AMA ATMs and Need for Forints

[thunter1224]

Can anyone tell me if I can use my Visa Debit card in the atm on AMAWaterways ships ? and what the fee is ?  I am also wondering if I should get euro's while still in the USA or do it when we land in Munich .. and will I have trouble transferring those to Hungarian money when we get to Budapest ?    Thats why I am wondering about using my debit while on our river cruise .. 

 

[Hoyaheel]

I can't answer about AMA but I personally would use my ATM at a machine in Hungary and get whatever money I need there. I never get money ahead of time (it is awful with my bank and the ATM is more convenient for me and has better exchange rates ;-) Likewise, I'd get my euros via ATM in Munich....

[need2travel1]

I'm sorry I can't help w/ your AMA question but we always get our Euro's before we leave home.  I pick them up from our local bank & when we get to Europe we're ready to hit the ground running & not have to start looking for an ATM.  As a bonus-if we have some leftover after our trip they go in the travel fund for the next year:)  

[Got2Cruise]

2 hours ago, thunter1224 said:

Can anyone tell me if I can use my Visa Debit card in the atm on AMAWaterways ships ? and what the fee is ?  I am also wondering if I should get euro's while still in the USA or do it when we land in Munich .. and will I have trouble transferring those to Hungarian money when we get to Budapest ?    Thats why I am wondering about using my debit while on our river cruise .. 

 

Why do you need the florints? Europe is almost cashless and almost every place takes plastic even for small purchases. As you said you don’t want to be stuck with leftover. 

[Hoyaheel]

1 hour ago, need2travel1 said:

 ready to hit the ground running & not have to start looking for an ATM

 

My bank (indeed all local banks I've checked with) have horrible policies on foreign currencies - the exchange rate is awful, they charge a fee for the "convenience" and it can take a week or longer. So I head to an ATM post-immigration, pre-baggage collection most of the time. If I'm traveling with my husband, one of us will go for baggage and one for the ATM. Never delays us. Well, certainly less of a delay than waiting in the line for the ladies room ;-) Our vacation savings account was chosen mainly for the great ATM access (no fees) and secondarily for the interest rate ;-)

[jpalbny]

I'm with Hoyaheel. Every bank/AMEX/AAA rate I've ever checked for pre-purchasing currency at home has added about 10% to the bank exchange rate so it's a terrible deal compared to an ATM withdrawal. That said, if you want the security of arriving in Europe or wherever with a wad of Euros in your pocket, and you're willing to pay for that convenience, it's OK. Just offering another perspective that you don't have to do that.

 

We got a Schwab checking account with an ATM card about 6 months ago and they really do return every ATM fee, down to the penny. And it really is free. So I tested it in January, and I really did pay nothing more than the bank exchange rate in Argentina and Chile for my pesos when we were there. Good thing, because the ATM fees there are confiscatory!

 

It's a better deal than the BofA global alliance, because they add a 3% exchange fee even when the ATM fees are waived, and they don't cover too many countries.

 

So now I can make small withdrawals anywhere and not worry about the ATM fees. Another reason to not worry about getting currency ahead of time. 🙂

 

It's great to have options!

 

Got2Cruise - I exchanged my leftover Forints for Euros when we left Hungary, at a money changer that I found in Bratislava. Yes, you lose some on the conversion but it was worth it to get rid of most of them. While I agree that you can use CCs in many places, we wanted to visit some smaller museums in Budapest where they might not have been thrilled to use CCs. So I wanted local currency for that, plus food in the Spring Marketplaces... And as long as you don't get hosed on the conversion rate both ways, I'll don't mind the occasional hit.

Edited May 8, 2019 by jpalbny

[Hoyaheel]

If I'm not planning to return to a country & use the money, I  use any remaining cash in tips or to pay some of my hotel bill (with remaining on a credit card, depending on specifics of the situation). I had one trip where I was reimbursed IN CASH for my airfare & per diem for a trip I made to China. Fortunately, my husband was with me that trip and we were spending some tourist days after my work trip and I was able to use most of that cash to pay our hotel bill.....That was the only time I've really been stumped about how to handle cash.

