Canadian cruisers!!

[phabric]

When I tried to do $700, the computer would not accept it. The agent did $400 and then $300 with no problem.

I have some OBC at $1.10 and $1.41.

You might want to do that.

[Z3r0]

I have an Alaskan cruise in August booked in Canadian $, but have a US credit card and US account with a bunch of cash in it, that i paid far less than 1.40 for. Is there any way for me to book excursions through Royal in US money? I know i can book through other tour companies, and might consider that, but I also dont want to wait until I'm on the ship and all of the excursions that I want to go on are booked solid.

Thanks,
Mike

[robtulipe]

[quote name='Z3r0']I have an Alaskan cruise in August booked in Canadian $, but have a US credit card and US account with a bunch of cash in it, that i paid far less than 1.40 for. Is there any way for me to book excursions through Royal in US money? I know i can book through other tour companies, and might consider that, but I also dont want to wait until I'm on the ship and all of the excursions that I want to go on are booked solid.

Thanks,
Mike[/QUOTE]

Our experience has been one must pay for all pre-cruise items and events, like excursion and specialty dinner, in the currency the cruise is booked in.

[JessyCruises]

[quote name='Z3r0']I have an Alaskan cruise in August booked in Canadian $, but have a US credit card and US account with a bunch of cash in it, that i paid far less than 1.40 for. Is there any way for me to book excursions through Royal in US money? I know i can book through other tour companies, and might consider that, but I also dont want to wait until I'm on the ship and all of the excursions that I want to go on are booked solid.

Thanks,
Mike[/QUOTE]

Could you pay now in CAD and then cancel onboard and rebook with your US Visa? That was you are guaranteed the availability?

[Z3r0]

If I do that, they'll refund the money to me in $US on the ship, which essentially puts me in the same spot. Paying $1.40+ on the dollar. If there is no way around it, it is what it is and I'll deal.

Thanks for the info.

[bluemeansgo]

[quote name='Z3r0']If I do that, they'll refund the money to me in $US on the ship, which essentially puts me in the same spot. Paying $1.40+ on the dollar. If there is no way around it, it is what it is and I'll deal.



Thanks for the info.[/QUOTE]


Wouldn't they refund you in Canadian dollars to your credit card? Pretty sure they have to process refunds to the original card. If it was USD wouldn't they give you the going rate?

As an example. A $100 USD excursion charged in CAD originally should be around $140 that I believe is charged in CAD at their set exchange rate.

On the ship if they refund in cash it is $100 USD. If it is on credit it is either $100 USD or just a CC refund of 140 CAD based on your original receipt.

When you rebook you simply use you American CC and pay in With US cc 100$.

Lots of people refund and repay with a different card because they need to use a business card (for example) to track expenses that way so they shouldn't have a problem.

Make sure you bring your original receipt and credit card.

[robtulipe]

[quote name='Canadian Disney Mom']Could you pay now in CAD and then cancel onboard and rebook with your US Visa? That was you are guaranteed the availability?[/QUOTE]

[quote name='bluemeansgo']Wouldn't they refund you in Canadian dollars to your credit card? Pretty sure they have to process refunds to the original card. If it was USD wouldn't they give you the going rate?

As an example. A $100 USD excursion charged in CAD originally should be around $140 that I believe is charged in CAD at their set exchange rate.

On the ship if they refund in cash it is $100 USD. If it is on credit it is either $100 USD or just a CC refund of 140 CAD based on your original receipt.

When you rebook you simply use you American CC and pay in With US cc 100$.

Lots of people refund and repay with a different card because they need to use a business card (for example) to track expenses that way so they shouldn't have a problem.

Make sure you bring your original receipt and credit card.[/QUOTE]

As 23r0 posted the cancelled excursion would be credited to their onboard account in USD and if they didn't buy another excursion or spend it for something else it would be refunded to their credit card in CAD, to a Cdn one I assume since he would be doing the pre-buy in CAD, and the exchange differences and conversion fees would come into play. It would be better just to draw any USD refund credits from their onboard account in USD cash in this situation. ;) Edited February 10, 2016 by robtulipe

[Ourusualbeach]

[quote name='bluemeansgo']Wouldn't they refund you in Canadian dollars to your credit card? Pretty sure they have to process refunds to the original card. If it was USD wouldn't they give you the going rate?

