BOGOHO - A Cautionary Tale

[maggie cruises]

Because I am out $400 cash. Like I already said, I could have found a cruise for $1100. Sure I get to find a cruise for $1500, but it cost me $400 to do that. I'd have been perfectly happy with just $1100 to use.

 

 

 

You got a refund for your cruise...so just split that refund appropriately

 

The FCC is a bonus...so just forget it. No one is forcing you to use it are they

 

As long as you and your friend get back your individual cash outlay for the cruise that's all that matters

 

Why is the FCC so important here if you already got your cash back? Nice to have I get that but in your case it's perhaps either take what they give you or have your friend fight with rccl.

 

 

 

What am I missing here?

 

 

 

 

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Edited April 26, 2018 by maggie cruises

[maggie cruises]

This.... because exactly right, it makes no difference to their bottom line, especially since the passengers agree. It’s one of a few, absolutely ridiculous things that a business does that does not affect their bottom line, but sours the taste of the customer towards that business.

 

 

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I agree and maybe that's why as I posted above that they should just forget about the FCC. A free FCC will wind up costing $$$$ to use anyway. Onboard charges. Taxes. Port. Hotel. Transport

 

That free FCC ain't free at all

 

Just take the cash refund for the cancelled cruise and be done with it

 

 

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[wendychloecruiser]

There is no reason why the FCCs cannot be reissued in two different amounts. They did it for me. I had a $6000 FCC that I requested to be split and they had no problem doing it. RCI are choosing not to.

[Lucky TGO]

Thanks for sharing your story.

Tony

[CruiseGal999]

We chose to split the cost right down the middle, and each charged that amount to our respective credit cards which Royal Caribbean most certainly had knowledge of. Splitting costs evenly among friends should not be some foreign concept to a cruise line. Next time you take a cruise with a non-family member under one of these sales, go ahead and pay double what your friend does. I'm sure they'd appreciate it :')

 

I just stated the facts and said that in my opinion it was unfair for me to be basically forced to pay out an additional $400, or be forced to cruise together when our personal lives aren't at a place where we can do that in the next couple years.

 

It sucks, but I have to accept it and at some point find a cruise to spend my credit on. Because of that extra $400 though, I will probably not spend one dime on anything on board, just because I'm stubborn like that ;p:D[/quot

 

How are you out anything? You were given CASH refund and ADDITIONAL future cruise credit. Where are you out money?

 

Instead of you paying $1,600 (your example) you paid ONLY $1,200 ... correct? And instead of your friend paying $800 (your example) she paid $1,200. You were already AHEAD by $400.

[CruiseGal999]

There is no reason why the FCCs cannot be reissued in two different amounts. They did it for me. I had a $6000 FCC that I requested to be split and they had no problem doing it. RCI are choosing not to.

 

They were issued in 2 different amounts.

1 FCC = $1500

1 FCC = 700

[CruiseGal999]

You’re being a nice friend to try and make her “whole” in the same way that you were compensated, but I don’t think you should have felt obligated to give her $400 cash if you both got refunded your actual money for the cruise back.

 

If I understand correctly, the $1500 and $700 credits were in addition to the cash refund, so she didn’t get shorted in her actual refund by $400 correct? She just got shorted in the additional benefit of the future cruise credit. I agree that it sucks, but unless she can find a time to cruise in the next year, she would lose out on the certificate anyway, even if she’d gotten one for $1200.

 

I would not pay someone cash to compensate them for getting a smaller gift certificate, unless it’s really really important to you that this girl like you a whole lot, and she wouldn’t like you if you didn’t give her the $400, haha.

 

There are other workarounds for this. If she can take a cruise with someone else, you guys can book it together, use your certificates, then swap your name out for the person she’s really cruising with, and have that person pay you $1200 cash that they would have contributed to the cruise (so you would send in your $1500 certificate, then leave with $1200, leaving her with $400).

 

 

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The OP paid $400 LESS than the other passenger. SO ... YES ... the other passenger most definitely is entitled to the $400.

 

OP is pax 1 = $1600 cost of cruise (OPs example $$)

Friend is pax 2 = $ 800 cost of cruise (OPs example $$)

 

Both decided to split the $ evenly. So EACH paid $1,200.

OP $400 LESS than his cruise cost.

Pax 2 $400 MORE than her cruise cost.

[CruiseGal999]

Because I am out $400 cash. Like I already said, I could have found a cruise for $1100. Sure I get to find a cruise for $1500, but it cost me $400 to do that. I'd have been perfectly happy with just $1100 to use.

 

 

It NEVER Cost you $400 because you didn't pay the $1600 in the first place. You ONLY paid $1,200 for YOUR portion of the cruise.

 

You got CASH back AND cruise $$ to use. ??? You aren't losing anywhere or anything. You can't be very good friends if you are really struggling with this.

[stacehumphrey]

I know why you're frustrated, but I have experienced the same situation and good thing they accommodated me.

