exchange rate

[robgvic]

is it true that princess only charges 10% exchange rate when exchanging Canadian dollars to US dollars?

[avcruz]

Not exactly... The 10% exchange rate applies to cruises booked in Cdn dollars last year, even if the departure date is 2016. Thus, any onboard purchases you make, such as beverage pkgs, gratuities, OBC, etc. are also pegged at the 10% exchange rate - sweet deal right now, all things considered.

If you book right now, the deal is 20% - not as good, but still better than the prevailing bank rate.

[Renmar]

Yes & No. Our friends who booked in April this year for a cruise starting in August, 2015 are getting the 10% deal. We booked in March for a cruise starting in October and the deal is 20%.

As far as I know all cruises booked in Canadian $$$, and departing before the end of September, are getting the 10% deal. Any departure date after September is getting the 20% deal until furter notice (if booked in Canadian $$$). At least that what was explained by the Princess rep.

 

Theo

[dshimizu]

As far as I know all cruises booked in Canadian $$$, and departing before the end of September, are getting the 10% deal. Any departure date after September is getting the 20% deal until furter notice (if booked in Canadian $$$). At least that what was explained by the Princess rep.

 

Theo

 

Nope, not 10% for us. We booked a 3 day coastal in early July on the Grand, leaving Vancouver on Sept 12. Exchange is 20% for sure. Apparently different ships are treating the exchange issue differently. Oh well, 20% is hellava lot better than what our 28 day cruise in October that we booked in USD will cost. Although given the discount we got on the US price compared to the current Princess CDN price, we are only paying whatever US exchange over 1.30 will cost plus onboard and private excursion costs in USD.

[Tweedy]

We leave on one on the 13th and then on the 19th of Sept and both are charging exchange of 20%.

[phabric]

A Princess rep told me that Princess usually changes their rate in Feb.

[Adventures ahead]

Maybe the 10% exchange rate was based on when you sail (up to the end of September 2014) AND when you booked (2014 or sooner).

[avcruz]

Maybe the 10% exchange rate was based on when you sail (up to the end of September 2014) AND when you booked (2014 or sooner).

 

 

I'm not sure that's it either. I booked in June 2014 for an April 2016 sailing and got the 10% exchange. When I booked this June it was 20%. I have always assumed that it's based on the time period during which I booked, not the travel dates. As someone else pointed out, I think Princess sets their exchange rate only once or twice per year. In any case, I'm just happy to get a more favourable rate than the bank rate.

[AE_Collector]

Apparently different ships are treating the exchange issue differently.

 

No, not the case at all. The standardized Princess rate changes when the ship completes cruises in one area and is moving to the next area for the season.

 

I'm not sure that's it either. I booked in June 2014 for an April 2016 sailing and got the 10% exchange.

 

Because you booked in June 2014 when the Princess had set the new rate of $1.10 (in Feb or Mar 2014) for all cruises that would commence around September 2014 and later. Since then (this February 2015) Princess changed the rate to $1.20 for all cruises commencing around September 2015 or later. Your cruise will cost anyone booking now $1.20 but you get to keep your $1.10 rate since you booked early enough.

 

Next up....$1.30?...$1.40??? Unless they change the routine it will be announced in February 2016 and commence with September 2016 cruises.

 

The wild card with the price changes is that they don't change the rate effective on a specific date across the fleet. They change the rates as one season ends and ships start repositioning to the next area based on the season. The ships repositioning out of Vancouver and Seattle at the end of the Alaska season get the new rates on the reposition cruise even though they finish their last Alaska cruise at dates that can be weeks apart. Pacific Princess bumps to $1.20 on September 7. The reposition from the Med back to N. America on Emerald Princess isnt until October 3 and it is still at the old rate but the first cruise in North America on October 17 is at the new $1.20 rate. So there is a 1.5 month difference in the new rate being implemented between these two ships.

 

This has all been discussed and clarified many times in the ongoing Canadian Princess Cruisers topic. Go back several pages from this link and read to get a better understanding of how this all works.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1968249&page=37

 

Terry

Edited July 28, 2015 by AE_Collector