10% FCC discount

[CaptainHazelwood]

We just had our third NCL cancellation since COVID started.  I again received a form letter email that stated:

 

"As we are sure you share our disappointment, we have issued a 10% discount in the form of a Future Cruise Credit. This credit can be used for up to one year from date of issue and can be applied towards any of our currently published sailings through December 31, 2022. The Future Cruise Credit will be available on March 23, 2021."

 

I was able to successfully use one of these to reduce the cost of an NCL cruise booked for next May.  The second disappeared, and the third hasn't shown up yet.  Has anybody been able to use more than one of these?

Edited March 23, 2021 by CaptainHazelwood

[Back to school]

Second, third, fourth, still waiting for 10%, disappeared for me.

[CaptainHazelwood]

Yeah, even using my first was a bit challenging.  My "personal cruise consultant" who calls me every time I put a new itinerary on hold, stated that I would have to cancel all existing reservations for that voyage and let him help me set up a new one to take advantage of the 10%.  He threw out a saving number that was something like 6.54783%, which I just assumed meant that a meaningful portion of the total cost was excluded from the 10% off.  Then I asked him to cancel what I had so that we could proceed.  He was highly confused and told me I had to do it through their website, which offered no such options.  He then said he would have to find out and call me back.  Of course, a quick search revealed language on the NCL website that the only way to cancel was to call their reservations number.  I did that, and for the second or third time in my NCL days was totally blown away by how friendly, knowledgable and helpful the agent was.  She told me that she could apply the 10% to my existing booking and, yiola'(!!), the total price actually dropped by 10%!  Real math here!  I'm guessing my experience is not uncommon to forum regulars (I'm the newbie here). 😁

 

She also checked my rooms for me to ensure that my choices were good, as the website only allows a limited selection.  This time they were fine but in the past I've had agents move me to better options (in the same price category).

Edited March 24, 2021 by CaptainHazelwood

[lgdesign]

I just finished battling with them via e-mail and finally get my second FCC as I had two cancelled sailings.  They kept saying I had already gotten it and had already applied it to another cruise until I had pointed out that I had had two cruises cancelled within 1-1/2 months of each other.  I DID receive the FCC from my first cancelled cruise and HAD applied it... but despite my supplying all the details of the second cancellation, they skimmed over my e-mail ignoring the specifics and claimed that I had already gotten my 10% FCC and did not dig any deeper.  So, I sent customer service copies of BOTH cruise cancellation letters along with other supporting info like reservation numbers and the validity dates of the first FCCs and they finally "got it".  My second FCC showed up almost immediately.

 

If you're missing any FCCs, I suggest you pursue e-mailing customer service with copies of each cancellation letter and the cancelled reservation numbers they pertain too along with an explanation of how many FCCs you're missing and which cancelled cruises you're missing them for.

 

It is clear to me that my second FCC was never going to be automatically put into my account if I had not gone after it.

[CaptainHazelwood]

9 minutes ago, lgdesign said:

I just finished battling with them via e-mail and finally get my second FCC as I had two cancelled sailings.  They kept saying I had already gotten it and had already applied it to another cruise until I had pointed out that I had had two cruises cancelled within 1-1/2 months of each other.  I DID receive the FCC from my first cancelled cruise and HAD applied it... but despite my supplying all the details of the second cancellation, they skimmed over my e-mail ignoring the specifics and claimed that I had already gotten my 10% FCC and did not dig any deeper.  So, I sent customer service copies of BOTH cruise cancellation letters along with other supporting info like reservation numbers and the validity dates of the first FCCs and they finally "got it".  My second FCC showed up almost immediately.

 

If you're missing any FCCs, I suggest you pursue e-mailing customer service with copies of each cancellation letter and the cancelled reservation numbers they pertain too along with an explanation of how many FCCs you're missing and which cancelled cruises you're missing them for.

 

It is clear to me that my second FCC was never going to be automatically put into my account if I had not gone after it.

Thanks.  I've had three cruises cancelled.  The first was a year ago, and I don't think the 10% was being formally offered.  The second was a few months ago, and the 10% offer showed up in my account twice, until I applied one and they both disappeared.  This new one was from just a couple days ago when they cancelled my October Alaska sailing.   I appreciate your suggestions.  I will poke at this with them, as it might be worth a couple hundred dollars.  I'll let the forum know if I have any success. 😎

[pghflyer]

Hmmm. So is the rule that they will only ever issue you a single 10% coupon due to COVID era cancellations.......or that they will only allow one of those to exist in your account at a time.........or none of the above?

 

I have been hesitant to use mine because I want to save for a "bigger" cost cruise but the one I just booked without using the coupon is probably going to be cancelled (August Venice) so perhaps I should always be using them so my account is open for the next one?

