Canadian cruisers beware of Princess exchange already calculated on your bill.

[therhodes]

Just off the Tahitian Princess 5/7 cruise. It is absolutely wonderful and worth every penny we spent......just about!!

When our final bill came, Princess had already converted it to Canadian dollars for us...which wouldn't have been too bad except they use 1.45 or more for the exchange rate.

Went to the Pursers desk and said we didn't want them to do that and they said no problem they will put through the US amount. Checked my credit card account today and they put it through as the Canadian amount. The rate was 1.40. Not big bucks, but the fact that they said they wouldn't do it and they did kind of ticks me off.

Apparently when we checked in there was a box on the form that you sign that we should have ticked off. So OK we didn't read that and nobody even mentioned that it was there. It was 7:30 at night and we'd just be on a plane for 8.5 hours, so not really into reading fine print at that point. E-mails will get sent by us and our TA, but who knows whether anything will be done.

So, all you Canadians make sure you ask about this little box that needs to be ticked off or you will pay more that you really need to. We last cruised in 2001 and it wasn't done that way then, so it didn't even occur to us that this new policy was in place.

Everything else about this cruise was great!

Linda

Tahitian Princess
http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=0000ff&cdt=2004;5;7;17;00;00&timezone=GMT-0800

[Beryl]

We cruised last September and didn't have this problem. Thanks for the "heads up"....I'll be very careful and make sure it doesn't happen on our February cruise.

Cruising! It's like being in the Garden of Eatin'!

[Cruise Junky]

We just got off the Island Princess and were asked upon embarking if we wanted it converted or not - they even told us that we'd get a better rate if we didn't.

Some Ship, Some Itinerary, Somewhere in the Med.
http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=008000&cdt=2006;5;12;17;0;00&timezone=GMT+0100

Mexican Riviera - Rhapsody of the Seas
11 Day Circle the Caribbean - Splendour of the Seas
Alaska - Dawn Princess
Coastal - Island Princess

[therhodes]

You're lucky they asked! Apparently we were supposed to be told about this and given the option at check-in, but it didn't even come up and we didn't even think about it because it hadn't happened before.

Oh well....a lesson learned for next time!

Linda.

Tahitian Princess
http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=0000ff&cdt=2004;5;7;17;00;00&timezone=GMT-0800

[kruisey]

I didnot know anything about this and my bill to Visa came in Canadian Dollars.
Royal Bank Visa as well as charging the usual bank rate of exchange add 2.5% on to the conversion for all foreign currencies...which is the cheaper in that case Pincess or Visa?
I pay cash for most of my account in advance on board due to these practices by the Credit Card Company. http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif

[therhodes]

Ouch....I used Mastercard and it doesn't look like I got dinged the 2.5. The charge on my MC is exactly what Princess showed in CDN dollars on my shipboard account at their exchange rate of 1.45. I thought Princess was putting the charges through in Canadian dollars (not sure how they do this) so foreign currency thing shouldn't even come into it.

As to which way to go I think it depends on the exchange rate at the time. When we booked the cruise, we had to book in CDN dollars to be able to use the Princess Air out of Vancouver (otherwise we'd have to get to Seattle and leave from there). The exchange rate at the time was around 1.35, so when you did the math using the US prices vs CDN prices we took a bit of a kicking on it. On the other hand had the CDN dollar gone way down like last year with exchange rates at 1.57 we would have been OK. We knew that by booking CDN we were probably paying more, but were prepared for that as we knew exactly what we were paying, but not this account thing, that just really bugs me. But I will still cruise....ah...

Linda

Tahitian Princess
http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=0000ff&cdt=2004;5;7;17;00;00&timezone=GMT-0800

[therhodes]

Just trying to keep this one around pg 1 or 2 for a bit.

Make sure you tell them to charge your shipboard account through in US dollars as the exchange rate that Princess uses is at 1.45 regardless of the current exchange rate. For example today would be 1.39 (MC and VISA are using today also).

Tahitian Princess
http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=0000ff&cdt=2004;5;7;17;00;00&timezone=GMT-0800

[Baxter]

therhodes: You don't actually see the 2.5% surcharge (or whatever the credit card company charges). It is typically calculated into the exchange rate (which normally is displayed). Different credit cards have different surcharges. Still works out than Princess's exchange rate...at least for now!

http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=800080&cdt=2004;11;11;17;00;00&timezone=GMT-0800
Sapphire Princess

[West Coast]

I saw this *VERY* small box on my cruise documents too. It's burried around page 3 or 4. Not so easy to spot.

I was surprised to see this. It's not just CAD but there were other currencies also. I can't remember all of them but it was 5 or 6 different ones.

Of course, I ticked the box. I'm amazed they get away with stuff like this. It's like reverse billing. If they're going to offer something like this as a 'convenience' then they should make it more like an opt-in: If you WANT them to convert to your local currency THEN tick the box.

I wonder how many 1000's of people will get stung by this?

[Tania]

Thank you all for the heads up on this. On which cruise docs is this box? The blue pasenger ticket book?...I'll be on the lookout, in any case...

The Princess 1.45 exchange rate is the reason we have been booking in USD since our dollar went up. Of course, our closest home airport actually IS in the States and we leave from there most of the time. For us, it is cheaper than doing the milk-run to Toronto, staying in a hotel, etc...

I suspect Princess must have set up an agency (or some kind of company) in Canada (and other countries listed) in order to be able to do this. How else would an American company be able to do this? In Europe, cards get charged in euros, right?

More Carnival ideas about adding to the bottom line, eh?

