Travelers checks or cash

[bball4]

Does anyone have advice about how to pay for things in port? I've heard not to use credit cards, so should we use cash or traveler's checks?

[andersonrm]

We have not had any trouble using credit cards at shops in ports. We always bring traveler's checks onboard and cash them as we need them at Guest Relations, and just take a small amount of cash with us when we leave ship - for drinks, snacks, tips, etc., and any purchases from smaller vendors. A couple of reasons to bring traveler's checks instead of cash are: 1) Guest Relations will cash them free of charge, 2) no ATM fees, and 3) whatever you don't use, you can deposit back in your account when you get home.

[andersonrm]

Another problem with using traveler's checks in port is that you would probably get your change back in that country's currency, which you may or may not want.

[Ruby71]

I agree, we always bring traveler's checks and cash them as needed on the ship before getting off at ports. This has worked out great for us. I sometimes pay down the bill at the end of the cruise with them, and arrive home with the trip almost completely paid off.

[Poorplaya]

Just a personal preference of mine, I just use cash and plastic. Visa protects me against fraud, plus I work for the bank so it helps there. Cash is fine though for me, Travelers checks are too much hassle.

[bonnie&clydecruzers]

Well our first cruise I inquired at my bank about traveler's checks and they said most people don't use them anymore because of all the hassle with them. I just took her word since I never had any experience with using them and I just bring CASH.

 

I just make sure I bring enough denominations of bills to make it easier to buy things and to limit the change I recieve from the seller.

[bball4]

Thanks for the info. I think we'll just bring cash.

[bonnie&clydecruzers]

Thanks for the info. I think we'll just bring cash.

 

Just make sure to bring alot of $1 and $5 s. This will help you to bargain your purchase and to avoid getting alot of change back.

[Jan_In_Maine]

We bring traveler's checks and cash them on the ship ... in port we use cash. Jan

[KeywestK]

We haven't used Traveler's Checks in years. We use Visa and cash. I always get lots of small bills before we leave home and keep them in the safe in our cabin. We take out what we think we'll need for that day in port to pay for small expenses, i.e., taxis/small purchases, etc. We use Visa for larger purchases and restaurants.....it's all simple with no hassle.....:)

[Philly Steve]

Thanks for the info. I think we'll just bring cash.

 

Cash IS king. :cool: Works best for haggling too. ;)

[cb at sea]

Larger stores will happily take credit cards...it's just the little "straw markets" and vendors that may not have that capability....we use cash for them.

We take one credit card ashore, NOT the one associated with our shipboard account, to use for purchases that we might not want to use cash for.

Most small vendors will not take TC's, either!

[Maybaybie10]

I could be wrong, but I read that if you use a cc in a foreign port you are subject to the exchange rate at the time of purchase... so you may be paying more for that souvenier than you thought.

 

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong about that....

[tmoret]

yep just take cash in small bills. always works for us.

[lady_cruiser]

Bank of America now charges a fee if you use their credit card out of the country. I forgot how much but I can easily google it if you need to know. They started charging this fee a couple of years ago. Traveler's checks are easy to use but you do want to ask if you will get back any chance in US Dollars.

[phoenix1181]

Cash in port for small purchases. Credit card for larger purchases.

 

We bring the majority of our gambling & in port spending money in Travelers Checks. They're cashed on-board at no charge and we are more comfortable not carrying all that cash while traveling to the ship.

 

We also each have our own credit cards in the event one of us loses theirs. DH lost his wallet on the flight to Florida a few years ago. We spent our pre-cruise night in Florida cancelling accounts, calling airlines, and airports trying to track it down but I had my cards so our cruise wasn't affected at all. (Delta flight attendant turned it in when she returned to Boston & there was a message waiting for us when we got home)

[pabrett46]

Hi

 

Thanks for posting this question, I was curious about it myself. This will be my second cruise so I wasn't sure either. I can tell you that we went to Disneyland a few years ago with a little bit of everything, cash, Travellers cheques, credit etc. In Disney of course everything was accepted happily but when I went to use a Travellers check at a fast food restaurant, the cashier did a lot of eye rolling and huffing and even went to get her supervisor to see if she HAD to take it.

