We directly booked with Royal Caribbean having identified the cruise as ideal for us. However calling a local phone number from an Australian website and being given a quote in Australian dollars does not stop the bank from charging a foreign transaction fee of 3%. The payment from our credit card was going to a merchant outside Australia! I now know that this is common practice throughout the world and another great example of the banks charging fees for doing nothing. The quote had some fine print about your bank may charge you additional fees and I failed to pay enough attention to that but Royal Caribbean failed to say this will be a foreign transaction as far as your bank is concerned. I strongly believe they have a responsibility to inform their clients fully of this. 3% of $5,000 is $150. Not happy.

I find out there are two Australian credit cards that do not charge these fees. I get one. I contact Royal Caribbean and ask them to reverse the transaction and charge the new card. They refuse. They say this is the bank’s fee and nothing to do with us. I send an email requesting onboard credit of $100 pointing out that if I had used a travel agent they would have paid a commission of about 10% ($500) and I would not have been charged by the bank. I get no answer to my email. I think this is very rude. I strongly suggest everyone use a locally based travel agent.

I strongly suggest that everyone ask questions of any foreign based company even when they are quoting to you in local currency if their banking is based locally and if not seeking out a means to pay directly to the company in their currency or finding and using a credit card that does not charge foreign currency fees when you are already paying a margin on the currency transaction. Read more