International travellers, were you charged in US$ or your own currency

[Mydnite]

There appear to be problems with RCCL when they have international travelers charging them in the home currency, (or even another currency) instead of dollars.

 

I am hoping to get some idea of how common this problem is, so I set up a poll, I hope this is OK and I have done it correctly as I have not done this before.

 

I do have an interest as although I am from the UK I was planning on paying with an offshore account that is a US$ account, but if it is wide-scale I'll take out cash and pay that way.

[dirtgirl]

I was charged in CAD, even with a US credit card, and writing on the Set Sail Pass to charge me in US.:(

[kingsgirl]

I checked the box.

I highlighted the checked box.

I circled the highlighted and checked box.

 

STILL CHARGED IN CANADIAN FUNDS.

 

Ooooo makes me angry thinking about it!:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

[far2manyshoes]

Hi

 

I am also from the Uk and I have done it both ways you choose when you sign your onboard account as you get on. The exchange rate worked out better to pay by USD (on a UK debit card that was) than the rate I would have got drawing cash out.

 

Sharon

[Pootle]

Only been on RCI twice, as a back to back.

 

First week I ticked the box at check in to say charge me in US$. Bill arrived on morning of last day of first cruise and said it was going to be charged in £ Sterling so I phoned customer services and they said they would amend the bill and it would be charged in US$ when it hit my card. Never happened, so I wrote to RCI's UK office to complain and ended up getting £100 future cruise credit.

 

Second week I went down to customer services on the first day of the cruise and made sure I watched them put that I wanted to be charged in US$ on my account. No problems with that week at all.

[uktraveller]

Ticked the box to be charged in US$ - guess what? Charged in GB£!:mad:

We asked Guest Relations to change it back to $ and they did.

So long as people let them get away with it "because it's only a small amount" they will continue to do it, as it must be a good money-maker for them!

[standby 06.30]

This happened to us after an Rcl cruise in Jan, I put it into dispute with my C/C company it was sorted.

 

On a Carnival ship in Aug I went to see the purser what a twit he tried to tell me it was for my benifit, he did not know what the exchange rate was that day, and said it did not interest him and as head office did the billing there was nothing he could do ect ect

 

We arrived in port I went to see him again, phoned up my bank(first direct 24hr internet and phone banking) in front of him and told them to dispute any charges from carnival in £.

 

Like a miracle a form appeared he filled it in, I was charged in $, when I asked him why he could not have done that the day before he just Smiled that knowing smile you did not phone your bank.

 

Just be aware that both lines like to nickle and dime you because it with the volume of traffic those nickles add up.

 

Just think if you were an idiot and had bought a "work of art" onboard and it was converted to £ it would be a double whammy!

 

Regards

[Magicat]

Why do they have the little box on the Set Sail Pass for you to choose the billing currency? Is it there just to use up ink on our printers? I am going to start charging them a $5.00 surcharge whenever I have to go to the Pursers desk to address this. Or I will settle for a beer.

[Elizanessie]

Never had any problems ..I always pick it to be charged in dollars although I am in UK as my Amex card doesnt charge for conversion :D

[juniorsmom]

I am so glad that this discussion has come up. I am on the Navigator on December 17 and I appreciate knowing what to do to make sure I am charged in US. Thank you

[digital_curator]

I voted for the "asked to be charged in US and was charged in US" but it wasn't really that easy. We have been on 2 cruises. The first time we checked the box, didn't think anything of it, got the bill the last night in CDN $, called down to ask about it, were assured that it would be done in US $, and as we were leaving the ship stopped by the purser's desk to check and were told, no it would be done in CDN funds and we were too late to change it! Lesson learned.

 

Cruise #2

 

I checked the box and circle it on the SetSail pass.

 

I pointed it out to the woman when we checked in at the port in NJ.

 

We checked when we were onboard the first day and were told they didn't have the info yet.

 

We checked back in when we had to go to the Purser's desk (we had gone to the spa, given our seapass card for a locker key- and THEY GAVE IT TO SOMEONE ELSE- whole other complaint story:mad: ) and it hadn't been done so we asked for that to be fixed.

 

We checked a few days later to make sure it had been done and it had.

 

On the last night we got the bill and it stated that we were going to be billed in US.

 

But it would be nice if they would just do what we requested upon check-in. It isn't much fun spending so much time on vacation making sure this has actually implemented and even worse to find out when you are back home, looking at your credit card statement!

[MoeAndSue]

I voted for the "asked to be charged in US and was charged in US" but it wasn't really that easy. We have been on 2 cruises. The first time we checked the box, didn't think anything of it, got the bill the last night in CDN $, called down to ask about it, were assured that it would be done in US $, and as we were leaving the ship stopped by the purser's desk to check and were told, no it would be done in CDN funds and we were too late to change it! Lesson learned.

 

Cruise #2

 

I checked the box and circle it on the SetSail pass.

 

I pointed it out to the woman when we checked in at the port in NJ.

 

We checked when we were onboard the first day and were told they didn't have the info yet.

