Paying by Credit Card

[waydago]

Remember, there are two ways that fees are incurred through NAB. 1) If a charge is entered in a currency apart from AUD (Australian dollar). 2) If a charge is processed outside Australia.

 

It sounds like you are referring to the first possibility (looking at the documentation would show you the currency/amount charged, but not where it was done), whereas the reason the fee was charged is the second. I.e. they entered the amount as AUDxx, but did so outside Australia (in England reportedly).

 

I recall other users who reported this before had this confirmed to them by P&O, that charges were entered/processed in the UK.

 

My final bill for on board purchases only showed amounts in AUD. So NO 2 is the cause. The strange thing is that the 7 other couples (not with NAB) wern't charged these fees and only the 2 couples with NAB were, so still don't understand. I will keep pursuing the reason (when time permits).

[waydago]

Thanks for the heads up everyone - we are now the proud owners of a Wizard clear advantage mastercard! So, I'll continue using my NAB card for the necessary spend to get travel insurance (if I transfer my booking to a TA there is no currency conversion fee from NAB) and then use Wizard for onboard spending (and deposit if booking direct with the cruiseline), and NAB can stick their illogical currency conversions where the sun don't shine!!

 

Good on you Molliemoo. I also intend to get one for next time we cruise. Nothing on the horizon though.:mad:

[waydago]

In the past - I have paid P&O (Aus) directly in AUD by ANZ CC for P&OAus cruises in Australia. An overseas transaction fee has been charged and then credited (uncharged) to my credit card account ie no final cost to me. I figured it had something to do with P&O's parent company in the UK - but as it cost me nothing , ignored it all. Now I think I can see what is happening - but don't know why.

 

 

Barry

 

That is interesting. While all the others travelling with us have told me they wern't charged any fees, they may have done the same as you and ignored the on/off transaction. I will ask them. Thanks.

[Billy and Charlie's Mum]

Thanks for the heads up everyone - we are now the proud owners of a Wizard clear advantage mastercard! So, I'll continue using my NAB card for the necessary spend to get travel insurance (if I transfer my booking to a TA there is no currency conversion fee from NAB) and then use Wizard for onboard spending (and deposit if booking direct with the cruiseline), and NAB can stick their illogical currency conversions where the sun don't shine!!

 

Well done! That is exactly what we do. You will be very impressed with the Wizard Card.:D

[wisiddship]

As we only have a NAB c/card it will be the one we will use. Forewarned is forearmed, what percentage is this charge, 1 or 3 % ?

[Aus Traveller]

As we only have a NAB c/card it will be the one we will use. Forewarned is forearmed, what percentage is this charge, 1 or 3 % ?

Unfortunately, NAB is the bank that charges a currency conversion fee on the on-board account. I think it is 3%, but I am not sure.

 

We use ANZ Visa and they don't charge anything (or I should say they have a charge, then credit the same amount so effectively there is no charge).

 

A way to reduce the bank fee would be to take cash with you and put that on your on-board account, then just plan on using the credit card in case your spending goes over the amount you have allowed for in cash. The percentage fee would not amount to many dollars if it was only on a hundred or two hundred dollars, but if it was on the total on-board account it could be a fair bit. This depends on how many cocktails you have of course. :D:D

[dvinds]

I have found this thread of interest as I was charged an international transfer fee from the NAB as well.

Some of the fees mentioned in this thread were:

Overseas Transaction Fee; Currency Conversion Fee; International Transfer Fee

I wasn't charged an overseas transaction fee as the transaction was not done overseas.

I was not charged currency conversion fee, therefore the transaction was done in Australian Dollars and not converted to a foreign currency. So I can only assume that it was Australian Dollars transferred offshore.

If the payee wants their money transferred directly overseas why is the payer charged for that privilege? I think the Authority should charge the payee the fee for sending the money out of the country.

 

Paying for services and goods in AUD$, charged by an Australian registered company in AUD$, transaction in Australian waters (Sydney harbour where the transaction occurred). In my case: Payee being Pacific Jewel, St Leonards.....Maybe they class Sydney Harbour as International Waters :)

 

I am wondering of the legalities of bypassing a registered Australian Company (P & O Australia LTD (DP WORLD HOLDINGS (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED)) and having monies transferred directly overseas?

Is this to avoid paying Australian tax?

 

To sum it up: Is this just another Australian Tax dodging scheme used by P&O Australia (having the Cruise Card credit payment paid directly off shore to avoid the Australian Tax Department? or Is this just another scam for the banks (NAB) to charge Fees being relevant or not?

Either way it seems someone is doing something fraudulent at the expense of the innocent consumer.

