Was your upcoming cruise suspended and a generous Future Cruise Credit offered as compensation? Have you recently taken advantage of one of the cruise line’s ‘book with confidence’ offers? Not really sure what you’re signing up for? We answer all of your pressing Future Cruise Credit questions below!
What is a Future Cruise Credit?
A Future Cruise Credit, or FCC as it is colloquially known to those familiar to cruising, can be thought of as a gift voucher for a cruise line (though there are restrictions as to what this particular gift voucher covers). It is usually given to a passenger for a cancelled or somehow affected cruise.
How is my Future Cruise Credit calculated?
More often than not, an individual guest’s Future Cruise Credit amount is calculated on the base fare that they paid for their cruise, less any taxes, gratuities, port charges, value-adds (for example, drinks packages or Wi-Fi) and additional pre-purchased onboard or onshore items (like spa treatments or shore excursions). These additional items are usually refunded to the original form of payment once the funds have been received back from the cruise line.
Please note, some cruise lines calculate their FCC amounts differently, so it’s always best to check with your Cruise Guru consultant if you would like to confirm the expected Future Cruise Credit you are entitled to.
What if I had additional perks like drinks or shipboard credit included with my original cruise?
Unfortunately, in most cases, the perks that you are receiving on your cruise come in conjunction with the specific promotion or deal you booked on and so do not attach to your Future Cruise Credit. The FCC relates solely to the base fare you paid on your original cruise. That said, this might also work in your favour, as you may be able to secure your new cruise on a better promotion in comparison to the offer you had booked on previously.
How do I apply my Future Cruise Credit?
The short answer, contact your friendly Cruise Guru consultant and we’ll explain the process and do all the hard work for you!
But for the long answer…Usually your Future Cruise Credit is either emailed to you or applied to your cruise line passenger number or profile. This can take a few weeks depending on how long it takes the cruise line to process it (and the cruise lines are processing an inordinate amount at this time). Once received, we recommend scrutinising the validity of the credit as well as what sailings it is eligible to be used on, and then get planning!
Once you have selected your preferred cruise you can either make your booking online or contact our reservations team to secure your cruise. You’ll need to pay the initial deposit for the booking (as unfortunately the FCC does not cover deposits) and then contact us and we will ensure the Future Cruise Credit gets applied to the booking.
Are there any charges my Future Cruise Credit doesn’t cover?
Yes, though it does depend on the cruise line. Generally Future Cruise Credits do not cover the following:
– The initial deposit
– Port taxes and fees
– Prepaid gratuities
– Shore excursions
– Onboard spending
Can I transfer my Future Cruise Credit to a family member or friend?
No. A FCC is attached to an individual passenger’s name and profile, and can only be used to pay for that specific passenger’s future cruise.
What happens if my Future Cruise Credit is a greater value than the cruise I am booking?
This also depends on the cruise line. For some, if the value of your credit exceeds the cost of the cruise you’re trying to book, then the balance will be reissued as a new FCC (usually with the same expiration date of the original FCC). Inversely, if your credit value falls short of the total of the new cruise fare you’ll be required to cover the difference.
For others, you’ll need to use the entire value of the Future Cruise Credit on one cruise. For these cruise lines we recommend spoiling yourself by booking yourself in to a higher category, or, if available, securing a more expensive cruise fare which may come with additional bonuses.
To confirm the protocol for your specific cruise line, we recommend you contact us and chat with our experienced team.
What happens if I cancel my cruise?
If for any reason you have to cancel the cruise that you’ve used your FCC on, there’s no need to worry. In most cases, if your booking is outside cancellation penalty periods, the FCC will be reapplied to your passenger number or profile, however you will need to take note of the new expiration date of this new FCC.
Does my Future Cruise Credit expire?
Yes. Each Future Cruise Credit has its own set of terms and conditions which indicate what it can be used on (usually for travel by a particular date) and when it expires (aka the cruise must be booked by a particular date). We recommend reading these terms and conditions thoroughly as soon as you receive your FCC as once the expiration date has passed you forfeit the value of the Future Cruise Credit.
Ready to book your next cruise?
Check out the great deals currently on offer by heading to our Cruise Deals page. Once you’ve found and booked the perfect cruise for you don’t forget to contact us to get your Future Cruise Credit applied.
