How many Euro's should I bring?

[pe4all]

This may be a really stupid question - but here goes, anyway! What happens if we don't use (and never have in our lives) atm's? Or debit cards? We feel much "safer" using cc's or cash for everything! And at this point in my life, I don't want to get another card - atm or otherwise. (just don't trust those things) I am hoping to do a bucket-list Med cruise in the near future.

[mairead224]

This may be a really stupid question - but here goes, anyway! What happens if we don't use (and never have in our lives) atm's? Or debit cards? We feel much "safer" using cc's or cash for everything! And at this point in my life, I don't want to get another card - atm or otherwise. (just don't trust those things) I am hoping to do a bucket-list Med cruise in the near future.

 

 

You could possibly get one of those pre paid CC's. Or you could just withdraw cash from the ships casino.

[blondietink]

We exchange money here in the US at our local AAA sometimes. They charge a lot less than at the banks. We also have a casino within an hour of us and they have a tremendously advantageous exchange rate ..... they want you to spend your money in the casino. Because it is on the US/Canadian border, they exchange into/out of Pounds and Euros with practically no fee.

 

Best way to not get pick pocketed in Europe (besides wearing a money belt) is to dress like a European and act like a European. Leave your sneakers, jeans, baseball caps, etc. at home. Wear black, walking shoes and carry a messenger bag slung cross ways on your body. Don't be standing around on the street looking at a map trying to decide where to go.

[gospelle]

Taxi drivers in Europe are increasingly taking credit cards, when I travel all over Europe with my work I would say that I pay with a credit card 80% of the time now.

 

I certainly don't mind spending money, but maybe I do different things and avoid the tourist trap stuff because most of what I do you can use a card! You must do an awful lot of off the cuff things every day gospelle!

 

Not a lot, but if we're not on a ship tour we'll walk off the boat and there are tour guides hanging around offering tours, we'll barter and then take someone up on it or just hire a taxi driver for the day. Easily this can cost 100 euros or more. on that tour we'll buy lunch, drinks, etc.. often from street vendors, that'll be 50 euros or more. Usually that's it, but I always have an extra 500 euros or so in my belt just in case that special something pops up. I don't want to be tracking down a working cash machine when I could be enjoying my vacation.

[moopig]

This may be a really stupid question - but here goes, anyway! What happens if we don't use (and never have in our lives) atm's? Or debit cards? We feel much "safer" using cc's or cash for everything! And at this point in my life, I don't want to get another card - atm or otherwise. (just don't trust those things) I am hoping to do a bucket-list Med cruise in the near future.

 

I am the same way!!! For my upcoming European cruise I did order an ATM card from the bank and I also called my 2 credit card companies to see about getting PIN #s so I could use them at ATMs as well.

[gospelle]

We take card and cash

 

We've been pick picketed and had the cards taken in Spain and had the card declined and spent a day explaining to the card co that when we told them we'd be on a cruise round the Caribbean that it wasn't our fault if their system only allows them to log 5 countries being visited when the cruise has 11 ports. So stop declining the card.

 

So we take sufficient cash to cover everything but the onboard account. We use the card when we need or want to and unused cash gets held for the next trip.

 

Yes the rates are better in the country you are visiting, but we now watch the markets and when it's good grab it so when we travel and the rate is bad I know we had a good deal

 

 

Agreed. I bought 1500 euros about 4 months ago and have been walking around since then with it in my belt. Our next europe trip is in 3 months.

 

BTW, when I say "belt", I mean this: http://www.tilley.com/Tilley-Money-Belt.aspx

[Goldwolf]

Best way to not get pick pocketed in Europe (besides wearing a money belt) is to dress like a European and act like a European. Leave your sneakers, jeans, baseball caps, etc. at home. Wear black, walking shoes and carry a messenger bag slung cross ways on your body. Don't be standing around on the street looking at a map trying to decide where to go.

 

Sound advice, here are some pointers:

 

 

 

 

;)

 

The scariest thing is, I just realised I look like an American when I'm travelling. :D

[Glitterini]

We exchange money here in the US at our local AAA sometimes. They charge a lot less than at the banks. We also have a casino within an hour of us and they have a tremendously advantageous exchange rate ..... they want you to spend your money in the casino. Because it is on the US/Canadian border, they exchange into/out of Pounds and Euros with practically no fee.

 

Best way to not get pick pocketed in Europe (besides wearing a money belt) is to dress like a European and act like a European. Leave your sneakers, jeans, baseball caps, etc. at home. Wear black, walking shoes and carry a messenger bag slung cross ways on your body. Don't be standing around on the street looking at a map trying to decide where to go.

 

um FYI Europeans do wear jeans. I have many Italian friends and they wear jeans and *gasp* sneakers too. Obviously not the bulky running ones but fashion sneakers you can find anywhere.

 

Oh and speaking English in a country where the official language is not English won't be a dead giveaway even if you're "acting and dressing" like a European and not looking at a map...

 

We're staying in Europe for 3 weeks and we're leaving with maybe 200 euros max in our pockets. For the rest we'll be using ATMs and credit cards. On the boat, we're bringing US dollars.