Canadian cruisers!!

[ladysail2]

Thank you for this! Ok, so I need to look for certain machines. I just need to make sure I don't get a voucher for $500 and put it in the wrong machine!!!!!

 

True, LOL. I was thinking that not all machines take vouchers, so you may not even be able to insert the voucher. I sure wouldn't want to lose a $500 voucher either!! Better to find the specified machines and be safe :D

[NBcruiser]

Hi there, sorry if I missed it in the post, but could someone explain this to mean. If I understand correctly, if I call Gifts and Gear and ask to prepurchase obc then I get it at an exchange rate of 1.1 which is a great deal. I called Gifts and Gear this morning and she had no idea what I was talking about. Told me that obc would be charged at normal currency rate for Canadians. Should I be asking for something different, or is it possible that this is no longer in effect. Thanks for your help.

[tinkertwo]

Hi there, sorry if I missed it in the post, but could someone explain this to mean. If I understand correctly, if I call Gifts and Gear and ask to prepurchase obc then I get it at an exchange rate of 1.1 which is a great deal. I called Gifts and Gear this morning and she had no idea what I was talking about. Told me that obc would be charged at normal currency rate for Canadians. Should I be asking for something different, or is it possible that this is no longer in effect. Thanks for your help.

 

1.10 is the normal currency rate with rcl.

first, did you book your cruse in canadian funds? if yes, call back and tell them you would like to purchase an XX U.S. dollar OBC. they will take your credit card information and then tell you what amount they are going to charge to your (canadian) credit card.

thats it, very easy. I have never asked them the exchange rate, they always tell me the amount. try again and see how you make out. good luck.

[rinse82]

Thought I would come and give an update on my onboard credit experience. Just got off the Anthrm of the Seas on Saturday.

 

My onboard credit certificates were waiting for me in my room when I got there, and it was the exact amount that I had purchased. Although it was immediately available to use, it did not appear on my account until the second day. So far so good.

 

Where things got a little difficult is when I tried to get cash from the casino. They refused to give me cash the first time I tried. They said that the new "fleet wide" policy was that only chips or slot vouchers could be given. I asked when this policy started, but they couldn't give me an answer. I decided to wait another day to see a different person at the casino, but was met with the same result.

 

I then decided to go to Guest Services because the RC Gifts & Gear told me that I would be able to get cash from the casino when I purchased the credit. The person at Guest Services apologized and restated the policy of no cash at the casino, but that I could use the ATM if I needed cash. I re-expressed my concern that my spending money for port days was dependant on getting some of my credit. So he leaned in and then suggested that I may want to purchase some chips at the casino, wait a while, and go cash them in as the workaround to the policy.

 

So I decided to play the game and go purchase some chips. The next day I went to cash them in only to be told that they don't cash chips in. What??? Her answer was you purchased them so now you have to play them. I explained that I had changed my mind and that I did not want to play the tables, but to no avail. So I asked that they be converted to slot vouchers, which she was able to do.

 

My wife and I played some slots, and then I decided to cash out the rest for the night as we were tired. When this is done, the machine spits out a cash out voucher. I decided to try my luck with the new person at casino window who immediately took the voucher and gave me cash. Here was the workaround. From that point on I was able to purchase play vouchers, simply stick them in the slot machine, cash out immediately and then proceed to get cash.

 

Kind of a pain, but at least I was able to get to my money.

 

How would the Casino teller know that you didn't play the chips that you were trying to cash in the next day? Unless they give you a 'redeemable' chip at the teller that you then exchange for real chips at the tables.

[NBcruiser]

1.10 is the normal currency rate with rcl.

first, did you book your cruse in canadian funds? if yes, call back and tell them you would like to purchase an XX U.S. dollar OBC. they will take your credit card information and then tell you what amount they are going to charge to your (canadian) credit card.

thats it, very easy. I have never asked them the exchange rate, they always tell me the amount. try again and see how you make out. good luck.

 

This worked!!! Thanks for your help!

[M. St. Louis]

Just bought $400 US, worked a dream using the G&G number and spiel above.

