Why does Oceania use a bank in Ireland??

[ladysail2]

I made a payment for my January Marina cruise today because the foreign currency exchange was so good for the Can:US dollar....$1.01.... Because the charge went through a bank in Ireland, it caused all sorts of problems for me. My card was declined 7 times.....:p Finally we had a four-way conversation with a fellow from 'O', my travel agent, a rep from Mastercard, and me.....trying to get the darn thing to work.....we all cheered when it did!!!

I was advised to phone MC when final payment comes up to ask them to lift the block on Ireland. We'll see how that goes....:confused:.

I couldn't find any connection between the Oceania owners and Ireland.

Has anyone else 'suffered' this problem?? I certainly didn't when I paid for my last 'O' cruise in 2008.

Thanks...Joyce :D

[Mura]

Many people have had your problem. I personally never have.

 

But I think it will be straightened out since you've been talking to the right people.

[LHT28]

No problem here

I used my TD USD VISA card for the past 2 cruises & our upcoming one

but previously used my RBC VISA card without problems

 

Lyn

[ladysail2]

Thank you for your answers, my travel agent said it only happens to Mastercard users. It must be something to do with their approval system.

I hope it goes smoother next time....nothing like being told that your card has been declined..:rolleyes:...although the fellow said.."it didn't say 'non-sufficient funds' LOL Thank heaven for small mercies.....:p

I'll make sure that I phone MC in two weeks and have them lift the block for Ireland. It will be a smaller payment..so it might not even need that much beforework.

Thanks!!

Joyce :D

[LHT28]

Thank you for your answers, my travel agent said it only happens to Mastercard users. It must be something to do with their approval system.

 

I hope it goes smoother next time....nothing like being told that your card has been declined..:rolleyes:...although the fellow said.."it didn't say 'non-sufficient funds' LOL Thank heaven for small mercies.....:p

 

 

Sometimes the larger amount may be suspect so the CC security may flag the card.

Let them know you are charging a cruise in XX number of days.

 

I make a payment to my CC before the final payment goes on just so I do not go over my limit

 

Lyn

[ladysail2]

Thanks Lyn...I'll be taking all precautions before making the final payment...even though it's about half of the one I made today.

It's more of a hassle to have to get so many people involved....I'm just glad that they finally got it to go through...even though there was no reason for it not to. I won't wait till the final day either...just in case...;)

Joyce :D

[Delta Queen]

Hi:

 

We had a similar problem while trying to put a deposit on a cruise. Our TA phoned to tell us MC wouldn't accept the charge so we had to phone MC to give them permission. Less than an hour later our TA phoned again to tell us that MC refused the insurance charge. I couldn't be bothered with that rigmarole again so I just used my AmEx card & have done so ever since then when booking cruise & air etc

MC is just trying to protect its' card holders & luckily for us they do that because someone in Turkey once tried to get $3000 from our account.

 

MC also advises that you notify them if you are traveling out of country so that there won't be any embarrassing incidents. It's a nuisance to do this but it is for our own protection.

 

DQ

[LHT28]

It must be a MC thing

As I said I used VISA and no problems

 

Yes we always notify the CC & the bank (debit card holder) that we are travelling out of the Province

 

Lyn

[Mura]

We use our Capital One Visa on travel (not necessarily for booking) because of the zero % foreign conversion charge and we also always notify the credit card companies that we will be traveling. But Capital One irritated us on our recent trip because despite our telling them where we were going and when, they sent an email every time we used the card.

 

Now I guess I wouldn't have minded had they notified us of a spurious $3,000 charge!!

[LittleRedJohn]

My VISA card works fine on advance deposits and advance payments for shore excursions, but my subsequent credit card statement contains a foreign transaction fee. How dumb. I'm paying an American cruise line in America. But I found that my travel agent will get those foreign transaction fees refunded, if I give her a copy of the complete credit card statement. On our last cruise, the fees simply showed up as a credit on my shipboard account. I asked a woman at the Oceania 800 number why don't they use an America bank, and I could tell such a thought had never entered her mind.