[capitainefritz]

Lots of confusion here..

 

The OP problem isn’t about the refund, but about how the FCC was split. So he’s out $400 if he wants to compensate her friend that got less FCC than OP.

 

I do like the suggestion for passenger swap.

[TravisP]

I think the best solution so far is offer to pay them the $400 cash when they go on their next RCI cruise. That way, if they let their OBC expire, they are not out a dime of compensation.

[marci22]

I would call and inquire about them splitting the FCC equally as this is a special circumstance.

 

I first learned about this when we were issued FCCs for a problem onboard. As one of my sons was the first name on the more expensive booking, he got the biggest FCC, more than twice most of the others, and of course, he was the only one who could not make the next cruise within the year time period. I called and they did make an accommodation so I suggest you do this.

 

I think it's good that you posted this because although it's not a common occurrence, it's good to know what may happen in terms of FCC and it may be possible to offset worse case scenarios by booking the most appropriate people in the 1st spot(s) on the reservations. (I know you had little flexibilty here but others may have more, especially parents traveling with children).

 

Sometimes the reps do not seem to care who gets put into what slot on the reservation but as you can see it can have consequences when they are running oddball sales like bogoho or 60% off second passenger etc. It may also matter in terms of how you buy your travel insurance (varying coverage for different passengers) so account for that as well.

[A&L_Ont]

OP, the easiest solution would be next time pay the higher rate and let your friend pay the lesser cabin rate. Do not split the cost equally. If the cruise is cancelled then you each get what you rightfully deserve.

 

That is a bit tongue in cheek as then you would have been out the extra right at the beginning. It was fair to split the price difference, just as now it is fair to split the difference regarding the FCC.

 

If RC can’t do it for you, then you will have to do it yourself. It is about being whole, and without this 50-50 split they are not yet whole. Otherwise expect that you might lose your friend or could be on Judge Judy. You also have to look at it if you were in your friends shoes, would you not want your deserved portion?

 

Try calling RC back as other have said it has been done. It is not as though you live in the same house. If they can’t, it is their regretfully foolish policy and then the onus falls on you.

 

It sucks that your cruise was cancelled and then this. Hopefully the two of you can work out an agreeement.

Edited April 26, 2018 by A&L_Ont

[sandc4e]

First world problems. You aren't out anything by paying your friend.

[TravisP]

Another option would be to purchase 4 $100 RCI gift cards for them. I would ask them if you can buy the gift cards with your OBC.

[Cruzin-K]

I would call and inquire about them splitting the FCC equally as this is a special circumstance.

 

I think it's good that you posted this because although it's not a common occurrence, it's good to know what may happen in terms of FCC and it may be possible to offset worse case scenarios by booking the most appropriate people in the 1st spot(s) on the reservations. (I know you had little flexibilty here but others may have more, especially parents traveling with children).

 

Sometimes the reps do not seem to care who gets put into what slot on the reservation but as you can see it can have consequences when they are running oddball sales like bogoho or 60% off second passenger etc. It may also matter in terms of how you buy your travel insurance (varying coverage for different passengers) so account for that as well.

 

 

It was fair to split the price difference, just as now it is fair to split the difference regarding the FCC.

 

If RC can’t do it for you, then you will have to do it yourself. It is about being whole, and without this 50-50 split they are not yet whole. Otherwise expect that you might lose your friend or could be on Judge Judy. You also have to look at it if you were in your friends shoes, would you not want your deserved portion?

 

Try calling RC back as other have said it has been done. It is not as though you live in the same house. If they can’t, it is their regretfully foolish policy and then the onus falls on you.

 

It sucks that your cruise was cancelled and then this. Hopefully the two of you can work out an agreeement.

 

Thank you. I did speak with someone in the executive office three times. Overall, I'm OK with the compensation although nothing can really make up for a ruined 50th birthday celebration that was planned over two years in advance :'(

 

I like to think that I'm a good friend, and fair, and I certainly don't want to end up on Judge Judy, lol, so I have already paid my friend the difference. I did that last night.

 

Letting the FCCs expire is not going to happen, not for either of us, for those of you who would apparently be OK with a canceled cruise and no compensation :rolleyes: We both like cruising, and still like Royal Caribbean although they are annoying us a bit right now.

 

I'm sure they could adjust the split if they wanted to. It would probably be a bit of a hassle for someone in accounting and so they choose to not do it. Shrug.

 

I just posted this to make people aware of the policy.

 

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[A&L_Ont]

Thank you. I did speak with someone in the executive office three times. Overall, I'm OK with the compensation although nothing can really make up for a ruined 50th birthday celebration that was planned over two years in advance :'(

 

I like to think that I'm a good friend, and fair, and I certainly don't want to end up on Judge Judy, lol, so I have already paid my friend the difference. I did that last night.

