Is 1.1% surcharge fee something new?

[caribill]

On 6/6/2018 at 7:19 AM, voljeep said:

I remember the old cash or credit price at gas stations...yeah, i'm old(er)

 

It does not take much memory where I live.

 

Almost every station here these days has different prices for cash and credit. I have seen locally differences of from 2 cents up to 25 cents per gallon.

[caribill]

The stockholder benefit explanation says that

for NORTH AMERICA BRANDS --  US $

for CONTINENTAL EUROPE BRANDS -- €

for UNITED KINGDOM BRANDS -- £

for AUSTRALIA BRANDS -- A$

 

Note this is by brands, not where the ship is sailing from or the currency used on board.

 

[Thrak]

51 minutes ago, caribill said:

 

It does not take much memory where I live.

 

Almost every station here these days has different prices for cash and credit. I have seen locally differences of from 2 cents up to 25 cents per gallon.

 

Almost everything we buy goes on the credit card. Groceries, utilities, phones, etc. Everything except gas. It's 10 cents a gallon more for credit so that goes on the debit card. We use the credit card to collect travel points.

[Expat Cruise]

Yes Princess is doing this because it is allowed to do so under the laws in Australia. If your cruises starts in Australia the on board currency will be Australian Dollars. And they will add 1.1 %.  But while the official currency is AUD on these cruises the ATM Machines still will only give you good old American Dollars. 

 

This 1.1% is really not the big problem that Princess does on Australian Cruises. Even if you bill is $3000 dollars it is still only small money. Princess has another way to make big money with the Australian Cruises.  For US Guests any on board cruises you have earned, stock owners,  future cruise credits,  or any OBC Princess or your travel agent gives you is subject to a 40% loss.

 

Princess  converts  US Dollars credits at the rate of 1 to 1 for Australian dollars. I'm on a Australian cruise now. I paid USD for the cruise, but my USD $1000 OBC is only worth AUD$1000 dollars,  not the 40% more it should be. Princess changes all the on ship pricing to AUD about 40% more and then steals money from the guest in the conversion. $1000 dollars Australian is equal to $700 dolas US. This is the real way Princess burns guests on these cruises.

[PescadoAmarillo]

IIRC, our military and loyalty OBC were grossed up so that they were the equivalent AUD for us on the Golden Princess in 2017. At least the loyalty OBC was. But, as has been stated, US passengers do get kind of screwed when cruising on a ship using AUD. We considered it an acceptable price to pay to cruise in that part of the world. 

[famski740]

The Shareholder Benefit Request Form states:

 

ONBOARD CREDIT AMOUNT PER CABIN

Cruise length                       OBC amount per cabin**
6 days or less                      $50 USD     £30     $50 AUD
7–13 days                           $100 USD   £60     $100 AUD
14 days or longer               $250 USD    £150   $250 AUD
** The onboard credit is provided in the operational currency onboard the vessel

 

The Military Personnel Benefit Form syeates:

 

Onboard credit amount

Cruise length                       OBC amount per cabin**
6 days or less                      $50 USD
7–13 days                           $100 USD
14 days or longer               $250 USD
**The onboard credit is converted to the operational currency onboard the vessel

[pink845]

Or to avoid the charge pay with cash.  Australia also charges this for hotels.  I see on my hotel reservations, it mentions this surcharge if paying by credit card.  Again, I will pay in cash.  

[Cruise Junky]

47 minutes ago, pink845 said:

Or to avoid the charge pay with cash.  Australia also charges this for hotels.  I see on my hotel reservations, it mentions this surcharge if paying by credit card.  Again, I will pay in cash.  

Yeah, I just booked all of our inter Australian flights last night. Had to pay an extra $15 for the credit card usage.