Count me out of the OBC game. I took the refund.

[Joebucks]

I was initially all about the OBC. $600 bucks was (and still could be) a sweet offer, as I plan to cruise again. Cover my gratuities, drinks, and a few meals. Maybe I didn't care as much because it was paid for in credit card points to begin with. I was ok if pricing surged a little. If the cruising halt would have been over already, how cool would it have been to have that?

 

For my recently cancelled cruise, I just took the refund. This shutdown is excessive. It becomes increasingly riskier each passing day to tie up that much money in a credit. When will we cruise again? What is the price going to be? Will the cruise lines have to declare bankruptcy? It's sad really. 

[Theosprey247]

That was my thinking back in March. 

[skridge]

2 hours ago, Joebucks said:

I was initially all about the OBC. $600 bucks was (and still could be) a sweet offer, as I plan to cruise again. Cover my gratuities, drinks, and a few meals. Maybe I didn't care as much because it was paid for in credit card points to begin with. I was ok if pricing surged a little. If the cruising halt would have been over already, how cool would it have been to have that?

 

For my recently cancelled cruise, I just took the refund. This shutdown is excessive. It becomes increasingly riskier each passing day to tie up that much money in a credit. When will we cruise again? What is the price going to be? Will the cruise lines have to declare bankruptcy? It's sad really. 

I agree with everything you said except for the shutdown being excessive.

[bury me at sea]

2 hours ago, Joebucks said:

I was initially all about the OBC. $600 bucks was (and still could be) a sweet offer, as I plan to cruise again. Cover my gratuities, drinks, and a few meals. Maybe I didn't care as much because it was paid for in credit card points to begin with. I was ok if pricing surged a little. If the cruising halt would have been over already, how cool would it have been to have that?

 

For my recently cancelled cruise, I just took the refund. This shutdown is excessive. It becomes increasingly riskier each passing day to tie up that much money in a credit. When will we cruise again? What is the price going to be? Will the cruise lines have to declare bankruptcy? It's sad really. 

 

I took a refund for the first time on my recently cancelled April cruise for many of the same reasons.  It is sad.

[firefly333]

My payments are to a cancelled credit card. ..just hoping I dont have to rebook and my sept cruise is still on. 

 

I should say previously I took the refund at least twice. Only have the one carnival booking.

Edited January 28, 2021 by firefly333

[curiousmonkey1234]

Does this mean you can only get one credit for $600 OBC if you cancel? Booked for May, but it will be cancelled and then I was going to try and book for June. If that gets cancelled, my only consolation is the $600 from the 1st cancellation? What happens to my trip interruption/protection? Is that refunded? Thanks!

[13cheermom]

Have to agree also, had one cancelled last Friday, decided to take the OBC and re-book, then they cancelled another one this past Monday, and decided nope just give me my deposit back please.  We already have 2 cruises next year from previous cancellations, so time is thinning out.  My daughter is trying to plan a wedding sometime next year, and don't won't to affect her plans with cruises being rescheduled.  Sometimes you just have to say stop and pick-up and move on.  I do feel like we will cruise again, just not sure how soon that will be.  

[SNJCruisers]

4 hours ago, curiousmonkey1234 said:

Does this mean you can only get one credit for $600 OBC if you cancel? Booked for May, but it will be cancelled and then I was going to try and book for June. If that gets cancelled, my only consolation is the $600 from the 1st cancellation? What happens to my trip interruption/protection? Is that refunded? Thanks!

No idea about your trip interruption/protection.  But, you only get one 600 credit in OBC.  OBC can't be stacked.

[SNJCruisers]

I'm the exact opposite.  Had two cruises cancel in June and August of 2020 that I took refunds on.  Took the 125% from our January 2021 Princess cruise and used the extra to book our first B2B.  I'm expecting our August Oasis cruise to cancel and I will take the 125% again and rebook for next year.  Keeping fingers crossed about Halloween on the Mardi Gras.   Worst case scenario is I get my first 600 in OBC from Carnival.

