It's Hard to be a Canadian

[Gil T. Azell]

You know they don't just let you change citizenships easily, right? If they did I'd be Canadian! Or an Irish citizen. Not sure. :) Alas, no one wants Americans, and I don't want to be denied access to my favorite countries, so I haven't snuck anywhere to try to live.

 

 

 

This isn't about Canada, but the UK: My husband was on a work trip last summer and he managed to fall and hurt his knee badly AND gash his head open. It was not pretty. He went to an urgent care type of place, and they made him go to a hospital. He got checked out by everyone (though they did not do any scans), and it was $0. Zero. For urgent care and an ER. Was amazing.

 

That's better than what you get in Canada. While it may be zero dollars for Canadians it certainly isn't zero dollars if you are an out of Country person. Just a trip to the ER can run you hundreds to thousands in Canada also if you are from outside the Country.

[Gil T. Azell]

I am from Canada and I know the dollar is not at 72 cents its more like 79. Maybe it will go up or down you never know. But if you are worried about cheap cruising maybe you should just stay home. From one Canadian to another

 

 

Edit: I have talked about the Canadian dollar in other fourms here. But like I tell my wife it is what it is. If you want to cruise you are going to pay. If you want a cheap trip there is always Cuba

 

I think that the confusion around the dollars from various people here is how they are comparing it. While $1 CAD is worth .79¢ USD it does cost $1.2715 CAD to buy $1 USD. The original OP probably thought that meant it was worth .72¢ if they are not familiar with the proper way of converting it. While it is worth .79¢ USD I think the lack of understanding of the OP in conversion is to blame for the value difference.

[DirtyDawg]

I don't know how you Canadians do it! Even a magazine subscription costs three times the amount for you. Crazy. I have been to Canada, I get it, it is beautiful, but I live in Florida. What are the perks for you? It is confusing, why do you live there? I am serious...there must be perks that we don't have, right?

 

Good question. My family has been in Canada since the 1820's so we are kinda rooted here.;) You are right that things cost a bit more here than in the States but that changes depending on the strength/weakness of our dollar. Right now it's a little weak. We also pay slightly higher taxes than you guys on average (lower income pay less and higher income pay more).

 

Now the perks; (These are my choices - Others feel free to add your own)

 

World Junior Hockey Tournament is on National T.V.

Curling Nationals and Worlds are on National T.V.

Tying kids’ skates for 6AM hockey practices while sipping a Tim Horton's coffee.

3 Down football. Why some people think grown men need 4 tries to move a ball 10 yards is beyond me.

Lots and lots of lakes and clean air.

Winter. Ya we bitch and complain but the quiet and fresh air in the early morning following a big snow storm is pretty awesome. And it makes shoveling the snow actually kinda fun.

My son’s favourite - Ketchup flavoured potato chips.

Great humour and great comedians.

We spell humour, favourite and flavour correctly.;)

Had Knee Surgery a while back and my only out of pocket expense was the hospital parking.

Celine Dion and Justin Bieber are all yours now.:D

Our next door neighbour hasn’t tried to invade us for over 200 hundred years. That’s saying something in this world.

Edited June 6, 2015 by DirtyDawg

[grand isle joe]

We here in Vt. seem to import a lot of Medical professionals who choose to practice medicine in our regional hospital.......and the Western Canadian provinces are trying to opt out of the nationalized system....while our northern business are chock full of Quebec vehicles purchasing all kinds of items to avoid the VAT tax......;)

[DirtyDawg]

We here in Vt. seem to import a lot of Medical professionals who choose to practice medicine in our regional hospital.......and the Western Canadian provinces are trying to opt out of the nationalized system....while our northern business are chock full of Quebec vehicles purchasing all kinds of items to avoid the VAT tax......;)

 

What Western provinces? B.C. is Liberal. Saskatchewan is Tommy Douglas' birthplace (the father of the thing and Grandfather of Kiefer Sutherland - a little tidbit if you ever happen to get on Jeopardy:)), Manitoba is NDP (our semi socialist party) and Alberta just elected a majority NDP government.

