CWC - FCC available right away?

[SetAnOpenCourse]

I'm looking at a cruise departing in late March 2022, and Cruise With Confidence (cancellation-for-any-reason, in this time frame) is appealing.  However, If I cancel because I decide to upgrade to a balcony, will the FCC be available right after canceling?  Because, with the sail date so close, I wouldn't have much time, and I'm not sure my personal schedule will allow a cruise anytime in the next year - so it's basically this cruise or nothing.

 

So, I'd like to book the inside, and if fare for balconies come down enough, rebook.  If people have experienced a lag of a few weeks before being able to apply the FCC, though, I'd probably want to book the balcony.  (I've sailed inside cabins before, on Holland, so this cabin category is generally ok for me.)

[wallyj]

@SetAnOpenCourse, if I am reading you post correctly, you are thinking of possibly wanting to move from interior to a balcony on the same sailing if the fare for balconies drop enough? This would not require you to ‘rebook’. You would just ask to ‘upgrade’ your current interior and pay the difference. 

[twangster]

Using the timeline of a volcano or the galaxy as a reference, FCC are available instantly.  
 

For a more human reference, FCC are typically available in 30 to 60 business days although once a while one is processed more quickly.  
 

As stated you may not need CWC if you are committed to cruise but undecided on cabin type.  Just be aware a sailing can reach capacity and close without a moments notice.  Changing cabins during the restart is not always an option once they close a sail date.  Pick a cabin you’ll be happy sailing in just in case they close the cruise.  

[SetAnOpenCourse]

54 minutes ago, wallyj said:

@SetAnOpenCourse, if I am reading you post correctly, you are thinking of possibly wanting to move from interior to a balcony on the same sailing if the fare for balconies drop enough? This would not require you to ‘rebook’. You would just ask to ‘upgrade’ your current interior and pay the difference. 

Yes, that's what I was thinking.  Thanks, WallyJ.

[pcur]

One thing I learned here and through personal experience, is if you call and ask nicely for an update, it seems to get RCCL going a little faster.  By "faster" I mean getting the FCC in 50 days instead of 60.

 

I checked on one today when I was booking a cruise with RCCL, and was told to have the TA I used for the FCC cruise call RCCL.  Seems they wanted some history of the payments, since I had moved the money from one cruise to another.  So, it never hurts to check on it.

 

By the way, you don't have to cancel if you have a booked cruise and decide you prefer another.  As long as you are before final payment date, you can "move" the booked cruise to a new one, and the money follows.  Also, if it's a non-refundable deposit, they can waive the change fee with code "NRP1.  It basically cancels the change fee.

Edited February 23, 2022 by pcur

[SetAnOpenCourse]

14 hours ago, pcur said:

...

By the way, you don't have to cancel if you have a booked cruise and decide you prefer another.  As long as you are before final payment date, you can "move" the booked cruise to a new one, and the money follows.  Also, if it's a non-refundable deposit, they can waive the change fee with code "NRP1.  It basically cancels the change fee.

So, when final payment date passes, I can't just move the reservation to a different sailing... but upgrading cabins on the same sailing continues to be an option (just pay the difference)?  ...presumably till the day before embarkation?

 

Thank you.

[wallyj]

2 hours ago, SetAnOpenCourse said:

So, when final payment date passes, I can't just move the reservation to a different sailing... but upgrading cabins on the same sailing continues to be an option (just pay the difference)?  ...presumably till the day before embarkation?

 

Thank you.

@SetAnOpenCourse, You need to keep up with the current CWC- cruise with confidence terms and conditions. In your particular situation since you are planning on sailing March 2022 and only looking at possibly ‘upgrading’, you should be able to do this without rebooking and dealing with being issued ‘FCC’ as long as the sailing has not been closed. There have always been penalties for moving/cancelling a cruise after final payment, CWC converts these to a ‘FCC’ if applicable. 
 

Once CWC expires, normal penalties will apply. I am just trying to emphasize, a general statement like ‘after final payment date passes, I can’t just move my reservation to a different sailing..’ can be misleading because timing of booking and sailing dates can affect if any penalties are levied and if ‘FCC’s will be issued with current CWC policy. 
 

I assumed you were making a general comment since you stated the March 2022 cruise was your only option, thus moving was not an option?

 

Every situation needs to be vetted which policies are applicable.