Canadians - Current Exchange Rate?

[Tangocherie]

I have booked a back to back cruise through NCL and called them when I booked. They have my address and I was not offered to book the cruises in CAD at the time of booking. So after reading this thread I called and spoke to some one and basically I was told to bad so sad.

 

I still have a couple of days before final payment and I'm pissed. If I had not already paid for my flights I would cancel.

 

I would like to be also be able to buy on board credit to spend while on board and at ports if I can save on the exchange. ..the lady I talked to was clueless. I'm wondering why are not all Canadians not offered the bookings in Canadian funds and not be only giving the rate if you are informed on a forum.

 

As the previous poster suggests you really should try calling NCL to either get your present booking charged in $CAN or at the least cancel and rebook in $CAN. Unfortunately you will be charged the going rate which is at $1.25. Still better than the bank rate, no credit card fee for the exchange and the possibility of purchasing onboard credit in $CAN. Best of luck!

[canadianeh934]

If you're before final payment, you should be able to cancel and rebook. Call and speak to a different rep. Good luck!

 

The cost of the cruise has gone up as well as the Free UDP would have the Gratuity on it now which was not when I booked.

 

I simply do not understand why they will not offer me the current exchange they are offering to customers who are aware of it....having to ask for it at the time of booking to a new customer who is unaware of it is bad business.

 

Oh well it is what it is!

[canadianeh934]

The cost of the cruise has gone up as well as the Free UDP would have the Gratuity on it now which was not when I booked.

 

I simply do not understand why they will not offer me the current exchange they are offering to customers who are aware of it....having to ask for it at the time of booking to a new customer who is unaware of it is bad business.

 

Oh well it is what it is!

 

 

I have the UBP....not the dinning package!

Edited October 19, 2015 by canadianeh934

[Canagirl]

I also wouldn't have known I could book in Canadian funds if I hadn't read it here. When I booked, the phone rep told me he couldn't tell me what exchange rate they were using, but he could give me the total amount...I know their rate used to be very good, but I don't think I saved much (if anything).

 

For example, for a 10 day cruise, the daily service charge was $135 U.S. a person and I paid $180 Canadian. Unless my math is wrong (and it could be), I calculate that as 34%(?)

[ilovetotravel1977]

I also wouldn't have known I could book in Canadian funds if I hadn't read it here. When I booked, the phone rep told me he couldn't tell me what exchange rate they were using, but he could give me the total amount...I know their rate used to be very good, but I don't think I saved much (if anything).

 

For example, for a 10 day cruise, the daily service charge was $135 U.S. a person and I paid $180 Canadian. Unless my math is wrong (and it could be), I calculate that as 34%(?)

 

So you were charged in US dollars on your CC, correct? 34% would be the banks' rate, so that makes sense.

[murcor]

I'm wondering why are not all Canadians not offered the bookings in Canadian funds and not be only giving the rate if you are informed on a forum.

 

My last 3 cruises I asked my Ncl pcc to book in cad, it was not offered.

 

I'm glad I read it here on Cruisecritic

[heatheranderson13]

The only thing that is not a great deal is the tips that you can prepay. It is odd you don't save anything there

 

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[soccersharon]

The only thing that is not a great deal is the tips that you can prepay. It is odd you don't save anything there

 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

 

My tips were charged in CDN funds.

[ilovetotravel1977]

The only thing that is not a great deal is the tips that you can prepay. It is odd you don't save anything there

 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

If you are charged in Cdn funds, ALL purchases made prior to boarding the ship should also be charged in Cdn funds.

[burm]

My tips were charged in CDN funds.

 

Ours were as well.

[heatheranderson13]

We're your tips prepaid?

 

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[Canagirl]

So you were charged in US dollars on your CC, correct? 34% would be the banks' rate, so that makes sense.

 

Nope, the conversion was done by NCL to Canadian and I was charged in Canadian funds by NCL. They converted the gratuities to Canadian and charged the $180.

