3% Credit Card Foreign Transaction Fee!

[janred]

Just read this thread today. We use Chase & they did charge us for usage in Anguilla, but our Oceania $1,000 deposit went through OK. I called Chase & asked if they would charge for shipboard expendatures on Oceania, as it would be in USD & Oceania is HQ in Miami. They responded that they charge according to the way it is submitted. If Oceania codes it as a foreign transaction they add 3%. It sounds a little like having the Doctor's office code a diagnosis wrong & the insurance company denies the claim. We'll probably use our debit card, which eats the 3% charge, if any.

Thnaks for bringing this up. Obviously you struck a nerve!

Jan & Jim

[raffeer]

> They responded that they charge according to the way it is submitted. If >Oceania codes it as a foreign transaction they add 3%. It sounds a little like >having the Doctor's office code a diagnosis wrong & the insurance company >denies the claim.

 

Unless of course someone at the insurance company .....errr Chase had read the code wrong.

[YOW]

Is this an extra charge or just the extra % on the currency exchange?

I know our RB Visa charges 2.5% on top of the daily posted rate exchange.

 

It's an extra charge of $10, on top of the currency exchange. I guess I'll give the banks a little credit (though not much) for having the courtesy (read: 'balls') to charge like that out in the open.

[lizf]

Banks aren't charging the foreign fees out in the open to be nice, rather they were ordered to. All banks sent out notices to their customers ahead of time and gave them the opportunity to cancel the cards or not renew them when the time comes around. It was buried in a brochure. They had been charging for years and not disclosing it.

[Mike2131]

We are new to Oceania and have booked a February cruise through our TA. On Saturday I received my credit card statement (Chase) and sure enough, the $1,000 deposit came across as $1,030. I cannot think of any reason this would have occured other than what has been discussed in this thread.

 

You can bet I will be on to Chase and our TA this morning to get to the bottom of it!

[ClaudiaF]

Mike.. please tell us the answer you get.. thanks..

[meow!]

I don't understand. Your address is on Rhode Island, how has that got to do with foreign currency when you make your deposit? Thank you.

[aaannnthony]

Today's mail brought a new piece of "pablum" from CHASE.

 

"This letter is in response to your inquiry regarding the Foreign Transaction Fee and how it has effected to your Chase Visa Account. The procedure to convert sales from foreign currency to U.S. Dollars is set by Visa International regulations, as follows:..........".

 

What followed is what we all know.....foreign currencies are converted at that days average exchange rate and a percent, albeit 1,2,or 3%, is added.

 

"Of course, should you have any further questions, yada, yada, call us 24/7".

 

Now that almost seven weeks has passed since I initiated discussion of this matter with both Chase and Oceania, it is quite clear that only with "O's" intervention will this problem be corrected!

[ClaudiaF]

I don't understand. Your address is on Rhode Island, how has that got to do with foreign currency when you make your deposit? Thank you.

Meow,

This is where this thread began.. Anthony was making a "deposit" with Oceania using his Chase card..

so seems that between Oceania and Chase there is a very big problem..

unless Chase has "moved" out of the United States? Or Oceania's bank is?

????

[ccpuff04]

I really feel this is the tip of the iceburg. I would imagine a vast majority of Oceania cruisers do not even follow Cruise Critic, muchless are aware that they may be being charged these extra fraudulent fees. Perhaps a letter from Oceania to all its passengers alerting them to this scam is warranted, in addition to a personal call by Mr. Del Rio to someone at Chase. It's not going to let up, obviously.

I am one of the few whose bank (USAA) immediately credited my account for the charges. All I can say is "Glad I don't have Chase!"

 

Allen

[shoshona2]

We are leaving for the Black Sea Cruise on the Insignia tomorrow. Thanks to the info from aaannnthony I am taking my Citi Card and American Express card with me instead of my Chase United Visa card. As I posted earlier, my husband called Chase and they said all charges for Oceania would have a 3% fee added. Hopefully, Citi Card and American Express will not be doing the same thing.

