RCI Hawai'i to Sydney Transpacific Currency and Gratuities Question

[plettza]

With cruising opening up, we are taking Ovation of the Seas from Honolulu to Sydney this October.

 

We've never sailed Royal and never sailed a transpacific itinerary before.

 

Our cruise was booked via RCI's Australian website in AUD.

 

Can anyone confirm if gratuities are included on our cruise and also, what is the onboard currency?  Is it USD or AUD?

 

I can't seem to find any useful information in RCI Australia's FAQ section and I don't want to ask in the Royal Roll-call forum as it appears it's mainly Yanks in there and they might not know the correct answer especially if they don't book from Australia.  I'd rather someone who's booked via RCI Australia's website and has first-hand knowledge.

 

Any updated, current insight is appreciated.

 

 

Edited August 28, 2022 by plettza

[OzKiwiJJ]

RCI's onboard currency is always USD.

 

I think you will have to pay additional gratuities but am not sure on that. Check your bookibg confirmation, there may be something in the fine print about gratuities, or look at your booking on the RCI website.

[arxcards]

6 minutes ago, plettza said:

With cruising opening up, we are taking Ovation of the Seas from Honolulu to Sydney this October.

 

We've never sailed Royal and never sailed a transpacific itinerary before.

 

Our cruise was booked via RCI's Australian website in AUD.

 

Can anyone confirm if gratuities are included on our cruise and also, what is the onboard currency?  Is it USD or AUD?

 

I can't seem to find any useful information in RCI Australia's FAQ section and I don't want to ask in the Royal Roll-call forum as it appears it's mainly Yanks in there and they might not know the correct answer especially if they don't book from Australia.  I'd rather someone who's booked via RCI Australia's website and has first-hand knowledge.

 

Any updated, current insight is appreciated.

 

 

Booking via the Aussie RCI site, your gratuities are included (paid in your fare). Good news

$US onboard account, not as good news.

[plettza]

3 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

RCI's onboard currency is always USD.

 

I think you will have to pay additional gratuities but am not sure on that. Check your bookibg confirmation, there may be something in the fine print about gratuities, or look at your booking on the RCI website.

Ok thanks.  Unlike Carnival's website, I can't seem to find any cruise contract documents on my account page.  I'll dig through my emails but I don't recall getting anything like I do with Carnival. 

[plettza]

2 minutes ago, arxcards said:

Booking via the Aussie RCI site, your gratuities are included (paid in your fare). Good news

$US onboard account, not as good news.

I've already prepaid some dining, drinks package deluxe and internet so I hope I shouldn't have too many other purchases.

[arxcards]

37 minutes ago, plettza said:

Ok thanks.  Unlike Carnival's website, I can't seem to find any cruise contract documents on my account page.  I'll dig through my emails but I don't recall getting anything like I do with Carnival. 

Current T&C's, particularly with section 4

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/aus/en/terms-and-conditions/information-terms-and-conditions-au

[Chiliburn]

10 hours ago, plettza said:

I've already prepaid some dining, drinks package deluxe and internet so I hope I shouldn't have too many other purchases.

I’m pretty sure your gratuity is included, if it wasn’t you would have the opportunity to prepay them or get the bill at the end.
 

U.S dollars onboard, I don’t know why people panic, you just have to keep it in mind.  It will be processed in Sydney so there’s no international fees and your card will be changed in $AU.

[MMDown Under]

1 hour ago, Chiliburn said:

I’m pretty sure your gratuity is included, if it wasn’t you would have the opportunity to prepay them or get the bill at the end.
 

U.S dollars onboard, I don’t know why people panic, you just have to keep it in mind.  It will be processed in Sydney so there’s no international fees and your card will be changed in $AU.

Because $1Aus currently is worth $.69c US!  

[arxcards]

3 hours ago, Chiliburn said:

U.S dollars onboard, I don’t know why people panic, you just have to keep it in mind.  It will be processed in Sydney so there’s no international fees and your card will be changed in $AU.

There is no panic, just added expense, and Royal converts it at a poor conversion rate. Depending on your card, you are usually better off having them charge it in $US and letting your bank convert. Certainly the case for our card. You have a choice between being charged in $AU or $US.

[Chiliburn]

29 minutes ago, arxcards said:

There is no panic, just added expense, and Royal converts it at a poor conversion rate. Depending on your card, you are usually better off having them charge it in $US and letting your bank convert. Certainly the case for our card. You have a choice between being charged in $AU or $US.

It’s been a couple of years but you used to have a option to go through a third person or brokerage in N.Y . 
I did it once and wasn’t very impressed .

I found it’s best to have Royal Caribbean Sydney to charge my MasterCard .

Edited August 29, 2022 by Chiliburn

[joejoe 59]

2 hours ago, arxcards said:

There is no panic, just added expense, and Royal converts it at a poor conversion rate. Depending on your card, you are usually better off having them charge it in $US and letting your bank convert. Certainly the case for our card. You have a choice between being charged in $AU or $US.

Does rcl ask how you want it converted or do you have to tell them?

We have a 28 degrees card.

[gbenjo]

27 minutes ago, joejoe 59 said:

Does rcl ask how you want it converted or do you have to tell them?

We have a 28 degrees card.

Yes, there will be an option when you do your check in  docs  for currency conversion.
A.  Royal   does the conversion

B. Your bank does the conversion.

I always tell guests that the easiest way to remember this is

 A = awful.  

B = better ( best) 

[joejoe 59]

13 minutes ago, gbenjo said:

Yes, there will be an option when you do your check in  docs  for currency conversion.
A.  Royal   does the conversion

B. Your bank does the conversion.

I always tell guests that the easiest way to remember this is

 A = awful.  

