ATM, amex travellers checks

[jeanrtco]

Nervous about the cloning of the atm cards, so thinking about amex traveller checks, does anyone know if the cruise ship will cash and would there be a fee. Am thinking of getting the checks in Euros at amex office. Any suggestions.

jean

[BaumD]

They will cash US trav checks for US dollars for no fee. If you have Euro checks, they will probably charge a conversion fee to give you Euros. The ships conversion fees are usually pretty lousy.

[Ned11]

DO NOT TAKE EURO CHEQUES!!!

 

I did the same and could'nt find any bank to change them. Due to the economic downturn in Spain, Italy and Greece, banks do not like them and will not change them.

I found it difficult to change them back into £ when I got home as none of the banks here wanted to take them either.

Nightmare!!!

[matj2000]

Cash usually works every time...

[peteukmcr]

Cash usually works every time...

But not as secure as travellers cheques if the said cash is lost or stolen, and the subject of the thread is about cheques, not cash.

 

As mentioned the ship will cash USD travellers cheques with no fee, I wouldn't know about Euros as I've only needed a few on a Med cruise and take cash. Most of my spend is onboard and so in USD.

[jeanrtco]

yes, I would take cash, but in rome for 4 days before the cruise, and the tours I have booked require cash at end of tour. I was concerned about carrying so much cash through the airport, call me paranoid but more than once, my bags have gone thru the scanner and I am stuck behind someone who is setting off the metal detectors. Then my bag is setting there with all my cash ready to be taken. I think that they won't let you wear money belt or money necklace thru security, but not sure???

 

So, everyone says use atms, but on the news they are talking about those atms that can skim your card, that's why I was asking about amex travellers checks..

 

Now thinking about the atm on cruise ship (most probably safest bet)- and my bank will reimburse fees up to 5x a month, so I will probably do that.

Thanks for the help.

jean

[cb at sea]

I NEVER go thru the scanner until my bags have been cleared thru x-ray.....sometimes, the TSA folks get testy...but too damn bad....I'm not going thru security until I KNOW my bags are going to "pop" out of the backside of the scanner. If you have 2 folks going thru....one should go thru the scanner with the bags, the other should wait until everything (including the 1st person) has been cleared....that way, your "stuff" is never out of your sight.

 

Hubby has a pacemaker and can't go thru the metal detector...so it's up to ME to control and protect our things. Yeah...they can get pushy about your standing there, waiting, but it's too bad....I'm NOT going thru until I'm ready.

 

I always keep my jewelry on....nothing TOO big or metallic....no "money belts" tho...take all that stuff off.

[jeanrtco]

i try not to put bag on belt, but when they are feeding two different lines thru one body scanner with two different bag scanners, the people behind you get annoyed u aren't putting your bag up, then the ta guy is calling someone from the other line thru the body scanner. It is so busy and so bad!!! I have had to pull off my husbands bags, as well as mine, when he has been pulled over for a pat down. I think the TA doesn't care about the safety of your bags once they have gone thru there scanner.

[matj2000]

But not as secure as travellers cheques if the said cash is lost or stolen, and the subject of the thread is about cheques, not cash.

 

I am telling him what works.

Hardly anyone uses those ancient travelers checks, unless your over 70.

As far as getting lost or stolen. Don't...

Pretty simple..

[Ned11]

I am telling him what works.

 

Hardly anyone uses those ancient travelers checks, unless your over 70.

 

As far as getting lost or stolen. Don't...

 

Pretty simple..

 

1) They aren't that ancient

2) I'm 32 and have been using them for the last 10 years

3) Not much you can do about it when your villa was broken in to and all my cash, cards and cheques were stollen. Phoned Amex and got my money back the next day. At least I know it works.

[LA_CA_GAL]

Cash usually works every time...

 

Yep. Good ol' USA greenbacks.

[macruisefan]

I am telling him what works.

Hardly anyone uses those ancient travelers checks, unless your over 70.

As far as getting lost or stolen. Don't...

Pretty simple..

 

While the "over 70" might be a slight exaggeration, I totally agree. I just carry cash and then take precautions not to lose it or have it stolen. Foolproof? No. But sometimes in life you have to live dangerously! Although most cruisers aren't exactly the adventure types....

[phoenix1181]

We haven't hit 70 yet & travelers checks all the time. The ATMs on the ship aren't always working & there's also a potential problem if your card has a daily limit. A combination of travelers checks & cash with your ATM as back up may be your best bet.

[matj2000]

I am just kidding about the 70 thing.

My father was the last person who I knew that used them.

Along with the cash, always have a credit card.

If you are worried about sending it through airport screening, don't put it in your luggage.

I always put it in my pocket.

Makes me feel rich...

 

[m*u*g*]

I am just kidding about the 70 thing.

 

My father was the last person who I knew that used them.

 

Along with the cash, always have a credit card.

 

If you are worried about sending it through airport screening, don't put it in your luggage.

I always put it in my pocket.

 

Makes me feel rich...

 

 

 

Same here. If I don't have cash and 3 credit cards (MC, Visa, Amex), I don't travel.

 

Traveler's checks are old technology. I work at a financial institution and we havn't used, or seen anu of these for many years. EMV/Smartcards are the future, even mobile wallets (Phone).

[peteukmcr]

I am telling him what works.

Hardly anyone uses those ancient travelers checks, unless your over 70.

As far as getting lost or stolen. Don't...

Pretty simple..

Rude, I'm not over 70 and have and will continue to use T/Chqs for the foreseeable future.

 

Yep. Good ol' USA greenbacks.

The USD isn't the 'good ol' USA greenback' in every country in the world. Especially Cuba, oops sorry I forgot US citizens can't visit there can they? :D Try insisting on a merchant accepting the USD in many places in Europe and you'll get very strange looks.

 

Same here. If I don't have cash and 3 credit cards (MC, Visa, Amex), I don't travel.

 

Traveler's checks are old technology. I work at a financial institution and we havn't used, or seen anu of these for many years. EMV/Smartcards are the future, even mobile wallets (Phone).

Don't care if you think they are old technology, the OP asked about using them, and they can still be used, RCI will still accept them and cash them for no charge if they are USD as this is the currency of the ship.

 

Well I don't have credit cards and still travel widely, in fact off to the US tomorrow armed with my Visa Debit cards. Works just as well for me.

[pennys mum]

Nervous about the cloning of the atm cards, so thinking about amex traveller checks, does anyone know if the cruise ship will cash and would there be a fee. Am thinking of getting the checks in Euros at amex office. Any suggestions.

jean

 

From UK, took amex travellers checks in dollars, changed them in casino at face value, so no charge. Ship will change dollars into Euros but not cash TC's in Euros. This was last week on NOS.

[daleb85]

I like the advantage of taking as much as you need from time to time from the shipboard ATM. No reason to tie up your funds in tc. You also can use ATM's most everywhere. The ones inside banks seem pretty safe to me.

[graphicguy]

We haven't hit 70 yet & travelers checks all the time. The ATMs on the ship aren't always working & there's also a potential problem if your card has a daily limit. A combination of travelers checks & cash with your ATM as back up may be your best bet.

 

Agree on the Traveler's Cheques. I travel quote a bit for work. Over the years, I've had my credit cards cloned (which was more than a huge hassle, even though I wasn't out any money). I've had my wallet/cash stolen (razor to my pocket....didn't even know it until 2 hours later).

 

All I use is Traveler's Cheques now. They spend just like U.S dollars, except if lost or stolen, you can get them replaced. The one time I did have an issue, I had replacements the same day.

 

As they used to say..."don't leave home without them."