[MRVEGAS711]

Getting your money back in your hands is a good idea. There is not going to be cruising out of the US until spring of 2022 at the earliest. 

I was hoping to maybe cruise again in 2022, but waiting until it returns to "normal" which may be 2023 at best.

How many ships and cruise lines survive this will be interesting to see.

[SNJCruisers]

17 minutes ago, MRVEGAS711 said:

There is not going to be cruising out of the US until spring of 2022 at the earliest. 

Optimism lives. 😕

[EscapeFromConnecticut]

On 1/29/2021 at 7:47 AM, MRVEGAS711 said:

Getting your money back in your hands is a good idea. There is not going to be cruising out of the US until spring of 2022 at the earliest. 

I was hoping to maybe cruise again in 2022, but waiting until it returns to "normal" which may be 2023 at best.

How many ships and cruise lines survive this will be interesting to see.

That's a sad projection - but there's no denying the evidence is all leaning that way right now. 
 

Without question, a lot of CC members have simply got to dig themselves out of the phony "oh, it'll all be good again in a couple of months" delusion. That phony, evidence-denying "optimism" has been wrong month after month ever since last February.

 

It's sad to think about how many people have lost jobs - or at least lost hours & benefits - while having lots of money tied up with cruise lines. Money that's pretty much now a casino bet:

- IF the cruise line survives and

- IF it doesn't use a bankruptcy filing to nullify my OBC and perhaps the FCC as well and

- IF it doesn't simply increase prices to offset the value of my OBC and FCC and 

- IF cruising resumes with few enough restrictions that I can enjoy it and

- IF I'm young/healthy enough to still have fun cruising by that time and 

- IF the destinations I want to see are accepting cruisers ...

.... well then, hooray, I get six hundred dollars free!!

 

But if any of those conditions go south, I lose. Perhaps I lose many times that much.

 

Never looked like an appealing bet. That's why some of us on CC consistently counseled "take the refund"

Edited January 30, 2021 by EscapeFromConnecticut

[VentureMan_2000]

Sooooo hoping that they cancel thru the end of September 2021.  I really would like a refund on my three 2021 cruises I booked before the pandemic, as 2023 would be the earliest year I would consider cruising again... I want the pandemic well behind us before I sit on a fairly densely crowded ship.

I do plan on cruising again as I love to cruise.

[mpdog42]

On 1/29/2021 at 6:47 AM, MRVEGAS711 said:

Getting your money back in your hands is a good idea. There is not going to be cruising out of the US until spring of 2022 at the earliest. 

I was hoping to maybe cruise again in 2022, but waiting until it returns to "normal" which may be 2023 at best.

How many ships and cruise lines survive this will be interesting to see.

I would say more of a realistic look would be fourth Quarter of this year 2021, If not and i am wrong, the major lines will not survive without having to file....

[bury me at sea]

1 hour ago, mpdog42 said:

I would say more of a realistic look would be fourth Quarter of this year 2021, If not and i am wrong, the major lines will not survive without having to file....

 

Fourth quarter sounds possible to me, though it seems opimistic.  I couldn't go so far as probable.  But I'm definitely hopeful.

 

After living through raising three teenage girls into adulthood I've learned to hedge my bets.

 

 

[Butterbean1000]

Our first canceled cruise was last March.  We rebooked 3 more times. All three were canceled.  We finally rebooked for February 2022.  We decided that 2 years was too long to keep $3000 tied up.  We canceled, forfeiting the 600.  It only took 2 weeks to get our refund.  We are taking a 2 week long road trip to the Keys with that money next month.   I really think cruising as we know it is gone. 😪

[xDisconnections]

Welcome to the refund club!

It’s the better choice.

[SNJCruisers]

4 minutes ago, xDisconnections said:

Welcome to the refund club!

It’s the better choice.

It all depends upon your individual situation.   With my cruises from May and August of 2020 on RCI, took the refund.  With our recently cancelled Princess cruise, took the 125% and flipped it towards a B2B for April of 2022.  

