NCL Is Now Permitting Conversion Of FCC To A Monetary Refund Under Certain Conditions, But Oceania Is Not

[njhorseman]

Will Oceania adopt the same rules as its corporate sibling? Here's the new NCL rule:

 

https://www.ncl.com/suspended-sailings

 

Future Cruise Credit Refund Requests

To offer our guests even more flexibility for future vacation planning, many who hold outstanding Future Cruise Credits (FCC) may now submit a request to convert their FCC to a monetary refund. Guests who elect to request their FCC to a monetary refund will receive the original cruise fare paid, back to their original form of payment and forfeit any bonus FCCs attached to their Latitudes profile.

For example: FCCs issued in July 2020 had a book by date of July 2021. The new “book by” date is December 31, 2021.

Applicability to convert an existing FCC to a monetary refund request may be submitted for one of the following reasons:

• Guest has been affected by two or more suspensions.
• Guest elected to cancel via our Peace of Mind (POM) policy AND then was affected by at least one additional suspension.
• As of April 5, 2021, a guest has an active and existing reservation for a voyage embarking on or before October 31, 2021; and will not be vaccinated.
• An active and existing FCC is attached to a profile of a guest who has passed away.

Any guest affected by one of the above, wishing to request a monetary refund (of their original cruise fare paid and in lieu of their active FCC, including bonus amounts) must submit a refund request via the Guest Relations Case Submission page at: https://www.ncl.com/case-submission.

Special Notes

1. All guests who complete an online submission request (requesting to convert active FCCs to a monetary refund) agree that they are authorized to do so on behalf of all persons on the reservation as we are unable to issue partial refunds. In addition, they agree they are authorized to remove the value of any bonus future cruise credits offered by Norwegian Cruise Line for all guests.
2. Upon submission of the online request, an email will be sent to the email address entered on the form with a response and case number.
3. As we anticipate high volumes of inquiries, we kindly ask for your patience and allow up to 30 days for the review process to be completed. Each submission request will be individually handled and responded to.
4. xclusions may apply, but are not limited to, one of the following:
   • An FCC has been transferred.
   • The current FCC holder is not the original FCC recipient.
   • A credit card dispute was filed for the charges.
   • The FCC is applied to an active and existing reservation.
   • The FCC has been partially applied.
5. If a refund is approved, all FCCs (including Bonus FCCs) will be deactivated, and a refund will be issued back to the original form of payment, within 90 days from the request submission date.
6. Any existing 10% Future Cruise Discounts will remain active and available for use on future bookings.

 

[PaulMCO]

This is one way of getting rid of Bonus FCCs.  We have more in bonus as number 3 gets cancelled in August than in cash. 

[njhorseman]

34 minutes ago, PaulMCO said:

This is one way of getting rid of Bonus FCCs.  We have more in bonus as number 3 gets cancelled in August than in cash. 

That's true, but I think it's possible the main intent is to head off potential legal action. You could argue that when cruisers selected FCC instead of cash it was because the cruise lines led them to believe that cruising would be resuming sooner rather than later. We've seen month after month of cruises being cancelled gradually, typically a month at  a time, and then cruisers being enticed to take FCC because of the bonuses offered. I can think of no better example of the cruise lines' failure to deal honestly with its customers than their failure failure to outright cancel the Alaska and Canada New England cruising seasons despite Canada flatly and clearly prohibiting all but the smallest ships from entering Canadian waters until 2022.

[Classiccruiser777]

At a minimum Oceania should enlarge the window in which FCCs can be used.

 

[Hlitner]

Just keep in mind that in the event a cruise line files bankruptcy (even under provisions that allow them to continue in business) FCCs may become worthless or worth pennies on the dollar.  Another problem with FCCs is that folks thought they were getting a good deal with bonus FCCs but if the price of future cruises increases that bonus may not buy you as much as you had previous to the cancellation.

 

Hank