Overly-strong US dollar eliminating many cruisers

[OceanTraveller4ever]

I will be going on a 21 day dream cruise with HAL this winter, but I am afraid it may be the last for while due to the inequality in the CAN-US exchange rate :(

 

It gets pretty difficult to lose 30+ cents of every dollar spent.

 

Will be looking at European options for next cruises :)

 

Any opinions...good or bad...

[Stratheden]

I will be going on a 21 day dream cruise with HAL this winter, but I am afraid it may be the last for while due to the inequality in the CAN-US exchange rate :(

 

It gets pretty difficult to lose 30+ cents of every dollar spent.

 

Will be looking at European options for next cruises :)

 

Any opinions...good or bad...

 

Welcome to our world. :-))

Edited December 20, 2015 by Stratheden

[sail7seas]

This is by far not the first time there has been such a spread between U.S. and Canadian $. Sometimes in your favor; sometimes in our favor.

 

If someone knows and wishes to answer, could you mention the 'average' amount your Certificates of Deposit for savings earn these days?

 

[cbr663]

For us, it is negatively affecting the value proposition. Right now, we are looking at the US dollar costing $1.40 CAD. Paying 40% more for hotels, transportation, meals, specialty restaurants, HSC, beverages, excursions and everything else and the per Diem costs start to escalate.

 

We have a Southern Caribbean cruise booked for next December and if the dollar stays where it currently is, we are estimating that it will cost us at least $800 CAD per day for a balcony cabin. For that price, we will look elsewhere.

[jtl513]

If someone knows and wishes to answer, could you mention the 'average' amount your Certificates of Deposit for savings earn these days?

1.9% at our credit union.

[sail7seas]

1.9% at our credit union.

 

Is that a Canadian Credit Union?

 

I was asking about Canada seeing that is the theme of this thread.

 

[CowPrincess]

For us, it is negatively affecting the value proposition. Right now, we are looking at the US dollar costing $1.40 CAD. Paying 40% more for hotels, transportation, meals, specialty restaurants, HSC, beverages, excursions and everything else and the per Diem costs start to escalate.

 

We have a Southern Caribbean cruise booked for next December and if the dollar stays where it currently is, we are estimating that it will cost us at least $800 CAD per day for a balcony cabin. For that price, we will look elsewhere.

 

We cancelled our winter cruise this year, but only a small part of that decision was the exchange rate. (Family stuff, primarily.) We decided to stay in Canada and managed to score a great deal on a week in Vancouver, with 5* accommodations. Our cost will be substantially less than a cruise that would require spending US $$s. I'm currently considering an Alaska cruise for spring, and just can't find many more discretionary "bits" of the budget to eliminate.

 

Yes, that $1000 US costing $1400 Cdn is having an effect on us. We still have US $ in the bank, but that won't last for more than a couple of cruises.

[CowPrincess]

This is by far not the first time there has been such a spread between U.S. and Canadian $. Sometimes in your favor; sometimes in our favor.

 

>SNIP<

 

 

 

When was the last time you recall it costing Americans $1400 to buy $1000 Cdn?

[Dashwood100]

 

Yes, that $1000 US costing $1400 Cdn is having an effect on us. .

 

We are in the same boat [would that be cruise humor:)]. I do think our cruising will be curtailed for a while, at least until the the dollars gets closer together. We do have a March booked but after that we will see. Forty per cent is quite a premium, so we will be searching closer to home and in CDN dollars. Perhaps there will be better deals for the Canadians if all of us are spreading out the cruise dollars by cruising less.

[sapper1]

When was the last time you recall it costing Americans $1400 to buy $1000 Cdn?

 

The two currencies were two or three cents in our favour a few years ago but that is as good as I have ever seen it.

 

$1400 Canadian dollars for $1000 US is a significant burden and I cannot understand a poster trying to trivialise the situation. It is certainly going to impact the economy of states such as Florida where the snowbirds traditionally flock. Fewer Canadians will be going to spend the winter and those who do won't be shopping much.

 

I generally take my pre cruise days to shop for clothing but I won't be doing any significant shopping in San Diego prior to our next cruise. I will wait until we get to Vancouver and shop there. It's just not worth it to shop in the States now.

 

How many Canadians will tip extra now? They will be paying an extra 40% on the daily HSC and the crews will not be seeing the extra money being paid out. We still plan to tip extra on the upcoming cruise but if the slide continues then the amount of extra tips just may be reduced on future cruises.

Edited December 20, 2015 by sapper1

[Kamloops50]

This is by far not the first time there has been such a spread between U.S. and Canadian $. Sometimes in your favor; sometimes in our favor.

 

If someone knows and wishes to answer, could you mention the 'average' amount your Certificates of Deposit for savings earn these days?

 

 

The best I've got in Canada is 0.90% for 1 year . Now it's down 0.15 % for 1 year . These where fixed deposits for 1 year.

I'm also going to consider when and where to cruise in the future . The spread is estimated to drop to $1.40 Cdn for every US dollar.

Only thing my US Dollar investments are doing better .

[sail7seas]

When was the last time you recall it costing Americans $1400 to buy $1000 Cdn?

 

Hey, don't blame me. :D

 

Not my fault. ;) Of course, 40% difference is huge.

 

I'm sorry Canadians are in this situation but this, too, shall pass.

