Changing Currencies

We are booked on the April 14 cruise to the Marquesas, Tuamotus, and the Societies.

From what I have read, we will likely need some local currency on the Marquesas and Tuamotus - correct? Will there be time at the Faaa Airport to get this before the transfer bus picks us up? Or is available on the ship? Via a debit card or how? Conversion rates aboard if so? Can I convert any local currency back to US dollars at the end of the cruise?

Thanks!

We are booked on the April 14 cruise to the Marquesas, Tuamotus, and the Societies.

 

From what I have read, we will likely need some local currency on the Marquesas and Tuamotus - correct? Will there be time at the Faaa Airport to get this before the transfer bus picks us up? Or is available on the ship? Via a debit card or how? Conversion rates aboard if so? Can I convert any local currency back to US dollars at the end of the cruise?

 

Thanks!

You may or may not have time at the FAAA airport. However, there are several ATM's within walking distance of the ship if your not on the late flight going directly to the ship. Plus .... you can convert on-board for a very fair exchange and yes to can convert back when your dis-embarking.

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PPT airport.pdf

PPT.pdf

Thanks so much.

We are in fact on the "late flight" - Hawaiian Air Lines.

When you convert on board, do you need US dollars or do they accept a debit card?

Thanks so much.

 

We are in fact on the "late flight" - Hawaiian Air Lines.

 

When you convert on board, do you need US dollars or do they accept a debit card?

You will submit a CC once your processed on-board. You can get local money and they will place it on your account. The ATM at the airport is very close to where you will be greeted. I would check-in first and ask if you have enough time to run over to the ATM (map) and exchange ;)

Considering how people trickle out of Customs, you should have time for the ATM. Note that there's one to the right as you walk out, near the domestic terminal as I remember. It was not nearly as busy as the one near the centre of the terminal when we were there in October.

On our first cruise we worried about converting currency. We found the rate on board to be fair enough, and needed very little local currency so the second time we did it all onboard and put it on our account. There aren't many places that won't take US dollars or credit cards, and they tend to be places that aren't expensive. Make sure your credit card doesn't charge a foreign transaction fee. Whether they take debit cards on board, we never asked since we never use one. If that's all you have, you might need to get more cash for local businesses. So far, we haven't worried about changing leftover local currency back to dollars. We try to spend it on our last day before we fly home, but what's left we save for our next trip.