Exchange Rate on Tahitian Princess

[turquoiseas]

:confused: I have heard a lot about cashing travelers checks at the casino for USD, then taking it to guest relations for CFP. But, what is the exchange rate like? Do you get the current rate, or is it much less??? Thanks for your help.

[donna5]

:confused: I have heard a lot about cashing travelers checks at the casino for USD, then taking it to guest relations for CFP. But, what is the exchange rate like? Do you get the current rate, or is it much less??? Thanks for your help.

 

 

You can cash your travelers checks at the pursurs office. I believe the rate is the best on the ship. Where in CO are you from?

[turquoiseas]

Hi there. Thanks for replying. I meant how does the exchange rate compare with using a credit card, atm or exchanging it at a bank in Tahiti? I am from Superior, Colorado (near Boulder).

[mpbmark]

The exchange rate on the ship last month was $.98 to the Tahitian franc. It was by far the best rate we found anywhere on the trip.

 

If you call Princess and ask them about casino credits, they will tell you it cannot be done. The official company policy is that pre-purchasing casino credits will only provide you with currency that can be used in the casino. That was not the case as late as September 1.

 

I pre-purchased $600 in casino credits approximately 3 days before the cruise. I believe it was on day 2 when I received a card in my cabin indicating I had the credit. I took the card to the cashier window in the casino and after presenting the card, I was given all $600 in US dollars. My intent was to draw out a little at a time but that could not be done. On the first shore day, I took $100 (leaving the remaining $500 in my cabin safe) and exchanged it for 980 francs and 2 US dollars.

 

Because the exchange rate is so good on the ship, I would recommend paying for most of your shoreside charges with francs. We did use credit cards on occasion especially with large purchases because I did not wish to carry that much money on shore. Most places will also take a US dollars but the rate can be as low as $.80 to the franc. Not a very good deal.

[tsb2]

HI - thanks for the info on exchange rates. I live in Fort Collins and will be going on the TP 11/10/05. Can't wait, just a little more than a month!!

 

Mbmark - How do you do advanced purchases onboard of casino credit? Do you call Princess? I am doing Marks motu in Huahine and would like to pay in CFP but if your casino credit didn't arrive until day 2 this may be problem with exchange ahead of time. Any suggestions?

 

tsb2

[turquoiseas]

I'll probably not use casino credits since I can get free travelers checks since I am a AAA member. Sounds like using CFP money is definitely the way to go!

[Oregonian]

I was on the ship in mid-September and found both casino credits and shipboard currency exchange worked perfectly for me. I called about a week ahead of time to buy $1K worth of casino credits since I knew that independent excursions alone would require about this amount, and I was staying in Moorea for a few days afterwards. I had no trouble ordering this by phone. My credit slips (10 slips for $100 each) were waiting in my cabin when we boarded. Maybe ordering a week ahead of time versus two days ahead gave them enough time to have this prepared. I pretty much went to the casino once each evening to withdraw $100 at a time in cash (US$), no problem. The rate of exchange at the purser's office on the deck 4 was 98 CFP to the dollar, which was pretty amazing given that the official exchange rate was only 96 to the dollar. This was far better than any other exchange rate, although going to a bank on Moorea after the cruise got a good rate also (I seem to remember 95). The difference however was that the bank charged a commission which made a significant dent in the effective rate, whereas there was no commission at all on the ship. So the ship's rate plus lack of commission is a truly awesome deal. The only negative about the ship's exchange is that they usually have small bills only (500 and 1000 CFP notes, about $5 and $10 each) so you get a sizable stack of bills. I still strongly recommend this approach.

 

Ira

 

PS, on the lighter side, CFP notes are bigger than US$ so they didn't fit in my wallet well (they stuck out the top by an inch or two).

[turquoiseas]

Ira,

Thanks so much for the comprehensive explanation! I am sure that this will help out a lot of cruisers with the same question. One more thing though, will the purser's office begin changing currency the first day onboard? And, is there a limit to how much they will exchange at a time? I heard on another post somewhere that the ship ran out of CFP near the end of the cruise???

[Oregonian]

Can't recall whether I exchanged $ the first day on board (when both old and new passengers are on the ship). I certainly did the second day. I exchanged at least $300 at a time with no problem. And I'm pretty sure my final exchange was the last evening on board. Can't say if they ever run out of CFP, but they certainly didn't on our trip.

