Future Cruise Credit - beware the limitations

[AJCM]

If considering FCC read the fine print!

 

Apologies for the length of this post.

 

I’ve finally received responses from Azamara to a number of queries concerning application of future cruises credits (FCC).

 

125% looks very good on paper and is very enticing to take rather than a 100% refund; despite us not knowing whether the cruises we book in 2021 will proceed or be much like what we think we’re booking if they do proceed. We don’t even know whether Azamara and other cruise lines will survive, if there are significant second waves of infection; and let’s face it, with countries opening up from lockdowns what are our chances?

 

So, it’s a risk to take the FCC rather than a refund.

 

The BCNC staff (bean counter number crunchers) have been at work again at Azamara and FCC isn’t all it seems. So, beware! We’ve had B2B2B cruises for June/July 2020 cancelled and we have B2B2B cruises booked for May/June 2021.

 

Excluding taxes and deposits, the sum of our 2020 FCC covers the net cost of our 2021 cruises. It seemed like a no brainer to accept the FCC.

 

We book as a couple and we pay total amounts as a couple. However, Azamara treats us as individuals. As a result, once we apply Azamara’s FCC policies, we have to stump up AUD4,609 difference.

 

Azamara’s policies, which work against us, are as follows :

 

1 – FCC is not transferable between partners.

 

2 – Only one FCC “certificate” can be applied to a future cruise. If there’s any residual FCC, we get a separate certificate for that balance at the end of the completed future cruise.

 

These policies apply to us in the following example.

 

Our 2020 FCC is identical for the two of us – all three cruises were booked under the same arrangements for each person. Two of our 2021 cruises have identical pricing to each of us. However, the third 2021 cruise was on a BOGOHO basis – person 1 is invoiced the full amount; person 2 is invoiced 50%.

 

As the FCC cruise credit is not transferable, then under the BOGOHO invoicing, person 1 has a FCC shortfall whereas person 2 has a FCC surplus. For Example, we each have a FCC of $6,000 to apply. The total cost of cruise 3 is $12,000 but person 1 is invoiced $8,000 and person 2 is invoiced $4,000. As a couple, we have to pay $2,000 yet receive a $2,000 FCC at the end of the cruise. So, beware of the BOGOHO offer – most people using FCC will find themselves under the same FCC limitation for a single 2021 cruise if it's booked on a BOGOHO basis.

 

They will not revise their booking invoice for cruise 3 to distribute the total cost 50/50. Apparently that’s impossible (although it seems as simple as a typing/accounting  adjustment to me).

 

The second limitation with FCC is that we can only apply one FCC to one future cruise. So, if we have $6,000 FCC pp from a 2020 cruise and we apply it to a 2021 cruise costing $5,000 pp, the $1,000 pp remaining cannot be added to a second FCC  to be jointly applied to another cruise i.e. if our second cruise costs $6,000 pp and we have a separate FCC worth $5,000 – we can only apply the $5,000 FCC to that cruise and have to each pay $1,000, rather than use the surplus $1,000 we have remaining.

 

We will each have residual FCC from two cruises. However, we cannot even lump these together so that we could actually use all the FCC. We would have to book another 2 cruises in 2021 just so we could use up the remaining FCC. That won’t happen, of course, so Azamara gets a nice little gain there at our expense. So, anyone who anticipates FCC arising from cancellation of B2B cruises need to be aware of this.

 

We really wanted to support Azamara and its cash flow through its recovery from this terrible virus but we now have to consider our options. It feels pretty shabby treatment really.

 

Azamara (RCI) has already angered many clients, who have reasonably wanted a refund. If Azamara wants to entice others of us with 125% FCC, allow us to get the maximum use of that FCC, so we think and speak positively about you; as opposed to coming up with smart ways to rip us off and alienate us. Maybe you’ve laid off the wrong people. I hope Bonnie will pass on this feedback.

 

At the least, cruise critic  friends,  make your FCC/refund decisions with better understanding of the limitations Azamara has chosen to impose on the use of FCC.

 

Tony

 

 

 

[uktog]

Thank you. Thank you  
 

We discovered this after we asked for future cruise credits. You know from the other posts these are still missing for us, two weeks after the advertised latest dates we would receive them. If they ever arrive we are going to hit exactly the same problem.  It was highlighted a way back in the long thread but you’ve done the right thing pulling it to a new thread.  

