foreign transaction fees

[pameshalaska]

Why does the Royal Caribbean credit card charge a foreign transaction fee? Does this mean that if I charge my gratuities to my card on our Canary islands cruise I will be billed a 3% foreign transaction fee? What if I prepay before we leave? Does anyone have any recent experience using the Royal Caribbean cc in foreign ports, I wanted to use it to rack up OBC but not if I have to pay the fee. Thanks

[Clarea]

Why does the Royal Caribbean credit card charge a foreign transaction fee? Does this mean that if I charge my gratuities to my card on our Canary islands cruise I will be billed a 3% foreign transaction fee? What if I prepay before we leave? Does anyone have any recent experience using the Royal Caribbean cc in foreign ports, I wanted to use it to rack up OBC but not if I have to pay the fee. Thanks

Charges to your card on board the ship are as if you are in the US.

[phoenix1181]

You need to keep in mind that the credit card is issued by Bank of America, not Royal Caribbean. It's BOA charging a foreign transaction fee, not RCCL. That said, RCCL transactions are billed in US dollars therefore foreign transaction fees do not apply!!

[SRQSally]

Are you saying that if you use your RC BoA card in Europe there is

no foreign transaction fee...not on ship but on land. I think one would

be charged. You have to research what cards do not charge the FT fee.

[reney313]

Are you saying that if you use your RC BoA card in Europe there is

no foreign transaction fee...not on ship but on land. I think one would

be charged. You have to research what cards do not charge the FT fee.

 

If you use your US card with any merchant that bills in a currency that is not USD, then you will be billed the fee. If you use it at a merchant that bills in USD, you will not be billed a fee. Royal Caribbean bills in USD, even in foreign countries.

 

There are some credit cards that do not charge a foreign transaction fee. I would recommend getting one of these if your travels take you out of the country.

[sailor05]

Are you saying that if you use your RC BoA card in Europe there is

no foreign transaction fee...not on ship but on land. I think one would

be charged. You have to research what cards do not charge the FT fee.

 

I'm reading and re-reading and I don't see where anyone said anything about using the card IN EUROPE. What I see is a question about the charges on the ship:confused:

Edited March 9, 2015 by sailor05

[phoenix1181]

I'm reading and re-reading and I don't see where anyone said anything about using the card IN EUROPE. What I see is a question about the charges on the ship:confused:

 

You've been a member of this board since 2005. Are you saying in all that time you never noticed that responses don't necessarily have anything to do with the question?

[cruisenfever]

Are you saying that if you use your RC BoA card in Europe there is

no foreign transaction fee...not on ship but on land. I think one would

be charged. You have to research what cards do not charge the FT fee.

The OP was asking about gratuities being charged on her SeaPass Account. You are not charge a foreign transaction fee for any transaction done on the ship.

 

If you use your BofA card for any transaction off the ship while traveling in a foreign port, you will be charged a transaction fee.

[Ocean Boy]

If you use your US card with any merchant that bills in a currency that is not USD, then you will be billed the fee. If you use it at a merchant that bills in USD, you will not be billed a fee. Royal Caribbean bills in USD, even in foreign countries.

 

There are some credit cards that do not charge a foreign transaction fee. I would recommend getting one of these if your travels take you out of the country.

 

That is not exactly true. Purchases in St. Maarten, for example, are billed in USD and BofA still charges foreign transaction fees on those purchases. I finally got a card with no foreign transaction fees as I was sick and tired of paying the charges.

[Ocean Boy]

I'm reading and re-reading and I don't see where anyone said anything about using the card IN EUROPE. What I see is a question about the charges on the ship:confused:

 

You've been a member of this board since 2005. Are you saying in all that time you never noticed that responses don't necessarily have anything to do with the question?

 

The poster also asked about using the card in foreign ports. Maybe you should have both read the last sentence before starting in with the snarkiness.:rolleyes:

[spunks]

Yeah...There are cards that charge no foreign transaction fee. Capitol one is one, but the best in our opinion is the Chase sapphire prefered card. Anything you buy in dollars, euros,krona,turkish lira etc is treated exactly the same and no charge is applied. The best way to get foreign currency is through ATM machines using the Charles Schwab Debit card. They charge no transaction fee and give the best rate on conversion there is( what you see on cnbc for the currency is what you get) Plus, they pay all ATM fees. Thats why we always take the chase sapphire and schwab cards when we travel.....and we dont have to ever carry much cash.

 

Doug

[Ocean Boy]

Yeah...There are cards that charge no foreign transaction fee. Capitol one is one, but the best in our opinion is the Chase sapphire prefered card. Anything you buy in dollars, euros,krona,turkish lira etc is treated exactly the same and no charge is applied. The best way to get foreign currency is through ATM machines using the Charles Schwab Debit card. They charge no transaction fee and give the best rate on conversion there is( what you see on cnbc for the currency is what you get) Plus, they pay all ATM fees. Thats why we always take the chase sapphire and schwab cards when we travel.....and we dont have to ever carry much cash.

 

Doug

 

I did not know that, thanks.

[spunks]

Glad to help. Another thing. When booking a hotel in Rome or Berlin or where ever, we are always sure to have the hotel do the booking in the local currency. Otherwise, if they are asked to bill it in dollars, then THEY do the conversions and ALWAYS charge a hefty conversion fee. No,no,no.....let the credit card company do the conversion.

 

I think I saw yesterday that the Euro had fallen to $1.1027.....that means.

, I get 100 euro for exactly $110.27...works everytime

 

Doug