Paying for TJ travel tours with dollars or use a credit card?

[lovelyr]

We are doing a 5 city tour with TJ travel. We can pay with "crisp dollars" or use a visa or mastercard. The tour operator said the price would depend on what the ruble was worth. I'm wondering if we should just go with the cash or use the credit card for payment.

What has been your experience?

[SparkleBee]

that sounds weird. they should just quote you the price in one currency or the other. I think most people are quoted in dollars and pay in dollars. I used SPB and paid by credit card.

[lovelyr]

they gave us a price for the tours in dollars, but I'm wondering if we are better off paying with the credit card.

[Sea Breezer]

that sounds weird. they should just quote you the price in one currency or the other. I think most people are quoted in dollars and pay in dollars. I used SPB and paid by credit card.

 

 

And did your charge for SPB stay in USD or was there any conversion when you got your bill?

[SparkleBee]

it was 58 cents more than what I expected : )

[kobecat]

TJ charged our credit card in $ last year. No problems.

[Buckeye 6]

We paid in US dollars in May. Our credit card company had warned us that due to sanctions by US government on some Russia banks our credit card might not work in Russia. The tour was great. Have a great time

[Giantfan13]

When we went, several years ago, there was an extra charge for using a CC (or a discount for paying cash, whichever way you want to view it). We went with the cash part to save a few bucks. If there is really no difference in the price, cash vs credit card, then why bother traveling with all that cash?. If your company charges the same, then I would suggest you use your CC and earn a few 'points' in the process.

 

Cheers

 

Len

[alolewis]

We paid in cash but the owner indicated she actually preferred credit cards.

[alolewis]

We paid in US dollars in May. Our credit card company had warned us that due to sanctions by US government on some Russia banks our credit card might not work in Russia. The tour was great. Have a great time

 

 

We used our VISA ATM card with a chip in the gift shop, no problems. This was in May of this year.

[ISLABONITA]

In my experience I pay everything if possible with a credit card when I travel.

 

I use Barclays World Arrival which gives you cash back.

 

Check your credit card for foreign exchange fees.

 

I use several of my cc for their many paybacks be it miles, points or cash.

[lovelyr]

Thanks for info. Did you do any other ports with TJ?

[Pet Nit Noy]

We are doing a 5 city tour with TJ travel. We can pay with "crisp dollars" or use a visa or mastercard. The tour operator said the price would depend on what the ruble was worth. I'm wondering if we should just go with the cash or use the credit card for payment.

What has been your experience?

 

Tour providers asking for crisp dollars really mean that. Russian banks will accept new or almost-new dollars as currency. However, wear to the bills that to our American eyes would be considered minimal, renders the bill useless (e.g. a slight tear along one edge).

 

Before our trip, we went to our local bank and got a small number of new one dollar bills to use for tips in Russia, but we paid for everything via credit card.

[Ashland]

I only booked TJ Travel for St Petersburg and paid in cash which gave me a discount...Very easy to do with fairly new crisp US $100.00 bills...Just an FYI some tent vendors took our US'$ for small purchases and used our Capitol One credit card for larger purchases in gift shops...Our wonderful private guide (as it was just my DH and myself) paid any where Rubles were required so we didn't have to bother with a money exchange...TJ Travel was AMAZING !!! Thanks Tatyana :D