3% conversion charge! Is this new?

[pricer]

Just got our tickets for our upcoming Sapphire Princess cruise in May. We are quite looking forward to it. While looking over the documentation I noticed in the small print that if a credit card issued outside the U.S. (we're Canadian) is used for shipboard charges that the charges will be automatically converted to Cdn$ for the final cruise statement unless you advise them not to. It also states there will be a 3% conversion charge to do this. Why would anyone pay this? If any charges go to my Visa in U.S. $ the credit card company does the conversion to Cdn$ anyway. I also suspect that the exchange rate would probably better from Visa than Princess. I checked some past shipboard statements from a few years ago and while Princess did convert the total to Cdn $ I don't see any charge to do so. Is this new?

[custompcsys]

I've seen posts on this board about the 3% charge since about 10-12 months ago, so its at least that old. Be sure to fill out the form that you don't want the conversion, and be sure to keep a copy of what you give them. I've seen many posts saying that they incurred the charge even after instructing Princess not to convert, so keep an eye on your account charges and retain the copy of what you give them instructing them not to convert in case you need to refer to it later.

[George P Burdell]

Before I took my last cruise, I called my credit card company to ask about fees/charges if I were to charge something in Mexico. They told me that if the charge were made in $USD, there would be no conversion charge, even if the charge occurred from a company listed, in a foreign country.

 

If the charges were made in Pesos, then the charge to my card would be converted into $USD, and then there would be a surcharge of 3% for currency conversion.

 

I happen to have a credit card that I got specifically for foreign transactions, so I think the 3% is pretty low. If your credit card charges you 4% for charges made in $USD, it might be better to pay the 3% fee to Princess.

 

It would depend on how your credit card fee structure is set up for "foreign currency" charges...

[sunflower1972]

The same small print was on our documents we had for our feb cruise on the Sun Princess. If I remember correctly there is line for you to initial and then the charges will stay in US currency....we did this and had NO problem. We double checked at the Purser's Desk as well to make sure it was done correctly. Then our TD Visa was in charge of the change from US to Canadian....that would be my recommendation. I had posted this on my return and some people on the CC board said I was wrong....BUT the small print does say a 3% charge:) And your right......why pay it:)

Some kind soul on CC had warned us ahead of time so we knew what to look for:)

Enjoy your cruise...intial that line and all should go well for you!

Sunflower

[TorontoTL]

The previous posters are correct. In your cruise documents, there is a page on which there is a box to mark with an X to indicate that you wish Princess to charge in US dollars and not convert to Cdn $. It will save you $ if you check this off. Unfortunately Princess is still working with a very poor US to Cdn exchange and with the 3% charge it is much more expensive to pay in Cdn dollars. The same goes when you book a future cruise deposit. If you pay in Cdn $ the amount is $135 but in US $ it is $100.

[envy4u]

I am still waiting for my cruise documents for our April 29 cruise .

 

Is this box that I need to check off easy to find because I do not want an extra 3% added on to my bill ?

[LHT28]

I am still waiting for my cruise documents for our April 29 cruise .

 

Is this box that I need to check off easy to find because I do not want an extra 3% added on to my bill ?

It is on the page in your ticket book that has the place for your credit card number and signature.

 

Ask at check in to be sure that you will be charged in U.S.D.

[envy4u]

Thanks LHT28 .

[DanJ]

Our future cruise booking we did in January was $100 US/$125 CDN.

 

You also need to check your credit card company to see what they will charge you for converting US to CDN. My experience differed from others in a recent thread about this. I had Princess bill me in CDN and I did the math on the statement and it wasn't out of line with the exchange rate of the day.

 

You could also take enough US money with you, or travelers checks and pay off the account on board.

[phillipahain]

Do not rely on just ticking the box

 

Be very sure to go to the Pursers desk the last evening and have your onboard account manually charged in US dollars .........its the only way to ensure things are done correctly

 

Whichever consolidator Princess uses fo its automatic cc billing totally ignores your ticks/instructions and will charge in the" currency of your card " and your country of residence regardless ..............

 

We are still battling with Princess over this because we have a Dollar account in both USA and UK and no matter what we do on that blue form even writing "please charge in US Dollars " when we get our CC statement we find they have converted to pounds sterling at a lousy exchange rate plus 3%

 

What still mystifies all concerned is why all future cruise credits made onboard are always directly charged in US Dollars

[kruisey]

This was on a future cruise credit.I stated in US$ please.A couple of days later a note came to my cabin stating it was cancelled and that I would have to have to pay $125 and use this for a cruise booked in Canadian $.

