Canadian cruisers!!

[willing292]

As luck would have it, there's no roll call yet, maybe it's too early. I was testing the prices, cheapest i can get is $336 per night w/ hhonors discount. If Holiday is at least 20% cheaper then i will take Johor out of the equation. They don't have a rail system from the airport like, Tokyo no?(assuming you've been there too)

 

 

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There is rapid transit, I've only used taxis which are cheap or walked. When s your cruise? I would book the hie now, as no deposit is required and you can always cancel later. Or the price might even drop.

 

 

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[stickyshocker]

Its December of next year aboard the Mariner, havent even done a research on the ship[emoji16]. But it's whole lotta cheaper to stay on the ship than Singapore itself for a few days. Plus it docks at Phuket[emoji846]

 

 

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[stickyshocker]

willing292 Is your hotel close to any attractions? industrial area? or do you have a review of this sailing or somethin?.I know there's a lot there, but i would like to read one from a canuck's perspective

 

 

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[willing292]

Check out the hotel at trip advisor. Are you sailing on mariner of the seas?

 

 

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[stickyshocker]

Check out the hotel at trip advisor. Are you sailing on mariner of the seas?

 

 

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Yes Mariner of the Seas, just found out that no visa is required for Cdn's visiting Malaysia. Doubletree Hilton Johur has it for Myr340 per night, w/c is $104 cad by estimation. This is startin' to look good [emoji4]

 

 

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[willing292]

Yes Mariner of the Seas, just found out that no visa is required for Cdn's visiting Malaysia. Doubletree Hilton Johur has it for Myr340 per night, w/c is $104 cad by estimation. This is startin' to look good [emoji4]

 

 

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But you want to make sure that the transportation there and back will be feasible. I believe there is a bridge at the border, and traffic can back up.

 

 

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[stickyshocker]

But you want to make sure that the transportation there and back will be feasible. I believe there is a bridge at the border, and traffic can back up.

 

 

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Correct. I pulled up the maps, seems like travel time from Changi airport to Doubletree Johur is 39 mins. The first thing i envisioned is Buffalo airport and Niagara Falls Cdn side. Does my vision matches your description? How cheap is the taxi, or better yet they probably have Uber? We probably unlocked a hack on Singapore pre cruise stay if nobody has ever fone this before?

 

 

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[westerngardener]

They now have Mobile Passport in Port Everglades. Download the App to your phone, sign up before you go, then just an answer the 6 questions up to 4 hours before your entry to US customs.

 

I just it last week on Harmony, worked great, much, much shorter line at debarkation.

 

They also have a Nexus line, my sister used that, similar line timeframes.

 

Anyone know if there's Nexus/Global at the Miami Port? Wasn't the last time I went through.:confused:

[Ourusualbeach]

Anyone know if there's Nexus/Global at the Miami Port? Wasn't the last time I went through.:confused:

 

GE is only available in FLL currently.

[westerngardener]

GE is only available in FLL currently.

 

Thanks for your amazingly quick response. Wish they'd get with it. Remember the queue being ridiculously long. Oh well, not catching a flight till 2 pm, so no hurry. Perhaps will stay on the ship as long as we can, but also remember the crew wanting you to depart ASAP to get the ship ready for the next cruisers.

[cruzgryphon]

Hi,

Does anyone know how to update employment information on one's passport/ Nexus? I tried the Nexus website - but the only things I could update were things like my driver's license info. and my passport info. Couldn't find anything for my passport on the Government of Canada websites.

 

Thanks in advance for any feedback :)

[Ourusualbeach]

Hi,

Does anyone know how to update employment information on one's passport/ Nexus? I tried the Nexus website - but the only things I could update were things like my driver's license info. and my passport info. Couldn't find anything for my passport on the Government of Canada websites.

 

Thanks in advance for any feedback :)

 

You only update that at renewal, not if it changes in between renewal dates.

[tinkertwo]

We travelled there from just outside of Toronto in order to get an interview a month and a half sooner. I really hope that you booked on line. The two agents working gave us such a hard time for applying by mail just so we could pay in CDN$ and save some money. Apparently it creates a bit more work for them and they were not happy.

