Canadian Princess Cruisers

Thanks kruisey. I do indeed check the Princess website every day and call my TA if I see anything that I may be able to get. We have always gotten better prices through the TA as they use a tour aggregator who seems to always get at least $100 PP (and sometimes more) than the advertised special via the cruise line website plus some additional OBC. I only have experience with Norwegian however so other cruise lines may be different.

On 25th of month I then got the paid gratuities and a free dinner,Working it all out now brings me just about $2000 Canadian including Princess Insurance plus port taxes less than the original price.:D

All my bookings on Princess are using 20 % exchange including April and January 2017.

All my bookings on Princess are using 20 % exchange including April and January 2017.

If you booked before it went to 30% then you stay at the 20%.:)

It's been a month since I returned from my cruise. I had a refund and was told it would go back to my credit card. So far it hasn't. How long have you waited for your refund????

It's been a month since I returned from my cruise. I had a refund and was told it would go back to my credit card. So far it hasn't. How long have you waited for your refund????

Contact Princess with your statement in your hand :)

It's been a month since I returned from my cruise. I had a refund and was told it would go back to my credit card. So far it hasn't. How long have you waited for your refund????

We had the same situation earlier this year.

Even though the final statement says the refund will go back onto your credit card, you'll receive a cheque in the mail in about a month (or so).

In my experience the refund cheque takes about 5-6 weeks to arrive in Canada. It looks like promotional junk mail, and the envelope doesn't mention Princess Cruises at all, so hopefully you didn't discard it!

In my experience the refund cheque takes about 5-6 weeks to arrive in Canada. It looks like promotional junk mail, and the envelope doesn't mention Princess Cruises at all, so hopefully you didn't discard it!

What was the refund for, just making sure it wasn't Casino credits as I was hoping to cash mine in what I don't use.

Thanks

What was the refund for, just making sure it wasn't Casino credits as I was hoping to cash mine in what I don't use.

 

Thanks

This is for a refundable onboard credit (Captain's Circle Loyalty).

So we booked our cruise under the casino rate (but not my b-I-l) this was at the 20% rate (thank god I'm an early booker)😀 I had been checking for my in laws and got them a couple of small drops, but now that it has gone to a 30% rate, it would appear no further deals will occur for them, have you found that to be true, as the cruise went from $800 and something to over $900

So we booked our cruise under the casino rate (but not my b-I-l) this was at the 20% rate (thank god I'm an early booker)😀 I had been checking for my in laws and got them a couple of small drops, but now that it has gone to a 30% rate, it would appear no further deals will occur for them, have you found that to be true, as the cruise went from $800 and something to over $900

Have noticed some of the sailings are not on the sale list so no big discount.Its only those with the red sticker Sale on that itinerary that are given the discounts.

Sorry, this thread is a few weeks old but I was just wondering if someone can clarify re: very recently booked November cruise on the Regal.

Is it worth purchasing the OBC through their website? I paid for the cruise in CAD so they are showing me the OBC in CAD. Will it charge me the conversion rate after I buy the credits? For example, if I buy $100 CAD, use it to pay for my gratuities (did not prepay it yet), will it be 1:1, or will they tag me for the 10, 20, or the "new" 30% via my credit card after I put it against the payment of the gratuities?

TIA

It should be the exchange rate you paid at the time of the booking. For example, our cruise coming up in February was booked at the 20% exchange rate, so on my personalizer, I pay $120 Canadian for $100 U.S. it makes for a much better deal, so I am trying to load my OBC before we leave, as long as our dollar is still low. Checked my bank, for $120 Canadian, gives me $85 American, so I am making money :D

Sorry, this thread is a few weeks old but I was just wondering if someone can clarify re: very recently booked November cruise on the Regal.

 

 

 

Is it worth purchasing the OBC through their website? I paid for the cruise in CAD so they are showing me the OBC in CAD. Will it charge me the conversion rate after I buy the credits? For example, if I buy $100 CAD, use it to pay for my gratuities (did not prepay it yet), will it be 1:1, or will they tag me for the 10, 20, or the "new" 30% via my credit card after I put it against the payment of the gratuities?

 

 

 

TIA

My cruise is in October. I have already purchased online my gratuities, drinks package and bought some OBC, just to be on the safe side. Online conversion rate is still $1.20. Not sure what the charge will be once on the ship

My cruise is in October. I have already purchased online my gratuities, drinks package and bought some OBC, just to be on the safe side. Online conversion rate is still $1.20. Not sure what the charge will be once on the ship

There is no charge per se on the ship. Once you are on the ship, everything is priced in USD and billed in USD. If you owe money at the end, it will be in USD and you can elect to have it charged to your USD CC (if you have one), or just have it billed to your CAD CC and you will be assessed whatever the going exchange rate is by VISA/MC, etc for your bank that day the charge is posted.

There is no charge per se on the ship. Once you are on the ship, everything is priced in USD and billed in USD. If you owe money at the end, it will be in USD and you can elect to have it charged to your USD CC (if you have one), or just have it billed to your CAD CC and you will be assessed whatever the going exchange rate is by VISA/MC, etc for your bank that day the charge is posted.

I guess I didn't explain well. I know the charge will be in U.S dollars, but will not know what the current us/cdn exchange rate will be in the future when charged to my cdn visa. I paid early and online so that I have some certainty

I guess I didn't explain well. I know the charge will be in U.S dollars, but will not know what the current us/cdn exchange rate will be in the future when charged to my cdn visa. I paid early and online so that I have some certainty

Oh, sorry. It seemed like a question in your previous post.

