As a CDN is it better to book in US Dollars or CDN

[NOSaints1]

I know on Celebrity you can book in CDN Dollars, but for the fellow Canadians is it better to book in CDN Dollars or US and is there a better deal by booking either or? What're the advantages and disadvantages of both?

 

 

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[RickT]

I've booked in both currencies and here is what I look at when choosing.

 

1) Is the price today in US significantly less than in CDN (factoring in today's exchange rate). I find that although there is some consistency in the exchange rate X uses, there are some cruises where the exchange rate is bizarre making one currency much better than the other (last summers UK cruise was $2,100 US and $4,000 Cdn... .I booked it in US $). If there is no significant benefit on price to book in US $ I simply book in Canadian.

 

2) If there is a benefit to booking in US $, will a change in the exchange rate erase that benefit? Usually I'll only book in US $ if the cruise is less than 6 mths away. Gambling on the exchange rate further out than that doesn't make sense to me.

 

3) Are you booking through a US TA who is throwing in extra perks? If so, I factor the value of the perks in and include it in my analysis from Pt 1 above.

 

And don't forget, depending on what credit card you are using, you will probably be changed a fee to process the exchange rate so you need to factor that in as well.

[schiff1997]

We booked our cruise this past March, we booked in CDN $ as the exchange rate from Celebrity's US to Canadian cabin price worked out to $1.277 ( cabin was $1449 US or $1849 CDN) at that time I believe I would have paid around $1.38 at the bank plus also got the Classic beverage package and prepaid gratuities included as perks on our upcoming 12 day cruise.

[NOSaints1]

Only thing I know is if you book in CDN you can't get insurance through celebrity

 

 

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[cruising cockroach]

Only thing I know is if you book in CDN you can't get insurance through celebrity

=

 

But read the T&C to see if you'd be covered. May have residency/geographic/ limitations?

[schiff1997]

Only thing I know is if you book in CDN you can't get insurance through celebrity

 

 

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We carry year round travel and medical insurance on our credit card

[dgcruises]

We booked our cruise this past March, we booked in CDN $ as the exchange rate from Celebrity's US to Canadian cabin price worked out to $1.277 ( cabin was $1449 US or $1849 CDN) at that time I believe I would have paid around $1.38 at the bank plus also got the Classic beverage package and prepaid gratuities included as perks on our upcoming 12 day cruise.

Not sure how but you got an unbelievable deal! The interbank rate in March was between 1.335 and 1.35 and using the most favourable would have made a conversion of the US cabin price total $1934. Most banks in Canada would have converted at probably at least 2-3 higher as a minimum so booking in US would have cost probably at least $1985 so in this case booking at any amount below this on Celebrity website would make the best deal. When I booked our trip the exchange would have meant paying about $200 more so I went with booking in Canadian in addition then transferring my booking to a large Canadian big box travel company and receiving a cash card for about 8% of the trip cost.

[schiff1997]

Not sure how but you got an unbelievable deal! The interbank rate in March was between 1.335 and 1.35 and using the most favourable would have made a conversion of the US cabin price total $1934. Most banks in Canada would have converted at probably at least 2-3 higher as a minimum so booking in US would have cost probably at least $1985 so in this case booking at any amount below this on Celebrity website would make the best deal. When I booked our trip the exchange would have meant paying about $200 more so I went with booking in Canadian in addition then transferring my booking to a large Canadian big box travel company and receiving a cash card for about 8% of the trip cost.

 

I use one of those sites that alerts you to price changes, so the price on our cabin dropped and because it was a time they were still offering the two perks we got the new price. Even now for our cruise its giving me a conversion of 1.30. The site shows me the US price and the CDN one, so I can do a quick conversion

[Fouremco]

I always compare the USD and CAD prices before booking and to date have always found the CAD price to be cheaper after taking the exchange rate into consideration. Even if it was slightly advantageous to book in USD, I'd still book in CAD to know exactly what I will be paying when final payment came due and not speculate on future conversion rates. I generally book as soon as itineraries become available, and with ongoing warnings that the Loonie has further to fall (see RBC prediction earlier this week, for example), I'm not about to bet on a stronger Canadian dollar any time soon.

[If only]

Only thing I know is if you book in CDN you can't get insurance through celebrity

 

 

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They will not sell you insurance from Celebrity as you would not be covered must live in the US. I also book in Cdn as soon as the cruises come out, or last minute so I know the bottom line. I don't want to risk the exchange rates fluctuating.

[hvbaskey]

I have always booked in CAD $ and most recently, just transferred our on board booking to a US Travel Agent. I was offered to keep the booking in CAD $ or switch over to USD. IF I kept in CAD $, I was still given OBC - but in CAD funds and they had a max amount that could be given. IF I switched over to USD, I would yield more OBC overall. However! the exchange rate given by Celebrity (1.35) was better than the bank conversion (1.38) and any OBC that I would have gained by switching over to USD currency, would be lost in the less attractive exchange.

 

In the end, I kept the booking in CAD currency - it will be easier to keep track of and I know for *certainty* what I will owe when final payment is due and I won’t have to fret about if the dollar is up/down and should I or should I have not.

 

Heather