Pacific Dawn accounting anomaly

[Rasa Sayang]

Loking at our Visa [bar] account for our recent PD cruise I noted that I had been charged an international transfer fee for it by the National Australia Bank.:eek::p

 

As this has not happened on previous PD cruises I was curious enough to ring the bank and query it.

 

Their reply was this has been happening a bit lately and they advised me to ring P&O.

 

So I did.

 

The account was NOT issued by P&O Australia, but the trader on my Visa statement was shown as Pacific Dawn, and it being registered in London thats what incurred the fee.

 

P&O were apologetic about it and said if I wanted reimbursing of the fee to email them at the address below and explain the circumstances:

 

cust.relations@carnivalaustralia.com.au

 

Too much bother for me to chase this up [only the cost of a beer or two:D:p] so I declined the offer.

 

I just thought the above email link would be of interest to those who had similar circumstances and wanted reimbursement of the fee for that item on their credit card account.

[bazzaw]

Dennis

 

The last time we sailed on a P&O AUS ship, we also got this fee - but it was "reversed" on the same CC monthly account. ie it was put on and taken off again in the same month. I had nothing to do with it.

 

Barry

[Rasa Sayang]

Dennis

 

The last time we sailed on a P&O AUS ship, we also got this fee - but it was "reversed" on the same CC monthly account. ie it was put on and taken off again in the same month. I had nothing to do with it.

 

Barry

 

Thanks for that Barry - will watch future statements with a bit of interest.

 

As I said earlier - no big deal to sweat over - just curious. ;)

[thied]

we can just think how many times they charge passengers on every cruise for the international transfer fee, free money if you do not ask for it back.

[bazzaw]

Thied

 

My understanding is that this "International transaction fee" is charged by my bank - after I purchase something overseas in Foreign currency. Now, for example, when we cruised on QM2 in Australian waters, our bill, paid for by an ANZ CC, was in US dollars. We also bought things while we were in the UK in UK pounds - these transactions in foreign currencies were converted to AUD by the Bank into my CC account, plus a "transaction fee" charged by the Bank.

 

In the case of P&O Aus , our charges to our CC are in AUD - and therefore should not involve any foreign exchange "transaction fee".

 

If Dennis was to achieve satisfaction by having his fee "reversed" - I do not 100% know who would do the reversing, but I think it would be his Bank, not P&O

 

 

Barry

[Rasa Sayang]

If Dennis was to achieve satisfaction by having his fee "reversed" - I do not 100% know who would do the reversing, but I think it would be his Bank, not P&O

Actually, when you come to think of it Barry, you are right on the mark.

 

The account was presented in AU$ and thats what went onto the Credit Card. I think the bank got a bit confused by the fact that the Pacific Dawn account is probably London based.

 

I'm now seriously tempted to go and give my local bank manager a bit of a "stir" over it. :D:p

 

We've had International transfer fees on HAL and P&O UK [and rightly so] but never from an Australian based vessel that deals in Oz dollars.

 

As Alice would say: "curiouser and curiouser" :);)

[Skyrules]

This seems to be a bank thing, not a P&O thing....

 

On on one cruise we did (Jewel I think it was) we used 3 different credit cards amongst the group of us travelling, but only one card was charged the International transaction fee.

[sailawaysally]

We've had the charge with our Princess cruises but not P & O, when queried the bank said the charge they had came from America. ?????? I think the banks can find any excuse for an extra charge.

[The_Big_M]

Actually, when you come to think of it Barry, you are right on the mark.

 

The account was presented in AU$ and thats what went onto the Credit Card. I think the bank got a bit confused by the fact that the Pacific Dawn account is probably London based.

 

I'm now seriously tempted to go and give my local bank manager a bit of a "stir" over it. :D:p

 

We've had International transfer fees on HAL and P&O UK [and rightly so] but never from an Australian based vessel that deals in Oz dollars.

 

If you check your NAB terms, you'll see they charge two fees, both smaller individually than the normal international fee, but combined adding to a similar amount.

 

One of those fees is an offshore processing fee regardless of currency. That is, it also applies if a transaction is made offshore in AUD. Thus, your bank is just charging what they said they would.

 

P&O have paid this back on a goodwill basis as it's a bit questionable that they are processing these transactions offshore, particularly as it's not disclosed.

[musicorn]

It is a bank thing and that is why I use a 28 Degrees Card (Old Wizard Card) as there are no International fees no matter where I use it.

 

I have used it on ships, Bali, Villa, Noumea and no charges at all and better yet there are no monthly fees. Love it. :D

[Gold Coast Cruisers]

Interesting reading. As I see it the bank cannot charge an 'overseas transaction fee' when the charges were in AUD in the first place. I wouldn't think it is anything to do with where the company is registered.

Have a chat to your local bank Dennis....I would be interested to hear what they have to say.:)

Jilly:)

[The_Big_M]

Interesting reading. As I see it the bank cannot charge an 'overseas transaction fee' when the charges were in AUD in the first place.

 

The bank can when their terms say they can. Probably a nice little earner. Interesting that they're still not so popular with the others. :D

[Skyrules]

This seems to be a bank thing, not a P&O thing....

 

On on one cruise we did (Jewel I think it was) we used 3 different credit cards amongst the group of us travelling, but only one card was charged the International transaction fee.

 

Should also say, it's different within the same bank too. Our Commonwealth credit card has had the charge on some cruises, but not on others - even on the same ship.