 

We checked back in when we had to go to the Purser's desk (we had gone to the spa, given our seapass card for a locker key- and THEY GAVE IT TO SOMEONE ELSE- whole other complaint story:mad: ) and it hadn't been done so we asked for that to be fixed.

 

We checked a few days later to make sure it had been done and it had.

 

On the last night we got the bill and it stated that we were going to be billed in US.

 

But it would be nice if they would just do what we requested upon check-in. It isn't much fun spending so much time on vacation making sure this has actually implemented and even worse to find out when you are back home, looking at your credit card statement!

 

They probably charger you in Canadian funds because the Canadian dollar is worth more than the US$... sneaky

[lovemylab]

I voted for the "asked to be charged in US and was charged in US" but it wasn't really that easy. We have been on 2 cruises. The first time we checked the box, didn't think anything of it, got the bill the last night in CDN $, called down to ask about it, were assured that it would be done in US $, and as we were leaving the ship stopped by the purser's desk to check and were told, no it would be done in CDN funds and we were too late to change it! Lesson learned.

 

Cruise #2

 

I checked the box and circle it on the SetSail pass.

 

I pointed it out to the woman when we checked in at the port in NJ.

 

We checked when we were onboard the first day and were told they didn't have the info yet.

 

We checked back in when we had to go to the Purser's desk (we had gone to the spa, given our seapass card for a locker key- and THEY GAVE IT TO SOMEONE ELSE- whole other complaint story:mad: ) and it hadn't been done so we asked for that to be fixed.

 

We checked a few days later to make sure it had been done and it had.

 

On the last night we got the bill and it stated that we were going to be billed in US.

 

But it would be nice if they would just do what we requested upon check-in. It isn't much fun spending so much time on vacation making sure this has actually implemented and even worse to find out when you are back home, looking at your credit card statement!

 

In my situation the onboard account showed a total in USD. It was only after I got home that I noticed it was put through in CDN.

[CastorRanger]

2 weeks on the Liberty and 2 different answers...

 

I had the choice between charged in us or in euro. So i take the first choice charged in us, because i dont have any fees for use in other countries and save the 2% fee.

 

The first week was charged in us and for my surprise the second in euro. But my room maid had the same problems, only he was charged both weeks in euro.

 

We accepted but now i know the next time i'll be on the guest relations desk..

 

Patrick

[CVU]

We have to fight with them Every time to have it in USD, they convert it every time even with a highlighted box etc. etc.

 

Last time DH had the person at the front counter sign his name to the form, that is was to be charged in USD.

It wasn't but they changed it when we called RCCL from home. Just have to waste their time and your own, each time to get it the way you requested.

[standby 06.30]

If you owned the line would you not try to make "soft" profit in any way you can?

 

This is obviously a ploy to extract money from the "loyal non US cruisers" who they hope will not complain when they get home and recieve the dreaded statement.

 

I would do it, but it only works if the ignorance remains, happy solstice

[standby 06.30]

I voted for the "asked to be charged in US and was charged in US" but it wasn't really that easy. We have been on 2 cruises. The first time we checked the box, didn't think anything of it, got the bill the last night in CDN $, called down to ask about it, were assured that it would be done in US $, and as we were leaving the ship stopped by the purser's desk to check and were told, no it would be done in CDN funds and we were too late to change it! Lesson learned.

 

Cruise #2

 

I checked the box and circle it on the SetSail pass.

 

I pointed it out to the woman when we checked in at the port in NJ.

 

We checked when we were onboard the first day and were told they didn't have the info yet.

 

We checked back in when we had to go to the Purser's desk (we had gone to the spa, given our seapass card for a locker key- and THEY GAVE IT TO SOMEONE ELSE- whole other complaint story:mad: ) and it hadn't been done so we asked for that to be fixed.

 

We checked a few days later to make sure it had been done and it had.

 

On the last night we got the bill and it stated that we were going to be billed in US.

 

But it would be nice if they would just do what we requested upon check-in. It isn't much fun spending so much time on vacation making sure this has actually implemented and even worse to find out when you are back home, looking at your credit card statement!

You "voted" big mistake, look what happened in the last but one election, I think they are still counting:eek:

[manor park]

Same thing happened to me although I had filled out the form correctly.

Check your statement on the final morning and at the bottom will show how it will be charged, if it is wrong phone them (long lines at desk) and they will change it.

 

It is a pain to have to do this but if people do, they may start taking more notice of the request in the first place.

[artvlay]

If you owned the line would you not try to make "soft" profit in any way you can?

 

This is obviously a ploy to extract money from the "loyal non US cruisers" who they hope will not complain when they get home and recieve the dreaded statement.

 

I would do it, but it only works if the ignorance remains, happy solstice

 

They pull this crap on ALL passengers. It happens too often to be an oversight or accident when processing your forms. This stuff is intentional. Watch your bills with everything. They seem to always stick something on your bill that you didn't buy. And then it takes forever to have them take it off. I like the $5 surcharge on them when there is an error.

[Mydnite]

So far the poll is quite daming.