 

This cruise I paid in CDN funds after reading here that I could, but the last in U.S. funds as I didn't know I could pay in Canadian. I also had a future cruise certificate that was in U.S. funds. They told me if I bought it today, the $250 U.S. would have been credited to me at $330 Canadian, but when I bought it the U.S. dollar was at par so they credited me $250 Canadian for the certificate. I can understand the reasoning behind that, but I calculated they are using a 32% exchange rate for the certificate if bought today, but charged 34% exchange for the gratuities. Just a minor difference, but no savings on the gratuities.

 

We're your tips prepaid?

 

 

Yes, I cruise in December.

Edited October 21, 2015 by Canagirl

[Love.NCL]

 

Yes, I cruise in December.

 

When you log into your account on NCL next to your ** Days to go it should say "all price shown in ***"

 

34% seems very high!

[Canagirl]

When you log into your account on NCL next to your ** Days to go it should say "all price shown in ***"

 

34% seems very high!

 

I can't really complain since it is approximately what I'd be charged by my credit card if I'd booked in U.S. funds, but I had been hoping to save by booking in CDN through NCL. It may not have made much of a difference either way, but I'm not sure which way I would have come out ahead, since 34% is what has been used. I booked through NCL because I could pay in CDN funds. I should have calculated what they were using before I paid, as I wouldn't have booked direct if I'd realized it was 34% as I could have gotten more perks booking elsewhere.

 

Logging in, it says "43 days to go. All prices shown in CAD"

 

And I can confirm, the 34% is what I would be charged for any additional purchases as well. See pic below - $25 onboard credit = $33.33 CDN which is about 34%:

 

Edited October 21, 2015 by Canagirl

[Mscruisin]

I can't really complain since it is approximately what I'd be charged by my credit card if I'd booked in U.S. funds, but I had been hoping to save by booking in CDN through NCL. It may not have made much of a difference either way, but I'm not sure which way I would have come out ahead, since 34% is what has been used. I booked through NCL because I could pay in CDN funds. I should have calculated what they were using before I paid, as I wouldn't have booked direct if I'd realized it was 34% as I could have gotten more perks booking elsewhere.

 

Logging in, it says "43 days to go. All prices shown in CAD"

 

And I can confirm, the 34% is what I would be charged for any additional purchases as well. See pic below - $25 onboard credit = $33.33 CDN which is about 34%:

 

We have 49 days to go and when I'm logged in a $25 onboard credit=$27.78CDN which is about a 1.11 exchange rate. That's strange yours is so high.

[Redsfan]

k, help a Canuck out here. We have a courtesy hold on a cruise which comes out to about $1,950 USD, and we were asked if we want to pay in CAD when we book. How does this work?

 

They would convert to CAD and we would pay with CAD credit card? Tips, and drink packages are part of the fare.

 

Thanks and wondering if we are best to do this if we book.

[soccersharon]

k, help a Canuck out here. We have a courtesy hold on a cruise which comes out to about $1,950 USD, and we were asked if we want to pay in CAD when we book. How does this work?

 

 

 

They would convert to CAD and we would pay with CAD credit card? Tips, and drink packages are part of the fare.

 

 

 

Thanks and wondering if we are best to do this if we book.

 

 

Exactly. NCL will invoice and charge you in CDN funds, at likely a better rate than your credit card would charge. If you wish to purchase OBC, you will be charged the same rate. Let us know how it goes!

[Canagirl]

We have 49 days to go and when I'm logged in a $25 onboard credit=$27.78CDN which is about a 1.11 exchange rate. That's strange yours is so high.

 

I booked a few days into October. I looked at my invoice in detail. I have no idea why, but the base fare (guest fare) was charged using a 20% conversion rate. Everything else (taxes, beverage service charge, prepaid daily service charge) was charged using the 34% rate.

