pricing rci

[sheridan318]

Hi hope some one can answer this question for me, have just found out that if I go through an on line site it will put me straight through to rci america and the price of the cruise i want to do is $600 cheaper:confused:and yes I can go right through to the end of the programme and it will let me book, but just thinking on that would rci america set the exchange rate like it will do if you pay with a credit card on board because if so it might not be the bargain we thought

jacquie

[gbenjo]

Hi hope some one can answer this question for me, have just found out that if I go through an on line site it will put me straight through to rci america and the price of the cruise i want to do is $600 cheaper:confused:and yes I can go right through to the end of the programme and it will let me book, but just thinking on that would rci america set the exchange rate like it will do if you pay with a credit card on board because if so it might not be the bargain we thought

jacquie

I think you will find that your credit card provider will set the exchange rate not RCI

[The_Big_M]

A web site that says .com.au should mean that if you pay in Australia with Aussie dollars that should be it. No overseas fees.

 

I agree... although it's a bit of an odd area, as they're unlikely to be aware NAB charge this (and NAB are I believe the only ones). RCL are only charging in Australian dollars, and not charging any extra fees themselves.

[goodycruising]

Not sure about other bank's fees - good point. I have looked into the Aust Post load n go travel card, and they just have a flat currency conversion rate, but if I paid in Aud it would not have cost me, but I shall look into some of the other banks, as this was a very annoying charge. $148.68 to be exact! I will be much more wary next time! That charge may induce us to take our 2 mortgages, business banking and platinum credit card accounts elsewhere!

[fishtaco]

I agree... although it's a bit of an odd area, as they're unlikely to be aware NAB charge this (and NAB are I believe the only ones). RCL are only charging in Australian dollars, and not charging any extra fees themselves.

 

Not true!

 

RCI AU advertise in AU Dollars but I was charged in US Dollars plus conversion fees and overseas transaction fees.

 

This was one of my arguments with RCI because when I asked why RCI Australia were charging so much more than RCI USA I was told because of possible currency fluctuations?

 

When I asked why I was charged in US Dollars The answer was all RCI charges are in US Dollars?

 

All my costs so far have been advertised in AU dollars on RCI.com.au and they have all been converted to US Dollars with fees including pre purchased shore tours,land transportation and gifts!

 

This was with ANZ.

 

If the charges with RCI.com.au were in AU dollars why would a bank charge a conversion fee and show the amount in US Dollars?

 

Den

[cassamanda]

28 Degree mastercard do not charge any conversion or foreign currency fees.

[GandM-nq]

Not true!

 

RCI AU advertise in AU Dollars but I was charged in US Dollars plus conversion fees and overseas transaction fees.

 

That sounds like a A hole act by RCI if they did that. I bet when they did the conversion from the advertised aussie dollar to us dollar, it was on favourable rates to them ? So guessing you loose out by paying 2 lots of conversions basically. Au to US by RCI then US to Au by your bank. Just wow.

 

P.S. 28 degrees card is a good way to avoid currency conversion fees. I got one for my trip. Always good idea to have a second (different) card anyways, just incase you have one go missing.

[goodycruising]

That is really being treated roughly! Our NAB statement does show the exact amount in Aud that was on the website when we paid, and still has been until recently sold out, and then the seperate line for the foriegn company payment fee. Can you cancel the payment and try again with another card? An Aus Post Load & Go travel can be loaded in Aud, no start fee, and only 9c per transaction, plus 3% for buying in another currency. If you pay in Aud that should not apply. Otherwise maybe cancel and repay through a cruise company? It is so wrong that the banks are gouging here, and so wrong that when we went to try to get on the US RCI site it kicked us back to Au site, until we got the IP workaround a bit later. The US site charge was just a smidge under $6G, and the aussie site $6377.58, plus the bank fee $146.68. the exchange rate at the time was around $1.04 to $1.05, so we would have been better off with a load n go & 3% as the aussie conversion to USD would have been still over parity, so we would have paid less than $6G aussie. It is so wrong. If RCI want to cut out travel agents by having their own online site, therre should be advantages, not penalties.