 

I have to say the agents we had were very much the same. Actually the female was okay but the male, not a happy person. He needs a different profession.

[TBone2K]

I think this went off topic long ago, but on the topic of dealing with different currencies, this could be of interest to us Canadians visiting other countries. My bank (CIBC) just sent out an email that they are now offering a multi-currency prepaid Visa card. I guess the deal is you can load it with more than one currency so it appears as a local card when you use it (since some shops won't take a "foreign card"). So could be something handy for travelling.

 

I haven't looked at any rates or services charges beyond reading that this option exists. Other banks may already offer it for all I know, just something some people might consider, especially on cruises making stops in different countries.

[Canadian Tyler]

Interesting thanks!

I think the topic is any issues related to Canadians cruising including currency, deals, passports, flights etc but that's just my impression.

 

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[tomko2]

Thanks for your amazingly quick response. Wish they'd get with it. Remember the queue being ridiculously long. Oh well, not catching a flight till 2 pm, so no hurry. Perhaps will stay on the ship as long as we can, but also remember the crew wanting you to depart ASAP to get the ship ready for the next cruisers.

 

In late March the line for non-residents at FLL was really short, we were out of the terminal in minutes.

 

It is also a little unusual, in that we had to fill out a white form prior to departing the ship and present this to the Officer. The Officer stamped the form and it gave us until the end of September to turn it in. When we returned from Florida at the end of April we gave it to the Canadian Customs Officer and he asked "do you wish to surrender this now" and we said "yes". We spend 6 months in Florida every winter and did not want anything to jeopardize our future stays.

Edited November 26, 2016 by tomko2

[TheCount]

TD Online exchange rate today Dec 5-16

 

Exchange Rate: $1.00 USD = $1.3548 CAD

Better than that $1.40 about a month ago!

[monctonguy]

We'll take the better rate..it all adds up.

 

And RCI CAD rates for booking cruises are about 30% on average I have found so that can save you a few dollars that way as well.

 

What I wouldn't give to have the 10% difference back and be able to buy OBC at that rate!

[Fouremco]

They now have Mobile Passport in Port Everglades. Download the App to your phone, sign up before you go, then just an answer the 6 questions up to 4 hours before your entry to US customs.

 

I just it last week on Harmony, worked great, much, much shorter line at debarkation.

 

They also have a Nexus line, my sister used that, similar line timeframes.

We have both Nexus and Mobile Passport. When we disembarked at Port Everglades last month, we simply picked the shorter line (MP) and breezed through in less than a minute. I expect that the lines will grow as more people take advantage of these and similar programs, but for now. they are amazingly quick.

[WeExplore]

There is a fairly good deal on the Explorer September 2017 right now. I got a price drop on my b2b and saved a total of $418.00 Definitely worth the phone call.

 

I did have to confirm that the taxes and port fees did not change from my original booking because they are now $104/pp more.

[gi_pam]

I sure wish we could get the 1.10 deal on OBC that was happening a while ago! I called today - still at $140 Canadian to buy $100 OBC :( I can do better than that on my credit card, assuming our dollar doesn't go completely south in the next couple of weeks.

 

However, I paid my gratuities (in Canadian dollars) and they are charging $17.44 pp/pd CDN for gratuities, which works out to 1.292 for the exchange rate. That's a great exchange rate!

 

We did some math on the shore excursions, to try to figure out the exchange rate they're using. It's one of the only things you can see prices to compare. You can download a shore excursion brochure in US, then compare to the price in the Planner. Consistently 1.36 yesterday between the brochure in US and the CDN prices in our Planner.

 

I was trying to decide on whether to book Wonderland at $66.64 Cdn, and couldn't find out how much it is on board. They don't publish the on board prices anymore, you can only see what it is in your planner. So at $66.64, that's $49 US. That makes sense, since everything in my planner today works out to even dollar amounts if you use 1.36 as a conversion rate. Drink package - $65.28, or $48 US, Chops - $57.12 or $42 US.

 

So current exchange rates, as far as I can tell -

 

OBC - 1.4

stuff in the planner - 1.36

Gratuities - 1.292

 

Actual cruises, no idea, I haven't done that math.

 

Not sure of the logic there.