 

As for the MD's and Quebec tax avoiders. Did you ever consider that they might be coming down to Vermont because they are Ben & Jerry addicts.;):D:p

Edited June 6, 2015 by DirtyDawg

[budisal]

which hotel is that.

 

 

The hotel is Salvatore's Grand Hotel on Transit Road. For $179 per couple, you get a beautiful room and a gourmet dinner at the restaurant attached to the hotel - Russell's Chops Steak and more -- voted the best steak house in Buffalo (and, in my opinion, it is). My wife and I go there twice a year just to shop and stay at the hotel. Also included, if you're flying out to Florida to catch your cruise, your car can stay free in their parking lot, and they will shuttle you to and from the airport. One heck of a bargain! The meal alone is worth the money imo. My wife found this place by accident during a Buffalo visit with friends. We've stayed there ever since. Everybody in Buffalo knows Russ Salvatore.

[budisal]

Molsonschooner ---- I forgot to mention, you also get a FULL breakfast the next morning .... none of this continental breakfast shenanigans.

[cocacola86]

So how do you convert the price from US to CDN on the website?

[Ourusualbeach]

So how do you convert the price from US to CDN on the website?

 

Scroll down to the very bottom. On the left hand side you can select country. Just click where is says United States.

Edited June 6, 2015 by Ourusualbeach

[Paddy41]

Not sure if its been suggested I did not read all the threads, but price out flying out from Buffalo I find the prices from flying with Southwest and Jetblue MUCH cheaper.

 

 

Syracuse is also a good place to fly from if you leave in Eastern Ontario. And crossing the Thousand Island bridge takes 1/2 the time it takes to cross anywhere near Niagara.

[nbsjcruiser]

I booked a one week Caribbean cruise for my son and I for June. One week in a hot area of the globe during Canada's hottest months. How expensive can that be? Well, let's start adding it all up. We're from Toronto, so let's start with over $600 EACH in airfare. Let's take a cheap cruise... after all, it's basically just a father/bonding time, so no need to pay a premium to go anyplace really special. Then there's the Canadian dollar, now valued at about 72 cents U.S. By the time you add it all up, it comes out at $4700 Cdn with taxes, etc added in. What the heck happened to cheap cruising?

Anyway... RCCL better make it worth my time. First time sailing with Royal Caribbean. Have been spoiled on X and Holland America. However, I've got to admit, I've never been nickel and dimed to death by any of the other lines like I have been with RCCL. On the other hand, I've never had a bad cruise. First, and possibly, ONLY time sailing on Royal. One chance only... too many other good cruise lines to choose from out there for the same money.

 

As a fellow Canadian traveller let me offer you a few tips that have done me well over the years. Without these tips, we'd never be able to cruise regularly.

 

1. Fly out of the US. You will almost certainly save money. We fly from Portland Maine or Bangor Maine twice a year and our flight costs are about 50% what they would be if we flew out of our local airport, 10 minutes from our house.

2. Book a cruise as early as you can. For example, we booked our NOS cruise for this fall a long time ago, early 2014. We paid $1500 for our 8 Day Eastern cruise. If you were to book it today its $2400 even though its still months away. We've got our cruises booked well into 2017. People think we're nuts but its a sure way to get an affordable cruise.

3. Get a credit card that will help you get airfare in the US as a reward. We have a Capital One Delta Skymiles card that earns us 3 free tickets a year and here's the kicker - the cost to redeem the free ticket is $10. Forget about airmiles in Canada - the taxes alone are a fortune. I remember the one time we redeemed airmiles for a flight to Miami - the free tickets were $400. I tore up my airmiles card immediately after.

4. The added benefit of the Capital One card is that it comes with medical insurance and trip cancellation insurance, so no need to buy that anymore. I can vouch for their medical coverage btw. Our son got quite ill when we were away in February. It was covered with no issues at all. All it cost me was some time filling out paperwork when I got home. A $5K bill was paid with not a dime coming out of my pocket.

5. Check your cruise price daily. Prices do drop and you can save - make sure you look for residency rates because many times a rate will be offered for your province that isnot offered anywhere else.

[tinkertwo]

Syracuse is also a good place to fly from if you leave in Eastern Ontario. And crossing the Thousand Island bridge takes 1/2 the time it takes to cross anywhere near Niagara.

