Canadian cruisers!!

[hancogran]

We sure could have used the Nexus card last Sunday. We landed at Pierre Elliott Trudeau airport in Montreal. It took us two and a half hours from leaving the aircraft to leaving the terminal with our bags.

 

:eek: .. and I thought Pearson airport in Toronto was bad!

 

That's one of the reasons we applied. From what I've heard, we will wonder how we got by without it before! ;)

[hancogran]

Just as a follow up, I had my Nexus appointment today. It was very easy, I was prepared for just about everything however the only thing he asked was my full name, my birthday and was the address on my license correct. Then he did the eye scan and the finger prints. Next he did my husbands, same thing. Once that was one he called me over and hubby and I listened to his speal about what we can and can not do with the Nexus card. He said the card will arrive in 5 to 10 business days.

We arrived early for our appointment and was done and out of there before our actual appointment time. So easy I don't know why I didn't do it years ago.

 

This was basically how ours went too..:)

 

Like you, I was prepared with my list of countries visited, proof of address (paperwork besides my driver's license), etc. but we were only asked our full name and if the address on our license was correct. Didn't ask our DOB. We had the fingerprints and iris scan done first, then we had to go to outside and into the next building for our interviews...about 10 minutes with the Canadian border person and 5 minutes with the U.S. border person.

 

Now we just have to wait for our cards. The strange thing is that last night, my husband got an email to check his GOES account online (it was sent immediately after our interview) and it was telling him he was approved and his card was being mailed. Nothing for me. :confused: Guess I'll just have to wait. My husband asked me if there was anything from my past that he didn't know about!! :D This is his idea of a joke but I didn't find it at all funny! I figured there would be an email for me this morning... but nothing! :(

[Host Jacquelyn]

Question to my fellow Canadians: Where is the best place to exchange Canadian $$ to Euro? I used to always do it at the bank, but then realized the commission I was paying was higher than others. Any tips in the GTA?

[A&L_Ont]

This was basically how ours went too..:)

 

Like you, I was prepared with my list of countries visited, proof of address (paperwork besides my driver's license), etc. but we were only asked our full name and if the address on our license was correct. Didn't ask our DOB. We had the fingerprints and iris scan done first, then we had to go to outside and into the next building for our interviews...about 10 minutes with the Canadian border person and 5 minutes with the U.S. border person.

 

Now we just have to wait for our cards. The strange thing is that last night, my husband got an email to check his GOES account online (it was sent immediately after our interview) and it was telling him he was approved and his card was being mailed. Nothing for me. :confused: Guess I'll just have to wait. My husband asked me if there was anything from my past that he didn't know about!! :D This is his idea of a joke but I didn't find it at all funny! I figured there would be an email for me this morning... but nothing! :(

 

Hopefully he will wait for you.

 

Edit to say, glad that it went well.

Edited May 11, 2016 by A&L_Ont

[squadron]

Question to my fellow Canadians: Where is the best place to exchange Canadian $$ to Euro? I used to always do it at the bank, but then realized the commission I was paying was higher than others. Any tips in the GTA?

 

I bought Euros at the bank but rates are up the last few days because our dollar is weak again. I decided for most expenses I will use the Scotia bank card that is now the old Sears card. It does not charge an extra fee over the normal conversion rate. It is not my normal credit card but will use it for my upcoming trip. Didn't want to get stuck with extra Euros which cost a fee to convert back.

[Teamrobbo]

Question to my fellow Canadians: Where is the best place to exchange Canadian $$ to Euro? I used to always do it at the bank, but then realized the commission I was paying was higher than others. Any tips in the GTA?

 

in downtown Toronto there are a few places. A coworker told me about Wall Street Finance on Yonge just north of Adelaide. You can check their rates online at http://wallstreetfinance.ca/rates/webrates.html which I do all the time. Another place is Bendix which is on Bay just north of Adelaide. Luckily both are near my office.

 

I also need Euros for an upcoming trip and the rates are much better then the banks - just look at how small the spread between wall street finance's buy and sell rates are compared to the banks spreads

[hancogran]

Hopefully he will wait for you. ��

 

Edit to say, glad that it went well.

 

Thanks, Andrew! Oh if he knows what's good for him, he definitely WILL wait! lol If mama ain't happy, nobody's happy! :p

[Froufie]

in downtown Toronto there are a few places. A coworker told me about Wall Street Finance on Yonge just north of Adelaide. You can check their rates online at http://wallstreetfinance.ca/rates/webrates.html which I do all the time. Another place is Bendix which is on Bay just north of Adelaide. Luckily both are near my office.

