3% Credit Card Foreign Transaction Fee!

[Mike2131]

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.

 

After my TA confered with Oceania, we are cancelling the deposit on the Chase card and have replaced it with a deposit on AX. The entire $1,030 was disputed with Chase and I have the verification from the last Chase rep that I spoke with (name and date) to that it was processed as a U.S. transaction.

[shmabbies]

:mad: Well, Evelynborntoshop, I was reamed up and down (not here!) for even suggesting that it was an Oceania problem and not a Chase Visa problem. Since a) the problem has occurred with many varieties of Chase cards; b) it has now begun on Mastercard, and c) unless passengers of all the other cruise boards I just looked at for informational purposes - including Princess, Seabourn, HAL, Celebrity, and Costa - don't read their credit card bills, one can only CONCLUDE that it's an OCEANIA problem, because no one else who sailed on other lines is reporting it happening to them. And I don't know about the rest of you, but I believe this warrants more attention by the higher-ups than music in the lounges!

[galagos]

I was charged $157 by MBNA America for my cruise charge with Oceania on a Visa card. I have complained to both Oceania and MBNA America Visa. I am traveling with six other people, all of whom paid on credit cards. Not one has had a 3% charge added to the bill. Oceania is a Florida-based company and I paid in American dollars, so the reason for the charge is not clear.

[Mike2131]

I have received the paperwork from Chase to pursue the disputed charge - with the absolute assertion by them that it is a $1,000 charge. In the mail the day after I received, from Chase, a copy of my statement (which I did not even request or need!) showing the charge of $1,030!

 

I have already had the charge canceled by Oceania and placed on my AX card. What a fiasco! It is hard to believe a company as large as Chase cannot fathom what is going on. Then again, maybe it is not so difficult to understand.

[Mike2131]

After almost a month of fighting this through channels with Chase, I have finally gotten this resolved in my favor. What a fiasco!

[LHT28]

After almost a month of fighting this through channels with Chase, I have finally gotten this resolved in my favor. What a fiasco!

 

Just curious

What was their explaination of the extra fee?

[Mike2131]

Just curious

What was their explaination of the extra fee?

 

After speaking with probably 10 separate people at Chase and Visa, the last gentleman at Chase was very helpful. After explaining the situation again (after 10 times I could recite it by heart), he promised to look into it and get it resolved. He asked if I would give him perhaps 10 days to get the answers.

 

He actually called back in about 3 hours and had the answer. It was indeed a Foreign Transaction Fee. He told me that, since the original transaction had been reversed, the FTF was being waived.

 

The bottom line consideration is the status of Oceania in regards to how it processes its business. I understand it is based in Miami, but if it indeed is handling its financial transactions off-shore, that would explain this "coding" as a foreign company. I would strongly suggest that the company (Oceania) clarify this situation for all its passengers. We will certainly not use a Visa or Mastercard for cruise payments or to settle onboard accounts until this situation is resolved.

 

If indeed the management of Oceania reads these boards, please do what you need to do to get this issue handled. This was an unpleasant way to start preparing for a cruise we are eagerly anticipating.

[LHT28]

After speaking with probably 10 separate people at Chase and Visa, the last gentleman at Chase was very helpful. After explaining the situation again (after 10 times I could recite it by heart), he promised to look into it and get it resolved. He asked if I would give him perhaps 10 days to get the answers.

 

Thanks for the expalnation! Glad you got it resolved.

On our British Isles cruise last year our Visa was charged and stated "Oceania cruises Miami Fla." along with the correct amountand their 1 -800-number

so I was confused on all of this.

Must be a U.S.A. card problem.

[barbarag]

I just opened my MNBA Visa bill and there was the 3% foreign transaction fee for the final payment on our Nov.7 Insignia cruise. So now I guess we will start the battle. Any suggestions. I called Mbna and of course, they called Oceania and were told that the charge was because the billing is done from a foreign location (Marshall Islands?) Come on folks, most other cruise lines are registered in foreign locations but as far as I know deposits and final payments are all made in US $ and and sent to US Locations. Why is Oceania not getting this settled. I then called my ta at Cruise Professionals and she claims she knows of noone else this has happened to . I told her about this board. She said she would contact her Oceania rep. All I know is if it is not resolved we will not return to Oceania!

barbara

[barbarag]

Thanks for the expalnation! Glad you got it resolved.

On our British Isles cruise last year our Visa was charged and stated "Oceania cruises Miami Fla." along with the correct amountand their 1 -800-number

so I was confused on all of this.

Must be a U.S.A. card problem.

I just opened my MNBA Visa bill and there was the 3% foreign transaction fee for the final payment on our Nov.7 Insignia cruise. So now I guess we will start the battle. Any suggestions. I called Mbna and of course, they called Oceania and were told that the charge was because the billing is done from a foreign location (Marshall Islands?) Come on folks, most other cruise lines are registered in foreign locations but as far as I know deposits and final payments are all made in US $ and and sent to US Locations. Why is Oceania not getting this settled. I then called my ta at Cruise Professionals and she claims she knows of noone else this has happened to . I told her about this board. She said she would contact her Oceania rep. All I know is if it is not resolved we will not return to Oceania!

barbara

[pacmom]

My husband and I were charged $130 because Oceania uses a bank in Ireland. We and our travel agent have tried to no avail to have the matter resolved. Our cruise is fully booked. They could have offered us that amount in shipboard credit. Their claim is "it is the bank" With offices in Miami, why do transactions thru Ireland? This is our first cruise with this line--not starting off too well. Good luck!!!! Pat