[fishtaco]

28 Degree mastercard do not charge any conversion or foreign currency fees.

 

Thanks but for "Me" the conversion fees are not really the point of the problem as they are not that much money in the scale of things,a bit like being charged an added % for Airline tickets bought on line with Credit Card when there is no other online payment option:)

 

If you buy a cruise from RCI usa with an Australian credit card of course you expect currency exchange fees on your CC from Australian to American dollars.

 

But if you are locked into purchasing from rci.com.au that advertises prices in Australian dollars without any choice even though your first log on was with rci.com and in USA Dollars then it isnt right!

 

If RCI Australia are more expensive than RCI USA because RCI do not wish to loose money with possible currency fluctuations then that is understandable given some book more than a year ahead, so they advertise to Australians in Australian dollars which is also understandable! but why are Australians being charged in the end in US Dollars? Forget the fees!

 

The US dollar price of the cruise is the US Dollar price of a cruise,not a more expensive price in Australian Dollars that is then converted into an even more expensive USA Dollar price for the same cruise:confused:

 

I have had quite a few emails back and forward with both RCI USA and RCI Australia and my view is "Internet profiteering" plain and simple!

 

This may not be the case for everyone or different cruises booked but it is my RCI experience that cannot be explained away by other peoples RCI experience!

 

I was charged $400 pp more in Australian Dollars by rci.com.au for the same fare same cruise same booking same time than rci.com was in US Dollars! Then my credit card was charged in "US dollars" so I paid more than $400 pp US Dollars because rci.com.au charged me USA Dollars and my Credit card charged foreign exchange fees:confused:

 

Where is my benefit? I know its RCI,s benifit only!

 

I have the RCI emails and they must think we are simple minded in Australia!

 

They must know by now that they wont get me as a return customer just as they dont really care for others questions about carpet!

 

Den

[goodycruising]

28 Degree mastercard do not charge any conversion or foreign currency fees.

 

Going to check that one out too! Thanks for the tip :)

[Miamia65]

jacquie

 

I have noted that some of the american/international online websites don't have all of the fees, taxes and charges in the price but the Australian websites do as that it what is required under our consumer law.

 

I have managed to compare the same cruise and stateroom category on both the RCI Australia and RCI US websites and because the Aussie dollar is better the fare is slightly cheaper at present on the Australian website, but you have to go almost through to the section of the booking (dummy booking) to work this out.

 

I have only used an Australian T/A who will match any price of an Australian online cruise TA if I can provide proof via a written (email) quote on the same day. I then pay using Bpay to my TA and it is always in AUD.

 

When onboard I make sure that my account is charged to my credit card in USD and get my bank to convert it rather than RCI charging in AUD (with their conversion rate).

 

I think if you want to get a gain from the AUD, and want to book through an international TA (online or otherwise) using a credit card, you would need it to be charged in USD and then your bank (Australian) converts it to AUD (at a better rate as the Aussie Dollar is currently higher). Of course any conversion fees will apply.

 

For xmas presents, I did quite a lot of internet shopping from the USA and in late Nov/early December last year the AUD was up around $1.07 and after conversion it cost me less than what I was charged as the aussie dollar was better than the US dollar.

 

Hope this helps.

[goodycruising]

quote: (part of) I was charged $400 pp more in Australian Dollars by rci.com.au for the same fare same cruise same booking same time than rci.com was in US Dollars! Then my credit card was charged in "US dollars" so I paid more than $400 pp US Dollars because rci.com.au charged me USA Dollars and my Credit card charged foreign exchange fees:confused:

-End part quote.

 

Any use going to ACCC, Current Affair, Today Tonight? My charge from NAB was clearly (I am being tounge in cheek ) in the small print, which it is my responsibility to read, but I thought RCI had put the AUD price up on a .com.au website, so I didn't give another thought to being an overseas company as far as my payment was concerned. I know when I pay onboard it is USD, and fees will be ripped in all directions, so to avoid confusion, unexpected fees, and holding amounts on our card on a daily basis, we will go back to USD cash like the first time. I think we had to pay $500 or something up front and keep a credit card on file, but we paid in full at the end.

 

There has to be a simpler way. The bank conversions are costing us more than tips/gratuities at the rate they are going, and our budget is getting eaten into a bit. We save for this, like many people, and the money tree is my back yard is just not putting out USD!

[goodycruising]

From 28 degrees FAQ:

 

+ Transactional questions

 

How is the foreign exchange rate calculated?

