Credit Card Fees

[BudKate]

We just returned from the 4/24-5/1 cruise and it was wonderful in every way. I may post later with more details.

 

I found out upon returning that my Amex payment to PG Cruise Line incurred a 3% foreign transactions fee since they are based in French Polynesia. Just a heads-up.

[TomCruises]

Yes,I just booked a vacation with PG (Bellevue Washington) and I was charged a 3% Foreign Transaction Fee which is standard when making purchases outside the US.What they failed to tell me was that I would be charged this fee for the initial vacation purchase.Surprise! Surprise!:mad:

[AnglerGirl]

Budkate, welcome back! We look forward to hearing of your experience soon!

 

Regarding the foreign transaction fee, my Visa was charged by PG Cruises out of Ireland recently. I had the same thing happen last year under Regent. Both times I contacted my booking agent and both times was refunded. Perhaps reaching out to PG will result in a recoup for you as well.

[MtnDriver]

This has happened in the past on Regent, but not that I recall with Amex (some of THEIR billing is done in the UK!). I would call Amex first and then PG if you don't get satisfaction. Last year Regent was crediting passengers who had this issue.

 

Our 6/26 cruise on PG did not bill as overseas (on Amex)

[MtnDriver]

Yes, our AMEX billing detail DOES show:

 

GOODS/SERVICES Doing Business As : PG CRUISE LINE LIMITED Merchant Address : BP6014

FAAA

FRENCH POLYNESIA

98702

FRENCH POLYNESIA

 

But we were not billed a 3% fee.

 

Are you referring to the cost of your cruise, or for onboard purchases?

[TomCruises]

I was charged this fee for the cruise purchase.I have made PG aware of my concern and am awaiting a reply!

[ellie424]

I was charged this same fee when I booked my 2011 cruise. Should I contact my TA to potentially have that charge refunded???

 

However...I would like to know WHY would it get refunded??? :confused:

[pacheco18]

My experience: Visa and MC charge a foreign transaction fee. AMEX does not. I use my AMEX almost exclusively when I travel abroad.

 

There are many different kinds of AMEX cards and different levels of cards within those many different kinds. It may be that some AMEX cards charge the fee. I would check with the customer service number on your AMEX card to see what is happening on their end. Maybe a card upgrade will be worth it for you.

[Iggy_az]

We just returned from the 4/24-5/1 cruise and it was wonderful in every way. I may post later with more details.

 

I found out upon returning that my Amex payment to PG Cruise Line incurred a 3% foreign transactions fee since they are based in French Polynesia. Just a heads-up.

 

 

 

If you charged to a CapitalOne card it doesn't charge foreign tranaction fees.

Also in the USA if you book British Air and don't use Capital One you will have a foreign currency transaction fee.

So far unless you have a business card CapitalOne is the cheapest around.

[AnglerGirl]

I was charged this same fee when I booked my 2011 cruise. Should I contact my TA to potentially have that charge refunded??? However...I would like to know WHY would it get refunded??? :confused:

 

ellie, you should work your question through your booking agency. This has been an ongoing item of discussion on many boards, even with other lines. As far as I'm concerned, PG Cruises takes payment only in US funds, and is a US based (for business purposes) company, therefore processing of that payment in a foreign country is not my (the consumer) problem. My particular credit card saw the processing from this vendor come out of Ireland and applied applicable fees. I asked PG to refund me (via travel agent) using particulars from PG's own site and it has been granted. Nothing on the site states the processing will be donw overseas. Hope this helps.

"All payments by Guests to PGC or its service providers must be made in U.S. currency, and must be paid before final disembarkation".

 

Corporate Headquarters: Paul Gauguin Cruises, 11100 Main Street, Suite 300, Bellevue, WA 98004

 

Registered EU Entity for Paul Gauguin Cruises: Beachcomber Croisieres Limited 3rd Floor Ulysses House, FOLEY STREET, DUBLIN 1, IRELAND

 

[AnglerGirl]

Also, it's not the card type (Amex, Discover, Visa, MC) which levies (or doesn't levy) a foreign transcation fee, it's the issuer (Bank of America, Chase, Citi, Issuer X). Hope that helps.

Some issuers charge, some don't.

