Dumb question about money$$

[Doober66]

I know the vendors take American money but do they make change with Mexican money? I was wondering about how many smaller bills I should take...

[SadieN]

Take lots of singles, fives and tens. The newer looking the better. Assume you'll get pesos back. We've have had some places (not street vendors) give us back American.

 

What we do is make some purchases in the supermarkets and get change in pesos. We use those pesos for small street purchases and bus fare.

[adriennerm]

Some of the vendors may attempt to give you the country's currency in return claiming they do not have change in USD. To prevent this take small denominations with you. If you can't, tell them to find the USD or you will not make the purchase. More often than not, the USD will "magically" appear.

 

I said the "country's currency" b/c we had this happen in Bahamas, Jamaica and Mexico. I think it's a game some of the vendors play on tourists.

Edited January 22, 2015 by adriennerm

[serene56]

they will try to give you their money as our money is worth more

 

Pay for anything using smaller bills

[riffatsea]

Why would you expect someone in any foreign country to have change in your home(USA ) currency??

Just because folks pay in USA currency doesn't mean that change would be available in that currency.

I think it is quite arrogant to expect it.

[kelkel2]

This is why I pay with my visa...

If it's a small purchase then I don't mind and we have even found it a little fun getting coins from other countries and seeing all of them from where we have been, but honestly I just use my visa credit card. Not debit card, but credit card. If the number would be swiped my bank would alert me and would protect me.

[MamaTortuga]

This is why I pay with my visa...

If it's a small purchase then I don't mind and we have even found it a little fun getting coins from other countries and seeing all of them from where we have been, but honestly I just use my visa credit card. Not debit card, but credit card. If the number would be swiped my bank would alert me and would protect me.

 

Just about to say the same. I hardly like carrying cash when I'm making purchases at home let alone in another country. I'll only keep a few singles for tipping purchases at restaurants, etc.

[cb at sea]

As long as you give them CLOSE to the purchase amount, they should be able to give American $$ back as change. Don't expect to buy $3 worth of something with a $50! You will get local currency back!

 

The ship can break down larger bills for you before you go ashore.

[Doober66]

Thank you for the kind answers. Now I KNOW what to expect...riffatsea.

[A2Mich]

Why would you expect someone in any foreign country to have change in your home(USA ) currency??

Just because folks pay in USA currency doesn't mean that change would be available in that currency.

I think it is quite arrogant to expect it.

 

 

I would say it depends on where they are cruising. If you're in Europe or Asia, for example, expecting US currency back is unreasonable. However, if you are in run if the mill, beaten to death Caribbean port that has 3-5 cruise ships everyday full of most likely, American, tourists, then I don't think that getting US currency back is unreasonable, unless you happen to be the first shopper of the day. DEMANDING $US in a foreign port is unreasonable, but again, in a tourist port that is visited regularly by American visitors, chances are probably pretty good that you'll get small change in $US.

[riffatsea]

@Doober, I actually didn't mean you when I was writing as you just asked a question. I was really talking to the other posters who seemed to think that if you didn't get USA money in change that the vendor was somehow cheating you!

Doober asked about Mexico not some Caribbean island.

 

I don't care if you are a cruiser in Mexico or on a land vacation there, it is still not reasonable to expect the folks to keep USA money just to give you change.

You can use your USA $$s although it is quite easy to also get pesos and since the peso to dollar ratio is now above 14 you will get better pricing if you pay with your credit card or in pesos.

Doober, You will be fine using your USA $$s just use small bills and keep the pesos as souvenirs or for your next cruise.

Edited January 22, 2015 by riffatsea

[cruisecraze96]

We always bring small bills just in case and when DD was in Cozumel she asked nicely if they would give her change in Pesos and they explained what each one was and she loved it. We did make sure to tell her (she is 11) that when she did ask and talk to the locals where we were at that she did not call it Mexican Money :)

[Doober66]

Riffatsea...Thank you for your help. We are cruising the Caribbean like Costa Maya, Belize, Grand Caymen. I will just be prepared with smaller bills.

[RWolver672]

@Doober, I actually didn't mean you when I was writing as you just asked a question. I was really talking to the other posters who seemed to think that if you didn't get USA money in change that the vendor was somehow cheating you!

Doober asked about Mexico not some Caribbean island. With an exchange rate being different, you never know for sure if you are being cheated or not when it comes to getting change in their money.

 

I don't care if you are a cruiser in Mexico or on a land vacation there, it is still not reasonable to expect the folks to keep USA money just to give you change. I'm afraid I'll have to disagree with you on this. Tourists are the only ones that buy from these vendors. Locals rarely if at all frequent these stores. They know better. They know that these places are all overpriced.

You can use your USA $$s although it is quite easy to also get pesos and since the peso to dollar ratio is now above 14 you will get better pricing if you pay with your credit card or in pesos. You are right. It's better to use a credit card.

Doober, You will be fine using your USA $$s just use small bills and keep the pesos as souvenirs or for your next cruise.

 

See above.

[adriennerm]

@Doober, I actually didn't mean you when I was writing as you just asked a question. I was really talking to the other posters who seemed to think that if you didn't get USA money in change that the vendor was somehow cheating you!

Doober asked about Mexico not some Caribbean island.

