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“Funds held in penalty” refers to the fare price paid for a cruise, which becomes a “penalty” if a cruise is canceled too close to the sailing date. As long as the value of the Future Cruise Credit covers the full deposit amount, no additional funds will be owed until Final Payment, at which time any cruise fare balance and taxes/fees will be required. The cruise line updated its policy on Monday to allow guests to use a Future Cruise Credit to pay for the deposit owed on a reservation. For every Future Cruise Credit that we issue, we send an email with all the necessary info.
Royal Caribbean Simplifies Future Cruise Credits
There are no current limits, other than applicable cancellation fees, on the number of times FCCs can be used for re-bookings. The result has been a great deal of future cruise credits sitting idle as customers make a decision to sail again, or wait for the pandemic and its policies to change. Future cruise credits (FCCs) have been given out to guests by the cruise line for cancelled cruises, and up until today there was a date a customer had to redeem it by before they expired.
Can I use my Future Cruise Credit to pay for someone else's booking?
Here, Crooks answers the most common questions about future cruise credits, known as FCCs, in industry parlance. The additional three months of cruises to choose from follows up on guest feedback that many RoyalCaribbeanBlog readers shared last month when Royal Caribbean extended the program without also extending when you could sail. When Royal Caribbean cancels the sailing, the Future Cruise Credit is worth 125% the value of the cruise fare that the guest paid. There's a good chance you have a future cruise credit from a cancelled cruise and want to know how to use it. Whether you cruise multiple times per year or you're new to cruising, the goal of Royal Caribbean Blog is for it to be a useful resource for keeping up to date with what's new and exciting with Royal Caribbean. Matt started Royal Caribbean Blog in 2010 as a place to share his passion for all things Royal Caribbean with readers.
Learn About Reward Programs
It hosts a changing lineup of stand-up comedians specializing in everything from sketch comedy to slapstick. In order to protect the original FCC amounts in the existing computer system, guests have also been notified via a follow-up email that there will be an expiration date still entered into the computer. If the value of the FCC does not cover the full deposit amount, additional funds will be required to meet the total deposit needs and, thereafter, the remaining balance due at Final Payment. Cruise with Confidence has been popular because of customers like knowing that they can cancel them due to Covid, or any reason. "And more time to sail, since a lot of people don't feel comfortable cruising right now." Royal Caribbean said the decision was made due to limited options for guests in light of the current global situation.
Cruise lines often issue future cruise credits to customers when [the lines] cancel a sailing, in lieu of a cash refund. In the past few years, lines have issued millions of future cruise credits to customers on sailings canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But they also issue future cruise credits when they cancel sailings for other reasons, such as delays with a new ship's inaugural sailing. In addition, cruisers sometimes receive future cruise credits when [the cruisers] cancel a sailing. As additional changes happen and sailing and deployments are announced, FCC expiration dates have been rolled forward and all FCCs are issued with specific instructions regarding their terms and use. Some cruise lines are lenient regarding splitting these credits between multiple cruises and follow-up cancellations and re-bookings using FCCs, though cancellation fees may apply.
Airline Reward Programs
As it pertains to the Future Cruise Credits issued under the Cruise with Confidence program, the Cruise with Confidence FCC cannot be redeemed to repurchase the same sailing where the original booking canceled. When Princess cancels a cruise, options are provided for moving to similar itineraries, often as far into the future as 2024. The cruise line also offers a Lift & Shift option which allows the exciting reservation to be moved to next year and protecting their original cruise fare and promotion. All these options are set to provide confidence for guests who are worried about the current situation and the impact on the industry. The credits apply for those sailings that have been suspended through February 28, 2021. Guests can also request a full refund if they no longer want to go ahead with a cruise vacation in the future.
Royal Caribbean makes it easier to use future cruise credits
In a unique scenario where you may have been impacted by multiple phases of suspended sailings where your original Sailing Suspension FCC was redeemed on a newly impacted reservation, a full refund is feasible. Assuming the terms of the original FCC are met, the refund amount will equate to the value of the cruise fare at 100% and will not includethe incremental 25% earned through the original selection of a Future Cruise Certificate. Royal Caribbean has made it quite easy to redeem a future cruise credit, whether you are booking directly or with a travel agent. One of the most anticipated free restaurants onboard Utopia of the Seas℠ is The Spare Tire℠. This brand-new food truck is located on Deck 15 just steps away from the pool. The menu focuses on easy-to-eat snacks and handheld faves like hearty sandwiches and shareable flatbreads.
