Frustrated with FCC

[dbs2939]

Just got off a 2 hour long call with Royal and not sure what to do next. Back in January my wife booked us a SOS for my 40th on sailing on July 4th. I had also secretly booked a cruise on Virgin Voyages leaving April 5th as a surprise for my wife. Unfortunately like most of us my plans got altered by Covid. When I received my cancellation with Virgin I took the 200% credit and was able to easily book a cruise for Labor Day 2020. However, I still needed to replace my April 5th cruise. I looked on Royal and found in OAS leaving April 5th which I quickly booked and paid my fare. Fast forward a week or so and now that sailing in cancelled as well. Trying to make the best of it I call Royal and decide to rebook for OAS for April 12th. Before paying my fare I ask if I can just transfer over my funds from the 5th to the 12th. Now I’ve been on Royal several times before and have never had FCC. So the agent explains that I can’t do that because I have to be issued an FCC, which could be used towards my July sailing. Realizing that my final payment for July is due April 6th anyway I figure no big deal. So I paid my fare for April 12th and went about my day looking forward to vacay. Fast-forward 2 hours and Covid has cancelled cruises for the next 30 days. I again call Royal and explain my situation and they said no problem wait for your FCC and all that credit can go towards my July cruise. Now, I kind of get excited because I was getting 125% credit for my cancelled cruises. While waiting for my FCC’s to come in I realize it’s April 5th and I still don’t have them I call Royal again and explain the whole scenario again. After a few minutes they say they can extend the due date because they realize that I have more than enough credit to pay towards my July cruise. A week later I get the FCC from my cancelled April 5th cruise. So I call Royal explain the whole situation again. I applied 1 FCC each for myself and my wife. I again ask for extension while I wait for the credit. They again say no problem don’t worry about the balance will take it when your FCC comes in. Well today I received my FCC and call Royal again, but today there is a problem. Now I’m being told that only 1 FCC per person can be used for my July cruise. After 2 hours on the phone they won’t budge because that is there policy. My only recourse is to ask for a refund. If I get the refund i’m Going to remain optimistic and book another cruise with another line. If I disregard the extra 25% credit I received they still have more than enough money to cover my July Cruise. I don’t want to cancel because I’ve been looking forward to my 40th all year. I just don’t believe that no one working at Royal can make this happen. I spoke to corporate and am running out of ideas of who to speak to. They have notes of my conversations and they seemed more eager to discipline the agents who gave me bad information than helping me make it right. I don’t want anyone to get in trouble, but I can’t wrap my head around them willing to give me my money back rather than just transferring it to a cruise I’ve already booked. Any suggestions or help would be appreciated.

[alane10]

When I spoke with them a couple weeks ago, I had a cruise payment quickly coming due, and FCC not yet received, as promised. I asked about applying multiple FCCs as some of the new cruises are more expensive than the ones cancelled. They said I might be able to get an exception, but didn't sound promising. 

Edited April 30, 2020 by alane10

[Ourusualbeach]

5 hours ago, dbs2939 said:

but I can’t wrap my head around them willing to give me my money back rather than just transferring it to a cruise I’ve already booked. Any suggestions or help would be appreciated.

Extremely doubtful that they will budge from their policy.

 

 

20. Can my client use more than one Future Cruise Credit to pay for his/her cruise fare?

At this time, only one FCC can be applied to each guest in a reservation. Future Cruise Credits are not stackable.

 

[Ourusualbeach]

18 minutes ago, alane10 said:

When I spoke with them a couple weeks ago, I had a cruise payment quickly coming due, and FCC not yet received, as promised. I asked about applying multiple FCCs as some of the new cruises are more expensive than the ones cancelled. They said I might be able to get an exception, but didn't sound promising. 

 

 I just received FCCs for a cancelled cruise that is LESS THAN what I paid since taxes aren't included in the FCC...so now, I get to figure out how to deal with that with Royal...

