Canadian cruisers!!

I don't think RC cares what CC you use for the onboard account USD/CAD etc.

We almost always book in CAD and sometimes do CASH account, USD CC or CAD CC has never been a problem. I have booked thru a US TA in USD and then used my CAD CC to pay onboard account.

I have found that my CAD Bank does a better rate of exchange then RC so I always ask to be billed in USD and for them NOT to convert to local currency.

I'd like to hear from Ken (ourusualbeach) on this. If a cruise is booked in CAD, can you use a USD denominated credit card for the onboard account and have them charge in USD?

That is what I do.

That is what I do.

Thanks.

I am Canadian but I have a TD visa in US dollars. I don't want any of the options, so that they will charge me in US dollars. So the answer would be no if you want it in US dollars and let your bank do the exchange. Hope this helps.

I'd like to hear from Ken (ourusualbeach) on this. If a cruise is booked in CAD, can you use a USD denominated credit card for the onboard account and have them charge in USD?

Before I switched to a cash account I used my US$ TD Visa on every cruise. Each cruise was booked in CDN.

What I did was I completed the set sail pass and I either used a CDN credit card or set it up as a cash account and then when I got to the pier I changed it to my US$ card.

Before I switched to a cash account I used my US$ TD Visa on every cruise. Each cruise was booked in CDN.

 

What I did was I completed the set sail pass and I either used a CDN credit card or set it up as a cash account and then when I got to the pier I changed it to my US$ card.

Thanks Ken.

I've also read that it's a good idea to check mid-cruise that Guest Services won't be doing any conversion, as they have a tendancy to "accidentally forget" your selection.

Thanks Ken.

 

I've also read that it's a good idea to check mid-cruise that Guest Services won't be doing any conversion, as they have a tendancy to "accidentally forget" your selection.

You're welcome.:)

That's what I have also heard although it has never happened to us. I suppose now that the OBC is a thing of the past I will once again use the credit card.:(

Changing topics somewhat, we will be on the Allure next March, taking our kids and g-kids. For the first time, we are cruising during the Ontario March break, and I was amazed how much more expensive flights are. Pretty much double what we would normally pay flying out of Ottawa.

 

Having considered a number of alternatives, we discovered that the Quebec March break is a week earlier, and flights out of Montreal for our dates are pretty much "normal". Anyone living in Eastern Ontario who might normally fly out of Ottawa for March break should definitely consider Montreal.

We flew out of Montreal for crushes during Ontario March Break in both 2013 and 2014. It is much cheaper! A couple tips:

- if you've got a very early morning flight, consider staying an a Montreal airport hotel. The Marriott that right in YUL is particularly convient. It's on top of the wing for US departures. You literally take the elevator down to check in and security.

- make sure you leave enough time to park your car. If you use Park N Fly, they're lots are VERY full and it can be tricky to find a spot...they're already loaded with cars of Quebecers who are still on the tail end of their March Break.

Hey Russ, which cruises are you watching for Dec. 2017? We were booked on the 6 day Freedom but changed to the 5 day Navigator as it was significantly less. Also looking at similar cruises in December of 2016 there were a lot of price drops on the 5 day cruises over NYE.

I have the 9 day on the Navigator booked that leaves on the Friday before the school break starts. Will have to take an unpaid day from work if we keep it. Still not 100% sure on this one, but would like to take the family for Christmas on a ship and that one has a great itinerary and a lots of flowrider time with 4 sea days.

I was looking at the Adventure possibly for March Break 2018 as well. Very expensive to fly a family of 6 to San Juan though (although I have seen it cheaper than flights to Florida in the past). Friends want to go with us on the March 2018 cruise, so we may try NCL again (have not been on them for about 8 or 9 years now) and try the Getaway. Pricing will dictate what we go with eventually, and I am not crazy about the pricing on any of them as of yet.