Edited March 24, 2021 by pghflyer

[Summerstravel]

They still owe me a discount from my last cancelled cruise I have 2 already. My cruise consultant would only let me use 1 for my August cruise because he stated I got the 30 percent off special. The last time I booked I was able to apply 2 10 percent coupons and I am going to email about the 3rd coupon.  Thank you for the info.

Tracie 

[julig22]

I'm thinking that there is a difference between the 10% discount coupon that they were issuing (to be used on a future, more expensive cruise, and then decided would only be one to a customer) - and a 10% fcc that the newest cancellation letter mentioned.  Sounds like they are giving you FCC based on the fare for your cancelled cruise, not 10% toward something new.

 

 

 

[CaptainHazelwood]

22 minutes ago, julig22 said:

Sounds like they are giving you FCC based on the fare for your cancelled cruise, not 10% toward something new.

The one I was successful in using was for a more expensive cruise (Hawaii vs. Alaska) and I did receive a full 10% savings.  I'll probably call them tomorrow and ask why I haven't received my new 10% off promo.  The one I used for Hawaii (next May) was from a May 2021 Alaska cruise that was cancelled.  The one I'm now supposed to receive is for an Oct 2021 Alaska cruise that was just cancelled.  If this gets any more complicated, I'm likely going to need to start a flow chart. 🤣

[julig22]

10 minutes ago, CaptainHazelwood said:

The one I was successful in using was for a more expensive cruise (Hawaii vs. Alaska) and I did receive a full 10% savings.  I'll probably call them tomorrow and ask why I haven't received my new 10% off promo.  The one I used for Hawaii (next May) was from a May 2021 Alaska cruise that was cancelled.  The one I'm now supposed to receive is for an Oct 2021 Alaska cruise that was just cancelled.  If this gets any more complicated, I'm likely going to need to start a flow chart. 🤣

I think you misunderstood my response.  Yes, the 10% coupons are good for a 10% discount on a future cruise.  As I understand it, you don't get a second one, even though they say you get one as long as you don't have an active (unused) certificate in your account.  But there have been many complaints from people who didn't get them.  If your cruise is cancelled and you used a 10% certificate, you will get that back. 

 

This was the response my TA got from NCL when I didn't get a 10% certificate for my cancelled May cruise:

"Special notes regarding applicability of the 10% discount: • If a previously issued 10% discount coupon currently exists on the Latitudes account as active and unused, a second discount coupon will not be issued.  • If a previously issued 10% discount coupon was applied to this now suspended sailing, the discount coupon will be re-applied back to the Latitudes account (a second discount coupon will not be issued).

 

Now they are saying 10% fcc - which is different than a 10% certificate.  It sounds like you will get fcc based on the cancelled cruise, not a 10% discount for a future cruise.

[CaptainHazelwood]

1 hour ago, julig22 said:

I think you misunderstood my response.  Yes, the 10% coupons are good for a 10% discount on a future cruise.  As I understand it, you don't get a second one, even though they say you get one as long as you don't have an active (unused) certificate in your account.  But there have been many complaints from people who didn't get them.  If your cruise is cancelled and you used a 10% certificate, you will get that back. 

 

This was the response my TA got from NCL when I didn't get a 10% certificate for my cancelled May cruise:

"Special notes regarding applicability of the 10% discount: • If a previously issued 10% discount coupon currently exists on the Latitudes account as active and unused, a second discount coupon will not be issued.  • If a previously issued 10% discount coupon was applied to this now suspended sailing, the discount coupon will be re-applied back to the Latitudes account (a second discount coupon will not be issued).

 

Now they are saying 10% fcc - which is different than a 10% certificate.  It sounds like you will get fcc based on the cancelled cruise, not a 10% discount for a future cruise.

Thanks.  Trying to unravel that gives me a headache.  I'll call them tomorrow and duke it out.

[Rob_H]

1 hour ago, julig22 said:

I think you misunderstood my response.  Yes, the 10% coupons are good for a 10% discount on a future cruise.  As I understand it, you don't get a second one, even though they say you get one as long as you don't have an active (unused) certificate in your account. 

 

Our "Personal Cruise Consulant" told us (in writing) we have seven of the 10% off coupons, to be used by the end of this year for cruises by the end of next year.  Haven't tried applying any to bookings yet, as all our bookings are this stage are just "maybe", only a few might actually happen.

[Cindy]

I’m totally confused and I guess I’m going to have to call my PCC to start to figure this out. My April 2020 POA cruise was cancelled in the first wave last year, and I received a 25% FCC. We rescheduled for October 2020, moved it again to March 2021, and finally decided things were looking bleak for Hawaii so switched to the Jade in Europe for October 2021 — the cruise that was just cancelled.
 

