Question re: Withdrawing Money From Banks in Caribbean

[Spire2000]

We're on the southern itinerary next week and I am just not sure how much cash to bring. There are two of us and we plan 2-3 excursions that I will pay cash for. We also enjoy shopping for craft type stuff at local markets and eating in town for lunch. My question is, if I don't bring enough cash, what are my options to get more. To complicate things, we are Canadian and therefore rely on compatible banks to withdraw from while on holidays.

 

Are there Canadian banks? I know they have Scotiabank, TD and RoyalBank in some places down south, all of which are Canadian. Do they have US banks? They sometimes work. Any other options you can suggest? Thanks in advance.

[kbmeow]

I would use the ATM on the cruise myself. My reasoning is this. What if the card gets eaten by the atm in whatever country you are in.

DO you have the time to call your bank and cancel the card. When we went to Italy, My husbands dads card got eaten by the atm, we found out odds are the person in the morning would destroy it but there are also stories about people getting there cards used for shopping spreees. Also sometimes although the atm looks legit there is something illegal about it.

[Tbay-eh]

We're on the southern itinerary next week and I am just not sure how much cash to bring. There are two of us and we plan 2-3 excursions that I will pay cash for. We also enjoy shopping for craft type stuff at local markets and eating in town for lunch. My question is, if I don't bring enough cash, what are my options to get more. To complicate things, we are Canadian and therefore rely on compatible banks to withdraw from while on holidays.

 

Are there Canadian banks? I know they have Scotiabank, TD and RoyalBank in some places down south, all of which are Canadian. Do they have US banks? They sometimes work. Any other options you can suggest? Thanks in advance.

 

Not knowing exactly what ports you are hitting I can't comment - but Grand C has Canadian banks but I have always just gotten American money from the ship - I go to the Casino for it. I never buy the island currency and every port I have ever been at accepts American money. Hope this helps. They also have ATMs on ship but charge bigger fees than the Casino.

[Spire2000]

Ah so there is an ATM on the ship. Didn't know that so thanks.

 

Any Canadians know if our cards work on them?

[Tbay-eh]

Ah so there is an ATM on the ship. Didn't know that so thanks.

 

Any Canadians know if our cards work on them?

 

Use mine and no problems - just when I get home seems a lot more is gone than I can account for - not really, only kidding, just sometimes I get carried away. One thing to be aware of though - near the end they sometimes run out of money as they can't refill it at foreign ports. So I would suggest if you want some close to the end go either 3rd or at the very latest the 2nd last day - have seen people panicing because on the last day there is no money and they need it for cabs etc.

[truchattycathy]

I never take more than a couple hundred dollars. When I am running low on cash, I go to a slot machine, load the amount I need from my S&S card and go cash out. Just make sure you are prepared to go when the casino is open. That way I don't have to carry a lot of cash, but don't have to worry about running out either. I just pay my card off when I get home.

[big_duck]

Just remember, regardless of Country of ownership any bank ATM will kick out currency in the local denomination.

[Spire2000]

Thanks for the tips everyone. I'm not going to be so concerned that I bring enough cash to last the whole trip anymore.

[5waldos]

Many excursion will accept credit cards- why not charge them? It would be cheaper than getting cash.

[Mxlady]

We use the credit/debit card all the time. NOTE there is a charge for the difference in the currency and a sometimes a convience fee. Never broke the bank though.

[daddybuff]

Why not withdraw extra money from savings before your trip and get travelers checks, and keep them in your room safe. You can cash what you think you will need before each port at the pursers desk and if you don't use all the money jut put it back in the bank when you get home.

[Valmcp]

If you are a Royal Bank customer,they may as a courtesy , cash some travelers checks for you at the Royal Bank. You would have to show your client card and a photo I.D. I know RBC bank does this for their Royal Bank clients.However, I would call the Royal Bank on the island, or have your banker contact the bank directly to see what kind of cross-border transactions,if any,they will be able to run. Check on conversion rates too( because they may not have US currency without prior request) and ask if you will be charged additional fees.

[Sargent_Schultz]

Just remember, regardless of Country of ownership any bank ATM will kick out currency in the local denomination.

 

In some countries, you get a choice. i don't recall if Grand Cayman was one.

[Sargent_Schultz]

We use the credit/debit card all the time. NOTE there is a charge for the difference in the currency and a sometimes a convience fee. Never broke the bank though.

 

This is usually more dependent on the bank issuing your card as far as any foreign transaction fees go.

[Chris41]

I would just use the ATM on the ship or take some out of my players bank in the casino

[zqvol]

We're on the southern itinerary next week and I am just not sure how much cash to bring. There are two of us and we plan 2-3 excursions that I will pay cash for. We also enjoy shopping for craft type stuff at local markets and eating in town for lunch. My question is, if I don't bring enough cash, what are my options to get more. To complicate things, we are Canadian and therefore rely on compatible banks to withdraw from while on holidays.

 

Are there Canadian banks? I know they have Scotiabank, TD and RoyalBank in some places down south, all of which are Canadian. Do they have US banks? They sometimes work. Any other options you can suggest? Thanks in advance.

 

Everyone seems to be making this harder than it needs to be. Your bank is a member of an ATM network such as PLUS (the logo is on the back of your card). There are banks all over the Southern Caribbean and all banks are a member of one or more of these networks. Find any bank that is a member of the network and you will have no problem at all. (I can tell you that unless you have a really weird card, you are not going ot have any trouble at all.)

 

As a side note and as a suggestion NOTIFY YOUR FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS BEFORE YOU SAIL THAT YOU ARE GOING TO BE OUT OF THE COUNTRY TO AVOID ANY DENIALS ON YOUR CARD. They are doing their best to stop fraudulent use and your card being used out of the country is a tip off.

[elcuchio24]

What I usually do when in abroad and especially if it's in a scetchier area, I usually use an AmEx card with a cash advance, no fees, more secure, and you can use it at any ATM. The less you expose your actual checking/savings accounds while overseas the better. I was in Guatemala this fall and they had just busted a ring of guys who had installed tiny little cameras (think sharper image spy-ware) above ATMs and had been stealing card numbers that way!

[msmayor]

Everyone seems to be making this harder than it needs to be. Your bank is a member of an ATM network such as PLUS (the logo is on the back of your card). There are banks all over the Southern Caribbean and all banks are a member of one or more of these networks. Find any bank that is a member of the network and you will have no problem at all. (I can tell you that unless you have a really weird card, you are not going ot have any trouble at all.)

 

As a side note and as a suggestion NOTIFY YOUR FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS BEFORE YOU SAIL THAT YOU ARE GOING TO BE OUT OF THE COUNTRY TO AVOID ANY DENIALS ON YOUR CARD. They are doing their best to stop fraudulent use and your card being used out of the country is a tip off.

 

Its important to note that just because your card says its a member of a network such as PLUS, that does NOT guarantee that the card can be used.

 

We planned a trip to Canada two years ago and the day before we left I stopped by my bank to make a withdrawal and let them know I might be using the card in Canada so they could make a note of it. I was told that my card was NO GOOD in Canada, that this particular bank blocked transactions from some countries due to increased fraud experience.

 

Moral of the story: check with your specific bank about where your ATM card can be used and do not rely on the networks listed on the back.