Canuck Buck vs. U.S. Greenback

[Volunton]

Time for me to start a new thread. This one will be of special interest to my fellow Canadians!

 

It's great that we'll have parity with (or be higher than) the U.S. Dollar! :D

 

After 30 years, we'll be able to spend $$$ in port and on the ship and actually get our monies worth!

 

Personally, I'm really looking forward to our December cruise. I just wished I would've booked it now instead of two months ago :confused: - but I won't complain. :cool:

[sayaguru]

What is your exchange rate to the US$ now? Ours has just hit 85cents.

I remember my first trip to America I got $1.20 for an Aussi dollar. A few years back we were lucky to get 50cents.

[LHT28]

Today it is .97 cents WOO! HOO!

http://www.oanda.com/convert/classic

 

I hope it stays up our final payment is due Nov.

[Flaming Homer]

You will notice that your local travel agent has yet to drop prices in CAD$.

 

A cruise that I'm looking for in October 2008:

 

Local TA - CAD$ 2490

US TA (On-line) - US$ 2142 = CAD$ 2210 (appx)

 

It just doesn't make sense to book in CAD$, considering the US On-Line agencies will throw in on-board credit (US$ 100 in my case) or pre-paid gratuities (US $130-ish in my case)...

[eh2zed]

You can pay USD from most Canadian suppliers. you don't needa US based ta or online service. We do it regularly

[Jdleong]

I spoke to them yesterday and they say that a 15% exchange is built into the Canadian price, and so that means on my cruise there is a $400 difference since the dollar might go to par....The TA isn't making any money since they still have to pay the Canadian amount, Princess is...and there is lot of Canadians on their cruises....

But remember you have to pay the Credit card companies exchange fees (2% or more) or the bank buy rate is usually 3% higher than the Fed rate....so over all it would still be cheaper to buy in US dollars. I paid my deposit a long time ago in Canadian Dollars so Princess will not let me change to US dollars...and I also have an OBC I got when I booked during a certain period, and I would probably loose it...if I cancelled and rebooked...

[Flaming Homer]

You can pay USD from most Canadian suppliers. you don't needa US based ta or online service. We do it regularly

If you're going to deal in US$, why not just deal with US agents ? Haven't seen any Canadian TA throwing pre-paid gratuities / on-board credit like the US ones do.

[1stXcruisers]

I sent an e-mail to Crown & Anchor asking when the cruise lines were going to adjust the rates. No answer back yet. I am kicking myself now because we decided to pay in Canadian when we booked figuring it was pretty close with the amount we would get charged for exchanging plus the credit card companies percentage. Now it seems like the wrong choice with the Canadian dollar at .997 this morning (last night it was 1.002).

 

At least we're cruising!!!!!

 

B&R

[Volunton]

What is your exchange rate to the US$ now? Ours has just hit 85cents.

I remember my first trip to America I got $1.20 for an Aussi dollar. A few years back we were lucky to get 50cents.

 

Today (Friday, September 21), the Canuck buck hit $100.33 against the U.S. dollar (better than the U.S. greenback!) but fell back to 99.87.

 

This afternoon when I walked into TD-Canada Trust (big Canadian bank) the exchange was 2.20%, meaning it cost $102.20 to buy $100 U.S. dollars, despite the fact we were slightly higher. Don't ask me why it was 'that much'.

[Jdleong]

The buy rate is always 2-3% higher and the sell rate is 2-3% lower...they don't just straight exchange....so if you want to have a straight exchange...find someone with US who want to buy Canadian, and isn't at the bank....good luck....I use my dad , when he comes up from the States, I buy it directly from him, that way the bank isn't getting rich.

[sportsmum]

We asked our US TA to charge our last payment (due in Oct) Friday so we could take advantage of the exchange. Also went to the bank to get US$ and had to settle for traveller's cheques since they were out of cash!

 

$1500 cost me $30. Booking my shore excursions with independant company now as well. Make hay while the sun shines. This never happens to me....the price of gas always drops after I fill up!!

[Thamsey]

Last year took 4 cruises. Alaska, 2 Carribbean where I paid the whole shot for my daughter a Carribbean with a friend and 12 day Hawaiian solo. I must have spent thousands in exchange rate considering I did some expensive excersions. I also have fully paid for a trip for next year paid that of a few months ago. Who would have thought............................eh:(

[rottilvr]

We got charged at TD Bank as well but I was NOT complaining compared to exchange rates of the past! :D haha! I remember like 10 yrs ago it being 55 cents! UGH!! We're not cruising until January but we went and exchanged our cruise savings for US cash today. I'm sure the dollar will stay up but figured at $1.00+/- it was time to just do it. ;)

 

Personally I think the strong dollar is great...business wise IMO it's going to cause alot of industries in Canada hardship. Time will tell where this goes....:confused:

[FranKes2000]

I booked a world cruise last October, in C$ and had to pay final installment this month, it is $5000 more than the price US, no adjustment!

[grimpil]

Ouch

[chopper65]

If you are changing large amount and have a discount investment broker buy an interlisted stock on the canadian side for a 9.95 brokerage fee. Sell immediatley on the American side for a 9.95 brokerage fee. The stock gets journaled over and you have american dollars for the correct exchange rate for 20 dollars

[1stXcruisers]

I was just checking out excursion prices on RCCL and noticed that the Canadian and U.S. prices are now identical. It looks like they are making some adjustments :) !!!!!

