amandawi Posted May 29, 2014 #1 Share Posted May 29, 2014 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? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huskyguy Posted May 29, 2014 #2 Share Posted May 29, 2014 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bearbait Posted May 29, 2014 #3 Share Posted May 29, 2014 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amandawi Posted May 29, 2014 Author #4 Share Posted May 29, 2014 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? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawski Posted May 29, 2014 #5 Share Posted May 29, 2014 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
las313 Posted May 29, 2014 #6 Share Posted May 29, 2014 We always use our Discover card. No foreign charges. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donaldsc Posted May 30, 2014 #7 Share Posted May 30, 2014 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cabunit Posted May 30, 2014 #8 Share Posted May 30, 2014 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amandawi Posted May 30, 2014 Author #9 Share Posted May 30, 2014 Thanks everyone for all the helpful info! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huskyguy Posted May 30, 2014 #10 Share Posted May 30, 2014 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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