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FCD benefits reduced?


VMax1700
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For what its worth we have never found any advantage to booking while aboard.  We have tried it a few times and always had to either cancel the booking or get it repriced since we could always find much better deals from or favorite cruise agencies after we returned home.  The only FCCs we find worthwhile are on Princess where they are very generous with "stacking" OBCs.  We can later find the best deal with a cruise agency and then have them also apply a FCC.  

 

Hank

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4 hours ago, *Miss G* said:

I can’t see them not honoring the old contracts as those are the ones we signed.  I just hope we don’t have to fight for what was agreed upon.

 We would hope that HAL honors the older tiers if people bought them under that contract term .  However ,if they do not ,imo  people  may cancel their cruises 

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10 hours ago, VennDiagram said:

 

To me, the wording is ambiguous/unclear.  I don't expect you to know the answer, but I do wonder if the "we" referenced applies only to the FCC desk onboard.

 

From my interpretation, the future cruise consultant will only accept forms with your signature, which have the new updated OBC amounts.  In other words, some people may have taken some extra forms from previous trips, or if there are some old forms hanging around, and they will NOT be accepted towards a future cruise credit.  I read it as, after Jan15, only the forms with the new terms will be accepted.

 

Now what they do regarding the future cruise deposits which have already been granted, under the old category system,  I have no idea.  Everyone has up to 4 years to trade them in, so perhaps they will “grandfather”those - 

 

I am not sure and would think no, that  they can apply the new system to those future cruise credit forms which have already been signed by a future cruise consultant on behalf of Holland America.

 

Carol

 

 

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11 hours ago, GRACECRUISE said:

We dropped one in the box for 3 FCD on our Dec 7 cruise.  Asked for the email notification to be sent.  Never got the notification and never charged for it.  Notified HAL once we got home they said there was nothing they can do.  Would always make sure to get hard copy on ship and never go email route again.

I always ask for a hard copy onboard, to be sure that I got it and that it is correct.  I once had an issue and was able to fix it before we disembarked.

 

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10 hours ago, SilvertoGold said:

Some thoughts:

 

So, ZPM is likely gone, too?

 

 

I sure hope not. We just used one of our old FCD's and the Welcome Home promo to book our March cruise just this past weekend and got the usual obc for both. 

 

Not knowing if other cruiselines have similar programs, I don't know how HAL compares when it comes to welcoming back repeat customers.

 

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7 minutes ago, VMax1700 said:

I will repost the announcement when i get better lighting!

15793568891446871597837122565429.jpg

Thanks for the information, would like to know how the figures below $500 are divided in categories and length of cruise, if you don't mind me asking.

 

Oops, I see your answer crossed my question, thanks!

 

Edited by Alphen
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21 minutes ago, VMax1700 said:

15793571909402314788476035526804.jpg

 

Thanks for the additional info!  I guess they're trying to encourage booking onboard over buying FCDs.  I really dislike waiting for the FCC to be available, wasting my valuable vacation time.  If they consistently book appointments, I wouldn't mind so much but the same FCC who doesn't make mistakes wouldn't take appointments at all so one had to wait for them to be free.

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12 hours ago, SilvertoGold said:

Some thoughts:

 

So, ZPM is likely gone, too?

 

As for OBC, HAL has been offering some with proms lately.  Hmm.  

 

I noticed a big box Canadian company that used to give OBC on a sliding scale in respect to how much you spent on the cruise.  Now, I notice that the credit amount (as a gift card) is for spending in their stores, not on HAL.  

This new formula for the FCC "punishes" pax for booking higher categories.  Everyone is now equal.  How good is that? 🙂


I am so disappointed in this too!!

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1 hour ago, Alberta Quilter said:

 

Thanks for the additional info!  I guess they're trying to encourage booking onboard over buying FCDs.  I really dislike waiting for the FCC to be available, wasting my valuable vacation time.

On board we enjoy the cruise of that very moment and do not wish to waste our time like you said.

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1 hour ago, Alberta Quilter said:

 

I really dislike waiting for the FCC to be available, wasting my valuable vacation time. 

Exactly. Not only do you have more time when you get home but you can make a more informed choice.

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I asked about ZPM and fcc confirmed it would continue but called it VPM. (Maybe a FCC special rate.)

When i pushed about buying a FCD at new rate and applying ZPM to it within 60 days she was a bit hesitant. I get the impression that ZPM will cease over the coming 60 days.

Edited by VMax1700
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7 minutes ago, VMax1700 said:

I asked about ZPM and fcc confirmed it would continue but called it VPM. (Maybe a FCC special rate.)

When i pushed about buying a FCD at new rate and applying ZPM to it within 60 days she was a bit hesitant. I get the impression that ZPM will cease over the coming 60 days.

 

Thanks for the info.  We bought some on our December cruise on the Oosterdam and were not informed of any changes at that time.  Disappointed to read all this.   

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JMO, but it seems that this is the beginning of the end to the FCD's and the reduction of the OBC amounts now is a soft rollout to finally eliminating them.  (Hope I'm wrong!)  Years ago when I sailed Carnival they used to sell Future Cruise Certificates (FCC's) and eliminated them altogether and went with having to book Onboard in order to get OBC and to be able to deposit Cruises with $100 pp.  

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19 minutes ago, idiebabe said:

JMO, but it seems that this is the beginning of the end to the FCD's and the reduction of the OBC amounts now is a soft rollout to finally eliminating them.  (Hope I'm wrong!)  Years ago when I sailed Carnival they used to sell Future Cruise Certificates (FCC's) and eliminated them altogether and went with having to book Onboard in order to get OBC and to be able to deposit Cruises with $100 pp.  

 

Yes I agree.  Feels like another slap to loyal customers.   

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19 hours ago, SilvertoGold said:

I wonder if HAL will honour the "old" amounts?

 

It would be quite dishonorable if  they refuse to  grant the benefits that applied at the time the FCC was purchased, IMO  and I'll b e very surprised if  they do otherwise  IMO.

 

HAL is many things and one of  them is they are  an honorable company IMO

 

 

Through all the years, hundreds  of cruise days, I have no memory of them ever treating us unfairly when it came to anything in terms of $$.

 

 

sail.noordam@gmail.com

Edited by sail7seas
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6 hours ago, VMax1700 said:

15793571909402314788476035526804.jpg

Our PCC always told us if we book onboard, he is not able to look after the cruise for us. I wonder if that changes now?   Can we have the booking assigned to our PCC, just like having it assigned to a travel agent?

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1 minute ago, OVgirl said:

Our PCC always told us if we book onboard, he is not able to look after the cruise for us. I wonder if that changes now?   Can we have the booking assigned to our PCC, just like having it assigned to a travel agent?

 

My PCC told me the same thing.

 

Not sure.  Travel advisor was the term always used in my FCD’s and that meant TA, not PCC.  I think you would be wise to wait a week until the dust has settled and then ask your PCC.  JMO though.

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19 hours ago, OVgirl said:

Our PCC always told us if we book onboard, he is not able to look after the cruise for us. I wonder if that changes now?   Can we have the booking assigned to our PCC, just like having it assigned to a travel agent?

Thats funny, as my PCC has been encouraging me (in Dec) to book while onboard and she could work it later on.  Typical HAL - different stories and rules.

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