For Canadian cruisers

[lyban]

I have paid for my cruise with cdn. dollars on my AE.

Also the wine package with cdn dollars on my AE

Now I would like to make sure my on board account which I linked my AE to will also be in Canadian dollars.

Is their a place on my reservation or on line check in where I can check what currency my on board will be.

I cannot find it and when I phone they say they cannot get into my online check-in. That I have to do that online.

[canuckcruiselover]

I have paid for my cruise with cdn. dollars on my AE.

Also the wine package with cdn dollars on my AE

Now I would like to make sure my on board account which I linked my AE to will also be in Canadian dollars.

Is their a place on my reservation or on line check in where I can check what currency my on board will be.

I cannot find it and when I phone they say they cannot get into my online check-in. That I have to do that online.

 

Your onboard account will be in US dollars. When you complete the online check-in, there is a choice of whether to have RCL convert the charges or your credit card company. When you check-in at the port, just double-check that they have a note that your credit card company will do the conversion. It's cheaper than RCL doing it.

[workingonlytocruise]

Open your account as cash. Then go to the service desk 3 or 4 days in and change it. They are notoriously bad for not listening when you say Cdn.

[Toddcan]

Correct me if I am looking at this wrong:

 

I pay for my cruises in $US. It's just "easier" since this is the default -especially onboard.

 

So, what am I missing? Is the exhange rate charged by Royal (if I paid in $CDN) better than what my card charges me when they convert the $US on my next statement? I never get any "foregin transaction fees" or anything like that - just exchange.

[CKCruising]

Correct me if I am looking at this wrong:

 

I pay for my cruises in $US. It's just "easier" since this is the default -especially onboard.

 

So, what am I missing? Is the exhange rate charged by Royal (if I paid in $CDN) better than what my card charges me when they convert the $US on my next statement? I never get any "foregin transaction fees" or anything like that - just exchange.

 

The RCI exchange rate is set when you book so if the CAD is going down, you will win. If it is going up, you will loose. From what I've seen, the RCI rate is better than the bank and you will always pay the credit card about 2.5% over the actual rate (unless you have a USD card). In my case, my cruise was almost the same in CAD and USD (less than .5%). I paid for it in December when the difference would have been over 10%.

 

You can get both rates and decide which works best for you.

[lyban]

toddcan,

 

Are you sure you are not being charged foreign transaction charges.

They do not show up on your statement as such.

They are built into the us conversion charges so they are not noticable but all visas and AmerX charge 2.5% on each transaction + the conversion charges.

 

On a cruise that could be quite a bit.

 

I ordered my cruise in June 2013 for Feb 2014 and asked for cdn dollars to be charged. as you know June was much more favorable for me than now.

So I am glad I did that.

Also when my AE came in, I payed the exact fare they charged me without AE adding 2.5 %.

 

I hope I am explaining this properly.

[Ken at the beach]

If you have booked in CDN$ it is currently very advantageous to book as much as you can online ahead of time. i.e. Specialty restaurants, spa etc.. RCI has a very favourable exchange rate and if you wait until onboard then you will be charged in US$.

[enginerd314159]

Can you purchase OBC in advance on RCI?

[Host Jacquelyn]

Open your account as cash. Then go to the service desk 3 or 4 days in and change it. They are notoriously bad for not listening when you say Cdn.

 

I can vouch for that. Years ago, I made sure to specify it [1] ahead of time, [2] at check in , [3] at the purser's desk and [4] at the purser's desk a second time as it did not appear to take. Each time, I was assured I would be charged in Canadian dollars. In the end, I was charged in US$. I just gave up and never tried again as I wasted so much time in the past :(

[workingonlytocruise]

Can you purchase OBC in advance on RCI?

 

yes you can.

[Toddcan]

Kinda bizarre, but for my particular sailing, the $US price for a JS dropped like a rock for a little bit, but the $CDN did not. So, took the JS - but had to pay in $USD, so I did.

 

I'll investigate the FX fee in my visa bill - see if it's really that bad (ie, gogin rate +2.5%). On a $2,000 cruise, that could be $50 difference, you're right.

[AlbertaCruisers]

...

 

So, what am I missing? Is the exhange rate charged by Royal (if I paid in $CDN) better than what my card charges me when they convert the $US on my next statement? I never get any "foregin transaction fees" or anything like that - just exchange.