You are right about the exchange. No one knows. But if you calculated well on your on board expenses, then you will have no balance, small, or perhaps even some owing back to you. Won't make too much difference in the end. It was smart to lock in the 20% rate as much as possible.

I will need to keep in touch with my business in BC while on our upcoming 10 nt eastern carib cruise. I understand that texting is the the most affordable with incoming texts being free and outgoing texts at .60 cents each.

Just wondering what others do for making phone calls while onboard or in port? Are there packages that you recommend?

Thanks,

Jennifer

Sorry, this thread is a few weeks old but I was just wondering if someone can clarify re: very recently booked November cruise on the Regal.

 

 

 

Is it worth purchasing the OBC through their website? I paid for the cruise in CAD so they are showing me the OBC in CAD. Will it charge me the conversion rate after I buy the credits? For example, if I buy $100 CAD, use it to pay for my gratuities (did not prepay it yet), will it be 1:1, or will they tag me for the 10, 20, or the "new" 30% via my credit card after I put it against the payment of the gratuities?

 

 

 

TIA

To answer your question: yes it is worth it!

When you prepay, you are locked in at the same exchange rate as when you purchased the cruise. On your Cruise Personalizer you won't see $100 CAD for OBC amounts but rather $120 or $130 (depending on the rate at the time of booking). The actual credit of $100 USD will show on your on-board account and offset any charges you have, including gratuities. Your on-board charges are always in USD.

If you have a balance of account to pay at the end of your cruise, you have two options if you are charging the balance to a credit card. Charge the USD amount to your credit and let your credit card company do the conversion or have Princess convert the balance to CAD and charge a CAD amount to your credit card. The rate that Princess will use will depend on the current market rate of exchange, and not the rate which they used on your booking (either 1.2 or 1.3).

I will need to keep in touch with my business in BC while on our upcoming 10 nt eastern carib cruise. I understand that texting is the the most affordable with incoming texts being free and outgoing texts at .60 cents each.

 

Just wondering what others do for making phone calls while onboard or in port? Are there packages that you recommend?

 

Thanks,

Jennifer

That depends on your carrier. Not all carriers in Canada have cruise ship packages . Call your carrier direct . That also is for the islands of the Carribean.

We booked our cruise at the 20% exchange rate. There are now some sales on that cruise which I think is less than what my brother in laws paid, plus some OBC. If they were to call to see if they could get the lower rate, would that mean their entire cruise would flip to the 30% exchange as that is the exchange now. If so, it may not be worth it. Could you just request the OBC? I received the casino rate for myself and husband, so this is not lower, but wonder if I could get the OBC?

We booked our cruise at the 20% exchange rate. There are now some sales on that cruise which I think is less than what my brother in laws paid, plus some OBC. If they were to call to see if they could get the lower rate, would that mean their entire cruise would flip to the 30% exchange as that is the exchange now. If so, it may not be worth it. Could you just request the OBC? I received the casino rate for myself and husband, so this is not lower, but wonder if I could get the OBC?

Nope. If you are booked under a certain promotion or booking code, then you cannot pick and choose a "goodie" from a new promotion. You would have to forego whatever you had before and then re-book under the new. So you need to do some math to figure out if the total net new deal is better.

I am assuming you are well before final payment date since you mentioned a possible change to the 30% rate. If you were to re-book now under a new offer, you are going to be subject to the new exchange rate (although nothing may have change in USD).

If you were after FP date, then making a change might not be as easily done, but people do report making changes to a better cabin category. I doubt you can take up a new sales offer (some are for new bookings only at that point).

When I booked my Regal Princess New Year's cruise a year ago, Princess was charging 1.10 as the conversion rate, so I prepaid all grats, coke/coffee cards, etc. back then. My TA just emailed me today to ask if I still wanted to purchase more OBC at the locked in rate of 1.10. Wish now I had gone ahead back then to book next year's cruise at that time and locked in that 1.10 rate for everything. Hindsight!

Has anyone been recently successful in cashing out their leftover OBC through the casino? Sorry if this was already answered.

Nope. If you are booked under a certain promotion or booking code, then you cannot pick and choose a "goodie" from a new promotion. You would have to forego whatever you had before and then re-book under the new. So you need to do some math to figure out if the total net new deal is better.

 

I am assuming you are well before final payment date since you mentioned a possible change to the 30% rate. If you were to re-book now under a new offer, you are going to be subject to the new exchange rate (although nothing may have change in USD).

 

If you were after FP date, then making a change might not be as easily done, but people do report making changes to a better cabin category. I doubt you can take up a new sales offer (some are for new bookings only at that point).

It is what I figured. Final payment isn't until December 1, but I have paid our cruise as I wanted the points for my airfare. As I booked on the casino rate, I had a non-refundable deposit. At the end of the day, it is not worth it for me, nor my in-laws to change because of the exchange rate. Thanks for your reply!

When I booked my Regal Princess New Year's cruise a year ago, Princess was charging 1.10 as the conversion rate, so I prepaid all grats, coke/coffee cards, etc. back then. My TA just emailed me today to ask if I still wanted to purchase more OBC at the locked in rate of 1.10. Wish now I had gone ahead back then to book next year's cruise at that time and locked in that 1.10 rate for everything. Hindsight!

 

Has anyone been recently successful in cashing out their leftover OBC through the casino? Sorry if this was already answered.

Yes just a couple weeks ago on the Grand. You can also buy casino credit at that same rate and just cash in the certificates for them that will be in your stateroom in the casino for US cash.