At the time posters asked Bonnie to investigate but she never came back with an answer.  It is, in my mind absolutely inflexible lunacy when two guests on a cancelled booking want to apply one of their totalled cancelled credits from one cruise to another cruise that Azamara play games because of previous pricing offers.  It should be combined total to combined total.

 

When I went for an FCC I had not realised they couldn’t be combined (ok it’s in the minute print) as one of my cancelled is a 5 night so the amount is small.  If that cruise credit ever hits my desk it’s going to have to go to cash.

 

Why won’t the bean counters engage their pea brains?  If a guest has $12500 of fcc across three cruises (I will include the enhancement in my maths) what would you prefer? You to spend it with them, maybe over one or two longer cruises where you will probably also spend additionally onboard and continue to be impressed by the product or you to give up because of the limitations take $10000 spend it with a competitor and be impressed by their product instead?  Bonnie please highlight the stupidity of the short termism to whoever is in charge these days.

 

Its another example of the shabby treatment those trying to be loyal are being hit with. 

Edited June 6, 2020 by uktog

[royallondon]

Please Azamara, sit down with a cup of coffee and think this through.  This is not joined up thinking.  Do the right thing.  Change the rules to work for both you and your loyal customers.  
 

Regards

[Fatfish]

Thank you very much for this....

[Mackdogmolly]

This is certainly going to affect our recently booked cruise as well, which was a buy one and 2nd guest 50% off too. 😟

[Grandma Cruising]

Very short sighted of RCCL (I presume it’s an RCCL rule) - as you say uktog, it would be better for them to be able to keep your money by offering flexible FCC than make it so tricky that people chose to ask for a refund instead.

[Host Jazzbeau]

10 hours ago, Grandma Cruising said:

Very short sighted of RCCL (I presume it’s an RCCL rule) - as you say uktog, it would be better for them to be able to keep your money by offering flexible FCC than make it so tricky that people chose to ask for a refund instead.

 

I assume this doesn't make a big difference with Royal Caribbean customers, because their repeating loop itineraries mean people won't be booking b2b (and especially not b2b2b).  But that is one of the big attractions of Azamara:  you can book b2b2b2b... and never go back to the same place, so you can design your own itinerary of whatever length you want.  And those are indeed the customers that Azamara should be bending over backwards to accommodate.

[uktog]

Whilst you are right to highlight b2b and beyond is a feature of Azamara the rule that this thread is about is an issue that belongs to single voyage cruisers as well. Whilst I have horses in the race as a b2b2b cruiser I don’t want this issue as being seen as being unique to them and for this thread to deviate as a result. 
Anyone who booked on a deal that reduced the price for the second guest is stuffed on this arrangement. 

[AJCM]

Where it really becomes a problem with B2B is when there’s a significant price difference between cruises (which is exacerbated by the BOGOHO issue). If rebooked B2B cruises are around the same price pp as the cancelled cruises, then I imagine any surplus/shortfall would be immaterial. However, our first 2020 cruise is a 7 night Med, whereas the shortest 2021 cruise is 10n. This is where the FCC shortfall kicks in. If we’re allowed to apply surplus FCC from one of the other cruises to that same 2021 cruise, then the shortfall is covered.

 

With the BOGOHO situation, in our case we’ll actually be worse off if the cost of that 2021 cruise is spread evenly between us; as the 50% cost invoiced to my wife is fully covered by the lower FCC from 2020’s 7n cruise. But that is beside the point - most people will be re-booking one cruise and doing so on a BOGOHO basis; and then finding out that they’ll be disadvantaged.

 

The  critical issue for B2B guests is being allowed to apply total FCC per couple against total re-booking costs per couple or at least on a per person basis, being able to apply more than a single FCC certificate amount to a future cruise.

[Baynanno1]

@BBMacLaird

@Host Jazzbeau

 

Wondering whether you can shed any light on information we were given today when enquiring about "Lift & Shift"

We were told "be careful, because if you have used FCC on the booking, it will be lost when you lift & shift"

Surely that cannot be right???

I posted the above on 28 May, but have not had a response from either Bonnie or Jazzbeau.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I posted the following back on 5 May after receiving a FCC for a cancelled cruise.

Split 33/66 as we had booked a BOGOHO promotion, so as I pointed our some time ago we are a bit stuck as far as using it unless we book another BOGOHO promotion.

