Overly-strong US dollar eliminating many cruisers

[cruz chic]

That's OK: I'll drink the egg nog, with some rum, you know, way too many calories!

 

We'll have to sail together one day! Find us a cheap CND cruise! Maybe your N. Amsterdam one?

 

You should come on that one but it's STUPID expensive. Maybe it will be better after final. I've thought more than once about cancelling it but I've bought the air so I'm kinda committed. I've got two non stop flights too and that's practically unheard of. Westjet better not cancel the flight.

[kazu]

So, I got the numbers wrong!

This is what happens when you start drinking egg nog at 11 am. Hic. We are receiving so much booze for Christmas (I am NOT complaining) that it is like having the Signature Bev Cards around here. I wish I could host a CC party online!

 

Anyways, the 5 star rewards add up to, per person, about $140.00.

Then add in all the worth of the 4 star rewards.

 

yum....love eggnog :) if you need help, I'm happy to - LOL.

 

No worries on the numbers, it's the holiday season after all

[SilvertoGold]

You should come on that one but it's STUPID expensive. Maybe it will be better after final. I've thought more than once about cancelling it but I've bought the air so I'm kinda committed. I've got two non stop flights too and that's practically unheard of. Westjet better not cancel the flight.

 

I looked it up.

This is way more than we've paid in the past (I know that mean zip these days). The balconies are stupendously expensive! Have done many Panama and really enjoy them and want to go on the N.A. badly. After final is what I thought! I'll have to keep track......

[superoma]

So, I got the numbers wrong!

 

This is what happens when you start drinking egg nog at 11 am. Hic. We are receiving so much booze for Christmas (I am NOT complaining) that it is like having the Signature Bev Cards around here. I wish I could host a CC party online!

 

 

 

Anyways, the 5 star rewards add up to, per person, about $140.00.

 

Then add in all the worth of the 4 star rewards.

 

 

Egg nog yum. I would definitely take one for the team!!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[cruz chic]

I looked it up.

This is way more than we've paid in the past (I know that mean zip these days). The balconies are stupendously expensive! Have done many Panama and really enjoy them and want to go on the N.A. badly. After final is what I thought! I'll have to keep track......

 

I originally had a balcony booked but I couldn't justify it so I dropped down to an obstructed oceanview. I have a cabana so I'll "make do" with that. I'll keep an eye on it and I'll let you know if the price drops a lot. With this being the first time thru the canal I wanted to be on that cruise. It's exciting.

[OceanTraveller4ever]

Our last cruise was in Feb/March. It was an Australian/NZ cruise that we booked by calling RCI Australia. Paid in AUD, which is essentially the same as CAD. The US/CAD price, adjusted for currency, was slightly over 30 percent more...with no OBC.

 

Odd thing was the currency on this ship was USD. SO our large OBC was given to us in USD. We did not spend much. A $12. cocktail cost $15-16 CAD so we avoided them.

 

My sister did the same with her Baltic cruise this past summer. She booked in the UK and saved just over 15 percent.

 

There may be a few ways to get around this dilemma or reduce the impact depending on where you are planning to cruise and what cruise line you are booking.

 

Now that is the kind of cleverness that I will be following on future vacations :)

[OceanTraveller4ever]

Maple syrup is much more affordable to Americans. So is a weekend getaway in Montreal.

 

Canada is America's largest trading partner. America is at a distinct disadvantage, now. Think how many motel owners in south New Jersey or Florida will now have empty rooms because Canadians feel they can't afford that vacation.

 

Not to mention the hit on American vending machine operators when they get boxes of Canadian quarters.

 

haha a real comedian....sheesh...

[OceanTraveller4ever]

The reason I do not have much time for people whining about cruise prices?

 

I live in a city where we have had lots of layoffs. Food prices have increased because of the higher cost of imports. Food bank traffic has increased substantially. Many people are too busy worry about rent and food to be concerned with cruise vacations.

 

Are you kidding!!!! This post is totally off topic.

 

So, anyone with funds, although lessened by currency exchange have to feel bad because of societal strife.

 

I pay taxes, and give to charity, should I stop living because there are poor people.

 

iancal, stop spending on vacations, and give that money to charity....please.

