Cash vs Travelers Checks

[Deckster59]

Greetings all.

 

1st time cruiser heading out this weekend! We're super excited and have been reading all the questions on this board for the past two weeks. :)

 

Anywho, my question...looks like we'll be bringing along a decent amount of money. Do any of ya'll have any feedback over travelers checks vs cash?

 

We're planning to bring along $1k (already have purchased a drink package).

 

Just looking to see if anyone has experienced any problems converting or if TC are even worth it.

 

Thanks for your time!

[Keith1010]

You can cash travelers checks on the ship as you could a personal check.

 

For all your purchases on the ship other than say the casino you will use your shipboard account and in port you can use credit cards for many purchases.

 

Keith

[beachbum53]

Greetings all.

 

1st time cruiser heading out this weekend! We're super excited and have been reading all the questions on this board for the past two weeks. :)

 

Anywho, my question...looks like we'll be bringing along a decent amount of money. Do any of ya'll have any feedback over travelers checks vs cash?

 

We're planning to bring along $1k (already have purchased a drink package).

 

Just looking to see if anyone has experienced any problems converting or if TC are even worth it.

 

Thanks for your time!

 

Unless you plan on doing a lot of shopping while in port, you probably won't need $1,000. I think the most we've ever taken is $500.00 in traveler's checks, and we had quite a bit left over. Of course, you could always take what's left over and pay off your on board account before debarking. That way, you'd have $0 to pay on your credit card.;)

[George C]

We always did TC but just took cash instead on last cruise, most of my money was for casino

[BlueRiband]

..Just looking to see if anyone has experienced any problems converting or if TC are even worth it. Thanks for your time!

 

Traveler's Checks may not even be accepted by your cruise line. Some will cash them, some won't. (Cunard for example does not take them at all. Not for your on board account, not for the casino, Purser's desk won't cash them.) You will need to consult the cruise line's current policy.

 

$1K is plenty and what you don't spend can be deposited back. Cash is king. When you run out of money you're done souvenir shopping. Some posters report problems with spending from their debit cards on shore because a foreign purchase triggers a fraud alert.

 

In this age of world wide ATMs fewer people need or use traveler's checks and you may find that they won't be accepted on shore. Personally, I would not go through the time and pay the fees to buy them unless there was a specific reason they were needed.

Edited May 29, 2014 by BlueRiband

[mstigerlily18]

Some posters report problems with spending from their debit cards on shore because a foreign purchase triggers a fraud alert.

 

If you call your bank or credit card company before you go, not only will they mark your account so it won't trigger a fraud alert, it will trigger an alert if it is used at home.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Cash is king ..

[Krazy Kruizers]

We always take Traveler Checks knowing that we will be in hotels 3 or 4 days before the cruise, then 21 days or so on the ship and another a few days in hotels at the end of the cruise. No way do we want to take all that cash.

We are fortunate that our bank still has travelers checks and that HAL still cashes them.

[Krazy Kruizers]

If you call your bank or credit card company before you go, not only will they mark your account so it won't trigger a fraud alert, it will trigger an alert if it is used at home.

 

I don't have to do that. In fact American Express told me a few years ago that I didn't need to call them when we go on a cruise.

That is because they have a system where they know that I have purchased a cruise and airline tickets for certain times and they link everything.

[cb at sea]

10 $100 bills doesn't take up much space! The ship will break down larger denominations for you. (By the way, that's not THAT much money!!)

 

You can store your cash in the cabin safe.

[navybankerteacher]

$1,000 should be more than enough. Most of us settle our shipboard A/C's with credit card - aside from extra tips you really do not need that much cash aboard ship, and when ashore there are always ATM's available. I know that some lines no longer accept travelers checks, so you should check with your line.

[Scrapnana]

I don't have to do that. In fact American Express told me a few years ago that I didn't need to call them when we go on a cruise.

That is because they have a system where they know that I have purchased a cruise and airline tickets for certain times and they link everything.

 

I have credit cards/debit cards with two different banks (no longer with AmEx) and they both require you to notify them if you are using your card away from home (even in another part of your own country). Best to call and ask rather than have your card rejected.

 

On the subject of Traveller's Checques, I found they were difficult to cash and when they would you had to pay a fee. I use cash, my debit card, and credit card instead.

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic, Deckster59!

Edited May 29, 2014 by Scrapnana

[Flatbush Flyer]

People still use traveler's cheques???

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[NMLady]

Greetings all.

 

1st time cruiser heading out this weekend! We're super excited and have been reading all the questions on this board for the past two weeks. :)

 

Anywho, my question...looks like we'll be bringing along a decent amount of money. Do any of ya'll have any feedback over travelers checks vs cash?

 

We're planning to bring along $1k (already have purchased a drink package).

 

Just looking to see if anyone has experienced any problems converting or if TC are even worth it.

 

Thanks for your time!

