Aussie Dollars on a Transpacific Cruise to Australia

[53sunset]

We're traveling on a transpacific cruise to Australia in October and have been advised to have Aussie dollars for most of the South Pacific islands that we'll be visiting. Does anyone know if Royal Caribbean sells Aussie dollars. If not, what would be the best way to exchange US dollars for Aussie dollars. Thanks

[Dennis#1]

We're traveling on a transpacific cruise to Australia in October and have been advised to have Aussie dollars for most of the South Pacific islands that we'll be visiting. Does anyone know if Royal Caribbean sells Aussie dollars. If not, what would be the best way to exchange US dollars for Aussie dollars. Thanks

 

Yes, cruise ships heading to Australia will convert US dollars into Australia funds. Two years ago on the Radiance (from Hawaii to Sydney), Guest Services was able to convert US dollars into local currency.

[jasper15]

Just off Voyager of the Seas cruise in South Pacific. All of the Islands will take Australian dollars. In New Caledonia, they will give you change in their local currency though so you would need notes of small denominations. In Vanuatu, they were quite happy to give you back your change in Australian dollars and most places could cash a $50 note. The majority of the tourist shops in Vanuatu will display their prices in AUD rather than their local currency.

[Bailey & Sophie]

Yes, cruise ships heading to Australia will convert US dollars into Australia funds. Two years ago on the Radiance (from Hawaii to Sydney), Guest Services was able to convert US dollars into local currency.

 

This is just too funny. I have been reading posts for about 6 months. Nothing about exchanging US to Aust/NZ dollars. Now there are 2!!!

[Dennis#1]

This is just too funny. I have been reading posts for about 6 months. Nothing about exchanging US to Aust/NZ dollars. Now there are 2!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[The Scurvy Pirate]

Be careful on the exchange rate RCI is giving you and added "fees". Sometimes, you can go to your local bank before you leave and buy the foreign currency at a better rate. Although no help to you, I flew into Sydney for a cruise and simply went to a local Bank ATM at the airport and withdrew AU dollars. Very good exchange rate and only a $3.00 "fee" to use the ATM as it was a Mastercard debit card. People we were with went to the currency exchange at the airport and paid an $18 fee and the exchange rate was obscene. Almost a dollar for dollar when my exchange rate was at about .76 on the dollar.

[geomancer]

Yes, using an ATM is often vastly better than any other choice if you need cash.

 

No foreign transaction fee credit cards are even better if the merchant takes credit cards.

 

Both credit cards and ATMs will give you the interbank exchange rate, which is the best you can get. Hotels, real life tellers at a bank, currency exchange booths/businesses, cruise ship, etc will set their own rate and possibly add a fee on top (if they don't have a fee, the rate is generally really bad to compensate).

 

Travelex can be the absolute worst. Say you were flying from the US to Poland via Heathrow. If you tried to exchange money in Heathrow, Travelex would first convert your US dollars into British pounds before converting to Polish złoty. You'd get hit by two terrible exchange rates for an enormous loss in money. Why would you even consider this? Well, if a US airport you're flying out of does not have direct flights to the country you are visiting they may not have any currency on hand. So you either get it on your connecting flight, or hope they're open at the destination when you arrive.

 

TLDR: Always use an ATM if possible and you must have cash. If cash is required, and an ATM not assured, do the exchange ahead of time with your bank or you can order money via Travelex online and not get hit quite as hard as you would at the airport.