[Rickey 88]

I made a payment for my January Marina cruise today because the foreign currency exchange was so good for the Can:US dollar....$1.01.... Because the charge went through a bank in Ireland,

 

I couldn't find any connection between the Oceania owners and Ireland.

 

Has anyone else 'suffered' this problem?? I certainly didn't when I paid for my last 'O' cruise in 2008.

 

Thanks...Joyce :D

 

Joyce, if you use the "Search" tab above and enter Irish Bank or Foreign Transaction Fee, you will get to the countless earlier postings by many folks on this situation.

 

1. It is a fee charged by the banks, not Oceania, who have been finding many ways to increase their income. The charge is for processing the charge to a bank overseas, which is a minor matter. You will see that a number of banks and American Express do not charge such a fee, and it has been recommended that one of those cards be used instead.

 

2. Oceania uses a bank overseas as most of their payments for services, supplies and labor are paid overseas. However, it is their business where they bank, not ours.

 

3. Oceania has been very helpful to those who call them, provide proof of the fee, and the amount. They will add that amount to your shipboard account, which is really not a "refund" since the cruise line never made nor received this charge.

 

Hope this all helps......

[Paulchili]

Thank you for your answers, my travel agent said it only happens to Mastercard users. It must be something to do with their approval system.

I hope it goes smoother next time....nothing like being told that your card has been declined..:rolleyes:...although the fellow said.."it didn't say 'non-sufficient funds' LOL Thank heaven for small mercies.....:p

I'll make sure that I phone MC in two weeks and have them lift the block for Ireland. It will be a smaller payment..so it might not even need that much beforework.

Thanks!!

Joyce :D

 

Joyce,

Your problems may not be over yet. You may get a surprise when you get your MC statement (as mentioned by Rickey88).

If you do get charged the foreign transaction fee, just call Ocenia to see how to get a refund or credit.

[LHT28]

Usually Canadian credit cards do not charge a Foreign tranaction fee.

 

They hide an extra 2-4% on the foreign currency daily exchange rate to cover the costs;)

 

RBC is 2.5% I am sure MC has the a similar rate

[ladysail2]

Usually Canadian credit cards do not charge a Foreign tranaction fee.

 

They hide an extra 2-4% on the foreign currency daily exchange rate to cover the costs;)

 

RBC is 2.5% I am sure MC has the a similar rate

 

All Canadian credit cards have always charged a foreign transaction fee, but now they hide it in the conversion rate total. Very tricky. One has to either phone to get the breakdown, or look in the fine print of your Terms and Conditions. I believe that the MC does charge 2.5% over and above the converted rate. Thank goodness our dollar is so strong...sorry US people...but it's so good for us...:o

~ Rickey 88 and Paulchili...thank you for your answers. Believe me, I will be scouring the charges to find that fee. Will certainly be phoning to have it either removed or charged back to me, however they want to do it.

I will have to watch for a separate foreign transaction fee, as there will be one for sure because my card is Canadian, and the transaction was in US dollars...

I always inform my credit card company when the card is leaving the country. I think it's a good thing that they keep tabs on its spending. Easier to prevent a mess, than to clean up after it.

Joyce :D

[LHT28]

I will have to watch for a separate foreign transaction fee, as there will be one for sure because my card is Canadian, and the transaction was in US dollars...

 

Joyce :D

Joyce

You probably will not see a separate fee listed it is hidden, as you & I both stated above. When you charge USD to you MC it IS a foreign transaction ;)

 

Unlike the U.S. CC where it is listed on a separate line.

Americans are paying in USD but some CC charge the fee because the cruise line banks off shore.

 

That is why I have a Canadian TD credit card that is for USD.

I can buy USD when the rates are good then just pay off my CC with USD ....no fees ;)

https://www.tdcanadatrust.com/tdvisa/usd.jsp

 

Lyn