Carnival and Canadian Cruisers re: Exchange Rate

so the answer is,

 

Carnival offers nothing as incentives to Canadians to attract against the low CAD dollar and exchange.

 

They just don't need us when our u.s. friends are filling ships and not suffering at all from any exchange and some of us Canadians are willing to pay a 30 percent premium to cruise Carnival.

 

Us, we have a US dollar account, and the Marriott Card, which has no foreign transaction fee and earns points and free night per year. The points and free nights covers our hotel rooms pre and post cruise.

I don't get why they would. Just because they're both called dollars really doesn't mean anything. When I went to Europe a few years back, none of those countries cared that the Euro was worth approx $2 American. (So, for 5eu, I was paying $10 US.) not trying to be snarky, I just really don't understand.

We booked in Canadian dollars with a travel agent. Even with the exchange Carnival came in lower than RCC and NCL with a similar itinerary.

I've seen promos for Canadians but they aren't real sales.

I don't get why they would. Just because they're both called dollars really doesn't mean anything. When I went to Europe a few years back, none of those countries cared that the Euro was worth approx $2 American. (So, for 5eu, I was paying $10 US.) not trying to be snarky, I just really don't understand.

I'm with you. Sorry, but I don't get it either. I don't understand why people think that just because you are from another country, you should get to pay a lower rate than people from the US for the same exact cruise. If a double occupancy cabin is $1,000 USD for US citizens, you can't honestly expect it to be $800 USD for Canadian residents. That wouldn't be fair at all.

I'm with you. Sorry, but I don't get it either. I don't understand why people think that just because you are from another country, you should get to pay a lower rate than people from the US for the same exact cruise. If a double occupancy cabin is $1,000 USD for US citizens, you can't honestly expect it to be $800 USD for Canadian residents. That wouldn't be fair at all.

I don't think any of us Canadians are looking at paying LESS than Americans I have $2400 still owing on my cruise in US funds which is going to cost me over $3000 Canadian to pay off. That's all.

I don't think any of us Canadians are looking at paying LESS than Americans I have $2400 still owing on my cruise in US funds which is going to cost me over $3000 Canadian to pay off. That's all.

But that is exactly what everyone is saying. How else would Carnival be able to "help you guys out" without lowering the USD equivalent of what you owe?

The poor Canadian dollar is most of the reason we will not be cruising again until it improves. :( So bummed, but we pay so much already for airfare from where I live, albeit in Canadian funds, that having to tack on another 30-35% to the vacay cost really sucks. But that 30-35% would apply to everything paid to Carnival - the cruise fare, the excursions, the drinks, onboard purchases, casino....) as well as anything spent on the Caribbean islands, which, from my experience, all charge in U.S. funds.

Ouch. Big Ouch.

Yup. We're in Iqaluit, so its a big hit to the pocket book for us to get out too... But I hate winter and need a week or more to thaw out mid winter! We pay for ours well in advance, so it doesn't hurt as much when we get back.

I booked my upcoming cruise almost a year out when the rates were much better than now. So it's costing me close to $1000 more than when I booked (paying for 4 people cruising and a 2nd cruise for just hubby and me)

That $1000 is alot when you consider our flights were outrageously high this time. We hadn't cruised in February before and were shocked to find that each flight cost over $800 and that was with many weeks of searching for the best prices.

But that is exactly what everyone is saying. How else would Carnival be able to "help you guys out" without lowering the USD equivalent of what you owe?

They are trying to ascribe currency fluctuation as Carnival's obligation to mitigate for their customers. It's abundantly clear to me that when a country's currency tanks, everyone outside that country is expected to suck it up.

Except in the US.

so the answer is,

 

Carnival offers nothing as incentives to Canadians to attract against the low CAD dollar and exchange.

 

They just don't need us when our u.s. friends are filling ships and not suffering at all from any exchange and some of us Canadians are willing to pay a 30 percent premium to cruise Carnival.

 

Us, we have a US dollar account, and the Marriott Card, which has no foreign transaction fee and earns points and free night per year. The points and free nights covers our hotel rooms pre and post cruise.

But, wouldn't you be doing the same thing on any other cruise line? I do not think that this is a Carnival issue. I think that this is a Canadian currency vs. U.S. currency issue. To expect that the merchant should be doing something to solve or alleviate the currency problem is a little strange.

Check this out, we AMERICANS...take a bath when we go to Great Britian....1.60 to the dollar or to Europe with the Euro....So everbody takes a hit sometimes..

