General Question Regarding Currency Exchange

[kittenjing]

I will be on NCL in October ports will be Brussles, Spain, Portugal, France - should I exchange my US currency or will that be accepted at these countries?

[Host Hattie]

If you want to use cash you will need Euros for those ports. In the unlikely event that dollars were accepted you would get a very poor exchange rate.

Credit cards are accepted for most transactions if you have one without a foreign exchange fee.

[Ine]

US dollars are not accepted, you have to pay in Euros. Either use an ATM upon arrival, or bring cash. Of course creditcards are widely accepted, but not everywhere.

Edited May 26, 2022 by Ine

[ontheweb]

50 minutes ago, Host Hattie said:

If you want to use cash you will need Euros for those ports. In the unlikely event that dollars were accepted you would get a very poor exchange rate.

Credit cards are accepted for most transactions if you have one without a foreign exchange fee.

Note--Visa and MasterCard are more widely accepted than other credit cards such as American Express and Discover.

[CruiserBruce]

Does your favorite restaurant in Texas accept Euros?

[Gwendy]

When faced with this question, I always answer does your local Maccas take foreign currency?

[Markanddonna]

The only time I needed local currency on my recent trip to the continent was on a shuttle at a port. Sometimes, you might need one Euro for a random toilet use at tourist sites. Otherwise, your credit card works for just about everything you will need.

[rkacruiser]

19 minutes ago, Markanddonna said:

The only time I needed local currency on my recent trip to the continent was on a shuttle at a port. Sometimes, you might need one Euro for a random toilet use at tourist sites. Otherwise, your credit card works for just about everything you will need.

 

Agree with the above poster, but, I do like to have some Euros with me.  One never knows when some cash may be needed.  While ATM's in Europe can be used to get cash, I take some with me that I order from my bank.  Trying to find an ATM initially on arrival is not always easy to do.  

[Markanddonna]

Ask around from your friends. I always have a few coins from different countries I would be happy to give to a friend or sell to others.

[complawyer]

better go with euros or a credit card. a few years back, our port of disembarkation was venice. we were staying overnight and the cab driver insisted on euros only

[Honolulu Blue]

A couple of questions:

 

1.  Is exchanging currency on the ship not a thing anymore?  Yes, I know the exchange rate would be somewhere between bad and terrible.  But I find it hard to believe that the ship wouldn't have a few hundred US$ and Euros available for its guests.  I know they can break bigger bills for smaller ones, as I've done that a few times in my travels.

2.  Do cruise ships adjust the currency their ATMs spit out based on their location?  Or are any of them split currencies (dispensing both Yankee bucks and Euros, for example)?

[DarrenM]

19 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

Does your favorite restaurant in Texas accept Euros?

lol

[Lois R]

18 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Agree with the above poster, but, I do like to have some Euros with me.  One never knows when some cash may be needed.  While ATM's in Europe can be used to get cash, I take some with me that I order from my bank.  Trying to find an ATM initially on arrival is not always easy to do.  

Hi rka, I disagree with that post........I ALWAYS travel with Euros when in Europe. And have always used them. If I am on a tour and have an excellent guide and/or driver, I always tip and not a coin.  Of course I bring a couple of credit cards as well but I cannot imagine traveling overseas without some cash of the country I am visiting. I travel solo and just want to make sure I have plenty of what I need when I leave home....that is just me.  Everyone can do what is best for themselves. But of course, you do need the currency of said county you are visiting.......so no, US $ won't work in Europe.

[John Bull]

12 minutes ago, Lois R said:

Hi rka, I disagree with that post........I ALWAYS travel with Euros when in Europe. And have always used them. If I am on a tour and have an excellent guide and/or driver, I always tip and not a coin.  Of course I bring a couple of credit cards as well but I cannot imagine traveling overseas without some cash of the country I am visiting. I travel solo and just want to make sure I have plenty of what I need when I leave home....that is just me.  Everyone can do what is best for themselves. But of course, you do need the currency of said county you are visiting.......so no, US $ won't work in Europe.