[davoni]

We were told by P&O that the international transfer fee is charged by NAB but not most of the other banks. The NAB does not have an agreement with the cruise lines to waive this fee.

 

We were advised by a lovely lady at Carnival Customer Service to send copies of our credit card statements (even going back 3 years) for cruises we have done with P&O Australia and UK, Princess and Cunard and these fees would be refunded to us by the cruise line. In our case this amounted to approx $1200 so far.

 

Each time we get charged this fee we fax a copy of our bank statement to Carnival and receive a refund cheque. It's worth it as these amounts all add up and it is something we are not liable for as we pay for our cruises in AUD.

 

The fax number for Carnival Customer Service is 02 84249150

[waydago]

Hi All, just coming back to this site after a spell (hoping to cruise again soon) BUT, I have to say Rasa, this thread just made my blood boil again. I did have a thread on this a year or so ago and I felt like it had only happenned to me and my brother. While it never did get completely sorted, I have it on the "back burner" for me to do. You are right that it is not much money, but it IS the principle. I have had many emails and phone calls back and forth, each ALWAYS blaming the other. P&O did pay back for one cruise but I refused the next 2 as it is my belief that it IS the NAB (sorry Big M I know from before you don't agree) and on principle, THEY should pay. The NAB are billed from P&O in AUD, but at appears the NAB 'CHOOSE' to pay the London account. They have said that they have to have been billed from the London account to do this, where as P&O say they bill from their Australian account. Since it is only ever NAB Visa card passengers that this happens to, I believe P&O. To prove my point, I requested a copy of the electronic transaction from the NAB which would show which P&O office did the funds request, but was refused "due to privacy" reasons. P&O should not have to persue this with the NAB, but I was told they are working on the problem. Big M, I still disagree with the fine print you say is written. We all make purchases every day from retailers whose parent company is overseas and we don't have these fees attached. ALL my purchases were made in Australia with an Australian Company. Theid, its true, all these small fees would really make them a tidy profit. Since the well advertised removal of their OBVIOUS fees, the NAB need to stop this sneaky claw back of funds through other methods. My guess, it won't be long before the NAB will again be caught out, like few years ago, and be made to pay it all back. "More Give Less Take", Who are they kidding???

[The_Big_M]

Since it is only ever NAB Visa card passengers that this happens to, I believe P&O. ... We all make purchases every day from retailers whose parent company is overseas and we don't have these fees attached.

 

But then you could equally say you make purchases from many companies with your NAB card, but it is only P&O which has the issue...

 

Similarly, why is P&O refunding payments if NAB is at fault? That would have to be the most generous company I have come across (to refund for someone else's mistake) - and given the recent case against them for the low credit when they had mechanical failure as one example, that is not the case.

 

ALL my purchases were made in Australia with an Australian Company.

 

True. But they have a UK head office, and for whatever reason they process their accounts there instead of here. This causes a couple of credit card companies to apply the international transaction fee as stated in their terms.

[waydago]

1) But then you could equally say you make purchases from many companies with your NAB card, but it is only P&O which has the issue...

 

2) Similarly, why is P&O refunding payments if NAB is at fault? That would have to be the most generous company I have come across (to refund for someone else's mistake) - and given the recent case against them for the low credit when they had mechanical failure as one example, that is not the case.

 

3) True. But they have a UK head office, and for whatever reason they process their accounts there instead of here. This causes a couple of credit card companies to apply the international transaction fee as stated in their terms.

 

 

 

1) Good Point. I suppose my other many many problems I have had with the NAB also help to make me think it is them. Every year I have at least 2 fees added to my accounts that need to be removed.Or they take the same fees twice from separate accounts. They have added Zeros to withdrawals and have even repaid money back to another persons account. You can't get through on the phone and Bank Managers simply don't respond. So every mistake they make steals my time, and I'm a busy person.

 

2) To keep a customer satisfied perhaps? Just as NAB offered to refund, not because of the incorrect charge, but since i was "a good customer".

 

3) I don't believe any other bank would just disolve these fees so why would P&O only process NAB accounts from UK head office and not other banks.

 

I would appreciate any advice though on how to get to botton of it as P&O have stated that it is the NAB that they have this problem with and assured me that they DO HAVE the Australian bank details with which to pay.

[bazzaw]

I think that more to the point - many many people use credit cards of all different flavours/banks when paying their onboard accounts and also pay their fares to P&O by CC- and we don't have much of a problem in this regard reported in this Forum. I use ANZ - and have had the fee charged to my CC account and then removed on the same statement, before I even got the statement. In other words, it appeared as a debit and a credit on the same statement.

I don't think we can definitively say that the problem lies with either P&O or NAB - as there are not many people reporting the problem here

 

Barry

[thied]

There is one was to solve the problem, and that is to pay in cash or travel money.

[The_Big_M]

I think that more to the point - many many people use credit cards of all different flavours/banks when paying their onboard accounts and also pay their fares to P&O by CC- and we don't have much of a problem in this regard reported in this Forum. I use ANZ - and have had the fee charged to my CC account and then removed on the same statement, before I even got the statement. In other words, it appeared as a debit and a credit on the same statement.

 

The difference there is that most other banks only charge on transactions in a foreign currency. Probably 10 years back, NAB changed that single fee to two fees: 85% of that original fee for transactions in a foreign currency, and 15% of the previous fee for transactions made overseas, regardless of the currency (including Australian).

 

Thus, if you charge an amount in AUD overseas (e.g. in the UK, US, Canada...) most other banks cards will not charge a fee on that. NAB do (for most of their cards).