Disappointed in 125% FCC

[Husker Mike]

Keep in mind that you will probably also be receiving a cash refund of the port fees and taxes for your cancelled cruise, and the 125% FCC covered those same fees and taxes on your new cruise. So we got about a $300 refund and a $212 on-board credit, in case we're able to cruise next year.

I think Disney is being very fair with these options, especially now that they've extended the time frame to 15 months and allow you to choose a complete refund. Keep in mind that this situation is not of Disney's making.

 

[MomOTwins]

I'm happy with our credit value, but we chose to rebook for 2020--the 2021 prices are definitely much higher on average. We had a 4-night Dream cruise memorial day week, family oceanview room (no verandah). Switched to a 3-night in August, cat. v, with $1400 FCC left over which we plan to spend on a CC cabana and some nice onboard activities. I feel like we came out very much "ahead." Now we just have to hope our cruise sails. If not i have a backup cruise in November I am eyeing.

 

[MomOTwins]

Posting again just to add, don't forget your port fees/taxes for the first cruise will be refunded, but your 125% will be used toward port fees on the rebooked cruise. So even if you appear to be "breaking even" on the new cruise after 125% FCC, you're actually saving hundreds of dollars in port fees.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

and the 125% FCC covered those same fees and taxes on your new cruise.

I believe the 125% is figured on the base cruise price, not including taxes, fees, etc.

 

[Husker Mike]

I believe the 125% is figured on the base cruise price, not including taxes, fees, etc.

Yes. You get the 125% credit on your fare (which does not include the taxes and fees), and get your original fees and taxes refunded. If the 125% is enough to cover your fees and taxes as well, then you are money ahead. (Ours also covered cancel-for-any-reason travel insurance and still left a credit; I have low faith that Disney will be back in the cruise game next spring.)

 

[fredandkell]

That one is a very poor example though. The Greek Isle cruises have been insane. They are the cruise that has probably shot up the most after opening day, not to mention they were highly priced to begin with. I think this is one of the cruises that sold out very soon after opening to everyone last time. However, prices in general are higher for next year than this. That's just the way DCL has been able to work.

Yes, but I looked in the prior year and it was about $11k for our family/cabin without OBB. It had gone up to $12.5k with OBB next year!

 

[MomOTwins]

Yes. You get the 125% credit on your fare (which does not include the taxes and fees), and get your original fees and taxes refunded. If the 125% is enough to cover your fees and taxes as well, then you are money ahead. (Ours also covered cancel-for-any-reason travel insurance and still left a credit; I have low faith that Disney will be back in the cruise game next spring.)

Yep; that’s what I meant. So imagine you rebook a cruise that is the same price as the first one. Your 125% is on the base far and you’re refunded the taxes and fees on the original cruise. BUT the 25% credit can be applied to the taxes and port fees. Meaning you’ll have less that 25% left over as OBC even if the cruises were the same price. So I was responding to OP’s comment that they were surprised to only have a small amount left over after applying their 125% credit to the new cruise; was reminding them that hundreds of dollars of that extra 25% credit was likely applied to port fees and taxes on the new cruise.

 

[soniam]

Yep; that’s what I meant. So imagine you rebook a cruise that is the same price as the first one. Your 125% is on the base far and you’re refunded the taxes and fees on the original cruise. BUT the 25% credit can be applied to the taxes and port fees. Meaning you’ll have less that 25% left over as OBC even if the cruises were the same price. So I was responding to OP’s comment that they were surprised to only have a small amount left over after applying their 125% credit to the new cruise; was reminding them that hundreds of dollars of that extra 25% credit was likely applied to port fees and taxes on the new cruise.

I was shocked that the port fees/taxes, etc., on my 9 night Southern Caribbean for 2021, were less than my 7 night WC for July 2020. The 9 night had a much higher base rate too. I wonder which ports in WC are charging so much. Both leave from PC too. The 9 night has 1 more port too.

 

[darnheather]

And here I am hoping there is just a DCL left when all this is over. Screw the cost/refunds I just one more vacation with my daughter before she ages out of the clubs and goes to college. I want to keep my promise to my oldest that I will take her on trans-Atlantic for graduating college.

