FCC Issue - Be Very Careful When Buying

[MrPaulAR]

You need to be *very* careful when you purchase your FCC and think long & hard about whose name it is in. On our last cruise I bought the certificate and it came in my name but when my wife & her friend just tried to use the certificate my wife was not allowed to.

 

This seems unreasonable to me. My wife should be able to use a certificate that she helped pay for (we both have jobs and income).

 

If someone has suggestions to address this then that would be fantastic but if not I know better for next time and now anyone who reads this does too.

 

We just got off the Magic on 4/1 (where we bought it) and purchased the Conquest yesterday for 4/22 expecting to use the certificate.

[drosphot]

If we buy them we get one in each of our names just in case... Most of the time people will buy them knowing which people for sure are going on cruises and get them in their names. Last August we got one in mine, DW and DS names. We used mine and DS's for this summers cruise in two different cabins and we'll use the DW's for just me and her or she may cruise with a friend. Pre-planning and knowing who is going for sure is key.

[shof515]

when you bought the fcc, you should of ask them if they were transferable. IF you read the fine print, you will noticed that the fcc is not transferable

[Frank12]

Never really thought of that, but then again there is no way I would let DW cruise without me!:)

[brooklynfc]

That is weird. I guess just another "small print" kinda deal. I totally would have missed that one, good thing I always do it in my name and I always use it myself.

 

But think of it this way.......it kinda protects you too. If you lost it, no one would get your free money and if you and your wife had (God Forbid) went you separate ways........she couldn't have taken it and used it. I know that is a horrible way to think, but.........I guess I read these boards too much, sometimes the horror stories get to you. lol.

[chasinraynbowz]

I would not have known that. But then again, my DH would NEVER let me cruise without him... lol... so that won't be a problem!!

 

Thanks for the heads up though!!

[Anjanu]

I always get them in my name. DH never sails without me but I do sail without him sometimes.

[rferr]

I have a another question about the fcc certificates. Other threads have seemed to indicate that if you buy two of them, one for husband and one for wife, that when you book the next cruise you do not get both obc for each certificate but only get on obc. If that is the case then what is the advantage of buying two fcc's at a time? Is the only advantage being if you were going to book two upcoming cruises?

[arpie05]

the benefit would be that you could use one two different sailings before you had a chance to purchase another one.

(like a B2B)

 

There are two ships, I think, that you can't buy them on. I'm not sure why you can't buy in the name of an under 18 year old.

[Dave85]

Whether OP should have read the fine print or not, IMHO that's a really dumb policy. One spouse should be able to use a FCC in the other spouse's name... :rolleyes:

 

That said, now we all know (if we didn't already). Buyer beware.

[bankonus]

the benefit would be that you could use one two different sailings before you had a chance to purchase another one.

(like a B2B)

 

There are two ships, I think, that you can't buy them on. I'm not sure why you can't buy in the name of an under 18 year old.

 

My son is 22 and is using his first certificate he bought last year on our upcoming cruise in Sept. He had to be 21 in order to start purchasing FCC. He went with us to every purchase of ours and was denied until he turned 21. He/we would have been buying them all along if 18 was the age as we cruise every year. Have the rules changed on this?

[lucky13elec]

I have a another question about the fcc certificates. Other threads have seemed to indicate that if you buy two of them, one for husband and one for wife, that when you book the next cruise you do not get both obc for each certificate but only get on obc. If that is the case then what is the advantage of buying two fcc's at a time? Is the only advantage being if you were going to book two upcoming cruises?

 

 

You may purchase them within one week of returning from any Carnival cruise.

You can't use two on the same room. We've used two on separate rooms when traveling with close friends and family so everyone can get priority check-in. But if you look at the fine print they do not have to even give you the full obc.

We just did this for a 4 day sailing and Carnival did give us $100 off each of our rooms but only credited each room $25 instead of $50. The certificates say up to $50 3-5 day cruise. As in everything buyer beware.

[bankonus]

You may purchase them within one week of returning from any Carnival cruise.

You can't use two on the same room. We've used two on separate rooms when traveling with close friends and family so everyone can get priority check-in. But if you look at the fine print they do not have to even give you the full obc.

We just did this for a 4 day sailing and Carnival did give us $100 off each of our rooms but only credited each room $25 instead of $50. The certificates say up to $50 3-5 day cruise. As in everything buyer beware.

 

YIKES! That really stinks. You get priority check-in if you use an FCC? Or am I misunderstanding? Thanks

[livestocruisetoo]

We bought two on our last cruise, both in my name because that's whose credit card was used to pay for them. We could have each bought one. Since we've used them before, we knew how it works but the gentleman at the desk also mentioned it. No hocus pocus. After we got home we saw our next cruise and it was booked in my name though we couldn't find the certificates. Probably in the luggage we were waiting for from Spain. Our PVP looked them up and applied one to the cruise we booked. It protects you so no one else can book with it except the owner. We'll most likely buy another on the next cruise. It's free money given interest rates. If it isn't used they buy it back. So on our next cruise we will have at least $100 OBC. That's probably all we will get since our cabin is $150 pp more now than when we booked it. When we board it will be 1 year from purchase so I think it was a good investment. :D

[Out to sea!]

