Foreign transaction fee charge on cabin bill supposedly charged in USD

[Jade13]

Well... I talked to Silversea today and they will NOT refund the transaction fee. They insist that the cabin charge was processed in USD but with a UK credit card processing facility, and it's my bank's issue. The woman was quite abrupt and said she never got a request like this before and no one complains about it. I would not say she was rude, just terse and held to her line/script. I just can't believe this was a first time request for this woman.

 

I explained that this really is not fair, quite sneaky, not disclosed to passengers in advance, and re-iterated that all of the SS literature/documents on board talk of charging everything in USD. At the end of the call, she did take note of my name and other details, so we'll if anything transpires. If not, SS has lost me as a customer forever after just one experience. It wasn't an exceptional cruise to begin with for the price paid, and this unfortunate event coupled with the hard-sell and booking of a future cruise by the on board sales consultant (which I did not authorize and later canceled) and some of the other negative comments I'm reading in your posts spell the end of the line for SS & me.

 

I will post an update if they re-contact me about the issue, and if not, I'll see you all over on the Seabourn board.

 

We had this happen on our one SS cruise on the PAII, where we also received a foreign transaction fee. We never disputed it. The US land Rep sounds totally unprofessional. Why would any company lose a customer over $30.00?

 

Our one SS cruise was good, not great, and would not make our top ten vacation list. We had an unprofessional experience onboard with the assistant Expedition Leader. It was enough to make us cancel a cruse we had booked for next year. Azamara, (and even HAL) although not luxury def have more professional crew onboard. Btw, there was no future cruise consultant on our trip and we never even received a list of future cruises while onboard.

 

Btw, there was a couple onboard that told us they were in the second largest Suite (I forget the #, but I believe Deck 5 on PAII) and they were past SS cruisers and not happy. They said they were writing a long list of complaints to the company. It started when they booked everything through the cruiseline including Air from Florida to Tromso, transfers including in Oslo overnight in both directions to the Grand Hotel (I believe coach was $3,200.00pp for the air, 2 nights hotel & transfers) and they were "dumped" at the ship with all of their luggage by 10:00am and told they could not board until late in day until they demanded to speak to someone who would let them board.

 

Would we go back, probably, but not right now.

[Jaffa]

This matter has been dealt with before, on this board, numerous times, as far back as 2004.

Please feel free to search. This is old news.

 

I don't see how this is Silversea's fault at all.

 

Silversea is an Italian cruise line. Always has been.

Silversea's company Headquarters is in Monaco. Always has been.

Silversea's onboard credit processing has always been through London, because they are a European based company.

They don't have to baby you about it. You should have realised this.

Why would anybody expect it be any other way.

 

The only exception to this that l know of is onboard cruise booking deposits. Which revert back to the original T/A for commission purposes.

Of course this can be changed at a later date to a new T/A if the client prefers.

 

It is the responcibility of the credit card holder to know the in's and out's of their cards/banks terms and conditions. This would be especially relevant when dealing with a foreign company, with the intent to transact. This l would have thought would be common sense. It is always the first question l ask before l hand my card across, whenever l am in an different country or currency.

 

How is it Silversea's fault, that you did not ask the question.

 

You knew you were dealing with a non-American company, so it would be obvious to ask.

 

I think Silversea has nothing to appologize or compensate for.

 

Unless of course you think their terms and conditions should be 100's of pages long as they try to anticipate every single little nuonce from every nationality and diverse credit facility that their 100's of thousands of different customers may or may not use.

 

You copped a transaction fee because you did not check.

You blindly handed over your card.

It's time we all started to take responsibilty for our own actions and stop trying to pass the buck.

 

Oh! and Silversea did not get the money, "your" provider/bank did.

[Marylebone37]

Jaffa,

You're clueless and offensice. SS was misleading and employed an equally clueless (and pathetic) policy/procedure when it comes to settling the final cabin bill. Time will tell... as I said. I have a good hunch you'll be eating your words. Maybe not right away... but talk to me in 5 years or so.

[Marylebone37]

Jaffa,

And soory for misspelling OFFENSIVE!

[MJN1]

"The only exception to this that l know of is onboard cruise booking deposits. Which revert back to the original T/A for commission purposes."

 

Can I add another wrinkle to this story? On our last cruise we paid the on-board charges in US$ with a USA based credit card. This duly showed up next month on my account as "Silversea, Monaco" with the correct amount (there should be no charges added ever if there is NO currency conversion involved regardless where the "operator" is located!), so no issue:).

We also paid the deposit for our next cruise booked on board, again in US$ with the same USA based credit card and with a USA based TA. This showed up as "Silversea, London". When I queried why this difference in location (which results in a major tax issue :eek: for reasons I wont bore you with) I was told that SS now "in cooperation with all credit card companies" uses the address of the credit card to determine location of transaction. First time ever I heard about this policy from ANY company (and apparently did not apply to the on-board charges...)! Anyone else had a similar recent experience?

