Are onboard expense charged in CDN w/NCL?

[JillK]

Was speaking with a PVP for NCL today to determine if it would be better for me to book in CDN or USD for a cruise later this fall.

 

Was surprised when she told me if I book in CDN dollars, my onboard account would also be in CDN. I have always booked in USD with NCL... but when I've booked with both Royal and Princess in CDN dollars, my onboard account was always in USD.

 

Can anyone confirm? 

 

Thanks! 

[Fouremco]

8 minutes ago, JillK said:

Was speaking with a PVP for NCL today to determine if it would be better for me to book in CDN or USD for a cruise later this fall.

 

Was surprised when she told me if I book in CDN dollars, my onboard account would also be in CDN. I have always booked in USD with NCL... but when I've booked with both Royal and Princess in CDN dollars, my onboard account was always in USD.

 

Can anyone confirm? 

 

Thanks! 

I wonder if the PVP had it a bit confused, and meant that it CPOULD be charged in CAD, not that it WOULD be. I always book in CAD, and other lines have always given me the opportunity to pay my onboard expenses in CAD, but the exchange rate is never as good as what my credit card charges (and I pay no forex), so I always pay in USD. I've not sailed with NCL, so maybe they are different, but the industry standard seems to be that lines offer you the option to pay in CAD, but it's not mandatory that you do so.

[gmbhardy]

Your account will be in US dollars. 

[lots-of-km2]

 

A direct quote from NCL: "The currency used on board our ships is the U.S. $."

 

Though your shipboard account will be tallied in USD, NCL will give you the option of settling your account in Canadian dollars at the end of the cruise -- and sometimes they do it automatically, unless directed to otherwise by the passenger.   My experience is that they don't  give a competitive exchange rate, so I make a point of always asking that the bill be kept in USD.  My credit card company gives me a better exchange rate than NCL does, and they also rebate the forex fee. 

 

 

[Ex-Airbalancer]

With RCL group , 

if you go into the cruise planner before you cruise drinks, dinners etc  to buy are listed in CAD and any OBC listed in CAD 

Once you get on the ship everything is listed in USD 

[JillK]

Thanks everyone. 

 

What you are all saying is exactly how I thought all the cruise lines worked.... which is why I was surprised by her assertion that my on board account would automatically be in CDN dollars at the exchange rate in effect the day I book the cruise (and is how any pre-purchases on myncl.com would function). 

 

I generally book in USD but even when I have booked in CDN, as others have said, it is always at my discretion if I want the cruise line to do the conversion for me to CDN using their fee/rate which I have never used.

 

This is not the first time that she has given me incorrect information so I'm not sure how reliable she is!

 

I'm hopeful that the exchange will improve at least a little bit between now and the fall so think I might gamble booking in US and hoping that I can save a few dollars down the road in exchange rather than locking in today's NCL rate (guessing around 1.33 since their daily gratuities are $26.61 pp in CDN 🤨).

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Tango99]

1 hour ago, JillK said:

Thanks everyone. 

 

What you are all saying is exactly how I thought all the cruise lines worked.... which is why I was surprised by her assertion that my on board account would automatically be in CDN dollars at the exchange rate in effect the day I book the cruise (and is how any pre-purchases on myncl.com would function). 

 

I generally book in USD but even when I have booked in CDN, as others have said, it is always at my discretion if I want the cruise line to do the conversion for me to CDN using their fee/rate which I have never used.

 

This is not the first time that she has given me incorrect information so I'm not sure how reliable she is!

 

I'm hopeful that the exchange will improve at least a little bit between now and the fall so think I might gamble booking in US and hoping that I can save a few dollars down the road in exchange rather than locking in today's NCL rate (guessing around 1.33 since their daily gratuities are $26.61 pp in CDN 🤨).

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think it’s around 1.34.  Though my shareholder benefit was applied at 136.56. I find NCL rate better than my bank credit card so I’m okay with the cost in USD. We did have it switched to Canadian for a couple of cruises and went back to US. 

[JillK]

9 hours ago, Tango99 said:

I think it’s around 1.34.  Though my shareholder benefit was applied at 136.56. I find NCL rate better than my bank credit card so I’m okay with the cost in USD. We did have it switched to Canadian for a couple of cruises and went back to US. 

That's interesting about your shareholder benefit being applied in CDN. May I ask if this was on MyNcl.com? Last year I booked in USD and the shareholder credit showed up in my onboard portfolio in USD.

 

I see you're cruising this month - enjoy! 

[CaptainBazz]

16 hours ago, JillK said:

That's interesting about your shareholder benefit being applied in CDN. May I ask if this was on MyNcl.com? Last year I booked in USD and the shareholder credit showed up in my onboard portfolio in USD.

 

I see you're cruising this month - enjoy! 

My shareholder benefit always shows as CDN on my account but has always been in US on the ship. I always just presumed that they show it in CDN because I booked in CDN.