Canadians, beware exchange rate on gratuities

[Can'tstopcruising]

I just booked a future cruise in Canadian dollars. The exchange rate was under 3%, which is reasonable.

 

HOWEVER, when I saw my reservation in print, the prepaid gratuities for Select dining were charged at a rate of 25%.

 

If this isn't gauging, I don't know what is. I complained and changed my reservation to late seating. They said they will report the complaint. I hope they resolve it. I would like Select Dining.

[Faircliff]

I just booked a future cruise in Canadian dollars. The exchange rate was under 3%' date=' which is reasonable.

 

HOWEVER, when I saw my reservation in print, the prepaid gratuities for Select dining were charged at a rate of 25%.

 

If this isn't gauging, I don't know what is. I complained and changed my reservation to late seating. They said they will report the complaint. I hope they resolve it. I would like Select Dining.[/quote']

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Except that it is my understanding that the prepaid gratuities are simply that - PREPAID. You still pay the SAME set amount in gratuities for regular/late seating but you simply pay those on your final bill (or you can add more $$ IF you wish for good service).

 

Did you find that when you changed your reservation to late seating it actually changed the EXCHANGE RATE? Curious?

[Can'tstopcruising]

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Except that it is my understanding that the prepaid gratuities are simply that - PREPAID. You still pay the SAME set amount in gratuities for regular/late seating but you simply pay those on your final bill (or you can add more $$ IF you wish for good service).

 

Did you find that when you changed your reservation to late seating it actually changed the EXCHANGE RATE? Curious?

 

They removed the prepaid gratuities. If they correct the exchange rate, we will change our seating back to Select Dining and they will reinsate the gratuities.

 

If not, we will stay with late seating and try to change it to Select when we are on board. Once on board, we can pay the gratuities in any currency we wish. (U.S.)

[iancal]

We got a US funds VISA card. It really pays for itself because we are travelling and purchasing more in the US now that the exchange rate is more advantageous. Among other things, if you use your Canadian credit card for on board charges you may find that the cruise line converts US charges to Canadian dollars instead of letting the bank do it. The cruise line exchange rate, in our experience is terrible-about 3-6 percent above Visa.

[JanineM]

Hey - you ought to be buying some US$ right now as the exchange rate is so good. What was it - 1.013 today or something like that?

[Can'tstopcruising]

We got a US funds VISA card. It really pays for itself because we are travelling and purchasing more in the US now that the exchange rate is more advantageous. Among other things, if you use your Canadian credit card for on board charges you may find that the cruise line converts US charges to Canadian dollars instead of letting the bank do it. The cruise line exchange rate, in our experience is terrible-about 3-6 percent above Visa.

 

Attempt #2. First attempt disappeared into Cyberspace!

 

Although I have a BMO m/c in US funds, I use my RBC visa gold preferred to prepay travel because cancellation insurance is included.

 

Once I am in the US (or on a ship that takes US currency) I use my US card. Still I managed to have a whopper of a problem on my last cruise. Even though I pointed out to the people at the front desk (several times!) that my credit card was in US funds, the wise financiers at Celebrity decided to convert the bill into Canadian, which , of course, BMO converted back to US. What a mess. Credit to Celebrity. They did correct their error.

 

I am hopeful that they will correct their error this time, as well. Twenty-five percent just doesn't make any sense.

[YMMBug]

We have booked on the Eclipse Dec 4th. When we booked the early seating was not available so we took the Select Dining. Celebrity charged us the manditory 208.00 CAD $ when according to the web site we should be paying $11 per day per person in a CC cabin. When I went to school that meant $154 USD. Now Celebrity has been able to give us the early seating but they have not refunded the 208.00 required prepaid tip. I agree with Can'tstopcruising that the exchange rate is higway robbery. Makes me now wonder what my fare is in USD to see how much I have overpaid! I wonder if they can adjust this onboard or should I call?

[Cruise Junky]

Canadians are totally screwed on Select Dining. I'm not sure that even using a US credit card would work if you booked your cruise in Canadian $$ in the first place.

[Project_gal]

Celebrity changes the sterling/US$ exchange rate it uses periodically, not daily and I guess that it is the same for the C$/US$ rate. Some rates appear to remain fixed for the duration [excursions appear to pick up the rate when they are posted and not to change] and others do change [e.g. OBC]. These days exchange rates are quite volitile. The trick is to make purchases when the price [which for non-US citizens is complicated by the exchange rate] is acceptable for you. The OP should keep checking back. The exchange rate for pre-paid gratuities may change to a more acceptable rate. In the same way, it is always worth checking the rate being used for OBC as buying this at the right time can edge against an unfavourable rate when you sail.