[Trece]

I don't think Oceania has any intentions of fixing this problem. Some of us have theorized that they got some bargain basement credit card processing contract and either didn't know, or didn't care to find out, or just plain don't care, that their passengers are getting hit with these fees. If I got such a charge, I would definitely retaliate by cutting back my purchases on board (particularly high profit items like alcohol) to make up for the difference, and by not cruising with them again after that. Since this problem is only being discussed on this forum, I think it's time to go over to the other forums and tell people how lucky they are that their cruiseline cares about their bottom line. OK, Mr. Del Rio had surgery, had a grandchild, and was on the outskirts of Katrina. He does have STAFF, I presume? Highly paid financial types whose job it is to research and fix things? How about all the months it's been going on before surgery, grandchild, and hurricane? The first post was two months and two days ago, reporting an incident that occured in April! Someone needs to write to a column such as Conde Nast "Ombudsman." Not only will they get to the bottom of it, the matter will become far more public, and maybe there will be more incentive to get it fixed. It needs to be someone who has had the problem.

 

In the meantime, I think it would help if people who have incurred the charge posted the name of the bank and the type of card (Visa, MC etc.) and any program affiliated with it (mileage programs etc.) to help their fellow cruisers isolate what cards NOT to use. Hopefully we care more about each other than Oceania cares about us! :rolleyes:

[pacmom]

Ours was charged on a Juniper Bank mastercard. We have cancelled the card. They would not work with us. Lost at least one customer. Pat:(

[Joe and Ivan]

Hi,

 

We haven't begun our cruise yet, but we haven't experienced the extra charges mentioned when we paid for our November cruises and excursions in November. We've used three different Mastercard accounts at one time or another. Of course, we don't know what we should expect for the shipboard accounts.

 

Ivan

[fsalzer]

...snip...

In the meantime, I think it would help if people who have incurred the charge posted the name of the bank and the type of card (Visa, MC etc.) and any program affiliated with it (mileage programs etc.) to help their fellow cruisers isolate what cards NOT to use. Hopefully we care more about each other than Oceania cares about us! :rolleyes:

 

We just booked our first Oceania cruise and incurred a 3% Foreign Transaction Fee for a payment supposedly made in Miami in USD. We weren't advised of this fee; it just showed on our Visa bill. Ours is an MBNA Visa with FF points.

 

We in the process of obtaining a different card without the foreign transaction fee and will cease using the MBNA card. We're disappointed that Oceania didn't advise us through either our TA or its pricing schedule of the possibility of this fee.

 

Fred

[shoshona2]

Hi,

 

I posted very early in this discussion that Chase Bank told my husband there would be a 3% charge to use our card on Oceania or a foreign airline even if they had an office in the USA. So, we used my citicard/American Airlines Credit card for our July cruise to the Black Sea. Received my bill and NO extra charges. Maybe, by the time you read this, they will do the same as Chase and other bank cards.

 

Sheila

[CAG]

Charged our excursions on our CitiCard/American Airlines card and did not have any additional fees charges.

[PurpleCow]

Just reporting no foreign transaction fee on Capital One Go Miles Visa.

[digby]

What about United Mileage Plus VISA?

[Benita]

Fred, We booked our Oceania deposit with the MBNA Visa card and there was no fee applied.

[jfb128]

We used American Express and no fee was applied.

[ClaudiaF]

What about United Mileage Plus VISA?

 

what about them? did they charge the dreaded extra for charges made from US or not Digby?:rolleyes:

[fsalzer]

Fred, We booked our Oceania deposit with the MBNA Visa card and there was no fee applied.

 

I just reviewed our MBNA Visa bills. The last non-US charge without a foreign transaction fee was 5/20/05. We had no non-US charges until 8/15/05 which was the first date that we had a foreign transaction fee. So it appears that the FTF for for our card was put into effect sometime between those dates.

 

Fred

[LHT28]

I don't think Oceania has any intentions of fixing this problem. Some of us have theorized that they got some bargain basement credit card processing contract and either didn't know, or didn't care to find out, or just plain don't care, that their passengers are getting hit with these fees. :rolleyes:

 

I don't see how it is an Ocenaia problem when not all Credit Cards are hit with the fee. If it was something in the way O processes it's payment you would think everyone would be charged the FEE. :confused:

 

It is interesting that some get charged by some place in Ireland but is this from a deposit in the U.S. or from onboard overseas????

Very confusing!

It seems like another way for CC companies to gouge their card holders.

 

I would be asking the credit card people where they think Oceania is based.

[fsalzer]

I don't see how it is an Ocenaia problem when not all Credit Cards are hit with the fee. If it was something in the way O processes it's payment you would think everyone would be charged the FEE. :confused:

 

It is interesting that some get charged by some place in Ireland but is this from a deposit in the U.S. or from onboard overseas????

Very confusing!

It seems like another way for CC companies to gouge their card holders.

 

I would be asking the credit card people where they think Oceania is based.

 

It's my understanding from talking to both MBNA and my TA that Oceania processes payments through a foreign bank. I understand that my charge incurring the foreign transaction fee was made through Oceania in Miami and the charge was made in USD. CC companies vary on the amount of the foreign transaction fee which is why I'm changing my card.

 

Fred