Canadian cruisers!!

[cruzin4sun]

Hi: I just called CA and purchased obc $400 US for $440 CDN. Thank you so much for the suggestion.

My apologies if this has already been said on here but wanted to pass this along in case -I asked about the exchange rate and the agent said the exchange rate for pre-cruise purchases is based on when the sailing was first available in the system. For example our Oasis sailing was first available for booking a year ago so the exchange rate is based on the rate at that time which is why we only paid 10%. However once on board the exchange will be charged at the going rate.

[mapleleafvoyage]

Interesting - this was not discussed with me when I was on the phone.

All mine said was it had to be booked in CAN funds, or else the dollar is exchanged at the going rate, plus whatever your credit charges for converting -

 

 

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Edited February 2, 2015 by mapleleafvoyage

[cruzin4sun]

Interesting - this was not discussed with me when I was on the phone.

All mine said was it had to be booked in CAN funds, or else the dollar is exchanged at the going rate, plus whatever your credit charges for converting -

 

 

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Our booking is in Cdn funds. Did you call CA or Gifts and Gear? Wonder if you call CA if you would get a different answer.

[mapleleafvoyage]

I called crown and anchor, asked there, and they had no idea, so they transferred me to gifts and gear

 

It's my luck though, lol

Had I booked in CAN funds something else would be stopping us from getting any perk- lol

 

It's all good- I am crossing my fingers for our dollar to smarten up and pick itself up!

 

 

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[mapleleafvoyage]

Hi: I just called CA and purchased obc $400 US for $440 CDN. Thank you so much for the suggestion.

 

My apologies if this has already been said on here but wanted to pass this along in case -I asked about the exchange rate and the agent said the exchange rate for pre-cruise purchases is based on when the sailing was first available in the system. For example our Oasis sailing was first available for booking a year ago so the exchange rate is based on the rate at that time which is why we only paid 10%. However once on board the exchange will be charged at the going rate.

 

 

Last question- did you pay for this in OBC in CAN? Or US? What will your credit card charges be?

 

 

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[cruzin4sun]

Last question- did you pay for this in OBC in CAN? Or US? What will your credit card charges be?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

I paid in Cdn funds, my charge is $440 Cdn. I used a Cdn credit card.

I hope our dollar bounces back too!!

[BCguy100]

I had my TA check the details. Assuring me it was fine, I just paid $550 CDN for $500 USD onboard. I was told that $500 is the max at any one time, but I could buy more later (we probably will). I also used a CC that doesn't charge a "Foreign Transaction fee" ... saving another 3%.

 

Morley

[mapleleafvoyage]

Wow!! That's so good for you all!!

 

I'm jealous :)

 

 

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[Ourusualbeach]

I had my TA check the details. Assuring me it was fine, I just paid $550 CDN for $500 USD onboard. I was told that $500 is the max at any one time, but I could buy more later (we probably will). I also used a CC that doesn't charge a "Foreign Transaction fee" ... saving another 3%.

 

Morley

 

There is no foreign transaction fee. You purchase is recorded in Canadian $ processed by Royal out of Vancouver. It will just show up on your credit card statement as a $550 purchase to Royal. No mention made of any US currency. No different than buying a beverage package.

[HorrorFan]

I just bought $250 US for $275 CDN.

Thanks for the tip. :)

[Maverick!]

It shouldn't matter if your initial booking is in USD ?

 

Tried calling RCL customer support - they had no concept of what I was talking about, like I was speaking a foreign tongue.

 

Any advice ?

[ckrobyn]

Bit the bullet and purchased $300 USD onboard credit for $330 CDN :p

[mapleleafvoyage]

It shouldn't matter if your initial booking is in USD ?

 

Tried calling RCL customer support - they had no concept of what I was talking about, like I was speaking a foreign tongue.

 

Any advice ?

 

It also took me a couple agents to get one who knew what I wanted to do. I called here Crown & Anchor - 1-800-526-9723, and she had to transfer me to Gifts and Gear dept.

 

The agent I spoke with said, yes-indeed it does matter. The booking must have been made in CAN funds. Because, I asked her why I couldn't just buy some extra OBC now in CAN and she said-no.. Good luck, hopefully you will get the deal..

[Hoopster95]

It shouldn't matter if your initial booking is in USD ?

 

Tried calling RCL customer support - they had no concept of what I was talking about, like I was speaking a foreign tongue.

 

Any advice ?

 

You are correct... I posted back on page 2 or 3 when this thread started, I called on the first day.

 

• If you booked only in Canadian funds you are eligible for the rate. If you booked in US funds, you are not eligible for this rate.
  
• Their on-line system only allows this transaction if you book in Canadian funds, period.
  
• If you booked with a USA TA, or Royal directly, in Canadian funds you will get this deal
  

.

I personally booked with a large on-line USA TA so it was a no go for me from day 1. I too am really happy to see others able to get this deal. :)

[goodml]

I had my TA check the details. Assuring me it was fine, I just paid $550 CDN for $500 USD onboard. I was told that $500 is the max at any one time, but I could buy more later (we probably will). I also used a CC that doesn't charge a "Foreign Transaction fee" ... saving another 3%.

 

Morley

 

There wouldn't be a foreign transaction fee anyway because you paid in CDN funds.

[Russ Lomas]

It shouldn't matter if your initial booking is in USD ?

 

Tried calling RCL customer support - they had no concept of what I was talking about, like I was speaking a foreign tongue.

 

Any advice ?

I just called 1-800-722-5443 and told them I am Canadian (wow...I sound like a Molson commercial) and I would like to buy $500 US in OBC for each of my upcoming trips. The gentleman told me he needed a faxed authorization for $500 and above, so I put $499 on each reservation at a cost of $548.90 Canadian. I asked and he confirmed the rate was $1.10. I had a confirmation e-mail sent within minutes.

