Canadian cruisers!!

[Haber]

How were the lines? They were crazy on the Enchantment yesterday. Over 1000 kids 18-25 years old on our sailing and a lot of them with cash accounts.

 

I went right after dinner and it wasn't bad. Not sure of I just hit a lull or what.

[Friend100]

There are four 7-night sailings for Serenade of the Seas in summer 2016 from end of June to mid-July going to Scandinavia & Russia (out of Stockholm) that has pretty good prices in CAD$. Inside starts at $839 CAD pp.

 

Edited March 22, 2015 by Friend100

[goodml]

My son and his friends are off Freedom today. They had each bought $500 obc and said it worked perfectly. There was a note in the cabin for each when they boarded stating that they had the credit. Each purchased a drink pkg once on board. They had also prepaid tips at the reduced rate. The remainder was refunded at guest services the morning of the last day and all but one had used credit cards to back up the accounts.

 

On another note, the rate is still in effect as of yesterday. We have three cabins on Adventure next month and each couple just purchased another $500. Plus a friend who is doing a 10 night and likes to gamble put $2000 on yesterday.

Edited March 22, 2015 by goodml

[goodml]

There are four 7-night sailings for Serenade of the Seas in summer 2016 from end of June to mid-July going to Scandinavia & Russia (out of Stockholm) that has pretty good prices in CAD$. Inside starts at $839 CAD pp.

 

 

Thanks for the tip!

[Gquie]

I can confirm the rate is still 10% as I just added $500 OBC for $550 for an upcoming sailing next week!

 

Thanks so much for the currency tip!

 

If I dont spend all of it do I have to go down to guest services the night before day 7 to get it refunded? or will it just automatically get refunded to my credit card at some point after the cruise?

 

Aside from the great exchange rate one of the reasons I wanted to buy OBC was so that my account including gratuities would all be settled automatically and I can just walk off the ship without having to line up. If I have to line up to get it refunded that would be annoying.

[hancogran]

I can confirm the rate is still 10% as I just added $500 OBC for $550 for an upcoming sailing next week!

 

Thanks so much for the currency tip!

 

If I dont spend all of it do I have to go down to guest services the night before day 7 to get it refunded? or will it just automatically get refunded to my credit card at some point after the cruise?

 

Aside from the great exchange rate one of the reasons I wanted to buy OBC was so that my account including gratuities would all be settled automatically and I can just walk off the ship without having to line up. If I have to line up to get it refunded that would be annoying.

 

I would definitely line up to get it refunded in cold hard cash! Yes, it's a bit of an inconvenience but I think if you get it refunded to your credit card, it will be refunded in Canadian dollars at the rate you paid (10%).

 

I plan on getting what's left from mine in U.S. dollars (cash) and know I may have to line up for it but it's a great deal. :D

[oshoguno]

I just bought $500 OBC for $550 Canadian.

[Gquie]

I would definitely line up to get it refunded in cold hard cash! Yes, it's a bit of an inconvenience but I think if you get it refunded to your credit card, it will be refunded in Canadian dollars at the rate you paid (10%).

 

I plan on getting what's left from mine in U.S. dollars (cash) and know I may have to line up for it but it's a great deal. :D

 

Thank you for that tip! Do they have enough cash to refund so much to people?? If thats the case it would be awesome to get USD at 10%! sucks just a few years ago we were at par... haha.

[Lizzzys]

Thank you for that tip! Do they have enough cash to refund so much to people?? If thats the case it would be awesome to get USD at 10%! sucks just a few years ago we were at par... haha.

 

I was wondering that, but I think that if people start abusing the system (by using them to convert tons of money at such a great discount, just so you can take the cash home) it will quickly disappear. Not gonna do that.

[Gquie]

I was wondering that, but I think that if people start abusing the system (by using them to convert tons of money at such a great discount, just so you can take the cash home) it will quickly disappear. Not gonna do that.

 

No of course and thats a very fair point. I only bought $500 and I intend to spend most of it on excursions, drink packages, and gratuities and it should eat up most of it. I do wonder though if people use it as a forex converter for large sums. I mean how much OBC can one possibly buy anyways before RCI says no lol.

[goodml]

I would definitely line up to get it refunded in cold hard cash! Yes, it's a bit of an inconvenience but I think if you get it refunded to your credit card, it will be refunded in Canadian dollars at the rate you paid (10%).

 

I plan on getting what's left from mine in U.S. dollars (cash) and know I may have to line up for it but it's a great deal. :D

 

My son and his friends left Freedom today. They went yesterday after lunch to get their leftover cash and said there was no line. With regards to letting the excess go back on the credit card, one of his friends elected to do it this way. The ship refunds to the card you used to secure the account at check in. He ticked the box on his set sail pass to NOT have the ship convert his charges to CDN. The refund went back on his card in US $. The conversion will be done by the CDN credit card company at their current rate not at the 10% rate.

[hancogran]

My son and his friends left Freedom today. They went yesterday after lunch to get their leftover cash and said there was no line. With regards to letting the excess go back on the credit card, one of his friends elected to do it this way. The ship refunds to the card you used to secure the account at check in. He ticked the box on his set sail pass to NOT have the ship convert his charges to CDN. The refund went back on his card in US $. The conversion will be done by the CDN credit card company at their current rate not at the 10% rate.

