jtdlmc

Yes they do charge tax on a package while still in port but not after sailing. We too will be buying our packages with OBC. But I figure we will probably have 3 or 4 drinks each before leaving port. I think, but could be wrong, that Florida's tax is 6% so on my approx $400 Premium drink package that would be $24 dollars. I would spend more than that purchasing 4 drinks without a package while waiting to purchase a package without tax. If a person isn't going to spend the equivalent of what the tax would be, then yes it makes sense to wait but I figure I will be spending at least that much anyway, so might as well purchase my package and pay the tax 🙂

Wait until after you sail if you buy it onboard. I have read on the boards that they charge tax for it in port.

I think that depends on how much you plan to drink while in port. Any more than 2 drinks out of pocket will most likely be more than the tax you would pay. We plan to board early so will probably spend 3 or 4 hours on the ship before sailing.

I give $1 per plate/drink - 2 plates and 2 coffee = $4.

if they are starting to go with the current exchange rate maybe they will price some Canadians out of the market and see that they need to give us better cruise rates. maybe add free drink packages or tips or meals. It could get interesting.

It will certainly price me out :eek: I can book an all inclusive last minute (3 weeks out) for a week for damn close to the price of the ultimate drink package (I believe it is now $93/day CND with the recent increase in price of drink packages)! I prefer to cruise but the exchange and rising cruise fares will make it near impossible. Our cruise fare had almost doubled from what I paid a year ago and the last time I checked was before our dollar plummeted, lol, it has probably tripled by now! Back several years ago when our dollar was near what it is now I remember Walt Disney World gave free dining and heavily discounted rooms, to Canadians because business had dropped so much so maybe the cruise lines will come out with much better Canadian resident discounts and other incentives.

Let's just hope that in next year our $ does not drop much more and we are saying what a great deal the $1.40 rate is.:eek:

At the current rate I won't be cruising next year - back to all inclusive resorts for us. [emoji51]

Thanks to son3cruisers for letting us all know about this rate way back when! I initially got some back in March and just called again December 31 to get a little more. Got my kids each some as well. Have enough for drink packages, speciality dining, etc. So glad this information was posted here as I would never have known and my DH and I would not have got beverage packages :D !

Could we keep the thread going with updates about cashing out at the casino? We are on Freedom in February. Wanted to use a little of the OBC for the ports. We will get a voucher and play the slots a bit if we have to but so much easier to just get cash.

Villa Europa is a nice motel less than a block from the beach. There are eating places all along the beach so there will be places close by wherever you stay. Villa Europa does not have a pool. It is a one-story motel style place with kitchenettes and very reasonable prices.

The packages are showing up same price as a couple months ago on my cruise planner? Also the Beverage Packages flyer under Dining on the website still has the same prices. Still showing Replenish $22/day, Select $42, Premium $57, and child's refreshment $5.50 and it states gratuities are included.

We have a group in three cabins and our reservations aren't linked. We have MTD and when I was able to book dining online there was a place to add other people to my reservation. I did need their reservation numbers and once I Inputted that all the names in that cabin came up and I had the option to add all or tick off certain people.

Comfort Inn will only let you on their shuttle if you booked a pre-cruise package. Cocoa Beach Shuttle will pick you up at Comfort Inn and transport to the port for $5/person but with 3 people I think I would take a taxi just for the convenience of not having to go by the shuttle schedule.

It still appears that there is a $499 cap that you can buy per transaction. Yesterday I purchased $499 x2. One for each week of our upcoming B2B in March. I am starting to wonder about getting some now for our Harmony cruise in November of next year.

 

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I was able to get over $500 yesterday in one transaction with no mention of a $499 limit.

My friend did have an issue with getting an email confirmation though - they said he had to have his TA request that! After two additional calls he was able to get a confirmation emailed but then noticed the OBC was in his cabin mates name and when he called back about that they told him it would have to be cancelled and repurchased in 2 weeks. He just left it in her name and will switch it at Guest Services. Absolutely unbelievable - RCI really needs to train their agents properly!!!!

Last time we were in Georgetown I remember seeing lots of tours you could purchase at the port for much cheaper than we paid in advance. Looking for recommendations and prices from those who have done this for any Stingray City tours.

but if you wait till you leave port then wouldn't you have to pay for any drinks, in that time period, out of pocket? that could cost more than the $20 savings couldn't it?

maybe i'm confused.

