Travel & Holidays Cruise fares and cheaper prices via USA compared to Oz

Discussion in 'Living Room' started by Handyandy, 16th May, 2017.

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  1. Handyandy

    Handyandy Well-Known Member

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    Just looking at a cruise Vancouver to Anchorage and find it rather puzzling that the USA based travel sites including the actual cruise line come out way cheaper than the same cruise via Australian based companies.

    For instance I have a quote for an internal cabin at $3458AUD quoted in Oz.This included a $100usd OBC so the real price is about $3321AUD.

    I then look at the US based sites and get a price for $1828USD which is about $2504AUD so nearly a $800AUD difference.

    The thing is I can pay in US dollars with a US debit card.

    Spoke to 2 different travel agents and they just BS on about exchange rates etc but this looks like pricing transfer or something else by the shipping company(s)

    So what is the down side? Any experience out there with this?
     
    Handyandy, 16th May, 2017
    #1
  2. Ed Barton

    Ed Barton Well-Known Member

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    Goya?
    Australia is one of the richest countries on earth. You pay more!
     
    Ed Barton, 16th May, 2017
    #2
  3. Big Daddy

    Big Daddy Well-Known Member

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    This is common and is price gouging. People have gotten around it by paying in US dollars but some cruise lines are now asking for US passport numbers to get the tickets (Australia travel agents with a lot of pull have persuaded overseas cruise lines to block Australian passengers or fear loosing business )
     
    Big Daddy, 16th May, 2017
    #3
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  4. Beano

    Beano Well-Known Member

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    Can you let us know you get on
    I am keen on knowing if you can buy direct from the states
     
    Beano, 16th May, 2017
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  5. Handyandy

    Handyandy Well-Known Member

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    Hi Beano

    We ended up getting a window cabin for $2228USD so about $3052AUD. The same cabin via the Oz sources would have been $5158AUD for 2.

    I used the iCruise web site initially but then finished up speaking with them and doing the payment over the phone. I used my USA based debit card and provided a US residential address. I dealt with Maggie and from the impression I gathered don't think there would have been a problem using my Oz address and credit card. Obviously using the Oz credit card would have introduced some other fees.

    Cheers
     
    Handyandy, 17th May, 2017
    #5
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  6. ellejay

    ellejay Well-Known Member

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    Go on extended hols to UK or US and book from there. Oz holiday packages marketed to locals are more expensive. We used to get a couple of annual 5 star Africa packages from the UK and a Europe one for not much more than a single 'locals' excursion here. As for nz, last time we lived here and needed to go back to the UK we had to extend our mortgsge to pay for it. Prior to this we were spending approx £10k pa on 3 or 4 international holidays. Big cost difference.
     
    ellejay, 17th May, 2017
    #6
  7. Stoffo

    Stoffo Well-Known Member

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    Similar with airfares.

    We flew Thai air last year to Bangkok, then on to Suratani, and return.
    We saved $600 on the internal flight by booking via their Thai site, not their aussie site.

    With technology these days l wouldn't be surprised that when you get on line they know where you are and automatically adjust prices accordingly :mad:
     
    Stoffo, 17th May, 2017
    #7
  8. wylie

    wylie Moderator Staff Member

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    We booked Queen Mary II last year and paid $2,500 each for balcony rooms for Southampton to New York crossing. I couldn't get it cheaper from Australia. We paid only one fare because we used credit card points for the other.

    As we left the ship in New York a lady from Perth was with her sister who lived in England. The English sister was able to book their rooms for about $800 (might have been 800 pounds though). I'm sure she said the price was something like 250 (dollars or pounds?) and then taxes or other charges took it up higher. I cannot recall exactly what she said but it certainly was cheaper than our rooms.

    The Perth sister wasn't able to book at those prices, only the English sister.

    My sister-in-law heads to England and books all sorts of cruises (river cruises mostly) as last minute deals, but she has free accommodation in England to sit and wait for the deals. To have to pay accommodation whilst waiting to snare a cheap last minute deal would not be worth it.

    I do know that I tried to change the date and go on the cruise before (or after) ours but we couldn't get a cabin of the same standard, or even at all by then. This was still several months before we travelled. So I'm not sure that sitting and waiting for a last minute deal would work on all ships.
     
    wylie, 17th May, 2017
    #8
  9. MTR

    MTR Well-Known Member

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    Brilliant... and you can view your properties while in US and still claim a tax deduction, and catch up with me;)
     
    MTR, 18th May, 2017
    #9
  10. geoffw

    geoffw Moderator Staff Member

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    When a trip combines business and pleasure there are very strict rules about what you can claim. It won't necessarily be of benefit to visit a property purely to claim a tax deduction.
     
    geoffw, 18th May, 2017
    #10
  11. MTR

    MTR Well-Known Member

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    I leave it with my accountant to work it out
    What do you claim?
     
    MTR, 18th May, 2017
    #11
  12. geoffw

    geoffw Moderator Staff Member

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    I seem to remember that you could only claim the direct costs associated with your trip to the property, but cannot apportion any costs associated with getting there, like flights. But that's vaguely remembered stuff. Seek professional advice.
     
    geoffw, 18th May, 2017
    #12
  13. peastman

    peastman Well-Known Member

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    I have noticed that many of the USA based cruise websites, the price quoted is not the end of the story.
    You may find there are all sorts of "extra charges" such as gratuities and other fees and charges. It can be rather misleading.

    I like Vacationstogo.com as a starting point. You can search in aussie dollars and find some good bargains. That being said, when you really start adding up the extras, you can usually get a similar deal from cruiseabout.
     
    peastman, 19th May, 2017
    #13
  14. TMNT

    TMNT Well-Known Member

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    Fair enough . But how can you prove it.
    You might be in new York partying it every night and you could tell your accountant or the ato you were going to 150 open homes!

    That's what I used to do when I had my own gym.
    Travel I didn't put much through. But stationary. Groceries. Supplements. One trip to Thailand I put it through as an expense claiming it was a muay thai camp which I did attend.
     
    TMNT, 19th May, 2017
    #14
  15. geoffw

    geoffw Moderator Staff Member

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    Seek advice from a professional.

    Open homes- that would go against acquisition costs, not income.
     
    geoffw, 19th May, 2017
    #15