Would you take 125 %FCC or 100% money back from Celebrity?

[Fouremco]

1 minute ago, Pedro2400 said:

our Edge Sailing for April 12 is on the list of cancel sailings.

We cancelled earlier this week to get at least 25% cc refund. Too bad we didn't wait to get a 100% cc refund.

 

We have a March 2021 cruise booked, and if everything works out, we'll use the FCC and it won't have made any difference, other than the small amount of interest. BUT...

• will the Coronavirus still be a serious threat in March 2021?
• will Celebrity still have the age 70+ medical sign off requirement?
• will the Caribbean islands have lifted their cruise ship ban?
• do we lose the FCC if we use it as payment but then need to cancel, or the doctor won't sign off if that requirement is still in place?
• if we don't go on this cruise, will we be able to afford a comparable cruise later in in 2021, given the spiralling fees? 

With all of the uncertainty, I'd much rather have the 100% refund.

[Travelexpert35]

I would take the cash refund. Since Celebrity has so many cancellations now, they should change the booking window until 2022 for the credits like NCL.

[NinaBlue22]

Cash refund, absolutely. 

[Fouremco]

3 minutes ago, helen haywood said:

That’s interesting because I’ve heard others were told the FCC could only be used for new bookings.  I’ll have to check this.  I already have cruises booked I’d planned on using the FCC towards.

I specifically asked at the time I cancelled last Sunday and was assured that both new and existing bookings were eligible. There were quite a few posts last weekend and in the early part of the week, and anyone who had asked the question of Celebrity or their TA was given the same answer.

 

That said, no one has reported receiving their FCC yet following a cancellation under the terms of the CWC policy, so we'll have to wait a bit longer to see the actually wording of the T&C.

[Pedro2400]

9 minutes ago, helen haywood said:

That’s interesting because I’ve heard others were told the FCC could only be used for new bookings.  I’ll have to check this.  I already have cruises booked I’d planned on using the FCC towards.

I agree with you. That's what I heard the FCC can not be used towards existing booking....

[helen haywood]

I guess we will have to wait until someone actually gets the FCC and see.  So please post if you do!

[mafig]

Starting from scratch, so took the refund for our cancelled cruise.

 

Would love to try Edge, but dh also wants to look at all the cruise lines to see what they might be offering (not Carnival, though).   

 

 

[davekathy]

9 minutes ago, helen haywood said:

I guess we will have to wait until someone actually gets the FCC and see.  So please post if you do!

 

15 minutes ago, Pedro2400 said:

I agree with you. That's what I heard the FCC can not be used towards existing booking....

 Uncharted waters for all of us as well as Celebrity. 

[reallyhooked]

We rebooked our March  cruise for December. If by chance something happens with that one, will take refund so as not to stress using the FCC before it expires. 

[Pedro2400]

it so Bizarre, Yesterday on Celebrity website it was showing all cruises till April 12 were cancelled, April 12 Edge sailing was also on the list. Now this Edge April 12 sailing is not on the list as cancelled. WOW. another mess.... 

[Fly and Sail]

Considering the limitations of the Cruise Credit (has to be booked and sailed upon until late 2021) I'd rather take 100% cash refund. Doesn't apply to me though, my cruises were comped anyway so I just changed the date.

[Fouremco]

I almost hope that the T&C do limit the FCC's use to new bookings, as that is the opposite of what was said when I cancelled. I would then have the grounds to insist that they uncancel our booking. Then when Celebrity has to cancel the cruise in the next few days/weeks, which they will as it is out of Vancouver, I'd get 100% refund. 🤷🏼‍♂️

[Pedro2400]

11 minutes ago, Pedro2400 said:

it so Bizarre, Yesterday on Celebrity website it was showing all cruises till April 12 were cancelled, April 12 Edge sailing was also on the list. Now this Edge April 12 sailing is not on the list as cancelled. WOW. another mess.... 

This is screenshot from yesterday from Celebrity website

[woody14h]

2 hours ago, son3cruisers said:

I am also trying to decide.

Thinking the refund might be a wiser choice.

Im thinking that there might be restrictions attached to the FCC.

Totally agree.

[marieps]

I just got off the phone with X after being on hold for only a minute!  Spoke with  rep working from home in Miami.  Was told my FCC from 3/27 Silhouette can be used for my existing July 5 Summit cruise.  Even if the FCC does not hit before final payment date of 4/6, she said I can get a refund from Costco Travel.  Let's hope I get the FCC email before the deadline.

 

Still can't believe I was on hold for that short amount of time.

[ItzRav]

Assuming our Alaska cruise (departing from Vancouver in May) is ultimately cancelled and we are offered a choice between a refund or FCC, we will definitely take the refund.  The reason?  While we were told by three different Celebrity reps that we CAN apply the FCC to our existing bookings in 2021, they said that if we do that, and then for whatever reason we have to cancel THOSE cruises (including if Coronavirus is still an issue then), that the FCC we applied to those bookings would NOT be able to be applied again to another future cruise.  It would be considered to already have been "redeemed" and would be lost.  Again, we specifically asked, if we apply the FCC to a future cruise, and then THAT cruise has to be cancelled, can the FCC from the first cruise be applied again a second time?  The answer again was no, it can only be used once so it will be lost if we have to cancel the cruise we use the FCC on.  Could Celebrity relax this policy by the time this might become an issue?  Perhaps, but we're not willing to take that chance.

