WARNING: Foreign Transaction Fee on Photo Package

[GracieCat0_1]

I just got my credit card (Citi MC) bill where I purchased the photo package for all prints. I got an $8.99 foreign transaction fee on a $209.95 purchase. Looks like they are located in the Cayman Islands. I'm sure this was in the fine print on the terms of agreement, but come on... I guess it wouldn't change my purchase decision, but I'm not happy about this, especially since I've purchased stuff out of the US and not had these fees before.

 

Just wanted to let other cruisers know in advance!

 

If anyone has any ideas how to fight this that have worked, let me know!

[uksimonusa]

What country are you from? This is something to take up with your credit card company, they are the ones charging the fee

[setsail]

FTF'S will be listed in any CC's t&c's

[Marie51]

Some credit cards carry the fee and some don't. I'm always careful to use one that has no fee when I buy something outside the US.

[VillaHappy]

I believe that Capital One credit cards do NOT charge a foreign transaction fee. Just to be safe, that's the card I use for my Sea Pass account.

[foxgoodrich]

Hmm…seems like the photo package should be billed from RC in Miami like everything else. Did you pre-purchase on Royal's website this prior to a cruise? If you'd bought it on the cruise, it should have been charged on your sea pass account, not done as a separate transaction.

 

I don't think we've ever had any kind of foreign transaction fee on anything we've pre-purchased on Royal's website prior to a cruise. And I know it's never been charged on the final sea pass bill at the end of any of our cruises.

 

I think I'd call for clarification on that!

Judy

[CruisinDawn]

If you order it pre-cruise you indeed are ordering from a company in Grand Cayman. It is clearly on their website under "about us". I have seen others complain about this as well. We never use our credit card outside the US and actually put a block on charges that are outside the US to prevent credit card fraud. Some cards charge for out of the country charges, some cards don't.

 

website is image.com, once you buy one picture you have the rights to it so can have it reprinted at Walgreens, Walmart or where ever you choose. The release is under "Support"

 

BonVoyage

Dawna

Edited January 28, 2014 by CruisinDawn

[Havingfun2010]

I just got my credit card (Citi MC) bill where I purchased the photo package for all prints. I got an $8.99 foreign transaction fee on a $209.95 purchase. Looks like they are located in the Cayman Islands. I'm sure this was in the fine print on the terms of agreement, but come on... I guess it wouldn't change my purchase decision, but I'm not happy about this, especially since I've purchased stuff out of the US and not had these fees before.

 

Just wanted to let other cruisers know in advance!

 

If anyone has any ideas how to fight this that have worked, let me know!

 

Foreign transaction fees are usually when you purchase a product using the local currency. The fee is charged by the bank, and not the merchant. The fee would be a separate line item on your statement. I use Citi Bank all the time, while traveling and purchasing overseas. However, I have never been charged using USD on a website. Meaning, purchase from a foreign country, and being quoted a USD amount. I have had cash advance fees waived, because taking money out of an ATM you get hit with a foreign exchange fee, so the advance fee is extra. Just call you bank, and ask what exactly the fee was for, and see if they will waive it.

[lady_cruiser]

For the past several years Bank of America has been accessing a foreign transaction fee on all of our purchases outside of the United States.

 

BUT none of our purchases "on the ship" was charged this fee. Only the purchases we made while in port; Falmouth and Grand Cayman. You might want to call BoA to see why you were charged a fee if you made this purchase on the ship.

 

We were even charged a foreign transaction fee while in Canada and we arrived by a tour bus not a ship.

Edited January 28, 2014 by lady_cruiser

[Tropicalgal2]

I believe that Capital One credit cards do NOT charge a foreign transaction fee. Just to be safe, that's the card I use for my Sea Pass account.

 

We live in Panama and almost all American credit cards now charge a "Foreign Transaction" fee. Banks stopped using the word "foreign Exchange" fee several years ago. Panama are a dollar based country but we got hit with fees in the late 90's. We changed to Capital One and have not paid a "foreign Transaction" fee since! :)