⭐ How I Used My Princess Future Cruise Credit to Book a Europe Cruise
I have sailed Princess Cruises for years. I teach Princess strategy. I run a Princess dining group. I book Princess 4–5 times a year.
And somehow… I had never bought a Future Cruise Credit.
Until my last Sun Princess sailing.
And here’s the twist: I used that FCC way faster than I expected — on a casino deal cruise that turned into a full family Europe vacation by lunchtime.
This is the story of how one FCC + one casino offer + points = one extremely affordable summer trip to Europe.
Rome Cruise Port Review
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🌊 First: What Even Is a Future Cruise Credit?
A Future Cruise Credit (FCC) is something you buy onboard Princess that gives you:
A reduced deposit
Bonus onboard credit on your next cruise
Flexibility to use it on almost any sailing
A full refund if you don’t use it within 12 months
It’s basically a risk‑free “I know I’ll be back” deposit.
👉 Learn more in my Princess FCC Guide.
☕ The Morning Everything Snowballed Into a Europe Cruise
Picture this: I’m sipping coffee, scrolling through my Princess Casino offers — just doing my usual “let’s see what’s new.”
And suddenly a summer Europe itinerary pops up:
Rome departure
Montenegro
Croatia
Corfu
The price? Ridiculously good.
It was giving “this is meant for you” energy.
So I texted my son Tanner.
👯♀️ Tanner Picked the Cruise — I Just Said Yes
Tanner didn’t even blink. He picked the exact sailing he wanted — Rome to Montenegro, Croatia, and Greece — and I said:
“I’m up for anything.”
Rome again? Yippee. Twist my arm.
📱 The Family Group Chat Went Feral
We were so excited we texted my parents.
And by lunchtime, all four of us were booked on the same cruise.
One casual morning coffee scroll turned into a full family European summer adventure.
💸 How My FCC Saved Us Real Money (Correct Pricing)
Here’s where the FCC magic kicked in.
Instead of paying the usual $500 deposit, my FCC dropped it to $200 total — and that $200 included the $100 we put down onboard during our Sun Princess sailing.
But here’s the part that shocked me:
The cruise fare itself was $519 per person, which means our total for two people was under $1,150.
For a summer Europe itinerary, that’s wild.
And yes — we intentionally booked an interior cabin. Tanner and I are interior girlies through and through. We love a dark, cozy, cave‑like room where you sleep like a rock and never know what time it is. It’s perfect for port‑heavy itineraries where you’re barely in the room anyway.
Sure, the balcony upgrade would’ve been worth it for me and Brandon, but Tanner and I looked at each other and said:
“Let’s save that money for excursions.”
So we did.
Interior cabin booked. FCC applied. Deposit reduced. Total under $1,150. Savings secured.
And now we have extra cash for Montenegro, Croatia, and Corfu adventures — which honestly feels like the smarter play.
Ready to plan your own Princess adventure? You can book your Princess Cruise here using my affiliate link — it helps support No Point Left Behind at no extra cost to you.
🎰 Why Casino Deals + FCCs Are a Power Combo
FCCs stack beautifully with Princess Casino offers:
Lower fare
Lower deposit
Bonus onboard credit
Flexibility
Refundable if unused
FCC + casino deal = chef’s kiss.
It’s the easiest “yes” I’ve said to a cruise in a long time.
👉 Want to learn how I get these deals? Check out my Princess Casino Hub.
✈️ Next Step: Flights on Miles + Hotels on Points
This is where the trip becomes a full Lazy Girl travel hack.
My plan:
Use miles for flights to Rome
Use points for pre‑cruise and post‑cruise hotels
Stack Rakuten + travel portals
Keep this entire Europe vacation as low‑cost as possible
Between the casino fare, FCC savings, points flights, and points hotels… this is shaping up to be one of our most affordable Europe trips ever.
👉 Want to see how I book all my Princess cruises on points? Here’s my Princess Cruises Booked on Points Hub.
🔥 Why I’m Buying an FCC Every Time Now
Three reasons:
I almost always sail Princess again.
I always want bonus onboard credit.
Princess keeps sending me deals I can’t resist.
FCCs are now part of my Princess strategy — right alongside
🧭 Final Thoughts
If you sail Princess regularly, FCCs are one of the easiest, lowest‑risk ways to save money and get perks.
And if you’re a casino‑offer girlie like me? You might use your FCC even faster than you think.
This Europe cruise is proof.
🧡 About the Author
I’m Julie — travel advisor, cruise‑obsessed mom, and creator of NoPointLeftBehind.net, where I teach families how to travel better using points, perks, and Lazy Girl strategies.
