Problems pre-purchasing OBC on Australian Cruises

[Corfe Mixture]

Crazy situation with trying to pre-purchases OBC, in order to lock in the exchange rate, on Australian cruises from the UK.

 

Some months ago I looked at the cost of pre-purchasing OBC for our forthcoming Sydney based cruises and discovered that the website has the wrong exchange rate in that they use the £/$US rate rather than the £/$AUS rate.

 

A few months ago I looked at the cost of pre-purchasing $25AUS and got the answer that it would cost me £16.25.

 

Oops, I thought - this would appear to be the exchange rate of £1.54 that Princess were using for the US dollar at the time I booked (all very nice as the US dollar exchange rate is now more like $1.44) whereas the Australian dollar exchange rate is more like $2.00.

 

So, I phoned Princess and they quickly confirmed to check how many Aussie dollars I would get in a 'block' and was told it was indeed $AUS25. When I pointed out the error in the website exchange rate they quickly agreed it was wrong and that they would look into it and get it put right.

 

Three months later, they have not corrected the error and the exchange rate is still wrong and $25AUS of credit will still cost me £16.25 instead of the £12.25 it should cost me!!

 

OK this error is obvious, but the bottom line is that I am now reluctant to make any pre-purchases, or pre-pay for any tours, lest I end up discovering that I have paid over 30% more than if I had simply charged those purchases to my on board account and settled that by credit card at the end of the cruise.

[wishfulone]

Crazy situation with trying to pre-purchases OBC, in order to lock in the exchange rate, on Australian cruises from the UK.

 

Some months ago I looked at the cost of pre-purchasing OBC for our forthcoming Sydney based cruises and discovered that the website has the wrong exchange rate in that they use the £/$US rate rather than the £/$AUS rate.

 

A few months ago I looked at the cost of pre-purchasing $25AUS and got the answer that it would cost me £16.25.

 

Oops, I thought - this would appear to be the exchange rate of £1.54 that Princess were using for the US dollar at the time I booked (all very nice as the US dollar exchange rate is now more like $1.44) whereas the Australian dollar exchange rate is more like $2.00.

 

So, I phoned Princess and they quickly confirmed to check how many Aussie dollars I would get in a 'block' and was told it was indeed $AUS25. When I pointed out the error in the website exchange rate they quickly agreed it was wrong and that they would look into it and get it put right.

 

Three months later, they have not corrected the error and the exchange rate is still wrong and $25AUS of credit will still cost me £16.25 instead of the £12.25 it should cost me!!

 

OK this error is obvious, but the bottom line is that I am now reluctant to make any pre-purchases, or pre-pay for any tours, lest I end up discovering that I have paid over 30% more than if I had simply charged those purchases to my on board account and settled that by credit card at the end of the cruise.

What is the onboard currency? You can only buy OBC based on the exchange between your currency and the onboard currency of your cruise. You say it's an Australian cruise from the UK. Maybe the OBC is in GBP?

Edited June 3, 2016 by wishfulone

[GUT2407]

What is the onboard currency? You can only buy OBC based on the exchange between your currency and the onboard currency of your cruise. You say it's an Australian cruise from the UK. Maybe the OBC is in GBP?

 

They say Sydney based cruises, so I expect it's in Aus$.

 

The big worry is Princess may realise what a great deal they're giving us Aussies.

[OzKiwiJJ]

They say Sydney based cruises, so I expect it's in Aus$.

 

The big worry is Princess may realise what a great deal they're giving us Aussies.

 

Dunno about that, Gut. The Princess website is offering AUD OBC for $125 ... for AU $100??

 

For some reason Princess can't cope with AUD. The drinks package prices are wrong as well.

 

They do give Aussie on USD cruises a good deal but I don't have any confidence that it works the other way.

 

Corfe Mixture, instead of buying OBC, why don't you just prepay the same amount onto your credit card? That way your onboard spending is covered without worrying about what exchange rate Princess is offering.

[GUT2407]

Dunno about that, Gut. The Princess website is offering AUD OBC for $125 ... for AU $100??

 

For some reason Princess can't cope with AUD. The drinks package prices are wrong as well.