[OceanTraveller4ever]

Concerning Canadians having USD accounts:

 

a quick look shows the interest rate on saving in USD here in Canada is .05 to .15% If you have USD 60,000.00 or more you can get .20%.

 

Not a good deal over any period of time to stick money in account paying those rates!

 

Correct, my US account pays a measly 05%. Darn canuck banks never encouraged US savings, and reaped all the benefits from all of them....

Edited December 24, 2015 by jpelleti007

[OceanTraveller4ever]

But CAD 2800 is not 40% more than USD 2000. It's the same value.

 

The idea that it costs 40% more depends on the (incorrect) expectation that the two currencies should be at par. And numerous people on this thread have made pretty much exactly that statement.

 

OK Mudshesrk....

 

So you have 10,000 dollars in your bank account.

 

One holiday will cost you 2000, leaving you 8000.

 

The other holiday, same as the first, will cost you 2800, leaving you 7200.

 

Which one will you pick?

[OceanTraveller4ever]

I don't understand why the Canadians blame the US for their poor economy and diminished value of their currency.

 

Whoa, we are not blaming anything here. The statement was only meant that the out of US people, will be lessening their US based holidays.

 

That's all.

[Jolie_Cruiser]

Keep on going jpelleti007. You have my full support.:D

[OceanTraveller4ever]

I ordered a beer in Bermuda, and it cost me five US one-dollar bills. A Bermudian sat down at the bar next to me, ordered the same brand of beer, and paid with a single Bermudian five-dollar bill. He only paid one banknote, but I was charged five banknotes.

 

A four-banknote markup. The bartenders started some background noise about different denominations, but that didn't do anything about my outrage.

 

Hey Mudsherk.

 

Do much "trolling" in new england :)

[SilvertoGold]

All you Canadians who want to be on Team Egg Nog:

 

thanks for being willing to help with the booze gifts, even rum in the egg nog ones. Once the exchange rate improves we will have to plan some cruises. I'm starting a list!

[OceanTraveller4ever]

When our dollar was strong, Med cruises were begging for customers, and the Euro was low we did lots of travel in the area-cruises and independent land trips.

 

This past summer/fall we ruled out a Baltic and Med cruises in partly because of increased pricing and partly because of our weak dollar. We ruled out the UK because of the strength of the GBP. So we ended up in the Greek Isles. The euro exchange rate was reasonable for us so that is where we went for a fabulous six weeks.

 

This winter...no Florida, AZ, or Caribbean cruises for us. Exchange is awful. We simply look for different alternatives. So it is going to be the beaches in Thailand and Vietnam. We spend just a little more on air and a lot less on travel-in part due to exchange and in part due to location. Cuba, DR, and Mexico were also on offer.

 

 

 

My guess is some Americans will be making similar choices. Only they may be deciding on a ski holiday in Whistler or Banff rather than Colorado or Utah. Or they may be deciding to spend an extra week in Vancouver, Quebec City/Montreal/ or the Rockies. Good for them. I hope they have a wonderful time and snap up some great bargains (for them). It will be of great benefit to us if they do. Far from resenting it, I am happy for them. We did the same in other countries from time to time.

 

 

No use crying about the exchange rate situation. There are three choices. Buck up and pay. Stay home and sulk/keep your powder dry until the FX rate improves in 18 months or so. Or find an affordable alternate vacation option that is a little easier on the pocketbook-either land based or booking a cruise in another country at a lower FX adjusted cost. We feel fortunate to have all of these three options.

 

Nobody is crying, merely stating facts. The air must be rare where some people are :)

[Slarty]

Unfortunately, I too as a Canadian, won't be booking any Holland America cruises anytime soon. Looking for alternatives.

 

So sad to read so many Americans "diss" the exchange rate, and dismiss our concerns as "It will pass", "A buck is a buck" etc. I'd expect that none of you ever had to evaluate and decide against doing something that you love based upon a currency.

 

I only have so much C$ to spend. 40% hurts, and it hurts, it hurts bad. :(

[Jolie_Cruiser]

And I would add to this, put yourself in the shoes of some hard working people, yes Canadians, but people who might have to call HAL to cancel their long awaited cruise to celebrate an anniversary, retirement etc.

 

When I joined CC in 2009, one of the first posts I saw in the Canada/New England forum was a Canadian, yes, making a very nasty sarcastic remark about the budget situation in the USA to an American who was simply asking a cruise question. Well, I signaled his post...