B = better ( best) 

Thanks for that.  I love that way of remembering 😀

[arxcards]

1 hour ago, joejoe 59 said:

Does rcl ask how you want it converted or do you have to tell them?

We have a 28 degrees card.

Some ask, some you need to tell at check-in. You are able select in your options before you print out your docs. Even then, some of the check-in staff in the past have even insisted it is much better in $AU. They can override your choice, so be sure to remember B for Best.

 

28 degrees has no conversion margin, and you pay the Mastercard midrate of the day so that is not just a B for better, but a C for celebrate.

[arxcards]

3 hours ago, Chiliburn said:

It’s been a couple of years but you used to have a option to go through a third person or brokerage in N.Y . 
I did it once and wasn’t very impressed .

I found it’s best to have Royal Caribbean Sydney to charge my MasterCard .

The choice is of two - Royal converting or your bank converting. Pretty much all Aussie banks have a better conversion, but some also charge a processing fee - pays to read up on what your bank will charge to convert your likely spend (conversion margin & fees).

 

For today, 28 degree Mastercard will be the midrate of  of around 68.5 cents, Royal will be around 64 cents. Not a big deal for small amounts, but the difference is still dead money - you get nothing for it.

[gbenjo]

4 hours ago, Chiliburn said:

It’s been a couple of years but you used to have a option to go through a third person or brokerage in N.Y . 
I did it once and wasn’t very impressed .

I found it’s best to have Royal Caribbean Sydney to charge my MasterCard .

Must have been a long time ago. I have been doing check in for twelve years and is has only ever been your bank or the ship.

[plettza]

I checked us in earlier and was asked if RCI should do the conversion of not.  I selected No.

 

Again, I doubt I'd spend much on board as we've pre-paid drinks, internet, dining, etc.

[Hammer61]

2 minutes ago, plettza said:

I checked us in earlier and was asked if RCI should do the conversion of not.  I selected No.

 

Again, I doubt I'd spend much on board as we've pre-paid drinks, internet, dining, etc.

Same as us, got what we want pre cruise and paid in A$, we do have US$200 OBC so will use that for any bits and pieces like Laundry that's going to need doing at some point, anything left will go on duty free before arriving in Sydney.

 

Checked in yesterday, earliest we could get was 1pm😐 oh well with COVID expect they need to stagger everyone.

 

Have been emailed a Royal Up offer as well, so put bids in for a Junior and Grand Suite from the standard balcony we have booked, but not sure we will get lucky 🤞 the indicator only had us at borderline fair chance/low chance, not sure what sort of success rate these things have? Wont hear until just before the sailing as i expect they will still try and sell those unsold cabins.

[plettza]

3 hours ago, Hammer61 said:

Same as us, got what we want pre cruise and paid in A$, we do have US$200 OBC so will use that for any bits and pieces like Laundry that's going to need doing at some point, anything left will go on duty free before arriving in Sydney.

 

Checked in yesterday, earliest we could get was 1pm😐 oh well with COVID expect they need to stagger everyone.

 

Have been emailed a Royal Up offer as well, so put bids in for a Junior and Grand Suite from the standard balcony we have booked, but not sure we will get lucky 🤞 the indicator only had us at borderline fair chance/low chance, not sure what sort of success rate these things have? Wont hear until just before the sailing as i expect they will still try and sell those unsold cabins.

We've got a 13:30 check-in so we'll be right behind your check-in time.

 

With laundry, do we need to add a gratuity to the bill?

[Chiliburn]

9 hours ago, gbenjo said:

Must have been a long time ago. I have been doing check in for twelve years and is has only ever been your bank or the ship.

The option was in cruise planner when you were setting up your account.

[Hammer61]

9 hours ago, plettza said:

With laundry, do we need to add a gratuity to the bill?

Pretty sure they do as seems to be added to everything! Wife did some dry cleaning on a RCI cruise a couple of years ago, all I remember is how expensive it seemed, but have heard they will offer a bag laundry deal on longer voyages, US$35 per bag, that isn’t that big apparently so stuff it as full as possible, did read to be careful what you send on this type of deal as well, anything delicate could be damaged in the industrial machines that will be heated far higher than your domestic machine, for health reasons I guess, but getting some laundry done on such a long cruise is maybe unavoidable.

 

We will take bit of liquid detergent and wash socks and jocks etc ourselves, think they have a small cloths line in the shower.

[Jean C]

52 minutes ago, Hammer61 said:

We will take bit of liquid detergent and wash socks and jocks etc ourselves, think they have a small cloths line in the shower.

Hi, for hand washing, which I do every day on a cruise, I just use a handful of the provided shampoo, including shampoo/conditioner, and body wash - it does the trick in that you get a sink full of bubbly water and it saves you having to bring your own detergent. Cabin stewards must wonder why we use so much but they keep topping them up for us 🙂

[gbenjo]

6 hours ago, Chiliburn said:

The option was in cruise planner when you were setting up your account.

Strange…….their computer system only shows the two options. 🤔🤔

[Chiliburn]

16 minutes ago, gbenjo said:

Strange…….their computer system only shows the two options. 🤔🤔

This is probably 3-4 years ago Graham before they processed it in sydney, I think it was processed in Miami.

I don’t know what the situation will be coming up but there was a option to have it processed by a third party. From memory it was a N.Y. bank .
It was in the cruise planner, would you like it to be processed by RC or a third party.I used it once but wasn’t impressed.

 

Im starting to forget what a ship looks like let alone murky details like that.

[arxcards]

7 hours ago, Chiliburn said:

The option was in cruise planner when you were setting up your account.

That place you speak of in New York is the financial mob that Royal use to convert your account from US to AU. It used to be in the fine print of option A.