Thanks for the tip - Canadian vs US dollars

[Ontario cruise duo]

Unfortunately I booked online, the PCC seemed very annoyed to even return my call, the whole phone call was less than 2 minutes, no offer to assist in any other way

 

I would call NCL and speak to someone other than your PCC. There is a definite difference in pricing. I just booked a cruise last weekend and was also given an exchange rate of .11 cents on the dollar. I paid the deposit of $250.00 which converted to $277.78, the daily service charges for 2 for 7 days which totalled to $186.66 (based on the current rate of $12.00 per day per person) and because of this thread also purchased $200.00 in onboard credit which came through at $222.22. Remember, it's YOUR money. Oh, and when I booked, the NCL rep first gave me the price in US dollars until I inquired about the rate in Canadian $$$'s.

[Solararc]

I'm going to call the regular number tomorrow and see if I can't get this done, I really miss my old PCC

[Ontario cruise duo]

I'm going to call the regular number tomorrow and see if I can't get this done, I really miss my old PCC

 

Let us know how you make out tomorrow!!

P.S. Visited B.C. last May before our cruise out of Seattle to Alaska. Loved B.C. and hope to visit there again sometime in the not to distant future for a stay longer than 3 days.:D

Edited March 5, 2015 by Ontario cruise duo

[Ontario cruise duo]

we just booked a cruise and saved almost $400cdn. now how do i purchase obc in cdn funds?

 

 

Just call NCL back and tell them to want to purchase obc for your upcoming cruise in Canadian $$$'s. I bought $200.00 worth on the weekend and it cost me $222.22 Canadian.

[Solararc]

Let us know how you make out tomorrow!!

 

P.S. Visited B.C. last May before our cruise out of Seattle to Alaska. Loved B.C. and hope to visit there again sometime in the not to distant future for a stay longer than 3 days.:D

 

 

It truly is the best place on earth, couldn't leave here if I tried (other than vacations of course)

[Maddysdaddy]

Great thread :). May I ask what your exchange rate is now? I may call and reprise tomorrow. Thanks in advance.

 

I went from $1.16 down to $1.10(ish).

Edited March 5, 2015 by Maddysdaddy

[julianabanana]

OMG! I wish we had read this post on the weekend before we paid in US funds. I'm assuming once the charges have gone through on the credit card its a done deal? This was a costly lesson to learn :( :(

[Ontario cruise duo]

OMG! I wish we had read this post on the weekend before we paid in US funds. I'm assuming once the charges have gone through on the credit card its a done deal? This was a costly lesson to learn :( :(

 

Did you just pay a deposit on the weekend. if so, call and have it changed if it is worth it to you. You may not get back the same $$ refund on your charge card based on the exchange rate, but it may very well be worth you looking into this. I know I would give them a call, and give it a try. You've got a bit of calculations to work through, but it may very well be to your advantage!:rolleyes:

[Solararc]

I'm out of luck, but at least I know for next time, you would think after 3 cruises and planning my 4th I would know the basic ins and outs, you really do learn something everyday

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[soccersharon]

I went from $1.16 down to $1.10(ish).

 

 

Thank you :)

[Maddysdaddy]

Did you just pay a deposit on the weekend. if so, call and have it changed if it is worth it to you. You may not get back the same $$ refund on your charge card based on the exchange rate, but it may very well be worth you looking into this. I know I would give them a call, and give it a try. You've got a bit of calculations to work through, but it may very well be to your advantage!:rolleyes:

 

Seconded.

 

I had originally booked the cruise with my normal US based TA with whom I had previously booked by DCL cruises, and was expecting to pay about 28% on the exchange (with the dollar at $0.79 + the bank spread), and then ran across a post on Cruise Critic saying that Canadians could book the cruise themselves directly with NCL and have the cruise priced in Canadian dollars.

 

If nothing else, I figured that at least I could lock a price down for the cruise in Cdn. money and not have to worry about the dollar sinking any lower.

