise, you could consider purchasing more than one FCC. I learned this the hard way when we lost $150/pp OBC because we didn't have another FCC available.

Find a TA that offers the occasional reduced deposit sale of $100/pp. I agree about getting two.

 

The FCC is good for four years and if you decide by then not to use it, it's fully refundable. Other than you're out $100 for a period of time, it's a win-win because that'll be your total deposit for a cruise, you won't pay anything more until final payment, and you'll get some or all of it back as an OBC. One of the nice things about the FCC is that if you're thinking of taking a cruise and see a great price, you can book it right away and not worry about having to make the full deposit.

 

We're conditioned to question a deal that sounds too good to be true. In this case, it really is true.

 

Is this clear as mud now? :)

[Pendle]

not always a win win, maybe for you in the US but not in the UK. i have booked a further cruise but Princess will not honour our FCC as they say we got a "good Deal" on our booking. i am very annoyed as in my view the deposit is nothing to do with the price you pay for the cruise but Princess wont budge.

[paul929207]

You can only buy an FCC while on a Princess cruise.

[Liz54]

If I book using the FCC, do I need to put down more deposit for my husband in the same cabin. He does not have a FCC.?

[bythehex]

If I book using the FCC, do I need to put down more deposit for my husband in the same cabin. He does not have a FCC.?

 

If you're the only one with the FCC, then it would only apply to you. You'd still have to pay the regular deposit for your husband.

[granlea]

If I have an FCC do I need to book my cruise with Princess rather than a TA?

 

If I do book with Princess with an FCC, can I move my booking to a TA?

 

How does one know before booking whether or not Princess will allow an FCC for onboard credit, or if the price paid is too good a "deal" as posted above......

[paul929207]

You can use a FCC when booking with either Princess or a TA. Just tell the TA you want to use the FCC. If you book thru Princess, you can transfer to a TA anytime before final payment

[DrSch]

If you're the only one with the FCC, then it would only apply to you. You'd still have to pay the regular deposit for your husband.

 

 

You can also call your travel agent, and have them set it up as a special or on a group, so that you also only have to pay 100.00 for him. A good travel agent typically can do this for you :)

 

 

The big benifit to the FCC is that you get a shipboard credit for using an FCC.

[bythehex]

You can also call your travel agent, and have them set it up as a special or on a group, so that you also only have to pay 100.00 for him. A good travel agent typically can do this for you :)

 

 

The big benifit to the FCC is that you get a shipboard credit for using an FCC.

 

That's correct. IF there's already a group set up for that particular sailing and if that particular cabin category is part of the group. And whether reduced deposits are part of that group special.

 

It doesn't hurt to ask your TA, because IF there is a group for your sailing, some group setups offer things like bottles of wine, beverage cards or additional OBC that you might not have had otherwise. It varies for each ship and by sailing date.

 

And if you already have FCC and get OBC, it's a treat to get extra OBC like we did when we asked about a group on our last booking. Instead of just $50 OBC we now have $150 OBC. :D

[LoraJ]

Find a TA that offers the occasional reduced deposit sale of $100/pp. I agree about getting two.

 

The FCC is good for four years and if you decide by then not to use it, it's fully refundable. Other than you're out $100 for a period of time, it's a win-win because that'll be your total deposit for a cruise, you won't pay anything more until final payment, and you'll get some or all of it back as an OBC. One of the nice things about the FCC is that if you're thinking of taking a cruise and see a great price, you can book it right away and not worry about having to make the full deposit.

 

We're conditioned to question a deal that sounds too good to be true. In this case, it really is true.

 

Is this clear as mud now? :)

 

I'm so glad to hear that it is fully refundable. I couldn't remember if it was or not. When asking about NCL FCC I was told it was only refundable for 30 days so I didn't take advantage of one. Too risky. I am hoping I can use my Princess one in time but I would be cutting it close to the 4 year mark. Does the cruise have to be booked within 4 years or the sailing done in 4 years?

 

Also, if you booked when they were having a sail that would include an OBC then the FCC would just be on top of that, right?

[DrSch]

That's correct. IF there's already a group set up for that particular sailing and if that particular cabin category is part of the group. And whether reduced deposits are part of that group special.

 

It doesn't hurt to ask your TA, because IF there is a group for your sailing, some group setups offer things like bottles of wine, beverage cards or additional OBC that you might not have had otherwise. It varies for each ship and by sailing date.

 

And if you already have FCC and get OBC, it's a treat to get extra OBC like we did when we asked about a group on our last booking. Instead of just $50 OBC we now have $150 OBC. :D

 

 

If your TA is good, they will set up a group for you, and try to sell others on the same cruise

[dbeckett]

not always a win win, maybe for you in the US but not in the UK. i have booked a further cruise but Princess will not honour our FCC as they say we got a "good Deal" on our booking. i am very annoyed as in my view the deposit is nothing to do with the price you pay for the cruise but Princess wont budge.

 

Seen as how you can buy FCC in £ they should let you use it just like any other country that buys one. To me that's worth taking on Alan Buckelew himself for an explanation. The idea that a good deal excludes you from using it as intended doesn't make sense.

[Pam in CA]

I am hoping I can use my Princess one in time but I would be cutting it close to the 4 year mark. Does the cruise have to be booked within 4 years or the sailing done in 4 years?

 

Also, if you booked when they were having a sail that would include an OBC then the FCC would just be on top of that, right?

I just checked my FCC and it's valid for use up to four years from now, so it would be time of booking, not necessarily sailing, particularly since you can sometimes book a cruise two years in advance.

 

Yes, the FCC OBC is in addition to any other OBC you have been given, including the shareholder's, military, TA, Elite, etc. It all adds up.

[cherylandtk]

I just checked my FCC and it's valid for use up to four years from now, so it would be time of booking, not necessarily sailing, particularly since you can sometimes book a cruise two years in advance.

Pam, in my Personalizer it has my FCC listed with a 'sail by' date, not a 'book by' date. Is that something new on (er...absent from?) the FCC confirmations?

[cactusrose]

I just checked my FCC and it's valid for use up to four years from now, so it would be time of booking, not necessarily sailing, particularly since you can sometimes book a cruise two years in advance.

 

Yes, the FCC OBC is in addition to any other OBC you have been given, including the shareholder's, military, TA, Elite, etc. It all adds up.

 

 

If you look at your FCC in your captains circle account it shows the expiration as the sail by date. So this sounds like you have to actually start your cruise by that date, not just use the FCC by that date.

[paul929207]

If you look at your FCC in your captains circle account it shows the expiration as the sail by date. So this sounds like you have to actually start your cruise by that date, not just use the FCC by that date.

FCC will expire if you do not sail by the expiration date

[cactusrose]

FCC will expire if you do not sail by the expiration date

 

Yes. That's what I said.

[pms4104]

Pam, in my Personalizer it has my FCC listed with a 'sail by' date, not a 'book by' date. Is that something new on (er...absent from?) the FCC confirmations?

We purchased FCC's while on the Grand last October, and the confirmation we received onboard indicated an expiration/sail by date that was 4 years from the date the onboard consultant processed our deposit.

[Pam in CA]

Pam, in my Personalizer it has my FCC listed with a 'sail by' date, not a 'book by' date. Is that something new on (er...absent from?) the FCC confirmations?

 

If you look at your FCC in your captains circle account it shows the expiration as the sail by date. So this sounds like you have to actually start your cruise by that date, not just use the FCC by that date.

Looks like I'm wrong but that doesn't make sense to me because you can book a cruise so far in advance. :(