 

I also need Euros for an upcoming trip and the rates are much better then the banks - just look at how small the spread between wall street finance's buy and sell rates are compared to the banks spreads

 

Thanks for the info - I happen to be staying in downtown Toronto this weekend so may have to check it out and get me some euros! :);)

[Fouremco]

Thanks for the info - I happen to be staying in downtown Toronto this weekend so may have to check it out and get me some euros! :);)

If you haven't already, check out Accu-Rate here in Ottawa. One office at the World Exchange Plaza and another on Carling Avenue. I've dealt with them for a number of years, and they certainly beat the bank rates.

 

http://www.accu-rate.ca

[Fouremco]

Changing topics somewhat, we will be on the Allure next March, taking our kids and g-kids. For the first time, we are cruising during the Ontario March break, and I was amazed how much more expensive flights are. Pretty much double what we would normally pay flying out of Ottawa.

 

Having considered a number of alternatives, we discovered that the Quebec March break is a week earlier, and flights out of Montreal for our dates are pretty much "normal". Anyone living in Eastern Ontario who might normally fly out of Ottawa for March break should definitely consider Montreal.

[maryann2]

Question to my fellow Canadians: Where is the best place to exchange Canadian $$ to Euro? I used to always do it at the bank, but then realized the commission I was paying was higher than others. Any tips in the GTA?

I always wait until I am in Europe and use an ATM with a debit card. NOT credit card. Seems to be best exchange rate.

ATMs are always in airports. If you use a street ATM best to use one attached to a bank.

Keep a few Euros for your next trip.

[mamathilde]

Changing topics somewhat, we will be on the Allure next March, taking our kids and g-kids. For the first time, we are cruising during the Ontario March break, and I was amazed how much more expensive flights are. Pretty much double what we would normally pay flying out of Ottawa.

 

 

 

Having considered a number of alternatives, we discovered that the Quebec March break is a week earlier, and flights out of Montreal for our dates are pretty much "normal". Anyone living in Eastern Ontario who might normally fly out of Ottawa for March break should definitely consider Montreal.

 

 

We are from Montreal and will probably fly out from Ottawa during our Quebec's spring break cruise. We save about 1000$ doing that.

[Fouremco]

We are from Montreal and will probably fly out from Ottawa during our Quebec's spring break cruise. We save about 1000$ doing that.

I hadn't thought about the reverse situation, but of course! Enjoy your savings! :)

[Russ Lomas]

Changing topics somewhat, we will be on the Allure next March, taking our kids and g-kids. For the first time, we are cruising during the Ontario March break, and I was amazed how much more expensive flights are. Pretty much double what we would normally pay flying out of Ottawa.

 

Having considered a number of alternatives, we discovered that the Quebec March break is a week earlier, and flights out of Montreal for our dates are pretty much "normal". Anyone living in Eastern Ontario who might normally fly out of Ottawa for March break should definitely consider Montreal.

Good advice. Too bad we live in Southwestern Ontario and nowhere near Ottawa:(.

 

We always look out of Detroit and Buffalo and usually find better prices there than from Toronto. I have also noticed that flights are priced VERY low the first couple of days they are posted (11 months before they fly often). I saw prices down to Fort Lauderdale on the Saturday of the 2017 March Break for $114 Canadian and returning for $114 Canadian on the Sunday at the end of the Ontario break. Those are long gone by now though.

 

We booked a 6 day cruise for this year so we can drive the family down and back. Last year we spent more for flights than we did for a 7 day cruise on the Freedom.

[Russ Lomas]

Just wondering if anyone else watches RCCL prices daily for drops and have noticed them inch up lately over the past week? One I was looking at for 6 people at the end of December 2017 was $7246 last Wednesday, up to $7762 the next day, and up again today to $8130. The same sale has been ongoing for the last 2 prices (60% off 2nd guest) and the lowest price was the day prior to the "sale" started.

 

I only monitor in Canadian funds. Just wondering if the price was creeping up the past week since our Canadian dollar was slipping about 3 cents in the past week or so?

[Clarea]

Just wondering if anyone else watches RCCL prices daily for drops and have noticed them inch up lately over the past week? ....

A couple of our cruises have gone up a few percent this week.