 

Sheila

[shmabbies]

Now that is very strange because I too called Chase and was told no way should a 3% charge be added to a shipboard account charge or a deposit or final payment! I was further told IF it is being charged (and I have to say the Chase rep sounded incredulous) it's because Oceania is coding it to be charged that way. Shoshona, I'm not disputing what your DH was told, I'm just stunned. I'd love to charge $10 to my Chase card on board (and to be safe, the balance of my shipboard account to another card!) just to see what happens to that $10. And I just may do that, unless, Shoshona, you want to try it first! :o

[Mike2131]

My TA called Oceania and, as other have experienced, the depost for the cruise was processed correctly and Chase added the 3% charge because they somehow view Oceania as a foreign company. When I called Chase the computers were down, but I will reach them today and post a further update.

[ClaudiaF]

I am curious as to what is written on the statement from Chase ..as to address of the " O" cruise line

usually on the statement where the charge is , is where the charge came from.. example: something like

Radisson cruiseline Miami ..so..

unless "O"s bank is in MArshall islands where their ships are registered , or something like that,this is very odd.

[aaannnthony]

My Chase line charges read as follows:

1) OCEANIACRUISES ONBOARD 18005315658 IE for our cruise settlement charges;

2) OCEANIACRUISESINC. 18005315658 IE for both deposits.

 

I've learned from Chase that the "IE" represents International Exchanges subject to the Foreign Transaction Fee, as set by VISA per contract.

[Mike2131]

My Chase line charges read as follows:

1) OCEANIACRUISES ONBOARD 18005315658 IE for our cruise settlement charges;

2) OCEANIACRUISESINC. 18005315658 IE for both deposits.

 

I've learned from Chase that the "IE" represents International Exchanges subject to the Foreign Transaction Fee, as set by VISA per contract.

 

First of all, I show the same reference on my statement for the deposits.

 

Today I reached Chase and the first rep I talked to said that it was a foreign transaction and I explained that it wasn't. She said it was coded by VISA and I had to take it up with them. All she could do was to dispute the charge.

 

I then called VISA and got switched to a different area because of the kind of VISA card I have. The VISA rep was no help and connected me back to Chase.

 

The second rep at Chase asked for the company and date of the charge. She said it did not come through as a foreign transaction and had no extra charge attached. I asked again and she verified that it was charged as posted

 

Now I was thoroughly confused and called my TA. He was not in the office but is calling Oceania tomorrow. I told him we could cancel the deposit on Chase and put it on another card. He will see what Oceania suggests.

 

I'll keep everyone in the loop for the next chapter.

[shmabbies]

Mike, Just curious about the HISTORY of your Chase card (and anyone else that's had the problem). Is it a United Mileage Plus Visa card that was last served by Bank One but now more recently by Chase? And second, what phone number do you call (I use the 800-537-7783 that appears on my statement). It's bad enough all these unhelpful answers but the INCONSISTENCY in the answers is frightening! Thanks for that IE information though, I'm going to check my recent credit card bills with charges from Greece (which were of course legitimately subject to the 3%) and see if they have the IE.

[Mike2131]

Mike, Just curious about the HISTORY of your Chase card (and anyone else that's had the problem). Is it a United Mileage Plus Visa card that was last served by Bank One but now more recently by Chase? And second, what phone number do you call (I use the 800-537-7783 that appears on my statement). It's bad enough all these unhelpful answers but the INCONSISTENCY in the answers is frightening! Thanks for that IE information though, I'm going to check my recent credit card bills with charges from Greece (which were of course legitimately subject to the 3%) and see if they have the IE.

 

It is indeed a mileage card, but is tied to Continental, not United. It was originally issued by Chase, not Bank One, and I did call the number on the statement to inquire about the charge.

As it stands now, I am disputing the charge until I get a clear answer and the $30.00 charge reversed.

