Oh, Marion. How awful for you. We usually carry 2 cards (1 credit, 1 debit) and a bit of cash. I think last time we were in the States, we took about $US800 in cash and used that for most purchases and tips. Everything else we paid in advance (hotel accommodation, transfers, excursions, etc) before leaving Australia. From memory, the only things we paid via credit card were restaurant bills at the hotels before and after our cruise. We didn't experience any problems with the credit card, thankfully. We were travelling with friends and I suppose if the worst happened we would all have had access to at least 3 credit cards. Glad we didn't have to find out.