She's traveled extensively around the world, enjoys building unforgettable itineraries and loves introducing readers to lesser-known. You can jam out to spectacular cover bands that range from classic rock to reggae at Music Hall, a huge concert venue that packs plenty of energy every single night of your sailing. Hit the dance floor and bust a move or just vibe from one of the venue's comfy lounge tables. Harnessing up and making the climb is personally my favorite way to get in a fun workout at the start of every sea day, and the views at the summit of Utopia of the Seas℠' twin rock-climbing walls are well worth the effort.
Because this activity is free of charge, I like to come back throughout the day to stretch my arms and legs — especially around sunset, when the light is golden and the ocean water shimmers like gilded crystal. This one's a classic — and easily one of the best free things to do onboard Utopia of the Seas℠. This surf simulator funnels over 30,000 gallons of rushing water to create perfect swells all day, every day. You don't need to be a pro to carve the surf, though — try your best to keep from wiping out or do what I do and ride boogie-style on your belly. Located steps from the adults-only Solarium (my go-to pool spot for relaxing and catching up on my reading), Solarium Bistro is a complimentary dining option that's truly tranquil. The menu here usually highlights fresh, healthy Mediterranean dishes, including Greek salads, pitas paired with refreshing tzatziki, tender lamb chops and decadent Greek donuts called loukoumades.
As of now, the Cruise with Confidence program is valid on any cruise booked before October 31, 2021. The credit is valid to book by April 30th, 2022 and sail by December 31, 2022, or one year from the original sailing date, whichever is later. If a Future Cruise Credit was leveraged to pay for a reservation now impacted by the suspension of cruising, Royal Caribbean will make it easier by combining all funds into one voucher. If there is leftover value in the Future Cruise Credit, the remainder will be reissued in a new Future Cruise Credit. It can be used towards a new sailing you book, or any existing sailing you have previously booked. Over the years, he has reached Pinnacle Club status with Royal Caribbean's customer loyalty program.
Your FCC will be attached to your customer profile at the cruise line, and your travel agency should be made aware of the FCC as well. Alan DeHaan wanted the same thing, "I have a small amount of FCC I'd love to put on my next cruise but that's next October. Just extend Rebooking." Effective June 1st, 2022, unredeemed Cruise with Confidence FCCs no longer expire. As of June 6, 2020, a FCC can be used for a new cruise reservation deposit. The incremental 25% bonus value, however, will maintain the current expiration date noted on the Future Cruise Credit and will remain active until this point. She also covers travel, lifestyle, food and beverage for Indulge Magazine, the Miami Herald and PureWow.
Flooded Cabins Impact Guests on Following Royal Caribbean Sailing - Cruise Hive
Flooded Cabins Impact Guests on Following Royal Caribbean Sailing.
Posted: Sat, 03 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
FCCs are not transferable and are valid for 12 months, but only for one booking at a time. Cruise Critic members report having successfully rolled FCCs from one cancelled cruise to another (and often to another). Started in 2010, Royal Caribbean Blog offers daily coverage of news and information related to the Royal Caribbean cruise line along with other relevant topics of cruising, such as entertainment, news, photo updates and more. Now, rather than sort out confusing and conflicting dates, the cruise line has declared that fare value FCC credits will never expire, giving guests much greater flexibility for their future travel plans.
Cruise lines have issued millions of future cruise credits to customers since the COVID-19 pandemic began in lieu of refunds for canceled sailings — far more than at any other point in the history of cruising. FCCs issued through July 2021 must be booked by December 31, 2021, for cruises sailing before December 31, 2022. FCCs issued after August 1, 2021, must be redeemed within one year from date of issue. FCCs used on bookings that are subsequently cancelled retain their original expiration dates. A one-time request for transferring FCCs can be made by emailing All FCCs can be managed from the guest's online account. Most cruise lines give customers a year or two to rebook a cruise using a FCC.
And while outright cancellations and sweeping itinerary changes have slowed from previous months, they remain a distinct possibility going forward. Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. Everyone loves a good waterslide — and Utopia of the Seas℠ has three pulse-pounding waterslides to choose from. Together, they're known as The Perfect Storm℠, a notorious trio of slides with plenty of exhilarating twists, turns and drops. There's Typhoon℠ and Cyclone℠, two racer slides that will have your heart pounding from the moment you start moving. And then there's Supercell℠, a massive champagne bowl that spins you around and around before funneling you into the pool down below.
Working with a travel agent can help explain what parts of a booking are eligible to be used toward an FCC. It was originally introduced right before cruises began shutting down due to Covid-19 as a mechanism to give guests piece of mind they could change their plans after the final payment date. With this new change, Royal Caribbean allows guests to redeem a FCC on two active bookings. A FCC may be used towards the deposit and/or base cruise fare of any future cruise. For every Future Cruise Credit we issue, we send an email with all the necessary info.
