Currency

[tayjay2001]

We are sailing on the fascination in 3 weeks from Barbados staying a few nights there before. Going to St Lucia st kitts etc . I was just wondering what currency will we need for Barbados and the various islands we will be going to.

[SheehanDJ]

The Caribbean uses Yankee Dollars (US Currency).

 

On some of the islands you will get back local currency as change, not whole dollar change but in the place of coinage.

[axzel]

I have read that local prices are in Caribbean dollars ($), but they make you pay in US Dollars. Since the exchange rate is about 1$ US = 2,6$ caribbean it can get a little pricy!

 

Any advice ?

[ming]

Barbados prices are (generally) posted in Barbados Dollars(BD$).

Barbados Dollars (BD$) are two to one (2 :1) of US Dollars(US$)

If a merchant is selling an item that is marked at BD$2 (two Barbados Dollars) and you hand him a US$1 (US One Dollar) he will accept it. They don’t make you pay the BD$ price in full US$, only ½.

Same with taxis. Be sure when you are quoted for a lift that the driver is quoting in Barbados Dollars or US Dollars. This is where some people get taken. They quote you a trip price which was really in BD$ but they don't say that, just the dollar amount and if you don’t say anything initially they say they were quoting in US$ when they really weren’t (making twice the money of what the trip was worth).