[travelingduo]

I have found this thread very interesting. My most recent SS cruise was in April and I looked at my CC bill and it was in USD and said Silversea Cruises, Ft. Lauderdale. So then I went back to look at my last 5 SS cruises and they were all charged in USD and all said SS Ft. Lauderdale. I am wondering if their policy changed. I will be in Asia in October on the Shadow and next April in Europe on the Wind, so I will keep my eyes open for this.

 

I have had nothing but positive experiences with both SS cruises and their customer service. I am sorry to hear that this was not the case for those participating on this thread. As a matter of fact, over the last year we sailed on Regent and Seabourn and were so happy to be back on SS and are booked on 3 more.

[DGF]

Our Canadian American Express cards charge 2.5% conversion charge

[DGF]

Our Canadian American Express cards charge 2.5% conversion charge

 

If a supplier then adds another charge which we have not approved, we have American Express put a stop payment on the unauthorized charge

[cruiseerf]

So: After sailing on Silversea for the past 5+ years this change concerns me, as I am a gambler and get out cash on board.

 

At the end of everycruise I receive my bill which I always pay in USD with my US based Credit cards.....In Asia, Europe, Caribbean etc. Now you are telling me that Silversea is using a different clearing house. So my upcoming 20 day onboard Europe cruises expenses (which will be significant) are going to hit my USA Platinum amex as a foreign charge and therefore incur an additional 3.5%? This doesn't make sense....except unless Silversea is trying to keep as much revenue as possible OUT of the USA with little regards to customers who dont like paying these fees.

 

Do I have something wrong here? With over 50% of their customers American this cannot be true?

 

Happy Travels.

[Marylebone37]

Sadly, it is TRUE, cruiseerf. If you are going to incur a large cabin bill, do look into a card that does not charge a foreign transaction fee. Otherwise, SS's billing practices and non-existent communications about it will cost you. Very sloppy on their part.

 

BTW, just returned from Seabourn in the Med in August, and all charges were processed in USD out of Miami. No credit card fees at all.

[Emtbsam]

So: After sailing on Silversea for the past 5+ years this change concerns me, as I am a gambler and get out cash on board.

 

At the end of everycruise I receive my bill which I always pay in USD with my US based Credit cards.....In Asia, Europe, Caribbean etc. Now you are telling me that Silversea is using a different clearing house. So my upcoming 20 day onboard Europe cruises expenses (which will be significant) are going to hit my USA Platinum amex as a foreign charge and therefore incur an additional 3.5%? This doesn't make sense....except unless Silversea is trying to keep as much revenue as possible OUT of the USA with little regards to customers who dont like paying these fees.

 

Do I have something wrong here? With over 50% of their customers American this cannot be true?

 

Happy Travels.

Suggest you check with American Express directly.

[DaveFr]

So: After sailing on Silversea for the past 5+ years this change concerns me, as I am a gambler and get out cash on board.

 

At the end of everycruise I receive my bill which I always pay in USD with my US based Credit cards.....In Asia, Europe, Caribbean etc. Now you are telling me that Silversea is using a different clearing house. So my upcoming 20 day onboard Europe cruises expenses (which will be significant) are going to hit my USA Platinum amex as a foreign charge and therefore incur an additional 3.5%? This doesn't make sense....except unless Silversea is trying to keep as much revenue as possible OUT of the USA with little regards to customers who dont like paying these fees.

 

Do I have something wrong here? With over 50% of their customers American this cannot be true?

 

Happy Travels.

Don't worry, you will not incur any fees for your onboard charges. AMEX cards only charge a currency conversion fee, not a foreign transaction fee. Since Silversea bills in US dollars, there will not be a currency conversion fee regardless of where the transaction is processed. I have charged all my deposits, cruise fares and onboard charges on Regent to an AMEX card and have never incurred a foreign transaction fee, notwithstanding the fact that Regent processes all their credit card transactions through a bank in Ireland..

 

Dave

[Mike2131]

BOA Amex Accolades card never charges any kind of forex fee, whether the charge is in USD or any other currency, and the exchange rates are very close to on-par with the bank rates listed on xe.com. We use it overseas everywhere Amex is accepted... Which admittedly isn't everywhere, but all in all it works pretty well for us.

When we took the PA II in June I called AX to let them know I would be going abroad. They informed me there would be foreign transaction fee (2.5% or 2.7%?) on charges abroad. Sure enough, it showed up (a very small amount) on the next billing.

[DGF]

When we took the PA II in June I called AX to let them know I would be going abroad. They informed me there would be foreign transaction fee (2.5% or 2.7%?) on charges abroad. Sure enough, it showed up (a very small amount) on the next billing.