I wonder why Azamara is unable (given the circumstances of the issuing of these FCC's) to make them as useable as a cash refund, which has no limitations and is not tied up in the knots of the FCC. ????

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As has so well been pointed out in the discussion above, it will be virtually impossible to use all of any FCC with the restrictions in place.

One of the most ludicrous being that any residual cannot be used before the cruise on which the bulk was used has been completed. Surely commonsense (I know it is unfortunately NOT common) should prevail . . .

If one had cash, obviously it could be used as one desired . . . and my thoughts are . . .  given the unforseen circumstances throughout the world, FCC's generated as a result of these circumstances should be able to be used the same as a cash refund . . . or indeed the same as the original booking, from one source of payment for the whole of the cruise!

Edited June 7, 2020 by Baynanno1

[Host Jazzbeau]

You keep asking me questions, as if I know anything.  Not!

[Baynanno1]

1 hour ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

You keep asking me questions, as if I know anything.  Not!

 

You . . . as in all of you on Azamara Forums?

Or, you as in me, as your post follows mine?

 

If me, had you responded to my original query with something along the lines of "I don't have an answer to this", I would have dropped your name from the copy & paste in my post above.

 

I cannot think of another instance in which I have asked you a question. If my recollection fails me, please do correct me.

[Host Jazzbeau]

51 minutes ago, Baynanno1 said:

 

You . . . as in all of you on Azamara Forums?

Or, you as in me, as your post follows mine?

 

If me, had you responded to my original query with something along the lines of "I don't have an answer to this", I would have dropped your name from the copy & paste in my post above.

 

I cannot think of another instance in which I have asked you a question. If my recollection fails me, please do correct me.

 

Yes, twice.  @BBMacLaird works for Azamara.  I am a volunteer here.  I offer what I know from sailing (lots, Azamara twice) and reading (lots more), but I'm not an expert or an official source.  So, no, I can't shed any light on information you were given by Azamara – I haven't even received that information.

[Baynanno1]

26 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

 

Yes, twice.  @BBMacLaird works for Azamara.  I am a volunteer here.  I offer what I know from sailing (lots, Azamara twice) and reading (lots more), but I'm not an expert or an official source.  So, no, I can't shed any light on information you were given by Azamara – I haven't even received that information.

 

Thank you.

I cannot remember another time.

I will not ask you any more questions.

 

I do know quite a bit about Azamara, having done 30 Azamara cruises (as well as others on other cruise lines).

But as we all know only too well, we are in uncharted waters at the moment, which raises numerous questions, many of which remain unanswered . . . or unanswerable.

[Grandma Cruising]

You’re right Trish. I don’t think anyone of us knows any answers except for Azamara/RCCL and I’m not convinced that they know all the answers. They are also in uncharted waters and may be adjusting things as decisions (such as when they will sail again) are made and amended.

[uktog]

5 minutes ago, Grandma Cruising said:

You’re right Trish. I don’t think anyone of us knows any answers except for Azamara/RCCL and I’m not convinced that they know all the answers. They are also in uncharted waters and may be adjusting things as decisions (such as when they will sail again) are made and amended.

I agree but they need to up their communication game. Even the staff responding to emails are saying they’ve no idea when refunds or credit certificates will come. Posts here are trying to help Azamara survive by pointing out inconsistencies and barriers but there’s no recognition of the issues. 
Who is in charge?  No one is stepping up to convince us. Adds to the view many had that Azamara is now totally swallowed up in a large giant who is applying a totally inappropriate one size fits all approach. 
Anyway back to the issue, second guest 50% off and combining several cruises into a Grand Journey was uniquely Azamara across the group. They need to take their RC blinkers off. and recognise that and come up with a solution and in the meantime step up and admit there is an issue and their fixing it. 
The silence is deafening 

[excitedofharpenden]

Friends of mine on an Azamara April cruise were promised an FCC on the 13th May and have heard nothing. 

 

Phil 

[uktog]

9 minutes ago, excitedofharpenden said:

Friends of mine on an Azamara April cruise were promised an FCC on the 13th May and have heard nothing. 