 

I called NCL, booked my trip at $1.16 and then emailed my TA who was more than understanding as to why I was cancelling with her (the OBC credit offered by her agency was nowhere near the amount I was saving by booking in Cdn funds) and since she was based in the US, was unable to book for me in Cdn.

 

The deposit from my TA booking was refunded to me, and I was perfectly content until I ran across this thread yesterday and saw that I could knock another 6 points off of the cost of the cruise simply by calling NCL and having a 5 minute conversation with the sales agent while she repriced the cruise for me at $1.10.

 

Easy peasy two hundred dollar squeezie - and, I'm still around 20% ahead of where I would have been had I kept my cruise in USD (based on today's exchange).

[julianabanana]

Unfortunately we paid the whole amount as we are less than 60 days away from cruise.

[Paddy41]

So glad I looked at this thread.

 

I booked an NCL cruise to Alaska last summer and used a US based TA. Then found out through cruise critic that I could have gotten it cheaper by booking in CAD. It taught me a lesson though. Always use a Canadian TA or if booking directly with the cruiseline, ask about Canadian dollars.

 

I just booked a B2B for July on Royal Caribbean using a Canadian TA and the exchange rate is 10% there too. So I just added $499US as onboard credit and it cost me $530CAD. $499 was the most they would allow without having you or your TA fax both sides of your credit card to the cruiseline. But you can add another $499 with a second phone call and even on the same credit card. Royal uses Vancouver for all bookings in Canadian $ so maybe NCL does the same.

 

Someone on hear mentioned that your exchange rate is 'locked in'. If so, this would mean I do not have to worry that the cruise line will change their exchange rate before I can get shore excursions figured out or make reservations for specialty dining.....is this 'for sure'?

 

I went onto the NCL postings because I was looking at a cruise for next March. Aren't we all just so sick of this long, snowy and freezing cold winter? (Except for you Vancouverites who already have cherry blossoms out! Boo!)

[lisakoivu]

Just to add to the info... when we bought our future cruise credit in March 2013 on the BA, the Cruise Consultant (who was from London, Ontario - near where we live) asked if I wanted to buy it in Canadian or American. This started off a whole chain of events. I shrugged and said, "Canadian, I guess". Fast forward to when I was booking my Christmas cruise. I called NCL to book using the FCC. I was told that since the FCC was in Canadian, the whole cruise would be charged in Canadian dollars, which was fine with me.

 

So I didn't see anyone here mentioning that it's possible to buy your FCC in Canadian dollars, but I did, so if you're onboard, maybe look into that, it makes the rest of your future booking easy - I think that once you have that CDN FCC, their computer system makes them book the rest in Canadian, so you won't have any confusion with PCC's etc.

 

I don't know what my rate was, and the difference in the dollar was negligible back in October when I paid, so for me, at that time, it was all a bit of a shrugfest, but just a tip going forward.

 

Happy cruising everyone.

[Solararc]

Much appreciated Lisa, I feel rooked by not being able to swap now but will know for the future

 

 

*Living large one week at a time*

[Paddy41]

I booked today for March/16. Never booked that far ahead before but I felt the extras NCL was offering coupled with the great exchange rate were worth getting. Decided to go all out and booked a suite. So I got all four offers included and if my calculations are correct that's worth nearly $2000. Then I saved nearly $1000 on the exchange rate. And now I just read on another post that by booking this far ahead we get an extra point per night and for booking a suite that's an extra point per night. Too bad we've only been on one other NCL cruise but all of this 'saving' has me really excited so I don't want anyone to mention the savings if I had not booked anything at all!

[Xmas515]

I just bought OBC at 7.5% exchange rate. :) Have prepaid our DSC, excursions and soda packages.

[gilsan]

I am so glad I saw this post. We just booked a haven suite and saved ~$1000 with the exchange. Plus all the free offers. It is our first NCL cruise and we are excited!

[cdubmom]

Holy! Just priced out a cruise and with the 0.9 exchange rate, we'll save $700 Canadian compared to our US credit card!!! So glad I saw this thread. We have a Carnival cruise booked but with the great exchange AND the free beverage package, we're going to jump ship and try our first NCL cruise!!! :) Thanks all!!! :)