Book Later Certificate questions

[cbfb]

We are sailing in 3 weeks so I am thinking of doing the book later certificate. But a few questions.

 

is it correct that I have 6 months to decide on a cruise? Also am I able to transfer it to a TA after choosing a cruise and keep the Celebrity OBC? 
 

it looks like I can just fill out the form and drop it off rather than waiting to talk to an agent. Is this correct? 
 

anything else to be aware of? Thanks so much!! 

 

 

[MNSails]

13 minutes ago, cbfb said:

is it correct that I have 6 months to decide on a cruise? Also am I able to transfer it to a TA after choosing a cruise and keep the Celebrity OBC? 
 

it looks like I can just fill out the form and drop it off rather than waiting to talk to an agent. Is this correct? 

 

Correct on all counts.

 

If you drop off the form you'll get an email with your booking confirmation (with a TBD sail date).  You can then forward that confirmation to your TA and book the cruise with directly with them if you haven't already selected a trip, or book the trip first and then transfer. My understanding is that you have 30 days to transfer the booking to the TA. 

[cbfb]

4 minutes ago, MNSails said:

 

Correct on all counts.

 

If you drop off the form you'll get an email with your booking confirmation (with a TBD sail date).  You can then forward that confirmation to your TA and book the cruise with directly with them if you haven't already selected a trip, or book the trip first and then transfer. My understanding is that you have 30 days to transfer the booking to the TA. 

Thank you!!!! Is the 30 days to transfer once you book the trip or once you purchase the certificate? 

[MNSails]

2 minutes ago, cbfb said:

Is the 30 days to transfer once you book the trip or once you purchase the certificate? 

 

I'm not positive, but I think because the booking is created as a placeholder, it's 30 days from the date you purchase the certificate (well, when you get the booking, which for us was a few days to a week after the cruise).  You could always transfer to the TA right away and then pick the trip after the 30 day window, however.

[Liao]

7 minutes ago, MNSails said:

 

I'm not positive, but I think because the booking is created as a placeholder, it's 30 days from the date you purchase the certificate (well, when you get the booking, which for us was a few days to a week after the cruise).  You could always transfer to the TA right away and then pick the trip after the 30 day window, however.

In my circumstance, date of booking was listed as Dec. 10, 2023, which is when I purchased on board, but I did not actually select which cruise until March 2024 and another one I made in April also shows as booking date Dec. 10, 2023.

[Jeremiah1212]

30 minutes ago, cbfb said:

Thank you!!!! Is the 30 days to transfer once you book the trip or once you purchase the certificate? 

The window to transfer to a travel agent is 30 days from the certificate purchase date. Dropping the form in the box on the last day of the cruise is the best way to do it. 

[cbfb]

18 minutes ago, Jeremiah1212 said:

The window to transfer to a travel agent is 30 days from the certificate purchase date. Dropping the form in the box on the last day of the cruise is the best way to do it. 

Thank you!!!! 

[Jim_Iain]

2 hours ago, cbfb said:

We are sailing in 3 weeks so I am thinking of doing the book later certificate. But a few questions.

 

is it correct that I have 6 months to decide on a cruise? Also am I able to transfer it to a TA after choosing a cruise and keep the Celebrity OBC? 
 

it looks like I can just fill out the form and drop it off rather than waiting to talk to an agent. Is this correct? 
 

anything else to be aware of? Thanks so much!! 

 

 

Current "deal" on Solstice is

 

Yes -  6 months to use to get the promo but valid for 12 month's.  After 12 months if not used you loose your deposit.

 

Yes.  You can transfer to Agent -- I believe you have to transfer the Certificate to you agent within 30 days of purchase.  I've done it a number of times.  

[cbfb]

Thank you everyone for the information. It is greatly appreciated!! 

[cruizingOmi]

7 hours ago, cbfb said:

Thank you!!!! Is the 30 days to transfer once you book the trip or once you purchase the certificate? 

We bought a FFC on a cruise and before we even got back home the file was transfered to our TA.

[abbydancer2003]

I think the certificate credit goes to the TA who booked the cruise you bought it on automatically.  You should tell them if you want to change it.

 

 

Edited May 5 by abbydancer2003

[Pinboy]

Kindly correct me if I'm wrong:

I always thought that you could transfer your booking to a TA within 30 days after you booked a cruise, not within 30 days after you bought a FCC ( Future Cruise Certificate ). 

I'm pretty sure (?? ) we bought a FCC on board , then, after we got home, within 6 months I called Celebrity, booked a cruise with them, and immediately upon request they transferred the booking to our TA.

 

 

 

[wrk2cruise]

Since the booking is created at the time you purchase onboard I'm pretty sure it's 30 days from that point.