Our dollar was up a bit last week and hopefully David Dodge doesn't say anything this week in his BOC statement to send it spiralling down again. Honestly, the man needs a muzzle sometimes.

* Star Princess 07/04 * Grand Med
Diamond Princess 03/04 Mexican Riviera
Sun Princess 12/03 Southern Caribbean
Grand Princess 12/02 Western Caribbean
Royal Princess 08/02 Western Europe & Iberia
Ocean Princess 08/01 Alaska
Pacific Princess 12/00 Holy Land & Greek Isles
Carla C. 03/83 Southern Caribbean

[therhodes]

Hi Tania, the box that needs to be ticked is on the papers that you sign at the pier at embarkation. I had another look at all our precruise docs and couldn't find any reference to this at all.

I don't know when they started doing this or how they do it, but it can make quite a difference, especially if you've booked shore excursions. There were six of us, so to make sure we were all in the same group we booked the excursions for 6, so the dollars can be quite significant in that case.

I checked my MC again and there is no 2.5 exchange on it anywhere(which is good). It does show the US dollar amount as reference, but no conversion etc. The total charged to my account is exactly what Princess showed on my account in CDN dollars.

Where are you cruising too? Regardless, you will have an excellent cruise. Service was great, itinerary for Tahiti was wonderful.

Linda

Tahitian Princess
http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=0000ff&cdt=2004;5;7;17;00;00&timezone=GMT-0800

[West Coast]

There's nothing in your pre-cruise docs and no type of 'notice' you'll receive and nothing at check-in.

It's just a small box (with very fine print) on pg 2 or 3 of your real cruise docs (the little blue book).

In regards to billing... Your shipboard account is in USD - regardless of where in the world you are cruising - so in the Med/Europe, Asia, Canada, Caribbean it's still in USD.

On the last morning of your cruise, you will receive a print-out of you on-board account. All amounts are in USD. Let's say the total is $1000. If you've checked the little box beforehand, the comments will say that $1000 have been charged to CC number XXXX XXX XXX XXX. When this comes through on your credit card, the bank will make the exchange calculation and you will be billed in Canadian Dollars.

If you didn't check the box, and you card has been issued by a Canadian Bank (they can tell by the first 4 numbers who/where the card is issued) then your bill will still show the total is $1000, and in the comments it will say $1000 @ 1.45 = CAD 1450. As this charge is now in Canadian Dollars, when the item comes through on your credit card statement, it will just show as CAD $1450.

[cdnguy]

Here's what the last couple of sentences on P. 2 of your blue book cruise ticket says.

"If my credit card was issued outside the US, my account will be converted and settled in the currency of my card. The details of the currency conversion are contained in my ticket contract. Check here______ if I do not want my account converted."

I want my account charged in US funds so I check in the space provided.

therhodes
The international exchange rate on your MC will not be on the card itself. It should be listed on the Terms of Use that comes in the package when your CC is issued, at least that's where it's stated for both my VISA cards.

Island Princess - Hawaii, Nov.5/04
http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=ff0000&cdt=2004;11;5;17;0;00&timezone=GMT-0800
Sun Princess - Feb.7/05
http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=ff0000&cdt=2005;02;7;17;0;00&timezone=GMT-0500

[Tania]

I wonder what they'd do if I use my US dollar credit card, issued in Canada, by Citibank.

* Star Princess 07/04 * Grand Med
Diamond Princess 03/04 Mexican Riviera
Sun Princess 12/03 Southern Caribbean
Grand Princess 12/02 Western Caribbean
Royal Princess 08/02 Western Europe & Iberia
Ocean Princess 08/01 Alaska
Pacific Princess 12/00 Holy Land & Greek Isles
Carla C. 03/83 Southern Caribbean

[West Coast]

Tania,

Although issued in Canada by CitiBank, it still carries 'coding' of a US card, based on the first 4 digits.

[aquawater]

Just a note to say that not only Princess is doing this. We sailed with RCCL this past March and on their page 5 or 6 was a "small" box to tick if you did not want them to exchange your currency. I did tick the box. Like all legal docs you must read it ALL. So heads-up on all the cruise lines.

RCCL Radiance
Princess Ocean, Dawn, Star(old one)
Carnival Paradise
Hollard New Amsterdam

[Us]

I have always used a Royal Bank U.S. Visa card issued in Canada when cruising or travelling in the U.S. I also missed checking the space about converting funds. As a result my bill was converted to Canadian then charged to my U.S. Visa card and then Visa converted the Canadian amount back to U.S. funds. This after all the conversions ended up costing me an extra $75. U.S. Even though it was a U.S. Visa card it was still issued in Canada and that is what Princess sees. Lesson learned - don't take things for granted and read the small print. This check mark space was actually in my booklet where you sign for authorization to charge your ship board account to your credit card - I found this after I complained about my account being converted to Canadian. End result - my own fault - I will certainly read my documents more carefully next time and not presume there will be no changes.

[RDR]

So, it is preferable to check off the box or not check off the box?

[West Coast]

I would say to check the box.

[cdnguy]

As I said in my previous posting here....Check the box.

Island Princess - Hawaii, Nov.5/04
http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=ff0000&cdt=2004;11;5;17;0;00&timezone=GMT-0800
Sun Princess - Feb.7/05
http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=ff0000&cdt=2005;02;7;17;0;00&timezone=GMT-0500

[aquawater]

Find that little box and Check it.

RCCL Radiance
Princess Ocean, Dawn, Star(old one)
Carnival Paradise
Hollard New Amsterdam