As an example. A $100 USD excursion charged in CAD originally should be around $140 that I believe is charged in CAD at their set exchange rate.

On the ship if they refund in cash it is $100 USD. If it is on credit it is either $100 USD or just a CC refund of 140 CAD based on your original receipt.

When you rebook you simply use you American CC and pay in With US cc 100$.

Lots of people refund and repay with a different card because they need to use a business card (for example) to track expenses that way so they shouldn't have a problem.

Make sure you bring your original receipt and credit card.[/QUOTE]

Cancellations done 48 hours prior to sailing will be refunded to the credit card that was used to purchase them.

Cancellations within 48 hours of sailing or on board will be posted as an OBC to their Sea-pass account in US$

[CGinMTL]

CAd is on the way up.
CBC Financial report says we may have hit bottom in January.
Hope they are correct.

[goodml]

[quote name='CGinMTL']CAd is on the way up.
CBC Financial report says we may have hit bottom in January.
Hope they are correct.[/QUOTE]

Let's hope. David Doyle of Macquarrie Capital who predicted the 69 cent loonie said a couple of weeks ago we're going to 59 especially if we get another Bank of Canada rate cut which is a real possibility. I really hope he's wrong. Ideal would be 75-80 to keep us competitive but still make things affordable. Current rates are a definite buzz kill.:(

[skatie]

Just getting off Indepenence now(slowly!). I did the cash account and bought ObC at $1.10 rate. I went to casino every night to withdraw my cash first night they let me take $500 and then I asked the second night for $500 and she told me $300 was max and person night before was mistaken. But an easy process.

[soccerdad64]

[SIZE="6"][/SIZE][quote name='goodml']Let's hope. David Doyle of Macquarrie Capital who predicted the 69 cent loonie said a couple of weeks ago we're going to 59 especially if we get another Bank of Canada rate cut which is a real possibility. I really hope he's wrong. Ideal would be 75-80 to keep us competitive but still make things affordable. Current rates are a definite buzz kill.:([/QUOTE]

What's next believing the weather forecast?

[bluemeansgo]

I have some USD bought @ 1.10 and I need advice getting out Euros for a trip with ports in Kotor, Corfu, Athens, Mykonos, Venice or Argostoli.

Any tips on where to do the exchange to Euros? On the ship? In port?

[CGinMTL]

[quote name='bluemeansgo']I have some USD bought @ 1.10 and I need advice getting out Euros for a trip with ports in Kotor, Corfu, Athens, Mykonos, Venice or Argostoli.

Any tips on where to do the exchange to Euros? On the ship? In port?[/QUOTE]

Personally, I would not use USd to get Euro. Save the USD for your ship costs.
I always change all my money at home before I go.

[hancogran]

[quote name='CGinMTL']Personally, I would not use USd to get Euro. Save the USD for your ship costs.
I always change all my money at home before I go.[/QUOTE]

I totally agree with you. :) This past May we got off a transatlantic in Belgium and I had some U.S. dollars with me (leftover from our OBC on the ship) and was going to purchase Euros... Not a good idea! The exchange rate was terrible and we were going to lose so much vs buying Euros at home before we left using Canadian funds! I ended up using my Canadian credit card when necessary and just brought my U.S. dollars back with me.

[A&L_Ont]

If you have a some Euro left over you could always use it to tip the crew with it on the ship over tipping in US funds, that is if you tip over and above.:) The crew would also use it in the ports of call, and you don't pay double exchange rates on it when you return home. YOu can use the US when you return home, perhaps on another cruise where as the Euro could wait much longer to be used if you didn't excahnge it.

