Booking Princess as a Canadian

[snie]

I know we're not supposed to mention specific providers on this board, but I desperately need some help.........

 

I'm wanting to book an inside guarantee on Sapphire Princess for Dec 10. I've been looking around at pricing online, and lots of sites offer this at $599US ($720CDN). However, when any site gets around to asking where I live, the price becomes $844CDN. For sites which don't ask where I live (like Expedia), you can not book with a credit card that has a non-US billing address.

 

What gives?!? Can anyone direct me (off board, Private Message, maybe?) to a provider where I can get the "American" pricing as a Canuck?

 

I'm a little leary of going through a provider I've never heard of, but I also don't want to spend an extra $800 if I don't have to (my local TA was $800 total higher than online prices).

[KruznKel]

I know we're not supposed to mention specific providers on this board, but I desperately need some help.........

 

I'm wanting to book an inside guarantee on Sapphire Princess for Dec 10. I've been looking around at pricing online, and lots of sites offer this at $599US ($720CDN). However, when any site gets around to asking where I live, the price becomes $844CDN. For sites which don't ask where I live (like Expedia), you can not book with a credit card that has a non-US billing address.

 

What gives?!? Can anyone direct me (off board, Private Message, maybe?) to a provider where I can get the "American" pricing as a Canuck?

 

I'm a little leary of going through a provider I've never heard of, but I also don't want to spend an extra $800 if I don't have to (my local TA was $800 total higher than online prices).

 

Why don't you try those sites you are using with a dot CA at the end.. instead of using dot COM... you will get all prices in Cdn funds. not Us .. and you can book using a CDN billing address...

[snie]

Why don't you try those sites you are using with a dot CA at the end.. instead of using dot COM... you will get all prices in Cdn funds. not Us .. and you can book using a CDN billing address...

 

 

<edited because I figured out my problem>

 

This is the nature of the problem.....

 

I found this note on another webpage:

 

(many of the cruiselines are still converting from USD to CAD using a rate of 1.41).

 

What this means, is that a $600US cruise costs me $720CDN if it posts to my credit card in $US. (20% exhange rate) If I have the cruiseline quote me in $CDN, and they use the 41% exchange rate, it will cost me almost another $250 per couple.

 

That's a lot of cocktails!

[Tania]

snie

 

You need to put a US airport as the gateway when you do a search. It is the only way you can pay for your trip in US funds. I suspect that the difference in price has to do with the GST which you avoid by paying in US funds.

 

We always fly out of DTW anyway as it is the closest international airport to our home.

 

Good luck

[Tania]

your profile says you don't want to receive emails

[snie]

I think I fixed my profile now. snie777@yahoo.com if it doesn't work.

 

I take it they don't ask for ID to prove you're from a US city?