:) Well that's good to know! Thanks so much for the info. I thought it would go back on your card in Canadian funds using the 10% rate that we paid to purchase it in the first place. I ALWAYS tick the box to have RCI NOT convert to CAD (but sometimes they miss it).

[trev71]

I was wondering that, but I think that if people start abusing the system (by using them to convert tons of money at such a great discount, just so you can take the cash home) it will quickly disappear. Not gonna do that.

 

 

i wont be abusing the system i would like to keep this rate going for a while for all us Canadians . I just took enough to cover my expense for a normal cruise.

Edited March 23, 2015 by trev71

[mapleleafvoyage]

Not all us Canadians can get this offer!!!

[jtdlmc]

i wont be abusing the system i would like to keep this rate going for a while for all us Canadians . I just took enough to cover my expense for a normal cruise.

 

Us too, we just purchased enough OBC to pay for the premium beverage package for each of us - hoping the cost of the package doesn't increase too much in the next year :)

Edited March 23, 2015 by jtdlmc

[anijac1412]

I just called and the 10% rate is still in effect today!

 

However, when I asked the rep what the maximum was that I could apply, she said $500 per reservation... Hmm!

[trev71]

Not all us Canadians can get this offer!!!

 

 

Next time you will probably book in Canadian Dollars. It annoying I know if it was me I would be annoyed too. but it doesnt work both ways

 

 

I almost booked in US dollars I am glad I didnt. That was back when our dollar was pretty much at pare. There was no benefit for me to book in us dollars

Edited March 23, 2015 by trev71

[ladysail2]

Not all us Canadians can get this offer!!!

 

Why not? :confused:

[jtdlmc]

Why not? :confused:

 

If you book your cruise in US$, your OBC, and everything else bought through RCI for that booking, needs to be paid for in US$.

[trev71]

If you book your cruise in US$, your OBC, and everything else bought through RCI for that booking, needs to be paid for in US$.

 

 

Yes that is correct. Alot of people probably booked when our dollar was at par or slightly better than the us dollar. From the outlook of it now it wont be for a long time before our dollar is worth more than the us dollar

[Paddy41]

Glad to hear the rate is still 10%. My husband just asked me to get him some OBC. We are doing a B2B so we thought if we bought it for the first week and then got any left back in US$ we could use the US$ for offshore things during our second week (or in the casino).

Can someone explain again how you make it so refunds do not go back automatically on your credit card? Do you just not give them a credit card when you do your check-in?

[mapleleafvoyage]

If you book your cruise in US$, your OBC, and everything else bought through RCI for that booking, needs to be paid for in US$.

 

 

This is what happened. It was nothing about the dollar being high or not- at the time (a year and a half ago-) it wasn't even considered to be and issue, we were new cruisers and just booked it, never gave a second thought...

 

I called and was told we were not eligible. I asked if I could get in on the deal, and was quickly shot down.

I told them it was odd that they didn't want my money. But thanked them anyways- because in the long run- saves us money. And I said, perhaps in the future they will be able to handle the two foreign currencies of the U.S. Dollar and Canadian Dollar, since they said they couldn't handle 2 currencies?? Lol

[Ourusualbeach]

Glad to hear the rate is still 10%. My husband just asked me to get him some OBC. We are doing a B2B so we thought if we bought it for the first week and then got any left back in US$ we could use the US$ for offshore things during our second week (or in the casino).

Can someone explain again how you make it so refunds do not go back automatically on your credit card? Do you just not give them a credit card when you do your check-in?

 

You are able to select cash account when you do your on line check in. No credit card required.

[Toddcan]

I just got back from our cruise. I had $1,200 in OBC ($200 from Royal, and $500 x 2 that I bought at 10%).

 

When I checked in, I made sure they kept the account as "cash", which I selected online before I came to the port.

 

I had great intentions of having a balance at the end, but I got a Invicta watch, and my DW swears the Guess purse sale they had were killer prices. Plus, we bought some shore excursions onboard too. I had to go down and put my credit card on file on the second last day because I plowed through the OBC. So... I did not get a chance to try out the cashing out.

 

But, I did run into a Canadian who cashed out some amounts mid cruise in the Casino, and was charged 5%, but then their account showed a credit for that 5%. So, it cost them nothing. No idea how common that is.

[trev71]

I just got back from our cruise. I had $1,200 in OBC ($200 from Royal, and $500 x 2 that I bought at 10%).

 

When I checked in, I made sure they kept the account as "cash", which I selected online before I came to the port.

 

I had great intentions of having a balance at the end, but I got a Invicta watch, and my DW swears the Guess purse sale they had were killer prices. Plus, we bought some shore excursions onboard too. I had to go down and put my credit card on file on the second last day because I plowed through the OBC. So... I did not get a chance to try out the cashing out.

 

But, I did run into a Canadian who cashed out some amounts mid cruise in the Casino, and was charged 5%, but then their account showed a credit for that 5%. So, it cost them nothing. No idea how common that is.

 

Glad to know everything worked out for you. I have no doubt that we will blow threw ours as well. Last time we were on the Oasis the Guess store was lined up at least 100 people waiting just to get in for the so called sale