Canadian Dollar & Cruising

[JanesCruisingBuddy]

[quote name='jmcancruise']We are not able to book until Jan or Feb to sail in May of 2010, so we are hoping the price will drop before then. In the mean time we have enough money to pay our deposit and will probably only pay that in hopes that the $ will get a little better before we have to pay the balance. [B][COLOR=red]Anyway you look at it we will cruise again[/COLOR][/B].[/quote]

[SIZE=6][COLOR=red][B]I like that attitude, cruisingbuddy![/B][/COLOR][/SIZE]

[readboat]

Well folks I am a retire and I just booked for 1/2010.
My DH said maybe he should get a part time job to pay for it and I told him not to worry I would start collecting my SS four months before the cruise. He didn't think that was funny. I figure I had better enjoy the SS before that goes away too. ( I am just joking, I can afford to take the cruise without SS)
No matter what anyone says there is no place better to live then the USA and we are very lucky to be here.
Why do you think people from other countries are pounding the doors to get in? No matter how much they dislike us they want to be here!

[vacation_junkie]

[quote name='Payd']Wow, what a tumble our dollar has taken in just a few short weeks.

I had to make final payment on our Jan cruise on Oct. 20. I wish I hadn't put it off - cost me a $1.22 on the US dollar. That hurts.

Are any of you considering changing your plans - or will you go for the gusto.

Our US $ account has enough for spending $$ on the Jan cruise and a little over half for our March cruise. Then we might have to wait and see.

What about you??[/quote]
I know I just paid ours off today..*tear* what a change in dollar value since we booked...oh.well! still worth the vacation!

[vacation_junkie]

[quote name='Prairie_Gal']Thankfully, I bought some U.S. Traveller's cheques and cash when our dollar was high, so our upcoming vacation is covered, but it sure makes any future travel plans to the States a little more questionable. I just checked and it is currently at 78 cents.

On the other hand, the price of gas is really coming down so that helps on a daily basis. IMHO, our dollar is so closely linked to the price of oil that you can't have both. Cheap oil = high U.S. exchange. Overall it is probably better for our Canadian economy this way. We have had two major businesses in our city close that employed a lot of people because of the exchange rate.

And yes, I remember taking our kids to Hawaii when the dollar was at 65 cents U.S. :eek:[/quote]

I told my husband I wanted to buy Us when it was at par and he insisted..not to worry it won't go below 90 cents...lmao!

What was I right???? :eek:

[Payd]

[quote name='vacation_junkie']I told my husband I wanted to buy Us when it was at par and he insisted..not to worry it won't go below 90 cents...lmao!

What was I right???? :eek:[/quote]

I guess he'll listen from now on...

[McGyver]

Our only regret is we wish the crystal ball had been a bit clearer when we booked...We have about 17 days left before our final balance is due...Hoping we see a bit of a rebound on our illustrious pesos of the north....

 

Will it change our plans...not in the slightest, we've waited long enough for this trip, besides we're booked into an aft balcony cabin and can't wait...

 

See ya all on board!!!

 

Cheers

[Payd]

Our only regret is we wish the crystal ball had been a bit clearer when we booked...We have about 17 days left before our final balance is due...Hoping we see a bit of a rebound on our illustrious pesos of the north....

 

Will it change our plans...not in the slightest, we've waited long enough for this trip, besides we're booked into an aft balcony cabin and can't wait...

 

See ya all on board!!!

 

Cheers

 

We must share the same crystal ball:( .

 

Enjoy the aft.

[CanadianCruiser67]

Well, have lurked long enough. Wow, so many varied opinions on why our dollar has slumped.

 

I think that it's like anything, you can't just pin this on one thing. We (as Canadians) have been riding a nice wave for a while after years of our dollar being under-par with the American Dollar. It was a clear surprise to everyone when our dollar gained strength, as through the years it has not been so good.

High-risk investments, Risky banking procedures, non-confidence in investing and not being sure as to what is going to happen after the voting for the next President have much to do with what is happening in the US.

Having said that, we as Canadian's honestly can't complain.

I have three friends living in the USA (all families with one parent working) that have recently lost their income (sudden pink slips) and each live in different parts of the US.

The US economy has typically driven the world economy as they do much of the trading and leading in any sector for this part of the hemisphere.

 

Like anything though, we have little or no control over what will happen in the next 6 months to a year. We can only cross our fingers and wait patiently.

 

Higher gas prices never stopped me from driving, lower dollar exchange is not going to stop me from planning my next much-needed vacation.

 

Period.

 

See you on board someday!!:)

[riu girl]

I have booked and paid for in full my Dec 15 Inspiration cruise. I have a category 6C cabin using the Ontario resident code (PR2). There are no longer 6C category cabins available. The rest of the categories still showing availability have decreased in price quite a bit.

