No flexibility from Oceania for using FCC

[susiesan]

I was booked on April 4 Riviera Canary Islands cruise and had to cancel for business reasons, before final payment. I will get back the $1500 deposit to my credit card and $500 FCC will go back into my account. I am ready to rebook this same cruise for 2023, either Sept. 2 Sirena or Nov. 6 Nautica, total cost around $5200-5600 for the cabin, depending on which cruise I choose. I asked my TA if I can apply the FCC to this new cruise and was told absolutely not. The $500 has to be used on a cruise that sails by 12/30/2022. I offered to let Oceania keep my deposit if I could use the $500 towards a new cruise and they still said no. I already have a summer Baltic cruise on NCL booked, there are no other Oceania itineraries I can do in 2022 to use the $500 up. I have 2 different TA's asking Oceania about extending the FCC, both are being told the same thing, NO.

 

I am very disappointed in Oceania, that they would rather forego$5K of revenue rather than allow me to use $500 towards a mother cruise. They would rather have no revenue than make an allowance or exception. And before everyone says someone else will take my place and Oceania doesn't care about me, the Canary Island itineraries are rarely booked full. At this point both cruises are wide open with every category available.

 

I would like to cruise to the Canary island as I have not been there before but am going to look at other lines for this itinerary. I do prefer Oceania, but not if this is how they treat past customers.   Windstar has a similar itinerary as does Azamara. 

 

[mauibabes]

While not necessarily the answer you want, they are mandated from “on high” to get all the FCC’s  off their balance sheets. You understand business decisions and their absolute need to generate profits, especially going into 2023 and beyond. What if you canceled your NCL trip and shifted that trip to 2023? The Baltic experience might be a lot better in 2023 if things settle down with Russia because you do not want to miss St. Petersburg, it is the gem of the trip. 

Personally we have bent over backwards to find a cruise to fit our schedules to use up our FCC’s, and we are retired. Remember, it really is an Oceania gift, their inducement/ funny money so you are not losing your dollars as they refunded the $1500 deposit. Your future cruise booking will just have to cost a little more because you were unable to accommodate the schedule. Decisions, decisions and good luck on selecting the best option for you. 
Mauibabes

[PhD-iva]

Since I see your posts often on the O forum, I expect you have seen several posts by Flatbush Flyer with tips/suggestions about how to get some flexibility in using your FCC after the 31 December 2022 deadline.

Your thread title suggests you are looking for flexibility, not to dictate, right? Expecting to be able to postpone your cruise until September or November 2023 is not a request for flexibility. To me it does not seem like a reasonable request.
As I recall, what I have read on this forum suggests that you find a cruise departing shortly after the 31 December 2022 deadline to request permission to apply your FCC. That could perhaps be considered a reasonable request. 

[susiesan]

1 hour ago, PhD-iva said:

Since I see your posts often on the O forum, I expect you have seen several posts by Flatbush Flyer with tips/suggestions about how to get some flexibility in using your FCC after the 31 December 2022 deadline.

Your thread title suggests you are looking for flexibility, not to dictate, right? Expecting to be able to postpone your cruise until September or November 2023 is not a request for flexibility. To me it does not seem like a reasonable request.
As I recall, what I have read on this forum suggests that you find a cruise departing shortly after the 31 December 2022 deadline to request permission to apply your FCC. That could perhaps be considered a reasonable request. 

There are no cruises in early 2023 that interest me. I was on a Caribbean cruise in this past December on Celebrity so I am not interested in going there again, and a western Caribbean with Oceania in Jan. 2020, been there many many times. I am looking for port intensive Europe cruises and those don't operate in Jan.-March. Besides, if Oceania won't let me use my FCC for fall 2023 what makes anyone think they would let me use it in early 2023? Both of my TA's said Oceania told them they will not make any more exceptions. Oceania has had the $1500 deposit since 2019, I am willing to let them hang on to it for another year and a half and still they won't budge.

 

I guess I don't have the right TA or status with Oceania. I will ask my accountant if I can consider the loss of $500 as charitable donation to Oceania.🤑

[susiesan]

2 hours ago, mauibabes said:

While not necessarily the answer you want, they are mandated from “on high” to get all the FCC’s  off their balance sheets. You understand business decisions and their absolute need to generate profits, especially going into 2023 and beyond. What if you canceled your NCL trip and shifted that trip to 2023? The Baltic experience might be a lot better in 2023 if things settle down with Russia because you do not want to miss St. Petersburg, it is the gem of the trip. 

Personally we have bent over backwards to find a cruise to fit our schedules to use up our FCC’s, and we are retired. Remember, it really is an Oceania gift, their inducement/ funny money so you are not losing your dollars as they refunded the $1500 deposit. Your future cruise booking will just have to cost a little more because you were unable to accommodate the schedule. Decisions, decisions and good luck on selecting the best option for you. 
Mauibabes

The NCL Baltic cruise this August 2022 has all air arrangements and hotels set up, and a meet up with my family living in England at the end of the cruise in Amsterdam. The plane tickets are award seats in business, very hard to get. I got a spectacular deal on that cruise, half the cost of doing it on Oceania.

