New Ship

[drwong]

The quickest and easiest thing to do is to call your agent and to put the charge on another credit card (Chase and MBNA cards appear to be the worst transgressors in terms of imposing the onerous "overseas" transaction surcharges). Neither my Citibank Mastercard nor my AmEx card added a surcharge to my Oceania purchases.

 

The long term solution is for Oceania to contract with another firm to process its credit card transactions. As most business owners will tell you, the credit card companies charge each merchant a service fee of somewhere between 2% and 7% for every purchase made using a credit card. If final payment on a cruise averages around $10,000, the credit card takes $200 to $700 from the transaction before remitting the balance to Oceania - and that's for a single transaction!

 

Understandably, Oceania hired a processing company that charged a more reasonable transaction fee. Unfortunately, that company, in order to minimize its costs, outsourced the work to Ireland (and now it looks like elsewhere in Eastern Europe), where labor costs are far cheaper. I wouldn't be surprised if my next Oceania transaction was processed in Bangalore or Mumbai.

 

In the old days, credit companies charged a 2-3% foreign transaction fee to cover the currency conversion costs. But nowdays, although the conversions are already performed at the point-of-sale, some unscrupulous companies (see above) are still imposing a foreign transaction fee JUST BECAUSE THEY CAN.

 

I just got a Chase credit card through Amazon.com and I'm going to cut it up and send it back because the accompanying statement indicates that Chase intends to charge a 3% fee on every foreign transaction, even though there may be no currency conversion involved. If every Chase and MBNA cardholder would do the same, perhaps it might send them a Peter Finch-type message.

[Jancruz]

Mike, I misplaced your card can you call me..

Jan

*****

[JoePDX]

The quickest and easiest thing to do is to call your agent and to put the charge on another credit card (Chase and MBNA cards appear to be the worst transgressors in terms of imposing the onerous "overseas" transaction surcharges).

 

My Chase Platinum (through National Geographic) did not charge a foreign transaction fee for our recent final payment. I verified the charge directly against the invoice from the TA. Seems like a real mystery all the way around! :eek:

 

Joe

[SeaPeaInn]

Just off the Regatta a few hours ago. Twenty five day Amazon. Wonderful cruise.

 

It was announced there that the new ship will be identical to the three existing ships. Starts mid 2007 doing Australia and New Zealand.

 

Jan - Roy and Sally from Maryland loved the cruise and thank you for your help.

[mike35]

That appears to be GREAT news re Australia and New Zealand. Since the Marina isn't coming on until mid 2007, however, I would think that it would sail other itineraries until the end of the year (Spring/summer down under).

 

We'll just have to wait and see. Once it's firmed up, I'll cancel my booked Princess cruise and stick with the "Big O".

 

Mike

[ClaudiaF]

That is fabulous news.. can't wait to give O my deposit:rolleyes:

[Druke I]

Just the other night, my wife and I were discussing doing Australia/New Zealand again.

 

We'll be awaiting announcement of Oceania's itineraries "down under".

 

I'm still very curious whether they are picking up Tahitian Princess or Pacific Princess, not that it really makes any difference (to me).

[SeaPeaInn]

What Princess cruise had you booked? We have one, Sydney to Los Angeles, that we might cancel when we see the Oceania itineraries.

[mike35]

What Princess cruise had you booked? We have one, Sydney to Los Angeles, that we might cancel when we see the Oceania itineraries.

 

Sapphire Princess in February - included the Cruise Tour option that takes us to Cairns and then to the Great Barrier Reef.

 

Mike