 

Long Live Canada and the USA

Mike

Just think how bad it is for us Canadians to visit then. I'm switching to AI in the Caribbean. We still pay the exchange, but not as bad as paying the cruise outright in American dollars.

this is my last Cruise for a long time!!!

But that is exactly what everyone is saying. How else would Carnival be able to "help you guys out" without lowering the USD equivalent of what you owe?

Carnival quite often offer FL resident sales. They don't have to pay for airfare, so why should they get a deal?

Again we are not asking for a reduction in USD we get paid in Canadian and if the cruise is 2000 nbucks we want to pay 2000 buck in canadian:D. It works both ways. Americans can come to Canada to some of the best fishing lakes for half price. :rolleyes::rolleyes:

But, wouldn't you be doing the same thing on any other cruise line? I do not think that this is a Carnival issue. I think that this is a Canadian currency vs. U.S. currency issue. To expect that the merchant should be doing something to solve or alleviate the currency problem is a little strange.

NCL and Princess offer a more affordable exchange rate. Would love for Carnival to offer something similar.

I booked my upcoming cruise almost a year out when the rates were much better than now. So it's costing me close to $1000 more than when I booked (paying for 4 people cruising and a 2nd cruise for just hubby and me)

That $1000 is alot when you consider our flights were outrageously high this time. We hadn't cruised in February before and were shocked to find that each flight cost over $800 and that was with many weeks of searching for the best prices.

Not sure where in Ontario you live, but have you considered flying out of a US airport such as Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse or Detroit? Could save you a lot of money even with the exchange rate.

I'm not really sure how the exchange rate is affecting the Canadians shopping on the US side. Today there are pictures on the news with the outlet malls full of Canadian license plates waiting for the malls top open later tonight.

Some places on the US side of the border still have signs out offering to take Canadian dollars at Par. I am seriously considering buying some stuff with some Canadian money I have put aside to save even more money if the stores are going to take it at par.

We suck it up and pay for as much in advance as possible. I got lucky and paid for cabins before exchange rate went so high (paid 1.24 exchange instead of 1.35) but now having to pay the higher exchange for tips and all the extras. It's a cruise and the price (even in USD) was good with Carnival for the places we wanted to go. As far as airfare, we drive to the port from Ontario. My DH hates to fly, only flew once to port because it was just the 2 of us and paid through the nose, so to speak. It's a vacation and like any big purchase we plan ahead and budget for it.

Again we are not asking for a reduction in USD we get paid in Canadian and if the cruise is 2000 nbucks we want to pay 2000 buck in canadian:D. It works both ways. Americans can come to Canada to some of the best fishing lakes for half price. :rolleyes::rolleyes:

But again, in order for you to pay $2,000 CAD, they have to lower the USD equivalent. So you would, then, be paying less than US residents for the same cruise. Do people on this board really not understand that?

Again we are not asking for a reduction in USD we get paid in Canadian and if the cruise is 2000 nbucks we want to pay 2000 buck in canadian:D. It works both ways. Americans can come to Canada to some of the best fishing lakes for half price. :rolleyes::rolleyes:

I'm confused as by asking to pay for a cruise in Cdn dollars vs. US dollars you, in effect, are asking for a reduction. If the Cdn dollar sucks right now then you just have to suck it up if you want to travel outside of Canada. It's your countries economy that drives the dollar.

Why should we Americans pay more for a cruise than you Canadians? That would be the way it would be if Carnival accepted $2000 Cdn to be the same as $2000 US. As the US dollar is worth more at the moment.

They would then have to do the same for the Brits etc! Just because your money is called "dollar" which is the same as the US doesn't mean it's worth the same.

All countries pay for a cruise the same way, in US dollars.

Just book using Air Canada Vacations like we did and pay in CDN dollars.

One of the reasons that I am venturing over to a different cruise line, is because when I started researching prices for next fall, NCL was giving Canadians a booking rate of 1.16 exchange rate, when our dollar was way down to .75 and the banks, credit cards were charging over 1.30. Also because the ship I will go on has solo studio cabins, and the end price worked out to 200.00 less than what Carnival could offer on an older ship with less amenities. For me price is bottom line, but I have to admit that I am really psyched to try a different cruise experience. I know that I will be back to Carnival again some day, because I do still like them. But for me; big, new, sparking ship with great entertainment, 200.00 less than I can get elsewhere, means I try the other guys

ps; since the time I booked though, they have stopped giving those breaks on the exchange rate according to the NCL board. Guess I booked at a good time.