 

We aren't comfortable carrying that kind of cash so we take Travelers Checks that we cash at the ship's front desk as needed.

[NMLady]

You can cash travelers checks on the ship as you could a personal check. ...

Keith

 

Most cruise lines will cash travelers checks but I don't know of any that will cash a personal check.

Edited May 29, 2014 by NMLady

[donaldsc]

Travelers Checks originated in the 18th century so that people who did the grand tour of Europe did not have to carry money with them.

 

Consider this reference from Wikipedia -

 

"Traveler's cheques were first issued on 1 January 1772 by the London Credit Exchange Company for use in ninety European cities,[1] and in 1874, Thomas Cook was issuing 'circular notes' that operated in the manner of traveler's cheques.[2]

 

American Express was the first company to develop a large-scale traveller's cheque system in 1891"

 

We are now in the 21st century and they are sort of out of date.

 

DON

[beachbum53]

Travelers Checks originated in the 18th century so that people who did the grand tour of Europe did not have to carry money with them.

 

Consider this reference from Wikipedia -

 

"Traveler's cheques were first issued on 1 January 1772 by the London Credit Exchange Company for use in ninety European cities,[1] and in 1874, Thomas Cook was issuing 'circular notes' that operated in the manner of traveler's cheques.[2]

 

American Express was the first company to develop a large-scale traveller's cheque system in 1891"

 

We are now in the 21st century and they are sort of out of date.

DON

 

 

So are cassette tape players, but some people still use them.

[jamessemaj]

Traveler's checks are just too inconvenient to me, and they are not accepted in many places. I carry some cash and count on ATMs. The last time I used them I had to stand in line forever in a bank in Spain, where it was the only place to cash them. Never again.

[donaldsc]

So are cassette tape players, but some people still use them.

 

All of my music that used to be on LPs were copied to tape cassettes, then to CDs and they are now on my 160 gig iTunes player. I have 2207 complete albums on my iTunes. That would take a lot of space using cassettes and how would you find the album you want.

 

There is no reason with today's technology to use tape cassettes.

 

DON

[Steviewonder1]

Sorry but Travelers Checks are so 1970. I carry only one credit card (AMEX Platinum) and it and cash works everywhere I go. Yes, I bought Euro's from my bank before doing the Eastern Med and the Turkish lira. The ATM's in Europe will take your bank debit card also with a conversion fee that is less than what you paid at your bank in the US.

[Shmoo here]

Most cruise lines will cash travelers checks but I don't know of any that will cash a personal check.

 

Disney Cruise Lines will cash personal checks, there is a limit ($100, but I'm not sure whether that's per day or once per cruise).

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

10 $100 bills doesn't take up much space! The ship will break down larger denominations for you. (By the way, that's not THAT much money!!)

 

You can store your cash in the cabin safe.

 

Take some 20s as well ..

[Loves_Dogs]

I have taken travelers checks on all of my cruises. Just off Navigator of the Seas (5/25 cruise) and had no problems cashing them at the pursers desk as needed. Only takes a few minutes. Not the least bit inconvenient for me.

 

I am not comfortable carrying a lot of cash. We book private excursions (scuba dives) that are not cheap and therefore have a need to take cash on our cruises. Unless it's an emergency, I refuse to use any of my credit cards in cruise ports. And I am not using any ATM's that rack up extra fees. I simply cash my travelers checks the night before at the pursers desk and carry the cash into port to pay for our dives.

 

Not sure where you all are going where your checks have been refused. I honestly have never had anyone refuse my travelers checks. And I have used them at small vendors in ports. Maybe I have just been lucky, who knows.

 

Travelers checks may be 'so 1970' but they work well for me and I will continue to use them. Have a GREAT cruise OP!

[Hlitner]

Travelers Checks are fine if you intend to cash them on board. But if you are coming here to Europe (we are in France) leave them home and bring ATM cards, credit cards, or cash. Travelers Checks are now so obsolete you will actually find folks who have no clue what they are....but even worse, they can be very difficult to impossible to cash. Some major hotel chains (like Hilton) might cash them for their customers, but otherwise they are good for wallpaper or for when you get back home. For much of the world Travelers Checks are about as relevant as vinyl 33 1/3 or 45 records :)

 

But seriously, we did see a change place in Paris that would accept TCs, but they charged a nasty fee.

 

Hank

Edited June 6, 2014 by Hlitner

[anandaindonesia]

Location : Funchal, Portugal.

 

Scene : long queue moving v-e-r-y slowly. Cruise ship passengers trying to exchange their US dollars into Euro.

 

Climax : after long 45 minutes in the queue, an elderly couple finally come to the front. The cashier sinply said, sorry we cannot accept traveller's cheques. Cash only.

 

So where to cash in?

 

Further down, 2 blocks.

 

But we just have been there, they said no, and directed us to come here.

 

Moral of the story : hard cash is cash.

 

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