Question for fellow Canadian Cruisers on RCL

[dirtgirl]

Which part?

 

 

I went down the night before debarcation, and my folio was in CAD. They promised me that it would be corrected by the next morning. It wasn't, and here I am, almost 3 months later, with the matter still unresolved.

[robtulipe]

Perhaps I'm just being paranoid, I mean in the form you posted on line, it clearly states that you want your CC company to do the conversion. I am not quite sure if I click on cash account, if you can use your Sail card to buy with it up to 500 dollars, then you pay with CC at the end, what is the difference as long as you check in at first to make 100% sure that your CC is being billed in US dollars. My first two cruises I did not have the problem of them billing me in Canadian dollars, I just think it would be easier to have them bill my account in US dollars and pay it off at the end. Such shenanigans.. LOL

 

I'll probably end up keeping my CC on line, and make sure at the beginning and at the end that they bill me in US and bring an extra copy of my contract!

 

Hey Rob, are you doing the May 13th on Radiance to Hawaii too??? Are we on the same cruise?

Like many others have said, RC regularly ignores that you have marked that your CC is to be billed in $US and converts to $CAD with their 3% conversion fee.

If you do leave your CC # to pay off your onboard account, go to the purser'e desk on the last evening and have them swipe your card to make a payment then in $US to pay off your account.

I was told about the $500 amount before a cash account needs a payment by RC's staff and done that on our last two cruises with no problems.

We are on the westbound May 3rd out of Ensenada. We were looking at the May 13th Eastbound cruise but when I went to book our balcony, the X guarantee wasn't there anymore. I had to book through the C&A since we had a Next Cruise deposit and while I was on hold waiting for an available agent, it must of disappeared. I told the agent I could see in online at RC's web site but the agent said it was no longer showing available on his system. The X guarantee wasn't there when I went through the cruise search process again so we booked the Westbound cruise which still had the X guarantee available and the Z inside guarantee for our friends. They would have had to book a $400 more expensive Y (OV) guarantee cabin on the Eastbound cruise and they are on a tight budget which make the $200 OBC they are getting (using the Family & Friends Next Cruise certificate we have provided them) very nice. We don't like the idea of having to bus down to Ensenada, but the flights cost and the port charges (Vancouver probably has higher port charges than Ensenada) were less for the Westbound. We also liked the itinerary better as we are spending two days in Maui (our favorite island) and skipping Kauai (been there).

[sexyaznboy]

Hey Rob, well I got an e-mail update from Travelzoo, where Cruisedeals had a flight special for Canadians where the flight from Vancouver to Hawaii was included and for an extra 300 bucks, round trip flight from Toronto to Vancouver. I thought it was an amazing deal given that flights to Hawaii often cost 700 to 800 dollars from Toronto. The only down side is that I had to book on line, and I felt rather uncomfortable doing that, even though the customer service agent was quite friendly with my questions after I ordered. I see that the flight from Toronto is no longer available, I guess I am lucky about the GTY balcony, I got one with the money I saved (I usually go for inside, as I'm still not in the financial position to go for balconies and suites! ;) )

 

I think I will leave the CC, but do they bill your sail card in US as you make purchases on board or do they convert it in one batch at the end? From the sounds of it, they'll do it at the end, and the main danger is to just leave the ship figuring that they will bill your CC in US and not Canadian dollars. Trust me, I'll go the first day, I'll go right before I disembark (I just hate the lineups but I'll pay the bulk of it during the day when its quieter, you have a good point, even if I buy something that they convert last minute, it'll be minimal hopefully).

 

Thanks for your advice, and happy sailing, we just missed each other! My first time to Hawaii, I'm soooooo excited!

[Schplinky]

RCL has been much clearer about asking this question on my last couple of cruises. We chose to have it billed it US but the conversion is not that far off. Remember, your own credit card is likely going to charge you 3% to convert it. When we went to Boston and the Canadian dollar came up at 1.03, the credit card billed them at par. Ick.