Full Cruise Credit certificates--are they refundable for cash at 100%?

[basenji56]

Celebrity is requiring that all FCCs be booked by the end of 2021 for sailings no later than early May 2022.

 

Some people have said that Celebrity will refund those certificates for cash (at 100% of the price, not the 125% extra value).

 

I have been unsuccessful in getting Celebrity to refund my FCCs--I can only move them to future cruises.

 

I think they say that there is a difference between a cruise that I cancelled in March under the Cruise with Confidence program (because I could see covid coming) and a cruise that Celebrity cancelled.

 

However, Celebrity recently cancelled a December 2021 cruise and still refuses to refund my FCC (probably because the FCC was from a cruise I had previously cancelled through Cruise with Confidence).

 

Do any of you have any suggestions for how to deal with this issue?

 

I have two large FCCs and may not be able to use them before the May 2022 sailing deadline--especially since Celebrity keeps cancelling sailings into Spring of 2021.

 

 

 

[Fouremco]

I doubt that you will see Celebrity change its stance on this. As you've noted, an FCC issued as a result of cancellation by Celebrity is refundable, while an FCC issued when a passenger cancels is not. That's one issue.

 

The second issue is that when an FCC is applied to a cruise which is subsequently cancelled, the FCC is effectively returned to you with its original conditions. So when the December 2021 cruise was cancelled, you got back your (non-refundable) FCC from the March 2020 cancellation, not a new refundable one.

 

We also cancelled a cruise in March 2020 and received a non-refundable FCC. We are applying that to a March 2021 cruise that we subsequently L&S'd to March 2022. Hopefully that is far enough away so as to not be affected by all these cancellations.

 

 

[wrk2cruise]

@Fouremcois perfectly correct.  Your FCC's are not refundable for the reasons stated.

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

So... If I may follow up... My cruise booked for February 2021 (iffy IMHO, but I'm letting Celebrity make the call) was booked partly in cash and partly with an FCC from my July cruise which Celebrity cancelled.

 

If CELEBRITY cancels the February cruise, would I be able to change the CELEBRITY issued because of CELEBRITY'S cancellation FCC into a refund back to my card? I understand that if *I* were to cancel it, it would be strictly an FCC. But if CELEBRITY cancels it would I have an option?

[wrk2cruise]

I don't believe so.   I believe the deadline for changing FCC to refund for your July cruise has past.   Only cruises cancelled prior to May 11 are still eligible to convert FCC to refund.   The early cancellations had the long time where you could change your mind.  Subsequent cancellations they shortened the window significantly.

 

They modified the FAQ recently and removed the deadlines which have already past.

 

After receiving my 125% Future Cruise Credit (FCC), can I choose to change to a 100% refund?

Yes, so long as you request it on or before the relevant deadline.   For May 12, 2020 – December 31, 2020 sailings (with the exception of any previously canceled sailings), Celebrity Summit 5/6/2021, 5/15/2021, 5/25/2021, 6/4/2021 and Celebrity Equinox 5/2/2021 and 5/24/2021, as well as our remaining 2020/21 Winter Season in Asia and Australia, cancelled by Celebrity Cruises, you have until December 31, 2020 to request a refund.   For sailings on or before May 11, 2020 that were cancelled by Celebrity Cruises, you have until December 31, 2021 to request a refund.   If you request a refund, your 125% FCC will be deactivated. 

 

 

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

4 minutes ago, wrk2cruise said:

I don't believe so.   I believe the deadline for changing FCC to refund for your July cruise has past.   Only cruises cancelled prior to May 11 are still eligible to convert FCC to refund.   The early cancellations had the long time where you could change your mind.  Subsequent cancellations they shortened the window significantly.

 

They modified the FAQ recently and removed the deadlines which have already past.

 

After receiving my 125% Future Cruise Credit (FCC), can I choose to change to a 100% refund?

Yes, so long as you request it on or before the relevant deadline.   For May 12, 2020 – December 31, 2020 sailings (with the exception of any previously canceled sailings), Celebrity Summit 5/6/2021, 5/15/2021, 5/25/2021, 6/4/2021 and Celebrity Equinox 5/2/2021 and 5/24/2021, as well as our remaining 2020/21 Winter Season in Asia and Australia, cancelled by Celebrity Cruises, you have until December 31, 2020 to request a refund.   For sailings on or before May 11, 2020 that were cancelled by Celebrity Cruises, you have until December 31, 2021 to request a refund.   If you request a refund, your 125% FCC will be deactivated. 

