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Ourusualbeach

Ourusualbeach

Posted
Posted
Never thought about that Ken but it might be an idea. Can't see any reason it wouldn't work. ;)

 

When ever we have put a deposit on our next planned cruise or a FCC on board they use a credit card, not your ship account. Great idea though.

 

EDIT: If you cashed out your account on the last day you would have the funds. I highly suspect that the next sales staff take cash for their sales.

 

I may have to keep this in mind for a future booking.:)

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QE2_Fan

QE2_Fan

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It was a while back but people did post that the Australians were able to get a similar deal. Not sure of the exchange rate but it was significantly better than that at the bank.

 

 

Yes back in Jan/Feb this year RCI offered Aussies an amazing 1:1 exchange rate for OBC!! [emoji43] Many took up the awesome offer until RCI put a stop on OBC purchases as the rate was in ERROR!! [emoji33][emoji37]

 

I haven't heard since if they have resumed OBC sales and If so what the current exchange rate is. Would be with a quick call to the local reservations office as it cannot be done online anyway

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

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Ourusualbeach

Ourusualbeach

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Yes back in Jan/Feb this year RCI offered Aussies an amazing 1:1 exchange rate for OBC!! [emoji43] Many took up the awesome offer until RCI put a stop on OBC purchases as the rate was in ERROR!! [emoji33][emoji37]

 

I haven't heard since if they have resumed OBC sales and If so what the current exchange rate is. Would be with a quick call to the local reservations office as it cannot be done online anyway

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

1 : 1 Wow that was a good deal. Definitely worth a call to see what the new exchange rate is.

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QE2_Fan

QE2_Fan

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1 : 1 Wow that was a good deal. Definitely worth a call to see what the new exchange rate is.

 

 

Definitely, particularly as the Aussie Dollar is so close to yours, I wonder if RCI are going to be as generous with the exchange rate after their 1:1 mishap!!

 

 

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brfan

brfan

Posted
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Hi all. Just wanted to let you know that I was able to purchase obc's today at $1.10 Canadian. (confirmed by agent on phone) $499 U.S. cost me $548 Canadian. $499 is the max you can purchase over the phone without having to fax your credit card information and ID. The agent did say that my husband could purchase the same amount that I did using his credit card. We just might do that and then just cash in any extra at the end of the cruise. It's a win-win!

 

I called yesterday to buy a $1000 and was told $500 was the limit, but what they did was do it in 2 purchases of $500.

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LibertyCruiser

LibertyCruiser

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Posted (edited)
do they send an email confirmation after the purchase? my cruise is over a year away and I can't imagine trying to figure it out then if something goes wrong.

 

Yes, I received an email with the title "Bkg: Amenity Confirmation for Reservation ID:" followed by my personal information.

 

The strange thing is that the invoice shows how much you were charged in $CA but not how much was purchased in $US.

 

I'm a little nervous that if they change the conversion rate between now and my cruise the new rate will be used to determine the amount of OBC I receive.

Edited by LibertyCruiser
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Sarvowinner

Sarvowinner

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Too bad RCI doesn't use 10% when calculating the Canadian $ price of their cruises!

 

Hi Shirley

 

RCI Australia isn't offering the same deal so I transferred money over to Mum who added it as her OBC. She will then buy our drink packages and we will withdraw the cash in USD when we disembark off our Transatlantic. We are now well in front as the AUD is dropping quicker than the CAD.

 

How are you guys doing?

 

Julie

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tinkertwo

tinkertwo

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i'm a little nervous. i just purchased what the agent said was max ($499.00) and she told me it would cost me $499.40 canadian. she said the .40 was a service fee. she assured me she was correct.

i'll wait and see. that would be a great deal.

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Chris Copeman

Chris Copeman

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I wonder if anyone has purchased enough OBC that they could purchase their next cruise on board in US$.

 

I am doing just that. My cruise in August was booked in Canadian dollars. However my next two cruises in December and January were booked in US. I am piling up the money in OBC for my August cruise so I will have enough to cash out and pay for my cruises in December and January and their flights and hotel.

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tinkertwo

tinkertwo

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I am doing just that. My cruise in August was booked in Canadian dollars. However my next two cruises in December and January were booked in US. I am piling up the money in OBC for my August cruise so I will have enough to cash out and pay for my cruises in December and January and their flights and hotel.

 

would it not have been better to book your cruises in canadian and when you pull the cash our convert it at the bank then pay your cruise off? seems to me, if the exchange rate stays the same, you would be farther ahead.

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A&L_Ont "Live from...." Rare

A&L_Ont

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I am doing just that. My cruise in August was booked in Canadian dollars. However my next two cruises in December and January were booked in US. I am piling up the money in OBC for my August cruise so I will have enough to cash out and pay for my cruises in December and January and their flights and hotel.

