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Currency Conversion: USD Credits to Cruise Card


Bill_G
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Princess seems to have a problem with the conversion of currency (USD -> AUD) for cruise card credits, based on website.





When I call some say they will be converted to AUD from USD by the time I board, others say they already are!

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Be aware that SBC earned by promotion, shareholder, military, etc are in AUD when ships are in Australia. You lose the conversion factor. They do not use USD and bump up the value to AUD.

 

I would be very wary of buying SBC based on USD. Not sure how that is handled.

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Princess seems to have a problem with the conversion of currency (USD -> AUD) for cruise card credits, based on website.



 

When I call some say they will be converted to AUD from USD by the time I board, others say they already are!

If it’s the Aus website it’s always wrong, they take the Aus$ price apply the exchange rate then still show the price as Aus$, I presume the US site has a similar problem with Aus to US.

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IDK what "SBC" means, and I don't think the OP question is answered yet. I have essentially the same question. If I purchase a Princess Cruise in the Americas in USD for a trip taking place in AUS/NZ where the ship currency is in AUD, then I think any associated bonus OBC that came with the purchase should be converted to AUD, no?

 

More specific example, we booked a cruise under Cyber Sale (which was like 3-for-free) and we got free grats and cabin OBC. But the promotion was specified in USD and the cruise pricing for the cabin and grats is in USD. I realize the grats are a wash no matter what currency, but the $200 OBC quoted in USD ought to be converted to AUD at prevailing rate as anything it is spent for on the ship will be in AUD.

 

I called Princess about this and asked and they said it will be converted on the ship account, but I am not so sure (didn't call back to ask anyone else yet). Thing is the Payments & Credits info in Cruise Personalizer indicates amounts in AUD (ship's currency), but the numeric values listed are the USD amounts for the Princess OBC and the FCD OBC. I hope these are converted - otherwise not quite fair unless everything started in AUD.

 

So I would love to see an answer posted here as we know many Americans have booked Australian cruises and I am sure OBC will be involved in most cases.

 

Thanks for any further insight and I can always try someone at Princess again. But I did ask about it in detail last time.

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SBC is Shipboard Credit - OBC is what it also is called.

Your OBC will be in AUD in the same amount as stated in USD on their website. You lose the conversion. I have checked. The fine print states that the OBC is in the currency the ship is using. Australia based ships with Princess use AUD.

 

 

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SBC is Shipboard Credit - OBC is what it also is called.

Your OBC will be in AUD in the same amount as stated in USD on their website. You lose the conversion. I have checked. The fine print states that the OBC is in the currency the ship is using. Australia based ships with Princess use AUD.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

Yes, that is our experience also. We are booked on two Australia currency ships for this January and February. OBC will be in AUD, not USD. We won't get the conversion. :(

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Future Cruise Credit should be US$ converted to AUS$ - Future Cruise certificate states" Credit is based on USD and will be converted to AUD for Australian based voyages" I have always had this converted previously (my last cruise $75 dollars was converted to Aus$101.00) but my current 2 bookings the US$ amount is listed as the same AUS$ amount in my cruise personaliser. Have phoned Princess, once speaking to AUS rep and second time speaking to US rep and both say "no, amount is not converted, it remains the same". I still need to find the time to speak to a supervisor and explain the certificate states amount will be converted.

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Yes, that is our experience also. We are booked on two Australia currency ships for this January and February. OBC will be in AUD, not USD. We won't get the conversion. :(

 

Sucks for sure since the base currency for booking and promotions was USD. Math is not fair. I guess I got the wrong answer from the Princess rep I spoke with. It wouldn't be right if the USD OBC from 3-for-free/cyber sale got more AUD than should be the case.

 

Now that I think about it, I think one of J's posts (PecadoAmarillo) in her blog might have alluded to this and it didn't twig on me at the time. I should go check that out again.

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Future Cruise Credit should be US$ converted to AUS$ - Future Cruise certificate states" Credit is based on USD and will be converted to AUD for Australian based voyages" I have always had this converted previously (my last cruise $75 dollars was converted to Aus$101.00) but my current 2 bookings the US$ amount is listed as the same AUS$ amount in my cruise personaliser. Have phoned Princess, once speaking to AUS rep and second time speaking to US rep and both say "no, amount is not converted, it remains the same". I still need to find the time to speak to a supervisor and explain the certificate states amount will be converted.