Our 25% FCC for Hawaii was substantial because we were in a suite. We hadn’t applied all of it to our October cruise because the cruise was less expensive, so we were going to use the remainder for things like excursions and pre-cruise hotels. I assume that money is still in my account and now I have another 10%? When they sent the letter on Monday I thought the number looked funny, so maybe that’s the cost of the Jade cruise + 10%? Or is the 10% a discount off a new cruise?
 

I need to get out from under this huge chunk of money & FCC! I wish I had a crystal ball a year ago and I would have made a different decision about accepting the FCC instead of a refund, but here I am. I just want to be able to go someplace nice while my many thousands of dollars in airline credit is still valid!

[pghflyer]

Wow really interesting everyone's different experiences.  Definitely important to distinguish 10% Discount Coupon (good for future cruise, mine good for multiple years) versus 10% Future Cruise Credit (based on value of cancelled cruise).

[MoCruiseFan]

You can only have ONE 10% discount coupon at any one time either in your account or on an existing reservation.

 

[lgdesign]

8 hours ago, julig22 said:

 If a previously issued 10% discount coupon currently exists on the Latitudes account as active and unused, a second discount coupon will not be issued.  •

 

 

This is probably why I was able to get my second FCC as I had applied the first one already and my account was empty.  Neither of the cancellation letters I received mentioned this crappy little trick and it's a really lousy move on NCL's part. 

 

"Special rules"?  Really?  I shouldn't be surprised...

[Back to school]

10 hours ago, julig22 said:

 If a previously issued 10% discount coupon was applied to this now suspended sailing, the discount coupon will be re-applied back to the Latitudes account (a second discount coupon will not be issued).

 

NLC Bush-league 10% Discount.   

[MsTabbyKats]

Is this how it works:

 

Let's say I booked a cruise for $2000 and used the "10% discount"....so the cruise became $1800.

 

Now I get issued the new "10% FCC" of the canceled cruise...which is $180?

 

And of course any cruise booked would even be more expensive!

 

Oh well, I guess any discount is better than no discount....or maybe I'm confused.

 

On principle.....making me want to downgrade.

Edited March 24, 2021 by MsTabbyKats

[pghflyer]

Hmm. I haven't experienced it myself @MsTabbyKats but I would suspect they would return to you your 10% Discount Certificate for future use AND issue you $180 FCC.  

[CaptainHazelwood]

49 minutes ago, MsTabbyKats said:

Is this how it works:

 

Let's say I booked a cruise for $2000 and used the "10% discount"....so the cruise became $1800.

 

Now I get issued the new "10% FCC" of the canceled cruise...which is $180?

 

And of course any cruise booked would even be more expensive!

 

Oh well, I guess any discount is better than no discount....or maybe I'm confused.

 

On principle.....making me want to downgrade.

That's not how it worked for the one instance where I had it successfully applied to a reservation.  It actually reduced the total cost (it may not have included the drink package gratuity) by 10% of the new reservation base cost.  I was able to replicate the math.  

[CaptainHazelwood]

3 hours ago, MoCruiseFan said:

You can only have ONE 10% discount coupon at any one time either in your account or on an existing reservation.

 

That appears to be what is happening in my account although, as others suggested, that doesn't seem to reflect what has been "offered."

[julig22]

2 minutes ago, CaptainHazelwood said:

That's not how it worked for the one instance where I had it successfully applied to a reservation.  It actually reduced the total cost (it may not have included the drink package gratuity) by 10% of the new reservation base cost.  I was able to replicate the math.  

That is how the 10% discount coupon worked.  The current offering is 10% FCC - not the same thing.  MsTabbyKats has it correct.

[CaptainHazelwood]

10 minutes ago, julig22 said:

That is how the 10% discount coupon worked.  The current offering is 10% FCC - not the same thing.  MsTabbyKats has it correct.

Thanks.  This is really convoluted stuff.  I'm still going to call later today to see what they have to say.  By this point, the reservations reps should be very familiar with the questions (hopefully with some real answers as well).

[CaptainHazelwood]

4 hours ago, CaptainHazelwood said:

I'm still going to call later today to see what they have to say.  By this point, the reservations reps should be very familiar with the questions (hopefully with some real answers as well).

I just got off the phone and can (further) confirm what we apparently already knew.  Despite having multiple reservations cancelled, the 10% FCC discount can only be used once.  The agent seemed to understand this very well and confirmed that he could see that it had been present in my account but is not currently available (I then explained to him that I had gotten it applied previously to a Hawaii cruise scheduled for next May).  I'm guessing that if I kicked and screamed enough, I might have received a second discount but that's really not my style.  😎  I've never had a bad experience with a rep at the NCL reservations phone number. 

[pghflyer]

Thanks for sharing what you heard - I believe you are saying the 10% discount (not FCC) can only be given/ used once right?