 

They do give Aussie on USD cruises a good deal but I don't have any confidence that it works the other way.

 

Corfe Mixture, instead of buying OBC, why don't you just prepay the same amount onto your credit card? That way your onboard spending is covered without worrying about what exchange rate Princess is offering.

 

That sounds alright I may have to buy some for my next cruise :D:cool:.

[GUT2407]

Nope they want $125 for $125 on my cruise.

[brian1]

Hi Corfe,why not get a Halifax clarity credit card its the same as the Santander zero and transactions are at current market rate with no fees whatsover,cheers,Brian.

[Corfe Mixture]

Hi Corfe,why not get a Halifax clarity credit card its the same as the Santander zero and transactions are at current market rate with no fees whatsover,cheers,Brian.

 

Hi Brian,

 

Yup understand all of that.

 

Like you I live in Europe and the UK and have both the Halifax card and Nationwide 'Select' credit card for commission free purchases and find that my Nationwide commission free 'Select' debit card is the cheapest way of both getting cash when travelling anywhere in the world and also for transferring cash to my French bank account where I simply draw euros out of an ATM commission free at Visa Interbank rate and then pay the euros into my French account using the came ATM!!

 

 

The point that everyone else seems to be missing is that - yes I can work out how to get the best rate when settling my OBC account, but pre-purchasing of OBC is done at a rate set by Princess at the time you book meaning that, on $US denominated cruises one can benefit if you pre-purchase OBC and the rate moves against you.

 

For example last year, because I had booked early, and the rate was fixed at the time of booking, I was able to purchase a shed load of $US at a rate of $1.66 to the pound just weeks before the cruise when the current rate, which was used to settle my small final balance was $1.54 giving me a saving of around 8% compared with the very best rate I could get on settling my on board account.

 

What this process of setting the 'pre-purchases rate' at the time booking does is to give us a risk free play against adverse movement in exchange rates as we can simply cancel our pre-purchases and get out Sterling back right up to the last minute if the currency goes the other way.

 

However, the problem I have found with Aussie cruises is that if you try to make pre-purchases of $AUD of on board expenditure credits the exchange rate being offered on the website (to $AUD) is actually the exchange rate for pounds to $US meaning you get 30% less than you should as the site seems to assume a $AUD to $US exchange rate of 1:1 which is clearly incorrect.

Edited June 3, 2016 by Corfe Mixture

[brian1]

Hi again,yeah I got that,I done exactly the same last and this year getting 1.66 and 1.538.I was just suggesting unless Princess rectify their ballsup that was last resort.It seems youve got that covered,no probs,cheers,Brian.

[hazelk]

Crazy situation with trying to pre-purchases OBC, in order to lock in the exchange rate, on Australian cruises from the UK.

 

Some months ago I looked at the cost of pre-purchasing OBC for our forthcoming Sydney based cruises and discovered that the website has the wrong exchange rate in that they use the £/$US rate rather than the £/$AUS rate.

 

A few months ago I looked at the cost of pre-purchasing $25AUS and got the answer that it would cost me £16.25.

 

Oops, I thought - this would appear to be the exchange rate of £1.54 that Princess were using for the US dollar at the time I booked (all very nice as the US dollar exchange rate is now more like $1.44) whereas the Australian dollar exchange rate is more like $2.00.

 

So, I phoned Princess and they quickly confirmed to check how many Aussie dollars I would get in a 'block' and was told it was indeed $AUS25. When I pointed out the error in the website exchange rate they quickly agreed it was wrong and that they would look into it and get it put right.

 

Three months later, they have not corrected the error and the exchange rate is still wrong and $25AUS of credit will still cost me £16.25 instead of the £12.25 it should cost me!!

 

OK this error is obvious, but the bottom line is that I am now reluctant to make any pre-purchases, or pre-pay for any tours, lest I end up discovering that I have paid over 30% more than if I had simply charged those purchases to my on board account and settled that by credit card at the end of the cruise.

 

Have you got anywhere on this issue? we now find ourselves in the same situation. Phoned Princess who just say that the AUD rate is the same as USD, was advised to email customer relations (they don't have a phone number) but by what I have seen elsewhere they can take weeks to get back to us.