[Lynda90]

Just a question (or two): If you pay for your FCC and shipboard account in cash (US $$) could you totaly avoid the extra charges? Would it be worth it to do it this way?

[iancal]

This IS so. Two issues-their conversion rate is high PLUS they tack on a 3 percent charge.

 

We filled out the form and advised them NOT to charge our shipboard account in CDN dollars. We got a printout of our bill, as we always do, on the last full day of the cruise. Sure enough, notwithstanding our request they had converted to CDN. The purser's office changed this. I am told by many others that notwithstanding your instructions, Princess seems to do this quite often. I don't like it. Also found that some stores in the Florida area ask you the same thing, ie do you want to be billed in CDN dollars. Always say no.

[kruisey]

Just a question (or two): If you pay for your FCC and shipboard account in cash (US $$) could you totaly avoid the extra charges? Would it be worth it to do it this way?

 

Its a coincidence that you should mention this because on the cruise I just had to cancel I was going to offer $100US cash. for my FCC

[cactusrose]

You can settle your on board account in cash but the Future Cruise desk will not take cash. They put through a separate charge to a credit card.

[kruisey]

You can settle your on board account in cash but the Future Cruise desk will not take cash. They put through a separate charge to a credit card.

This will solve the problem I hope.:)

[Pam in CA]

You can settle your on board account in cash but the Future Cruise desk will not take cash. They put through a separate charge to a credit card.

This is correct. The Future Cruise Booking, either a specific cruise booked or an open future cruise, is charged directly to the credit card on account with your onboard account. It is not put on your onboard account but is charged directly to the card. It is also stated very clearly in the Patter and notices that its either $100 US or $125 Canadian. Even if you'd checked the box for your onboard account to be charged in US$, your Future Cruise Booking will be charged in Canadian $ if you are from Canada.

[Ammonium]

I don't know the specifics of a USD to CAD conversion, but I do know that when U.S. credit card customers use their card in a foreign country there can be a lot of annoying fees.

 

Most Visc/MC cards nowadays seem to have a 3% charge for foreign transactions. I think AMEX is 2%. There is some variability because of rules from different banks, but this is typical. These charges can supposedly be made on any foreign transaction regardless of which currency is charged. Therefore, if somebody in Europe converts Euros to Dollars, your credit card may still charge the foreign transaction fee.

 

Under these rules, you might be charged two 3% fees along with a poor exchange rate. You've got to watch out.

[kruisey]

This is correct. The Future Cruise Booking, either a specific cruise booked or an open future cruise, is charged directly to the credit card on account with your onboard account. It is not put on your onboard account but is charged directly to the card. It is also stated very clearly in the Patter and notices that its either $100 US or $125 Canadian. Even if you'd checked the box for your onboard account to be charged in US$, your Future Cruise Booking will be charged in Canadian $ if you are from Canada.

Why cannot a Canadian book a FCC in American dollars.?..When one charges to the credit card the bank bills at the days rate of echange + at2.5% . If one has a FCC in US$ then one can book a cruise in that currency which will be charged at what the going rate is for that day + the credit card exchange(my bank) 2.5%.

If a Canadian goes shopping or stays in a hotel...they use their Canadian card to pay the bill (with my bank charges),as mentioned above the going rate of exchange +2.5%

I would like a logical explanation why Princess would not allow this same proceedure?

[LARGIN]

I would think the best person to answer your question is Princess.. We here can only speculate..

[Pam in CA]

Why cannot a Canadian book a FCC in American dollars.?..When one charges to the credit card the bank bills at the days rate of echange + at2.5% . If one has a FCC in US$ then one can book a cruise in that currency which will be charged at what the going rate is for that day + the credit card exchange(my bank) 2.5%.

If a Canadian goes shopping or stays in a hotel...they use their Canadian card to pay the bill (with my bank charges),as mentioned above the going rate of exchange +2.5%

I would like a logical explanation why Princess would not allow this same proceedure?

As LARGIN says, only Princess could tell you for sure. I was just posting what I know to be facts. The how's and why's would need to come from Princess.