Purchasing An RCI Gift Certificate - Canadians

[Fouremco]

Our son and our son-in-law both have their birthday next month, and I was thinking about giving them gift certificates that they could use for our family cruise in January. Searching the RCI website, the only page (https://www.royalcaribbeancertificates.com) I could find on buying gift certificates says that they are available for US residents only:

 

I called the Help number, and they confirmed that the recipients of the GC must be a resident of the US, although the purchaser doesn't need to be.

 

I'm not sure that I understand why I can buy a wide assortment of gifts for them, but not gift certificates. Can someone explain the rationale? Or better yet, provide a workaround?

 

 

 

[Ourusualbeach]

26 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

Or better yet, provide a workaround?

Purchase OBC directly and it will be added to their account on board.  It is refundable if they do not spend it.

 

Call Gifts and Gear 800.722.5443

Edited September 26, 2023 by Ourusualbeach

[Fouremco]

3 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Purchase OBC directly and it will be added to their account on board.  It is refundable if they do not spend it.

 

Call Gifts and Gear 800.722.5443

I'm now deliberating between going the OBC route, as you suggest, or simply buying some USD. Once upon a time, cruise line exchange rates were favourable compared to exchange shops, banks, etc. here in Canada, so I'd buy OBC. Do you happen to know how RCI's rates compare currently?

[Ourusualbeach]

12 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

I'm now deliberating between going the OBC route, as you suggest, or simply buying some USD. Once upon a time, cruise line exchange rates were favourable compared to exchange shops, banks, etc. here in Canada, so I'd buy OBC. Do you happen to know how RCI's rates compare currently?

Loved it back in the early 2010's when we could by OBC at 1.10 vs 1.40 at the bank.

 

current rate is 1.335 

[Fouremco]

1 minute ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Loved it back in the early 2010's when we could by OBC at 1.10 vs 1.40 at the bank.

 

current rate is 1.335 

LOL. Yes, I bought scads of OBC in those days which I duly cashed in at the end of each cruise.  

[Tree_skier]

12 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

LOL. Yes, I bought scads of OBC in those days which I duly cashed in at the end of each cruise.  

At 1.335 it is still a little bit of a deal.  Forex rate today is 1.351 and your credit card will probably charge it out between 1.37 and 1.38.

 

Buying $500 USD of OBC will cost $667.50.  

$500 USD dollars charged to a credit card will be $690.

 

If you were buying them enough it'd save you little anyways.

[Fouremco]

4 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

At 1.335 it is still a little bit of a deal.  Forex rate today is 1.351 and your credit card will probably charge it out between 1.37 and 1.38.

 

Buying $500 USD of OBC will cost $667.50.  

$500 USD dollars charged to a credit card will be $690.

 

If you were buying them enough it'd save you little anyways.

I just finished checking a number of local exchange rates and the best offer that I've found is 1.3749, so RCI's rate is, as you say, still a little bit of a deal.

 

I think I'll go ahead and buy the boys some OBC, and get some for myself while I'm at it. 😇

[Ourusualbeach]

58 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

LOL. Yes, I bought scads of OBC in those days which I duly cashed in at the end of each cruise.  

We drive down.  I was buying enough to pay for gas on the drive down and back and then excursions at the ports.  Miss those days.

[JessyCruises]

Another Canadian here.  I would definitely opt for either prebuying OBC through gifts & gear or gifting them cash to spend.  I have done the OBC and it worked really well.  I have heard the gift cards can be a pain. 

 

I miss the days when the OBC was a great deal. 

[Fouremco]

20 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Loved it back in the early 2010's when we could by OBC at 1.10 vs 1.40 at the bank.

 

current rate is 1.335 

Bought the boys some OBC this afternoon. As the rate had dropped to 1.3000, I decided to buy myself some too!

[Tree_skier]

9 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

Bought the boys some OBC this afternoon. As the rate had dropped to 1.3000, I decided to buy myself some too!

Wow, at that price I think I'll buy some as well!

[Ourusualbeach]

23 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

Bought the boys some OBC this afternoon. As the rate had dropped to 1.3000, I decided to buy myself some too!

I saw that as well when I was buying some for clients this morning.  Celebrity on the other hand was using almost 1.34

[Tree_skier]

35 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

I saw that as well when I was buying some for clients this morning.  Celebrity on the other hand was using almost 1.34

I grabbed just $500 for $650 CDN (1.30 exchange rate)... Strangely, It shows up in the cruise planner as 675.50 which coverts into a 1.351 exchange rate.  If there are people that don't mind tying the money up or about to make a cruise planner purchase, its a free $25. I'll spend it on board anyways. 

Edited September 27, 2023 by Tree_skier