 

Interesting. In Canada, Amex buries the 2.5% in the exchange rate when they convert US$ to Cnd $ and it never shows up as a separate charge

Miles off target, Visa and I believe same with AMEX, if you make a purchase in another foreign currency, they convert that currency at the wholesale rate to US$ and then convert to Cnd $

DEAN

[chicagogal]

Don't worry, you will not incur any fees for your onboard charges. AMEX cards only charge a currency conversion fee, not a foreign transaction fee. Since Silversea bills in US dollars, there will not be a currency conversion fee regardless of where the transaction is processed. I have charged all my deposits, cruise fares and onboard charges on Regent to an AMEX card and have never incurred a foreign transaction fee, notwithstanding the fact that Regent processes all their credit card transactions through a bank in Ireland..

 

Dave

 

Ditto for us.

[Mike2131]

Interesting. In Canada, Amex buries the 2.5% in the exchange rate when they convert US$ to Cnd $ and it never shows up as a separate charge

 

Miles off target, Visa and I believe same with AMEX, if you make a purchase in another foreign currency, they convert that currency at the wholesale rate to US$ and then convert to Cnd $

 

DEAN

The new statement format now breaks any fees out separately. I called once I received the billing and the rep explained the procedure. I believe their aim was to achieve full transparency.

 

I wonder if the Canadian billing format hasn't changed (and perhaps won't)?

[scapel]

Always use a Capital one Credit card which does not make a currency conversion charge and neither does it make a foreign transaction charge.

[scapel]

Interesting. In Canada, Amex buries the 2.5% in the exchange rate when they convert US$ to Cnd $ and it never shows up as a separate charge

Miles off target, Visa and I believe same with AMEX, if you make a purchase in another foreign currency, they convert that currency at the wholesale rate to US$ and then convert to Cnd $

DEAN

 

You see the charge if you keep your receipts and do the currency conversion yourself and look at the difference in charges.

[DGF]

You see the charge if you keep your receipts and do the currency conversion yourself and look at the difference in charges.

 

Joe

 

I have always wanted to do that. We do keep our receipts but how do you know what the currency exchange rate is at the time of conversion?

 

DEAN

[scapel]

Joe

 

I have always wanted to do that. We do keep our receipts but how do you know what the currency exchange rate is at the time of conversion?

 

DEAN

If you are in a country it will be close to the same for a few days. Just right it down on the receipt. Usually when you buy something they will have the exchange rate posted which is how you figure out how much something is worth in USD. Now the currency exchange rate will be on the day the transaction will hit the card, but the rate will be close enough.

Years ago I found out they were making a currency exchange fee that credit cards didn't use to make. I found out because I called the credit card company and asked why there was such a discrpency in my receipt and the credit card charge and that is when they told me they made a currency exchange fee.

I purchased a trip by telephone in Punta Arenas, Chile. The transaction was made in USD and I was upset when they put a $189 foreign transaction fee on my card. They took it off because I was a good customer and they had just introduced it a month before. They say they notified me, but I didn't remember. There was no currency conversion because it was in USD.

Now Capital one credit card does not put a currency conversion charge nor a foreign transaction fee. Call and ask them.

Now I don't know about England or Canada, but this is in the U.S.

[DGF]

Thanks. Will check more closely our upcoming Silerseas CruiseInvoicesd as they come in

 

DEAN

[jgrahamiii]

FYI, just read the cardholder agreement for the platinum Delta American Express Card. States that a 2.7% charge will be added to all foreign transactions after currency conversion. So I guess only the "regular" Amex cards don't have a fee. -John

[DGF]

FYI, just read the cardholder agreement for the platinum Delta American Express Card. States that a 2.7% charge will be added to all foreign transactions after currency conversion. So I guess only the "regular" Amex cards don't have a fee. -John

 

Wish that was the case; In Canada, Amex converts all foreign purchases into US $ and then to Cnd $. They add on a transaction fee of 2.5% on the US$ to Cnd $ conversion. Don't have a platinum card, but have a regular card and a Gold Business Aeroplan cards and both are charged. Result is that the points you receive wash out at a cost of 2.5%.

 

Once I get my mail set up for our US address, hope to ovrcome the problem with an AMEX American Airlines awards card. That way I will be able to avoid the extra charge for all the cruise fares

 

DEAN

[scapel]

FYI, just read the cardholder agreement for the platinum Delta American Express Card. States that a 2.7% charge will be added to all foreign transactions after currency conversion. So I guess only the "regular" Amex cards don't have a fee. -John

Thanks, I don't use any Amer Ex cards, so I didn't know that they didn't make a foreign transaction fee. I thought Capital one Card was the only one that didn't make either a foreign transaction fee or a currency conversion charge.