I have the 9 day on the Navigator booked that leaves on the Friday before the school break starts. Will have to take an unpaid day from work if we keep it. Still not 100% sure on this one, but would like to take the family for Christmas on a ship and that one has a great itinerary and a lots of flowrider time with 4 sea days.

 

I was looking at the Adventure possibly for March Break 2018 as well. Very expensive to fly a family of 6 to San Juan though (although I have seen it cheaper than flights to Florida in the past). Friends want to go with us on the March 2018 cruise, so we may try NCL again (have not been on them for about 8 or 9 years now) and try the Getaway. Pricing will dictate what we go with eventually, and I am not crazy about the pricing on any of them as of yet.

I've been wanting to do that 9 day itinerary for a while but it never seems to work out for us.

I hear you about the flights to San Juan. I'm booked on the Adventure in 2018 and was hoping to use points to fly there but if 2017 was any indication it does not look good using points. It was a 17 hour trip (12 hour layover in NYC) and the flight arrived in San Juan at 4:30 am the day we sailed.....I don't think so.

I still have that reservation but I have also booked on Oasis that same week. Surprisingly there were some significant price drops last week and the prices on her are actually reasonably considering that it's March break.

In 2015 we did AOS out of San Jusn. Delta direct flight down from Detroit and change of planes in Atlanta on return. Flight less money than looking at now to Florida.

In 2015 we did AOS out of San Jusn. Delta direct flight down from Detroit and change of planes in Atlanta on return. Flight less money than looking at now to Florida.

We've also had some good deals flying to SJU from Buffalo on Jet Blue (change planes in New York at JFK).

I am also looking for a one way flight for two for April so I'll check Delta too.. Thanks for the heads up! :)

We flew out of Montreal for crushes during Ontario March Break in both 2013 and 2014. It is much cheaper! A couple tips:

 

- if you've got a very early morning flight, consider staying an a Montreal airport hotel. The Marriott that right in YUL is particularly convient. It's on top of the wing for US departures. You literally take the elevator down to check in and security.

 

- make sure you leave enough time to park your car. If you use Park N Fly, they're lots are VERY full and it can be tricky to find a spot...they're already loaded with cars of Quebecers who are still on the tail end of their March Break.

Excellent points. We flew to Boston last September for a Canada/New England cruise terminating in Montreal and found the Park N Fly lots pretty full even then, so we are definitely going to give some extra time for parking. As we don't fly out until mid-afternoon, we won't need the hotel.

I've been wanting to do that 9 day itinerary for a while but it never seems to work out for us.

 

I hear you about the flights to San Juan. I'm booked on the Adventure in 2018 and was hoping to use points to fly there but if 2017 was any indication it does not look good using points. It was a 17 hour trip (12 hour layover in NYC) and the flight arrived in San Juan at 4:30 am the day we sailed.....I don't think so.

 

I still have that reservation but I have also booked on Oasis that same week. Surprisingly there were some significant price drops last week and the prices on her are actually reasonably considering that it's March break.

That 9 day Navigator cruise never seems to align in the stars for us either. Taking an unpaid day prior to the Christmas break is the only way we may be able to make it work. Fingers crossed since it is a ship I would like to try and an itinerary I am desperately seeking to do as well.

I have to pay for my flights since I do not fly enough to earn points. I was thinking of double booking a cruise from San Juan and one from Florida as well and cancelling one of them depending on flight costs when they are released. Great time to book for me is the WOW sale with reduced deposits of only $100 per person. Costs a fortune for six deposits for a family of 6 two years prior to cruising if I hedge my bets and book multiple cruises for the same week with the intention of cancelling one of them. $100 per person is much more to my liking than $265 per person.

I took at peek at the Oasis pricing and it is still steep in my mind ($1050 per person for an inside cabin) compared to what we paid before for it - $1030 our first time on her on March break 4 or 5 years ago and only $650 per person on Allure two March breaks ago. Will keep my eyes on it however.

