Warning for US passengers booking Shore Excursions

[Artsguy]

If I understand correctly, your credit card was charged a fee that you shouldn't have been charged, and when you called to inquire, the amount was refunded, well, not so much refunded to your credit card purchase as issued as an on-board credit -- is that correct?

 

Happy to read that you had no problem getting the charge sorted out, and didn't mind spending the time to talk to the kind people. Also happy that you have not had any problem with Voyage Personalizer. Is this your first experience with Cunard?

Yes, you are correct about the handling (to my satisfaction) of the foreign transaction fee. This is my first experience with Cunard and so far, everything has been great! When I was very young, my parents would take me into New York city harbor to watch the original Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth dock. (They were call steam ships back then.) I remember meeting an aunt dockside that had arrived from Europe complete with her large "steamer" trunk. Years later, my mother would sail on the QE2 from Europe. Given alll this, I guess it was only a matter of time before I also sailed on a Cunard ship. Thanks!:)

[silvaner]

Salacia, Bluemarble is correct. I assume that Cunard wanted proof of what a third party (VISA) had charged me. My main concern was not the $10 foreign transaction fee charged on the shore excursions. I feared that this was a new procedure and all future payments would be processed through the UK. A 2% foreign transaction fee on a booking would have ended my Cunard cruising.

[Artsguy]

If I understand correctly, your credit card was charged a fee that you shouldn't have been charged, and when you called to inquire, the amount was refunded, well, not so much refunded to your credit card purchase as issued as an on-board credit -- is that correct?

 

Happy to read that you had no problem getting the charge sorted out, and didn't mind spending the time to talk to the kind people. Also happy that you have not had any problem with Voyage Personalizer. Is this your first experience with Cunard?

Yes, you are correct about the handling (to my satisfaction) of the foreign transaction fee. This is my first experience with Cunard and so far, everything has been great! When I was very young, my parents would take me into New York city harbor to watch the original Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth dock. (They were call steam ships back then.) I remember meeting an aunt dockside that had arrived from Europe complete with her large "steamer" trunk. Years later, my mother would sail on the QE2 from Europe. Given alll this, I guess it was only a matter of time before I also sailed on a Cunard ship. Thanks :)

[fishywood]

Could not Cunard have issued a credit to the credit card company for the original charge which showed as a purchase made in the UK, and then issued a new charge for the purchase made in the US without the purchaser having to submit a copy of his or her credit card bill to Cunard?

 

The best method was to do as Cunard did: after proof of the fee was submitted an OBC for the offending amount was issued. Unfortunately the suggestion above will not work because simply reversing a foreign charge will NOT remove the foreign transaction fee but would actually add another--said fee is charged as a percentage of ALL transaction amounts, whether debits or credits. As an example, if when arriving in London I purchased a dinner jacket at Marks & Spenser but after disembarking QM2 returned it before flying home my credit card statement would have two foreign transaction fees as there were two distinct foreign transactions.

 

Charges shown as being made in the UK have one currency rate. Charges in the US have a different currency rate. Refunding the difference for the charge as an on board credit (as another poster experienced) is not the same as refunding it in cash.

 

If Cunard gives the reimbursement in the same amount of $US shown post-conversion on one's credit card statement all shoud be even, no?