On board charges

[maggie2010]

What do any Aussie cruisers do as far as deciding to allow RCI to charge in A$ against being charged in US$ & having credit card company add their charges, :confused::confused:

[John Bull]

We in the UK have similar disadvantages.

For instance, adding the credit card charge is normal in the UK - but we can avoid that charge by using a debit card. OK, not the same protection as a credit card - but a couple of travel associations in the UK guarantee money we pay to one of their members. And if RCI went bust it'd be because the whole world has gone bust!!

Prices too tend to be higher than in the US, though by all accounts not as high as in Aus.

 

You can try to book through a US t/a, but you will probably need a US address because a lot of cruise lines (presumably including RCI) will only allow US bookings by US or Canada residents. Some US t/a's are more flexible than others about adhering to this ;)

A US booking also has far better cancellation rights, but be aware that quotes from US agencies may not include port taxes etc.

Also you are at the mercy of exchange rates between booking & final payment.

And I'm not aware of any regulatory body in the US which will compensate if the agency goes bust or runs off with your money, so only pay by credit card.

 

Well worth contacting as US agency or two (can't quote names, not permitted by Cruise Critic), I don't know if you'll achieve anything but its worth a try.

 

JB :)

Edited January 12, 2016 by John Bull

[DanJ]

John Bull is talking about a different thing than what the OP is asking.

 

I'm from Canada and I always have the cruise line bill my credit card in US dollars and let the credit card do the exchange to Canadian currency. My credit card charges me less of a fee than what the cruise line does if they do the conversion before billing me. You should check with your credit card company to see what the charge and decide whether having the cruise line convert is better for you or not. I believe the cruise line charges an extra 3%. You can also take extra US dollars with you and pay down your account before it is charged to your credit card, if you are able to get a better rate before leaving.

[John Bull]

John Bull is talking about a different thing than what the OP is asking.

 

I'm from Canada and I always have the cruise line bill my credit card in US dollars and let the credit card do the exchange to Canadian currency. My credit card charges me less of a fee than what the cruise line does if they do the conversion before billing me. You should check with your credit card company to see what the charge and decide whether having the cruise line convert is better for you or not. I believe the cruise line charges an extra 3%. You can also take extra US dollars with you and pay down your account before it is charged to your credit card, if you are able to get a better rate before leaving.

 

Quite right, Dan - the title of the OP makes it clear, but the content doesn't.

Well, that's my excuse anyway :o

 

Yes, we do the same on USD & euro ships.

Decline any offer to convert to the currency of your card, & allow your card supplier to convert at a much better rate.

We have a card which doesn't charge a fee for foreign currency transactions but still gives wholesale exchange rates, far better than High Street bureaux & banks and certainly better than cruise lines. We use it for cruises & all overseas expenses (hotels, fuel, meals etc).

There are a number of other UK cards which are free of foreign exchange fees, and I'm aware the same applies to some American cards.

Mebbe some Aus & Canadian cards too??

 

And even with a conversion fee, I think you'll find that the exchange rate given by card suppliers is better than the cash rates at any High Street bureau or bank, so getting USD cash to pay an on-board account is probably less economical as well as more troublesome.

 

Just my own experiences.

 

JB :)

Edited January 12, 2016 by John Bull

[Extra Kim]

Same here, we always pay in U.S$ and let our card holder make the exchange to Swedish Kronor.

[Dayenu]

Every time I fill out the form after the final statement, there is a question about currency. You can indicate the currency of your choice, or instruct your travel agent to do so.

 

It is cheaper for a cruiser to be charged in US dollars and let their bank convert the charges to their currency.