Again we are not asking for a reduction in USD we get paid in Canadian and if the cruise is 2000 nbucks we want to pay 2000 buck in canadian:D. It works both ways. Americans can come to Canada to some of the best fishing lakes for half price. :rolleyes::rolleyes:

I am not trying to come off as rude here! Really I am not.

A little confused by your comment if really being serious.

Different country different money.

I still feel ripped off when get change out a vending machine and it is Canadian dime and insist that I get my 2 pennies back from the guy who services the machines.... hahaha just kidding:p:D

I'm with you. Sorry, but I don't get it either. I don't understand why people think that just because you are from another country, you should get to pay a lower rate than people from the US for the same exact cruise. If a double occupancy cabin is $1,000 USD for US citizens, you can't honestly expect it to be $800 USD for Canadian residents. That wouldn't be fair at all.

really folks?

you aren't getting it?

nobody's asking or expecting to pay less

it is not about the exchange rate?????

or asking for a lower price in US dollars for Canadians!!!!?????

it is about the recent changes in the exchange rate

e.g. 1 US = 1 CAD a couple years ago, even last year they were near equal.

so a year ago a cruise cost the same whether it was paid for in US dollars or CAD dollars, the were on par

today 1 US = 1.34 CAD, the same cruise now cost 35 percent more in CAD

no one is saying Canadian expect to pay less, just saying it now is costing Canadians significantly more to purchase an American product, this is persuading some put off plans and to stay home until the exchange rate improves

really folks?

 

 

 

you aren't getting it?

 

 

 

nobody's asking or expecting to pay less

 

 

 

it is not about the exchange rate?????

 

or asking for a lower price in US dollars for Canadians!!!!?????

 

it is about the recent changes in the exchange rate

 

 

 

e.g. 1 US = 1 CAD a couple years ago, even last year they were near equal.

 

so a year ago a cruise cost the same whether it was paid for in US dollars or CAD dollars, the were on par

 

 

 

today 1 US = 1.34 CAD, the same cruise now cost 35 percent more in CAD

 

 

 

no one is saying Canadian expect to pay less, just saying it now is costing Canadians significantly more to purchase an American product, this is persuading some put off plans and to stay home until the exchange rate improves

The poster stated this:

Just wondering if Carnival offers anything with regards to Canadian cruisers and paying in Canadian dollars, since our exchange rate is garbage right now and all.

She was asking if Carnival gave some kind of incentive/discount because the Cdn dollar was not doing well right now!

Therefore she was asking if Canadians could pay less! It's pretty straight forward.

I grew up in Canada and most of my family still lives there but just because both currencies are called "dollars" doesn't mean that they should be equal. Your economy drives that!

What about other countries? I see lots of Brits on Carnival so......do we adjust their cruise also? If their pound is doing really well, does Carnival charge them more or if it's not doing well, does Carnival also do the same that you want for the Canadian dollar?

really folks?

 

you aren't getting it?

 

nobody's asking or expecting to pay less

 

it is not about the exchange rate?????

or asking for a lower price in US dollars for Canadians!!!!?????

it is about the recent changes in the exchange rate

 

e.g. 1 US = 1 CAD a couple years ago, even last year they were near equal.

so a year ago a cruise cost the same whether it was paid for in US dollars or CAD dollars, the were on par

 

today 1 US = 1.34 CAD, the same cruise now cost 35 percent more in CAD

 

no one is saying Canadian expect to pay less, just saying it now is costing Canadians significantly more to purchase an American product, this is persuading some put off plans and to stay home until the exchange rate improves

I understand what you are saying. There have been long long years of nasty exchange rates and some Canadians have just paid up and taken it as the way it is for us to travel outside of the country. I am one of them.

The cruise lines really don't care because they will fill their ships with people from some where else, there just might be fewer Canadians. Sometimes we get a break on something, and most often not. Same goes for hotels.

I will just shop around more until I find a price in US dollars, that when converted to CAD suits my budget, and if I don't, then I might just stay home.

Yup the exchange rate sure does suck........ is that going to stop me from going on a cruise ......... NO ! We got lucky with this upcoming cruise, hubby had a casino rate that was very good. Even if we were to add in the exchange we paid less than what the going rate for our cabin is right now,( u.s funds)

our next vacation will be an all inclusive due to the sucky exchange rate. its really too bad...we love cruising but it is NOT affordable with the current exchange rate. not the cruise lines fault...but we have to do what works best for our budget.