Advantage of getting Future Cruise Deposits

[howlingfun]

Do you get OBC if you buy Future Cruise Deposits while on a cruise?  Any benefits to booking a future Cruise while onboard?

[mevs904]

Definitely.  In addition to only having to use a $100 FCD when booking a new cruise you get that money back in OBC once you are on the cruise.  It’s a win-win.  If you don’t use the FCD the money is returned to you as happened to us during the pandemic.  It used to be that you had two years to use it, but I believe that it is now one year.  In any case you get your money back.  Unless you know that you will never take another cruise there is no reason not to get one when you are onboard.

[Thrak]

We have never booked a future cruise while onboard but "normally" buy Future Cruise Deposits. We actually failed to do so on one cruise and deeply regretted it. However, we did buy more on the next cruise and then rebooked two we had already booked for a great price drop, promotional OBC and, of course, the OBC from the FCD we had by then purchased and the used when rebooking two cruises. (Confused yet?)

 

We just got back from a fairly long trip and one of the first things I did onboard was to purchase 2 FCD for each of us. It only makes sense. If you don't use the FCD it is automagically refunded after a year. (Used to be 2 years but things change.) If you do use it you get free OBC. As far as I can tell there is literally no downside. It's really nice to book a cruise and have Princess just automagically add on anywhere from $50 to $250 On Board Credit.

 

Anybody who sails on a Princess cruise and, who has even a small chance of booking another Princess cruise and doesn't buy FCD (for each person) is simply wasting money. If you don't use it you get it back. The argument that you are "losing out on interest you might have made" is crazy because the possible interest on that small amount of money isn't enough to buy squat. It's more akin to putting that $100 each under the mattress.

 

When we have cruised and have each received an additional $150 OBC simply because we used a Future Cruise Deposit (FCD) it has really made me smile. (When added to $250 OBC for Stock it adds up quickly. We don't get Military OBC but we don't deserve it so we have no problem with that.)

 

NOTE: We just returned from 63 days of cruising on Grand Princess. All of our OBC was transferred at a 1:1 rate from USD to AUD. OUCH!!! However, we had enough "free", refundable OBC left over that we just received a check for $428.82 USD. (The actual amount was well over $600 AUD but Princess doesn't use the "best" conversion rate. I don't care! They sent us the money! We used a boatload of OBC and still go that much back. 🥰)

[skynight]

Yes, I always purchase lots of them. Benefits. Limits the deposit for a future cruise to $100, provides OBC, Fully refundable within one year. Here is the fine print. Note that the time is now book within one year, not two as mentioned in the fine print provided. When you purchase the charge is direct to your credit card, not to your on board account. There is no specific advantage to book on board. There may be some sort of good pricing for a specific sailing(s).

* This letter has been issued from the Future Cruise Sales Department for a Future Cruise Deposit (“FCD”) in the amount specified above. The
FCD is available to use on new future bookings only and is non-transferable. The FCD currency is non-changeable. The FCD is combinable with
most publicly offered fares and promotions. The FCD will be automatically refunded if not applied to a new booking created within two years from
date of purchase. Once applied to a booking the FCD is considered money and is subject to booking terms and conditions in the Passage contract.
Only one FCD per person applied to a booking will provide shipboard credit. Shipboard credit is nonrefundable and only applicable to each FCD
purchased and applies to the holder of the FCD only, excluding 3rd and 4th berth guests. Shipboard credit is based on the ship’s onboard currency
and is not redeemable for cash. FCDs do not apply to bookings on Charter voyages. Reduced deposit and onboard credits do not apply to bookings
45+ days. The reduced deposit requirement for these bookings may vary based on booking dates, and a fare discount of 3% is provide

 

[Esprit]

We never disembark a Princess ship without dropping a completed FCD form in the drop box by the Future cruises reservations office

[JF - retired RRT]

13 hours ago, howlingfun said:

Do you get OBC if you buy Future Cruise Deposits while on a cruise?  Any benefits to booking a future Cruise while onboard?

Not guaranteed. If the ship has a special, then you could benefit by booking on the cruise. Otherwise, no additional benefit.

[LACruiser88]

[Thrak]

9 hours ago, Esprit said:

We never disembark a Princess ship without dropping a completed FCD form in the drop box by the Future cruises reservations office

 

I bought two more each through the app at the beginning of our recent cruises. Quick and easy to do and no paper form to deal with.

[Paula_MacFan]

1 hour ago, Thrak said:

 

I bought two more each through the app at the beginning of our recent cruises. Quick and easy to do and no paper form to deal with.

I like the feature of using the app too, no more standing at the future cruise desk or dropping off a form and hoping it gets credited.  

 

Does anybody know if you can use FCDs on an existing booking?  I was thinking you could, but things have changed so much over the years I wasn't 100%.  

[Thrak]

41 minutes ago, Paula_MacFan said:

I like the feature of using the app too, no more standing at the future cruise desk or dropping off a form and hoping it gets credited.  

