Norwegian Cruise Line has extended its Future Cruise Credit (FCCs) booked by date until the end of the year (2022) allowing customers more time to redeem their credits from previously canceled cruises.
This will mostly affect NCL customers who had a cruise booked and canceled back in 2020 but have so far been unable to use their future cruise credit, originally set to expire on January 31, 2022.
The new policy will give people eleven more months to find a good purpose for their credits in order to finally get it off the table.
Back in the early months of the pandemic and all the way into mid-2021 when cruise lines canceled all sailings due to the impact of the pandemic they offered customers future cruise credits with a bonus, enticing people to forego their entitlement for a cash refund.
The prospect of easy “free money” has come back to bite many who decided to accept such a credit voucher as they’re now under pressure to book something just for the sake of getting rid of the credits.
Norwegian’s last official announcement concerned the extension of the FCC’s until January 31, 2022. There has been no update on the website I can see right now but Cruise Hive reports that people are receiving emails to the effect that credits are now extended until December 31, 2022 (book by date).
… Future Cruise Credits issued in, for example, June 2020 would have expired in July of 2021; for that reason, Norwegian Cruise Line had already extended the booked by date to January 31. The cruise line has extended this period again; FCC’s are now valid through December 31, 2022. …
I have contacted NCL asking about official confirmation and when the website will reflect this information but haven’t heard back from them so far.
While there are great bargains to be had for some sailings, others have surged as the selection is more sparse resulting in the bonus people received possibly being swallowed up by price increases.
This is another reminder to think more than twice about just getting your money back when you have a cruise canceled (and flights as well for that matter). You never know what the future is going to bring and how useful credits are going to be. Cash is always king and you remain flexible.
Conclusion
Norwegian Cruise Line has apparently extended its Future Cruise Credit (FCCs) book by date until the end of December which is definitely good news for the customers who decided to take a credit rather than elect for a cash refund.
This situation however outlines one more time that one shouldn’t choose credits over cash refunds when eligible to get the money back entirely as it is the case when a cruise line cancels the voyage. The situation might be different when guests choose to cancel the trip voluntarily.
Each line has a different policy when it comes to handling cancellations, both voluntary and involuntary, during the pandemic. Especially as Omicron is starting to impact the cruise schedules again and some sailings are getting canceled, beware of the choices you make when it comes to the refund due!
