Currency Conversion Caution for Canadians

[UB & AS]

Looking at wine and dine packages on RCI (RCCL) today and price list came up in CND$. For example, 7 bottle package priced at CND$ 269.70 online. Called the order number and was quoted US$ 217.35 for the same package, this means that Canadian price, converted to US$, is 18% higher than U.S. price. Salesperson said that charges would be in the currency that cruise was booked in so I would pay the US$ price. Later when I looked at the site again the prices came up in US$ instead of CND$ as before so someone at RCI is doing a good job. I am so impressed that I will order the 12 bottle wine package, but since the bill hits the credit card when you place the order, I will wait until a couple of days before the cruise. The wine package is a reasonably decent deal as you order the wine you want to go with the dinner you have ordered. They say that you can have the same wine each night if you want to - no limits except that you order from your list of wines in the package. This is our first RCI cruise and I am impressed with the service on this issue! Maybe they will make us happy:)

 

Bill

[Pacific Sandy]

What if you pretend you are going to pay cash and then when you go down to the Purser's office after you get your final bill, you then decide to pay with your credit card. That way, you can have control over the currency.

 

Do you think that would work?

[UB & AS]

What if you pretend you are going to pay cash and then when you go down to the Purser's office after you get your final bill, you then decide to pay with your credit card. That way, you can have control over the currency.

 

Do you think that would work?

 

 

It has not worked for me on Celebrity. I have filled out the Sea Pass info indicating US$, printed in in bold red letters, and my wife and I have both spoken to the desk and bank on the ship and still have been billed in CAD$ with a 7% penalty (which they reluctantly refunded in due course).

 

RCCL seems much better, despite sharing accounting with Celebrity. Neither are quick to gve me any assurances in writing (nothing so far). Happy Trails and Good Luck!

[Littlebelle]

Did anyone think of taking a pic on an extra digital camera disk. Of the words they wrote on the form that says pay in US first. And keep it for evidence. As long as it stay on camera disk I have a cheap 8mb camera disk that I could use for this purpose.

 

This is just disgusting. Wonder if any of are candian news would like to research this.

[CVU]

I like the photo idea.

We are leaving in 6 weeks, so will take a picture of our signed preference in the documents. We had problems on our last two cruises with it is CND$ and finally got it sorted out at the Purser's desk after a few trips.

 

The photo of the form will help show that we requested it is US$ right at the start.

This coming cruise we booked it in US$ as it was a cheaper price that way. Maybe that will help??

[Pacific Sandy]

That's a great idea. I will take a picture. Also, I will bring a highlighter and highlight that area of the document to bring the Purser's attention to it.

 

Last year on Celebrity, we were billed in US. Maybe we just got lucky.

 

With the way the dollar is gaining strength against the US buck, its only a matter of time before Americans on the ships will ask to pay in Canadian.!!!!

 

4 more cents to go.

[UB & AS]

Did anyone think of taking a pic on an extra digital camera disk. Of the words they wrote on the form that says pay in US first. And keep it for evidence. As long as it stay on camera disk I have a cheap 8mb camera disk that I could use for this purpose.

 

This is just disgusting. Wonder if any of are candian news would like to research this.

 

While you are taking pix before a cruise, also photograph every piece of luggage as well. I tie some bright coloured surveyor's tape to each back for easy recognition. If your bags arrive at the pre-cruise airport, photograph them again. Get whatever photos you can of your bags as they progress toward the ship. On a Panama transit in January Celebrity lost a bag. Their buck passing blamed it on the airline, but I had a photo of it in LAX baggage claim area. Next they said it was lost at the airport and did not make it onto the luggage truck to the ship, but I had a photo of it going onto the luggage truck. X "searched the ship" and came up with nothing. The following morning I had a phone call from another cruiser saying that the bag was by her door - only a few cabins from ours but separated by fire doors. :confused:

 

The photo proof of luggage movement works great, just by showing the hotel director that the bag made it to the ship. We requested that Summit send wine, fruit and flowers to the passenger who found the bag, which was done. Fruit and wine was also sent to our cabin. In a world of denial and passing the blame, photos are useful. Also when the front desk wanted a description of the lost bag it was nice to be able to show them a photo of it.:) Make your bags look different from others. I travel with a large pink suitcase that is so ugly and so recognizable that nobody would steal it!:cool:

 

Happy trails, Bill