[Host Jacquelyn]

No the rate for OBC is different than the rates for gratuities etc. The gratuities rate is determined by the rate at the time you buy the cruise. The OBC rate changed on January 7th to $1.40 CAD per $1.00 USD.

 

RCCL is charging 1.41 today. Official bank rate last night was 1.37

Edited February 19, 2016 by Host Jacquelyn

[maryann2]

I have some USD bought @ 1.10 and I need advice getting out Euros for a trip with ports in Kotor, Corfu, Athens, Mykonos, Venice or Argostoli.

 

Any tips on where to do the exchange to Euros? On the ship? In port?

I usually have euros left from previous trips but you could get some small bills from your bank before you go.

I always use ATMs in Europe to withdraw from my debit card.

[Clarea]

I have some USD bought @ 1.10 and I need advice getting out Euros for a trip with ports in Kotor, Corfu, Athens, Mykonos, Venice or Argostoli.

 

Any tips on where to do the exchange to Euros? On the ship? In port?

I would use an ATM on land to get Euros from a debit card. We have gotten the best exchange rates that way. Since we travel to Europe from time to time, and I like to have some Euros with me just in case, I make sure I have around 100 Euros to take home, for use on the next trip.

[Funbobby68]

I would use an ATM on land to get Euros from a debit card. We have gotten the best exchange rates that way. Since we travel to Europe from time to time, and I like to have some Euros with me just in case, I make sure I have around 100 Euros to take home, for use on the next trip.

 

 

I'm the same way with usd , if I have even 5 buck us left , I always tell the wife , that's it we got to go back :)

[tinkertwo]

RCCL is charging 1.41 today. Official bank rate last night was 1.37

 

are you talking about the bank of Canada rate because the banks sell it to us at a higher rate so while the bank of Canada states the rate is 1.37 if you go into the bank it will cost you more. 1.41 sounds about right.

 

the banks has to purchase us from the bank of Canada then it tops up when it sells to you. that is to pay for the shipping costs of the money and for the bank to make a profit. if the bank of Canada rate is 1.37 then purchase rate is likely to be in the area of 1.41. on the other side of the coin, if you are selling it back to the bank then your rate would be more like 1.35.

 

you will never get the bank of Canada rate so don't go by this without adding a bit on to what you expect to pay.

[Funbobby68]

I check with my credit union the other day and was quoted 1.40 . Hardly worth the gas to go to the bank for the .01 cent saving

[RobinCruiser]

I've done a lot of checking exchange rates lately, at the banks, credit unions and currency exchange places. ICE is the worst. The best I've found is the BC Currency Exchange for us in BC. I got some US on Wednesday at a rate of 1.3806. Yesterday is was 1.3860. They post the rate daily on their web page. Looks like they only have locations in Surrey, White Rock and Abbotsford.

[hancogran]

Out of curiosity, I just went to my online banking site (TD) to transfer some Canadian to my U.S. account. The current rate to buy U.S. is 1.4149 (good for 2 minutes). I just canceled the transaction and will wait to see what happens next week. :mad:

 

Edited to add that I was told years ago by the bank that if I had a U.S. account, I'd get a better exchange rate! :eek:

Edited February 19, 2016 by hancogran

[skatie]

Canadian Cruisers - if anyone is going on Independence or your ship will disembark at pier 25, do yourselves a favour and do self disembarking and leave early. We missed our 12pm Air Canada flight to Toronto yesterday - we stood in lines for 3 hours to get off ship and through Customs. I knew by reading these boards that it was not a good process for this pier so we went to Guest Services on last sea day to ask for first baggage tags called and got #9 which was 8:30 and we didn't get called until 9:30 - got luggage at 10:10 and stood in Non-US customs line until 11:25. There were only 2 Customs Officers for Non US and were painfully slow. There were about 10 other Canadians that arrived at airport after us in same situation - AC rebooked us on 7;15pm flights - we are exhausted today after getting home at midnight versus 3pm :( Bad ending to a great cruise.

Edited February 19, 2016 by skatie