[Liao]

32 minutes ago, Pinboy said:

Kindly correct me if I'm wrong:

I always thought that you could transfer your booking to a TA within 30 days after you booked a cruise, not within 30 days after you bought a FCC ( Future Cruise Certificate ). 

I'm pretty sure (?? ) we bought a FCC on board , then, after we got home, within 6 months I called Celebrity, booked a cruise with them, and immediately upon request they transferred the booking to our TA.

 

 

 

I purchased 2 FCC on board in Dec 2023.  I booked the cruise I wanted on March 3, 2024 and the booking date on my confirmation says Dec 10, 2023, the date of on board purchase.

[edgee]

Just be sure you eventually want to book an O cruise. Used to have one year to ask for your deposit back...a full refund. I heard that recently that has been changed to one month. After a month you still have a year to book a cruise with the certificate, but cannot get a refund for the deposit, as I understand it.

[Milhouse]

Based on our recent experience, if you book/put a down payment during a cruise for an open future sailing certificate, you have six months to select a specific sailing and once it is selected, you have 30 days to assign the booking to a TA.

 

We went around in circles with X on our assignment of a TA of an open future sailing certificate.  The down payment was placed during a sailing in November and we called X to assign the open sailing to a specific sailing in February (~ three months).  We were then provided a URL that linked to an X form to enter the sailing info and TA info (name, address, phone) in order to transfer the booking to the TA.  The transfer was initially denied with a reason that it was past 30 days from the initial booking.  However, additional discussions with X reps (who checked internal documentation) confirmed that for open bookings, transfers can be made up to 30 days from selecting a specific sailing/completing the booking.  So the transfer eventually went through but they had to assign a new booking number for us(??).  

 

If I had to do it again, I would try to have the TA assign the open booking to a specific booking instead of doing that through X.  I'm not sure if they can but if they are, it will likely save some headaches and might save the step from having to fill out the transfer form.

If you do have to fill out the transfer form, make sure you have the name of the Travel Agency, Travel Agent, Travel Agent/Agency phone number, and address.  Here is the URL for the form:

https://rccl.my.salesforce-sites.com/directtransfers/DTTCelebrity

[Liao]

29 minutes ago, edgee said:

Just be sure you eventually want to book an O cruise. Used to have one year to ask for your deposit back...a full refund. I heard that recently that has been changed to one month. After a month you still have a year to book a cruise with the certificate, but cannot get a refund for the deposit, as I understand it.

I believe that It’s 6 months 

[cbfb]

6 hours ago, Milhouse said:

Based on our recent experience, if you book/put a down payment during a cruise for an open future sailing certificate, you have six months to select a specific sailing and once it is selected, you have 30 days to assign the booking to a TA.

 

We went around in circles with X on our assignment of a TA of an open future sailing certificate.  The down payment was placed during a sailing in November and we called X to assign the open sailing to a specific sailing in February (~ three months).  We were then provided a URL that linked to an X form to enter the sailing info and TA info (name, address, phone) in order to transfer the booking to the TA.  The transfer was initially denied with a reason that it was past 30 days from the initial booking.  However, additional discussions with X reps (who checked internal documentation) confirmed that for open bookings, transfers can be made up to 30 days from selecting a specific sailing/completing the booking.  So the transfer eventually went through but they had to assign a new booking number for us(??).  

 

If I had to do it again, I would try to have the TA assign the open booking to a specific booking instead of doing that through X.  I'm not sure if they can but if they are, it will likely save some headaches and might save the step from having to fill out the transfer form.

If you do have to fill out the transfer form, make sure you have the name of the Travel Agency, Travel Agent, Travel Agent/Agency phone number, and address.  Here is the URL for the form:

https://rccl.my.salesforce-sites.com/directtransfers/DTTCelebrity

Thank you so much. Great information! 

[Pinboy]

17 hours ago, Pinboy said:

Kindly correct me if I'm wrong:

I always thought that you could transfer your booking to a TA within 30 days after you booked a cruise, not within 30 days after you bought a FCC ( Future Cruise Certificate ). 

I'm pretty sure (?? ) we bought a FCC on board , then, after we got home, within 6 months I called Celebrity, booked a cruise with them, and immediately upon request they transferred the booking to our TA.

 

 

 

Is the above correct ?

[SSAtlantic]

How long after booking does the OBC from the certificate show up on your booking?

We are waiting to book specialty dining until it is available. 

[Milhouse]

3 hours ago, Pinboy said:

Is the above correct ?

I think my experience aligns with your comment/experience with the exception of the added step of us having to fill out the transfer form whereas you having the transfer done for you.