 

I don't care if you are a cruiser in Mexico or on a land vacation there, it is still not reasonable to expect the folks to keep USA money just to give you change.

You can use your USA $$s although it is quite easy to also get pesos and since the peso to dollar ratio is now above 14 you will get better pricing if you pay with your credit card or in pesos.

Doober, You will be fine using your USA $$s just use small bills and keep the pesos as souvenirs or for your next cruise.

 

Well I assume you are talking about my post. I stand by what I said. The vendors who are close to cruise ports are well aware that majority of the tourist will have USD. More time than not, they will have change. However they choose to act as if they do not to keep the change. Notice in my original post I said SOME not ALL.

 

And the reason I didn't say Mexico is because I didn't want to single out Mexico. Mexico is one of my favorite places to visit. I wanted the poster to be aware that he/she should have smaller denominations while traveling to other Caribbean islands on a cruise.

 

The scenario we are talking about it a cruise; Not a land based vacation. Going on a land based vacation is completely different than going to a port for 8 hours.

Edited January 23, 2015 by adriennerm

[riffatsea]

I suppose since I live near the border with Mexico , that I am more aware of the dollar/peso exchange rate. We don't have any problems figuring out how much we need to pay and how much change we should get.

We also try to use pesos as much as possible when in Mexico as that is the currency of the country we are visiting.

I understand that if you are in the Caribbean and stopping at different islands with different currency that it is too silly to start changing money at each stop so you may get confused about getting change. In that case I'd only pay for small items with actual cash and use my credit card for large purchases!

[Majack16]

Consider me arrogant...I would expect a vendor to have US currency for change if they accept US currency.

[cruizinisthebest]

Consider me arrogant...I would expect a vendor to have US currency for change if they accept US currency.

 

Same here. Totally agree. Your best bet in port is to use small bills. Sometimes I don't even bother asking for change. If something is $3 and I pay with a $5 bill, I rather you keep the change than try to pay me back in the island's currency and you know good and we'll I'm just there for the day.

[gfh77665]

Why would you expect someone in any foreign country to have change in your home(USA ) currency??

Just because folks pay in USA currency doesn't mean that change would be available in that currency.

I think it is quite arrogant to expect it.

 

I would expect them to have USA currency because, obviously, the vendors who SWARM YOU when you step off the boat are making a concerted effort to sell their stuff to Americans who travel. That is the only reason they are there, period. Its arrogant to believe otherwise.

[riffatsea]

I am not going to change your minds but the reason that vendors accept USA currency is because they know they won't sell anything to cruise ship passengers unless they do that. They know that cruise ship passengers are probably not going to bother changing money sooo it is a courtesy they extend to us so that they can make a living. They really have little choice in the matter.

They are not going to start doing all the math to know the current exchange rate and will probably just use an easy ratio like 10 : 1 because the math is easy that way.

If you choose to shop from those vendors then you should know going into the transaction that you may get change in the home currency instead of in USA $$. They will keep that for themselves since it is probably worth more. If that bothers you then I suggest you don't buy anything.

[Majack16]

I am not going to change your minds but the reason that vendors accept USA currency is because they know they won't sell anything to cruise ship passengers unless they do that. They know that cruise ship passengers are probably not going to bother changing money sooo it is a courtesy they extend to us so that they can make a living. They really have little choice in the matter.

They are not going to start doing all the math to know the current exchange rate and will probably just use an easy ratio like 10 : 1 because the math is easy that way.

If you choose to shop from those vendors then you should know going into the transaction that you may get change in the home currency instead of in USA $$. They will keep that for themselves since it is probably worth more. If that bothers you then I suggest you don't buy anything.

 

There is no reason to change our minds. It's quite simple. The vendors are there to make money. Like you said, they now that the majority of people are going to have US currency. If they want to make money they will accept US currency. If they accept US currency, they will have US currency for change. If they act like they do not, you use that as a bargaining point. I'm not going to pay more, I'm going to bargain down to the closest size bill that I have for the item. At that point they will either say yes or US currency will "magically" appear for change. If they say no, there's plenty of other vendors, which they are aware of.

[diverdon48371]

I try to keep it real simple. If there is somthing that i am interested in I just ask them if I buy this with a $xx bill, will you give me the change in US or your local currency. If I do not like the answer, I tell them thank you and keep on shopping. Chances are there is someone else also selling it or I really did not need it. (and before you flame me I am always very polite about it)

[Cruise, J.D.]

Nothing unreasonable about expecting change in dollars at Caribbean ports. Their lifeblood is dollars. I have even got change in dollars outside the port areas.

 

Street vendors I could understand having issues. Large vendors? Yeah right. :rolleyes:

 

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Forums mobile app

[Majack16]

Nothing unreasonable about expecting change in dollars at Caribbean ports. Their lifeblood is dollars. I have even got change in dollars outside the port areas.

 

Street vendors I could understand having issues. Large vendors? Yeah right. :rolleyes:

 

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Forums mobile app

 

 

 

I prefer to buy from street vendors. Don't get me wrong, I do spend money on larger vendors/cruise vendors. But I prefer to give money to the local people. Even if they could not provide change, I'd probably buy more to get to an even amount that I have....but if I feel like someone is trying to take advantage or sucker me I'll move on real quick.