Victoria - Canada or US Dollar

[amandawi]

We are stopping in Victoria on our cruise in a few weeks. Do most restaurants/pubs/shops accept US Dollars? Do you receive change in Canadian dollars? Or is it just easier to use a credit card?

[huskyguy]

Pretty much everyone in Victoria (or Carcross if you're doing an excursion from Skagway) accepts $US but you'll usually get change in $CDN, so a credit card saves you from having a bunch of $ you can't use.

[bearbait]

Credit cards also charge a "foreign service transaction fee" each time you swipe it. If you plan to do much shopping just pay cash. It's unlikely that you'll end up with a bunch of money you can't use if you just pay attention.

[amandawi]

Credit cards also charge a "foreign service transaction fee" each time you swipe it. If you plan to do much shopping just pay cash. It's unlikely that you'll end up with a bunch of money you can't use if you just pay attention.

 

Do you know how much the "foreign service transaction fee" is?

[Shawski]

Fee can be 1 to 2 percent, however, there are several credit cards that don't charge a foreign transaction fee. Just check with the issuer.

[las313]

We always use our Discover card. No foreign charges.

[donaldsc]

Credit cards also charge a "foreign service transaction fee" each time you swipe it. If you plan to do much shopping just pay cash. It's unlikely that you'll end up with a bunch of money you can't use if you just pay attention.

 

You can get a credit card that does not charge a foreign transaction fee.

 

DON

[Cabunit]

Whether an establishment will accept US dollars, and what, if any, exchange rate they will give you is totally up to the establishment. Unlike parts of the world that want the "hard" currency, using US money in Canada is just a headache for them (the Canadian dollar itself is an emerging hard currency).

 

Right now if you pay US dollars at par you are giving away 8%. Using the plastic and paying the transaction fee or setting a budget and taking cash out of a machine is less disruptive and may actually be cheaper.

[amandawi]

Thanks everyone for all the helpful info!

[huskyguy]

We always use our Discover card. No foreign charges.

 

But not accepted at many places. It's tough to even find places that take AmEx - in small towns especially.