Edited December 20, 2015 by sail7seas

[sail7seas]

The best I've got in Canada is 0.90% for 1 year . Now it's down 0.15 % for 1 year . These where fixed deposits for 1 year.

I'm also going to consider when and where to cruise in the future . The spread is estimated to drop to $1.40 Cdn for every US dollar.

Only thing my US Dollar investments are doing better .

 

Thanks for your response. Our interest on savings is maybe a bit better but not a whole lot.

 

[OVgirl]

This is by far not the first time there has been such a spread between U.S. and Canadian $. Sometimes in your favor; sometimes in our favor.

 

If someone knows and wishes to answer, could you mention the 'average' amount your Certificates of Deposit for savings earn these days?

 

 

Premium Rate Savings Account =0.05%

Guarantee Investment Certificates =0.85-2.00% depending on $amount and time locked in.

[ger_77]

How many Canadians will tip extra now? They will be paying an extra 40% on the daily HSC and the crews will not be seeing the extra money being paid out. We still plan to tip extra on the upcoming cruise but if the slide continues then the amount of extra tips just may be reduced on future cruises.

 

For the record, these Canadians will continue to tip extra. There's no point in penalizing the crew for our weak dollar. It will be added into the cruise budget and that's it.

 

I agree with what you said about pre-cruise shopping though. We usually land in Miami or Ft Lauderdale a couple of days in advance of a cruise and spend time shopping for ourselves, and for gifts for family. This time, I'll be bringing most of our larger toiletries (rather than buying new in port), and will be doing more window shopping than anything.

 

Smooth Sailing ! :) :) :)

[woodyren]

Similar situation for Aussies but we can adjust and book our cruises in local currency which I have done for all bar 1 of our 2016 cruises.

 

As long as the cruise cost is OK then I will continue to book. Presently all our cruises have been priced @ $100 a day pp or less for balconies.

 

Tips and drinks are in USD and so that spending will be curtailed to auto grats and we will only drink what our diamond happy hour drinks get us. Zero other on board spend as it has poor value. Cruises will be local, NZ,Pacific or Asia where the on land costs are still similar to what they were before the USD rose.

 

We will ovoid our planed USA trip as 40% premium again puts it out of the value (to us) equation.

 

If the AUD costs of cruising rise to compensate USA shareholders profits comparative to the dollar spread we will travel to land based locations which offer better value.

 

At present though many cruises prices are great in AUD.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Forums mobile app

[cruz chic]

For the record, these Canadians will continue to tip extra. There's no point in penalizing the crew for our weak dollar. It will be added into the cruise budget and that's it.

 

I agree with what you said about pre-cruise shopping though. We usually land in Miami or Ft Lauderdale a couple of days in advance of a cruise and spend time shopping for ourselves, and for gifts for family. This time, I'll be bringing most of our larger toiletries (rather than buying new in port), and will be doing more window shopping than anything.

 

Smooth Sailing ! :) :) :)

 

I will be tipping as well.

 

I wish Florida would feel the pinch. I'm paying an outrageous amount for my hotel in April 2016.

Edited December 20, 2015 by cruz chic

[CowPrincess]

Hey, don't blame me. :D

 

Not my fault. ;) Of course, 40% difference is huge.

 

I'm sorry Canadians are in this situation but this, too, shall pass.

 

Why would you think I'm blaming you? I'm looking for additional information.

 

My comment was specifically about your comment " Sometimes in your favor; sometimes in our favor"

 

So, when was the last time it was 40% in favour of Canadians?Or are you just trying to downplay the effect the exchange rate is having, because it is only important to Canadians?

[sail7seas]

You must have missed where I wrote "40% difference is huge".

[SilvertoGold]

Some cruises we are looking at are double (really!) in pricing to what we paid last year.

 

Two articles in our local newspaper today were about how there are very few good prices for cruises out of North America right now. Pricing is double in some cases (Panama, Alaska); HAL is selling well right across the board.

 

You can get terms deposits (Canada) at 1% for a year. Escalator terms (3 years) are 1%/1.5%/2.2% or so.

Edited December 20, 2015 by SilvertoGold

[sammygoose]

I can't see where any of this is good business for Canadians or HAL.

 

I've already joked that my next cruise may be a cargo ship on the Great Lakes pounding back vodka shots in $CDN

[cruisemom42]

Unfortunately, currencies fluctuate in their worth. A few years ago, we in the US were facing the same with prices in Europe when the one euro was worth about $1.40 USD or even worse for a time....

 

Not much anyone can do about it, and there's always a plus/minus I guess. For us in the US it's now a lot cheaper in Europe. And if tourism suffers due to fears about terrorism, it will get cheaper still as rates for flights, cruises, hotels, etc drop.

[kazu]

To illustrate the impact:

 

We booked our Westerdam cruise in Canadian dollars many months ago. Because of that, the Canadian dollar pricing was lower than it is now.

 

The cost for our cruise now, same cabin category is around $3800 more (for two) than when we booked!

 

Needless to say, we won't be watching for any price drops ;)

[sail7seas]

Is that $3,800 more Canadian or U.S?

 

That's big difference no matter which currency.

 

[kazu]

Is that $3,800 more Canadian or U.S?

 

That's big difference no matter which currency.

 

 

 

the currency is Canadian dollars Sail.