If it gets cancelled completely, then I will look into Baltic in 2023, but I still can't use the $500 FCC on that cruise if on Oceania. I did a Baltic cruise in 2002 and have been wanting to go back and visit those places again for a long time.

[Tranquility Base]

38 minutes ago, susiesan said:

If it gets cancelled completely, then I will look into Baltic in 2023, but I still can't use the $500 FCC on that cruise if on Oceania. I did a Baltic cruise in 2002 and have been wanting to go back and visit those places again for a long time.

Hopefully Insignia segments may become available  for their revised itinerary  Feb - June this year.

If so, the Baltic segment would be in May.

[susiesan]

31 minutes ago, Tranquility Base said:

Hopefully Insignia segments may become available  for their revised itinerary  Feb - June this year.

If so, the Baltic segment would be in May.

I won't be able to travel this year until later in the summer. I just sold my business and I have to be available as a consultant to transition the new owner in for a few months. He already knows about the August NCL cruise. This is why I cancelled April 4 which would have been 4 days after closing the sale.

[Tranquility Base]

Well done on selling your business.

Of course, by doing so and making a smart business decision you have now lost flexibility with travel.

Oceania also needs to make what it considers smart business decisions during these difficult times.

Looks like that $500 will now be a cost to you as a consequence.

[pinotlover]

If you want to see chincy. On our now cancelled 1/28 SA cruise, we received notification on 1/29 that we were within the 30 day sailing window and could obtain onboard booking privileges and discounts, etc, for any cruise we booked starting then. We were all paid in full for our cruise. A week or so later, Oceania cancelled our cruise. Friends, on that cruise, immediately tried to book a new cruise and use the onboard booking offer. They were immediately turned down by O. They were told the offer expired when O cancelled the cruise. 
 

Still awaiting that refund! 

Edited January 22, 2022 by pinotlover

[Redtravel]

Many people have posted how Oceania is restricting using fcc. Each time I read about a fcc problem, it disappoints.  I canceled a January 2022 cruise and rebooked similar cruise exactly one year out. Oceania wouldn’t let me use my fcc into 2023.  Told that fcc expires end of 2022.  We rebooked at a less desirable time. We are retired and can be flexible with time.  If I were still working, that fcc would become worthless.  

[susiesan]

I wonder if the bigwigs at Oceania read these boards and realize the bad reputation they are getting with current customers who may become former? I agree with pinotlover, Oceania used to be very customer oriented but not so much anymore. Is it really a smart business decision to alienate a customer ready to spend $5k plus over a $500 credit?

[jagoffee]

The source of the FCC may be a factor.  If I recall correctly your $500 FCC was a goodwill FCC from Oceania.  Prior to the cancellation of cruises in early 2020, you cancelled a cruise in the penalty stage .(This was before Oceania cancelled the cruise).  Later when Oceania actually cancelled the cruise, they retroactively gave you the $500 FCC.(the penalty applied).  And you received

the rest of your payment back.   You have cancelled the April 2022 cruise that you had applied the $500 FCC.  Since you cancellation is for you own personal reasons, Oceania might feel that they have been very generous already.  Clearly you knew that you had to use the $500 FCC by the end of 2022.  

 

I am not sure it is fair to say that Oceania has offered no flexibility.  They certainly have not offered unlimited flexibility.

Edited January 23, 2022 by jagoffee

[AlexCherie]

15 hours ago, susiesan said:

I wonder if the bigwigs at Oceania read these boards and realize the bad reputation they are getting with current customers who may become former? I agree with pinotlover, Oceania used to be very customer oriented but not so much anymore. Is it really a smart business decision to alienate a customer ready to spend $5k plus over a $500 credit?

 

Your posts reek of entitlement. Oceania made a gift to you of the $500 credit, and the gift had parameters. 

Use it; don’t use it. They didn’t need to make the gift and they have every right to enforce the requirements when it was made. 

LMAO. To think that they need to considerate of where and with whom you have traveled this year. 

JHFC. Wake up.

[marieps]

In my case, and the cases of many others, O allowed FCCs issued from cruises cancelled after final payment to be used by March 31, 2023.  It took some work by my TA, but I was able to reschedule 7 Feb 2022 to 10 Feb 2023 on Riviera.  Even =X='s more generous policy limits FCC to be used at the max one year from the original sail date.  By those parameters, you'd have to cruise by April 2023.

 

IMO I don't think you can expect O to carry your FCC for 17 months.  It would be helpful if the cruise line published a clear policy stating such.  

[jazznruby]

Not to pile on too much, but OP really needs to give it a rest. Topic has been covered ad nauseum on other threads, and at this point the poor horse has been reduced to dust.