 

Interesting - but they might have a different policy for OBC derived from a promotional sale event.

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Future Cruise Credit should be US$ converted to AUS$ - Future Cruise certificate states" Credit is based on USD and will be converted to AUD for Australian based voyages" I have always had this converted previously (my last cruise $75 dollars was converted to Aus$101.00) but my current 2 bookings the US$ amount is listed as the same AUS$ amount in my cruise personaliser. Have phoned Princess, once speaking to AUS rep and second time speaking to US rep and both say "no, amount is not converted, it remains the same". I still need to find the time to speak to a supervisor and explain the certificate states amount will be converted.

 

Can you please advise where it state this because I don't see it in my current FCD confirmation letters, nor in past ones. I don't see it on the downloadable form. I don't see it any any written policy. Thanks.

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Sucks for sure since the base currency for booking and promotions was USD. Math is not fair. I guess I got the wrong answer from the Princess rep I spoke with. It wouldn't be right if the USD OBC from 3-for-free/cyber sale got more AUD than should be the case.

 

Now that I think about it, I think one of J's posts (PecadoAmarillo) in her blog might have alluded to this and it didn't twig on me at the time. I should go check that out again.

 

I double-checked my travel summary. I'm pretty certain that we won't get a conversion to USD. On the other hand, this will probably be our only cruise to Australia and New Zealand, so we will just deal with it.

 

We have shareholder, military, and future cruise credits. It states the normal $100.00 amounts and says that all credits are in AUD.

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I double-checked my travel summary. I'm pretty certain that we won't get a conversion to USD. On the other hand, this will probably be our only cruise to Australia and New Zealand, so we will just deal with it.

 

We have shareholder, military, and future cruise credits. It states the normal $100.00 amounts and says that all credits are in AUD.

 

I agree, PB. Mine indicates the same, which is why I called Princess a while back as I expected the amounts ought to be converted to equivalent AUD for the on board account. I was told yes they will (nothing in writing to that effect), but it appears that isn't going to happen. Like you, we will just have to deal with it I suppose, and have some gratefulness that we have the credits (TA, Princess OBC, FCD OBC, S/H OBC). Wish I could take that USD and convert it to AUD myself and then give it back - LOL.

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I agree, PB. Mine indicates the same, which is why I called Princess a while back as I expected the amounts ought to be converted to equivalent AUD for the on board account. I was told yes they will (nothing in writing to that effect), but it appears that isn't going to happen. Like you, we will just have to deal with it I suppose, and have some gratefulness that we have the credits (TA, Princess OBC, FCD OBC, S/H OBC). Wish I could take that USD and convert it to AUD myself and then give it back - LOL.

 

:D No kidding! For what this trip is costing, I'm not going to worry about a few extra dollars in shipboard credit. We have "sip'n'sail", so I probably really won't be worried. ;) If it does show up, then Happy Birthday to me.

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Can you please advise where it state this because I don't see it in my current FCD confirmation letters, nor in past ones. I don't see it on the downloadable form. I don't see it any any written policy. Thanks.

 

My FCC letter has the statement written just under the amount of credit per length of cruise. The whole paragraph begins "Upon making your new booking, the appropriate shipboard credit will be applied* " Then under the amounts in tiny print is " *Credit based on USD and will be converted to AUD for Australian based voyages."

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My FCC letter has the statement written just under the amount of credit per length of cruise. The whole paragraph begins "Upon making your new booking, the appropriate shipboard credit will be applied* " Then under the amounts in tiny print is " *Credit based on USD and will be converted to AUD for Australian based voyages."

 

My letter doesn't have that statement either, but I may have figured this out. I'm booked through the US Princess site. Did you book through the Australian site? I know there are different rules depending on which site you book with.

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My FCC letter has the statement written just under the amount of credit per length of cruise. The whole paragraph begins "Upon making your new booking, the appropriate shipboard credit will be applied* " Then under the amounts in tiny print is " *Credit based on USD and will be converted to AUD for Australian based voyages."

 

When they say 'converted', is that, converted as in exchange rate wise. Or, does it mean they just convert US$100 to AUD$100.

 

We're from the UK, and also have the same problem. Ours OBC as just been converted over to AUD$, so my US$100 Military OBC has become AUD$100.