 

Sue

[Can'tstopcruising]

We have booked on the Eclipse Dec 4th. When we booked the early seating was not available so we took the Select Dining. Celebrity charged us the manditory 208.00 CAD $ when according to the web site we should be paying $11 per day per person in a CC cabin. When I went to school that meant $154 USD. Now Celebrity has been able to give us the early seating but they have not refunded the 208.00 required prepaid tip. I agree with Can'tstopcruising that the exchange rate is higway robbery. Makes me now wonder what my fare is in USD to see how much I have overpaid! I wonder if they can adjust this onboard or should I call?

 

I think you should call. Don't wait for help on board. If enough of us complain, maybe they will adjust the exchange rate.

 

Before booking, I always compare the Cad to the US price. If the rate looks good, I will book in Cad. If not, I will book in US.

[Solstice23]

We recently noticed our Sky Suite on the March 12th 2011 sailing in CDN was 412.00 more per person. I have never know the exchange rate to be this out of whack. I called Celebrity customer service and they adjusted the price codes on that sailng, so they were really good at aknowledging the problem

[caribbeansun]

What?! Is it not one currency or the other? How can they decide what currency to bill you in?

 

Among other things, if you use your Canadian credit card for on board charges you may find that the cruise line converts US charges to Canadian dollars instead of letting the bank do it. The cruise line exchange rate, in our experience is terrible-about 3-6 percent above Visa.

[smtcan]

What?! Is it not one currency or the other? How can they decide what currency to bill you in?

 

 

 

When you check in there is a spot on the form to indicate whether you want Celebrity or your credit card to do the conversion. Even if you check for the credit card to do it, Celebrity sometimes misses it and does the conversion at their rate. We usually double check with customer service while we are on board. If you do not request it at check in I don't think you can change it later.

Sheila

[iancal]

Celebrity and Princess tend to overlook customer requests when it comes to billing. If you provide a Canadian Visa card for example, they will bill your card in Canadian dollars. Prior to doing so, they take your US dollar based on board bill and actually convert it to Canadian, or whatever your home currency is. When they do this, they charge an abnormally high exchange rate. This has been a problem for us on Princess so we always check with Pursers office a day or so prior to the end of the cruise.

[Can'tstopcruising]

We are Celebrity Elite, so we have taken many Celebrity cruises. On our most recent cruise it was the first time we had a glitch. Perhaps, because the Credit card was in US funds, someone got confused.

 

Caribbeansun, you can't switch your booking from one currency to the other without re-booking. Once you are on board, you can give them whatever credit card you choose, and you can tick off the box (or not, I forget which is which!)to determine the billing currency.

[Senga]

We book our cruise using a Visa Cdn$ card (for insurance). We give them a BMO US$ credit card upon embarkation for onboard expenses. They use this card but the total due is always changed to Canadian then back to US$ so we end up losing. In future we will settle our bill in cash on the last night.

[LeftcoastBC]

Haven't used select dining yet so haven't experienced that issue. BUT.

 

Recently (last 4 cruises. 3 or so yrs.) the exchange business caught up to us on every occasion.

 

As stated above when you fill out your online form there is a check box to advise them as to how you would like the funds billed.

 

Regardless of checking this off/ speaking with the check in desk/ attending Guest services AND getting it changed on checkout day on our lat cruise. They did it wrong.

 

I have written about it several times and received a phone call back from a very nice person in Corperate on the last occasion. They know there is a problem. They can't fix it or haven't been able to to date. They are trying to fix it.

&

They offer to refund any difference.

 

It's a pain and the actual money involved with the exchange these days it's really not an issue other than the "Point" of the whole thing.

 

That being said it is a huge money maker for RCL over time so likely their feet are dragging for a reason. There are more non US persons cruising these days than ever. UK cruisers get hit worse than we do.

 

However if the Tips go through on your credit card at a greater rate than the usual conversion PRE. cruise that's a whole new game.

[Ephraim]

We buy our cruise from a US travel agency, but use our CAD Amex to pay. We have travel insurance with our office policy, but we want Amex "Flight and Baggage Delay Insurance" which we have actually had to use at least twice (but amazingly only when we fly via the US.... odd!).

