FCC and on board credit confusion

[MrsJobba1]

Hi
I’m hoping someone can help clarify this for me

Our April 2020 was cancelled instead of getting a refund we chose to book a 2021 med cruise.

The new cruise we moved to was actually slightly less in cost than our existing booking so the ta refunded the difference.

We also received this message from her regarding FCC - The future cruise credit of $913.50 was not touched. As a reminder, as of right now, it is future cruise credit. It will remain tied to castaway accounts and if it is not used on something before your next cruise, only then will it revert to onboard credit.

can you help clarify what this actually means

if we don’t book any more cruises ( which we don’t plan to) would this be applied as on board credit on the med 2021 cruise we moved to ( this is 13 months from our original cruise date)

I would really appreciate any advice or feedback.
Thanks

 

[harriet2]

It sounds like your TA booked you a new cruise, just like that, instead of using the FCC to book the credit. I'd check with them. You shouldn't get a refund of the difference (only the taxes will be refunded, so are you sure it's the difference and not the taxes?), because it would become onboard credit.

 

[MrsJobba1]

It sounds like your TA booked you a new cruise, just like that, instead of using the FCC to book the credit. I'd check with them. You shouldn't get a refund of the difference (only the taxes will be refunded, so are you sure it's the difference and not the taxes?), because it would become onboard credit.

HI
The new cruise that was booked was over $1000 less than we had already paid for our april 2020 cruise. This was why we received the refund in difference and why the FCC $913.50 was not used - there was already enough money to cover the cost?

 

[harriet2]

HI
The new cruise that was booked was over $1000 less than we had already paid for our april 2020 cruise. This was why we received the refund in difference and why the FCC $913.50 was not used - there was already enough money to cover the cost?

If you use the 125% FCC you don't get a refund, so the fact you did get one is really odd, even if there is a really big difference.

 

[cvjw]

Our May cruise was cancelled and we rebooked for next May with the 125% credit. Since the 2 cruises were roughly the same, we have $1600 in OBC sitting in our account, tied to our new cruise. Are you sure your TA actually used your credit when she booked your new cruise? I would give her a call and have her check with Disney to make sure everything was booked right. You don’t want to lose that credit!

 

[lanejudy]

The new cruise we moved to was actually slightly less in cost than our existing booking so the ta refunded the difference.

Even if you accepted the FCC of 125%, DCL refunded taxes and port fees. That was the "refund" you received, not because the new cruise cost less. The $913.50 is the difference between the cancelled cruise and your new cruise (not counting taxes and fees) and that's why you have an "onboard credit" for your 2021 Med cruise.

as of right now, it is future cruise credit. It will remain tied to castaway accounts and if it is not used on something before your next cruise, only then will it revert to onboard credit.

I believe what is meant by "if it is not used on something before your next cruise" refers to add-ons booked directly through DCL -- such as flights, ground transfers, pre/post-cruise hotels, etc. The FCC can be used for these items if booked directly through DCL.

 

[MrsJobba1]

Even if you accepted the FCC of 125%, DCL refunded taxes and port fees. That was the "refund" you received, not because the new cruise cost less. The $913.50 is the difference between the cancelled cruise and your new cruise (not counting taxes and fees) and that's why you have an "onboard credit" for your 2021 Med cruise.

Thank you, although $913.50 is actually 25% of the original cruise (april2020) cost

We had paid $4200 for our old April cruise, the new 2021 cruise cost was $3500 and we were told that the $700 difference was going back on our credit card.

 

[lanejudy]

Thank you, although $913.50 is actually 25% of the original cruise (april2020) cost

We had paid $4200 for our old April cruise, the new 2021 cruise cost was $3500 and we were told that the $700 difference was going back on our credit card.

So the original cruise fare was ~$3600. My guess is that $700 was taxes and port fees for the original cruise, especially if it was a port-heavy itinerary. Or did you have any other add-ons such as insurance, transfers, etc.? I'd ask the TA for a break-down of the original cost, what is credited towards the new cruise, and what was included in the refund. Because DCL is not refunding any part of the actual fares.

 

[LoveMickey]

Our cruise is still on, hasn't been cancelled yet, but I do have a question.
When do you have to BOOK the future cruise to get the FCC? do I have to book immediately, or can I think about it?

 

[FigmentSpark]

Our cruise is still on, hasn't been cancelled yet, but I do have a question.
When do you have to BOOK the future cruise to get the FCC? do I have to book immediately, or can I think about it?

Once they cancel the cruise, they will move the funds to the credits automatically. Then, at your leisure, you can either book or ask for a refund.

Once you get your email, I would rebook, if that's your intention, as you only have 15 months to use the credits. That means all the cruises within the earlier timeframes have been booking up quickly. So if you and half your current sailing decide to move to next year's sailing at the same time, along with all the other rooms that were already sold, you might not even get the same room or cat of room if you don't act quickly. In essence, now that you know it's a possibility that it will be cancelled, discuss what you are going to do and move on that as soon as you can.

In my case, I waited about a week and we missed out on the chance to upgrade and even took portside, when we could have had starboard, had we decided earlier. We also missed first seating by one room (I know because we were supposed to get one of each, but that last first seating was snapped up while the CM was filling out the forms.). But we were the first cruise cancelled, so there were a lot of unknowns at the time and we really hadn't decided what to do.

 

[MomOTwins]

I think why we're all confused is that the system as it is set up is either/or--you can get a refund, or 125% credit, but not both. If you'd opted for the 125% credit and used it to book a less expensive cruise the difference in cost should have remained with Disney as "credit" and rolled over to your onboard account; not refunded to you. And if your TA opted for a refund, you shouldn't still have a 25% credit on your account.

In either scenario, you would be refunded port fees/taxes. But if you are sure that what you got refunded was the price difference rather than the port fees, I would ask your TA to talk to Disney and confirm you still have a credit and that it wasn't waived as a result of you getting a refund.

 

[axfather]

Sorry for interjecting a related question, but is the OBC spendable at the onboard Tiffany and Co.?