Foreign Currency

[CPT Trips]

On 6/16/2023 at 9:00 PM, Joseph2017China said:

Online banking you can literally pay the credit card same day so no interest 

I wouldn’t recommend that anyone do online banking on a public network. 

[njkruzer]

9 minutes ago, CPT Trips said:

I wouldn’t recommend that anyone do online banking on a public network. 

That sounds nice except if you are traveling overseas for an extended period of time.

[Reina del Mar]

We exchange money for travelling before we leave..not keen on ATMs in our home country, even less while abroad. We don’t order a huge amount of the various currencies, but usually have enough for coffees, tips and taxis. We don’t use debit cards abroad, preferring the additional security of a credit card.

 

When we make the exchanges, more often than not we are given notes, so coins for bathrooms/locals buses tend to come after we have had a coffee in a local cafe. Of course, coins are unlikely to be accepted when returning currency to banks.

 

It is not easy, but try to work out how much currency you might need in each port..depends on whether doing your shore excursions independently or using ship’s offerings.

 

Many places offer ‘no commission’ foreign exchange, but their rates tend to be lower to make up for this. You’ll probably end up paying something, one way or another. At least that has been our experience.

[sanger727]

The discussion is useless without knowing more about where the OP is going. If they are going to Europe and staying in the EU most of the trip, it probably would be wise to get some Euros. If they are going on a cruise where they change countries every day, there is really no point to it.

 

We typically get money out of ATMs when we arrive. I did pre-order some Japanese Yen prior to a trip once because we were concerned we would need cash upon arrive to use the subway to get to the hotel. It probably wasn't really necessary. Everything there was easier with a credit card. But since we were there a few weeks, it wasn't difficult to spend. If we were immediately leaving to go to on an asian cruise, we probably wouldn't have had the chance to spend it. 

Edited June 20, 2023 by sanger727

[Joseph2017China]

9 hours ago, CPT Trips said:

I wouldn’t recommend that anyone do online banking on a public network. 

All networks are public. Even the ATM is attached to a public network 

[Markanddonna]

Having some cash is important on some trips and in some situations. The problem is that you won't know until you are in that situation. Taxis in some countries (Israel, Turkey, Greece, some central European, and most likely other countries) often ask to be paid in cash- sometimes US dollars. That happened in those mentioned countries in the half last year.

 

The only critical time to have cash was last month in Prague- having coins for the toilets was important. Yes, you have to pay, and the old women manning the toilets have no mercy. Even the train station in Prague required payment, but a turnstile accepted credit cards!

 

There are countries where we survived on only a credit card. In Auckland, NZ, we needed coins for the lockers. Having no currency, we asked at the desk, and they told us about the free lockers on another floor. 

 

 

Edited June 20, 2023 by Markanddonna

[CPT Trips]

46 minutes ago, Joseph2017China said:

All networks are public. Even the ATM is attached to a public network 

I guess I don’t know the proper term of art for those networks which are readily accessible to the public such as those in hotels, restaurants, airports, train stations, etc. Those that either are not password protected or readily distribute the password. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[PhillyFan33579]

16 hours ago, Hlitner said:

You do realize there is more to the world than the Caribbean?  In fact there are about 180 countries NOT in the Caribbean :).  Just got back from Japan, Taiwan and Korea where the US Dollar was about as useful as Rubles in the USA.  And your US currency is almost worthless in most of Europe, Africa, Asia, South America (Ecuador is an exception).

 

As to using credit cards in Europe, it works most places in Northern Europe but are not as universally accepted in the south and parts of Eastern Europe.  And if I had a dollar for every time the we have heard "our credit card machine is not working" we would have a thick wallet.

 

Hank

The OP said something similar to everyone says you don’t need foreign currency, which implies, at least to me, that he was talking about the Bahamas and/or Caribbean. Like you stated, when you are traveling and/or cruising overseas it is almost a necessity to have local currency. Good point about a credit card machine not working. I have heard that countless times to include ports in the Caribbean. 

[Hlitner]

4 minutes ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

The OP said something similar to everyone says you don’t need foreign currency, which implies, at least to me, that he was talking about the Bahamas and/or Caribbean. Like you stated, when you are traveling and/or cruising overseas it is almost a necessity to have local currency. Good point about a credit card machine not working. I have heard that countless times to include ports in the Caribbean. 

Many posters on CC assume that everyone just cruises in the Caribbean and/or Alaska.  But, there is a lot more to cruising than the Caribbean islands (we still enjoy cruises in those waters), so we try to expand the thinking.  I think a majority of North American cruisers start their cruising life with a short Caribbean cruise, but many will eventually expand their horizons to Europe, Asia, SA, etc.  We like to point out that you can cruise to, and around, all 7 continents.

 

The "credit card machine is out of order" comment happens everywhere.  I believe that many times it is just an excuse not to take credit cards (which can be expensive to the merchant) and other times it is true.  Most credit card machines (around the world) now link directly to networks via WiFi or Cellular connections and these things do go down!

 

Caribbean crusiers need to understand that when they do eventually move beyond that area (often to Europe) that many of the "rules" do change.

 

Hank

[FlyerTalker]

12 hours ago, CPT Trips said:

I wouldn’t recommend that anyone do online banking on a public network. 

 

One should not do ANYTHING on a public network unless you are using a quality VPN.  And that means don't use the "free" ones supported by advertising.

 

 

[ldubs]

54 minutes ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

The OP said something similar to everyone says you don’t need foreign currency, which implies, at least to me, that he was talking about the Bahamas and/or Caribbean. 

 

Huh, I thought Europe when I read the OP's post.   We have only a couple of cruises in the Caribbean and it is true we didn't worry about having cash.  I couldn't even name the local currency.  

[Host Kat]

FYI to all,

 

OP states in another thread on another forum: I am sailing on the Anthem of the Seas on July 21st.

 

To solve the mystery of where they are cruising, the itinerary is as follows:

 

14 NIGHTS Mediterranean Beaches & Cities

Anthem of the Seas

ROUNDTRIP FROM: 

Southampton, England

VISITING: 

• Southampton, England
• Seville (Cadiz), Spain
• Málaga, Spain
• Valencia, Spain
• Ibiza, Spain
• Barcelona, Spain
• Palma De Mallorca, Spain
• Lisbon, Portugal
• Southampton, England

 

And now this loooooong thread is closed since a lot of the same info keeps being reposted over and over again.