 

Ira

[turquoiseas]

Thanks again Ira. I'll definitely be exchanging money by the second day for the marche :)

[tsb2]

Oregonian - Thanks so much for the detailed explanation. I will call ahead for casino credits and hopefully they will be ready in my cabin for exchange for our first excursion. By the way, did you call ahead with your credit card and was it charged as credit or as a cash advance on your card?

 

tsb2

[mpbmark]

Princess adds the casino charges directly to your on-board account which you pay on the last day.

[mpbmark]

Princess adds the casino charges directly to your on-board account which you pay on the last day.

[tsb2]

Thanks Mbpmark - so I assume it just gets lumped as credit on your card not cash advances.

 

tsb2

[RumRunner01]

Ok, so I think I've got this as for getting money while in Tahiti and on the cruise....

While on the Ship:

1. Get casino credits a week or more before you leave home, get the credits in cash from the casino then take to the purser's office for CFP (casino credits charged to your onboard account and treated like a charge);

2. Cash travelers checks at the purser's office then convert to CFP;

3. Convert any USD to CFP at the purser's office;

4. We have heard of people converting up to $300 at a time;

5. Small bills will be given in CFP

While on Land:

1. Convert a little USD to CFP at LAX for cabs, etc. when you land;

2. Use ATM at the airport to take out CFP (though this may be touchy with some cards);

3. Convert money at a local bank but have to pay a fee.

 

Do I have this right? Missing anything or confused anything?

[Oregonian]

Casino credits that you gift to yourself in advance are billed to your credit card when you order them. They are credit transactions, not cash advances, so you incur no cash advance fee from the credit card company. Since you are buying these before the trip, they do not show up in your on-board account which is different from any money you otherwise take out at the casino while on the trip. If you are using a mileage card, you of course get miles for the money you gift yourself.

 

The exchange rate at LAX was truly abominable ... 85 CFP to the dollar plus a commission. I declined. Taxis take US dollars which I decided to do the first day there to get to our hotel and back. The hit seemed less than LAX and I only had to "change" what I used for the cab.

 

Ira

[mpbmark]

Now that I think about it, Oregonian is correct. The charge is billed directly to your credit card, not ship account. I stand corrected and am sorry for any confusion.

[K&R]

Hi! I read on another post that you were in cabin 8027 on the Tahitian Princess. I was wondering if you had any comments on the room (noise level, any problems with adjoining rooms, etc...) I will be sailing Nov. 10th in room 8024 and am currious about the room and the bed. Any new matresses in these rooms? :)

[mpbmark]

Newbies,

 

We were in 8027 and our traveling companions were in 8024. We selected these cabins approximately 10 months before our cruise in hopes that some large family would take the nest door minisuite and ask for our adjoining balcony cabin. I thought we might have a chance of an upgrade, but it didn’t happen.

 

We would occasionally hear some noise from above but it was not obtrusive. Maybe two times during the 10 days of the cruise.

 

We heard nothing from the adjoining cabin so the door did not directly impact our enjoyment of the cruise or the cabin. I will advise you however that because of the door, the small two-person loveseat, normally found in these cabins, was replaced with a chair that looks upholstered but was not particularly comfortable.

 

About 30 days before our sailing, we sent a fax to Princess asking that an egg crate mattress be placed in our cabin. The bed was fine for both my wife and myself and I never checked to see whether the egg crate was put in place.

 

Any further questions, ask away.

[CurleyfromFL]

We are going on the TP OCT31st staying at the IBC for 2 days precruise we get in the evening of the 29th and will need a small amount of money exchanged. Is it best to get it at LAX or wait? Hope to hear from somebody. JOHN

[Oregonian]

LAX's exchange rate a month ago was 85 CFP/$1 with a transaction fee on top. Truly ghastly. I don't know what the rate is like at Faaa (Tahiti's airport). If all you need CFP for is taxis and shopping, you might consider just using USD for the taxis (they'll take $) and stopping at a bank in Papeete.

[Ninjachyck]

Just got off the TP, and the exchange rate for USD was 98 francs for 1 USD. It was a much better rate than even the banks were offering in FP. We used FP for more local areas, but pretty much every place will take USD, even some of the smaller shops and vendors. As far as needing extra $$, we got it from the casino and exchanged it at the purser's desk. We only needed to do that once though. And a tip...if you can pay for anything in USD or francs, usually the price in USD is better, except on some of the excursions.