Canadian cruisers!!

[Ourusualbeach]

Wondering if I made the right choice exchange wise. I think RCCL will convert it to CAD using an exchange rate that is better than the credit card company converting it. When purchasing the cruise RCCL only charged 10% to pay in CAD instead of around 28% I would have had to pay my credit card company if RCCL billed me in US$.

 

Maybe Ken can come by and confirm, but I have never read that Royal's exchange rate is better than the credit card company's. I think the OBC thing that's been available lately is an anomoly.

 

Do not let Royal do the currency exchange on your final Seapass bill. It will be worse than the 28% at the bank. As Bob said the ability to buy the OBC ahead of time at a 10% exchange is an anomaly.

 

Cruise pricing varies. On several that I have recently booked they are charging around a 25% premium. The ones I booked last year were a relative steal at about a 10% premium.

 

If I were in your shoes when checking in I would not give a credit card at all. It does not matter that you provided one on line as they will ask for it anyway. Set both cruises up as a cash account and the if you owe anything on your second cruise just go to guest services the last evening and give them your credit card.

[Paddy41]

Do not let Royal do the currency exchange on your final Seapass bill. It will be worse than the 28% at the bank. As Bob said the ability to buy the OBC ahead of time at a 10% exchange is an anomaly.

 

Cruise pricing varies. On several that I have recently booked they are charging around a 25% premium. The ones I booked last year were a relative steal at about a 10% premium.

 

If I were in your shoes when checking in I would not give a credit card at all. It does not matter that you provided one on line as they will ask for it anyway. Set both cruises up as a cash account and the if you owe anything on your second cruise just go to guest services the last evening and give them your credit card.

 

 

Can I change it to cash now and reprint my seapass?

 

FYI for Canadian cruisers: I booked my July cruise before Christmas at 10% exchange. Then booked two NCL cruises for 2016 at 10% exchange.

For RCCL they do the payments through Vancouver which is why I thought picking the choice of RCCL doing the currency exchange would be better than my credit card company doing the exchange.

[Clarea]

Can I change it to cash now and reprint my seapass?....

Yes.

[Ourusualbeach]

Can I change it to cash now and reprint my seapass?

 

FYI for Canadian cruisers: I booked my July cruise before Christmas at 10% exchange. Then booked two NCL cruises for 2016 at 10% exchange.

For RCCL they do the payments through Vancouver which is why I thought picking the choice of RCCL doing the currency exchange would be better than my credit card company doing the exchange.

 

The exchange rates on cruises changed to about a 25% premium around the same time that the new itineraries were released this past March/April.

[Paddy41]

Yes.

 

 

I did it. No problem at all. Thanks.

[Creepella]

Is the OBC rate still 10%? Has anyone bought recently, and can confirm, please and thank you.

[monctonguy]

Make sure you check.....RCI tried to charge me 100% exchange rate on the base cost of the cruise, but 20% on the port/fees/taxes.....exact same cruise/roomdates etc...

 

Spent over an hour trying to find out why the base cost was $223 USD, but if they charged me in CAD was about $450.

 

They tried to blame it on the site, then blame it on the Canadian government setting the change rate..(yeah right, 100% exchange rate??..lmao)

 

Finally after more than an hour and numerous holds, I hung up and spoke with someone else and was able to book it at the $223 USD price I wanted.

 

Has anyone done the OBC thing recently. As now that my cruise is booked in USD, my drink packages and shore excursions will have to be paid in USD so thinking it maybe smarter to load my card with OBC if its only 10% exchange they are charging still.

[Cruise Junky]

The exchange rates on cruises changed to about a 25% premium around the same time that the new itineraries were released this past March/April.

 

I booked about three weeks ago for 2017 and it was around 21% so it may depend on the cruise

[The Sunset Glow]

Make sure you check.....RCI tried to charge me 100% exchange rate on the base cost of the cruise, but 20% on the port/fees/taxes.....exact same cruise/roomdates etc...

 

Spent over an hour trying to find out why the base cost was $223 USD, but if they charged me in CAD was about $450.

 

They tried to blame it on the site, then blame it on the Canadian government setting the change rate..(yeah right, 100% exchange rate??..lmao)

 

Finally after more than an hour and numerous holds, I hung up and spoke with someone else and was able to book it at the $223 USD price I wanted.

 

Has anyone done the OBC thing recently. As now that my cruise is booked in USD, my drink packages and shore excursions will have to be paid in USD so thinking it maybe smarter to load my card with OBC if its only 10% exchange they are charging still.

 

If your cruise is booked in US$ then you can't purchase the OBD for 10% exchange rate. You have to book your cruise in CDN$ in order to be able to do this.

[Pass]

Is the OBC rate still 10%? Has anyone bought recently, and can confirm, please and thank you.

 

Yes did it last Thursday and got 500 for 550 Canadian.:)

[Creepella]

Thanks. We already had beverage packages and shore exes, so I just got 200. But so much better to pay $220 than 240.

[A&L_Ont]

Yes did it last Thursday and got 500 for 550 Canadian.:)

 

Great to hear. I will buy some fore March 2016 tonight.

[A&L_Ont]

Just paid $1,100 Canadain for two OBC of $500 US. The sailing is for March of 2016.

 

I tried calling yesterday and the agent said I could only get one of $499 per booking number, and he put me on hold to find out. I told him that I would think about it and call back. In reality I knew I'd call back and get another agent that would do what I needed.;)

Edited June 18, 2015 by A&L_Ont

[ronandannette]

Yes did it last Thursday and got 500 for 550 Canadian.:)

 

Could you please tell me how to do this? I may go ahead and load up some OBC then wait until we're on board to book our excursions and dining. Right now if you try to pre-purchase through the Cruise Planner the exchange rate is 20% (i.e. Chops reservation is $36 CAD instead of $30 USD).

