Future cruise credit (FCC) is a bit like store credit from a cruise line. Many times, in lieu of a direct cash refund, a cruise line will take the price of a refunded cruise and issue it as a kind of gift certificate to be used toward booking a new sailing. When cruises are greatly affected or canceled, or if passengers are given compensation for any reason, a nonrefundable future cruise credit is a common form of payment.
The amount of FCC that a cruise passenger qualifies for is calculated on the base fare that they paid, less any taxes, fees, upgrades or additional purchases like excursions. (Those are often reimbursed to the original form of payment, like a credit card.)
Have you qualified for a future cruise credit but aren't sure how to use it? Check out the following tips.
A future cruise credit is typically delivered via email within a few weeks' time, depending on how long it takes the cruise line to process it. The voucher can be used per person, with or without a travel agent. The credit is typically broken down by each individual guest on the reservation, and their charges.
The full amount of your FCC can be applied to the base cruise fare on a new booking, but only if the passenger whose name it is under is the one who is booking. (A future cruise credit is nontransferable, so it cannot be applied to cover the cost of someone else's cruise.) It also cannot be used to pay the initial deposit.
If the amount of your credit exceeds the cost of the new cruise, then the balance will be reissued as a new FCC voucher (but likely the same expiration date). Any unused portion of the credit will be forfeited after the expiration date. If the amount of the credit falls short of the new cruise fare, you'll pay the difference out of pocket.
Depending on the cruise line, an FCC will likely not cover future charges such as:
Updated March 17, 2020