 You're not really disagreeing with rka, who  says " I do like to have some Euros with me.  One never knows when some cash may be needed.".

And I agree.

But the exchange rate on credit cards is at or just above the wholesale rate - far better than any exchange bureau.  And its as much money as you want, without having to worry about whether you'll survive on what you've got left or hunting for an exchange bureau. Safer too.

 

A few pointers about cards.....

It's already been mentioned that Visa & Mastercard are widely accepted, but not so with Amex or D/C.

And don't rely on a single card - if you lose it or it's problematic  you're in trouble. So carry two, ideally with a third in your cabin safe.

High interest is charged daily  on cash drawn on credit cards, so for cash at an ATM use your debit card, or if you have to use a credit card pay it off in full at the earliest opportunity rather than waiting for your monthly statement.

Outlets, including ATMs, often offer you the opportunity to pay in the currency of your card instead of in local currency "for your convenience". In fact some unscrupulous vendors will automatically set the charge in your currency. So check before signing or wafting or entering your pin. INSIST on being charged in local currency because your card issuer will give you a much better exchange rate than outlets and foreign ATMs. It also allows you to see that  your card is being charged what's on the sales ticket or on the check.

Same applies to your on-board account if ship's currency isn't the same as your home currency - decline any offer to convert, pay as billed in ship's currency. 

But card issuers do charge a fee for foreign currency transactions. Normally not as much as their conversion rate saves you - but there are plenty of cards which don't charge a forex fee. It's probably worth getting one for a European cruise, and certainly worth getting one if you have further travels planned. Your fellow-countrymen can suggest cards which don't charge for foreign transactions.

 

BTW there are (rare) occasions where cash isn't accepted & the only option is to use a card. Usually un-manned outlets like toilets & parking.

 

Some local currency but most purchases  by card is the way most of us travel

 

JB  🙂

[complawyer]

honolulu blue. imagine the problems if most of the passengers wanted to exchange their currency for the local currency. how would you anticipate ncl (or any cruise line) to bring enough foreign currency, in which denominations, to accommodate the passengers.

 

it takes just a little while to use a local currency exchange  service in your city, if you give your bank sufficient notice they can do it for you, and since you acknowledge that  the exchange rate would be between "bad an terrible" why would you want to do it on a ship, when most international airports can do it for you before  you board the plane

 

finally, imagine the headache if you are sailing with tourists from other foreign countries and they want to exchange their currency.

 

if you are traveling to european ports, most take euros.  in the long run, it's better, easier, and certainly more convenient, to do your currency exchange before you travel

[Lois R]

Hi John, I should have clarified, I was disagreeing with Mark and Donna's post. I use Euros more than for Shuttle Rides.

[CruiserBruce]

4 hours ago, Honolulu Blue said:

A couple of questions:

 

1.  Is exchanging currency on the ship not a thing anymore?  Yes, I know the exchange rate would be somewhere between bad and terrible.  But I find it hard to believe that the ship wouldn't have a few hundred US$ and Euros available for its guests.  I know they can break bigger bills for smaller ones, as I've done that a few times in my travels.

2.  Do cruise ships adjust the currency their ATMs spit out based on their location?  Or are any of them split currencies (dispensing both Yankee bucks and Euros, for example)?

Yes, you can still exchange on the ship. As you mention, the exchange rate is terrible.

 

I am not aware that most ships have ATMs on them. Yes, some do. But far from all.

[ovccruiser]

You may get a better deal if you use your cards at an ATM to withdraw euros You may only be charged for drawing cash but get a good deal compared to currency dealers.

Edited May 27, 2022 by ovccruiser

[rkacruiser]

5 hours ago, Lois R said:

Hi John, I should have clarified, I was disagreeing with Mark and Donna's post. I use Euros more than for Shuttle Rides.

 

I thought you had misread my post.  🙂   No problem.  I am guilty of having done that as well.  

[rkacruiser]

9 hours ago, Honolulu Blue said:

Is exchanging currency on the ship not a thing anymore?

