Majack16

Nothing unreasonable about expecting change in dollars at Caribbean ports. Their lifeblood is dollars. I have even got change in dollars outside the port areas.

 

Street vendors I could understand having issues. Large vendors? Yeah right. :rolleyes:

 

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Forums mobile app

I prefer to buy from street vendors. Don't get me wrong, I do spend money on larger vendors/cruise vendors. But I prefer to give money to the local people. Even if they could not provide change, I'd probably buy more to get to an even amount that I have....but if I feel like someone is trying to take advantage or sucker me I'll move on real quick.

I am not going to change your minds but the reason that vendors accept USA currency is because they know they won't sell anything to cruise ship passengers unless they do that. They know that cruise ship passengers are probably not going to bother changing money sooo it is a courtesy they extend to us so that they can make a living. They really have little choice in the matter.

They are not going to start doing all the math to know the current exchange rate and will probably just use an easy ratio like 10 : 1 because the math is easy that way.

If you choose to shop from those vendors then you should know going into the transaction that you may get change in the home currency instead of in USA $$. They will keep that for themselves since it is probably worth more. If that bothers you then I suggest you don't buy anything.

There is no reason to change our minds. It's quite simple. The vendors are there to make money. Like you said, they now that the majority of people are going to have US currency. If they want to make money they will accept US currency. If they accept US currency, they will have US currency for change. If they act like they do not, you use that as a bargaining point. I'm not going to pay more, I'm going to bargain down to the closest size bill that I have for the item. At that point they will either say yes or US currency will "magically" appear for change. If they say no, there's plenty of other vendors, which they are aware of.

Consider me arrogant...I would expect a vendor to have US currency for change if they accept US currency.