 

If I was in that position I'd keep the cash to pay my TA at home is US cash. Just like you are thinking.

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A&L_Ont "Live from...." Rare

A&L_Ont

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If people abuse the system it will end I am sure. Please don't go crazy.

 

It's going to end at some point. We may as well use the system as long as possible. They upped the cruise fair at the drop of a hat to their advantage, we are just getting a small advantage this way.:) Not to mention the few of us on CC buying OBC is a small fraction of those doing it across all the ships.

 

The Official RC CC member, that is confirmed, is more apt to see this thread and report what is going on VS a number cruncher or bean counter at the corperate office deciding that too much OBC is being sold to Canadians. Until then lets enjoy the rate of exchange at 10% as long as it lasts. Lets live like the Senators in Ottawa at the trough, until it ends.;)

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A&L_Ont "Live from...." Rare

A&L_Ont

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Posted (edited)
But I imagine it will end sooner with this kind of abuse.

 

Abuse is a strong word to use, as this is a program that they are offering and controlling.

 

OBC won't end, it will just be at a different rate of exchange. My understanding is they address a rate change twice a year. I would guess due to the paper work to physically get the rate changed or to guage the amount that they will change the rate to.

 

Money goes back and forth, favouring the corperation and occasionally guests. We don't see a drop in the price of the cruise when bunker feul is lowered. When there was a lime shortage last year RC didn't spend more to get limes for the drinks, they substituted lemons. Right now Canadians are benefiting on their favourable exchange rate, and that number is a small amount of people. Only a small percentage of cruisers use CC, and even less are Canadian.

 

As a business owner I take differences like this as part of caluclated loss. When it gets to a certain level we address the issue. RC will do the same, but not upon how many people are buying OBC. They will when the Canadian dollar is at what they percieve it to be at it's lowest.

 

For all we know RC uses our Canadian Dollars to cover costs when their ships are incuring Canadian expenses such as ships based in Vancouver for Alaska or for ports of call for fall colour cruises on the east coast. The small amount that they recieve from Canadians buying OBC won't cover much. However, if they aren't paying exchange fees to the bank, they too are saving money. At this rate RC should thank us, as we are doing them the favour.:cool:

Edited by A&L_Ont
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monctonguy

monctonguy

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Is it possible to purchase OBC before your cruise is paid in full? I would love to get some OBC to cover drink packages etc at a 10% rate instead of over 30% right now my credit card is charging me. But my cruise balance is not yet paid in full as not final payment date yet.

 

Any thoughts or experiences?

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brfan

brfan

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Is it possible to purchase OBC before your cruise is paid in full? I would love to get some OBC to cover drink packages etc at a 10% rate instead of over 30% right now my credit card is charging me. But my cruise balance is not yet paid in full as not final payment date yet.

 

Any thoughts or experiences?

 

Yes you can. I purchased some OBC for my cruise on the Allure in October and Anthem next April yesterday. Both are before final payment date.

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Duke Mazer

Duke Mazer

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I can't imagine this is going to go on for long. The Canadian $ is taking a plunge. I'm sure with the bulk exchange rates they got they could have been ok. Now with the dollar going below 77 cents, can't see us sustainable. We got some today, would be foolish at this point not to.

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tinkertwo

tinkertwo

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I can't imagine this is going to go on for long. The Canadian $ is taking a plunge. I'm sure with the bulk exchange rates they got they could have been ok. Now with the dollar going below 77 cents, can't see us sustainable. We got some today, would be foolish at this point not to.

 

what was your cost today? as i said earlier, the cm told me it was $499 for $499 which i find odd.

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nbsjcruiser Great Review Rare

nbsjcruiser

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Posted
It's going to end at some point. We may as well use the system as long as possible. They upped the cruise fair at the drop of a hat to their advantage, we are just getting a small advantage this way.:) Not to mention the few of us on CC buying OBC is a small fraction of those doing it across all the ships.

 

The Official RC CC member, that is confirmed, is more apt to see this thread and report what is going on VS a number cruncher or bean counter at the corperate office deciding that too much OBC is being sold to Canadians. Until then lets enjoy the rate of exchange at 10% as long as it lasts. Lets live like the Senators in Ottawa at the trough, until it ends.;)

 

Dreamer 115 is right though. Hopefully people wont abuse it or it will become bad for everyone. I'd much rather put down my OBC that I plan on spending on that cruise and hope that its still there next time I go to use it rather than pile a bunch of money on there that I have no intention on using immediately and seeing it go away.

 

Be like a real Canadian folks - don't abuse it.

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