Exchange rates on board

[cruising cat]

Does anyone know of a link or how to find out what the currency exchange rate is on board Princess ships?

We are sailing on Sunday and wondering whether to change all of our money here. On our cruise last March the ship had a very favourable rate.

 

Any help would be appreciated.

 

See ya later

 

Jayne

[cruising cat]

Anyone have any idea??!!

 

See ya later

 

Jayne

[derf5585]

I'm stumpted. I thought the Princess Website (http://www.princess.com) might have something. Maybe this will help.

 

The Universal Currency Converter

from

http://www.xe.com/ucc/

[derf5585]

This thread may help

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=117101

[cruising cat]

Many thanks for your help Derf

 

See ya later

 

Jayne

[ourlol]

Jayne,

 

Have a wonderful cruise. This is obviously too late for you now... but worth bearing in mind for your 'next' cruise. :D Have a look at a Nationwide Credit Card for settling your onboard account, overseas purchases etc. They don't charge any commission, so you will save about 2.75% on anything spent.

 

If you do get one... apparently when you complete your check out form, make sure you tick the box to say that you don't want Princess to convert your onboard account into sterling. Having checked with Nationwide I believe it is cheaper if they do it once it hits your account in dollars. Princess will charge you an extra 3% and probably have a less favourable exchange rate!

 

I don't have this issue, since I book with a US Travel Agent and pay in $$s (so I don't get the option to have the onboard account converted into £s).

 

How's your weather. It's very windy down here!!

 

Laura

(my 82yr old mother hails from Preston).

[West Coast]

If you do get one... apparently when you complete your check out form, make sure you tick the box to say that you don't want Princess to convert your onboard account into sterling. Having checked with Nationwide I believe it is cheaper if they do it once it hits your account in dollars. Princess will charge you an extra 3% and probably have a less favourable exchange rate!

 

I don't have this issue, since I book with a US Travel Agent and pay in $$s (so I don't get the option to have the onboard account converted into £s).

 

 

Laura,

Regardless how you booked/paid for your cruise, if you use a GBP (or CAD or JPY or [and the list goes on]) to secure your on-board account when you check in and DO NOT check the box on your cruise contract, your on-board account will be converted by Princess. Caveat Emptor.

[ourlol]

West Coast

 

A million thanks for the heads up!! :) I was under the impression I wouldn't need to 'check the box' because I'd paid for the cruise in $$s. How stupid of me. :o This buyer is NOW very much aware.

[derf5585]

GBP CAD JPY

 

I belong to SPIT

Society for the Prevention of Initialed Titles

[Lynda90]

I belong to SPIT

Society for the Prevention of Initialed Titles

:D :D :D

[brrgrr]

A group of us got off the Dawn yesterday, and several were upset upon receiving their statements. They neglected to check the box on their tickets regarding currency of settlements, and got dinged thge 3% fee that Princess charges to convert their bill to Canadian. Since the credit card companies will do this and without charging any more than the going rate, it seems just a money grab to me. One person bought several thousand dollars of art , only to pay the 3% charge on top of the purchase price. . Can anyone explain the justification for , what seems to me , a money grab at best and robbery at worst.

 

Needless to say, 10 people have been soured on Princess after a wonderful cruise, and may very well not travel them again.

 

Carl

[West Coast]

A group of us got off the Dawn yesterday, and several were upset upon receiving their statements. They neglected to check the box on their tickets regarding currency of settlements, and got dinged thge 3% fee that Princess charges to convert their bill to Canadian. Since the credit card companies will do this and without charging any more than the going rate, it seems just a money grab to me. One person bought several thousand dollars of art , only to pay the 3% charge on top of the purchase price. . Can anyone explain the justification for , what seems to me , a money grab at best and robbery at worst.

 

Needless to say, 10 people have been soured on Princess after a wonderful cruise, and may very well not travel them again.

 

Carl

 

Carl,

 

Most credit card companies do charge the conversion rate - anywhere from 2 to 3 % (all are different - you'll have to check the back of your statement for the exact amount or call your card issuer). The difference is that on your credit card statement, the 'conversion rate' is usually factored into the rate shown on your credit card statement. So, if the going rate that day is 1.20 the rate on your credit card will show as 1.236 (1.20 x 3%).

 

Yes, this is another money making opportunity for the cruise line. And by them converting and puting it through as CAD (it would need to go through a Canadian Bank) they probably get their money faster. Note, RCL also also offers this service 'for your convenience.'

 

ps - what was the CAD exchange rate that Princess used, do you know?

[brrgrr]

We were told it was 1.25, and the amount charged was converted at 1.28 plus. My complaint is that whenever I make a purchase, the merchant is not the one who does the conversion, it is Visa. There is no need for Princess to do this unless they are "padding the bill", so to speak. It's a question of , you must tell us NOT to do this or we will. It's like th automatic renewal procedure, unless you notify us of your cancellation. I have always felt this to be a rip-off, and I now will include Princess in the class of merchants not to be trusted. I was aware of the need to check the spot on my tickets, and did so. It's another case of BUYER BEWARE. Not a class way to do business, IMO.

 

And when requested to reverse the billing, then bill it in US, they claimed they couldn't do it!!..Horsefeathers!! All in all, a great way to sour a bunch or potential future customers on the last day of a cruise, and those are the memories that will be strongest. Just a damned stupid business practice, I believe.

 

BTW, Iwe all live 5 miles from the US border, and are used to merchants who overcharge on the conversion rates. They are avoided, too. And I would encourage US customers to give the same treatment to Canadian merchants who do likewise.