 

Letting the FCCs expire is not going to happen, not for either of us, for those of you who would apparently be OK with a canceled cruise and no compensation :rolleyes: We both like cruising, and still like Royal Caribbean although they are annoying us a bit right now.

 

I'm sure they could adjust the split if they wanted to. It would probably be a bit of a hassle for someone in accounting and so they choose to not do it. Shrug.

 

I just posted this to make people aware of the policy.

 

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K, you have the right spirit in my books. I wish they had been more accommodating but alas they weren’t. I suspect that you are right, they don’t want to do it but they could. Perhaps they did in the past and decided it was too onerous for them and left the task to their guests. To be fair if the guests lived at different residents they should do it, but maybe that caused other problems in the past. :confused:

 

Hopefully you find another booking to put that FCC towards soon, and I’m glad to read that we won’t be seeing you on Judge Judy. Can you imagine the thread that would have come to life here? Just laughing to myself while I think about it.

 

Happy belated 50th and book that next cruise to celebrate you 39th birthday.;)

[BecciBoo]

So let's try and get this straight...you're complaining because you got a full refund AND a future cruise credit? Seems like you don't have a leg to stand on dude. Dude they gave you all your money back as you paid for it and now you have a free cruise, you're not giving them anything. They gave you a whale of a deal.:rolleyes:

[Cascade1911]

I believe the real solution is to call back RC and tell them how you want the credit split. When the rep tells you they cant do that tell the rep you want to speak with their supervisor and so on. Be a pest. I can (almost) guarantee you that with a little less effort than posting and responding to this thread you will get someone to split the credit the way you want. It's really not rocket science and there is no real reason they can't do it. You just have to get to the person who can get it done for you. Unfortunately I have had a lot of experience with customer service reps telling me how they can't fulfill what would seam an easy and reasonable task. Fortunately, in most cases a little persistence overcomes.

[BecciBoo]

 

Three days before the cruise, Royal Caribbean canceled it, refunding all our money paid and giving us a future cruise credit (FCC) equal to the paid fare, less taxes and fees. So, in the FCC breakdown they e-mailed to us, I have an FCC of $1500, and my friend has an FCC of $700. Totally unfair since we each paid the exact same amount.

 

.

 

Isn't this what you said?

[Cascade1911]

So let's try and get this straight...you're complaining because you got a full refund AND a future cruise credit? Seems like you don't have a leg to stand on dude. Dude they gave you all your money back as you paid for it and now you have a free cruise, you're not giving them anything. They gave you a whale of a deal.:rolleyes:

 

The issue isn't whether the compensation is adequate or not but simply how the FCC is split. In my opinion the OP made a very reasonable request of RC in asking for the FCC to be split evenly and I would call RC out on the statement that they cannot split it otherwise. As far as a "Whale of a deal" that is certainly debatable given the time and expense involved in traveling to Australia but again that wasn't the complaint.

[ndabunka]

Lots of confusion here..

 

The OP problem isn’t about the refund, but about how the FCC was split. So he’s out $400 if he wants to compensate her friend that got less FCC than OP.

 

I do like the suggestion for passenger swap.

 

Not accurate. The OP gets the larger FCC whereas the friend got the lower FCC so in order to "make the friend whole" ... as in receiving the same FCC benefit, she would need to give some of the OPs FCC to the friend. Sure, this may mean that the OP has to take some of the refunded $'s out of their own pocket but that should not be the HUGE issue it appears to have turned into IMHO.

[CruiseGal999]

Not accurate. The OP gets the larger FCC whereas the friend got the lower FCC so in order to "make the friend whole" ... as in receiving the same FCC benefit, she would need to give some of the OPs FCC to the friend. Sure, this may mean that the OP has to take some of the refunded $'s out of their own pocket but that should not be the HUGE issue it appears to have turned into IMHO.

 

Has anyone seen/considered that the OP paid $400 LESS than he/she should have in the beginning? His/her cruise was $1600. He/she PAID $1,200. I'm using the OP's example numbers.

The 'friend's' cruise cost $800 and the friend paid $1,200. $400 more.

[ATG]

Not all of the FCC needs to be used on the same cruise. My DH and I were scheduled to sail on a hurricane shortened cruise and couldn't make it. We got uneven FCCs from the 60% off deal. When I rebooked it more than covered my fare, but we owed about $600 for his fare. We then had $700 leftover from my FCC. I was allowed to apply it to an existing booking. So, we used it all.

[marci22]

I don't think people are understanding why OP wants the credit reallocated. OP has a FCC that is probably not necessary for their share of a planned next cruise. If OP can cruise for around ~$1000 for their share, typically the FCC will not carry over. It would have been very nice for Royal to reallocate the FCC to be equal between the two friends but for some reason they are choosing not to.

 

Thanks to OP for posting this warning and maybe Royal will let you apply the anticipated 'leftover' credit to an additional cruise if you do not need it all for the first one. Your request was understandable and I'm sorry they said no. I might try one more time though ;)