[Mike2131]

As if Chase could not get any more inept, I called early this morning to make sure they had indeed disputed the depost charge as discussed. I was informed that they were going through an update with Bank One and could not give me an answer until July 25th! I requested that they re-process the dispute and was told that they could not do anything until the 25th and to call back then.

 

I have now sent my payment, minus the disputed deposit, and if I have any further issues with Chase (on any matter), they will get my VISA Signature card back in little pieces. They probably will anyway. There are a lot of other choices out there and I refuse to give my business to an organization that is as disorganized and obviously incompetent as Chase.

[shmabbies]

OK, so we know the source of the cards, though they both ended up with Chase, wasn't the same source - for what that's worth. I had at least one bank prior to Bank One, which was prior to Chase - I think it was First Bank (appropriately named in this case!).

 

I checked my credit card bill for all my purchases actually made IN Greece, as well as an excursion I just booked over the internet with a company in Malta. All were subject to the 3%, as I would have thought they would be. NONE had the IE - but of course they all had the "currency x exchange rate + fee" language.

 

I feel your pain! And though I'm currently using a different mileage card to top off for a ticket on that airline, eventually I will be reverting to my Chase card and I'd really like to know for sure that this is all settled. Good luck!

[ClaudiaF]

wrote in part:

As if Chase could not get any more inept,

[i have now sent my payment, minus the disputed deposit, and if I have any further issues with Chase (on any matter), they will get my VISA Signature card back in little pieces.

 

Here's hoping they don't hit you with a "finance" charge for the $30.00..

sounds like the way it's going anything is possible.

I can't wait to book my necxt cruise on Oceania to use my Chase card..lol

[susiesan]

I just cancelled the Continental Chase card because I was promised a $99 companion ticket at the 6 month anniversary of the card. I should have received it in February. I keep getting excuses from Chase about it being mailed 3 times, they just can't understand why I haven't gotten the certificate yet, must be Continental's fault, blah blah blah. I wanted to use the certificate to buy the plane tickets to London for my Insignia cruise next year.

 

If you want Continental miles, get the new Diners Club Mastercard-you can move their points into a Onepass account. Same thing with Am Ex points. There is no longer any need to have an airline specific mileage card with the Diners Club card-they tie in with all the airlines. Go to http://www.flyertalk.com and read their message boards on this topic. very good tips on using miles for tickets.

 

Susie

[aaannnthony]

Mike, I learned from Chase yesterday that the amounts in question are NOT disputed items. The $1,000 charge for the deposit is acknowledged as being correct. The $30 surcharge is a Foreign Transaction Fee, as assigned by VISA through their arrangement with the vendor's processing unit, and, as such, is not considered a disputed item.

 

Bottom line, Chase is merely the collecting agent; they're doing as instructed by VISA. Further, if you request that the transaction be cancelled, you'll receive credit for $1,000, the amount of the charge; the Foreign Transaction Fee remains.

[phlewt]

Bottom line, Chase is merely the collecting agent; they're doing as instructed by VISA. Further, if you request that the transaction be cancelled, you'll receive credit for $1,000, the amount of the charge; the Foreign Transaction Fee remains.

 

We need to follow the money. If you cancel the transaction but don't get the $30 back, who keeps the $30? Is it Chase? Or is it VISA? It would be nice to get an explanation as to what service was provided in return for the $30.

 

If you are not successful in getting this matter cleared up, I think that many of us will use something other than a VISA card for our payments to Oceania.

[evelynborntoshop]

Returned recently from Oceania cruise (Barcelona to Istanbul). Received one of our credit card statements today (Citibank Mastercard). The Oceania onboard cruise charges included an additional 1% foreign transaction charge. Citibank says that Oceania posted the charge in Ireland (code IRL), thus, the foreign transaction fee. Have a call in to Oceania who says the single person in the office who handles this is not currently available. Will post as additional information is available. So, is the problem with Citibank or Oceania?