Help Needed Please .....

[Amberlulu]

We're sailing on Indy on 6th August from Southampton - I just logged in to enter our check-in details. When it came to entering credit card information I was offered two choices - either tick the box to say they can convert the charge to the currency of my card or (I think) to have it charged in dollars and let my credit card company do the conversion. Does anyone know what the best option is?

 

Thanks

Maria

[gedam]

Hi

Have it charged in dollars, you will get a better exchange :)

[peteukmcr]

We're sailing on Indy on 6th August from Southampton - I just logged in to enter our check-in details. When it came to entering credit card information I was offered two choices - either tick the box to say they can convert the charge to the currency of my card or (I think) to have it charged in dollars and let my credit card company do the conversion. Does anyone know what the best option is?

 

Thanks

Maria

Hi Maria, take the option of having your credit card charged in US Dollars and let your bank (I presume is a UK bank) perform the conversion, you will get a far better rate. Just check with your bank for any charges imposed as the charge will be made by RCI in the US.

 

The reason I mention this is that when I order gifts and gear (like a bottle of champers to be delivered to the cabin) the charge is posted by RCI in the US and my bank then impose a conversion charge when using a Visa debit card, doesn't apply to a credit card.

 

Also, when you select this option, make sure when you check in at the port that they have it correct as they often 'miss' your instruction. I would also recommend checking with Guest Relations during your cruise too. If they 'forget' your request they make more money by converting the charge for you into GBP.

 

This doesn't just apply to the cruise, whenever you are paying a bill in a foreign currency, say at a hotel, restaurant etc never, never select the option to pay in GBP when the bill in Euros for example as you lose out.

[gedam]

Hi Maria, take the option of having your credit card charged in US Dollars and let your bank (I presume is a UK bank) perform the conversion, you will get a far better rate. Just check with your bank for any charges imposed as the charge will be made by RCI in the US.

 

The reason I mention this is that when I order gifts and gear (like a bottle of champers to be delivered to the cabin) the charge is posted by RCI in the US and my bank then impose a conversion charge when using a Visa debit card, doesn't apply to a credit card.

 

Also, when you select this option, make sure when you check in at the port that they have it correct as they often 'miss' your instruction. I would also recommend checking with Guest Relations during your cruise too. If they 'forget' your request they make more money by converting the charge for you into GBP.

 

This doesn't just apply to the cruise, whenever you are paying a bill in a foreign currency, say at a hotel, restaurant etc never, never select the option to pay in GBP when the bill in Euros for example as you lose out.

 

I concur and explained in much more detail than I did :cool:

[Amberlulu]

Thanks for your advice. I rang the bank today and they said there would be a 2.75% transaction fee for each transaction if I was charged in dollars so wouldn't this work out more expensive? Sorry if I sound a bit dim!!

[peteukmcr]

Thanks for your advice. I rang the bank today and they said there would be a 2.75% transaction fee for each transaction if I was charged in dollars so wouldn't this work out more expensive? Sorry if I sound a bit dim!!

There will only be 1 transaction at the end of the cruise when you settle your on-board account.

 

You could also do what I do which is take US$ which I have obtained at a good rate here in the UK and pay off your account with either hard cash or travellers cheques (btw they will not accept the latest US $ travel cards) so there's very little left to charge to your credit card.

 

It's hard to tell whether it will be more expensive for your bank to perform the conversion because you don't know what exchange rate RCI will use, but it is most likely to be inferior to the one your bank will give and they also charge a transaction or 'commission' fee as well.

 

It's your decision but personally I always let my bank do the conversion and there have been other threads on CC where people suggest non-US travellers do not let RCI perform the conversion.