 

I would recommend just calling back and hopefully getting a different operator. Try the number above if that is not the one you used.

 

Thanks to the OP for this idea.:D:D

[jtdlmc]

My apologies if this has already been said on here but wanted to pass this along in case -I asked about the exchange rate and the agent said the exchange rate for pre-cruise purchases is based on when the sailing was first available in the system. For example our Oasis sailing was first available for booking a year ago so the exchange rate is based on the rate at that time which is why we only paid 10%. However once on board the exchange will be charged at the going rate.

 

This does make sense. I know that when I booked my cruise, the exchange rate was quite a bit less than the going rate at the currency exchange where I live (on a border city and I exchange money quite frequently for grocery shopping), so it very well could be that the rate is locked in at the time the sailing was put in the system. If this is the case for all pre-cruise purchases, then it would then be beneficial to buy drink packages and anything else before getting on the ship at that exchange right, correct? I did prepay our grats but was going to wait until we boarded to get drink packages.

Edited February 2, 2015 by jtdlmc

[Maverick!]

You are correct... I posted back on page 2 or 3 when this thread started, I called on the first day.

 

• If you booked only in Canadian funds you are eligible for the rate. If you booked in US funds, you are not eligible for this rate.
  
• Their on-line system only allows this transaction if you book in Canadian funds, period.
  
• If you booked with a USA TA, or Royal directly, in Canadian funds you will get this deal
  

.

I personally booked with a large on-line USA TA so it was a no go for me from day 1. I too am really happy to see others able to get this deal. :)

 

Sorry for the repeat question - I just noticed your post now.

 

What if we went through the Gift and Gear purchase (i.e. as if a third party would be gifting the OBC), would we be able to add the OBC separately ?

[Disney Sheep]

Thanks to the OP. We too took advantage of this today and booked $500 OBC in USD for $550 CDN. Since we had to call back in the afternoon to get RCI to add the C&A numbers for me and the kids (DH's was fine) we had them confirm that we actually do have $500 USD in OBC on our account (they came up as credits) since it did not show up on the newest statement they sent.

 

As a side note, we had a Dunn's River Falls excursion in our basket for the last couple of weeks, and when we checked it today, the price had been adjusted to roughly $89 per person - roughly a 1.28 conversion rate given that the US cost is approx $69.75 per person! Yikes. We will now probably wait until we are on the ship and try to book our excursion.

[LuCruise]

This is such a great thread. So nice of OP to share this tip.

 

One question...We did book in CAD, but our cruise isn't until April 2016 so seems silly to purchase OBC now. Are you all purchasing this OBC for cruises that are in near future?

[Ourusualbeach]

Sorry for the repeat question - I just noticed your post now.

 

What if we went through the Gift and Gear purchase (i.e. as if a third party would be gifting the OBC), would we be able to add the OBC separately ?

 

Unfortunately their system is set up only to be able to handle one currency per reservation and that currency is set when the initial booking is created.

 

Going through gifts and gear you will still need the reservation number to apply the OBC to the proper stateroom.

[Ourusualbeach]

This does make sense. I know that when I booked my cruise, the exchange rate was quite a bit less than the going rate at the currency exchange where I live (on a border city and I exchange money quite frequently for grocery shopping), so it very well could be that the rate is locked in at the time the sailing was put in the system. If this is the case for all pre-cruise purchases, then it would then be beneficial to buy drink packages and anything else before getting on the ship at that exchange right, correct? I did prepay our grats but was going to wait until we boarded to get drink packages.

 

The old (lower) exchange rate appears only to be locked in for OBC (and gratuities for some) as prices for drink packages and excursions have been increased to reflect current rates.

[Russ Lomas]

This is such a great thread. So nice of OP to share this tip.

 

One question...We did book in CAD, but our cruise isn't until April 2016 so seems silly to purchase OBC now. Are you all purchasing this OBC for cruises that are in near future?

I purchased for both our March 2015 and March 2016 cruises. I know that we will come out like bandits with the 10% exchange rate this March with the current rates. I am guessing the Canadian dollar will not rebound any time too soon due to oil prices, so I think the 10% for 2016 will be a great rate as well. I am not a savy enough investor to get 10% or 20% per year in investments consistently, so this seems like a deal to me since I had the money in the bank it was not a big deal.

 

I was told that unused credit will be put back on my credit card at the rate that it was purchased at (not sure if this is true or not), but even if the Canadian dollar came back to par by our 2016, there would be nothing preventing me to paying with my credit card while on board I assume and having them refund the OBC at 10% to my credit card if I so desired to do so. Kind of like locking in with RCCL at an early cruise rate and then getting the better rate if a price drop occurs, or just keeping your original booking rate that you are satisfied with if no drops occur.

[Russ Lomas]

Sorry for the repeat question - I just noticed your post now.

 

What if we went through the Gift and Gear purchase (i.e. as if a third party would be gifting the OBC), would we be able to add the OBC separately ?

I had a beverage package booked and RCCL converted to Canadian funds and charged me the $1.28 rate for each US greenback. I booked the OBC at the $1.10 rate today and cancelled my prepaid beverage package. I will just purchase it in 6 weeks as soon as I board. It will save me about 18% of the cost on that package alone. That would be about $71 on a single premium beverage package alone. I can understand people who want to ensure availability of tours prebooking, but unless RCCL jacks up the beverage package prices soon, I cannot justify pre-buying it since the exchange conversion rate is 18% more.

[patreke]

Thanks for the heads up & the idea, I had no idea you could pre purchase credits.

Bought enough today for Oct sailing to cover our beverage packages. Nice to get some stuff paid for. The people at the C&A number were great.