Taxes aren’t included in the FCC since taxes from the cancelled  cruise will be Refunded

[johnjen]

These are very trying times for both the cruise line and the customers. Our June 22nd cruise out of Amsterdam STILL shows it being on schedule - but if they cancel it, we want our full refund. I just hope RCL does NOT try pressing a future cruise credit on us because that will only piss us off and make us not want to cruise with them again. I keep reading nightmare stories about their FCC program. It truly does suck.

[Ourusualbeach]

3 minutes ago, johnjen said:

These are very trying times for both the cruise line and the customers. Our June 22nd cruise out of Amsterdam STILL shows it being on schedule - but if they cancel it, we want our full refund. I just hope RCL does NOT try pressing a future cruise credit on us because that will only piss us off and make us not want to cruise with them again. I keep reading nightmare stories about their FCC program. It truly does suck.

FCC’s are automatically issued.  There is an online link or you can call to get that changed to a refund.  No pressure either way, a very simple process. 

[Ocean Boy]

Again, a policy that makes no sense from the customers' standpoint. RCI has your money. Even if it is in the form of multiple FCCs you should be able to use those funds to pay for your cruise. Once again, I will not ever rake an FCC over a cash refund no matter how much of a percentage over cash they offer the FCC at.

[firefly333]

19 minutes ago, johnjen said:

These are very trying times for both the cruise line and the customers. Our June 22nd cruise out of Amsterdam STILL shows it being on schedule - but if they cancel it, we want our full refund. I just hope RCL does NOT try pressing a future cruise credit on us because that will only piss us off and make us not want to cruise with them again. I keep reading nightmare stories about their FCC program. It truly does suck.

I asked for a refund for my may cruise and it's gone from my cruises planner menu on rcl site.

 

I just clicked on the link to refund. Granted I had to click more than once, must have been overloaded with refund requests ... just keep clicking and the refund page eventually comes up. No pressure, it's up to you if you request refund online

Edited April 30, 2020 by firefly333

[Biker19]

5 hours ago, dbs2939 said:

Any suggestions or help would be appreciated.

Take the refund when your July sailing is cancelled. If/when your VV sailing is cancelled, take the refund there as well, even with a 200% FCC promise.

[welshrich]

We had two cruises cancelled. opted for a refund for one of them, had the email saying a refund was being issued yesterday, not sure how long that takes to come back to my bank account.   Had the FCC email this morning, as I have two cruises booked with them, does anyone know if I can pay both cruises with one FCC?

[johnjen]

20 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

Again, a policy that makes no sense from the customers' standpoint. RCI has your money. Even if it is in the form of multiple FCCs you should be able to use those funds to pay for your cruise. Once again, I will not ever rake an FCC over a cash refund no matter how much of a percentage over cash they offer the FCC at.

Oh exactly. Take for example some of the cruisers who have already booked a future cruise using their FCC. Even at 125% back, they STILL have to pay MORE money on top of what they paid on their original bookings but the NEW cruises' prices are jacked up in some cases.....someone on here said they had to pay $700 or more on top....

[FionaMG]

I can't help thinking that if they made their FCC policy more flexible, i.e. it's money; use it any way you like against already booked or still to be booked future cruises, they would have a lot fewer customers requesting refunds. Wouldn't it be easier for everyone? Or am I missing something?

[karena1]

We are taking the 125% FCCs on anything they cancel.  We have so many cruises booked that we have plenty to choose from as to where to apply.  

 

Right now, getting some of the best prices on cruises EVER!  With Military and Resident discounts, probably 3/4 of my cruises have gone down a ton in price.  So we are happy.

 

Cannot wait to cruise again and as soon as my FCC's come through, I will be applying them to one of the cruises I already have booked.

[firefly333]

59 minutes ago, FionaMG said:

I can't help thinking that if they made their FCC policy more flexible, i.e. it's money; use it any way you like against already booked or still to be booked future cruises, they would have a lot fewer customers requesting refunds. Wouldn't it be easier for everyone? Or am I missing something?

I was going to get 2 fcc, requested refund right after I found out fcc couldnt apply to deposit