My Fellow Canucks - Canadian $ vs US $ ?

[chuckchopper]

Offtune ... You are welcome. Glad if I could be of help. :)

 

Susan-M ... The TD advantage US card is much easier to deal with than the old Citi ones. You can pay them at the branch or by cheque or whatever.

 

I found that I always kept enough US cash sitting in the account to eliminate monthly fees (minimum 2K? I think), plus they paid me a really good interest rate on the deposit ... so for me ... it is still viable. But you are probably right in saying that if you don't use it very much then the fees could outway the benefits.

 

Also ... it is still possible to pay online in US Dollars, but you have to fool the system into thinking you are located in the US. (See my earlier post) After doing that you will be quoted and charged in USD for any online bookings that you make.

[DGF]

Excellent suggestions. We have set as our goal to find a US Credit Card that i) can be paid over the internet that has benefits similiar to CIBC Aeroplan or Amex Aeroplan = get award air miles; and ii) has a bank account attached

 

Have you or any one else ever attempted said/ been successful?

 

We do have a US address (winter apartment) which should help but do not have any US income = no sin number which shows up on all of the application forms.

[Offtune Angel]

... We have set as our goal to find a US Credit Card that i) can be paid over the internet that has benefits similiar to CIBC Aeroplan or Amex Aeroplan = get award air miles; and ii) has a bank account attached.Have you or any one else ever attempted said/ been successful?....

I did some more research after Chuckchopper's replies (thanks again for pointing me in the right direction, Chuckchopper). I found out that BMO (which currently offers a U$D M/C) is introducing a Mosaik U$D M/C on May 1/06, allowing you to customize your account and choose your advantages. (I happen to collect Air Miles, so this interests me.) BMO's current fee U$D M/C is $20.00 annual, compared to TD Visa US advantage at $25.00. The info was not on BMO's website. I had to telephone BMO (who transferred me to Mosaik) to get the information, but, as of May 1/06, the application for the Mosaik U$D will be available on the website and payments can be done via the website. Good thing I haven't got a trip planned before May 1:D

Terry

[Moose Tracks]

We have a USD account at TD Canada Trust (I think the minimum balance is $1,000) and a TD Canada Trust USD Visa (think the fee is $40/year). We used our USD Visa last year on Millie and said we wanted to be charged USD to our USD card and everything went smoothly. I like having the USD account so that when the rates dip I can top up the account. Recently booked a Princess cruise and was surprised when my TA called and said Princess had booked it in USD on my CAD Mastercard. What a deal...I paid the deposit at an exchange rate of $1.19 when the CAD price quoted on the website was calculated at an exchange rate of $1.25. I don't know if this is how Princess normally works, but it worked out well this time.

Lynn

[BSeaBob]

TD's basic US$ visa's annual fee is only $25.00 (US:))

[dmk]

[B][FONT=Microsoft Sans Serif][SIZE=3][COLOR=indigo]BseaB and Moose Tracks:[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/B]
[B][FONT=Microsoft Sans Serif][SIZE=3][COLOR=#4b0082][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/B]
[B][FONT=Microsoft Sans Serif][SIZE=3][COLOR=#4b0082]Do you also have to keep a minimum of 1000 USD?[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/B]

[chuckchopper]

Offtune ... sounds like the new BMO MC might be a good fit. I would suspect that the other banks would follow suit shortly once one offers a more complete product. It escapes me why they cant allow you to access your CC account on line. If the banks can let you manipulate your USD bank account online ... how much harder can it be to set up the credit card info there? Anyway ... sounds like things are getting easier, anyway.

Bob ... how have you been? I havn't been by the old thread recently but I understand you had a good reunion dinner and saw the pictures that were posted.

Lyle

[BSeaBob]

[quote name='dmk'][B][FONT=Microsoft Sans Serif][SIZE=3][COLOR=indigo]BseaB and Moose Tracks:[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/B]

[B][FONT=Microsoft Sans Serif][SIZE=3][COLOR=#4b0082]Do you also have to keep a minimum of 1000 USD?[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/B][/quote]

Nope..cause I never have that much US. :)

Things are fine Lyle. Drop by the other thread ..somethings always on the go.