 

Thanks for the brilliant thread.

[markol]

Awesome! Just purchased $300 OBC for $330 CAD. This is amazing - I might buy some more before the cruise considering our exchange rate now is almost 1.4 :mad:

[KRUSA]

I just bought $1500 US for $1650 Cdn. The guy I spoke to said I could buy any amount I wished to and said there was no limit.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[poutanen]

I just bought $1500 US for $1650 Cdn. The guy I spoke to said I could buy any amount I wished to and said there was no limit.

 

Crap! I must have got the wrong guy cause I was limited to $499 per week. FYI I also ended up having credit card fraud the day that I booked my OBC. I don't think it was related, but called RCI directly to confirm the OBC was showing on the account, and sure enough it was there.

 

Still not sure where somebody else got my card number to pay for a hotel in Punta Cana?!?

[squadron]

Ugh. That's awful. And definitely not what anyone wants to hear.

So, for someone like me, who has never been or played in a casino ( except the ONE time I went in to withdrawal my stateroom credit on my last cruise) what are we suppose to

do? I have $2500 on account for my cruise. I plan to spend some onboard, but was planning on withdrawing at least $800 for private excursions throughout the week .

So I have to get vouchers? Then not play? And cash them in? I'm not really understanding. Would really appreciate a step by step explanation . Slots/tables ... never played them nor do I want to start. Hoping there is an easier way.

 

I'm wondering the same thing - never gamble. and have no idea how to withdraw my purchased OBC with the new procedure. I am sailing in Feb and was planning to use some for shore use. Last Sept I did get the feeling that casino staff weren't very pleased when I withdrew cash before port days. Has the procedure been made more difficult because of abuse - having $10,000 to $20,000 OBC???? These amounts were mentioned in one post sound.

[TOCruisers]

So good news is that you can purchase more than $500 per call but then we need to go through a couple more steps to get the cash out. Hopefully, then GS will give us cash out any time. I wonder how many times policy will change before my next cruise.

 

Yes I wondered if my new Amazon.Ca Visa from Chase would charge a bad exchange rate b/c there was no transaction fee, so on a day I used it for a USA purchase I also got the exchange rate at 2 places, a border money exchange office and my bank, and there was only a difference of pennies. I was surprised the border exchange was so good, I thought they were bandits.

 

Customers who had Sears MC got replacement Scotia MCs but BNS does not issue new MCs for new applicants until next year so I also got the Amazon MC with no FX transaction fees. I did not know they had no FX transaction fee Visa. All visa CCs get the same FX exchange rate set by Visa International daily, which has decent exchange rates. Also for some major currencies such as US, Euro, Pound etc. they now convert directly from say Euro to CAD currency, no more double conversions Euro-USD-CAD as some one mentioned. Never accept Dynamic conversion, ie. let the retailers (incl. RCCL) do the conversion at higher rates. I was asked this everytime we used the CC in Barcelona.

 

Friends who I traveled with had $20,000 OBC and they had no trouble getting it from Guest Services.

We gambled daily and only down a little for the week, so all in all a great ROI!

Just curious. Do you and your friend bring back the large amount of OBC in cash?

 

I don't think I read a post by the poster who successfully got the remainder of USD OBC to USD CC at the end of the cruise without RCCL messing up.

[Bob7]

(snip) Never accept Dynamic conversion, ie. let the retailers (incl. RCCL) do the conversion at higher rates. I was asked this everytime we used the CC in Barcelona. (snip)

Yes, we've seen all the cruise lines on their online checkin form offer a currency transaction fee (to the currency of the card) for 3 %, while all the cards that charge for this do it for 2 -2.5 %. Who would let the ship do this for a higher fee? You'd at least think the ship would match the 2.5 % fee just to compete for the business.

[Omishjoe]

So good news is that you can purchase more than $500 per call but then we need to go through a couple more steps to get the cash out. Hopefully, then GS will give us cash out any time. I wonder how many times policy will change before my next cruise.