The foreign exchange rate is calculated by MasterCard International on a daily basis according to daily foreign exchange fluctuations. The conversion will consist of two calculations if the transaction is made in foreign currency – it will first be converted to US dollars and then calculated to Australian dollars for listing on your transactions.

 

 

 

Use the card in NZ dollars or some other than US and it could get interesting. Still reading the website, but found this a bit chilling.

[goodycruising]

edited because it kicked me out of the last post so I started again, but then doubled up... Mastercard calculations will normally be a few percent, would like to know where you can find these daily rates?

[fairywren]

Not true!

 

RCI AU advertise in AU Dollars but I was charged in US Dollars plus conversion fees and overseas transaction fees.

 

This was one of my arguments with RCI because when I asked why RCI Australia were charging so much more than RCI USA I was told because of possible currency fluctuations?

 

When I asked why I was charged in US Dollars The answer was all RCI charges are in US Dollars?

 

All my costs so far have been advertised in AU dollars on RCI.com.au and they have all been converted to US Dollars with fees including pre purchased shore tours,land transportation and gifts!

 

This was with ANZ.

 

If the charges with RCI.com.au were in AU dollars why would a bank charge a conversion fee and show the amount in US Dollars?

 

Den

 

Den, I have booked my RCI cruise direct with RCI Aust website & paid in full in AUD. I also bought shore excursions and made restaurant bookings, also in AUD as shown on the website.

 

I have not been charged any fees and the amounts were not converted to USD. I use a Westpac Visa card.

 

This leads me to think it is your bank who is the culprit.

[Sparky74]

When I went to pay for our upcoming cruise (23 sleeps to go :D) there was some issue so I phoned to check before making the payment. The consultant I spoke to said that if I used my credit card it would be processed in US Dollars and that I'd be better off paying by direct deposit. So that's what I did. No fees & no dramas.

[CassCruise]

I used ANZ Visa in Jan to pay and was also charged a (hefty) "overseas txn fee" :mad:!!

 

Jane

[Miamia65]

I used ANZ Visa in Jan to pay and was also charged a (hefty) "overseas txn fee" :mad:!!

 

Jane

Hi Jane

How was your December cruise?

 

And what's up next? Any plans?

 

Aleisha

[Sydney32203]

When I went to pay for our upcoming cruise (23 sleeps to go :D) there was some issue so I phoned to check before making the payment. The consultant I spoke to said that if I used my credit card it would be processed in US Dollars and that I'd be better off paying by direct deposit. So that's what I did. No fees & no dramas.

 

 

This does not make sense. If you book through an australian website and the prices are quoted in Australian dollars, then they sould be charging Aussie dollars, not US dollars regardless of the payment method. This sounds very dodgy to me and it does not sound like it is in accordance with our consumer law.

[Sydney32203]

quote: (part of) I was charged $400 pp more in Australian Dollars by rci.com.au for the same fare same cruise same booking same time than rci.com was in US Dollars! Then my credit card was charged in "US dollars" so I paid more than $400 pp US Dollars because rci.com.au charged me USA Dollars and my Credit card charged foreign exchange fees:confused:

-End part quote.

 

Any use going to ACCC, Current Affair, Today Tonight? My charge from NAB was clearly (I am being tounge in cheek ) in the small print, which it is my responsibility to read, but I thought RCI had put the AUD price up on a .com.au website, so I didn't give another thought to being an overseas company as far as my payment was concerned. I know when I pay onboard it is USD, and fees will be ripped in all directions, so to avoid confusion, unexpected fees, and holding amounts on our card on a daily basis, we will go back to USD cash like the first time. I think we had to pay $500 or something up front and keep a credit card on file, but we paid in full at the end.

 

There has to be a simpler way. The bank conversions are costing us more than tips/gratuities at the rate they are going, and our budget is getting eaten into a bit. We save for this, like many people, and the money tree is my back yard is just not putting out USD!

 

In terms of the RCI.com.au showing all prices in Australain dollars and then charging your credit card in US dollars, are you able to find out from the Dept of fair trading if they can legally do this? I really doubt they can and they are going against our consumer law.

[The_Big_M]

From 28 degrees FAQ:

 

+ Transactional questions

 

How is the foreign exchange rate calculated?