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My letter doesn't have that statement either, but I may have figured this out. I'm booked through the US Princess site. Did you book through the Australian site? I know there are different rules depending on which site you book with.

 

Yes booking is through Australian Site - FCC were purchased on Alaskan Cruise (ship in US$) and on South Pacific cruise (ship in Aus$). All previous cruises amount has been converted US$75 converted to AUS$101.25. We have 19 previous cruises using FCC and all were converted (although a couple worked out the same when US$and AUS$ were parity), it is just the next 2 cruises that they have not converted the amount. I will need to phone Princess and get someone who can explain, just need to find the time to do the phone chase around to find someone who can help (lol)

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  • 1 month later...
I agree, PB. Mine indicates the same, which is why I called Princess a while back as I expected the amounts ought to be converted to equivalent AUD for the on board account. I was told yes they will (nothing in writing to that effect), but it appears that isn't going to happen. Like you, we will just have to deal with it I suppose, and have some gratefulness that we have the credits (TA, Princess OBC, FCD OBC, S/H OBC). Wish I could take that USD and convert it to AUD myself and then give it back - LOL.

 

We're just back from our two cruises in Australia and New Zealand. Our shipboard credits for FCD, Military, Shareholders etc., were not converted up to an equal amount in Australian dollars. The only credit that was converted up was the past passenger loyalty credit. I believe I received $123.00, instead of the usual $100.00.

 

I did have my hair colored at the salon and the suggested tip was 5%, instead of the normal 15%, so I did save a little money there. ;)

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We're just back from our two cruises in Australia and New Zealand. Our shipboard credits for FCD, Military, Shareholders etc., were not converted up to an equal amount in Australian dollars. The only credit that was converted up was the past passenger loyalty credit. I believe I received $123.00, instead of the usual $100.00.

 

I did have my hair colored at the salon and the suggested tip was 5%, instead of the normal 15%, so I did save a little money there. ;)

Can you remember the amount charged for the daily gratuity which is added to your on board account. We're on the Sun in November and want to know whether it's better to prepay or just have it added daily once on board.

 

Sent from my VFD 900 using Tapatalk

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Can you remember the amount charged for the daily gratuity which is added to your on board account. We're on the Sun in November and want to know whether it's better to prepay or just have it added daily once on board.

 

Sent from my VFD 900 using Tapatalk

 

I prepaid our gratuities because I knew we wouldn't have enough credits to pay for them. If you prepay the gratuities, and are booked in USD, the daily gratuities are charged in USD. There are no conversion or credit card fees. We used the credits to pay for drinks, shore excursions, gift shop purchases, and salon services. Since these items are charged in AUD, it just seemed easier to use the shipboard credits for them.

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I prepaid our gratuities because I knew we wouldn't have enough credits to pay for them. If you prepay the gratuities, and are booked in USD, the daily gratuities are charged in USD. There are no conversion or credit card fees. We used the credits to pay for drinks, shore excursions, gift shop purchases, and salon services. Since these items are charged in AUD, it just seemed easier to use the shipboard credits for them.

 

Thanks Barbie for responding with your experience......Did you pay anything by US credit card on your ship board acct or was it all credits?

 

Did u do any gambling?

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I prepaid our gratuities because I knew we wouldn't have enough credits to pay for them. If you prepay the gratuities, and are booked in USD, the daily gratuities are charged in USD. There are no conversion or credit card fees. We used the credits to pay for drinks, shore excursions, gift shop purchases, and salon services. Since these items are charged in AUD, it just seemed easier to use the shipboard credits for them.
Thanks

 

Sent from my VFD 900 using Tapatalk

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The only OBC that was actually given to us in equivalent USD was the Captains Circle OBC, which was $100 USD and we received $129 AUD. All other OBCs (military, FCD, CCL and even promotional) were given in AUD so we did miss out. Leftover refundable OBC was sent to us in a check in USD at a very unfavorable exchange rate.

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The only OBC that was actually given to us in equivalent USD was the Captains Circle OBC, which was $100 USD and we received $129 AUD. All other OBCs (military, FCD, CCL and even promotional) were given in AUD so we did miss out. Leftover refundable OBC was sent to us in a check in USD at a very unfavorable exchange rate.

 

How does the casino work on the AUD ships?

 

So grats were charged in AUD.? Was it equal to USD grats

Edited by land lover
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