[BudKate]

I used a new Citi Amex that ties in with my 25 year old Citi Visa American Advantage card. It didn't occur to me that foreign fees would be an issue. We have a Cap One no fee card we could have used. The charges were for the cruise that I paid for prior to departure. I haven't seen the charges yet which we incurred on the ship.

 

I'm going to contact Amex and my TA to see if I can get any relief. Even if I don't the pre-cruise and cruise were so great that I'm a very happy camper.

 

Thanks to all for the advice and insights!

[TomCruises]

The foreighn transaction fees are being charged because PG's bank is located in Ireland!If you have been charged the fees,contact the accounting dept. at PG.More than likely,you will need to print your online banking statement and fax to PG accounting so that they may contact you with a resolution.

[AnglerGirl]

Tom, you're prepared, and that's a good thing. The real funny part is that this same processor out of Ireland was also listed on my CC statement last year when I sailed PG under Regent. I had a feeling this was going to happen again on this cruise once final payment was made, so I had my agent get an email early on that I would be refunded by the line. It's hooey, but worth the extra work I had to do to get refunded. :D

 

More important.....you leave so soon and you are going to have such a wonderful time! I can't wait to read yoru thoughts when you come back, or, will you make us all your best friend by posting while at sea once in a while? :)

[AnglerGirl]

I used a new Citi Amex that ties in with my 25 year old Citi Visa American Advantage card. It didn't occur to me that foreign fees would be an issue. We have a Cap One no fee card we could have used. The charges were for the cruise that I paid for prior to departure. I haven't seen the charges yet which we incurred on the ship.

 

I'm going to contact Amex and my TA to see if I can get any relief. Even if I don't the pre-cruise and cruise were so great that I'm a very happy camper.

 

Thanks to all for the advice and insights!

 

Well said! And, agan, welcome back. I know..... it's hard to come home after that voyage. We're on your side during withdrawl.

[tropical dreams]

We contacted our travel agent and she spoke to PG cruises and got the 3% refunded. It would have been one thing if we had know about it ahead of time. Good luck.

[TomCruises]

PG gave me the option of a shipboard credit or a refund in the form of a check reimbursing me for ALL FTF!:D

[AnglerGirl]

Tom, so glad to hear this worked out eventually!

[Scarlett09]

Is the cruise charged in a currency other than US$? If it were processed in Ireland, it might be Euros, and then the credit card company may charge a currency conversion fee to change to US$. That is the reason I can think of why some people might get charged a transaction fee and some may not.

 

Has anybody booked through an agent and still been charged the fee?

[trixiee]

Well I just checked the fine print of the AE platinum card I was going to apply for... I'm Canadian, and any US purchases will be converted to US$ , and a "conversion commission" will be applied.

 

Anyone know if I can apply for a US CC? I do have a US dollar bank account...

[TomCruises]

Well I just checked the fine print of the AE platinum card I was going to apply for... I'm Canadian, and any US purchases will be converted to US$ , and a "conversion commission" will be applied.

 

Anyone know if I can apply for a US CC? I do have a US dollar bank account...

 

Gosh Trixiee,I'm not sure.I forgot that you were Canadian as all laws and fees etc. can be different.And Ouch,the little Platinum Plastic Card if you can even get it,carries a mighty hefty annual fee in itself!Might wanna think twice about that one,:)

[Aunty Pat]

These foreign transaction fees for US Dollars to US companies that use a foreign bank to clear their credit card transactions started showing up in the last year or so. It must be part of the new credit card rules or there must be some advantage of for these companies using an Irish bank. I first ran into the problem when Oceania started using a bank in Ireland and I had clients get hit with the foreign transaction fee. Oceania gladly refunded the fee.

 

I’ve also been unexpectedly hit with foreign transactions fees in the last year dealing with companies and my Citi Bank MasterCard I've used previously without this foreign transaction charge.

 

I recently booked a PG cruise for myself. Being aware of these fees, I asked the reservationist at PG if they would be using a foreign bank and if a fee would be charged. She wasn’t sure. Just to be safe, I used my Capital One MasterCard and wasn’t charged a fee.

 

My advice to clients is to check with their credit card company to see if a fee will be charged if a foreign bank is used even if the transaction is in US Dollars or the company has a US address. I also advise clients that they should always charge in the local currency so that they won't get hit with both a poor exchange rate from the merchant and then again with a foreign transaction fee by their credit card company.

 

Aunty Pat

 

 

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