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Canadian Dollar or U.S. Dollar when purchasing through Princess before cruise ?

mouseterd1

By mouseterd1,
in Princess Cruises

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mouseterd1

mouseterd1

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As the Canadian $ tanks (again!), I am cautious with how I pay for things. I have a U.S.$ account and U.S. visa. But before I charge something to my US$ visa, does anyone know what currency Princess works in on pre-cruise order items? I've heard that Canadians can be charged for ordered items in Cdn dollars and the rate through Princess Vancouver is at a much lesser rate than the current US/Cdn exchange rate. My pre-cruise order could grow, if in Cdn dollars as opposed to U.S.$ once aboard.

 

Are there any Canadians who have any experience with this. Thanks.

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sueandkent

sueandkent

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Posted (edited)
As the Canadian $ tanks (again!), I am cautious with how I pay for things. I have a U.S.$ account and U.S. visa. But before I charge something to my US$ visa, does anyone know what currency Princess works in on pre-cruise order items? I've heard that Canadians can be charged for ordered items in Cdn dollars and the rate through Princess Vancouver is at a much lesser rate than the current US/Cdn exchange rate. My pre-cruise order could grow, if in Cdn dollars as opposed to U.S.$ once aboard.

 

Are there any Canadians who have any experience with this. Thanks.

 

This worked for us on our just completed CB cruise. Is your cruise booked in CDN funds? If not, you're out of luck. If it is, call Princess and order what it is you want such as a soda package, etc. Ask if it will be charged in CDN first but it should be provided you paid your for your cruise that way. It does not work for just buying OBC, that will be charged to your CC on a separate transaction in USD. Good luck.

Edited by sueandkent
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mouseterd1

mouseterd1

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Living in AZ for 5 months or so a year I have a CC issued by BofA down here so everything gets put on that card .... so I don't have the problem.

 

Yes, I understand that, but if you don't have 'earned' funds in U.S.$, then you still have to do a dollar conversion at some point in time to pay the U.S. credit card. I am too in the U.S. 5 months each year with a U.S. credit card, but paying the U.S$ CC still requires converting Cdn$ to U.S.$ at some point which I do in lump sum exchange on a market house 'trade' basis which is at a much better rate than at a bank.

 

However, my question was whether Princess would charge a pre-cruise expense to a Cdn$ visa and therefore prudently save my U.S$ for other items that cannot be charged out in Cdn$.

 

Sounds like it worked for 'sueandkent'. I also paid for my cruise in Cdn$ as opposed to U.S.$ as I paid nearly par dollar through Princess on a Cdn visa rather than charge to my U.S. visa when the Cdn$ was already 9 cents off par and since then it has gone even further south.

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smtcan

smtcan

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On our January cruise on Ruby we were charged in $CAD at par for pre cruise purchases. We ordered an Ultimate Balcony Dinner for our cruise and also one for our son and DIL who will be on Royal and booked in $US. Ours cost us $100CAD and their gift cost us $100US. I booked both in the same phone call a few days before we sailed.

Edited by smtcan
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avcruz

avcruz

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Yes, I understand that, but if you don't have 'earned' funds in U.S.$, then you still have to do a dollar conversion at some point in time to pay the U.S. credit card. I am too in the U.S. 5 months each year with a U.S. credit card, but paying the U.S$ CC still requires converting Cdn$ to U.S.$ at some point which I do in lump sum exchange on a market house 'trade' basis which is at a much better rate than at a bank.

 

 

 

However, my question was whether Princess would charge a pre-cruise expense to a Cdn$ visa and therefore prudently save my U.S$ for other items that cannot be charged out in Cdn$.

 

 

 

Sounds like it worked for 'sueandkent'. I also paid for my cruise in Cdn$ as opposed to U.S.$ as I paid nearly par dollar through Princess on a Cdn visa rather than charge to my U.S. visa when the Cdn$ was already 9 cents off par and since then it has gone even further south.

 

 

There's another fairly extensive thread on the boards along the same topic - can't find it at the moment, but the gist of it is that if you paid for your cruise in CAD then you are able to order gift items, including OBC, in CAD at par as long as you call or do it through your TA. Apparently it doesn't work if you pre-purchase gratuities, they have to be in USD, nor does it work if you fax in the form as that seems to be USD as well.

 

Adrienne

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

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Mythros

Mythros

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As the Canadian $ tanks (again!), I am cautious with how I pay for things. I have a U.S.$ account and U.S. visa. But before I charge something to my US$ visa, does anyone know what currency Princess works in on pre-cruise order items? I've heard that Canadians can be charged for ordered items in Cdn dollars and the rate through Princess Vancouver is at a much lesser rate than the current US/Cdn exchange rate. My pre-cruise order could grow, if in Cdn dollars as opposed to U.S.$ once aboard.

 

Are there any Canadians who have any experience with this. Thanks.

 

For my upcoming cruise on the Caribbean, I booked in CDN dollars. Since then, I have purchased OBC several times - each time the receipt shows that I have $500 US. The charge to my Visa was from Princess Vancouver - in CDN dollars. There is another thread called "Canadian Cruisers" that lists more examples of people who have had success with this.