 

 

 

It's very confusing, as I understood that it would be a new FCC issued and not the old one. I guess I'll see when and if the time comes. Really stinks if they won't let me since I'm not planning on cruising Celebrity again with this screw over all solo cruisers scheme they have - that's a lot of money to lose.

[jelayne]

I believe that the amount you paid in cash for the Feb cruises could be refunded in cash but the FCC would be returned as a FCC.

[wrk2cruise]

Here is probably the best FAQ for your particular situation.

 

If I had a Future Cruise Credit (FCC) that I applied to a sailing Celebrity Cruises canceled, what terms apply when I book my new cruise?

The value of the original FCC you used toward your cruise fare on the cancelled cruise will be reflected in your new FCC, but at 100% of its original unused value. If you made payments toward the cruise fare on your booking on the cancelled cruise using forms of payment other than the FCC (i.e., via check or credit card), the value of the new FCC will include 125% of those amounts. The new FCC will be valid toward the cruise fare on a Celebrity Cruises booking made on or before December 31, 2021 for a cruise departing on or before May 4, 2022.   Please note only one Future Cruise Credit may be applied by each person on the reservation.

Guests with bookings on September 16, 2020 – December 31, 2020 sailings (with the exception of any previously canceled sailings), Celebrity Summit 5/6/2021, 5/15/2021, 5/25/2021, 6/4/2021 and Celebrity Equinox 5/2/2021 and 5/24/2021, as well as our remaining 2020/21 Winter Season in Asia and Australia, cancelled by Celebrity Cruises will automatically receive an FCC equal to 125% of the cruise fares they paid to Celebrity.  These FCCs are issued to guests via email, with the guest’s travel agency in copy if it was booked through one. However, if these guests prefer to receive a 100% refund, as opposed to the 125% FCC, they have until December 31, 2020 to request it.  Refunds will be issued to the original forms of payment.

 

CANCELLED SAIL DATES	FCC PROCESSED BY
CELEBRITY SUMMIT 5/6/2021, 5/15/2021, 5/25/2021, 6/4/2021 CELEBRITY EQUINOX 5/2/2021 and 5/14/2021	DECEMBER 22, 2020
DECEMBER 1 – 31, 2020 (excluding Asia/Australia/New Zealand December 1, 2020 – May 31, 2021)	NOVEMBER 30, 2020
NOVEMBER 1 – 30, 2020 (excluding Celebrity Silhouette 11/8/20, 11/20/20 and Celebrity Infinity 11/16/20) ASIA/AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND WINTER DECEMBER 1, 2020 – MAY 31, 2021	NOVEMBER 4, 2020
SAILINGS TO AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND NOVEMBER 1 - DECEMBER 31, 2020	OCTOBER 16, 2020
SAILINGS TO AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND OCTOBER 1 – 31, 2020	SEPTEMBER 30, 2020
OCTOBER 1 – 31, 2020, and SILHOUETTE 11.8.20, 11.20.20 AND INFINITY 11.16.20, EXCLUDING AUSTRALIA/NZ	SEPTEMBER 14, 2020
SEPTEMBER 16 – 30, 2020	AUGUST 26, 2020
AUGUST 1 – SEPTEMBER 15, 2020	JULY 31, 2020
SAILINGS TO DENMARK AUGUST 1 – SEPTEMBER 30, 2020	JULY 24, 2020

[bigbenboys]

We have 1 FCC from a cruise I canceled. We have 3 cruises booked between June 2021 and May 3, 2022. All refundable deposits. We need 2 of the 3 cruises to happen if we are going to use up our FCC by May 4, 2022. June is a 7 night Alaska cruise, June might be to early cruise. It's up to the Canadian Government and the CDC. So the back up cruise is Aug 2021 Rome to Venice 9 night. We should be ok with this 9 night cruise as it is my understanding that the CDC has no say on this cruise. We will be able to use our British Airways certificate for airfare. Our back up to back up is a Pacific Coast cruise leaving May 3, 2022. I'm hoping we will be able to do all 3 cruises.

[Arizona Wildcat]

5 hours ago, bigbenboys said:

We have 1 FCC from a cruise I canceled. We have 3 cruises booked between June 2021 and May 3, 2022. All refundable deposits. We need 2 of the 3 cruises to happen if we are going to use up our FCC by May 4, 2022. June is a 7 night Alaska cruise, June might be to early cruise. It's up to the Canadian Government and the CDC. So the back up cruise is Aug 2021 Rome to Venice 9 night. We should be ok with this 9 night cruise as it is my understanding that the CDC has no say on this cruise. We will be able to use our British Airways certificate for airfare. Our back up to back up is a Pacific Coast cruise leaving May 3, 2022. I'm hoping we will be able to do all 3 cruises.

