Currency in French Polynesia

[tjar13]

I am an Aussie, sailing on Millennium in Nov from Hawaii to Sydney through French Polynesia.

 

Is local currency ( Pacific French Francs) required throughout the Islands or do they accept $US easily.

 

We visit Tahiti, Moorea, Bora Bora and Noumea.

 

If you need local currency where do you get the best rate ( Hawaii, Tahiti or on the ship).

 

thanks

TJAR

[We're The Groupnors]

We'll be heading to FP next February on the advice of friends who have been there several times. They advised credit cards are widely accepted, and US$ are often accepted, but you may get burned on conversion with the US$. Best to use a credit card where you can, and have some FP Francs for incidentals.

[evandbob]

Be advised that prices on Bora Bora are expensive no matter what currency you use......Moorea a bit less. Comparatively speaking, you may find some food and art on Tahiti to be a "bargain".

I choose to use my credit card to purchase goods & services during my two land stays there.

[BMCtraveler]

We cruised on the Paul Gauguin last June visiting several islands in French Polynesia. Based on our experience XPF (French Polynesian Francs) were preferred by the local vendors over USD. I used my credit card for major purchases, yet be aware your credit card will charge you a foreign transaction fee.

 

Usually you'll get the best exchange rate if you go to a bank prior to your trip. In the states we use Wells Fargo Bank. The ship's exchange is fair, yet not the best. Be aware I've been on cruises where they've run out of the local currency. We absolutely loved our trip. Warm, friendly people and spectacular scenery that will make you pinch yourself. I can't wait to go back.

[ghstudio]

We cruised on the Paul Gauguin last June visiting several islands in French Polynesia. Based on our experience XPF (French Polynesian Francs) were preferred by the local vendors over USD. I used my credit card for major purchases, yet be aware your credit card will charge you a foreign transaction fee.

 

Usually you'll get the best exchange rate if you go to a bank prior to your trip. In the states we use Wells Fargo Bank. The ship's exchange is fair, yet not the best. Be aware I've been on cruises where they've run out of the local currency. We absolutely loved our trip. Warm, friendly people and spectacular scenery that will make you pinch yourself. I can't wait to go back.

 

Celebrity ships use the buy and sell rates from Bank America on the day the ship sails. They are the same rates you would pay if you walked into a Bank America office and made the transaction. Now that may not be the best rate, but it's probably not the worst either.....in my experience it's about a 5% charge over the "official" rate.

[SnoopyJS]

I am an Aussie, sailing on Millennium in Nov from Hawaii to Sydney through French Polynesia.

 

Is local currency ( Pacific French Francs) required throughout the Islands or do they accept $US easily.

 

We visit Tahiti, Moorea, Bora Bora and Noumea.

 

If you need local currency where do you get the best rate ( Hawaii, Tahiti or on the ship).

 

thanks

TJAR

 

Our experience for what it's worth ....

 

We're Aussies and have been there recently on route to Hawaii. They accepted either/or Aussie $ and US $ in most cases. One store didn't want to accept our US $ but were happy to take AUD and in another case vice versa :confused: Advice: Take a little both. We bought our foreign currency here in Australia before leaving just to be certain we had it with no problems.

 

The only time we had to get their local currency was at the post office when we wanted to buy a phone card. 20 minutes - and then some - for $5 as against $8.00 per minute on the ship.

 

In that case there was a currency exchange nearby and we decided it was worth the exchange rate to get the card to phone home at a cheaper price than 'roaming' or ships rates.

 

The other thing to remember is to perhaps carry small notes in either AUD or US because if you pay a market seller with a high value note that will mostly give you your change in their local currency. This didn't happen to us, but we saw it happen to another cruise passenger. For another the change was given back in AUD, but we also found that lots of them preferred cash of either sort rather than credit card.

[6andy6]

I am an Aussie, sailing on Millennium in Nov from Hawaii to Sydney through French Polynesia.

 

Is local currency ( Pacific French Francs) required throughout the Islands or do they accept $US easily.

 

We visit Tahiti, Moorea, Bora Bora and Noumea.

 

If you need local currency where do you get the best rate ( Hawaii, Tahiti or on the ship).

 

thanks

TJAR

 

Some good advice above...BUT ask yourself this. Would you go into a milk bar or a local coffee shop in Melbourne or Sydney and expect them to accept US$ ( or any other currency) for payment. Ad the answer would be a resounding no. Ad it will be no different there...larger more tourist oriented stores you might get away with it ( you might even get away with Australian $) but if you want to pick up a little drink or small snack....you don't use a credit card for the equivilant of those purchases.

 

As for currency, your in Australia. Go to Australia Post or your local bank or one of the cbd exchange booths and get it.

 

You leave it until you get on the ship you are likely, if you charge to your account, will be converting Australian dollars to US$ ( the ships currency) then again to CPF. So you potentially lose twice......

 

:rolleyes:

 

Even do so e research on the net and check out locations for ATMs.....they may be in the Pacific but their not third world....

[gent]

Are there ATMs available at these ports that accept a US debit Card?

[SnoopyJS]

Are there ATMs available at these ports that accept a US debit Card?

 

That's exactly why we took some US and AUD cash with us. We had an Aussie Travelcard which was widely accepted, but in terms of ATMs we saw few and VERY far between in the islands.

 

We did see one with a huge line up at it, and people later said that they couldn't get cash out of it after a while. I guess it was empty.

 

We were glad that we had decided to go prepared and independent of the dreaded local machines.

[Texed]

We have been to French Polynesia five times, and have never had any problems using dollars. :)

BTW, a wonderful place to visit. ;)

[cruisinsusin]

There was no problem using ATMs in Tahiti, and there were a number right near the port. We did use local currency for cabs and Moorea, on the other hand, did not have any ATM where the tenders docked.