 

 

 

Customers who had Sears MC got replacement Scotia MCs but BNS does not issue new MCs for new applicants until next year so I also got the Amazon MC with no FX transaction fees. I did not know they had no FX transaction fee Visa. All visa CCs get the same FX exchange rate set by Visa International daily, which has decent exchange rates. Also for some major currencies such as US, Euro, Pound etc. they now convert directly from say Euro to CAD currency, no more double conversions Euro-USD-CAD as some one mentioned. Never accept Dynamic conversion, ie. let the retailers (incl. RCCL) do the conversion at higher rates. I was asked this everytime we used the CC in Barcelona.

 

 

Just curious. Do you and your friend bring back the large amount of OBC in cash?

 

I don't think I read a post by the poster who successfully got the remainder of USD OBC to USD CC at the end of the cruise without RCCL messing up.

 

You can do either. I have done both. I get cash for the casino and port walking around money and before the end of the cruise I put my US CC on file to have whatever I don't gamble back onto the card as a positive balance to withdraw as cash when I get home. Saves having to carry wads of cash while travelling.

 

RCL's conversion did not apply as the balance of OBC was going back onto a US$ credit card.

 

Oj!

Edited December 19, 2015 by Omishjoe

[squadron]

You can do either. I have done both. I get cash for the casino and port walking around money and before the end of the cruise I put my US CC on file to have whatever I don't gamble back onto the card as a positive balance to withdraw as cash when I get home. Saves having to carry wads of cash while travelling.

 

RCL's conversion did not apply as the balance of OBC was going back onto a US$ credit card.

 

Oj!

 

When I asked a teller in my bank was told I couldn't withdraw cash from my American card - it would remain as a credit - which makes sense to me. Is that incorrect and you can withdraw cash??

[skatie]

Thank you thank you so much for this info on the dollar exchange using OBCs. I just called and asked for $500 US OBC and he laughed and said I can only do $499. So I took that and was charged $548.90 to my Canadian Credit Card (i looked up the exchange on line and at todays rate would have been $692 Cdn if I pulled out of bank!) I forgot to ask if I can add another $499 another day or is there a limit - I believe I've read various responses so maybe next week I'll try again. Also my 19 year old daughter is travelling with me so maybe I can ask for another $499 for her?

 

I've set up my online check in as Cash and as per all the valuable learnings here, my plan is to withdraw cash as needed from casino or slot cash-out vouchers throughout the cruise and on last sea day I'll go to front desk and give them my USD TD Visa to return any leftover OBC. I will just let that excess sit on my US Visa to pay off any Cruise expenses like my hotel night before or until my next cross border shopping trip! Do I have this right - am I missing anything in the process!!

 

A question - there is a "free" $300 US OBC given to me as part of the promotion when I booked the cruise. I doubt this will happen, but if I don't even use up $300 of extras on the cruise, will they refund any of this $300 credit back to me or is it lost as it was their promotion? Thanks everyone for such great info! Jo-Anne

[jtdlmc]

When I asked a teller in my bank was told I couldn't withdraw cash from my American card - it would remain as a credit - which makes sense to me. Is that incorrect and you can withdraw cash??

 

My bank says I can when I asked about a credit on my US Visa:

 

"You can transfer the credit balance on your TD Credit Card as a Cash Advance into your TD Canada Trust account using the "Make a Transfer" option in EasyWeb, or withdraw it directly from a branch at any time.

 

If you have a credit balance on your TD Credit Card and transfer that balance into your chequing/savings account, effectively bringing your TD Credit Card balance to zero, no interest or cash advance fee will be charged, as there is no money owing to TD Canada Trust on your account."

Edited December 19, 2015 by jtdlmc

[bluemeansgo]

You will lose the $300 if you don't use it.

[Fishnbrews]

Called today and asked for $1000 us onboard credit. No problems charged my credit card $1100 Canadian. Awesome deal , savings of almost 300. Probably going to call back and get another $1000 before we leave.

[skatie]

Called today and asked for $1000 us onboard credit. No problems charged my credit card $1100 Canadian. Awesome deal , savings of almost 300. Probably going to call back and get another $1000 before we leave.

