phabric Posted February 10, 2016 #2426 Share Posted February 10, 2016 When I tried to do $700, the computer would not accept it. The agent did $400 and then $300 with no problem. I have some OBC at $1.10 and $1.41. You might want to do that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z3r0 Posted February 10, 2016 #2427 Share Posted February 10, 2016 I have an Alaskan cruise in August booked in Canadian $, but have a US credit card and US account with a bunch of cash in it, that i paid far less than 1.40 for. Is there any way for me to book excursions through Royal in US money? I know i can book through other tour companies, and might consider that, but I also dont want to wait until I'm on the ship and all of the excursions that I want to go on are booked solid. Thanks, Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robtulipe Posted February 10, 2016 #2428 Share Posted February 10, 2016 [quote name='Z3r0']I have an Alaskan cruise in August booked in Canadian $, but have a US credit card and US account with a bunch of cash in it, that i paid far less than 1.40 for. Is there any way for me to book excursions through Royal in US money? I know i can book through other tour companies, and might consider that, but I also dont want to wait until I'm on the ship and all of the excursions that I want to go on are booked solid. Thanks, Mike[/QUOTE] Our experience has been one must pay for all pre-cruise items and events, like excursion and specialty dinner, in the currency the cruise is booked in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare JessyCruises Posted February 10, 2016 #2429 Share Posted February 10, 2016 [quote name='Z3r0']I have an Alaskan cruise in August booked in Canadian $, but have a US credit card and US account with a bunch of cash in it, that i paid far less than 1.40 for. Is there any way for me to book excursions through Royal in US money? I know i can book through other tour companies, and might consider that, but I also dont want to wait until I'm on the ship and all of the excursions that I want to go on are booked solid. Thanks, Mike[/QUOTE] Could you pay now in CAD and then cancel onboard and rebook with your US Visa? That was you are guaranteed the availability? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z3r0 Posted February 10, 2016 #2430 Share Posted February 10, 2016 If I do that, they'll refund the money to me in $US on the ship, which essentially puts me in the same spot. Paying $1.40+ on the dollar. If there is no way around it, it is what it is and I'll deal. Thanks for the info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluemeansgo Posted February 10, 2016 #2431 Share Posted February 10, 2016 [quote name='Z3r0']If I do that, they'll refund the money to me in $US on the ship, which essentially puts me in the same spot. Paying $1.40+ on the dollar. If there is no way around it, it is what it is and I'll deal. Thanks for the info.[/QUOTE] Wouldn't they refund you in Canadian dollars to your credit card? Pretty sure they have to process refunds to the original card. If it was USD wouldn't they give you the going rate? As an example. A $100 USD excursion charged in CAD originally should be around $140 that I believe is charged in CAD at their set exchange rate. On the ship if they refund in cash it is $100 USD. If it is on credit it is either $100 USD or just a CC refund of 140 CAD based on your original receipt. When you rebook you simply use you American CC and pay in With US cc 100$. Lots of people refund and repay with a different card because they need to use a business card (for example) to track expenses that way so they shouldn't have a problem. Make sure you bring your original receipt and credit card. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robtulipe Posted February 10, 2016 #2432 Share Posted February 10, 2016 (edited) [quote name='Canadian Disney Mom']Could you pay now in CAD and then cancel onboard and rebook with your US Visa? That was you are guaranteed the availability?[/QUOTE] [quote name='bluemeansgo']Wouldn't they refund you in Canadian dollars to your credit card? Pretty sure they have to process refunds to the original card. If it was USD wouldn't they give you the going rate? As an example. A $100 USD excursion charged in CAD originally should be around $140 that I believe is charged in CAD at their set exchange rate. On the ship if they refund in cash it is $100 USD. If it is on credit it is either $100 USD or just a CC refund of 140 CAD based on your original receipt. When you rebook you simply use you American CC and pay in With US cc 100$. Lots of people refund and repay with a different card because they need to use a business card (for example) to track expenses that way so they shouldn't have a problem. Make sure you bring your original receipt and credit card.