You may purchase them within one week of returning from any Carnival cruise.

You can't use two on the same room. We've used two on separate rooms when traveling with close friends and family so everyone can get priority check-in. But if you look at the fine print they do not have to even give you the full obc.

We just did this for a 4 day sailing and Carnival did give us $100 off each of our rooms but only credited each room $25 instead of $50. The certificates say up to $50 3-5 day cruise. As in everything buyer beware.

 

Huh???

[urbanhawk]

You may purchase them within one week of returning from any Carnival cruise.

You can't use two on the same room. We've used two on separate rooms when traveling with close friends and family so everyone can get priority check-in. But if you look at the fine print they do not have to even give you the full obc.

We just did this for a 4 day sailing and Carnival did give us $100 off each of our rooms but only credited each room $25 instead of $50. The certificates say up to $50 3-5 day cruise. As in everything buyer beware.

 

They should have given each of the 2 people in the room $25 OBC=$50 for the 4 day sailing-I'd call CCL and let them know this-it seems to be an error on their part, but I think they'd be willing to make things right, as they could look it up in their system. Good luck.....Let us know what happens...

[med9114u]

You may purchase them within one week of returning from any Carnival cruise.

You can't use two on the same room. We've used two on separate rooms when traveling with close friends and family so everyone can get priority check-in. But if you look at the fine print they do not have to even give you the full obc.

We just did this for a 4 day sailing and Carnival did give us $100 off each of our rooms but only credited each room $25 instead of $50. The certificates say up to $50 3-5 day cruise. As in everything buyer beware.

 

Where does it say anything about priority check in for using an FCC????

[lucky13elec]

Where does it say anything about priority check in for using an FCC????

 

No we get priority check in. If we book in two separate cabins the people traveling with us get it also because they are in our room. then you go to the pursers office and get an extra key for each room and swap roommates.

[lucky13elec]

They should have given each of the 2 people in the room $25 OBC=$50 for the 4 day sailing-I'd call CCL and let them know this-it seems to be an error on their part, but I think they'd be willing to make things right, as they could look it up in their system. Good luck.....Let us know what happens...

 

I called Carnival rep said the department handling the FCC is swamped which i knew. The Carnival rep is the one who pointed out that the number one item on the rear of the certificate states you get UP TO $amount not that you will get said amount. I am hopeful my PVP can sort it out when he gets back.

[bankonus]

No we get priority check in. If we book in two separate cabins the people traveling with us get it also because they are in our room. then you go to the pursers office and get an extra key for each room and swap roommates.

 

Okay...I knew that part. I misunderstood about the FCC. I was hoping for a priority check in. Number 9 for me this time....1 more after this one.:p

[med9114u]

No we get priority check in. If we book in two separate cabins the people traveling with us get it also because they are in our room. then you go to the pursers office and get an extra key for each room and swap roommates.

 

Gotcha..I thouhgt I was missing out on something when I used my FCC...oh well, Lol.

[bankonus]

I called Carnival rep said the department handling the FCC is swamped which i knew. The Carnival rep is the one who pointed out that the number one item on the rear of the certificate states you get UP TO $amount not that you will get said amount. I am hopeful my PVP can sort it out when he gets back.

 

 

By the way...I see this being a problem with people continuing to buy these certificates if there isn't a set amount across the board. What are you supposed to do...buy it, cross your fingers and hope for the best? Come on Carnival...it's called an INCENTIVE for a reason!

[drosphot]

My son is 22 and is using his first certificate he bought last year on our upcoming cruise in Sept. He had to be 21 in order to start purchasing FCC. He went with us to every purchase of ours and was denied until he turned 21. He/we would have been buying them all along if 18 was the age as we cruise every year. Have the rules changed on this?

 

It must have because we bought them under our 18 year olds name last August on the Conquest.

[happy cruzin]

You may purchase them within one week of returning from any Carnival cruise.

You can't use two on the same room. We've used two on separate rooms when traveling with close friends and family so everyone can get priority check-in. But if you look at the fine print they do not have to even give you the full obc.

We just did this for a 4 day sailing and Carnival did give us $100 off each of our rooms but only credited each room $25 instead of $50. The certificates say up to $50 3-5 day cruise. As in everything buyer beware.

 

Is this still the case?? :confused:

I seem to remember a thread in the last week or so - that someone attempted but was denied the opportunity to purchase once they returned. They could now ONLY be purchased on board -except for the 2 ships that do not offer the FCC desk. :cool:

[cuyahoga11]

Okay...I knew that part. I misunderstood about the FCC. I was hoping for a priority check in. Number 9 for me this time....1 more after this one.:p

 

You will get it after #9, when you board on #10