 

I always pay in US and let my credit card charge me the fee, I pay the exchange rate plus 2.5%. The last time I checked out the fee to have RCI convert and change me in CDN it was the exchange rate (which was worse then my card was charging) plus a fee that was more than 2.5%. I just looked on RCI's website and their fee is 3% (and I'm not sure what they use as the exchange rate). http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do?pagename=frequently_asked_questions&faqId=5503&faqSubjectId=472

 

I always pull a bill before the end of the cruise and make sure the bottom shows that it is being charged in USD (says somewhere by the total usually).

 

Sue

[lyban]

Albertacruiser,

 

We'll your experience then has been different than mine.

I just rechecked all my paperwork.

I paid in CDN dollars for my cruise and the conversion was less than I would find anywhere here according to visa or Amex rates and there was no other charges at all.

It came thru on my statement as the exact amount rci mentioned.

[nanwel]

When I book, I use a travel agent - not for all my trips, but for US cruises, I get a better price, US conversion is not as bad.

And, usually let them charge my account in US, but pay it in cash - I get out US cash at my bank cheaper than buying US on board. As soon as I get onboard, I put the $ I think I will spend on my onboard account - it just sits there and reduces, until the last night - if you have a balance, it will be returned in US cash - if you still owe some more, it can be charged, or you can pay it off in cash - US or Canadian - but their rate is never as good as I get from my home bank.

In Asia, I took US as well, and bought local small amounts for day trips from the ship - there the exchange was much better than buying it from Canada, but if I had used Canadian, it would be changed to US, then the local currency - very expensive way to go.

[AlbertaCruisers]

Albertacruiser,

 

 

 

We'll your experience then has been different than mine.

 

I just rechecked all my paperwork.

 

I paid in CDN dollars for my cruise and the conversion was less than I would find anywhere here according to visa or Amex rates and there was no other charges at all.

 

It came thru on my statement as the exact amount rci mentioned.

 

 

Sorry, to be clear paying for the cruise in CAD, especially now with the current exchange rate will be way better. I was talking about your onboard account while on the ship. That is in USD even if you paid for your cruise in CDN. So you either let them charge your onboard account to your credit card in USD and let your card convert or you let RCI convert to CDN where they use some exchange rate and charge a 3% fee.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[AlbertaCruisers]

Sorry, to be clear paying for the cruise in CAD, especially now with the current exchange rate will be way better. I was talking about your onboard account while on the ship. That is in USD even if you paid for your cruise in CDN. So you either let them charge your onboard account to your credit card in USD and let your card convert or you let RCI convert to CDN where they use some exchange rate and charge a 3% fee.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

 

To clarify further I just canceled my April 2015 cruise as it was in USD and booked for the exact amount in CDN. That is a no brainer. I lost $300 of OBC from a US TA but I am 100% confident that the savings from not paying in USD will be way more than $300, especially if the dollar gets to $0.80 as someone predicted.

 

But for on the ship, for example if you buy a watch they don't say you paid for the cruise in CDN so that is $100 CDN no, it will be $100 US and then either the ship converts to CDN and charged you a 3% fee or you let them charge your card in USD and you card converts and pays the fee.

 

Sorry, don't know if that is any more clear.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Tiggs14]

So just to be clear RCI will charge the Canadian dollar amount to your Canadian credit card.

 

I has asked my travel agent about this and she said they would convert it to US dollars before billing it to the credit card.

 

We have a US credit card but with the very minimal price difference between US and Canadian amounts on the website it makes much more sense to pay in Canadian dollars with our Canadian credit card.

[Plan.B]

We've cruised on other lines, this will be 1st time on RCCL. Just noticed on this board US$-CDN$ exchange rate on Deposit will be the same exchange rate at Final Payment. Has anyone found a way to get the US$-CAD$ exchange rate on the exact date of Final Payment? Booked on-line with CDN credit card.

[LucasLounger1]

We've cruised on other lines, this will be 1st time on RCCL. Just noticed on this board US$-CDN$ exchange rate on Deposit will be the same exchange rate at Final Payment. Has anyone found a way to get the US$-CAD$ exchange rate on the exact date of Final Payment? Booked on-line with CDN credit card.

 

Yes - if you transfer to a TA.

 

We purchased a NCC last cruise, and they charged me in USD, so the whole next cruise had to be charged in USD. Subsequently I decided to transfer to a TA for the first time. In discussions with him about the lousy exchange he said that since I pay him (who pays Royal), I could make part payments whenever I notice the exchange to be favourable.