[/QUOTE] As 23r0 posted the cancelled excursion would be credited to their onboard account in USD and if they didn't buy another excursion or spend it for something else it would be refunded to their credit card in CAD, to a Cdn one I assume since he would be doing the pre-buy in CAD, and the exchange differences and conversion fees would come into play. It would be better just to draw any USD refund credits from their onboard account in USD cash in this situation. ;) Edited February 10, 2016 by robtulipe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken at the beach Posted February 10, 2016 #2433 Share Posted February 10, 2016 [quote name='bluemeansgo']Wouldn't they refund you in Canadian dollars to your credit card? Pretty sure they have to process refunds to the original card. If it was USD wouldn't they give you the going rate? As an example. A $100 USD excursion charged in CAD originally should be around $140 that I believe is charged in CAD at their set exchange rate. On the ship if they refund in cash it is $100 USD. If it is on credit it is either $100 USD or just a CC refund of 140 CAD based on your original receipt. When you rebook you simply use you American CC and pay in With US cc 100$. Lots of people refund and repay with a different card because they need to use a business card (for example) to track expenses that way so they shouldn't have a problem. Make sure you bring your original receipt and credit card.[/QUOTE] Cancellations done 48 hours prior to sailing will be refunded to the credit card that was used to purchase them. Cancellations within 48 hours of sailing or on board will be posted as an OBC to their Sea-pass account in US$ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CGinMTL Posted February 18, 2016 #2434 Share Posted February 18, 2016 CAd is on the way up. CBC Financial report says we may have hit bottom in January. Hope they are correct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goodml Posted February 18, 2016 #2435 Share Posted February 18, 2016 [quote name='CGinMTL']CAd is on the way up. CBC Financial report says we may have hit bottom in January. Hope they are correct.[/QUOTE] Let's hope. David Doyle of Macquarrie Capital who predicted the 69 cent loonie said a couple of weeks ago we're going to 59 especially if we get another Bank of Canada rate cut which is a real possibility. I really hope he's wrong. Ideal would be 75-80 to keep us competitive but still make things affordable. Current rates are a definite buzz kill.:( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skatie Posted February 18, 2016 #2436 Share Posted February 18, 2016 Just getting off Indepenence now(slowly!). I did the cash account and bought ObC at $1.10 rate. I went to casino every night to withdraw my cash first night they let me take $500 and then I asked the second night for $500 and she told me $300 was max and person night before was mistaken. But an easy process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soccerdad64 Posted February 18, 2016 #2437 Share Posted February 18, 2016 [SIZE="6"][/SIZE][quote name='goodml']Let's hope. David Doyle of Macquarrie Capital who predicted the 69 cent loonie said a couple of weeks ago we're going to 59 especially if we get another Bank of Canada rate cut which is a real possibility. I really hope he's wrong. Ideal would be 75-80 to keep us competitive but still make things affordable. Current rates are a definite buzz kill.:([/QUOTE] What's next believing the weather forecast? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluemeansgo Posted February 18, 2016 #2438 Share Posted February 18, 2016 I have some USD bought @ 1.10 and I need advice getting out Euros for a trip with ports in Kotor, Corfu, Athens, Mykonos, Venice or Argostoli. Any tips on where to do the exchange to Euros? On the ship? In port? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CGinMTL Posted February 19, 2016 #2439 Share Posted February 19, 2016 [quote name='bluemeansgo']I have some USD bought @ 1.10 and I need advice getting out Euros for a trip with ports in Kotor, Corfu, Athens, Mykonos, Venice or Argostoli. Any tips on where to do the exchange to Euros? On the ship? In port?[/QUOTE] Personally, I would not use USd to get Euro. Save the USD for your ship costs. I always change all my money at home before I go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hancogran Posted February 19, 2016 #2440 Share Posted February 19, 2016 [quote name='CGinMTL']Personally, I would not use USd to get Euro. Save the USD for your ship costs. I always change all my money at home before I go.[/QUOTE] I totally agree with you. :) This past May we got off a transatlantic in Belgium and I had some U.S. dollars with me (leftover from our OBC on the ship) and was going to purchase Euros... Not a good idea! The exchange rate was terrible and we were going to lose so much vs buying Euros at home before we left using Canadian funds! I ended up using my Canadian credit card when necessary and just brought my U.S. dollars back with me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare A&L_Ont Posted February 19, 2016 #2441 Share Posted February 19, 2016 If you have a some Euro left over you could always use it to tip the crew with it on the ship over tipping in US funds, that is if you tip over and above.:) The crew would also use it in the ports of call, and you don't pay double exchange rates on it when you return home. YOu can use the US when you return home, perhaps on another cruise where as the Euro could wait much longer to be used if you didn't excahnge it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Host Jacquelyn Posted February 19, 2016 #2442 Share Posted February 19, 2016 (edited) No the rate for OBC is different than the rates for gratuities etc. The gratuities rate is determined by the rate at the time you buy the cruise. The OBC rate changed on January 7th to $1.40 CAD per $1.00 USD. RCCL is charging 1.41 today. Official bank rate last night was 1.37 Edited February 19, 2016 by Host Jacquelyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maryann2 Posted February 19, 2016 #2443 Share Posted February 19, 2016 I have some USD bought @ 1.10 and I need advice getting out Euros for a trip with ports in Kotor, Corfu, Athens, Mykonos, Venice or Argostoli. Any tips on where to do the exchange to Euros? On the ship? In port? I usually have euros left from previous trips but you could get some small bills from your bank before you go. I always use ATMs in Europe to withdraw from my debit card. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarea Posted February 19, 2016 #2444 Share Posted February 19, 2016 I have some USD bought @ 1.10 and I need advice getting out Euros for a trip with ports in Kotor, Corfu, Athens, Mykonos, Venice or Argostoli. Any tips on where to do the exchange to Euros? On the ship? In port? I would use an ATM on land to get Euros from a debit card. We have gotten the best exchange rates that way. Since we travel to Europe from time to time, and I like to have some Euros with me just in case, I make sure I have around 100 Euros to take home, for use on the next trip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Funbobby68 Posted February 19, 2016 #2445 Share Posted February 19, 2016 I would use an ATM on land to get Euros from a debit card. We have gotten the best exchange rates that way. Since we travel to Europe from time to time, and I like to have some Euros with me just in case, I make sure I have around 100 Euros to take home, for use on the next trip. I'm the same way with usd , if I have even 5 buck us left , I always tell the wife , that's it we got to go back :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinkertwo Posted February 19, 2016 #2446 Share Posted February 19, 2016 RCCL is charging 1.41 today. Official bank rate last night was 1.37 are you talking about the bank of Canada rate because the banks sell it to us at a higher rate so while the bank of Canada states the rate is 1.37 if you go into the bank it will cost you more. 1.41 sounds about right. the banks has to purchase us from the bank of Canada then it tops up when it sells to you. that is to pay for the shipping costs of the money and for the bank to make a profit. if the bank of Canada rate is 1.37 then purchase rate is likely to be in the area of 1.41. on the other side of the coin, if you are selling it back to the bank then your rate would be more like 1.35. you will never get the bank of Canada rate so don't go by this without adding a bit on to what you expect to pay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Funbobby68 Posted February 19, 2016 #2447 Share Posted February 19, 2016 I check with my credit union the other day and was quoted 1.40 . Hardly worth the gas to go to the bank for the .01 cent saving Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinCruiser Posted February 19, 2016 #2448 Share Posted February 19, 2016 I've done a lot of checking exchange rates lately, at the banks, credit unions and currency exchange places. ICE is the worst. The best I've found is the BC Currency Exchange for us in BC. I got some US on Wednesday at a rate of 1.3806. Yesterday is was 1.3860. They post the rate daily on their web page. Looks like they only have locations in Surrey, White Rock and Abbotsford. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hancogran Posted February 19, 2016 #2449 Share Posted February 19, 2016 (edited) Out of curiosity, I just went to my online banking site (TD) to transfer some Canadian to my U.S. account. The current rate to buy U.S. is 1.4149 (good for 2 minutes). I just canceled the transaction and will wait to see what happens next week. :mad: Edited to add that I was told years ago by the bank that if I had a U.S. account, I'd get a better exchange rate! :eek: Edited February 19, 2016 by hancogran Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skatie Posted February 19, 2016 #2450 Share Posted February 19, 2016 (edited) Canadian Cruisers - if anyone is going on Independence or your ship will disembark at pier 25, do yourselves a favour and do self disembarking and leave early. We missed our 12pm Air Canada flight to Toronto yesterday - we stood in lines for 3 hours to get off ship and through Customs. I knew by reading these boards that it was not a good process for this pier so we went to Guest Services on last sea day to ask for first baggage tags called and got #9 which was 8:30 and we didn't get called until 9:30 - got luggage at 10:10 and stood in Non-US customs line until 11:25. There were only 2 Customs Officers for Non US and were painfully slow. There were about 10 other Canadians that arrived at airport after us in same situation - AC rebooked us on 7;15pm flights - we are exhausted today after getting home at midnight versus 3pm :( Bad ending to a great cruise. Edited February 19, 2016 by skatie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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