 

Do you mind me asking what number you called? I'd like to get more than the $499 that agent allowed me earlier today. Thx

[ckrobyn]

 

A question - there is a "free" $300 US OBC given to me as part of the promotion when I booked the cruise. I doubt this will happen, but if I don't even use up $300 of extras on the cruise, will they refund any of this $300 credit back to me or is it lost as it was their promotion? Thanks everyone for such great info! Jo-Anne

 

The $300 that RCI gave you as incentive to book, is "non-refundable" OBC. You have to use all of it, or your lose it.

 

The OBC that YOU purchase on your credit card, for yourself is "refundable" OBC. I bought a significant amount of OBC for my Indy cruise last month and there was a sheet in my cabin when I boarded showing me the refundable amount (what I had pre-purchased) and the non-refundable (what they had offered me as incentive to book).

[Fishnbrews]

1 800 722-5443. From reading this forum it seems it's a hit or miss with agents when you call. Some say it's a 499 limit and some say there's no limit. I would keep calling tell you get someone who will give you more.

[phabric]

The $300 that RCI gave you as incentive to book, is "non-refundable" OBC. You have to use all of it, or your lose it.

 

The OBC that YOU purchase on your credit card, for yourself is "refundable" OBC. I bought a significant amount of OBC for my Indy cruise last month and there was a sheet in my cabin when I boarded showing me the refundable amount (what I had pre-purchased) and the non-refundable (what they had offered me as incentive to book).

 

Why not go to a penny or quarter machine, set up a casino account on the machine. Transfer your $300 OBC from sail account to casino account, play a dollar or two. Transfer your balance to your casino account and cash out. Take you voucher to the casino cashier and they will give you your money. That way if anyone says anything, you have played the slots.

[squadron]

My bank says I can when I asked about a credit on my US Visa:

 

"You can transfer the credit balance on your TD Credit Card as a Cash Advance into your TD Canada Trust account using the "Make a Transfer" option in EasyWeb, or withdraw it directly from a branch at any time.

 

If you have a credit balance on your TD Credit Card and transfer that balance into your chequing/savings account, effectively bringing your TD Credit Card balance to zero, no interest or cash advance fee will be charged, as there is no money owing to TD Canada Trust on your account."

 

Thanks for the information - it is a TD AM credit card that I have!

[Omishjoe]

Thank you thank you so much for this info on the dollar exchange using OBCs. I just called and asked for $500 US OBC and he laughed and said I can only do $499. So I took that and was charged $548.90 to my Canadian Credit Card (i looked up the exchange on line and at todays rate would have been $692 Cdn if I pulled out of bank!) I forgot to ask if I can add another $499 another day or is there a limit - I believe I've read various responses so maybe next week I'll try again. Also my 19 year old daughter is travelling with me so maybe I can ask for another $499 for her?

 

I've set up my online check in as Cash and as per all the valuable learnings here, my plan is to withdraw cash as needed from casino or slot cash-out vouchers throughout the cruise and on last sea day I'll go to front desk and give them my USD TD Visa to return any leftover OBC. I will just let that excess sit on my US Visa to pay off any Cruise expenses like my hotel night before or until my next cross border shopping trip! Do I have this right - am I missing anything in the process!!

 

A question - there is a "free" $300 US OBC given to me as part of the promotion when I booked the cruise. I doubt this will happen, but if I don't even use up $300 of extras on the cruise, will they refund any of this $300 credit back to me or is it lost as it was their promotion? Thanks everyone for such great info! Jo-Anne

 

From what I have read here on Cruise Critic, the non-refundable credit gets used up first although it is combined with all of your OBC. So if you spend at least $300 of your OBC, that will be used first and you should be fine.

 

Oj!

[tinkertwo]

When I asked a teller in my bank was told I couldn't withdraw cash from my American card - it would remain as a credit - which makes sense to me. Is that incorrect and you can withdraw cash??

 

have your teller talk to her supervisor. you can for sure do a cash advance from you u.s. credit card. now they may charge a cash advance fee but it should not be more than a few dollars. most cards will waive it if it is to retrieve a credit balance but never assume.

good luck!