Currently keeping fingers crossed for our Halloween Mardi Gras cruise.  If it is cancelled,  will take the 600 in OBC and flip it because of the 20% discounted Cheers and cruise cash that I bought.

[xDisconnections]

9 minutes ago, SNJCruisers said:

It all depends upon your individual situation.   With my cruises from May and August of 2020 on RCI, took the refund.  With our recently cancelled Princess cruise, took the 125% and flipped it towards a B2B for April of 2022.  

Currently keeping fingers crossed for our Halloween Mardi Gras cruise.  If it is cancelled,  will take the 600 in OBC and flip it because of the 20% discounted Cheers and cruise cash that I bought.

I’d still choose the refund...

[SNJCruisers]

Just now, xDisconnections said:

I’d still choose the refund...

Not with the 20% discount on 400 in Cruise Cash and Cheers.

I wasn't lucky enough for the computer program to bestow upon me a RU1, RU2 or RU3 code for the discounted Cheers. 

But like I said, everybody has their own reasoning as to whether they should take the refund or not.  Another reason not mentioned is that my cruise will be paid for entirely with gift cards, so taking the refund is throwing 600.00 away

[xDisconnections]

1 minute ago, SNJCruisers said:

Not with the 20% discount on 400 in Cruise Cash and Cheers.

I wasn't lucky enough for the computer program to bestow upon me a RU1, RU2 or RU3 code for the discounted Cheers. 

But like I said, everybody has their own reasoning as to whether they should take the refund or not.  Another reason not mentioned is that my cruise will be paid for entirely with gift cards, so taking the refund is throwing 600.00 away

Yikes.

 

Gift card is the worst method of payment in existence. Can’t remember the last time I touched a gift card. They all just sit unused.

[kaylahszoo]

I also have $$ tied up in gift cards.  $3200 to be exact.  Will just keep pushing canceled cruises back.  And I have always loved gift cards.  10% is 10%   

[SNJCruisers]

3 hours ago, xDisconnections said:

Yikes.

 

Gift card is the worst method of payment in existence. Can’t remember the last time I touched a gift card. They all just sit unused.

Purchased at a 10% discount to pay for the entire cruise including deposit,  final payment, Cheers, gratuities, and on board spending.  

Go over to the Allstate thread and see how many utilize the discount.   The cards can now per purchased at a 12% discount.

Paying 10% more for your cruise by using a credit card is certainly your prerogative, but the 10% savings by using the gift card is cash right back into my pocket for another future cruise.

[xDisconnections]

5 hours ago, SNJCruisers said:

Purchased at a 10% discount to pay for the entire cruise including deposit,  final payment, Cheers, gratuities, and on board spending.  

Go over to the Allstate thread and see how many utilize the discount.   The cards can now per purchased at a 12% discount.

Paying 10% more for your cruise by using a credit card is certainly your prerogative, but the 10% savings by using the gift card is cash right back into my pocket for another future cruise.

Meh, if I can’t earn points... it’s not worth purchasing. No point in having money tied to a specific merchant. It’s even worse when it’s locked to one that can’t even operate.

 

My personal rule is that I don’t need anything in life that can’t go on my Amex. A small discount isn’t worth deviating from that nor is it worth the hassle of linking money to one retailer via gift card.

Edited January 31, 2021 by xDisconnections

[skridge]

40 minutes ago, xDisconnections said:

Meh, if I can’t earn points... it’s not worth purchasing. No point in having money tied to a specific merchant. It’s even worse when it’s locked to one that can’t even operate.

 

My personal rule is that I don’t need anything in life that can’t go on my Amex. A small discount isn’t worth deviating from that nor is it worth the hassle of linking money to one retailer via gift card.

My personal rule is not to send money to a company that has not been honest with it's customers since April and has been losing a Billion dollars every couple of months with no end in sight and even when they start back they are going to be losing money for a while because they have given away the farm to try and entice there best customers to send them free loans to tide them over until the pandemic is over.  My high school English teacher is rolling over in her grave at that run on sentence.