 

We register on the ship with the same CAD Amex card and specify that all charges are to remain in USD. We specify online. We specify on the ship at check-in as well. We circle it, so they don't make an error.

 

One evening, late at night we drop by the front desk and put in a USD cash deposit on our account leaving our account in credit. If need be, we walk by and do it again a few days before the cruise ends. The last day of the cruise, really late (since everyone else lines up early) we go by and if the account is in credit, they zero it and hand us cash back. If it isn't, we can choose to pay the account or just let them charge the few dollars on our card. American Express charges 2.5% in fees.... so does BMO MasterCard. Capital One charges just the 1% that MasterCard charges them... but of course.... I'm in Quebec and we aren't allowed to be Capital One clients. (They exclude Quebec and the three territories.)

[Can'tstopcruising]

We buy our cruise from a US travel agency, but use our CAD Amex to pay. We have travel insurance with our office policy, but we want Amex "Flight and Baggage Delay Insurance" which we have actually had to use at least twice (but amazingly only when we fly via the US.... odd!).

 

We register on the ship with the same CAD Amex card and specify that all charges are to remain in USD. We specify online. We specify on the ship at check-in as well. We circle it, so they don't make an error.

 

One evening, late at night we drop by the front desk and put in a USD cash deposit on our account leaving our account in credit. If need be, we walk by and do it again a few days before the cruise ends. The last day of the cruise, really late (since everyone else lines up early) we go by and if the account is in credit, they zero it and hand us cash back. If it isn't, we can choose to pay the account or just let them charge the few dollars on our card. American Express charges 2.5% in fees.... so does BMO MasterCard. Capital One charges just the 1% that MasterCard charges them... but of course.... I'm in Quebec and we aren't allowed to be Capital One clients. (They exclude Quebec and the three territories.)

 

I must be slow! I don't understand why you deposit the US cash into your account.

[Ephraim]

I must be slow! I don't understand why you deposit the US cash into your account.

 

I'm an innkeeper in Canada. What am I supposed to do with USD cash? I have no daily use for it. Don't you deposit your cash at the end of the day at your business?

[Cruise Junky]

It's not that tough to take care of the onboard bill if you're Canadian. It's the paying in advance for the Select Dining tips that is the problem.

[LeftcoastBC]

It's not that tough to take care of the onboard bill if you're Canadian. It's the paying in advance for the Select Dining tips that is the problem.

 

I agree with your last sentence ......and used to agree with your first

BUT

I assure you it is so tough.

[Solstice23]

We buy our cruise from a US travel agency, but use our CAD Amex to pay. We have travel insurance with our office policy, but we want Amex "Flight and Baggage Delay Insurance" which we have actually had to use at least twice (but amazingly only when we fly via the US.... odd!).

 

We register on the ship with the same CAD Amex card and specify that all charges are to remain in USD. We specify online. We specify on the ship at check-in as well. We circle it, so they don't make an error.

 

One evening, late at night we drop by the front desk and put in a USD cash deposit on our account leaving our account in credit. If need be, we walk by and do it again a few days before the cruise ends. The last day of the cruise, really late (since everyone else lines up early) we go by and if the account is in credit, they zero it and hand us cash back. If it isn't, we can choose to pay the account or just let them charge the few dollars on our card. American Express charges 2.5% in fees.... so does BMO MasterCard. Capital One charges just the 1% that MasterCard charges them... but of course.... I'm in Quebec and we aren't allowed to be Capital One clients. (They exclude Quebec and the three territories.)

 

I only book with a canadian agency these days since they get the same prices with the new rules and such. :)

 

Secondly when checking in on X they ask you to check a box, have your bill charged in USD and let your credit card company do the exchange or have Celebrity do the conversion for you.

[Can'tstopcruising]

I'm an innkeeper in Canada. What am I supposed to do with USD cash? I have no daily use for it. Don't you deposit your cash at the end of the day at your business?

 

OK. So you basically pay your onboard bill with cash, rather than a credit card.

 

My business? Monkey business!!!

[Can'tstopcruising]

I only book with a canadian agency these days since they get the same prices with the new rules and such. :)

 

Secondly when checking in on X they ask you to check a box, have your bill charged in USD and let your credit card company do the exchange or have Celebrity do the conversion for you.

 

Are you aware that the Canadian agencies charge a fee as an insurance against bankcruptcy?