How does future cruise credit work?

[ade1982]

When you pay a deposit to RCI onbaord ... I am not thinking a specific cruise, just a future cruise, how does the future cruise credit work?

 

Can we come back to the UK, see an offer or itinerary we like, and then book through a travel agent, or does it have to be done through RCI?

 

If they give for example $75 OBC for booking ahead, is it combinable with whatever the travel agent is offering?

 

Is there an expiry? Any other perks to doing it?

[Teeara]

When you pay a deposit to RCI onbaord ... I am not thinking a specific cruise, just a future cruise, how does the future cruise credit work?

 

Can we come back to the UK, see an offer or itinerary we like, and then book through a travel agent, or does it have to be done through RCI?

 

If they give for example $75 OBC for booking ahead, is it combinable with whatever the travel agent is offering?

 

Is there an expiry? Any other perks to doing it?

 

My upcoming Freedom cruise was purchased through a future cruise credit. When we were ready to book the cruise we simply called RCI and said we wanted to use our future cruise credit. No problem using it at all. They simply use that as your deposit and then you make payments going forward whenever you want.

 

There are a few things to note. First, I only book through RCI. I never use a TA so I don't know if it works with a TA.

 

Second, if you use a future cruise credit through RCI and try to make payments online it will tell you that you need to make a minimum $500 payment or it won't let you pay online. Really weird and rather annoying, but that is the way the website works. Once you get over the $500 paid on your reservation then you can pay as much or little as you want. Again, weird and annoying. So if you call RCI to make your reservation and use your future cruise credit and afterwards just want to make small payments, then you will need to call RCI each time and pay over the phone until you reach that magic $500 marker.

 

Third, you can definitely go home, mull it over and then book your cruise. We booked this 2016 cruise in 2014 when the cruise became available with a 2011 future cruise credit.

 

Not sure about your other questions except to say that my favorite perk is simply being able to put down a small deposit and then know that if I see an interesting itinerary in the future I don't have to worry about coming up with the cash for the downpayment since I have that future cruise credit.

 

Good luck!

Edited March 11, 2016 by Teeara