New Zealand Dollar Question

[Wisconsin Travelers]

Our first port in New Zealand from Sydney is Dunedin where I understand a local shuttle is available from Port Chalmers into the city for something like 20 NZ Dollars.  Since we won't have NZ currency yet, will they take AU Dollars?  Or credit card?  I guess there isn't an ATM in Port Chalmers, so how can this be handled?  Thanks for the assistance.

[Chiliburn]

2 hours ago, Wisconsin Travelers said:

Our first port in New Zealand from Sydney is Dunedin where I understand a local shuttle is available from Port Chalmers into the city for something like 20 NZ Dollars.  Since we won't have NZ currency yet, will they take AU Dollars?  Or credit card?  I guess there isn't an ATM in Port Chalmers, so how can this be handled?  Thanks for the assistance.

Last season you had to pay $20 AU or NZ cash ,they took both currency .

 Previous seasons you could buy it on the ship and put it on your account but not last season ,you had to buy the shuttle tickets in the terminal with cash.

No ATM that I’m aware of on the dock but plenty in Dunedin.

make sure you take photo identification as they can be abit strict getting back to the ship in Dunedin.

Edited August 7, 2019 by Chiliburn

[Wisconsin Travelers]

Thanks for the info.  Maybe someone who recently took this cruise can confirm if it's still AU or NZ in cash.

[OzKiwiJJ]

Port Chalmers is used to cruise ships coming into port directly from Australia, at least half of the cruises that stop there come that way, so I doubt there would be any issues paying in AU. Hard to confirm exactly as you haven't mentioned what cruise line you are on. However there is an ATM on the main street of Port Chalmers, outside a convenience store (according to Google Maps), if you really need NZ cash.

[dillpickle48]

There is an ATM in Port Chalmers. It is in the supermarket, up the hill in the main street.

[dillpickle48]

Sorry, I must type slowly.

[OzKiwiJJ]

Just now, dillpickle48 said:

There is an ATM in Port Chalmers. It is in the supermarket, up the hill in the main street.

That means there is probably two then. I couldn't remember if there was one at the supermarket, I had a feeling there was but, of course, you can't see it on Google Maps. 

[Wisconsin Travelers]

6 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Port Chalmers is used to cruise ships coming into port directly from Australia, at least half of the cruises that stop there come that way, so I doubt there would be any issues paying in AU. Hard to confirm exactly as you haven't mentioned what cruise line you are on. However there is an ATM on the main street of Port Chalmers, outside a convenience store (according to Google Maps), if you really need NZ cash.

We're on Princess.  If this shuttle picks us up at the dock and takes us into Dunedin, I'm going with the assumption that we can use our AU Dollars for the cost of the shuttle and pick up NZ Dollars at an ATM in Dunedin. 

 

I don't know about others, but whenever possible I like to use an ATM that's part of a bank rather than a convenience store.  Somehow I always feel like people can "monkey around" with ATMs that aren't with a bank - turned out that's what happened to us in Florence.  Someone put a "skimmer" inside the ATM machine where you insert your card so they could read all your card info AND your pin.  We ended up with someone at O'Hare Airport in Chicago trying to get cash with our card number while we were in Italy!

[OzKiwiJJ]

I do understand your concerns however the convenience store ATM in Port Chalmers is an ANZ bank operated one.  ANZ is one of the major banks in NZ. I don't think there are any bank branches in Port Chalmers these days, just ATMs and, in smaller towns, banks do use stores to place their machines, or even have free-standing ones.

 

And if you ever go to Japan the only places that you'll find ATMs that accept international cards are in convenience stores.

 

I'm fairly certain you'll be OK with AUD for the shuttle. 

Edited August 9, 2019 by OzKiwiJJ

[banditoo]

Have you considered buying a small amount of New Zealand currency from your bank at home before starting the trip?

[GUT2407]

2 hours ago, banditoo said:

Have you considered buying a small amount of New Zealand currency from your bank at home before starting the trip?

Or an even smaller amount on the ship. Albeit at a poor exchange rate.

Edited August 9, 2019 by GUT2407

[Chiliburn]

I wouldn’t have concern,it’s the first port and they will take your money somehow.

[Wisconsin Travelers]

On 8/8/2019 at 5:29 PM, OzKiwiJJ said:

I do understand your concerns however the convenience store ATM in Port Chalmers is an ANZ bank operated one.  ANZ is one of the major banks in NZ. I don't think there are any bank branches in Port Chalmers these days, just ATMs and, in smaller towns, banks do use stores to place their machines, or even have free-standing ones.

 

And if you ever go to Japan the only places that you'll find ATMs that accept international cards are in convenience stores.

 

I'm fairly certain you'll be OK with AUD for the shuttle. 

Thanks for your post, OzKiwi.  We'll  be going to Japan next September, so I'll remember where to find ATM machines!  Last time I was there we were still using traveler's checks and I went to the local bank every day to cash one.

[Ombud]

26 minutes ago, Wisconsin Travelers said:

Thanks for your post, OzKiwi.  We'll  be going to Japan next September, so I'll remember where to find ATM machines!  Last time I was there we were still using traveler's checks and I went to the local bank every day to cash one.

It was a 7-11 in Japan & Busan, Korea in Nov 2018

[OzKiwiJJ]

4 hours ago, Ombud said:

It was a 7-11 in Japan & Busan, Korea in Nov 2018

7-11, Family Mart and one other I can't remember. They are all over the place in Japan. If one lot of ATMs don't like your card try a different convenience store. We had problems on one day with the Family Mart ATMS but 7-11 was OK.