[willing292]

I sure wish we could get the 1.10 deal on OBC that was happening a while ago! I called today - still at $140 Canadian to buy $100 OBC :( I can do better than that on my credit card, assuming our dollar doesn't go completely south in the next couple of weeks.

 

 

 

However, I paid my gratuities (in Canadian dollars) and they are charging $17.44 pp/pd CDN for gratuities, which works out to 1.292 for the exchange rate. That's a great exchange rate!

 

 

 

We did some math on the shore excursions, to try to figure out the exchange rate they're using. It's one of the only things you can see prices to compare. You can download a shore excursion brochure in US, then compare to the price in the Planner. Consistently 1.36 yesterday between the brochure in US and the CDN prices in our Planner.

 

 

 

I was trying to decide on whether to book Wonderland at $66.64 Cdn, and couldn't find out how much it is on board. They don't publish the on board prices anymore, you can only see what it is in your planner. So at $66.64, that's $49 US. That makes sense, since everything in my planner today works out to even dollar amounts if you use 1.36 as a conversion rate. Drink package - $65.28, or $48 US, Chops - $57.12 or $42 US.

 

 

 

So current exchange rates, as far as I can tell -

 

 

 

OBC - 1.4

 

stuff in the planner - 1.36

 

Gratuities - 1.292

 

 

 

Actual cruises, no idea, I haven't done that math.

 

 

 

Not sure of the logic there.

 

 

Gratuities are usually charged at the same rate of exchange as you paid your deposit.

 

 

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[moopetguy]

I sure wish we could get the 1.10 deal on OBC that was happening a while ago! I called today - still at $140 Canadian to buy $100 OBC :( I can do better than that on my credit card, assuming our dollar doesn't go completely south in the next couple of weeks.

 

However, I paid my gratuities (in Canadian dollars) and they are charging $17.44 pp/pd CDN for gratuities, which works out to 1.292 for the exchange rate. That's a great exchange rate!

 

We did some math on the shore excursions, to try to figure out the exchange rate they're using. It's one of the only things you can see prices to compare. You can download a shore excursion brochure in US, then compare to the price in the Planner. Consistently 1.36 yesterday between the brochure in US and the CDN prices in our Planner.

 

I was trying to decide on whether to book Wonderland at $66.64 Cdn, and couldn't find out how much it is on board. They don't publish the on board prices anymore, you can only see what it is in your planner. So at $66.64, that's $49 US. That makes sense, since everything in my planner today works out to even dollar amounts if you use 1.36 as a conversion rate. Drink package - $65.28, or $48 US, Chops - $57.12 or $42 US.

 

So current exchange rates, as far as I can tell -

 

OBC - 1.4

stuff in the planner - 1.36

Gratuities - 1.292

 

Actual cruises, no idea, I haven't done that math.

 

Not sure of the logic there.

 

Thanks for summarizing that! At the moment though, 1.36 isn't bad but isn't great, either. I can buy USD at 1.3462 from my bank today, and they are always a bit higher than currency exchange kiosks in malls.

 

I can add that the effective exchange rate for gratuities has been adjusted upward as the Canadian dollar has fallen. I have an upcoming 9-night sailing on Navigator and I prepaid the gratuities in CAD -- $429.42. This works out to approximately $15.90 per person, per night.

 

I added the prepaid gratuities to this sailing in April 2016 before the change from $12.95 USD to $13.50 USD, so the effective rate is approximately 1.228. I had the same effective rate in December 2015 when I added prepaid gratuities to my Jan 2016 sailing on Grandeur.

 

I think we will find that the effective exchange rate for cruises is not fixed and will vary based on sailing and stateroom category.

[marmstro]

Gratuities are usually charged at the same rate of exchange as you paid your deposit.

 

 

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So would that mean if my exchange was 10% at the time of my deposit, that I can add gratuities now at only 10%?

 

 

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[willing292]

So would that mean if my exchange was 10% at the time of my deposit, that I can add gratuities now at only 10%?

 

 

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Based on my experience, yes. I had a couple of cruises booked when the Canadian $ was worth more. The rate of exchange changed for the worse. When I asked how much my gratuities would be, they quoted and charged me the lower rate, which was less than the US $ amount they state. I paid up pronto!

 

 

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