[Virtopia]

in downtown Toronto there are a few places. A coworker told me about Wall Street Finance on Yonge just north of Adelaide. You can check their rates online at http://wallstreetfinance.ca/rates/webrates.html which I do all the time. Another place is Bendix which is on Bay just north of Adelaide. Luckily both are near my office.

 

I also need Euros for an upcoming trip and the rates are much better then the banks - just look at how small the spread between wall street finance's buy and sell rates are compared to the banks spreads

 

Thanks for this info. I will also need Euros for my September cruise and was wondering where would be a good place to buy them.

 

Glad to know I can use my debit card as a back up if I don't take out enough.

[Lisa&Neb]

Changing topics somewhat, we will be on the Allure next March, taking our kids and g-kids. For the first time, we are cruising during the Ontario March break, and I was amazed how much more expensive flights are. Pretty much double what we would normally pay flying out of Ottawa.

 

Having considered a number of alternatives, we discovered that the Quebec March break is a week earlier, and flights out of Montreal for our dates are pretty much "normal". Anyone living in Eastern Ontario who might normally fly out of Ottawa for March break should definitely consider Montreal.

 

we too are cruising during Ontario March Break with my parents and children, so like you it will be 3 generations on board (also Allure).

 

SO... how many other Canadians will be aboard the Allure for March Break (March 12-19)

 

We are still looking for flights from either Detroit or Buffalo (even Toronto if the price is right) and looking for a hotel in Fort Lauderdale for the night before the cruise.

[Ourusualbeach]

Just wondering if anyone else watches RCCL prices daily for drops and have noticed them inch up lately over the past week? One I was looking at for 6 people at the end of December 2017 was $7246 last Wednesday, up to $7762 the next day, and up again today to $8130. The same sale has been ongoing for the last 2 prices (60% off 2nd guest) and the lowest price was the day prior to the "sale" started.

 

I only monitor in Canadian funds. Just wondering if the price was creeping up the past week since our Canadian dollar was slipping about 3 cents in the past week or so?

 

Hey Russ, which cruises are you watching for Dec. 2017? We were booked on the 6 day Freedom but changed to the 5 day Navigator as it was significantly less. Also looking at similar cruises in December of 2016 there were a lot of price drops on the 5 day cruises over NYE.

 

There were also some nice drops on the Oasis for March 2018 today as well. I booked this as a back up plan for my Adventure 2018 cruise in case flights are crazy high to San Juan.

 

I hear you about the flights. We have only ever flown once and that was to San Juan and those flights were more than the cruise. We've been driving down and back for right around the $500US mark including gas and food for the 4 of us.

[Froufie]

If you haven't already, check out Accu-Rate here in Ottawa. One office at the World Exchange Plaza and another on Carling Avenue. I've dealt with them for a number of years, and they certainly beat the bank rates.

 

http://www.accu-rate.ca

 

Yes I typically use accu-rate in town for $$ exchange - but looked like the toronto exchange had some better rates when i checked online!!!:eek:

[RD64]

Question please - I am filling in my documents for my upcoming cruise. Regarding the credit card conversion for the onboard expenses - I do not want Royal Caribbean to do the conversion. This is the message that appears on the online form:

 

Is the currency of your card one of the following: AUD, CAD, CHF, DKK, EUR, HKD, JPY, MXP, NOK, SEK, GBP?

 

Yes

 

No

 

Which option should I select? Please and thank you.

[Clarea]

Question please - I am filling in my documents for my upcoming cruise. Regarding the credit card conversion for the onboard expenses - I do not want Royal Caribbean to do the conversion. This is the message that appears on the online form:

 

Is the currency of your card one of the following: AUD, CAD, CHF, DKK, EUR, HKD, JPY, MXP, NOK, SEK, GBP?

 

Yes

 

No

 

Which option should I select? Please and thank you.

I would select the option that applies to your card.

 

Once you print the SetSail pass, there should be boxes to check on that form that will allow you to specify who does the conversion.

[nseit1974]

I am Canadian but I have a TD visa in US dollars. I don't want any of the options, so that they will charge me in US dollars. So the answer would be no if you want it in US dollars and let your bank do the exchange. Hope this helps.

[Clarea]

I am Canadian but I have a TD visa in US dollars. I don't want any of the options, so that they will charge me in US dollars. So the answer would be no if you want it in US dollars and let your bank do the exchange. Hope this helps.

I'd like to hear from Ken (ourusualbeach) on this. If a cruise is booked in CAD, can you use a USD denominated credit card for the onboard account and have them charge in USD?

[RD64]

Thank you for your responses.