 

When I discussed this same question with my bank a few months ago, I was told that Travellers checks aren't used as often any more. She suggested I get a US dollar visa (since I'm Canadian) and use that for purchases. If I used my Canadian one then there are more charges with exchange etc. I am still on the fence about the whole thing. The thought of bringing alot of cash kinda scares me.

 

Thanks for the question and the answers!

 

D

[Shorebrook]

What are the ATM fees on the RCCI ships?

[chipmaster]

Depends a lot on where you are going and how much you are spending.

 

For small things like a bottle of water, fruit snack or such very few of the street vendors take credit cards nor would I want to risk using them there regardless of the minimum liability to me. Whether they take USD dollars versus the local currency varies. I've found in Caribbean and Mexico almost all the small street vendors accept USD.

 

Almost all reputable resturants, and larger stores that I've visted take CC. You should consider getting one that doesn't charge a foreign exchange fee. Capital One is one major card that doesn't and I use it exclusively and only when I can when traveling versus all my other plastic which does charge a converson fee.

 

Travels cheques are very yesteryear. In this day and age of ATMs and CC fewer and fewer use. There is security but you'll find few street vendors want to accept them as they require a trip to a "bank." Of course the larger stores may accept. The ship will always exchange your checks for USD. I fail to see why one would take travels checques unless they really fear losing them. IMHO cash doesn't take much space and unless one is carrying thousands of dollars don't see the benfit of loss protection that the checks give you with the huge convenience overhead.

 

 

Does anyone have advice about how to pay for things in port? I've heard not to use credit cards, so should we use cash or traveler's checks?

[drakes2]

I always bring $100 in one's mainly to use while in port on small items. We were recently in Columbia and it was a scorcher of a day and I purchased some water from a street vendor and not thinking gave him $20 even though I had small bills, and he shorted me on the change. Not out a lot of money but a good lesson learned. :mad:

Just make sure to bring alot of $1 and $5 s. This will help you to bargain your purchase and to avoid getting alot of change back.

[drakes2]

We also use our US Visa card when travelling to the states and for large purchases on the ship and any of the US islands. I take a small amount of USD's with me for incidentals. Works out perfectly for us and I actually brought cash home from our last cruise.

Hi

 

Thanks for posting this question, I was curious about it myself. This will be my second cruise so I wasn't sure either. I can tell you that we went to Disneyland a few years ago with a little bit of everything, cash, Travellers cheques, credit etc. In Disney of course everything was accepted happily but when I went to use a Travellers check at a fast food restaurant, the cashier did a lot of eye rolling and huffing and even went to get her supervisor to see if she HAD to take it.

 

When I discussed this same question with my bank a few months ago, I was told that Travellers checks aren't used as often any more. She suggested I get a US dollar visa (since I'm Canadian) and use that for purchases. If I used my Canadian one then there are more charges with exchange etc. I am still on the fence about the whole thing. The thought of bringing alot of cash kinda scares me.

 

Thanks for the question and the answers!

 

D

[mistergq]

Bank of America now charges a fee if you use their credit card out of the country. I forgot how much but I can easily google it if you need to know. They started charging this fee a couple of years ago. Traveler's checks are easy to use but you do want to ask if you will get back any chance in US Dollars.

according to some sources, BOA charges a 3% fee (2% for BOA and 1% for visa) if you use your card internationally. However, I used BOA checkcard in Costa Maya and did not get charged the 3% fee. So I am not sure if they had to eliminate it or what happened. Also, I am fine with a 3% fee for having fraud protection and not having to worry about cash being stolen.

[KeywestK]

Cash IS king. :cool: Works best for haggling too. ;)

 

LOL.....It's the ONLY way to haggle--CASH!!!:D

[KeywestK]

What are the ATM fees on the RCCI ships?

 

I vaguely remember them as being outrageously high....which is what you would expect.

[flashcat]

I used a credit card in Cozumel at a large store (a chain) and found out the next day an employee had charged $1800 on my card. It was also the card used on the ship. A lot of trouble. We then had to use a debit card on the ship. I will never use a credit card in port again.