Exchange Rate - US to Australian Dollars

[can786]

Our next cruise is Australia/New Zealand on the Majestic Princess and all onboard charges are in Australian dollars.  The OBC I have from a booking promo, TA promo and FCC have all been applied at a 1:1 US dollar to Australian dollar rate.  While I find it annoying that they do not convert US dollars to Australian dollars and give me the higher amount, I'm not too concerned since I didn't actually pay out of pocket for any of these OBCs.  Does anyone know whether they would do the same if I were to use a gift card and apply it for OBC, or would they use the actual exchange rate and give me a higher amount in Australian dollars?  It wouldn't be worth it if they apply the OBC at a 1:1 ratio.

[lolo11]

I have the same question. I assumed they would apply the going exchange rate usd to aud.

[Steelers36]

5 hours ago, can786 said:

Our next cruise is Australia/New Zealand on the Majestic Princess and all onboard charges are in Australian dollars.  The OBC I have from a booking promo, TA promo and FCC have all been applied at a 1:1 US dollar to Australian dollar rate.  While I find it annoying that they do not convert US dollars to Australian dollars and give me the higher amount, I'm not too concerned since I didn't actually pay out of pocket for any of these OBCs.  Does anyone know whether they would do the same if I were to use a gift card and apply it for OBC, or would they use the actual exchange rate and give me a higher amount in Australian dollars?  It wouldn't be worth it if they apply the OBC at a 1:1 ratio.

Yes, quite annoying.  They were doing same thing in 2019.  I cannot recall for certain, but I *think* they may have converted at the corporate rate in effect some time back, but not certain.  Do you know @PescadoAmarillo?

 

I cannot answer about the gift card in USD and cashing it in at GS on the ship.  I'd be suspicious about getting an exchange rate.  I'd want it in writing from PCL if they do that.  

 

What they might do is exchange it at the same rate as if you went to GS and handed them a $100 US bill and asked for AUD in exchange.  That is going to be a terrible rate for sure and would not make sense.  You would be better to buy AUD from a bank and then deposit it into your on board account.

Edited June 1, 2023 by Steelers36

[capriccio]

I can tell you the exchange rate at the beginning of May since we received our remaining refundable OBC from our April cruise recently: 

 

• 1 USD = 1.50 AUD
• 1 AUD = 0.67 USD

 

I don't have any experience with the gift cards.

[milolii]

So here is the FAQs about the GCs.  About halfway down the page the document states the GC will be converted to the currency used onboard at the exchange rate posted at the Passenger Service Desk.  Agree the rate will not be good, and will not be the “actual” rate.  

 

https://www.princess.com/learn/cruise-gifts-celebrations/overview/gift-cards/faqs/#:~:text=A%3A Princess Cruises Gift Cards will be redeemable onboard Princess,at the Passenger Services Desk.

 

 

[Jgail]

Yes, this totally threw me for a loop also.  We will be traveling with PCL in Australia next Spring.  Received a promo OBC of $600 (this was a PCL site wide promo, not specific to this cruise).  It shows as $600 AUD on our online account.  Seems very misleading since I paid US $ for the cruise itself, and it was spendy for a cruise.  Our military OBC is also showing up as unconverted AUD$.  Very strange to me.  I'll have to call PCL and ask them to explain how this works.  For now, will not be booking any excursions or puchasing the Plus package till it's resolved for me.  

 

[trinitygirl]

I only have information the other way around - I just bought some US OBC for my upcoming cruise, and they charged me $135 AUD for $100 US - which is a really good exchange rate (my credit card would charge me $152 for the same amount). 

 

[Astro Flyer]

1 hour ago, Jgail said:

Yes, this totally threw me for a loop also.  We will be traveling with PCL in Australia next Spring.  Received a promo OBC of $600 (this was a PCL site wide promo, not specific to this cruise).  It shows as $600 AUD on our online account.  Seems very misleading since I paid US $ for the cruise itself, and it was spendy for a cruise.  Our military OBC is also showing up as unconverted AUD$.  Very strange to me.  I'll have to call PCL and ask them to explain how this works.  For now, will not be booking any excursions or puchasing the Plus package till it's resolved for me.  

 

I also have an Australian cruise booked in the USA paying the fare in USD. When I researched USD OBC being converted into the same amount of AUD that results in a 1/3 decrease in value…$300 AUD is equivalent to only $200. And people who had first hand experiences said tips were about A$23 to be the equivalent of $16 tips.

 

Edited June 1, 2023 by Astro Flyer

[PescadoAmarillo]

There is definitely a penalty of sorts for US and Canadian cruisers on Princess ships out of Australia…but worth every penny. However, regarding gift cards, there is also a Australian surcharge on credit cards charges (when we were there it was 1.4% I think), so if you have a balance due, you will get charged that, which doesn’t offset the gift card loss but is something to consider. 
 

Do not, under any circumstance, leave a ship with refundable credit in AUD. It is harder than heck to get that reimbursed. 

[Thrak]

Directly from the Shareholder Benefit Info Form:

 

This clearly shows that the benefit will be in the currency used on the ship.

 

[Thrak]

I should be visiting my TA tomorrow (hopefully) to give him some more gift cards to apply to our cruises. At that time I will ask if he knows how it works if I buy OBC in advance. Hopefully it will be at a better rate than if I hand a gift card to Passenger Services to apply.

 

So far we have paid off the first leg and part of the second leg of our B2B2B next fall. Since the airfare to Melbourne was included in the final total for the first leg there was no issue paying it off with gift cards. I'm sitting on $5,300 more in gift cards that I will have him apply and will need to buy another $5,100 to pay off the rest of what is owed - including the flight home.

 

It's a lot of gift cards to deal with but the 10% saving is worth the hassle.

[Yehootu]

How does it affect a transpacific from Syd to Vancouver? we have a 10 day Queensland booked prior to a 30 day Syd to YVR. What if we wait to pay onboard with gift cards till say Hawaii??

1 hour ago, Thrak said:

I should be visiting my TA tomorrow (hopefully) to give him some more gift cards to apply to our cruises. At that time I will ask if he knows how it works if I buy OBC in advance. Hopefully it will be at a better rate than if I hand a gift card to Passenger Services to apply.

 

So far we have paid off the first leg and part of the second leg of our B2B2B next fall. Since the airfare to Melbourne was included in the final total for the first leg there was no issue paying it off with gift cards. I'm sitting on $5,300 more in gift cards that I will have him apply and will need to buy another $5,100 to pay off the rest of what is owed - including the flight home.

 

It's a lot of gift cards to deal with but the 10% saving is worth the hassle.

Another question for your friendly TA. We have a 10 day Queensland followed by a 30 day Syd to YVR. What if we wait till Hawaii to pay onboard bill for excursions, etc?? We use the gift cards for the fare, and we're going to use some for excursions. Maybe we'll wait.