BigBenBoys I wish you luck.  Royal Caribbean has already cancelled or modified ALL cruises sailing before November 2021 to 7 days or less.  Your Rome to Venice may well sail but be shortened to 7 days.

Will be interesting to see what happens to 2021 cruises paid with FCCs.  For example we cancelled one and Celebrity another cruise in March.  The replacement cruises in August 2021 will not happen.  We now wonder if we can move to 2022 or?

[basenji56]

Cruisers still awaiting refunds, anger at MSC and Norwegian - South Florida Sun-Sentinel (sun-sentinel.com)

 

Those that are promising refunds are doing so to avoid looking bad to future customers, he said. Meanwhile, the cruise lines continued to take payments for scheduled cruises that have later been canceled as the pandemic drags on, he said.

“It’s a giant Ponzi scheme,” he said. “The cruise lines are marketing and selling cruises knowing they will be canceled. Then they hold onto the money and offer future cruise credits.”

 

A newly formed organization called Global Cruise Activist Network, which is pushing the industry to improve how it treats the environment, port communities and consumers, released a video on Dec. 2 urging consumers not to accept future cruise credits when their trips are canceled.

If eligible, they should request cash refunds instead, network co-founder Karla Hart says. That’s because many large cruise lines have revised their cancellation policies and are no longer offering refunds for rebooked cruises that get canceled. Plus, many cruise lines are letting future cruise credits expire if you don’t use them within 12 months, potentially leaving consumers with nothing, she said.

Cruise lines are urging refund-eligible consumers to rebook future cruises not just so they can keep the cash to fund current operations, Hart said. They also need to keep future bookings at high levels to keep prices high, she said.

[basenji56]

Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line Are Put on Credit Watch Over Extended Suspensions | Barron's

 

[Fouremco]

Pay wall.

[hcat]

We would gladly take a reduced cash refund in exchange for our FCC (we cancelled shortly before Celeb cancelled the cruise), doubt it will ever happen. But wonder if we will ever get to use it. Our new lift and shift is on Reflection..1/2022

 

Things are so iffy... and they must have milions of outstanding fccs

Edited December 12, 2020 by hcat

[basenji56]

On 12/11/2020 at 2:39 PM, Fouremco said:

Pay wall.

Royal Caribbean Group and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings were put on watch for a credit-ratings downgrade amid concerns about their recent extensions of U.S. cruise suspensions into February and March.

S&P Global Ratings said it has placed Royal Caribbean Group (ticker: RCL) on credit watch negative following the suspension of cruises. It did the same for NCL, a subsidiary of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) that holds debt.

[LGW59]

7 minutes ago, basenji56 said:

Royal Caribbean Group and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings were put on watch for a credit-ratings downgrade amid concerns about their recent extensions of U.S. cruise suspensions into February and March.

S&P Global Ratings said it has placed Royal Caribbean Group (ticker: RCL) on credit watch negative following the suspension of cruises. It did the same for NCL, a subsidiary of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) that holds debt.

Yes we know, you posted that yesterday.

[Fouremco]

28 minutes ago, LGW59 said:

Yes we know, you posted that yesterday.

Yesterday, he just posted a link on this thread to an article, without any details from the article. I pointed out that it was behind a pay wall, and he has now graciously replied with some of the information from the article. 

[basenji56]

16 hours ago, Fouremco said:

Yesterday, he just posted a link on this thread to an article, without any details from the article. I pointed out that it was behind a pay wall, and he has now graciously replied with some of the information from the article. 

ROYAL CARIBBEAN NORWEGIAN PUT ON CREDIT WATCH BY S&P RATING AGENCY ARE SHARES DUE FOR A FALL? - YouTube

 

[TeeRick]

1 hour ago, basenji56 said:

ROYAL CARIBBEAN NORWEGIAN PUT ON CREDIT WATCH BY S&P RATING AGENCY ARE SHARES DUE FOR A FALL? - YouTube

 

Honestly why were they not already on Credit Watch previously?  No income, no sailings, high debt, regulatory holds.  

[little britain]

So just to make sure: I paid for my 4/21 cruise in full with a FCC from my cancelled 4/20 cruise.  If / when 4/21 gets cancelled by X I will not get a cash refund, I will get a new FCC with a use by date of ????

 

I cancelled 4/20 under CwC just days before X pulled it; bad timing eh! 

 

Thanks 

Edited December 18, 2020 by little britain

[wrk2cruise]

Yes you will get a new FCC with the new extended book by/sail by date of 5/4/2022.