Warning to canadians

[robgvic]

If you are new to Princess be sure to book in US Dollars and not Canadian. Princes and your agent may object but it can be done. Princess now uses a 10% exchange rate and as you know it is now close to par. My mini suite booking on the Crown December 4 was USD799 and if you look here it shows CAD878.90. I think the USD799 worked out at CAD838.95 on my card.and it may be more now.

[magicalmom2001]

I can't seem to get the price to go into USD so not sure how to compare. Makes sense for sure with the CAD today being slightly higher than USD. How can we pay it and not get burned for the 10 percent?

thanks

[robgvic]

Book with an agent or princess direct and say you want us funds

[ljm7881]

Set up a "dummy" account on Princess.com and use any U.S. home address. You won't be able to book this way or get any discounts as a past cruiser, but you will be able to see the current U.S. pricing.

[Tinious]

It pays to check. Sometimes it swings the other way. FWIW, I had the opposite experience last week when booking.

 

The price was $947USD, but Canadian $891CDN.

 

Also FWIW, most banks charge 3% premium on exchange rates, so I usually consider anything within 4-5% to be a wash, and anything over to be worth the hassle.

[shopperwhite]

i always have booked in u.s. dollars i have a u.s. bmo card so i do a little better.

do not under any circumstance give them a u.s. credit card for your shipboard expenses that costs you mega money ....

[ONT-CA]

i always have booked in u.s. dollars i have a u.s. bmo card so i do a little better.

do not under any circumstance give them a u.s. credit card for your shipboard expenses that costs you mega money ....

 

We are a little lost on that last statement. If you have a Band Of Montreal Card in US funds, what is the difference between that and a regular US credit card? We have a US fund card which we use to purchase the cruise and pay our charges. We maintain a US dollar bank account from which to pay these charges. No premiums to pay this way and in a few weeks we will be in the black vis-a-vis the US/Canadian dollar exchange rate.(we think)

[Katie333]

We are a little lost on that last statement. If you have a Band Of Montreal Card in US funds, what is the difference between that and a regular US credit card? We have a US fund card which we use to purchase the cruise and pay our charges. We maintain a US dollar bank account from which to pay these charges. No premiums to pay this way and in a few weeks we will be in the black vis-a-vis the US/Canadian dollar exchange rate.(we think)

 

I think the poster was referring to situations where the shipboard account gets charged in CAD funds and you use a USD credit card. Then you have to pay a conversion fee twice (Princess and the cards fee).

 

As long as you make sure you check USD on the boarding pass (I highlight it too), they will charge in USD. I haven't had problems with this lately, though I know it was an issue in the past.

[Passin Thru]

Another little secret. According to Garrison Keiler, if you say "AYE?" we are to deport you immediately. We can even trick you into saying it!:D:D:D

[robgvic]

I'm safe then. I'm from the west coast and we never use it.

[Steelers36]

If you are new to Princess be sure to book in US Dollars and not Canadian. Princes and your agent may object but it can be done. Princess now uses a 10% exchange rate and as you know it is now close to par. My mini suite booking on the Crown December 4 was USD799 and if you look here it shows CAD878.90. I think the USD799 worked out at CAD838.95 on my card.and it may be more now.

 

Many (most?) Canadian-based TA's won't or cannot deal in USD and will only accept CAD payments. Some are cooperative. I probably should not make such a blanket statement since I generally avoid TA's - certainly Canadian ones. Also, all advertising is done in CAD.

 

Certainly it can be done in USD booking direct, but if folks are looking for a better deal plus some perqs, I don't have to tell anyone on these boards about deals that can be had from numerous US-based TA's.

 

 

Someone else here posted they got a lower price in CAD. I am going to guess that they got a USD quote as a "nobody" and their CAD quote was as a past passenger and with the discount it appeared to be lower. They still would have over-paid compared to USD.

 

 

Just an FYI that I have posted on another thread on this topic. The exchange rate for 2011 is set at 5%. This is certainly more realistic than 2010's 10% and a lot more realistic than 2009's 25% was.

 

However, with an at par currency, some will still feel 5% is too much extra to pay.

[Steelers36]

I think the poster was referring to situations where the shipboard account gets charged in CAD funds and you use a USD credit card. Then you have to pay a conversion fee twice (Princess and the cards fee).

 

As long as you make sure you check USD on the boarding pass (I highlight it too), they will charge in USD. I haven't had problems with this lately, though I know it was an issue in the past.

 

 

The five step process to (almost) assure success:

 

1. Check the correct box to NOT convert.

2. Write instructions in BLOCK LETTERS in that area of the boarding pass using a felt pen.

3. Put an "X" thru the Canadian flag logo on the BP as well. Perhaps write "US" underneath that.

4. Take a photocopy of the BP with you on the voyage.

5. Follow up at the Purser's Desk two days later and ask them to verify the form.

 

Optional - some people know they won't have any further charges and pay off account sometime on the last day. But don't leave it late or you will be spending holiday time standing in line.