 

I am thinking about calling Carnival and asking about changing to a 4A cabin. If I do this, will Carnival give me the difference in the form of an OBC? I am just trying to save a bit of $ due to the Canadian $ and thinking that this OBC would help me pay for my sign and sail account at end of cruise?????

 

Any thoughts would be appreciated to this first time cruiser.

 

Thank you

[cantwaittogo0114]

Our only regret is we wish the crystal ball had been a bit clearer when we booked...We have about 17 days left before our final balance is due...Hoping we see a bit of a rebound on our illustrious pesos of the north....

 

Will it change our plans...not in the slightest, we've waited long enough for this trip, besides we're booked into an aft balcony cabin and can't wait...

 

See ya all on board!!!

 

Cheers

 

Hi neighbour, I am also in Oshawa. We sail on the Glory Feb 7, 2009

[riderfan89]

We had only paid a deposit on our cruise in August when we booked (we sail in Jan. 09). So we just made final payment last week and it was a big OUCH. But we look at it this way...the economic situation is affecting our holiday. We are lucky enough to be able to afford to go on holiday! Others are losing their jobs, homes, pensions as a result of this economic downturn. We get off pretty lucky if all that's affected is our vacation spending plans.

[mr. cruiser]

I have booked and paid for in full my Dec 15 Inspiration cruise. I have a category 6C cabin using the Ontario resident code (PR2). There are no longer 6C category cabins available. The rest of the categories still showing availability have decreased in price quite a bit.

 

I am thinking about calling Carnival and asking about changing to a 4A cabin. If I do this, will Carnival give me the difference in the form of an OBC? I am just trying to save a bit of $ due to the Canadian $ and thinking that this OBC would help me pay for my sign and sail account at end of cruise?????

 

Any thoughts would be appreciated to this first time cruiser.

 

Thank you

Just call and say why you want to change. It shouldn't be a problem

[ladydog]

I bought US Dollars today for our cruise on November 2. Get this for every 1 US Dollar I purchased it cost me $1.31. Ouch

[oysterfiend]

We have 3 cruises booked next year,

Mexican riviera on Carnival splendor,

Carnival Paradise Baja,

and Sapphire Princess Los Angeles -Vancouver,

Followed by a weeks timeshare at Ocean Shores Washington

I wish ours were paid off and our accommodation too - we still have an outstanding balance to be paid off before February - and No spends yet!

 

Our dollar has Plummeted to only 54 cents of the value of US Dollar

 

I wish we were in as good a position as the Canadians-

Unfortunately its the risk you take and in future I'll try to pay off cruises as soon as possible- or Make incremental payments

[vacation_junkie]

I guess he'll listen from now on...

 

No he insists it will go back up for our spending $$....I doubt it!

He can't admit he was wrong...:D

[IMSAILING]

I'm from Oshawa as well !!

[misguidedangel]

Imsailing--I'll be on the Valor a sailing or two before you!!!! I'm not keen on the ships decor, but the ports are truly amazing!!! Thanks Ike for taking us West instead of East, but I still have to get back to the ports I was supposed to go before Ike got in our way.....

 

Phew, the dollar didn't drop today. One lady at work leaves Nov 16th on Island Princess for a Panama Canal 14 day from FLL to LAX. She wasn't so lucky to get US cash before it started to drop....

 

I was fortunate to realize that the dollar was dropping and that paying off the cruise NOW would be wise. I paid off my April 09 cruise at 97 cents, which I thought was OK, and then I should have paid the Sept 09 cruise off in full instead of a deposit when I booked it on the Liberty, I could have paid it off at 96 cents instead of the 87 cents I did....Mind you, if I wasn't so busy the week before when I paid it I could have paid it off at 92 or 93 cents, but lunch dates with friends were more important....uhm, er, ya, ok.....

 

I hope my mom gives me and my brother cash for Xmas cuz I need to go pick up another black coral bracelet or pendant.....Sadly, if the dollar stays as it is, I'll be cutting out my microderm facial at the spa and just go with whatever refill of products I need.....

[Payd]

No he insists it will go back up for our spending $$....I doubt it!

He can't admit he was wrong...:D

 

I like to think it'll rebound in time for another major purchase of cash - but it'll be months, not weeks.

[Payd]

I should have paid the Sept 09 cruise off in full instead of a deposit when I booked it on the Liberty, I could have paid it off at 96 cents instead of the 87 cents I did....Mind you, if I wasn't so busy the week before when I paid it I could have paid it off at 92 or 93 cents, but lunch dates with friends were more important....uhm, er, ya, ok.....

 

Pricey lunch :( .

 

But I'm sure it was worth it.:)