LittleFish1976

Okay, I have some data from which you can perhaps make a comparison. I made a transaction today and charged yen against the card on which I have USD stored. Hopefully you can see from this what their real time currency conversion rates are and their fees. I’m including the screen shot of the transaction. If you can download the app you could see how much it would cost you to add that amount of money in cash. I hope this makes sense - I’m afraid my brain isn’t up to doing the calculations but it looks to me as though their rates are very close to the conversion rates I see on the XE app. I wouldn’t hesitate to charge the card with cash for your destination if it looks like the timing is right or if your trip is imminent. if the yen is falling now I won’t buy yen to charge the card but rather use the usd I have already to be converted into yen - that way I don’t risk having any yen purchased fall further. hope this makes some sense.

Apologies Rakkor if this is the same as you’ve just posted - I couldn’t open your file as I’m on board and using my phone so I’ve posted the current room service menu.

Room service menu is not quite as interesting or extensive on QE and I will promise to post scans of same sometime soon (probably later today).

You can use the remaining balance but the hold on a certain amount of funds is ‘as though’ you had spent it (until they take the hold off that amount). in my experience, the banks who manage my credit cards take holds off (pending transactions) faster than the 31 days it took Wise. That’s sort of okay as long as you know about it. I was caught short the first time it happened and had to transfer more funds into the card so I could use it to pay a hotel bill ( I had a particular reason for wanting to pay in USD). Transferring funds onto the Wise card is easy. I did it in Argentina using my online banking (either via the bank’s app or via website). I checked that I could change the card I used for the hold at check in versus the card I would use at check out. That was all fine. You just need to know when they’ll want to do the transaction and to make sure you get to the front desk in time to give them the alternative payment method. I’m happier to have a hold on a credit card as I generally have more availability of credit limit than I would cash funds on the Wise card. I also have more than one credit card so can share the burden of holds between them. The Wise app enables you to see every transaction on the card as soon as it has occurred. In fact I get a banner notification on my phone screen immediately that there’s a message for me without even opening the app. Their exchange rate is very good. Let me know if I can clarify anything else about it for you. By the way, almost everywhere I went accepted the Wise card from big Buenos Aires hotels to tiny bars in Ushuaia except for a couple of businesses (cafe bars) in one small area of Buenos Aires. It was odd but so unusual that it didn’t bother me as I had some cash and other ways of paying anyway. You always need at least a couple of back ups though.

Which cruise line is this with?

Yes I’ve experienced quite a few late harvest and botrytis wines but I didn’t know about the third method of achieving the high sugar/flavour content which is harvesting in the snow! ‘Ice wine’ definitely a new one on me.

Most of the people on this board are Australian and New Zealanders. You mention you paid in GBP so I assume you’re in Britain where your consumer law would differ from ours. Either way, you need to raise this issue with your credit card company if you paid via card and have the charge reversed or contact the consumer affairs group to seek redress. I’m even wondering if you got scammed. Do you have proof your deposit went to a reputable company?

I’m overseas with the Wise card at the moment. I love it. I like being able to put particular currencies on there and knowing how much I have in those currencies. I’ve learnt through an experience in February not to give it to a hotel or cruise ship on boarding as they will place a hold of a certain amount (seems to be everything you charge to your account as you go) which took 31 days to be released. Now, I give them a credit card for their ‘hold’ and then change it on checking out to using the Wise card to pay.

To celebrate the maiden voyage of Queen Anne, the captain and some reps from the brewery here in Japan ceremonially smashed the lid of a barrel of sake in the lobby of Queen Elizabeth which is currently in the Sea of Japan en route to Busan. We were all then offered a glass of sake to celebrate. I’m hoping we’ll see some footage or images on board here of the Queen Anne festivities

The whites were okay if a little young and acidic- I don’t usually drink white so I wasn’t all that excited about trying them. The reds were okay except that I think we’re spoilt in Australia for reasonably priced, very good wine. It was interesting to compare the three types, side by side. The dessert wine was very interesting though. I’d never heard of an ice wine (actually grown in the snow and harvested in the dark of night). Very concentrated moisture in the grape and so you get the sweet intensity that way. It was really tasty and I’d happily drink its sultana-y sweetness again. They then had a ceremony of smashing of the lid of a sake barrel in the lobby in celebration of the maiden voyage of Cunard’s Queen Anne. I understand she sails into Southampton today for the start of that voyage. We were all offered a glass of sake which to be honest I’d always avoided trying in the past. It’s unusual but not unpleasant. I have to get myself to the Captain’s cocktail party before dinner, for World Club members (their loyalty programme) so I’m loading up on water right now so I’m not too tired and emotional by the time I get to dinner.

The menu, for anyone who may be interested in North American wines.

Apologies for lack of posts from Japan in the last few days. As you know, being on board is hectic. Just a few spare minutes between courses though to post a picture of the lunch I’m currently enjoying-Lunch and Learn , food and wine pairing with some input as we go from the head waiter and head sommelier.

I’ve been provided with a stapler at a port when I’ve arrived directly from the airport to the port. Alternatively they can provide you with tags then and there which you can fill in. Recently I just asked the desk at the hotel to lend me a stapler to attach the luggage tags just before I got into a cab for the port.

Sfred is correct, as so often 😊. I only managed to move one bedside table (yes, you do owe me one 😉) and it’s a single European socket. You’d have to assume the one on the other side is the same. Let me know if there’s anything else I can check on for you.

I haven’t tried to top up but the original money I loaded onto it I did at the time of downloading the card and used my Wise card’s funds, so it’s effectively a visa debit. I didn’t get the impression that there was any prohibition against particular forms of payment and yes, I’m very sure you’d be able to do it online. I had no trouble at all so far with downloading or using. I tapped on and off half a dozen times or more yesterday with no trouble. I’ll keep you posted on that one.