[iancal]

We always get two quotes from a CanadiaTA-one in USD and the other in CAD. Any good TA will do this for you..the TA's that won't either do not want to or do not know the business. We then get a quote from an on line US TA. There is no need to set up any accounts at Princess to get this data-it is freely available if you ask.

[Steelers36]

We always get two quotes from a CanadiaTA-one in USD and the other in CAD. Any good TA will do this for you..the TA's that won't either do not want to or do not know the business. We then get a quote from an on line US TA. There is no need to set up any accounts at Princess to get this data-it is freely available if you ask.

 

I was attempting to reply to a comment regarding online quotes on Princess website. To get into the details of a fare quote, the website assumes a "home" currency based on the geographic location of the IP address they detect you are coming from. In other words, if they can tell you are located in Canada, you will only be presented CAD on the website. In order to "trick" the system, you can create a login with a US address and when you login using that ID, you will be presented fares in USD. Meanwhile you will certainly have a real Princess account as a past cruiser (unless you don't use computers). That account is going to always generate fares in your "home" currency.

 

Of course, you can phone Princess or TA's and let them do the computer work for you. Some of us just like to do our own sleuthing online.

 

To each their own!!

[D&N LUV 2 TRAVEL]

Likewise for us. Our Cdn TA always gives us a price in CDN and US $'s and we make the decision at that point in time of what currency we will book in. The last few years has always been favorable to book in US. This past Sept we booked our Feb cruise and Princess was charging 14% to convert to Cdn and at the time I could buy US for 7% and now with the dollar at par there is a bigger savings.

[robsaw]

Another little secret. According to Garrison Keiler, if you say "AYE?" we are to deport you immediately. We can even trick you into saying it!:D:D:D

 

It's "eh" not "aye". Aye is pronounced more like "eye".

 

Despite protestations otherwise, "eh" is quite prevalent on the west coast.

[robgvic]

Funny, I havwe lived here all my life and had never heard of "eh" until it became a popular joke on tv. Guess i lead a very protective life-not that it matters at all.

[Pearlbill]

Funny, I havwe lived here all my life and had never heard of "eh" until it became a popular joke on tv. Guess i lead a very protective life-not that it matters at all.

 

You probably say it, but don't notice. I've been told I do it all the time but I've never noticed it, eh?

 

Pearl

[shopperwhite]

well when i first got my u.s. credit card i went to the desk and said this is a u.s. credit card. each time i paid something on my bill i again said this is a u.s. credit card... when i got my final bill they converted it to canadian, the credit card company then converted it to u.s. dollars and i had to pay at my bank in u.s. dollars. cost me money won't do it again. maybe they have improved the system. won't chance it. pay my bill day before i leave the ship. if i buy a drink it is on there and that i will pay for the exchange. no sweat.

[D&N LUV 2 TRAVEL]

Did you record your Cdn CC on your cruise personalizer instead of your US CC ?

As you mentioned, I always settle my a/c the day before to ensure no screw ups because they will not undue it if they processed it to your Cdn CC and you wanted something different.

 

well when i first got my u.s. credit card i went to the desk and said this is a u.s. credit card. each time i paid something on my bill i again said this is a u.s. credit card... when i got my final bill they converted it to canadian, the credit card company then converted it to u.s. dollars and i had to pay at my bank in u.s. dollars. cost me money won't do it again. maybe they have improved the system. won't chance it. pay my bill day before i leave the ship. if i buy a drink it is on there and that i will pay for the exchange. no sweat.

[robgvic]

Sorry to hear all the problems for canadians using credit cards be hey US or Canadian. I wonder if they booked n CAD or USD for the cruise itself. I have never had a problem but always book in USD. I think for Princess to charge your cruise in USD they put a US airport in. Somewhere on my profile I remember seeing "sea".

[cruzisme]

I phoned Princess directly and got the quote in Canadian. Then I asked for the same cruise in American dollars and the Princess rep would not give it to me. I told her I had a US credit card but she would not do it unless I flew out of an American city such as Seattle. I wanted to fly out of Vancouver, if possible, but wanted the chance to do some cost comparison.

Does this make sense? What are other peoples' experiences?

I did not deal with a personal TA but phoned directly to Princess.

And yes, I say 'eh' quite a bit!;)

[robgvic]

Will you using Princess air? If not what does it matter wht they put down as your departure airport? Mine shows sea as departure airpot but I fly out of Victoria or Vancouver on my own.

Hope this helps

[robgvic]

OOPs, forgot to add. The first time I booked in US I had put a deposit while on the previous cruise in Canadian dollars. The just converted that to US and I hd little less than USD 100 to paid the extra I think

[cruzisme]

Hi again Rob (hope that is your name)

I do have a FCC but can't remember what currency it is in

anyways, I was discussing Princess air with the rep and stated Vancouver as my airport

afterwards, I asked re US pricing and that is when she said she needed a US airport which would be SeaTac for us

but still, no quote from her

so....are you saying a rep should be able to give in both currencies and just change the airport info to enable me to get the US quote? Just curious as the currencies are so close right now.

was I not asking the right questions in the right way to her?