Future Cruise Credit disappointment - buyer beware

[shellunderwater]

15 hours ago, 1Virgo said:

Kind of feel like bait and switch here. We bought a Future Cruise Credit in the spring, which says “all included: Drinks, Wi fi, Tips”      Then the new President’s announcement that All Inclusive was deconstructed and no longer included gratuities after October 4

 

Tried booking a cruise today because of the certificate, and even though we have the certificate that says gratuities included, we HAVE to pay gratuties now!!!         Know cruise lines can change things, but this now makes us determined to book elsewhere    We are close to being Elite Plus.  This leaves a bad taste

This is no different than Celebrity changing the cruise fare between the time you bought the "FCC" and when you went to book your cruise later.  Fares change.

[Jim_Iain]

13 hours ago, SusieAV8R said:

Wow!  what a great deal!  how did you get that/

Prices dropped significantly after final payment.   I heard from others that called and they were not making any adjustments.  Both the CS and RS had dropped significantly.    

[Jim_Iain]

3 hours ago, mayleeman said:

Are these actually Future Cruise Reservations, not Future Cruise Credits?   That may be why those of us who have only had FCCs have no idea what the OP is talking about.

 

Can't an FCR be cancelled for a refund?

 

I believe you can cancel it for a full refund of the deposit amount.   The terms say if you don't use it by XX amount of time the deposit will automatically be refunded.    It varying time frames - mine had a 1 year booking period.

[SusieAV8R]

8 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

Prices dropped significantly after final payment.   I heard from others that called and they were not making any adjustments.  Both the CS and RS had dropped significantly.    

 

8 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

Prices dropped significantly after final payment.   I heard from others that called and they were not making any adjustments.  Both the CS and RS had dropped significantly.    

Thanks Jim_lain.  You provided another perspective.  

[wrk2cruise]

21 hours ago, 1Virgo said:

Back in January we bought N FCC and in April. Was promoted as book now/pay later or put down a deposit and you get the same perks when you decide to book.

 

I believe this is where the confusion arises.  You get the same onboard booking (incremental) perks.  Not the rate/promo.

 

The rate/promo changes often.  On my sailing 2 weeks ago it changed every 2/3 days.

 

Celebrity is notorious for using the word perks to refer to many different things.

[1Virgo]

27 minutes ago, wrk2cruise said:

 

I believe this is where the confusion arises.  You get the same onboard booking (incremental) perks.  Not the rate/promo.

 

The rate/promo changes often.  On my sailing 2 weeks ago it changed every 2/3 days.

 

Celebrity is notorious for using the word perks to refer to many different things.

agree.  However, in the past, and now that is operative word LOL, we received what we were told       Sure has become a shell game

[Purplsmurf]

On 11/2/2023 at 6:25 PM, 1Virgo said:

This was purchased onboard and have paperwork that shows even a deposit entitles one to what is offered. All Inclusive:  Drinks, Wifi, Gratuities      either book now or later.   

We had one as well and were told that we needed to book the cruise before the changes were made if we wanted AI, otherwise we would’ve have to pay the gratuities

[paulh84]

Since 2016 I have bought Book Later certificates onboard and chosen the actual cruise later. I too have never experienced what you are explaining. You get the OBC from the onboard booking incentive (although your OBC window may have ran out by now) then whatever the available rate once you book an actual cruise. They never lock in rates in advance or promise perks ahead of time. You get what you get once you book a cruise. 

[gizmodog]

I agree with the op I have also booked a future cruise on board an open reservation with all the perks included, had to use it within a certain time and it was guaranteed so they said, you would get in when booking your reservation. 
I have even booked for a couple we cruise with who wasn’t with us that trip, when we then decided what cruise we wanted we booked with all we were promised.

she is not confused. I also have done this.

[mayleeman]

deleted

Edited November 4, 2023 by mayleeman

[1Virgo]

12 hours ago, paulh84 said:

Since 2016 I have bought Book Later certificates onboard and chosen the actual cruise later. I too have never experienced what you are explaining. You get the OBC from the onboard booking incentive (although your OBC window may have ran out by now) then whatever the available rate once you book an actual cruise. They never lock in rates in advance or promise perks ahead of time. You get what you get once you book a cruise. 

i never said rates locked in.      perks. yes

[mayleeman]

1 hour ago, 1Virgo said:

i never said rates locked in.      perks. yes

 

Post #17, you said:

 

"You put down a deposit,  which guaranteed the best rates, and the all inclusive, including gratuities and OBC (as per the chart wrk2cruise posted)  you decided at a later date. Used to be had to be booked within one year but that changed to 6 months last winter.    Book now or book later.    We ve done this on every cruise."

[1Virgo]

42 minutes ago, mayleeman said:

 

Post #17, you said:

 

"You put down a deposit,  which guaranteed the best rates, and the all inclusive, including gratuities and OBC (as per the chart wrk2cruise posted)  you decided at a later date. Used to be had to be booked within one year but that changed to 6 months last winter.    Book now or book later.    We ve done this on every cruise."

The best rates portion was NOT locking in the rate available  onboard.   It has always meant you would get the best rate available when you actually booked

I repeat. Did NOT lock in the price that day!    
 

I don’t know how to make that any clearer

[1Virgo]

1 hour ago, mayleeman said:

 

Post #17, you said:

 

"You put down a deposit,  which guaranteed the best rates, and the all inclusive, including gratuities and OBC (as per the chart wrk2cruise posted)  you decided at a later date. Used to be had to be booked within one year but that changed to 6 months last winter.    Book now or book later.    We ve done this on every cruise."

