Card Conversion Charges onboard

[JP82]

When I have just entered my new card details to my booking (UK Card). There is a check box about electing to have the card charges converted using a conversion service or something? Am I right in thinking the best option is not to do this. The same as you are advised when abroad, not to do the convert to EUR/USD on the PDQ terminal.

 

I am using my Monzo, so would rather have them handle the conversion as normal.

[Biker19]

1 hour ago, JP82 said:

Am I right in thinking the best option is not to do this.

Correct, chose the option to have your bank/card issuer do the conversion. 

[little britain]

@JP82   It should be option B.  However they sometimes/regularly ignore this!!!  I had this option selected on my cruise last week and they still did the conversion and charged me in £. 

I forgot my own rule which I always tell people to do...... this is to go to the GR desk mid cruise and ask for a paper print out of your invoice. If it shows in $$ then you are good, but if it shows in ££ then it means they have done the conversion and you then ask them to set you up with a new account in $$.   It is a hassle for them to do this as they have to issue with a new folio number and it takes about 10 mins but to ensure it is in ££ they must do this.

The TV account in your cabin will always show in $$.

 

LB

Also a Monzo fan!

[beardedladies]

As said above, definitely you want the conversion done by your card, not Royal. For the best conversion get yourself a credit card that provides a 'perfect' conversion rate, such as the halifax clarity card.

[Clarea]

Also, check onboard with Guest Services that they have your correct selection.  They have had a habit of changing the selection to "A" by mistake.

[JP82]

Thanks all, sounds like I have the right thing done, but will add a note to my first day to make sure I check this!!

[Clarea]

13 minutes ago, JP82 said:

Thanks all, sounds like I have the right thing done, but will add a note to my first day to make sure I check this!!

 

I'd check around mid-cruise, after things at Guest Services settle down.

[JP82]

Okay, wasn't sure if you could do something when you board? With Disney you give your card for payment on board to the person you see at the desk in the terminal.

 

So didn't know if there was something like that. Cheers.

[sgmn]

2 hours ago, Host Clarea said:

Also, check onboard with Guest Services that they have your correct selection.  They have had a habit of changing the selection to "A" by mistake.

This is one of the reasons why we changed to cash account. Its not a big difference, but its annoying 

[upwarduk]

4 hours ago, beardedladies said:

For the best conversion get yourself a credit card that provides a 'perfect' conversion rate, such as the halifax clarity card.

Post Office Credit Card (UK) also charge 0% Foreign Currency conversion rate. If you tick B on the On Board Account sheet pre boarding, it should be OK.

I do not pay in cash, as the currency is $, so it would mean I would have to exchange £ for $ before cruising and would loose out on the exchange rate.

 

This is one of the reasons why we changed to cash account. Its not a big difference, but its annoying 

[Bestbubba]

Every cruise we tick the "B box" and every time its ignored, we tick, we use pink highlighter, we underline, nothing works. For us, a trip to GS a few days into the cruise and a double check later on is the only answer. We also pay some in cash if we have any excess towards the end of the sailing. 

[little britain]

Unfortunately with the new style boarding passes, the currency choice no longer shows so you cannot do the pink highlighter!!! 

[Bestbubba]

4 minutes ago, little britain said:

Unfortunately with the new style boarding passes, the currency choice no longer shows so you cannot do the pink highlighter!!! 

I suppose it's no loss really, they never took any notice anyway 😅

[IzznOll17]

On 7/19/2019 at 9:57 AM, JP82 said:

When I have just entered my new card details to my booking (UK Card). There is a check box about electing to have the card charges converted using a conversion service or something? Am I right in thinking the best option is not to do this. The same as you are advised when abroad, not to do the convert to EUR/USD on the PDQ terminal.

 

I am using my Monzo, so would rather have them handle the conversion as normal.

 

I see you're using Monzo - I've just posted about my perceived benefits on the 'Cash Account' thread!

 

 

[Clarea]

3 hours ago, Bestbubba said:

I suppose it's no loss really, they never took any notice anyway 😅

 

Sad, but true.

[cmich068]

Gave up many years ago about getting the shoreside staff to respect the preference, so I now start with a cash account and add the credit card at Guest Services a few days into the cruise. I tell them I want to add it as a "Non-DCC" credit card and they generally understand.

 

The other way to check they've handled your preference correctly, if you have access to your credit card's online banking while you are travelling - if you are opted out of currency conversion the periodic authorizations taken by the ship will show as "RCL [SHIPNAME] NON DCC" - if you are opted in to currency conversion it'll show something else but I can't remember exactly what. 

Edited July 22, 2019 by cmich068

[icsys]

On ‎7‎/‎19‎/‎2019 at 11:23 AM, little britain said:

 It should be option B.  However they sometimes/regularly ignore this!!!  I had this option selected on my cruise last week and they still did the conversion and charged me in £. 

 

On ‎7‎/‎20‎/‎2019 at 7:39 AM, Bestbubba said:

Every cruise we tick the "B box" and every time its ignored, we tick, we use pink highlighter, we underline, nothing works.

 

We must have been really lucky, we always select option B to allow card issuer to make the conversion and have had no issues (now probably jinxed).