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Tweedy

Tweedy

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Posted
As the Canadian $ tanks (again!), I am cautious with how I pay for things. I have a U.S.$ account and U.S. visa. But before I charge something to my US$ visa, does anyone know what currency Princess works in on pre-cruise order items? I've heard that Canadians can be charged for ordered items in Cdn dollars and the rate through Princess Vancouver is at a much lesser rate than the current US/Cdn exchange rate. My pre-cruise order could grow, if in Cdn dollars as opposed to U.S.$ once aboard.

 

Are there any Canadians who have any experience with this. Thanks.

 

We just pre-purchased the soda and gratuities for our upcoming trip. Our cruise was purchased in Cdn $ and therefore, the soda package was charged in Cdn $s. However, the gratuities were purchased in US funds leaving the credit card to do the conversion. Both transactions were processed by Princess Santa Clarita.

 

If you are dealing with Princess directly, the agent you speak with should confirm this information for you before they go ahead with the transaction. I would imagine that charges that will be processed in US $ could be put on your US visa and the Cdn charges on your Cdn visa. If dealing with a TA, you could be specific with them as well as how you would like the charges to be processed.

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Mythros

Mythros

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We just pre-purchased the soda and gratuities for our upcoming trip. Our cruise was purchased in Cdn $ and therefore, the soda package was charged in Cdn $s. However, the gratuities were purchased in US funds leaving the credit card to do the conversion. Both transactions were processed by Princess Santa Clarita.

 

If you are dealing with Princess directly, the agent you speak with should confirm this information for you before they go ahead with the transaction. I would imagine that charges that will be processed in US $ could be put on your US visa and the Cdn charges on your Cdn visa. If dealing with a TA, you could be specific with them as well as how you would like the charges to be processed.

 

This is a good thing to point out - DO NOT pre purchase the gratuities as they will go thru in US $. You need to make sure you request OBC (on board credit) in order to have the CDN $ charge.

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mouseterd1

mouseterd1

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If you are dealing with Princess directly, the agent you speak with should confirm this information for you before they go ahead with the transaction. I would imagine that charges that will be processed in US $ could be put on your US visa and the Cdn charges on your Cdn visa. If dealing with a TA, you could be specific with them as well as how you would like the charges to be processed.

 

:cool: Just got off the phone with Princess in CA and purchased OBC, coffee card and internet - all processed in Cdn$. My trip was paid in Cdn$. I guess I will have to wait a few days to see if the OBC translates to US$ in my onboard account. At first I was told the OBC would be in U.S.$, but when it was keyed in for purchase, the program corrected to read out to be billed in Cdn$....ya!

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Gunner22aa

Gunner22aa

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I started the other thread. So far I have pre bought over $350 worth of items and $2000 in OBC. All billed in Cdn dollars and all reflected in US dollars. My cruise next week was booked in Cdn dollars about 16 months ago

Edited by Gunner22aa
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Lovetravel101

Lovetravel101

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My internet, soda package and Crown dining vouchers were paid by my Canadian credit card, in Canadian funds...later in the week I ordered onboard credit, it was charged to the same card...but was charged to my card in US funds. These amounts were copied from my online credit card statement

23/01/201423/01/2014PRINCESS CRUISE SERVIC VANCOUVER BC$50.00

23/01/201423/01/2014PRINCESS CRUISE SERVIC VANCOUVER BC$175.40 04/02/201404/02/2014USD250.00@1.140108PRINCESS CRUISES SPEC$285.03 The first charge was Crown Dining Voucher -Canadian

The second was internet and Soda plus more card -Canadian

The third charge was for onboard credit,same card, but they converted it to US ! So I paid an extra 35.03 for the onboard credit!

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avcruz

avcruz

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On cruise personalizer, What is the best? Select That charges Will be on US currency or in canadian?:)

 

 

If you're talking about the credit card conversion for your onboard account, I like to say leave it in USD and let my bank convert it. I believe that it's more favourable than getting Princess to do the conversion.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

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anniversay/grad trip

anniversay/grad trip

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I booked my upcoming cruise in CDN $$$ and called to prepay my gratuities, buy a soda card and buy some OBC. The Princess rep advised me to just purchase OBC and have the grate come out of that, as the OBC and soda cards would be in CDN funds and for some reason (she wasn't even sure why) the grats were charged in USD. I checked my cc after pymt and sure enough everything was billed in CDN funds. Her thought for this (not sure if it was fact or not) was that the Princess corp. changes the % every quarter (CDN to USD) and because our dollar has declined so rapidly they are still offering the at par rate pre-slump. I would imagine if the CDN dollar doesn't rebound, this will not last much longer.

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  • 1 year later...
Paddy41

Paddy41

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Can anyone tell me the exchange rate NCL is charging now? I booked a cruise awhile ago with NCL at 10% exchange rate which was great. Now I need to cancel it and book a different cruise. Carnival and Royal are charging 12% exchange rate now. It looks like NCL is charging 29%. Anyone know?

 

Canadian dollar continues to go down. Right now to book in USD with credit card charges as well is 34% exchange.

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Paddy41

Paddy41

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You may want to ask this on the NCL Cruise Critic board.

 

You are so right. I found this thread on google and didn't realize until I posted that it came up as a Princess thread.

 

However, I'd love to know what the exchange rate is for Princess as well.

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