 

The best rates portion was NOT locking in the rate available onboard.   It has always meant you would get the best rate available when you actually booked

 

I don’t know how to make that any clearer

[Jeremiah1212]

Well I stand by my comment that there is confusion around how onboard bookings work. Still waiting for something that shows these lock in inclusions but I’m not holding my breath. By that logic you could just buy an open booking, book Cruise Only and get All Included for free 🤷🏼‍♂️

[wrk2cruise]

24 minutes ago, 1Virgo said:

It has always meant you would get the best rate available when you actually booked

 

Exactly and AI is a rate.  Perks and promos are associated with a rate.  The current AI rate does not include gratuities.   I know I will never convince the OP but nothing has changed so no need to beware.

[the penguins]

On 11/2/2023 at 11:25 PM, 1Virgo said:

This was purchased onboard and have paperwork that shows even a deposit entitles one to what is offered. All Inclusive:  Drinks, Wifi, Gratuities      either book now or later.   

You generally have to book within 6 months to keep all the benefits. If you did that email the Presidents Office with a copy of your paperwork and ask for an explanation. Please Post the outcome - good or bad. Thanks.

[Sea38]

Just to add to this - I have just got off the Apex 2 days ago, I went to take up the OBC offer from the future cruise team only to find the cruise I was interested in was under ‘exciting deals’ so it was not eligible for the OBC.

 

So be aware that if you pay your deposit, then go home and find a cruise in the next 6 months, the cruise you find may not be eligible for the OBC that you paid your deposit for on board!  This was confirmed by the future cruise manager.

[villauk]

10 minutes ago, Sea38 said:

Just to add to this - I have just got off the Apex 2 days ago, I went to take up the OBC offer from the future cruise team only to find the cruise I was interested in was under ‘exciting deals’ so it was not eligible for the OBC.

 

So be aware that if you pay your deposit, then go home and find a cruise in the next 6 months, the cruise you find may not be eligible for the OBC that you paid your deposit for on board!  This was confirmed by the future cruise manager.

 

Do you have the link to the Exciting Deals please?

[Sea38]

Just now, villauk said:

 

Do you have the link to the Exciting Deals please?

Sorry no, the future cruise team showed me on their computer when costing the cruise I was interested in that it was an ‘Exciting Deal’ (and their OBC offer was not able to be used with this).  To be fair the cruise I was looking at wasn’t what I would class as an amazing price either.

 

So you can buy into this offer and then not be able to use it when you get home?!

[hcat]

On 11/3/2023 at 10:50 AM, Jim_Iain said:

 

I believe you can cancel it for a full refund of the deposit amount.   The terms say if you don't use it by XX amount of time the deposit will automatically be refunded.    It varying time frames - mine had a 1 year booking period.

maybe best approach is to cancel..get a refund to cred card and start over... Not what OP wants but ends the torture!

[Sea38]

Terms & Conditions on mine said book a cruise within 6 months to gain OBC, if this has not been done then you have another 6 months to book (but you receive no OBC), nothing booked within timeframe or if the timeframe expires (1 year) then the deposit you put down was non-refundable.

 

The above is why I didn’t take up the offer, as it couldn’t be guaranteed that any future cruise I wanted to book (once I got home) was not an ‘exciting deal’ which it cannot be used with.

 

The future cruise team told me to call the UK sales team from our cabin so I did, they told me that I needed to speak to the future cruise team on-board, I was just going round in circles!

 

The very small print at the bottom of the flyer that they keep placing in your cabin does say not combinable with ‘exciting deals’ but you won’t know what cruises are exciting deals until you go to book and then you will be told that you can’t receive the OBC!

[Georgia_Peaches]

Just read the entire thread. Lots of good info here!   Right or wrong, if one thinks something is one way and then learns it’s another…it can be disappointing. 
 

OP, I think I’d get the refund and start over. 

[bEwAbG]

13 hours ago, Sea38 said:

Terms & Conditions on mine said book a cruise within 6 months to gain OBC, if this has not been done then you have another 6 months to book (but you receive no OBC), nothing booked within timeframe or if the timeframe expires (1 year) then the deposit you put down was non-refundable.

 

The above is why I didn’t take up the offer, as it couldn’t be guaranteed that any future cruise I wanted to book (once I got home) was not an ‘exciting deal’ which it cannot be used with.

 

The future cruise team told me to call the UK sales team from our cabin so I did, they told me that I needed to speak to the future cruise team on-board, I was just going round in circles!

 

The very small print at the bottom of the flyer that they keep placing in your cabin does say not combinable with ‘exciting deals’ but you won’t know what cruises are exciting deals until you go to book and then you will be told that you can’t receive the OBC!

 

"Exciting Deals" are cruise-only fares that are discounted.  Those are not typically able to be combined with other promos.  You should be able to book a cabin under a different fare on the same cruise but it would almost certainly cost more.

[tschwa2]

On 11/4/2023 at 11:57 AM, 1Virgo said:

The best rates portion was NOT locking in the rate available  onboard.   It has always meant you would get the best rate available when you actually booked

I repeat. Did NOT lock in the price that day!    
 

I don’t know how to make that any clearer

I think in the past the perks (other than the OBC) weren't locked in either, they just happened to be the same for those years.  You are locking in the rate and the perks associated with the rates  that are available at the time of booking.