The foreign exchange rate is calculated by MasterCard International on a daily basis according to daily foreign exchange fluctuations. The conversion will consist of two calculations if the transaction is made in foreign currency – it will first be converted to US dollars and then calculated to Australian dollars for listing on your transactions.

 

 

 

Use the card in NZ dollars or some other than US and it could get interesting. Still reading the website, but found this a bit chilling.

 

Yes, that's the standard way Mastercard calculate so applies to all Mastercards. Many people don't realise it so there's the frequent belief that you always get the exact exchange rate with 28Degrees.

 

It does result in the conversion being more than the exact exchange rate for any non-USD purchase. The impact varies by currency e.g. it was a few per cent more for NZ when I used it there.

[fishtaco]

I used ANZ Visa in Jan to pay and was also charged a (hefty) "overseas txn fee" :mad:!!

 

Jane

 

I need to drop this subject as the more i write the more I get mad and the more other members will dislike me for rambling:p

 

rci.com.au is not a separate company to rci.com! If you pay an advertised price in Australian Dollars and it is then transferred back into USA Dollars by your bank then it is the very same company and just charging more because it can by internet location hijacking!

 

I would have no problem with my AU Dollars being converted into US Dollars and paying all the bank fees as long as the "cruise price" advertised in USA Dollars was the same charge in the end as the cruise price advertised in Au Dollars!

 

Even if there were no fees from the bank or I used 28 Degree Credit Card the rci cruise price in US Dollars including taxes was a lot cheaper than the same cruise price in AU Dollars after it was converted back to US Dollars by the bank:confused:

 

The price of a cruise is the price of a cruise no matter what currency you pay in.

 

If I want protection with Australian consumer protection laws and dont mind paying for that protection that is fine but if you are buying a product or service from an overseas company it should be our choice not RCI,s

 

Den

[BrusselsGirl07]

The only reason we went direct with RCI is that last time we didn't get our crown and anchor status set up and we had missed out on benefits, even though we booked our first 2 cruises with ozcruising.

 

Hi there, you realise that you can get credit for past cruises before you joined the Crown and Anchor Society? Hopefully you have the points showing correctly on your log in on the RCI website, but if not, ring or email and have them applied.

 

Also, most of our cruises we have booked directly with either Celebrity or Royal Caribbean over the phone. Each time, they have taken great efforts to let me know that even though the prices show in AUS, they will still be converted to US and my credit card provider may charge me a fee for the conversion. But as I have the 28 degrees card, I don't get these charges.

 

The most recent was today, when I was on the phone with RCI amending a booking. I had to pay a deposit and got the warning about the credit card charges again.

[goodycruising]

I know, it does make us mad, but once it is too late, just look forward to the cruise. I wish I had know before though.

 

Yes we do have our C&A sorted now, all points nicely in a row. We ended up with 2 numbers, they couldn't find us, all sorts of mix up for a bit.

 

Interesting about the mastercard 2 way conversion for all mastercards, makes sense! Another US based company.

 

I am sure if we looked through all the small pages of tiny print on the RCI site the conditions would tell us about the exchange situtaion. Anyhow, we will be ringing US direct next time, I will use my Telstra prepaid mobile phone simplicity offer, at 15c per minute, use my Aust Post Load n go, which I just re-read all the conditions, they use the Aust Post determined exchange rate, which today would have been at 1.0137 (probably about similar when we booked), and it would have cost me about $5920 AUD instead of over $6500. Anyhow, I am going to drop it too, and not keep getting mad, and I am really looking forward to the trip :D (by the way, yesterday I thought the Load n go was a 3% fee, that is only an extra fee for currencies not covered by the travel card - other currencies are at the Aust Post determined rate, which you can check once you login)

[bazzaw]

This "problem" of paying a Foreign Exchange fee lies with the banks - not the cruiselines. I was charged a fee for paying (by CC in Aussie dollars) my onboard account for an Aussie P&O ship, Pacific Pearl. Why? - because the money went to an overseas bank. So - even though you are paying something in Aussie Dollars to a Company that you think are Australian , as the song goes " It ain't necessarily so". As it was the fee was not too large and I couldn't be bothered arguing about it. Now I try to pay everything by cash - also can't be bothered getting ANOTHER credit card, I don't do overseas travel that much anyway!

 

Barry