[pisenor]

I booked a few days into October. I looked at my invoice in detail. I have no idea why, but the base fare (guest fare) was charged using a 20% conversion rate. Everything else (taxes, beverage service charge, prepaid daily service charge) was charged using the 34% rate.

 

There is something wrong with that. You should not have two different rates for the same cruise. Everything associated with your cruise should be locked in at one exchange rate. I currently have 3 cruises booked. Two are at $1.11 exchange and the third is at the $1.19 rate. Everything aspect of these cruises show all charges and/or pre cruise purchases are at the respective rate for each cruise. Not two different rates. I would call your pcc/rep to confirm that your billing is correct. There may be an error somewhere with the booking that might be an easy fix.

[Canagirl]

There is something wrong with that. You should not have two different rates for the same cruise. Everything associated with your cruise should be locked in at one exchange rate. I currently have 3 cruises booked. Two are at $1.11 exchange and the third is at the $1.19 rate. Everything aspect of these cruises show all charges and/or pre cruise purchases are at the respective rate for each cruise. Not two different rates. I would call your pcc/rep to confirm that your billing is correct. There may be an error somewhere with the booking that might be an easy fix.

 

Thanks. Yes, I should ask about it. I just hope they don't want to increase my base fare if the higher percentage they've used for everything else is correct (cruise rewards department seems to now be using 32% if $250 U.S. equals $330 CDN as I was told this week).

 

I just did a mock booking on the NCL site and a Canadian site that charges in CDN$ and the exact same thing happened.

 

On the NCL site, the cabin is $899 and taxes are $177.75 U.S.

 

The Canadian site shows the same cabin as $1,078.80 CDN (about 20% exchange) but the taxes as $236.88 (exchange between 33% and 34%).

 

The way the conversion is done must come from NCL as it mirrors the way I have been charged.

[Gatorspuck]

Yes. It's around 33% right now . Just did a booking in Canadian today !

[ilovetotravel1977]

Yes. It's around 33% right now . Just did a booking in Canadian today !

 

Ouch! Looks like NCL couldn't help but up their rates to pretty much match the banks.

 

I'll be sticking with my 1.19 rate.

[Josher61]

33%? I just called about booking a cruise for Dec and they gave me a rate of 25%. Hopefully I will be booking later today or tomorrow (get two perks promo) and will get the 25%. I know they recently upped their rate but 33% isn't much of a deal.

[Canagirl]

33%? I just called about booking a cruise for Dec and they gave me a rate of 25%. Hopefully I will be booking later today or tomorrow (get two perks promo) and will get the 25%. I know they recently upped their rate but 33% isn't much of a deal.

 

Did they send you a copy of your invoice so you can see what you will actually be charged? Be sure to calculate it yourself to make sure it is actually 25%.

 

When I did the calculations myself, I was charged 20% exchange on the base fare, but between 33 - 34% on everything else (taxes, daily service charge, prepaid gratuities on the unlimited beverage package, etc.) and doing a mock booking in Canadian on a site that charges in Canadian results in the same thing. I did call NCL but the person I spoke to said he didn't know the exchange rate, but could give me the total amount in Canadian.

Edited October 30, 2015 by Canagirl

[Josher61]

I have spoken to NCL a few times in the last few days. First time I asked: whats the exchange rate..answer 25%. Sorry but the rate went up recently she said. I was surprised she knew it off the top of her head. Got a price for the cruise...including base fare, port fees and service charge on UBP. Worked out exactly to 25%. Called today, got a price for same as above plus 2nd promo. Was 25%. Called back and got a new total now including daily gratuities. Same thing 25%. I specifically asked: so if I give you my Canadian CC now you will charge me X amount in CDN funds. Answer yes.

 

I know what you mean about mock booking on Canadian sites..they show the price for base fare with a good exchange but then they show the port fees with higher rate. But NCL doesn't do it that way. They give the same rate across the board as long as its prepaid..not onboard. Hope this helps.