 

We are having a very tough economic time up here, and for some it is not about cruising but about finding enough money to feed their family... So please do not trivialize the whole situation...

[cruz chic]

And I would add to this, put yourself in the shoes of some hard working people, yes Canadians, but people who might have to call HAL to cancel their long awaited cruise to celebrate an anniversary, retirement etc.

 

When I joined CC in 2009, one of the first posts I saw in the Canada/New England forum was a Canadian, yes, making a very nasty sarcastic remark about the budget situation in the USA to an American who was simply asking a cruise question. Well, I signaled his post...

 

We are having a very tough economic time up here, and for some it is not about cruising but about finding enough money to feed their family... So please do not trivialize the whole situation...

 

Karma has a way of biting people. There were 2 people in my life that caused me a lot of grief, one for the last several years and one for a good part of this year. Both of them got bitten hard by karma. Some folks might be best to remember that.

[cruisemom42]

Unfortunately, I too as a Canadian, won't be booking any Holland America cruises anytime soon. Looking for alternatives.

 

So sad to read so many Americans "diss" the exchange rate, and dismiss our concerns as "It will pass", "A buck is a buck" etc. I'd expect that none of you ever had to evaluate and decide against doing something that you love based upon a currency.

 

I only have so much C$ to spend. 40% hurts, and it hurts, it hurts bad. :(

 

 

A few years back the US dollar went from around $1.10 for one euro to $1.45 for a euro. I don't recall a lot of Europeans (or Canadians, for that matter) offering sympathy to US travelers when costs suddenly became much higher for us "across the pond".

 

Also, saying "This shall pass," at least in most cultures, is certainly not meant to be dismissive but is a time-honored phrase that is meant to express sympathy for the current situation and a shared wish for better times to come.

 

Sometimes it seems to me that people are much less willing to give others the benefit of a doubt and/or to take offense about something when no offense was intended.

[Cruise Junky]

A few years back the US dollar went from around $1.10 for one euro to $1.45 for a euro. I don't recall a lot of Europeans (or Canadians, for that matter) offering sympathy to US travelers when costs suddenly became much higher for us "across the pond".

 

.

 

 

But your cruise didn't jump up 40% because it was priced in US$. Sure your private excursions and pre/post cruise stays went up but so did Canadians. The majority of your cost had no change. Your drinks, tips, ships excursions, specialty restaurants didn't change.

[cruisemom42]

But your cruise didn't jump up 40% because it was priced in US$. Sure your private excursions and pre/post cruise stays went up but so did Canadians. The majority of your cost had no change. Your drinks, tips, ships excursions, specialty restaurants didn't change.

 

I was referring more to land vacations -- cruising isn't the only type of travel. ;)

[marysb]

No one in my world was always able to do whatever they wanted despite cost. Everyone always has budget issues. If you need a new refrigerator or the roof is leaking, you decide whether there's extra cash for vacations or not. That's most people's reality.

 

 

 

Oh dear, you don't really understand the situation.

Our $5000 vacation will now cost almost $7000, and we have the same income that we had last year. That's Not just about budgeting, it's a real hit - hey, we could buy that new refrigerator for the difference ;)

 

But, the good news is, you could come to Canada for your next vacation, EVERYTHING is on sale here for Americans - 40% off- hotels, food, clothes, .... You'd love it.

[Cruise Junky]

I was referring more to land vacations -- cruising isn't the only type of travel. ;)

 

That I fully appreciate ;) But we were talking about how it affects cruising.

[OceanTraveller4ever]

Oh dear, you don't really understand the situation.

Our $5000 vacation will now cost almost $7000, and we have the same income that we had last year. That's Not just about budgeting, it's a real hit - hey, we could buy that new refrigerator for the difference ;)

 

But, the good news is, you could come to Canada for your next vacation, EVERYTHING is on sale here for Americans - 40% off- hotels, food, clothes, .... You'd love it.

 

So funny :)

[cruisemom42]

That I fully appreciate ;) But we were talking about how it affects cruising.

 

Ahh, I see.

 

I was talking about peoples' responses.

 

Edited to add: Also, some of us book cruises on European lines...

Edited December 24, 2015 by cruisemom42