I agree. We board fairly early and purchasing drinks out of pocket until we leave port would cost more than the tax savings on the drink package.

Hi,

 

I would like to know if I can get cash using my credit card on my cruise.

 

I hate to have to carry lots of cash while travelling.

 

I am Canadian and our currency exchange with the US is quite expensive at this time.

If by chance you are cruising Royal Caribbean, and I believe Celebrity has the same deal, and booked in Canadian funds, they are offering on board credit at an exchange rate of 1.10 for US funds.

Frontier is now flying out of Detroit and have some very cheap flights to Orlando. I have never flown with them or know anything about them but dates I checked were less than $300 return DTW to MCO nonstop flight.

When I asked a teller in my bank was told I couldn't withdraw cash from my American card - it would remain as a credit - which makes sense to me. Is that incorrect and you can withdraw cash??

My bank says I can when I asked about a credit on my US Visa:

"You can transfer the credit balance on your TD Credit Card as a Cash Advance into your TD Canada Trust account using the "Make a Transfer" option in EasyWeb, or withdraw it directly from a branch at any time.

If you have a credit balance on your TD Credit Card and transfer that balance into your chequing/savings account, effectively bringing your TD Credit Card balance to zero, no interest or cash advance fee will be charged, as there is no money owing to TD Canada Trust on your account."

I love halibut as a battered fish and will eat cod and haddock as well. No idea what the fish is on Carnival that they use for fish n chips but I only had one bite and the remainder went in the garbage.

I would also check to see if they charge a fee for that transfer. Nothing surprises me with the banks.

Surprisingly, no fees :) This was their response:

"You can transfer the credit balance on your TD Credit Card as a Cash Advance into your TD Canada Trust account using the "Make a Transfer" option in EasyWeb, or withdraw it directly from a branch at any time.

If you have a credit balance on your TD Credit Card and transfer that balance into your chequing/savings account, effectively bringing your TD Credit Card balance to zero, no interest or cash advance fee will be charged, as there is no money owing to TD Canada Trust on your account".

from what i'm hearing the obc will go back onto the credit card from which it originally came from and at the same rate. i doubt they would credit your u.s. card but who knows.

I was under the impression that any remaining obc is credited to whatever credit card you have on your account. If you don't want cash then you go to guest services before the last day and apply your credit card to your acct. I too have a TD US Visa and actually spoke to them yesterday in regards to how I would go about taking the cash from the card, which can be done by transfer to my TD US bank acct, but I sure don't want to wait a month for it!

Before my trip in Oct, I found out that Sears CC will be discontinued. Apparently Scotia bought Sears CC portfolio recently as I just got a call from them soliciting the new cards. I looked into it last night but could not find the no foreign TX fee benefit. Is it the free card or with the annual fee?

 

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I got the new card in the mail last week to replace my Sears Mastercard. It states on the sheet that came with the card that there are no changes to any rates or free and "Foreign Currency Transaction Charges: We will not charge you any additional foreign currency conversion charge".

We have a group of 7 and the consensus that I got was to book in advance as there could be long waits with a group that large if you just showed up. We don't have our bookings linked but there was a spot when making the reservations online to add the booking numbers and then their names showed up and were included in our dining reservation.

I have booked Orlando Chauffeured Services for a group of 7. Best price I was able to find. Good reviews and member of Orlando BBB.

We will be using a cash acc't this time. We have a large amount of refundable OBC and expect some will be left over at the end of the cruise. Can we close out the account (take whatever cash is left over) at Guest Services before the last night and apply a credit card or can we only take money out through the casino prior to the last night?

We are in a similar position, anyone know?

I told him that I was explained that the limit over the phone is $500 and that anything above that needed to be faxed in. He said that was incorrect and the limit to purchase over the phone is $500 in total, not per call.

 

Has anyone else been told this?

My daughter called to add more OBC and was told that they had reached the maximum for the cabin (between two of them they had a total of $800). Didn't make sense as my husband and I have twice that amount and she told the guy that but he didn't have an answer. Called back, got another agent and had more added no problem.