Edited June 19, 2015 by ronandannette

[A&L_Ont]

1-800-722-5443:)

 

Could you please tell me how to do this? I may go ahead and load up some OBC then wait until we're on board to book our excursions and dining. Right now if you try to pre-purchase through the Cruise Planner the exchange rate is 20% (i.e. Chops reservation is $36 CAD instead of $30 USD).

 

Call the phone number above and follow the prompts. You will get an agent, and let them know that you want to buy some OBC. To get it though you need to have your cruise booked in Canadian funds, not US. The most you can buy in one transaction is $500, but you can do multiple purchases. See my post above yours, it explains that sometimes the agents don't always go about things the same way.

 

Their current exchange rate is 10%. I have used in on 3 cruises already, on one the last one I had leftover OBC. On the last full day you can go to the pursers desk and cash out your credit. Did this and my room still had a credit card attached to the account. Others have left their account as a cash account, and cashed it out.

 

I was able to buy it at the same rate for March of 2016, yesterday as our dollar doesn't look like it is going up anytime soon.

[Ourusualbeach]

Could you please tell me how to do this? I may go ahead and load up some OBC then wait until we're on board to book our excursions and dining. Right now if you try to pre-purchase through the Cruise Planner the exchange rate is 20% (i.e. Chops reservation is $36 CAD instead of $30 USD).

 

Call Gifts and gear at 800-722-5443 or C&A at 800-526-9723.

 

Give them your reservation number and tell them that you would like to purchase $500 worth of OBC. They will tell you the cost is $550 and bill your CDN credit card $550 CDN.

 

This cannot be purchased on line and your cruise must be booked in CDN$ in order to take advantage of this.

Edited June 19, 2015 by Ourusualbeach

[Creepella]

If you're a Crown & Anchor member, you can also go through C&A.

[Smitty815]

If I call up and get OBC for my cruise, can I pre-book excursions and then it be billed to my OBC once I board?

[Clarea]

If I call up and get OBC for my cruise, can I pre-book excursions and then it be billed to my OBC once I board?

No, anything you pre-book is immediately charged to your credit card. You have to be on the ship to use on board credit.

[Creepella]

Not that we've seen. You pay at booking time.

[ronandannette]

Call the phone number above and follow the prompts. You will get an agent, and let them know that you want to buy some OBC. To get it though you need to have your cruise booked in Canadian funds, not US. The most you can buy in one transaction is $500, but you can do multiple purchases. See my post above yours, it explains that sometimes the agents don't always go about things the same way.

 

Their current exchange rate is 10%. I have used in on 3 cruises already, on one the last one I had leftover OBC. On the last full day you can go to the pursers desk and cash out your credit. Did this and my room still had a credit card attached to the account. Others have left their account as a cash account, and cashed it out.

 

I was able to buy it at the same rate for March of 2016, yesterday as our dollar doesn't look like it is going up anytime soon.

 

 

Call Gifts and gear at 800-722-5443 or C&A at 800-526-9723.

 

Give them your reservation number and tell them that you would like to purchase $500 worth of OBC. They will tell you the cost is $550 and bill your CDN credit card $550 CDN.

 

This cannot be purchased on line and your cruise must be booked in CDN$ in order to take advantage of this.

Thanks very much to both of you - I'm definitely going to try this, which will actually work great with our strategy of not booking any excursions until we board (just not sure what we're going to feel like doing - nothing in Alaska excites us too much).

 

And for sure I don't need to ask what exchange rate they're going to use? The exchange when booking the cabin was certainly more than 10%. I also put a $100 USD deposit on an NCL cruise yesterday and the exchange they used was 26% which is a little vexing as CAD is sitting at $.81 right now.

[Ourusualbeach]

Thanks very much to both of you - I'm definitely going to try this, which will actually work great with our strategy of not booking any excursions until we board (just not sure what we're going to feel like doing - nothing in Alaska excites us too much).

 

And for sure I don't need to ask what exchange rate they're going to use? The exchange when booking the cabin was certainly more than 10%. I also put a $100 USD deposit on an NCL cruise yesterday and the exchange they used was 26% which is a little vexing as CAD is sitting at $.81 right now.

 

For sure you don't need to ask about the exchange rate. It is pre set and does not fluctuate daily and has been at 10% for quite a while now.

Edited June 20, 2015 by Ourusualbeach

[A&L_Ont]

Thanks very much to both of you - I'm definitely going to try this, which will actually work great with our strategy of not booking any excursions until we board (just not sure what we're going to feel like doing - nothing in Alaska excites us too much).

 

And for sure I don't need to ask what exchange rate they're going to use? The exchange when booking the cabin was certainly more than 10%. I also put a $100 USD deposit on an NCL cruise yesterday and the exchange they used was 26% which is a little vexing as CAD is sitting at $.81 right now.

 

I asked them how much it would cost to buy $500 just to confirm that it was still 10%. When they said $50, I said to the agent I will buy 2 of them.

 

The cruise I just bought it for is for March of 2016. My FIL just bought $3,000 OBC from Princess for their August cruise, but supposedly the Princess's rates are changing for cruises after September of this year to a higher rate. I am not sure when RC will do this, but i hope they forget too.:)

 

I am toying with the idea of buying RC OBC for sailings in November of 2016 and March of 2017. I'd be surprised if our dollars gets that high by then, and it might pay a better rate of return than your average investment.

[Lean-N-Supreme]

If I made my reservation through a TA am I still able to call in got OBC or does that have to be done through the TA as well.

[Clarea]

If I made my reservation through a TA am I still able to call in got OBC or does that have to be done through the TA as well.

You can still call Royal direct to get OBC.