[Hawaiidan]

18 hours ago, susiesan said:

I wonder if the bigwigs at Oceania read these boards and realize the bad reputation they are getting with current customers who may become former? I agree with pinotlover, Oceania used to be very customer oriented but not so much anymore. Is it really a smart business decision to alienate a customer ready to spend $5k plus over a $500 credit?

Money talks in the world as they say.....   Many, Many O customers spend  far more than $5K on a cruise with most spending 5 figures+ each cruise .    Your patronage and level of patronage is worth of  consideration..   

 

As far as the loss of $500...   that's part of the mutual risk we all take in life.    Lesson learned.     I lost $1500 one year and learned not to take some risks.and found ways to make that up in the future...      You can too...  or sulk.     Your choice    Tomorrow is a new day....   

Heat rises....water runs down hill... and there is no free lunch...    You suck it up because the reason you cancelled was to make far more selling your business.   So , the $500 was just part of the selling price  you got.    You still end up with more then you had to start with, all things considered....    Looking at the big picture.

Edited January 23, 2022 by Hawaiidan

[susiesan]

19 hours ago, jagoffee said:

The source of the FCC may be a factor.  If I recall correctly your $500 FCC was a goodwill FCC from Oceania.  Prior to the cancellation of cruises in early 2020, you cancelled a cruise in the penalty stage .(This was before Oceania cancelled the cruise).  Later when Oceania actually cancelled the cruise, they retroactively gave you the $500 FCC.(the penalty applied).  And you received

the rest of your payment back.   You have cancelled the April 2022 cruise that you had applied the $500 FCC.  Since you cancellation is for you own personal reasons, Oceania might feel that they have been very generous already.  Clearly you knew that you had to use the $500 FCC by the end of 2022.  

 

I am not sure it is fair to say that Oceania has offered no flexibility.  They certainly have not offered unlimited flexibility.

Wrong. The source of the $500 is the penalty charge for me cancelling a cruise 3 days into the 120 days penalty phase. When I received the deposit back I only got $1000 of the $1500, O kept $500 as a penalty to be used against another Oceania cruise.This happened 4/7/2020. I never knew it had an expiration date.

This was not a goodwill credit, this was part of a deposit t hat was not refunded to me.

[susiesan]

5 hours ago, AlexCherie said:

 

Your posts reek of entitlement. Oceania made a gift to you of the $500 credit, and the gift had parameters. 

Use it; don’t use it. They didn’t need to make the gift and they have every right to enforce the requirements when it was made. 

LMAO. To think that they need to considerate of where and with whom you have traveled this year. 

JHFC. Wake up.

Oceania did not make a gift to me. I don't know why you think that. Oceania held $500 of a $1500 deposit refund because I missed cancelling to avoid penalty by 3 days.

[Vertygo]

1 hour ago, susiesan said:

Oceania did not make a gift to me. I don't know why you think that. Oceania held $500 of a $1500 deposit refund because I missed cancelling to avoid penalty by 3 days.

So, it appears that you made 2 separate decisions that cost $500 & are upset that  the rules apply to you??

[PhD-iva]

2 hours ago, susiesan said:

I never knew it had an expiration date.

 

Seriously? 

[Hawaiidan]

1 hour ago, PhD-iva said:

Seriously? 

++++++++  

Edited January 24, 2022 by Hawaiidan

[jagoffee]

5 hours ago, susiesan said:

Wrong. The source of the $500 is the penalty charge for me cancelling a cruise 3 days into the 120 days penalty phase. When I received the deposit back I only got $1000 of the $1500, O kept $500 as a penalty to be used against another Oceania cruise.This happened 4/7/2020. I never knew it had an expiration date.

This was not a goodwill credit, this was part of a deposit t hat was not refunded to me.

Of course and you owed Oceania the $500 when you cancelled your cruise in 2020.  When Oceania decided to cancel the cruise later, as a gesture of goodwill, they gave you a $500 FCC to offset the $500 that you owed.  
 

I apologize if I am misunderstanding what you previously said.  

[LHT28]

My goodness  this has been beaten to death

The Admin fee  is clearly stated in the cancellation terms 

https://oceaniacruises.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360005306234-What-is-your-cancellation-and-refund-policy-

 

If people choose not to read the contract then that is their own fault  when things go pear shaped

JMO

 

[PhD-iva]

I think our society encourages people to play the victim and to blame others for what happens. Instead of owning our own decisions and our own mistakes and learning from mistakes. I hope we can grow and learn together.
Time to move on and look forward.

[Redtravel]

19 minutes ago, PhD-iva said:

I think our society encourages people to play the victim and to blame others for what happens. Instead of owning our own decisions and our own mistakes and learning from mistakes. I hope we can grow and learn together.
Time to move on and look forward.

  Everyone has had changes and cancellations during the pandemic.  Offering fcc is a welcome gesture.  Accept it.  It offers hope for a better future.