 

[DCLDVC1]

Or they're just trying to ensure you keep your funds invested in their company instead of pulling your money out with a refund and possibly using it elsewhere. They're incentivizing you to not take a refund at the time of cancelation by offering the extra 25%. So is it generosity or just a smart company being smart?

Bingo! It's a brilliant PR and business move.

 

[MomOTwins]

I was shocked that the port fees/taxes, etc., on my 9 night Southern Caribbean for 2021, were less than my 7 night WC for July 2020. The 9 night had a much higher base rate too. I wonder which ports in WC are charging so much. Both leave from PC too. The 9 night has 1 more port too.

I suppose it makes sense: the more demand for a port from various cruise lines, the higher port fees they can charge. On a longer 9-night cruise, the ship can reach ports that shorter (e.g., 5-7 night cruises) from the U.S. can't go to, and since the shorter cruises are more frequent, the close-to-the US ports like Cozumel are going to popular and charge a premium.

 

[Chemist]

I suppose it makes sense: the more demand for a port from various cruise lines, the higher port fees they can charge. On a longer 9-night cruise, the ship can reach ports that shorter (e.g., 5-7 night cruises) from the U.S. can't go to, and since the shorter cruises are more frequent, the close-to-the US ports like Cozumel are going to popular and charge a premium.

summer is also Low season in the southern Caribbean.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

summer is also Low season in the southern Caribbean.

And there's a reason for that......it's much hotter & humid.

 

[Chemist]

And there's a reason for that......it's much hotter & humid.

we did that trip 2 summers ago. Except for San Juan the weather was nice. San Juan was awfully hot and humid. As long as we were near the ocean the other islands were lovely, as were our sea days.

 

[dahuffy]

We rebooked the exact same cruise on the exact same week for 2021. The price of the cruise has increased so much we ended up with 187$ credit. I was expecting much more. Anyone else with this experience?

We got $200

 

[monkeydawn]

OP I am sorry you are disappointed. There is plenty llof disappointment going around and everyone has valid feelings. If I can try to make you feel a bit better it seems many people are disappointed that their exact same cruise next year will cost additional funds, even after the extra 25%. So at least you are getting a little bit of fun money to play with. I hope you have a good time.

 

[dprincessmom]

Trying to rearrange schedules, let us from July 2020 to July 2021 went from Western C to Eastern C (St. Marteen, San Juan and CC) - I upgraded to 8C rooms, added grats and still came away with an extra $1k, plus the refund of the port fees from the first sailing.

I understand that not everyone is having this luck, but I am happy with our decision.

 

[tlprice]

I moved my June 1, 2020 Alaska cruise to July 26, 2021 and with the 125%, I will have to pay $45. I'm not happy that I have to pay more even if it is only a little, but without the 125%, I wouldn't have been able to do the Alaska cruise at all because I wouldn't have paid the much higher 2021 price. So, at least I still (hopefully) get to go. I could have received a little money back if I could have cruised at the same time in 2021, but I already have plans at that time, so had to go for a different, more expensive, time.

 

[MomOTwins]

I moved my June 1, 2020 Alaska cruise to July 26, 2021 and with the 125%, I will have to pay $45. I'm not happy that I have to pay more even if it is only a little, but without the 125%, I wouldn't have been able to do the Alaska cruise at all because I wouldn't have paid the much higher 2021 price. So, at least I still (hopefully) get to go. I could have received a little money back if I could have cruised at the same time in 2021, but I already have plans at that time, so had to go for a different, more expensive, time.

Again, you will be getting a refund of port fees and taxes on your original cruise. Which is much more than $45.

 

[Lawdawg]

I guess I thiught many less people would cruise, so prices would be down. I'm definitely wrong on the price part. It's hard to let them hold my money for a year with so much uncertainty, but I will.

On our Disney Cruise in March that we had to cancel, I took the refund rather than the credit, because at that time I wasn't sure how this was going to play out. We had a Norwegian Cruise in Hawaii booked for June, which has also been cancelled, and we took the 125% credit from them, and just rebooked for the same time in 2021. Additionally, they were offering 20% off the future cruise if you re-booked with them within a 2 week window. Even with both of those items, we only would up with a few hundred dollars credit, because the 2021 cruise was priced so much higher than the 2020 cruise. So, it is happening everywhere. I guess they have to make up that lost revenue somehow.