[wrk2cruise]

I'm sure there are different T&C for the cruises cancelled by Celebrity but here is the page with the details if you cancel with the Cruise with Confidence program.  Pretty good FAQ section

 

https://www.celebritycruises.com/cruise-with-confidence

 

It does state that you can use this FCC on a less expensive cruise and have the remainder issued as a new FCC.

The way I read it certainly implies you can use it on exiting bookings which has been my experience with prior FCC

You must sail before 12/31/2021

 

[Lastdance]

Refund for sure!  I have been waiting for 40 days for the rest of it, which is $1,004.00.  I had to pay a $200.00 cancelation fee for airlines, and I want to file with my insurance.  I must file within 90 days.  This had nothing to do with Covid-19, but I am still in limbo.  I can only imagine how long some of us will have to wait just to have $$ refunded to our credit cards.  Hopefully, I am not the norm!  I also have 6 other cruises booked, and not looking forward to ever having to cancel again, as this was my first time.  Celebrity has quite a lot of my money at this point.

Edited March 14, 2020 by Lastdance

[elliekate]

59 minutes ago, ItzRav said:

Assuming our Alaska cruise (departing from Vancouver in May) is ultimately cancelled and we are offered a choice between a refund or FCC, we will definitely take the refund.  The reason?  While we were told by three different Celebrity reps that we CAN apply the FCC to our existing bookings in 2021, they said that if we do that, and then for whatever reason we have to cancel THOSE cruises (including if Coronavirus is still an issue then), that the FCC we applied to those bookings would NOT be able to be applied again to another future cruise.  It would be considered to already have been "redeemed" and would be lost.  Again, we specifically asked, if we apply the FCC to a future cruise, and then THAT cruise has to be cancelled, can the FCC from the first cruise be applied again a second time?  The answer again was no, it can only be used once so it will be lost if we have to cancel the cruise we use the FCC on.  Could Celebrity relax this policy by the time this might become an issue?  Perhaps, but we're not willing to take that chance.

Good to know!  We are on the Millennium 5/22 and it looks like it isn't going to happen!  I did an online "chat" with Celebrity today because the cruise is still listed as being available to book and got a vague answer about maybe a "Plan B"! 

[tysver]

I took the $. If you review the 125% deal it states that if your cancelled cruise included the "4 Perks", which ours did, they will not be included in the next cruise. That deal alone was worth $900 drink package, 100 for free internet, gratuities about 250, and 400 onboard credit. That's around 1600 bucks/perks gone. We have a trip planned on RC in October out of Barcelona, asked if money could be used for that cruise, no only Celebrity. Not a customer friendly answer at all. Also did you notice that if your cruise was cancelled within 30 days of sailing on Princess you received a 175% of your cruise amount to use in 2020/2021. I am mad at this company and may cancel the trip in October.

[Roger88]

What kind of question is that? Of course I  would take the money. With money you can decide yourself on your future cruise or maybe some different kind of vacation. Getting the credit or a gift card with credit to spend exclusively on board is a very bad deal.. well unless you want to support the company that sold you the tour in the first place. For the company its better to keep your money and plan your next journey for you. Its up to you my friend. No matter what you choose, I am afraid you wont be getting a 100% refund.. unless you have some kind of a complete coverage insurance or something  

[SHIP TRAVELER]

RCL is not a US company.  They do not pay US taxes.  I can't see the US government bailing them out.

[Fouremco]

26 minutes ago, tysver said:

I took the $. If you review the 125% deal it states that if your cancelled cruise included the "4 Perks", which ours did, they will not be included in the next cruise. That deal alone was worth $900 drink package, 100 for free internet, gratuities about 250, and 400 onboard credit. That's around 1600 bucks/perks gone. We have a trip planned on RC in October out of Barcelona, asked if money could be used for that cruise, no only Celebrity. Not a customer friendly answer at all. Also did you notice that if your cruise was cancelled within 30 days of sailing on Princess you received a 175% of your cruise amount to use in 2020/2021. I am mad at this company and may cancel the trip in October.

While I agree with your decision, I'm not sure that I understand your rationale. You lose your perks with either option, FCC or refund. I hope you don't think that you will get $1600 in addition to the cruise booking price in your refund.

 

While RC and Celebrity are both under the same parent corporate umbrella, they are independent organizations and competitors. Why would Celebrity provide an FCC to be used on a competing cruise line?

[hiccups]

We decided to take the refund, as the extra 25% was only about $240 more PP (assuming I calculated the value correctly).  Prices are so high right now, that amount wouldn't help much.  If we'd been able to apply it to our fall Azamara cruise, we'd have taken the FCC, but since it can't be used across brands, the refund is better.

[hcat]

3 hours ago, Fouremco said:

We cancelled earlier this week to get at least 25% cc refund. Too bad we didn't wait to get a 100% cc refund.

 

We have a March 2021 cruise booked, and if everything works out, we'll use the FCC and it won't have made any difference, other than the small amount of interest. BUT...

• will the Coronavirus still be a serious threat in March 2021?
• will Celebrity still have the age 70+ medical sign off requirement?
• will the Caribbean islands have lifted their cruise ship ban?
• do we lose the FCC if we use it as payment but then need to cancel, or the doctor won't sign off if that requirement is still in place?
• if we don't go on this cruise, will we be able to afford a comparable cruise later in in 2021, given the spiralling fees? 

With all of the uncertainty, I'd much rather have the 100% refund.

All great questions.  Many are in the same circumstance.  Hope Celeb addresses all this  after the crisis passes. They have a few months to think it out.