[Moose Tracks]

dmk. The website below says a $1,000 minimum so you don't have to pay for transactions, so I supposed in effect there isn't a monthly charge unless there's activity. I just received my TD USD Visa yesterday, and it is only $25/year...I had thought it was $40. The only problem with paying the Visa is that you have to pay by cheque out of the USD account and since I'm too cheap to buy the cheques (only gave me 5 freebies to start), I go into the bank and have them issue a draft. They don't charge you...it's just the way the system is set up...it won't accept you withdrawing $$ from the account and paying the bill.
[URL="http://www.tdcanadatrust.com/accounts/usaccount.jsp"]http://www.tdcanadatrust.com/accounts/usaccount.jsp[/URL]

Terry - thanks for the info on the BMO Mosaik USD card. I use their CDN
M/C so will definitely look into it. I love CC...you find out so many useful things:)
Lynn

[dmk]

[B][FONT=Arial][SIZE=4][COLOR=navy]Thanks BSeaBob and Moose Tracks.:) I will look into it.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/B]

[kenfam]

Originally Posted by babylene
Just want to let you all know that we booked a cruise onboard in order to get the shipboard credit...and we were told that we HAD to book in Canadian dollars. The rate did not seem favourable, but in order to get that credit, we had to accept it. I was quite surprised.

I just wanted to follow up on this. We just returned from a trip on Century Feb. 27th and went to book our next cruise onboard in order to get the onboard credit. We were told we HAD to book in cnd. funds as they had been a meeting in December to discuss this at "head office" and it was decided then that you had to pay in the currency of the country that you lived in !! We did not like the exchange rate that Celebrity uses and told them that last year they told us the same thing and after some 'phone calls back to Miami, we were allowed to book in U.S. funds as long as we transfered the booking to a Cnd. travel agent before we cruised. What difference that made, I do not know. But, we did transfer it to a Canadian travel agent after I got the lowest price I could find on the internet and then had them charge us in U.S. funds.

We were given an 'onboard credit certificate' to get our onboard booking credit as long as we book before March 31/06. So I will shop around some U.S. travel sites and book with them.

[dmk]

[B][FONT=Arial][SIZE=4][COLOR=navy]We would like to book a cruise while on one this coming week. So I guess it really means they won't book in US funds.:( I would like to also get this [COLOR=red]Onboard Credit[/COLOR] [COLOR=red]Certificate[/COLOR] if I can't do that. Did you ask for one or was it suggested to you by the onboard booking agent.?[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/B]

[dmk]

[B][FONT=Arial][SIZE=3][COLOR=navy][B]Does anyone know what rate of exchange Celebrity is giving at this time? Also, how often do they revise their rates on foreign currencies?[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/B][/B]

[kenfam]

[quote name='dmk'][B][FONT=Arial][SIZE=4][COLOR=navy]We would like to book a cruise while on one this coming week. So I guess it really means they won't book in US funds.:( I would like to also get this [COLOR=red]Onboard Credit[/COLOR] [COLOR=red]Certificate[/COLOR] if I can't do that. Did you ask for one or was it suggested to you by the onboard booking agent.?[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/B][/QUOTE]

The onboard agent offered it to us when we haggled over them not allowing us to use U.S. funds. I am still trying to find U.S. travel site that will let us book something for now and let us change later when we know for sure where and when we want to travel, without having to pay the usual $50 fee each for making any changes.

[C 2 C]

I have a Canadian TA in Vancouver who accepts both Canadian and US$ credit cards. Celebrity demands larger deposits from Canadians than Americans:
$900 US$ VS $1,396 CDN. If you have any friends in the US use their address or find a US agent for bookings. I had such a problem with Celebrity and Princess in disregarding my wish for non-conversion that I now refuse to leave my credit card for deposit. I have a RBC US$ credit card for US expenses but both lines converted despite marking and confirming my wishes at Guest relations and the bank on board.

[babylene]

Checking my Visa statement the other day, reminded me about this. So I phoned Captain's Club. After a lengthy wait (I was home sick, so had all the time in the world!!), I was able to change my booking into USfunds. Actually, the woman with whom I spoke, said she never heard of such a rule.

So now...we paid the Canadian depost....and will be charged on our next bill for an Americana deposit and she said we would have to wait about 3 months for the Canadian refund. I hope all this works out!!

I don't know if I mentioned...I booked a "phantom cruise"... I think Millenium...something for April/2007. So I have until 2007 to transfer the booking to whatever I choose.


Would you say one hand doesn't know what the other hand is doing?

[dmk]

[B][FONT=Arial][SIZE=4][COLOR=navy]Babylene:[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/B]

[B][FONT=Arial][SIZE=4][COLOR=#000080]Your a gal after my own heart. I am also planning to book a "phantom" cruise for 2007. I would like to do another Transatlantic. So when the TA schedule comes out I will transfer my "phantom" cruise to a TA.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/B]
[B][FONT=Arial][SIZE=4][COLOR=#000080][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/B]
[B][FONT=Arial][SIZE=4][COLOR=#000080]Glad that everything worked out well for you in booking in USD. It does pay to be persistent:D [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/B]

[babylene]

DMK, are you leaving tomorrow? I am soooo jealous! Have a wonderful time! Take the hula lessons...it's such fun...you'll feel like a kid!