 

we always fly out of syracuse, so much easier that our bigger airports….pearson is a nightmare imo.

[cocacola86]

Does RC have a CC for Canadians or how do you get Delta if we're in Canada?

[molsonschooner]

The hotel is Salvatore's Grand Hotel on Transit Road. For $179 per couple, you get a beautiful room and a gourmet dinner at the restaurant attached to the hotel - Russell's Chops Steak and more -- voted the best steak house in Buffalo (and, in my opinion, it is). My wife and I go there twice a year just to shop and stay at the hotel. Also included, if you're flying out to Florida to catch your cruise, your car can stay free in their parking lot, and they will shuttle you to and from the airport. One heck of a bargain! The meal alone is worth the money imo. My wife found this place by accident during a Buffalo visit with friends. We've stayed there ever since. Everybody in Buffalo knows Russ Salvatore.

 

Thanks, I have heard of this place. My daughter in law stayed there and said it was very good.

[Ourusualbeach]

Does RC have a CC for Canadians or how do you get Delta if we're in Canada?

 

Unfortunately the RCI CC is not available for Canadians.

[cocacola86]

I guess in someways it sucks to be in Canada.

[Lynnees]

Never sucks to be Canadian.

[cocacola86]

Just that we don't get any of the good cause, that's all

[Ourusualbeach]

Just that we don't get any of the good cause, that's all

 

With how restrictive Royal is now with their CC and redemptions you are probably better off getting a card with a decent cash back offer and rewarding yourself in cash or one of the many travel cards that are available.

[cocacola86]

When the price drops on your cruise before final payment date is it an OBC or goes towards your cruise payment?

[Clarea]

When the price drops on your cruise before final payment date is it an OBC or goes towards your cruise payment?

If you have not paid off the cruise, Royal just lowers the amount you owe.

[cocacola86]

Ok our price on the Anthem went down by like 234.

[iluvcruzin]

I booked a one week Caribbean cruise for my son and I for June. One week in a hot area of the globe during Canada's hottest months. How expensive can that be? Well, let's start adding it all up. We're from Toronto, so let's start with over $600 EACH in airfare. Let's take a cheap cruise... after all, it's basically just a father/bonding time, so no need to pay a premium to go anyplace really special. Then there's the Canadian dollar, now valued at about 72 cents U.S. By the time you add it all up, it comes out at $4700 Cdn with taxes, etc added in. What the heck happened to cheap cruising?

Anyway... RCCL better make it worth my time. First time sailing with Royal Caribbean. Have been spoiled on X and Holland America. However, I've got to admit, I've never been nickel and dimed to death by any of the other lines like I have been with RCCL. On the other hand, I've never had a bad cruise. First, and possibly, ONLY time sailing on Royal. One chance only... too many other good cruise lines to choose from out there for the same money.

 

I read through the thread. June is not the month for cheap cruises or low price airfare. If you wanted a good deal, May would have been a better choice. Get ready for lots of families on board as it will be summer break. The Caribbean is also very hot in June. If you are one who prefers X or Hal, It will be a different experience. I am guessing you chose RCCL because your son is 28. Or maybe it was because the choices were limited with ships heading overseas or Alaska.

 

I've been on most major cruise lines including all you mentioned. If I were going on a Caribbean cruise in June I would choose Princess. But that's just because I prefer not to cruise summer months on the lines bustling with young kids. Also their prices are fairly reasonable.

[budisal]

Iluvcruzin --- I agree. Normally I would never choose a summer Caribbean cruise, but circumstances forced the timing. Maybe we should have done Alaska again. He probably would have enjoyed it a second time - the last time was when he was 19.

I haven't sailed RCI before, so this will give me a chance to try them. Just to reiterate a previous point, I've never had a 'bad' cruise. A winter cruise with my wife is next on the agenda, then maybe a river cruise in the spring. Did I mention, I too love cruising?

Thanks for your comments.

[cocacola86]

We're booked on the Anthem, I'm almost having second thoughts not on the ship but the price, I knew it was gonna be high, do you ever get that where you almost have second thoughts