Canadians - Current Exchange Rate?

Has anyone booked recently? I'm curious of the NCL exchange rate these days.

I'd like to book the Escape for next April, but I want to lock in at a good rate.

I booked about 1 month ago and the rate was $1.11. The US to CAN exchange rate is pretty much the same as it is now as it was at the time I booked. I would expect a similar rate.

I booked about 6 weeks ago and I also got $ 1.11 exchange rate. I also got an on board credit and pre-paid my tips. Went to the bank today to buy US $$$ and if was over 25 cents on the $$$

When I went in April, I had locked into 1.0725 rate...pretty much at par, which was amazing.

I booked a few months back and it was 1.11

I JUST booked April 30, 2016 on the Escape (yay!) and my rate I believe is 1.19. $1809.38 US = $2154 CDN.

I'll keep my eye open on this thread. Hopefully Canucks will post here as they book so we might be able to re-book under a lower exchange rate :)

This is most interesting. Almost always less than the current exchange rate. Please, keep us posted.

Your exchange rate is also the rate they will charge you anything pre-cruise (grats, gift cards, etc...) so I would pre buy everything if you can.

Once on board, it's what the credit card company will charge - at my March cruise I calculated it being almost 1.31

I think it's smart, lower rates for Canadians is appealing (well for me)...not sure if other cruise lines do it but makes me think twice about this or RCCL. Now they got you on board, you buy GC to use on board and you have to buy from them to use the GC or you can always exchange it at the casino for a 3% loss but that's still ahead of the game.

I'd bet if they make closer to par they would have a few more Canadians taking cruises than other vacations...

Should I assume that the favourable exchange rate that everyone seems to be getting from NCL is only if you booked directly with NCL? I booked thru an independent online travel agent (one I've always used) and when I called they said they had no knowledge of NCL giving better rates? Hmmmm.....

Should I assume that the favourable exchange rate that everyone seems to be getting from NCL is only if you booked directly with NCL? I booked thru an independent online travel agent (one I've always used) and when I called they said they had no knowledge of NCL giving better rates? Hmmmm.....

Only direct bookings with NCL and booking through Canadian travel agents are allowed to book in Canadian dollars.

US agents are not allowed to make Canadian dollar bookings.

If your agent is Canadian, they simply have to ask NCL to price in Cdn.

And FYI, they set the rate for a three month period.

But what if the CAD$ gets better after a year? Will they fix it or are you stuck at that rate?

I don't see the CAD$ getting better anytime soon, but what if you want to cruise summer of 2016 or longer? The dollar can get better after a year....

I like booking with American TAs because they give you tons of OBCs that the cruise line doesn't. Canadian TAs give very little or at all. Sometimes , they even charge you a booking fee. Then you're much better off booking direct.

:)

Thanks for the prompt reply. Our TA is a US based one so I guess we are SOL.

Cheers,

Sandy

But what if the CAD$ gets better after a year? Will they fix it or are you stuck at that rate?

 

I don't see the CAD$ getting better anytime soon, but what if you want to cruise summer of 2016 or longer? The dollar can get better after a year....

 

I like booking with American TAs because they give you tons of OBCs that the cruise line doesn't. Canadian TAs give very little or at all. Sometimes , they even charge you a booking fee. Then you're much better off booking direct.

 

:)

You can always cancel and rebook as many times as you want prior to final payment. That's how you get the good promos too.

I'm hoping Canadians will come here once they book an NCL cruise, and tell us their exchange rate. That way if it's better than the one I have, I can cancel and rebook under the better rate :)

Oh, I used a Canadian TA on our last cruise. I won't be doing that again. I still had to check every day for deals, etc and then I still had to try and get a hold of my agent and get her to make the changes with NCL. She was just a middle man slowing me down! And many Canadian TAs don't give OBC. Mine didn't, but she didn't charge a fee either.

You can always do a dummy booking with aircanada vacations as they will give the price at NCL rate (in CDN) and if you book the flight with them as well, you get aeroplan points.

The problem with US TAs is that unless you have a US MC/VISA you will also get dinged with the processing fees.

I won a credit for a future cruise, the only problem is that I have to book it through a certain TA. She sends me out emails from time to time. I loved the latest one I got this morning. Something along the lines of "If you book today with our agency, we will offer you a choice of FREE wifi, dining, shore excursions, or an OBC." Wow, what a deal. It's what NCL is offering regardless, and the agency is peddling it like they are offering it exclusively to their customers. Canadian TA's.....sigh. I would much rather take out the middle man and deal with NCL directly.

There are +s and -s for everything.

I book my cruises/air with my Scotia Visa Travel rewards which gives me 5% cash back (before taxes) plus all the bonus with the cruiselines but I'm typically on the phone with them for 1 hour to book it. Is it worth it?

I never thought about the OBC I'm getting from my US TA.....that makes the pain of the exchange a little easier to bear:). I've already cancelled and rebooked once to get the promo with the UBP & the UDP. I don't want to do it again because the category of cabin we want is sold out & there is always that slim chance of losing it.

Cheers,

Sandy

I just checked Air Canada Vacations for a dummy booking with RCCL and checked what RCCL would charge (if you select at the bottom of the screen Canada, vs United States). The difference was large...

Same balcony room was approx $5K on RCCL while air canada vacation was $4.5K CDN

I just checked Air Canada Vacations for a dummy booking with RCCL and checked what RCCL would charge (if you select at the bottom of the screen Canada, vs United States). The difference was large...

 

Same balcony room was approx $5K on RCCL while air canada vacation was $4.5K CDN

How would you be able to earn future price drops though? Will ACV let you cancel without penalty and then re-book for you for free?

Booked for my parents last week at 1.19

And FYI, they set the rate for a three month period.

Which means I will be calling NCL at the end of the summer for a better rate :)

Booked Epic last week through NCL direct. Agent said the CDN exchange rate would be the same as the bank, $1.23, she googled it while I was talking to her. Booked Allure of the Seas when exchange rate was around 1.25 at the bank and they gave us a rate of 1.10. Also bought $1000US obc at the 1.10 rate. Cost $1100 for $1000 US to spend on board, would have cost $1250 at the bank and a lot more through MasterCard.

Tony

Booked NCL GA last week 1.11 was the exchange same as in early Jan 2015 when I booked for March break 2015...so looks stable

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Booked NCL GA last week 1.11 was the exchange same as in early Jan 2015 when I booked for March break 2015...so looks stable

 

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That's really good! Did you book directly with NCL or with a Canadian TA?