Payment in US$ for excursions?

[lyndarra]

I recently looked at an Alaskan shore excursion on a provider's website with a link to Celebrity (US) for bookings. I hit the link and found the excursion but somehow my region must have been detected and the excursion price was in AU$ at a pathetic exchange rate. Is there some way I can pay online in US$ or would I have to call Celebrity? I have a US$ credit/debit card.

I would like to get this booked in soon as it is very popular.

[GUT2407]

I recently looked at an Alaskan shore excursion on a provider's website with a link to Celebrity (US) for bookings. I hit the link and found the excursion but somehow my region must have been detected and the excursion price was in AU$ at a pathetic exchange rate. Is there some way I can pay online in US$ or would I have to call Celebrity? I have a US$ credit/debit card.

I would like to get this booked in soon as it is very popular.

 

I think you'd have to contact the company.

 

Many websites auto detect your country.

[OzKiwiJJ]

Ring Celebrity.

 

Some websites allow you to select the currency that you want to book in, but not Celebrity, unfortunately. I tested it out and there is no option to change to USD during checkout. :mad:

[lyndarra]

Thank you. Looks like a phone call soon. I hate phones, espcially those that want you to "say" what you want. I have a very short fuse with them.

[MicCanberra]

Book on board or try calling and pay over the phone.

[The_Big_M]

Any bookings you make in advance on Celebrity need to be paid in advance in the same currency as the booking i.e. if you booked in AUD, your advance purchase excursion will be in AUD.

 

In that case, the only way to pay in USD will be to book it onboard. As you say, it is possible it could be booked out by then.

[linanles]

If you're tech savvy you can subscribe to a VPN service such as Private Internet access for about $5/month and connect to the internet through one of their US server. It then appears your location is in whatever US city server you choose and with a US credit card you wouldn't have any problems.

[MicCanberra]

If you're tech savvy you can subscribe to a VPN service such as Private Internet access for about $5/month and connect to the internet through one of their US server. It then appears your location is in whatever US city server you choose and with a US credit card you wouldn't have any problems.

 

Interesting idea, would it be worth it though.

[lyndarra]

Excellent idea but I'm not that tech savvy. $5pm could be worth it if you're a regular buyer of stuff off US websites.

I today bit the bullet and booked a couple of excursions in AUD on our tracy arm cruise next month. They weren't cheap but who knows when we'll ever get back there again.

[linanles]

Interesting idea, would it be worth it though.

Only if you are using the VPN for other reasons such as anonymity on the internet.

[MicCanberra]

Only if you are using the VPN for other reasons such as anonymity on the internet.

 

As you say, some may have a need for that, not me though.

[The_Big_M]

Excellent idea but I'm not that tech savvy. $5pm could be worth it if you're a regular buyer of stuff off US websites.

 

It doesn't change regular purchases as you have to get them sent to Australia, so when you enter the destination address, they can re-price in AU if that's the way they work.

[aronde]

When we went to Alaska last year I printed out a list of all the excursions offered by the cruise line and then googled them. Most times I could find the operator directly or an excursion that was pretty close and book direct in $US for a lot cheaper. For instance there is only one operator of the sea cycles and the crab boat trips in Ketchikan - whether you book through the cruise line or direct you are on the same tour.

 

You can also look at the tour saver app for more savings. I have not looked at this years version but last year it saved us quite a bit on various tours and attractions and was well worth the price. You would need to work that out for your own individual itinerary though.

[lyndarra]

When we went to Alaska last year I printed out a list of all the excursions offered by the cruise line and then googled them. Most times I could find the operator directly or an excursion that was pretty close and book direct in $US for a lot cheaper. For instance there is only one operator of the sea cycles and the crab boat trips in Ketchikan - whether you book through the cruise line or direct you are on the same tour.

 

You can also look at the tour saver app for more savings. I have not looked at this years version but last year it saved us quite a bit on various tours and attractions and was well worth the price. You would need to work that out for your own individual itinerary though.

We book private tours whenever possible but sometimes there are tours that can only be done through the cruiseline. The Taku Lodge glacier flight and salmon bake is an example. The operators have put all their bookings to the cruiselines. I couldn't book direct with them. I think, from memory, there was only a $10 or $20 price difference.

[MicCanberra]

We book private tours whenever possible but sometimes there are tours that can only be done through the cruiseline. The Taku Lodge glacier flight and salmon bake is an example. The operators have put all their bookings to the cruiselines. I couldn't book direct with them. I think, from memory, there was only a $10 or $20 price difference.

 

I agree, for some shorex, it is simply easier to book with the ship as that is the only way to do that particular activity.