Canadians - Current Exchange Rate?

[ilovetotravel1977]

Hmm, maybe I should call and rebook with the better exchange rate. I just booked at the end of May and it was 1.19.

[Love.NCL]

Hmm, maybe I should call and rebook with the better exchange rate. I just booked at the end of May and it was 1.19.

 

Ahh boo! I just called NCL and the exchange rate is still 1.19. Wonder how the person got 1.11 last week ago? I also booked a few weeks ago at 1.19 and our exchange rate as only gone down even more since.

[cherrypop]

Only direct bookings with NCL and booking through Canadian travel agents are allowed to book in Canadian dollars.

 

US agents are not allowed to make Canadian dollar bookings.

 

If your agent is Canadian, they simply have to ask NCL to price in Cdn.

 

We live in Canada and we booked through an American travel agent and we are paying in Canadian funds. We have done this for all our cruises. Works out to our advantage.

 

Cherie

[smartpeach]

You can always cancel and rebook as many times as you want prior to final payment. That's how you get the good promos too.

.

 

But if you cancel and rebook to get a better $CAD exchange rate, you may lose your perks with the old promo. Then you'll have to chose between getting an awesome perk/freebie or a better exchange rate. You may have to chose one or the other.

 

 

:)

Edited June 8, 2015 by smartpeach

[ilovetotravel1977]

Well, yes. I guess I should have mentioned that part too, about maybe losing any promos if they are not still being offered at that time.

[ilovetotravel1977]

bumping this up for any recent bookings

[Tangocherie]

Last Saturday, I booked a 10 day cruise on the Gem for April 2016. My calculations show that I paid just under 12% over the $US rate. So much better than the regular going rate and without the extra 2.5% my credit card charges for payments in a foreign currency!

[canuck059]

When we booked Epic in middle of May (through a Cdn TA in Cdn$) the difference in the cost worked out to a rate of 1.19. That still seems to be true today. However, I just had my TA call and ask what the DSC was in Cdn$. The answer $14.39/day. That is a rate of 1.11. A similar thing happened with our RCI cruise this spring - the cruise price (and excursions) seemed to be adjusted closer to market value whereas pre-paying DSC or buying OBC was at a better (older?) rate. That said, I'm prepaying my DSC now in Cdn$ (at 1.11)rather than have it charged in $US during the cruise. I haven't checked whether NCL will allow me to buy OBC to spend on the cruise at that rate yet.

When asking NCL about the rate of conversion, I've found it works better if you phrase it as "How much is the DSC in $Cdn? or How much will it cost in $Cdn to buy x$ OBC?" rather than "What exchange rate are you charging?"

[xcell]

As long as your American TA can bill you in cdn $$$ then no worries but there are some who cannot (or do not)...so then your dinged with usd conversion and possible processing fees from your credit card company (if your using a Canadian visa...although amazon.ca visa card does not charge this)

 

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk

[Paddy41]

As long as your American TA can bill you in cdn $$$ then no worries but there are some who cannot (or do not)...so then your dinged with usd conversion and possible processing fees from your credit card company (if your using a Canadian visa...although amazon.ca visa card does not charge this)

 

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk

 

 

Another Canadian said the Sears MC does not charge the extra either.

[b_cruise]

I called to book ncl out of NOLA and had the ncl fellow quote me in canadian dollars. I checked the exchange rate and it was about $50 difference for two of us, so not big deal. In think inking the 1.19 exchange rate. Then I called my ta in Canada and I have no idea how she did it, but she got me a canadian price that was very close to usa price. She did have a group booking I tagged onto but I was pretty happy.

 

I guess moral of my story is to call around.

[ilovetotravel1977]

Any new bookings/exchange rates?

[Kingmaker_inc]

Which means I will be calling NCL at the end of the summer for a better rate :)

 

It is set for three months, and three months hasn't passed for the 1.19 rate.

[littleengine]

I just bought some OBC for my Sept 2015 cruise and the $500 US cost me about $580 Canadian. A worse exchange rate than when I bought the same $500 OBC for only $540 late in 2014 for my Feb 2015 cruise, but still better than the bank (or my credit card's) exchange rate.

[Prinz]

How do you book in Canadian dollars?

 

I went through ncl.com but all their prices are always in USD for me.

Which means I pay whatever the bank's exchange is on the day that I pay for something.

[Shawnino]

How do you book in Canadian dollars?

 

I went through ncl.com but all their prices are always in USD for me.

Which means I pay whatever the bank's exchange is on the day that I pay for something.

 

Canadian TA, or NCL Phone.

[ilovetotravel1977]

Don't book through the NCL website. Call them instead. Tell them you are Canadian and would like to be billed in Cdn $. Their exchange rate will be better than the banks. Likely around 1.19 at this point in time.

[girlcruiser]

As long as your American TA can bill you in cdn $$$ then no worries but there are some who cannot (or do not)...so then your dinged with usd conversion and possible processing fees from your credit card company (if your using a Canadian visa...although amazon.ca visa card does not charge this)

 

Thanks for the information about amazon.ca visa not charging the fee just signed up for one had a future cruise credit for the downpayment but as a Solo cruiser there was just one US TA offering the amazing solo rate I got on my upcoming NCL Gem cruise

[Prinz]

Canadian TA, or NCL Phone.

 

Don't book through the NCL website. Call them instead. Tell them you are Canadian and would like to be billed in Cdn $. Their exchange rate will be better than the banks. Likely around 1.19 at this point in time.

 

Thank you.

 

At this point they're no longer offering the free UBP for that voyage.

And for a 19 day cruise that far outweighs the benefits of cancelling to get a better exchange rate.

I guess I'll know for next time and hope the oil price will go up and drive the CAD up before my final payment on this one.

[burm]

When I went in April, I had locked into 1.0725 rate...pretty much at par, which was amazing.

 

That is amazing, especially since I booked April 3 and paid 1.11.

 

I guess I should have pre-paid gratuities as well. They say the $CAN is going to continue to sink in the foreseeable future.

 

Before booking, I called one of the biggest online US TA's and was told that they could not book me in Canadian. They offered a $400 OBC, but that would not compensate for having to pay in US.

 

What always upsets me is that in many countries they want you to pay cash in $US. What this means is that we are basically paying to convert twice.

[santacap]

Didn't know about this option before booking (was a present so wasn't involved ;) )

 

But changed over yesterday, had to cancel and re-book at 1.19... was no problem but the CC rate and fees of about 1.26-27 depending will save

 

Going to buy a bunch of OBC too.

 

Definitely made my day, thanks for the thread:)

[murcor]

Booked June 30th, 2015 for March 2016 @ 1.19

[santacap]

does the rate you lock in the price for (1.19) stay for all pre cruise purchases right up until the cruise date?

 

FYI, the dollar has taken a pretty big hit so 1.19 IMO will be as good as it gets for a little bit

[ilovetotravel1977]

Yes, it does!

 

For our Epic cruise, I bought a bunch of OBC to use on the ship for $1 tips, souvenirs.

 

This time on the Escape, I am going to book our excursion through NCL so I get the better exchange rate on that too.

 

That way I only need US cash for any taxis and meals pre-cruise at the hotel or post-cruise at the airport.

[michelle028]

Yes, it does!

 

For our Epic cruise, I bought a bunch of OBC to use on the ship for $1 tips, souvenirs.

 

This time on the Escape, I am going to book our excursion through NCL so I get the better exchange rate on that too.

 

That way I only need US cash for any taxis and meals pre-cruise at the hotel or post-cruise at the airport.

 

 

Pre- Purchased all my NCL excursions with CDN dollars for my upcoming cruise so I saved on that!