 

Phil 

I suspect they are very loyal cruisers as well so another entry in the catalogue of failures. Are they UK based. UK seems to have an issue and with no Richard T it does not appear to have an executive champion 

[excitedofharpenden]

47 minutes ago, uktog said:

I suspect they are very loyal cruisers as well so another entry in the catalogue of failures. Are they UK based. UK seems to have an issue and with no Richard T it does not appear to have an executive champion 

Yes. They are very loyal. We have cruised together on Azamara many times. They are UK based. 

 

Phil 

[blag]

1 hour ago, uktog said:

I agree but they need to up their communication game. Even the staff responding to emails are saying they’ve no idea when refunds or credit certificates will come. Posts here are trying to help Azamara survive by pointing out inconsistencies and barriers but there’s no recognition of the issues. 
Who is in charge?  No one is stepping up to convince us. Adds to the view many had that Azamara is now totally swallowed up in a large giant who is applying a totally inappropriate one size fits all approach. 
Anyway back to the issue, second guest 50% off and combining several cruises into a Grand Journey was uniquely Azamara across the group. They need to take their RC blinkers off. and recognise that and come up with a solution and in the meantime step up and admit there is an issue and their fixing it. 
The silence is deafening 

Hear, hear! I really couldn't have put it better.

 

But, on the basis of all that has happened in the past three months or so, I don't think that this leopard will change its spots. (Or Daddy won't let it!)

 

[Beyond words]

I am reading this with interest. We have also found something unexpected. We have an fcc from a cancelled cruise and we’re planning to use it against a cruise in late August. However it turns out that using the fcc, because Azamara apply that to reducing the headline cost of the cruise rather than applying it to pay the balance, the value of the percentage discount I get from my agent (5% in this case) goes down because they give me back a percentage of the headline cost. Effectively this has devalued the fcc from 125% to 120%. I don’t know if that would also affect travel agents commission going forward. As was pointed out elsewhere it shouldnt really be a challenge to take the value of the fcc from the bottom line. We have already got two other cruises booked with Azamara in 2021 but the more I see about fcc the less I see any appeal in taking them. After 12 great cruises done with Azamara, loyalty now seems of less importance to them and RCCL, so to me cash refund seems the way forward and if the result turns out to be an Azamara Phoenix down the line so be it. 

[hubofhockey]

I got stung on my old school FCC and have complained before on this thread.  Azamara thinks these short terms games they play help them, but they don't.  

21 hours ago, Grandma Cruising said:

Very short sighted of RCCL (I presume it’s an RCCL rule) - as you say uktog, it would be better for them to be able to keep your money by offering flexible FCC than make it so tricky that people chose to ask for a refund instead.

 

I wouldn't be so quick to blame RCL here.  Each of these lines operates independently and can be as flexible as they want.  

[uktog]

28 minutes ago, hubofhockey said:

I got stung on my old school FCC and have complained before on this thread.  Azamara thinks these short terms games they play help them, but they don't.  

 

I wouldn't be so quick to blame RCL here.  Each of these lines operates independently and can be as flexible as they want.  

It has been confirmed here before that in relation to the refunds and credits the process and decisions are being made at a corporate group level. I’m sorry but if Azamara still has a modicum of independence in this matter they should be fronting up and communicating 

[excitedofharpenden]

Going back a few years there was definitely autonomy, but now I know that the ultimate parent, certainly in financial matters is very much in charge. Their office (the old one as they have had to hold off occupation of their he new one) is next door.

 

Phil

[Grandma Cruising]

3 hours ago, Beyond words said:

I am reading this with interest. We have also found something unexpected. We have an fcc from a cancelled cruise and we’re planning to use it against a cruise in late August. However it turns out that using the fcc, because Azamara apply that to reducing the headline cost of the cruise rather than applying it to pay the balance, the value of the percentage discount I get from my agent (5% in this case) goes down because they give me back a percentage of the headline cost. Effectively this has devalued the fcc from 125% to 120%. I don’t know if that would also affect travel agents commission going forward. As was pointed out elsewhere it shouldnt really be a challenge to take the value of the fcc from the bottom line. We have already got two other cruises booked with Azamara in 2021 but the more I see about fcc the less I see any appeal in taking them. After 12 great cruises done with Azamara, loyalty now seems of less importance to them and RCCL, so to me cash refund seems the way forward and if the result turns out to be an Azamara Phoenix down the line so be it. 

As I understand it, Travel Agents get commission on a sailed cruise. Commission they earned on a cancelled cruise is transferred to any re-booked cruise.