jupiter03 Posted May 17, 2021 Report Share Posted May 17, 2021 Hi everyone, I was perusing Royal's current 60% sale and I just can't figure out how they are doing their math. I have some FCC that just came in and I'm trying to find a cruise that will use up most of my FCC. My FCC came from a previous cruise that had a 60% off second person sale, so person 1 has ~$1600, person 2 has ~$600, person 3 has ~$700. But current sale seems to be taking much more than 60% off the second person so that I end up with extra FCC for person 2 and not enough for person 1. Example screenshot below of a cruise I'm interested in. Is this just some weird royal math? Am I missing something? I hate that they make it so hard to use the FCCs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neesa Posted May 17, 2021 Report Share Posted May 17, 2021 The FCC's can be combined, the easiest way is what is the final fare price of the sailing minus taxes and fees? Then what is the total FCC you have? Then you will be in the ballpark. RCI math is a math that does not really ever seem to add up. But, I would book with cash deposit making it easier to price adjust moving forward, then close to final payment when you have price adjusted as low as you can go, then hand over the FCC. Good luck hope this helps a bit. At least should put you in the ballpark, but note the expiration of applying the FCC also. Happy travels! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jupiter03 Posted May 17, 2021 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2021 Oh, are you saying that it doesn't matter whose name the FCC is under, that it can be combined for my immediate family? That was not the case last time I used a FCC for my cancelled June 2020 cruise. I ended up with extra leftover and had to pay out of pocket for person #2. I know you can combine FCCs if they are all under your name. Thanks for the tip about making a cash deposit too. I didn't realize that I could get that back later and use the FCC In one fell swoop later. Last time I checked, all FCCs from CWC were extended so you had to book by April 30, 2022 for a cruise to be sailed before Sept 30, 2022. Has that changed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twangster Posted May 17, 2021 Report Share Posted May 17, 2021 Rules for FCC were improved in January. If any FCC is left over from guest 1 it can spill over and apply towards guest 2. FCC can never used be used for taxes and fees. It's better dealt with on the phone or by using a travel agent. Keep detailed notes how FCC was used. As far as the pricing, what's not evident in the screenshot is that even guest one receives some discount from the full cruise fare based on current promos. For example Guest 1 price $1,809 + $144.45 taxes and fees Guest 2 price $723 + $144.45 taxes and fees Guest 3 price $648 + $144.45 taxes and fees Total $3,613.35 Doing the math guest 2 is 60% of guest 1 (before taxes and fees) then guest 3 is less than either guest 1 or 2. Everyone pays the same taxes and fees (they are never discounted). cruisellama 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twangster Posted May 17, 2021 Report Share Posted May 17, 2021 Having 3 guests unlocks the 5D balconies (including those aft ones) that normally 2 people alone can't book. That makes it hard to compare to a cabin for 3 with a cabin for 2. cruisellama 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jupiter03 Posted May 17, 2021 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2021 @twangster Thanks for the reminder that taxes and fees cannot be paid with FCC. Where did you get your numbers from? That's the kind of breakdown I was expecting. Do I need to go further in the mock booking? Are you using a different website? Yes, I've been trying to get into these 5D aft cabins for my last three cruises that have been cancelled due to COVID. I hear they are amazing balconies. cruisellama 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twangster Posted May 17, 2021 Report Share Posted May 17, 2021 Some 3rd party websites do a better job of breaking it down. cruisellama 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twangster Posted May 17, 2021 Report Share Posted May 17, 2021 As @Neesa offered it can be cleaner to pay a deposit using a credit card and then keeping the FCC until just before final payment is due. I know it feels like you need to spend it now but it makes no difference and it's easier to track price drops. Fully refundable deposit is $3,843. Something else to consider. Neesa 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twangster Posted May 17, 2021 Report Share Posted May 17, 2021 The following week is $3,349 NRD or $3,570 refundable if you have flexibility. It gets cheaper later in August too, as low as $2,659 NRD and those corner aft are available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jupiter03 Posted May 17, 2021 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2021 Thanks so much for researching this for me! I've been testing lots of different dates. School is always a problem date-wise, so I have a small window of when we can sail. First week of August is usually the latest we can go since they always have "meet the teacher" the Friday before school starts on Week 3. I forgot that the prices they give you are always non-refundable and you have to go through the whole process to find the refundable prices. $3800 might be too high for my husband to go for, but I'm sure I can talk him into an OV if I fail. I'm really mad my TA dropped the ball for lifting and shifting my cancelled June cruise, as these prices are all much higher than I paid. Oh well, at least I have more flexibility as far as dates go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neesa Posted May 18, 2021 Report Share Posted May 18, 2021 @jupiter03The way I break the news to hubby is I remind him it is only the deposit now, that especially when using FCC advise RCI to pay the taxes and fees with that deposit cash at final payment (well @Sharla gets this done for me upon final payment) and then promise the prices will go down with careful monitoring of the promotions, I can happily report they usually go down something. He is happy, I get the cabin and sailing I want...win win. We have to deal with school dates also so I get it. Good luck. Let me know if this strategy works Baked Alaska 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jupiter03 Posted May 18, 2021 Author Report Share Posted May 18, 2021 Thanks for the advice. We discussed and we decided to book a 1Q promenade family cabin instead. Yes, it's not a balcony, but we enjoy people watching on the promenade. This cabin is huge, has a giant walk in closet, bathtub, and extra bunk room for the kid to go to bed early. It was a couple hundred dollars cheaper, so seemed like a better fit for our family. twangster, emmef, Neesa and 1 other 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharla Posted May 18, 2021 Report Share Posted May 18, 2021 16 hours ago, jupiter03 said: Oh, are you saying that it doesn't matter whose name the FCC is under, that it can be combined for my immediate family? Yes, this is a newer thing, but yes. Neesa 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.