Chip and pin credit card -- availability

[Illyria]

I know I may have problems using my CC in Euro but will I have any trouble withdrawing cash from an ATM with just a magnetic strip/pin debit card?

No problem, ATMs work fine with magnetic stripe cards.

[-Lew-]

 

I know I may have problems using my CC in Euro but will I have any trouble withdrawing cash from an ATM with just a magnetic strip/pin debit card?

Your mag strip debit card will work fine with a 4-digit pin.

 

Lew

[Turtles06]

Very happy to have received our shiny new chip and pin Visa cards today from Andrews FCU!

 

Just in time for our fall TA. :)

[SoBaycruiser]

Cruisemom, We can recommend the Andrews Federal Credit Union issued Visa which is fee free and has zero foreign exchange fees. Joining Andrews is really no big deal and they offer a scheme where anyone can join with a few clicks of the mouse (it is also free). The only downside is that they are a bit of a pain if you want a very high credit limit on the Visa and might request additional credit info. As to being eligible to be a member this is done because of a Federal regulation (and law) that requires credit unions to be open to select groups. But Andrews provides a link to the "American Consumer Council" which one can join for free (there are no membership charges) with a few mouse clicks. One you have joined ACC you are eligible for Andrews.

 

Several regular posters here on CC have gone through the Andrews "hassles" and we can say that we are pleased with the result. For those that need an additional fee free debit card (to get money out of ATMs) Andrews also offers that service. Having debit cards from multiple banks allows one to have additional cash source "back ups" and is also a way around daily withdrawal limits imposed one a single card or by a single bank.

 

For those of us who do a lot of international travel, jumping though some of these "hoops" is a necessary evil in an era when Travelers Checks are obsolete (and not accepted in many places) and having multiple source of obtaining cash a necessity. There are also some interesting variations in major credit card benefits. For example, between AMEX. MC and Visa only one card offers included collision damage waiver in Northern Irealnd...and there is another card (among those big 3) that offers the coverage in New Zealand.

 

We really wonder how anyone, without a good credit rating, can do any significant foreign travel. One needs to be able to get multiple credit cards (and often debit cards) to handle the needs of longer land-based trips.

 

Hank

 

Hank,

I'm willing to jump through Andrews hoops but it looks like they have closed that loop hole. On their application to be a member the American consumer Council is not listed. Any other ideas?

[Turtles06]

Hank,

I'm willing to jump through Andrews hoops but it looks like they have closed that loop hole. On their application to be a member the American consumer Council is not listed. Any other ideas?

 

I'm not sure where you are looking, but membership in the American Consumer Council is still listed as a way to join Andrews. It's the last of the six eligibility options on this application page:

 

https://cs.loanspq.com/Consumer/Xpress/public/Disclosure.aspx

 

If you go that route, when you are joining the Council, enter the word "consumer" (not in quotes) in the box for a promo code, and that should waive the $5 membership fee.

 

Good luck!

[NewCruiserMPC]

Lew,

You are correct, the Chase Sapphire Card is chip & signature only.

It takes 3-5 days to receive a new chip & signature card.:)

 

Excuse my ignorance, but what is the difference between chip and signatire and chip and pin? How do they work?

[SoBaycruiser]

I'm not sure where you are looking, but membership in the American Consumer Council is still listed as a way to join Andrews. It's the last of the six eligibility options on this application page:

 

https://cs.loanspq.com/Consumer/Xpress/public/Disclosure.aspx

 

If you go that route, when you are joining the Council, enter the word "consumer" (not in quotes) in the box for a promo code, and that should waive the $5 membership fee.

 

Good luck!

 

Thanks so much. I feel stupid. I went through the drop down menu of "I am a member of" and didn't find it there. I should have kept reading. Thanks again!

[cruisemom42]

Excuse my ignorance, but what is the difference between chip and signatire and chip and pin? How do they work?

 

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=difference+between+chip+and+pin+and+chip+and+signature+cards%3F

[crazycruiserdc]

We just got back from our Med cruise and used a pin and chip card from USAA. It worked great. For the most part you are still fine with magnetic stripe. The only places you really need the pin and chip are at automated machines like parking garages, toll booths, train stations. If you are driving then this card is probably essential. At train stations you can always go up to the window to purchase rather than the machine.

[Turtles06]

We just got back from a westbound TA; this was our first time in Europe where we had a chip and pin card (from Andrews FCU). We only used the card twice (we prefer to use our Explorer card for frequent flyer miles), and each time the card reader did NOT recognize there was a chip that required a pin. One of the merchants said this was a problem she'd seen with American Visa cards. Has anyone experienced this? (Each charge went through via the swipe of the magnetic strip.)

 

Neither card reader was an unattended machine, so I don't know what would have happened with one of those, but the first merchant said that her card reader should have asked for a pin.

 

I'm pretty puzzled now about this card.

[-Lew-]

 

We just got back from a westbound TA; this was our first time in Europe where we had a chip and pin card (from Andrews FCU). We only used the card twice (we prefer to use our Explorer card for frequent flyer miles), and each time the card reader did NOT recognize there was a chip that required a pin. One of the merchants said this was a problem she'd seen with American Visa cards. Has anyone experienced this?

I can't comment on the chip not being recognized, we have an Andrews FCU card and have not experienced that issue.

 

From what I understand, the financial institution issuing the card determines when and where a PIN or signature will be required. During the past two years of European travels our PIN has been required only once while a signature was required at all other times.

 

During a recent visit the Andrews FCU card was not accepted in Taromina for the second time in two years. It was also not accepted at the Coop in Piazzale Rome in Venice while it was last year as a Chip & signature card.

 

Lew