A question about the transatlantic cruises...I notice that every year they are a little later in the season. I thnk one doesn't leave Europe until Dec. 1....how is the weather at that time? I always thought that Nov. was a lousy month in the Med. What do you think?

Aloha!

[C 2 C]

[quote name='babylene']

A question about the transatlantic cruises...I notice that every year they are a little later in the season. I thnk one doesn't leave Europe until Dec. 1....how is the weather at that time? I always thought that Nov. was a lousy month in the Med.[/quote]

We once did an Eastern Med in Nov and we had one day of rain, comfortable walking weather.
The huricane season might be a reason for the late crossings. We are crossing on Century in Oct. Dec seems a bit late to tempt fate in the Med.

[dmk]

[FONT=Arial][SIZE=3][COLOR=navy][B]Babylene:[/B][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[B][FONT=Arial][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000080][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/B]
[B][FONT=Arial][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000080]Yup, leaving tomorrow..pray for good weather for me. I will try the Hula lessons:D [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/B]
[B][FONT=Arial][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000080][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/B]
[B][FONT=Arial][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000080]We did a Transatlantic in 2004. It was the end of Nov., into December. The weather was fabulous. It was sunny and in the twenties in Barcelona. The crossing itself was smooth and warm. The only ripples in the water came in the Carribbean.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/B]

[Winterpegger]

We cruised with X since 1997, had no problem with the billing until last March. We checked the box that said no conversion to C$ since we were using an U$ credit card. When we got home and found out that X converted the charges into C$ and our credit card company converted it back to U$, double whammy! Tried to phone X customer service, and was told RC line handled all the billing, and RC agent said they have to wait for the paper work to do anything. For three weeks, phone them about a dozen times, and everytime talked to a different person and have to tell the same story over and over again. Finally, I was so fed up that I called my TA and she dealt with it. In 2 days, my credit card was credited back with the difference. So I think, either you have a very competent TA, or you have to very patient or they are counting on you to give up.

The exchange rate that X using is criminal, I am looking at booking a Galapogos cruise next year, with air add-on, the C$ cost $500.00 more for each of us with their exchange rate. Right now, I am tempting to look for a TA in U S. Or we should get organized and get X to realize that as a client we should be able to pay in whatever currency we choose and not dictated by them.

As with the U$ credit card, we have been with BMO for the longest time, and we can view our account activities on-line.

[C 2 C]

I have found that nothing beats cash. On our last cruise I did not give them my credit card number. Until you can actually talk to the "BANK" on board let them worry about it. You can always give them your card number when they give you the final bill and confirmation of the correct currency.

[Eliger]

We all have different experiences with Celebrity, thus the frustration with the whole thing. In our case, for the past two or three cruises, we have booked directly with Celebrity and had our billing in U.S. dollars. The conversion to Canadian was only made by our credit card company. When we booked on board in December, the cruise sales person asked us if we wanted the pricing in Canadian or U.S. dollars. We said U.S. and there was no problem.

If we want to transfer the booking to a TA, we can do it without losing our on board credit.

[spamwhiches]

I have been following this thread with interest. I have booked with a US online TA and paid a US $900.00 deposit for double occupancy inside cabin. Credit card statement converted 900 US $ into Canadian $ of course.
there was no currency conversion by X that I could see. :)
[U]so far so good[/U]. I would have made it an issue if the TA suddenly came back to me and the price I was quoted was different due to any reason including abusive currency conversion .

so now I have to ensure that I try to avoid X's currency conversion practice for my final payment & on board account correct?
If I understand this thread correctly, the best thing to do to avoid having to make a scene later is use cash for purchases, and get a US currency credit card for the on board account?
I am there to relax and I would hate to surrender my peace and restfull experience arguing over money. any other tips?
thanks in advance for all your advice.

[Susan-M]

[quote name='spamwhiches']


If I understand this thread correctly, the best thing to do to avoid having to make a scene later is use cash for purchases, and get a US currency credit card for the on board account?
[/QUOTE]

I use my Cdn currency credit card for on-board purchases. I check the box on the Xpress Pass or Registration Form (and highlight it) to indicate that I do not want charges converted to Cdn. currency by Celebrity. They bill in U.S. $ and my credit card does the conversion.