For any Canadians, there is a crazy deal now on Liberty of the Seas for labor day week (i.e. returns the day before labor day). Was very tempted, but we were just on a cruise, but just letting others know.

For any Canadians, there is a crazy deal now on Liberty of the Seas for labor day week (i.e. returns the day before labor day). Was very tempted, but we were just on a cruise, but just letting others know.

Just checked it out ... Wow!! If I wasn't sailing later that month, I'd definitely book this. Thanks for sharing will pass it onto friends.

For any Canadians, there is a crazy deal now on Liberty of the Seas for labor day week (i.e. returns the day before labor day). Was very tempted, but we were just on a cruise, but just letting others know.

We are booked on that sailing. We had booked under the 30% off sale in the fall and thought we got a good deal with $2745 for 5 people in a family promenade room . We just cancelled & rebooked late last week with two interior guarantees for $2706 + we got $100OBC and a $45 Costco card per room The room with 2 people is $1190 and the 3 is $1516.

We are booked on that sailing. We had booked under the 30% off sale in the fall and thought we got a good deal with $2745 for 5 people in a family promenade room . We just cancelled & rebooked late last week with two interior guarantees for $2706 + we got $100OBC and a $45 Costco card per room The room with 2 people is $1190 and the 3 is $1516.

That's an amazing price for a family of 5...and great you could save even more. I was pricing $2500 for a family of 4 on guarantee ocean view, which is pretty great cost too. The bigger bottleneck is getting to Texas, but my husband did price it out (as I said we were tempted), and he found cheaper flying out of Buffalo.

Enjoy the cruise. It's a great end of the summer thing.

PS - The interior room has gone up today...yesterday it was $459 pp (or around there). Today is is up to over $600 pp.

That's an amazing price for a family of 5...and great you could save even more. I was pricing $2500 for a family of 4 on guarantee ocean view, which is pretty great cost too. The bigger bottleneck is getting to Texas, but my husband did price it out (as I said we were tempted), and he found cheaper flying out of Buffalo.

 

 

 

Enjoy the cruise. It's a great end of the summer thing.

 

 

 

PS - The interior room has gone up today...yesterday it was $459 pp (or around there). Today is is up to over $600 pp.

Yes if you are two people it went up. The interior guarantee is gone for 2 but still there for 3. I have been watching it like a hawk since last week and it comes and goes. We are flying out of Boston - we paid $254 cad round trip on United. Direct flights both ways.

Yes if you are two people it went up. The interior guarantee is gone for 2 but still there for 3. I have been watching it like a hawk since last week and it comes and goes. We are flying out of Boston - we paid $254 cad round trip on United. Direct flights both ways.

Amazing flight price too. Enjoy!

Just noticed on RC site that there is a 35% "off" ;) your cruise for Canadian residents. I doubt it really is 35% off but you might want to check out your sailings just in case.

Just noticed on RC site that there is a 35% "off" ;) your cruise for Canadian residents. I doubt it really is 35% off but you might want to check out your sailings just in case.

I saw that too. It did not help any of mine :)

Just noticed on RC site that there is a 35% "off" ;) your cruise for Canadian residents. I doubt it really is 35% off but you might want to check out your sailings just in case.

Thanks Andrew.

In order to see some lower prices you have to select a province of residence.

It's not the 35% off. Royal math...you were getting 60% off 1 guestyesterday but today you are getting 70% off something...keeping everyone confused.

I checked 2 of mine and the prices dropped from yesterday BUT only 1 is lower than what I paid for it.

Thanks for the heads up but no drops for our cruises either! Actually, one of them is now $1,000 per person more than what we paid when we booked it a few months ago. :eek: So much for their Canadian residents sale. :rolleyes:

Just checked the rest of my cruises and I had drops (small ones $100 or less per cabin) on 3 cruises all from December 2017 onwards.:)

Just checked the rest of my cruises and I had drops (small ones $100 or less per cabin) on 3 cruises all from December 2017 onwards.:)

Every once in a while it works. :)