 

Does anybody know if you can use FCDs on an existing booking?  I was thinking you could, but things have changed so much over the years I wasn't 100%.  

 

You can use them but they only count for the $100 value of the FCD. There is no OBC given for using them on an existing booking. The only way to do that is to re-book the cruise at whatever the current pricing and promotion is.

 

Note: On our recent series of cruises I had originally booked some segments without any FCD due to a (very stupid) old person moment last May where I failed to buy more on a previous cruise. However, the last two segments - 4 days and 14 days - had a big drop in price and a new promotion as well. We had taken another cruise last December and purchased more FCD so I rebooked those two segments. By doing so I saved $1,135.86 in fare reductions plus - using the FCD and the newer promo - I also got an extra $650 in OBC. One has to be a wise shopper...

 

We actually just received a check yesterday for $428.82 in unused, refundable OBC. (It was actually over $600 in unused, refundable OBC but it was in Australian dollars and Princess converted it to USD before sending the check.)

Edited December 21, 2023 by Thrak

[Steelers36]

20 hours ago, Thrak said:

We just got back from a fairly long trip and one of the first things I did onboard was to purchase 2 FCD for each of us. It only makes sense.

What I do is purchase the FCD's as one of the LAST things on a voyage in order to maximize the run time.  It only makes sense.  😁

[Steelers36]

14 hours ago, Esprit said:

We never disembark a Princess ship without dropping a completed FCD form in the drop box by the Future cruises reservations office

Can also purchase using the Princess App.

[Thrak]

13 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

What I do is purchase the FCD's as one of the LAST things on a voyage in order to maximize the run time.  It only makes sense.  😁

 

That's how I managed to fail to purchase any on our May cruise last year. I waited until the end and then stuff happened and I forgot to buy them.

[LACruiser88]

48 minutes ago, Thrak said:

 

That's how I managed to fail to purchase any on our May cruise last year. I waited until the end and then stuff happened and I forgot to buy them.

We always purchase them on the first day of our cruise via the app.  Very simple.

[rcp6146]

I used to get these - but now I wonder . . I am boarding in 79 days and that is just the next of 6 already booked cruises taking me through 2026.  Does it still make sense to do it?

[skynight]

14 minutes ago, rcp6146 said:

I used to get these - but now I wonder . . I am boarding in 79 days and that is just the next of 6 already booked cruises taking me through 2026.  Does it still make sense to do it?

Yes it makes sense to purchase additional FCDs. If you think you may book more cruises before February 2025 then get the FCDs. Even if you don't book they are fully refundable. 

[Tedferg]

5 hours ago, Thrak said:

 

That's how I managed to fail to purchase any on our May cruise last year. I waited until the end and then stuff happened and I forgot to buy them.

Once we went to buy FCD on last day and the rep pointed out we could do this using the app and showed us how. The transaction did not go through, and I did not notice until after we were home. Chatted to princes but no way to make the purchase after the cruise, they did give us OBC as a courtesy. So all ended well.

[PacnGoNow]

1 hour ago, Tedferg said:

Once we went to buy FCD on last day and the rep pointed out we could do this using the app and showed us how. The transaction did not go through, and I did not notice until after we were home. Chatted to princes but no way to make the purchase after the cruise, they did give us OBC as a courtesy. So all ended well.

If you do buy it again on the App, you should get an email confirmation right away.

[suzyed]

On 12/20/2023 at 8:30 AM, Esprit said:

We never disembark a Princess ship without dropping a completed FCD form in the drop box by the Future cruises reservations office

And now you can purchase them on the Medallion while still on board.

[suzyed]

On 12/20/2023 at 11:07 PM, Steelers36 said:

Can also purchase using the Princess App.

Yes

 

[2 cruises a year]

You can't go wrong with FCD's.  The plusses are many.  The worst case scenario is that you don't use it, you get your money back and all you lose is what ever money that you MIGHT have made investing it.  If you do use it, the least you get far out weighs what you could have received investing it.

[Tedferg]

23 hours ago, PacnGoNow said:

If you do buy it again on the App, you should get an email confirmation right away.

Good to know, thank you.

[gottagocit]

We just tried to use a FCD to book a 54 day voyage and we’re told they can’t be used for any cruise >44 days in length. The one we’re booking is not part of a world cruise which I seem to recall can’t be booked with a FCD but we’ve never heard of this. Has anyone here?

We spoke to two different Princess contacts (agents) and both told us the same thing. 

[gottagocit]

I should have included that we also tried to book it ourselves online but it wouldn’t allow us to use the FCD as the deposit.  

[PacnGoNow]

It does say on the FCD letter or confirmation email it is valid on voyages up to 44 days.

 

Is this a true 54 day voyage, and not actually bookable as 2 voyages?  I also have a true 54 day and it doesn’t qualify.

 

Edited December 23, 2023 by PacnGoNow