 

On every cruise that visits ports where a different currency that I have sailed, the Purser has currency for that port.  In what quantities is something that is a closely guarded secret.  That question was asked during a Q&A with ship Officers once that I attended.  The answer was worthy of a politician trying to dodge a reporter's question.  

 

The one time when local currency was not available aboard was for ports in Argentina.  They didn't have it.  My bank was unable to obtain it.  As a result, I left very little money in Argentina because of a reluctance to use my credit card anymore than I absolutely needed to do.  

[Lois R]

44 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

I thought you had misread my post.  🙂   No problem.  I am guilty of having done that as well.  

It's all good🙂....so, have a good sandwich lately?😃

[Hlitner]

I will toss out a few words based on over 40 years of extensive international travel (just returned from Europe a week ago).  Before COVID hit we were generally outside the USA about 7 months a year.  I only mention this to point out we have some experience.  We have never, ever, bought foreign currency in the USA and have never seen the need.  We get all of our foreign cash through ATMs and carry 3 different ATM cards (each drawn on a different bank) in order to have lots of backup.  As a general rule we only use ATM machines that are owned by banks!  There are also lots of privately owned ATMs (such as those from Travelex) that will give users a less than favorable exchange rate.   

 

As to US Dollars, folks should understand that US Dollars are meant to be used in the USA (and Ecuador) and are near useless in Europe.  While a few places and folks will accept US Dollars they will give you an awful exchange rate.  If you plan on using your ATM/Debit card make sure to notify your issuing bank in advance of your trip and preferably have a 4 digit PIN which you know in numbers (there are no letters on most European ATMs).  It is also nice to have an ATM card from a bank that changes no fees.

 

In much of Europe you can use major credit cards (primarily MC and Visa) and if you have credit cards that charge zero foreign exchange fees (i.e. CapitalOne, Chase Sapphire, etc) those are the cards you should favor.  Also beware that ATM/Debit cards have daily withdrawal limits (usually varies between $300 - $500) so you should plan accordingly.  Even if you get your issuing back to increase your daily ATM limit it still might be limited by the European ATM network.  

 

If you are going to rely on credit cards always make sure that a restaurant you frequent will accept your card (some European restaurants still do not accept cards).  I follow a basic rule of having enough local currency to cover any restaurant tab..since there are times when a card will not work or a restaurant will simply not accept a card.

 

Hank

[rkacruiser]

2 hours ago, Lois R said:

so, have a good sandwich lately?😃

 

No.  Haven't been to McDonald's for a Filet of Fish, Double Cheeseburger, or a Quarter Pounder with Cheese or to Frisch's for a Swiss Miss Sandwich for quite a while.  But, my chef (me) does make decent replicas of these when he decides to do so.  

[pris993]

On 5/26/2022 at 9:54 AM, CruiserBruce said:

Does your favorite restaurant in Texas accept Euros?

Folks in Europe are far more flexible.  My DH is from France.  On a recent trip we arrived after a Mediterranean cruise in England with some euros, some BPs and US$.  Stayed at a hotel near Heathrow, did not have enough cash to pay for dinner in BPs, found merchant more than happy to take  whatever we had to buy what we wanted.   We don't use credit cards for small purchases.  

 

Saying that, we usually travel with appropriate money used in a country.    We get some cash exchanged before we leave home, because we don't use ATMs. 

[CruiserBruce]

37 minutes ago, pris993 said:

Folks in Europe are far more flexible.  My DH is from France.  On a recent trip we arrived after a Mediterranean cruise in England with some euros, some BPs and US$.  Stayed at a hotel near Heathrow, did not have enough cash to pay for dinner in BPs, found merchant more than happy to take  whatever we had to buy what we wanted.   We don't use credit cards for small purchases.  

 

Saying that, we usually travel with appropriate money used in a country.    We get some cash exchanged before we leave home, because we don't use ATMs. 

You were at a major international Airport. More, easier exchange options there. Not at the typical business.