Edited May 9, 2019 by Hoyaheel

[pacmom]

River cruise ships do not have ATMs.  You will have to get cash off the boat.  There is also no currency exchange on the river cruises. We usually get a small amount at the airport and supplement as we go along.  Enjoy, Pat

[thunter1224]

My local AAA will exchange my money for Euros .. but I have to get $250.   Then I am worried about changing those again while in Budapest Hungary ..   Maybe I will see if I can do both monies to equal the $250..    I have 148 days until our cruise .. so have time to decide if I need that much money .. also what do you tip the excursion guides and baggage handlers ?  

[mj_holiday]

Even though there is a fee, I will exchange money at the money exchange at the airport before we leave the USA.  This give us enough to handle taxi fare etc when we first get in a country.  The exchange at the airport will also take back your money for dollars when you get back to the USA.  I did use an ATM in Budapest when we traveled there, but I just got off an overnight flight and was not completely alert.  My conversion in my head for how many forints I wanted added an extra zero!!!  So if I am ever in the situation where I need to use an ATM in a foreign country after a long flight, I do the conversion the day before we leave and carry a note with the amount of foreign currency I will get.

[jpalbny]

Ha, the Budapest ATM got me too. I picked the correct amount of Forints but I absent-mindedly hit the button to accept their crummy fixed conversion rate, rather than accept the bank rate. To tell the truth I had NOT expected that on an ATM - I am very used to that when paying by credit card but that was the first time I'd seen it on an ATM.

 

ALWAYS pick the bank rate. Never accept the charge in your home currency, because that rate is worse. Live and learn. Now that I am aware of this, I've seen it in a few other locations as well - I think Prague. But I was wise to it by then. 😄

[doverboy]

Where do you live and when are you traveling?  I have Forints left from the last cruise we took. Tried to exchange all my foreign currency in Heathrow and was told that there is a bin for collecting left over money because it isn't worth calculating the exchange.  Brought home money for each of our children but still have some left that is no use too me

[jpalbny]

Want to trade them for some Madagascar ariary? 😁😆🤣

[doverboy]

At the exchange rate of $1 U.S. to 288 forints, I am not sure how much what I have left would be worth but I will mail it to the first person who supplies an address and has a few weeks before they sail just to get the crap out of my house.  the picture of Vlad the Impaler looks awesome though

[thunter1224]

My Girlfriend , now says she is planning on using her Visa for any purchase she wants while on our Danube River Cruise,  Will she find it hard to use it in the different countries ?  and like most , food places here in the USA .. do they take the card at most places ?  street food vendors ? souvenir shops ? ect. 

 

[thunter1224]

On 5/13/2019 at 3:18 PM, doverboy said:

At the exchange rate of $1 U.S. to 288 forints, I am not sure how much what I have left would be worth but I will mail it to the first person who supplies an address and has a few weeks before they sail just to get the crap out of my house.  the picture of Vlad the Impaler looks awesome though

   That is what I will use in Budapest Hungary right ?  And how will I send you the money for what you have left ? we are going the first week in Oct. 2019. for our first trip to Europe . ( and probably our only )  Disabled Vets don't make enough for a trip like this , more then 1 time..

[doverboy]

Send me your address, pwmcknn@gmail.com

I'll send what I have. Keep your cash. Thank you for your service

[dogs4fun]

I also get my foreign currency from an ATM. I would get some euros upon arrival in Munich and some HUF in Budapest. We used our CC for most purchases but cash (HUF) was required at many of the Christmas market stalls, the chimney cake kiosks (love those cakes) and for some other incidental purchases. 

The currency exchange rates at my bank are atrocious -  I can order Euros from AAA (but ATM in Germany offers better rate). I never convert left over Euros - just save them till our next trip to Europe. 😀

I used my leftover HUF to tip the taxi driver.

[Peregrina651]

Since we like traveling in Europe, we stock up on euros at the end of the trip to have for the next.

 

[Geezer Cruiser]

Recently took a cruise that included pre-cruise time in Budapest, along with a day there after embarkation. Never needed any cash - used credit cards for everything just fine. 

 

[What was that?]

And on the other end of the trip, any small amounts of leftover currency - especially coins - can be donated somewhere along your travels home. I used to do that on American Airlines flights, but you may see legitimate "cause" donation boxes in airports that can help you with that "problem."

[PrettyParrot]

Euros and zloty always come home with us for our next trip!  😀❤️🇵🇱🇫🇷🇪🇸