I've been watching the cruise prices, but we are still better off with paying in Canadian funds because we got our cruise at a much lower price than what is being charged now.

 

B&R

[1stXcruisers]

I was just checking the RCCL site for excusions and discovered that the U.S. and Canadian prices are identical. It looks like they are making adjustments in some areas :D

 

 

B&R

[bri070102]

Hey Volunton - this is my first time posting as I've been lurking the past week. BUT noticed you are a fellow Canadian and going to be on my same cruise so couldn't resist saying hi. I'm so excited to be heading out 12/15 - it's mine & hubbies well-needed vacation since our honeymoon 5 years ago!

 

- Bri :)

 

Time for me to start a new thread. This one will be of special interest to my fellow Canadians!

 

It's great that we'll have parity with (or be higher than) the U.S. Dollar! :D

 

After 30 years, we'll be able to spend $$$ in port and on the ship and actually get our monies worth!

 

Personally, I'm really looking forward to our December cruise. I just wished I would've booked it now instead of two months ago :confused: - but I won't complain. :cool:

[Volunton]

We're on the Fjord deck (I think), mid-ship. Where are you guys going to be?

 

Have you bought any tours yet? We haven't. But I do know we want to see the ruins in Belize for sure.

 

At least we won't have to <SIGH> every time we see the signs that say, " 10 U.S dollars". But I wonder what the exchange rate will be. :)

 

(how old is your partner?)

 

You can see an earlier thread about us on CruiseCritic.

[Canuker]

Celebrity is definitely gouging.

The Cnd$ is now worth about US$1.05.

I live in Canada.

I phoned Celebrity (I booked our cruise directly with them, in C$) today about an air deviation. In addition to the extra airline cost (fair enough) they wanted a fee of "$75 - no, sorry you're in Canada - 96 Canadian dollars".

That's a hike of about 33%!!

[venicebound]

Hi all I've been watching this thread as well. We leave shortly for 13 night Med cruise which I booked through an American on-line site back in September. Great deal in US funds. I did get nailed for the 2% via my VISA but still cheaper than anything I could get here. Now that our dollar is so high I will pay for everything on board with my TD US funds credit card... then pay with my way less than 2% surcharge in one bulk payment. I get a better rate with my borderless account when paying.

 

Having said that now I look at the euro & already have Euro for the trip. My question to all is do you tip in Euros or US funds while in Europe on the ship that is. Does the casino work in us $ or Euros.

 

This will be my 1st cruise experience-- we've always been the go South to one of the islands people. This one was a no brainer as I certainly didn't want to be packing every second night & move on to another city in Italy.

 

Fridays rate was Cdn $1.07 - Us $ 1.00 think it .05 on the dollar now. Talk is that it may go up as high as $ 1.10.

Not good for Cdn manufacturers though --

[LHT28]

Having said that now I look at the euro & already have Euro for the trip. My question to all is do you tip in Euros or US funds while in Europe on the ship that is. Does the casino work in us $ or Euros.

 

-

Depends on the cruise line

Most U.S. lines use $$ but some lines like Costa, P& O will use Euros.

check with the cruiseline

[mallbucks]

We asked our US TA to charge our last payment (due in Oct) Friday so we could take advantage of the exchange. Also went to the bank to get US$ and had to settle for traveller's cheques since they were out of cash!

 

$1500 cost me $30. Booking my shore excursions with independant company now as well. Make hay while the sun shines. This never happens to me....the price of gas always drops after I fill up!!

 

Hi, We're from Airdrie so almost neighbors. Never thought to use a US TA. Good idea. When we booked in early October, we paid entire cruise fare at time of booking in Cdn. funds. We asked about paying in US funds at the time, but of course they said no. Like you, we will book excursions with independents - did the last 2 years as well for the most part. Different cruise lines. First time on Princess. Managed to get some U.S. money at the bank when it spiked recently so some gratification there.

 

For your onboard charges, did you choose to have them charged to your credit card in U.S. funds, or opt for the Cdn. currency for which Princess charges a 3% conversion rate?

 

If you've already cruised, would like to hear your opinion and what ship etc.

[chopper65]

Hi, We're from Airdrie so almost neighbors. Never thought to use a US TA. Good idea. When we booked in early October, we paid entire cruise fare at time of booking in Cdn. funds. We asked about paying in US funds at the time, but of course they said no. Like you, we will book excursions with independents - did the last 2 years as well for the most part. Different cruise lines. First time on Princess. Managed to get some U.S. money at the bank when it spiked recently so some gratification there.

 

For your onboard charges, did you choose to have them charged to your credit card in U.S. funds, or opt for the Cdn. currency for which Princess charges a 3% conversion rate?

 

If you've already cruised, would like to hear your opinion and what ship etc.

Here is what I did

I have a discount broker investment account with an American and Canadian side.

I booked our may 5th cruise with a Us Ta using my US dollar credit card and a 100 dollar deposit

I then looked for an interlisted stock which trades on both exchanges. I bought 100 shares of Alcan on the Canadian side and then immediately sold 100 shares on the American side. They journaled the shares from the Canadian side to cover the sale and I then had us dollars at the correct exchange rate for a cost of 19.00 dollar trading fees. I then put the money into the Altamira high interest fund at 4.25% interst. When I have to pay the rest of the cruise on Feb 5th Iwill transfer the funds to my US dollar savings a ccount and pay with my US dollaR CREDIT CARD. Result is no exchange fees from the bank or Visa and I have the cruise in US dllars