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Cuban CUC currency exchange question


Lobbylin
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I know it’s better to buy CUC in Euro or GBP - any non US currency, my question is do you get the same rates when converting back if you don’t spend all the CUC?  It’s really hard to guess how much we will need, we are there for 2 half days.

thanks

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Hi Linda,

No you won't get the same rate changing it back. 

 

Change the minimum.  When you get off the ship there's an money exchange booth in the cruise terminal, you can't miss it.   Our private guide took us to the bank just by the square where you get off and it was the same rate.  Though you are told to use CUC, they happily took USD especially in tips.  A little bit goes a long way in Cuba, we were buying authentic Margaritas in roof top bars for CUC$3 each (leaving a $CUC2 tip)  When a doctor earns CUC$40 per month that will given you an idea. A bottle of local qood quality rum in the government stores start at about CUC$8.50.  We bought some hand painted good quality espresso cups and saucers as souvenirs (2 in a set) for $8 cuc. It was all very uncomplicated.  Hope that helps.  See you in March.  Regards Jenny 

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  • 2 weeks later...

We exchanged $300.00 and received 261.00 CUCs. That lasted us 2 days. On the 3rd day we had to exchange more. The booths are right in the cruise terminal. Credit Cards are pretty much out, although some places say they accept them, they usually don't. Linda, are you going on 12-21? We are. 

 

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3 hours ago, travelerchris said:

We exchanged $300.00 and received 261.00 CUCs. That lasted us 2 days. On the 3rd day we had to exchange more. The booths are right in the cruise terminal. Credit Cards are pretty much out, although some places say they accept them, they usually don't. Linda, are you going on 12-21? We are. 

 

Thanks TravelerChris,

We are on the Azamara Journey now sailing transatlantic Lisbon to Miami via Cuba, and will be calling in Havana 4-5th Nov👍

Linda

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4 hours ago, travelerchris said:

We exchanged $300.00 and received 261.00 CUCs. That lasted us 2 days. On the 3rd day we had to exchange more. The booths are right in the cruise terminal. Credit Cards are pretty much out, although some places say they accept them, they usually don't. Linda, are you going on 12-21? We are. 

 

I am  on that cruise.I have gone thru 200 CUC's between eating out and drinking. also  got rum to bring home and got Tshirts for children.  never had any money to try to get back in $$.

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7 hours ago, Phxazzcruisers said:

Thanks for the update.  We will be on shortly for the Cuba cruise and this is great information.  WE have booked some private tours and were quoted in US$.

 

That interesting.  We have booked a private tour and our guide said to pay in  CUC.  

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18 minutes ago, jelayne said:

 

That interesting.  We have booked a private tour and our guide said to pay in  CUC.  

I just looked at the email again and the prices are quoted in US$.  I will have out group leader check again and see how they want to be paid.....

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37 minutes ago, Phxazzcruisers said:

I just looked at the email again and the prices are quoted in US$.  I will have out group leader check again and see how they want to be paid.....

 

Do you mind if I ask what you are doing and with who? We have been to Havana and did the local tours. Very interesting, but not interesting enough to do twice. We haven't been to Santiago. I emailed a company called "Out of the box" that has good reviews. We'll see what they have for those 2 ports. 

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43 minutes ago, Phxazzcruisers said:

I just looked at the email again and the prices are quoted in US$.  I will have out group leader check again and see how they want to be paid.....

 

Do you mind if I ask what you are doing and with who? We have been to Havana and did the local tours. Very interesting, but not interesting enough to do twice. We haven't been to Santiago. I emailed a company called "Out of the box" that has good reviews. We'll see what they have for those 2 ports. 

 

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2 hours ago, travelerchris said:

 

Do you mind if I ask what you are doing and with who? We have been to Havana and did the local tours. Very interesting, but not interesting enough to do twice. We haven't been to Santiago. I emailed a company called "Out of the box" that has good reviews. We'll see what they have for those 2 ports. 

 

I do not have the name yet, our friend booked it and she is out of town.  We were asked to pay in US$, crisp clean $100.00 bills.

Edited by Phxazzcruisers
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3 minutes ago, Phxazzcruisers said:

I do not have the name yet, our friend booked it and she is out of town.  We were asked to pay in US$, crisp clean $100.00 bills.

Oh  thry love new money from the bank. Mine are new.

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That crisp, clean things sounds a lot like Russia.....   I am glad we had some Euros left over from our last cruise so I am just saving them to pay for Blexie's two tours in Hanvana.  A fellow CC member found a nice tour for Cienfuegos with a company that has you pre-pay in US $ with your credit card when you book the tour.  

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