 

I've been hosed twice paying is USD. The first time I lost about $200 on the cruise, we'll have to wait and see how badly I do this time (and I know exactly what I would have paid in CAD since our cruising friends booked in CAD [smart people!]). Never again will I pay in USD.

Edited July 12, 2014 by LucasLounger1

[The Sunset Glow]

If you have booked in CDN$ it is currently very advantageous to book as much as you can online ahead of time. i.e. Specialty restaurants, spa etc.. RCI has a very favourable exchange rate and if you wait until onboard then you will be charged in US$.

 

^^This.....

 

I know this is a touchy subject but we also always prepay our tips in CDN$$ before hand.

[The Sunset Glow]

Here's another scenario that we've run into........

 

We pay for the cruise through a Canadian TA on a Canadian CC but we also have a US$$ CC that we use for onboard purchases so we avoid conversion and transaction fees altogether.

 

On our last two cruises, even though we selected to pay our onboard account in US$$, they've gone ahead and converted the amount to CDN$$ and then charged it to our US$$ CC who then converted it back to US$$ with fees:mad:

 

This cost us about $100 each time. Both times we've had to contact RCI to refund us the conversion costs. First time they refunded us without question, second time about 3 months later we had to wait for our statement to arrive and fax it in to them as proof, then they refunded us. What a pain!

 

We are going again in September on a B2B and you can be sure that we will be at guest services on the last night of each cruise making sure this screw up does not happen again.:cool:

[LucasLounger1]

I thought all those things were adjusted - for example the deposit in CAD is higher in dollar amount than an American deposit. (isn't it?)

[willing292]

I have paid for my cruise with cdn. dollars on my AE.

Also the wine package with cdn dollars on my AE

Now I would like to make sure my on board account which I linked my AE to will also be in Canadian dollars.

Is their a place on my reservation or on line check in where I can check what currency my on board will be.

I cannot find it and when I phone they say they cannot get into my online check-in. That I have to do that online.

 

 

Just off a b2b. The first cruise was correctly charged to my credit card in US $. My credit card company converted it to CDN. The second cruise was converted at RCIs rate. I found out this half way thru the week when I asked for a subtotal. When I told them I didn't want them converting the money, they said that the error was made when I checked in. Considering I technically didn't check in for the second cruise, I can only assume that they default to convert, as the first week was correct. They offered to change it, but as my bill was low, I left it. I am Canadian and booked the cruise in Canadian $.

 

 

Shirley, Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[son3cruisers]

Totally new to Royal Caribeen....

BUT BOOK IN CANADIAN FUNDS!!! The exchange rate was awesome!

I did my booking in Canadian funds. $3900

I went back online, switched the country on the top of the main page ( right side) to UNITED STATES.

Then did a dummy booking, same sailing... And to my surprise, It was only $20 cheaper in US funds ( yes $20!!)

 

Now, there was a bigger difference in port excursions...A cabana on Nelliee beach was $250 US but $270 CAN.

Very strange ...but works for me!

 

Now, for ONBOARD purchases, it sounds like a better idea to make sure I'm charged in US funds and use my US credit card , to avoid extra exchange rates that sound like are being charged ONBOARD... ( 3% on top if regular exchange rate?)

Edited July 20, 2014 by son3cruisers

[Ken at the beach]

Totally new to Royal Caribeen....

BUT BOOK IN CANADIAN FUNDS!!! The exchange rate was awesome!

I did my booking in Canadian funds. $3900

I went back online, switched the country on the top of the main page ( right side) to UNITED STATES.

Then did a dummy booking, same sailing... And to my surprise, It was only $20 cheaper in US funds ( yes $20!!)

 

Now, there was a bigger difference in port excursions...A cabana on Nelliee beach was $250 US but $270 CAN.

Very strange ...but works for me!

 

Now, for ONBOARD purchases, it sounds like a better idea to make sure I'm charged in US funds and use my US credit card , to avoid extra exchange rates that sound like are being charged ONBOARD... ( 3% on top if regular exchange rate?)

 

Many cruises are priced like this particularly the ones that are a long ways away. I've taken advantage of some great deals this way.

 

Even the $270 for the cabana is a better deal than paying for it in US$ and then having to convert to CDN$. This is true for most things that can be purchased ahead of time.

 

We always have all onboard purchases charged to our US$ credit card. At home in Ontario I also have a US$ bank account that I will add money to throughout the year so when my bill comes in I can pay it from that.