Advice requested: cancelling a NRD cruise - what to do

[BecAus]

So, we have a booking on the Hawaii - Sydney TP on Ovation departing 27 Sept (obviously not departing but not cancelled yet of course)

We have a $300 NRD and final is due on 7/19 - final is 10K.

I do have the 10K but it seems really ill-advised to be laying down that amount of $$ at the moment with no idea how long this will go on for.

 

I have rebooked another cruise (NZ) for 13 Jan '22.  Put down $600 NRD - unfortunately it was 5K more to make the deposit refundable so that was a no go.

I didn't realise I could perhaps have swapped the deposit from the TP cruise to the new cruise - can't be helped now.

Jan '22 looks like it would probably be the earliest we would be able to cruise. We couldn't do the TP next year so Lift & Shift wasn't an option (and I might add, next years TP cruises are MUCH cheaper than we paid so would not have been a good deal anyway)

 

I would take the $300 as a FCC and apply to the Jan'22 cruise but as I read the policy it seems the FCC has to be booked and sail by Dec '21?

 

We also have $200 USD OBC on the Sept 27 cruise.  That cruise was booked onboard at Next Cruise desk.

If I am reading people's posts correctly this type of OBC can be transferred to another booking sometimes?  Would be a shame to lose it if we can do something about moving it.

 

So.. any advise what we can do here.  Are we better off just cancelling and writing off the $300.  If the FCC has to be used/sailed by 31 Dec '21 then we probably won't be able to use it.  

 

 

I did wonder whether I should cancel the Sept cruise, take the $300 FCC and book a cruise for this coming January that I don't intend to go on.

Then, cancel that cruise, or,  it is very likely looking like we aren't going to have a cruise season down here in Aus this year so RCI may cancel.

Would that FCC then be reissued with a new / later dated FCC that I might be able to apply to the Jan '22 cruise.

 

Anyone have any advice on what would be the best thing to do.  Thanks so much for any help / advice :-)

Edited July 7, 2020 by BecAus

[Stokie33]

Don't know if it applies but I cancelled an august cruise on Anthem just before final payment and used cruise with confidence to get the deposit as a FCC. Like I said I'm not sure if the same will apply to you

[molly361]

Your FCC has to be applied by December 31 2021 for any sailing thru April 2022. I just looked at mine to confirm  Unless the date is different if you cancel vs RCL cancelling.  Royal cancelled my sailing  @Ourusualbeach will know if the FCC  expiration  dates are different if you cancel vs if Royal cancels

Edited July 7, 2020 by molly361

[Biker19]

42 minutes ago, BecAus said:

I do have the 10K but it seems really ill-advised to be laying down that amount of $$ at the moment with no idea how long this will go on for.

If you want a refund, do this - make final payment confident that the sailing will be cancelled in the next round of cancellations and you'll get a refund about a month after that (tho refunds times have gotten better). To tie up less money, see if you can downgrade to the cheapest cabin available before final payment.

 

Or you can cancel and apply the FCC to the 2022 sailing - CWC allows FCC to be used on any sailing till 4/2022.

Edited July 7, 2020 by Biker19

[BecAus]

Thank you for your replies :-)

 

Molly - I think it’s different if WE cancel. I’ve checked the website cancellation policies/options and read the fine print and it seems to say FCC will be valid for 12mths from sail date or Dec ‘21, whichever is longer.

And in fine print says ‘sailed by’ not booked by

 

So, that wouldn’t work for a Sept ‘20 cruise cancelled now and us likely only able to next do a Jan ‘22 cruise

 

Given our more limited cruising options / season here ‘down under’ it would be great if they could make the ‘sail by’ date 04/2022.

 

i could make final but I think about the worst case scenario and I would obviously be much more upset at losing 10K rather than just the $300.

 

 

 

 

[BecAus]

Biker 

 

>>Or you can cancel and apply the FCC to the 2022 sailing - CWC allows FCC to be used on anysailing till 4/2022.<<
 

you think so? It’s not how I read it but I’ll have to look again tomorrow or maybe call them

- not looking forward to calling them though. I had to call recently about an outstanding matter from our cancelled Quantum cruise and got nowhere. Rep didn’t know what he was talking about, transferred to multiple depts who couldn’t resolve the issue (RC supposed to be reimbursing airline cancellation fees from that Singapore sailing)  and was then transferred again to another dept but instead got the satisfaction survey - needless to say - was NOT satisfied.

2 hrs on the phone and got nowhere!!

[Ourusualbeach]

21 minutes ago, BecAus said:

Thank you for your replies 🙂

 

Molly - I think it’s different if WE cancel. I’ve checked the website cancellation policies/options and read the fine print and it seems to say FCC will be valid for 12mths from sail date or Dec ‘21, whichever is longer.

And in fine print says ‘sailed by’ not booked by

 

So, that wouldn’t work for a Sept ‘20 cruise cancelled now and us likely only able to next do a Jan ‘22 cruise

 

Given our more limited cruising options / season here ‘down under’ it would be great if they could make the ‘sail by’ date 04/2022.

 

i could make final but I think about the worst case scenario and I would obviously be much more upset at losing 10K rather than just the $300.

 

 

 

 

I believe you are correct in that if you cancel the FCC must be “used by” Dec 31, 2021 where if Royal cancels then you have until April 2022 to use it by as long as you apply it by Dec 2021.

[molly361]

3 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:

I believe you are correct in that if you cancel the FCC must be “used by” Dec 31, 2021 where if Royal cancels then you have until April 2022 to use it by as long as you apply it by Dec 2021.

Could someone make a booking for the end of 2021 or beginning of 2022 using their FCC.  then if they cancel that booking would they get a new revised FCC with a date 12 months from when the cancel?

[BecAus]

Hi Molly

yes, that’s kinda what I wondered

If I make a booking for Jan ‘21 and shift the deposit to there could I then just cancel, get a FCC that I could apply to Jan ‘22 cruise?

 

if they decide, or our Govt decides for them!, that we aren’t going to have a ‘20 / ‘21 cruise season down here then it is likely RC would cancel that ‘Jan 21 cruise before final.

 

i probably don’t have anything to lose by doing it I don’t think?

If I’m not going to be able to use the FCC by end Dec ‘21 sail date.

 

There’s a 5n to Tassie I was thinking I could shift it to.

 

From what Ken said above (thanks for advising Ken) it looks like I am reading it correctly that I must apply the FCC to a ‘sail by’ date of Dec ‘21 to use it.

[Ashland]

8 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:

I believe you are correct in that if you cancel the FCC must be “used by” Dec 31, 2021 where if Royal cancels then you have until April 2022 to use it by as long as you apply it by Dec 2021.

Yes, this is correct plus if RCI cancels the OP will probably be offered 125%.