[Aus Traveller]

or Is this just another scam for the banks (NAB) to charge Fees being relevant or not?

I think you have hit the nail on the head with that comment.

 

If the fee was charged by P & O or because of their accounting practices, it would be charged by all banks - not just NAB.

[The_Big_M]

I think you have hit the nail on the head with that comment.

 

If the fee was charged by P & O or because of their accounting practices, it would be charged by all banks - not just NAB.

 

Equally, if it was a scam without a reason, then NAB would charge it on all transactions. However, P&O transactions are the stand-outs, and it's been stated before by customers affected that P&O told them it was done offshore and agreed to refund because of that.

[Big Kev]

I have found this thread of interest as I was charged an international transfer fee from the NAB as well.

Some of the fees mentioned in this thread were:

Overseas Transaction Fee; Currency Conversion Fee; International Transfer Fee

I wasn't charged an overseas transaction fee as the transaction was not done overseas.

I was not charged currency conversion fee, therefore the transaction was done in Australian Dollars and not converted to a foreign currency. So I can only assume that it was Australian Dollars transferred offshore.

If the payee wants their money transferred directly overseas why is the payer charged for that privilege? I think the Authority should charge the payee the fee for sending the money out of the country.

 

Paying for services and goods in AUD$, charged by an Australian registered company in AUD$, transaction in Australian waters (Sydney harbour where the transaction occurred). In my case: Payee being Pacific Jewel, St Leonards.....Maybe they class Sydney Harbour as International Waters :)

 

I am wondering of the legalities of bypassing a registered Australian Company (P & O Australia LTD (DP WORLD HOLDINGS (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED)) and having monies transferred directly overseas?

Is this to avoid paying Australian tax?

 

To sum it up: Is this just another Australian Tax dodging scheme used by P&O Australia (having the Cruise Card credit payment paid directly off shore to avoid the Australian Tax Department? or Is this just another scam for the banks (NAB) to charge Fees being relevant or not?

Either way it seems someone is doing something fraudulent at the expense of the innocent consumer.

 

 

QUOTE... VISA's MERCHANT RULES

 

Visa requires that you are provided a meaningful choice at the point of sale and you have the right to buy your purchase in the local currency so that you do not incur any additional fees the merchant may assess. Visa also requires merchants offering this service to inform you of the exchange rate including any applicable commission being charged.

[waydago]

QUOTE... VISA's MERCHANT RULES

 

Visa requires that you are provided a meaningful choice at the point of sale and you have the right to buy your purchase in the local currency so that you do not incur any additional fees the merchant may assess. Visa also requires merchants offering this service to inform you of the exchange rate including any applicable commission being charged.

 

Thankyou for the quote Big Kev I will use this when I aproach (again) the Bank. I 'chose' AUD and the merchant (P&O) said it is charged in AUD so still at a loss to understand the fee??

[Skyrules]

Regarding the international transaction fee, Commonwealth are inconsistanct, sometimes they charge it, sometimes they don't.

 

I have a GE Money Mastercard, and I've never been charged the international transaction fee.

[The_Big_M]

QUOTE... VISA's MERCHANT RULES

 

Visa requires that you are provided a meaningful choice at the point of sale..

 

Yes, that is a quote - in part of a specific section. It began "Some merchants now offer to convert your bill into your home currency" so I'm not sure why you only quoted that part.

 

It relates to what they call "Dynamic Currency Conversion" which is an entirely different facility to what is being discussed here. It's for purchases outside your country where the currency is different e.g. if you are in England purchasing something in pounds. The merchant can offer to process the charge for you in AUD, being the currency of your account. However, you have to still be able to choose the original currency of pounds if you wish.

 

In this case, there is no second currency.

[Big Kev]

Yes, that is a quote - in part of a specific section. It began "Some merchants now offer to convert your bill into your home currency" so I'm not sure why you only quoted that part.

 

It relates to what they call "Dynamic Currency Conversion" which is an entirely different facility to what is being discussed here. It's for purchases outside your country where the currency is different e.g. if you are in England purchasing something in pounds. The merchant can offer to process the charge for you in AUD, being the currency of your account. However, you have to still be able to choose the original currency of pounds if you wish.

 

In this case, there is no second currency.

 

Sorry if I misunderstood.

 

I have been caught before with an O/S transaction being done differently to that requested, and copping a double whammy of fees at both ends.

 

I thought the poster thought he/she had made a transaction IN AUSTRALIA only to find it was not processed that way and hence was charged conversion fees. That is where the rules paragraph I posted comes into play.

 

I sincerely apologise if this mislead anyone..

 

P