Best Currencies for Central America

[Crestawave]

We're going on our first ever cruise next January which calls at several Central American countries . Is it worth getting local currency to spend whilst ashore or will US dollars be the thing to use ? Also is there ATMs on board the ship which is Viking Mars.

[leaveitallbehind]

All Central American countries widely accept the US dollar.  Costa Rica prefers its own currency, but will still accept the US dollar as well.  

 

I don't know for certain with Viking Mars, but most cruise ships have ATM's (with varying fees).  I would check with Viking directly to confirm.

 

You might also want to post this on the CC Viking board as well at this link:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/689-viking-ocean/

Edited October 12, 2023 by leaveitallbehind

[Meander Ingwa]

Viking ships do not have ATMs.  

[John Bull]

As @leaveitallbehind's post, the USD is accepted almost everywhere in the Caribbean & central America, but to be sure we need to know your ports

 

JB 🙂

[Crestawave]

On 10/13/2023 at 8:31 AM, John Bull said:

As @leaveitallbehind's post, the USD is accepted almost everywhere in the Caribbean & central America, but to be sure we need to know your ports

 

JB 🙂

We're calling at Cabo St Lucas Mexico,  Puerto Caldera Costa Rica  Colon Panama , Cartegena Colombia and Cozumel Mexico.

[John Bull]

1 hour ago, Crestawave said:

We're calling at Cabo St Lucas Mexico,  Puerto Caldera Costa Rica  Colon Panama , Cartegena Colombia and Cozumel Mexico.

 

USD are good in all 🙂

 

In some outlets - mainly stores which are used more by locals than tourists and have cash registers - your USD are fine but their registers automatically convert USD into local currency and calculate your change in local currency. For instance  if you use a $20 bill to buy a $4 bottle of soda your change will be $16-worth of local shrapnel which probably won't be accepted at ports in other countries. So take a decent supply of $1, $5 and $10 bills, or if you can't get low denominations from your exchange bureau change down a few dollars-worth wherever you can..

That's not a problem at tourist outlets, but at market stalls if you want something priced at say $10 and you pull out low-denomination notes that add up to $7  "that's all I've got with me" you'll likely snag a bargain.🙂

 

If using plastic, before you swipe or sign or PIN or whatever, check that the charge on the card-reader is in local currency, same as the ticket price, the taxi meter, the menu or whatever. If its been converted to your currency, require them to change it back into local currency. The currency conversion rates in outlets vary but are never as good as the rates given by your card issuer and in a few places the exchange-rate is a major rip-off. Local currency also means you can check that the price on the establishment's card-reader is the same as the price advertised.

This is now a world-wide thing - including on your cruiseship. If your home currency isn't the same as ship's currency, when you get your on-board statement for excursions, dining upgrades, drinks etc you'll be given the option of the ship converting to your home currency "for your convenience 🙄".

Decline that kind offer, leave it in ship's currency - your card-issuer will give you a better exchange rate than the ship.

 

You won't need as much cash as in the past, paying by card is easier and better value.

 

JB 🙂

[Crestawave]

Cheers for the advice JB

As this is our first cruise we're probably going to stick with the  Viking organised trips so I don't think we're likely to be spending too much whilst ashore. I think taking about 50 dollars in small bills per day will probably be enough for us. To be honest, we're more inclined to leave the bank cards in the cabin safe .

In  your opinion is it worth going for a drinks package ? we get drinks with our meals included. We would probably have a couple of pints or shorts in the evening too.

[Crestawave]

Cheers for the advice JB

As this is our first cruise we're probably going to stick with the  Viking organised trips so I don't think we're likely to be spending too much whilst ashore. I think taking about 50 dollars in small bills per day will probably be enough for us. To be honest, we're more inclined to leave the bank cards in the cabin safe .

In  your opinion is it worth going for a drinks package ? we get drinks with our meals included. We would probably have a couple of pints or shorts in the evening too.

Just found out that the Viking silver drinks package is £340 per person so unless the bar prices are exceptionally high I think we'll pay as we go.

[lenquixote66]

We have cruised to Central America about 20 times and never had a problem using US dollars.

[Mum2Mercury]

On 10/12/2023 at 12:17 PM, leaveitallbehind said:

All Central American countries widely accept the US dollar. 

Not only do that accept the US dollar, they prefer the US dollar.  

On 10/12/2023 at 12:17 PM, leaveitallbehind said:

I don't know for certain with Viking Mars, but most cruise ships have ATM's (with varying fees).  I would check with Viking directly to confirm.

I'd rather plan ahead /bring dollars than count on ATMs -- even without fees. 

 

I like to prepare an envelope for each shore stop:  I write the island /date /name of the company we're using /contact information /meeting place /things we should bring -- towel, water, sunscreen on the outside of the envelope.  Then I count out /fold a sticky note around any money I will owe for the tour -- including taxis /tips.  And I add a few dollars for snacks or drinks -- all in singles and fives.  I promise you, no tour guide will ever be able to change a $20.  

 

Once on board, I store these envelopes in the room safe, and we're ready to go.  And this means any money in my wallet is "spendable".  I don't need to remember to save X amount for that taxi we're going to need in two days.  

On 10/14/2023 at 3:24 AM, John Bull said:

That's not a problem at tourist outlets, but at market stalls if you want something priced at say $10 and you pull out low-denomination notes that add up to $7  "that's all I've got with me" you'll likely snag a bargain.🙂

Oh, yes.  In Cozumel last week I saw a shirt I wanted to buy for my daughter.  Just a long-sleeved tee-shirt, but it was so "her".  The price:  $40.  No way.  No tee-shirt is worth $40.  I said "No Thanks" and turned around -- I thought we were really too far apart to bargain, and I wasn't all that set on the shirt.  She chased after me asking, "What would you be willing to pay?"  I realized the game was afoot.  So I said $20.  She offered $35 -- I wasn't even tempted.  She asked if I'd be paying cash.  Yes.  In the end, I paid $25, which I thought was still pretty high, but it was a nice tee-shirt.  

 

Another oddity, which I've read about on this board but never experienced.  I gave her five singles, and she handed one back, asking, "Do you have another bill?"  That one was old and looked like someone had used it for a coffee cup coaster.  I didn't even notice it, to tell the truth, but she said their banks don't like to accept bills that aren't crisp and pristine.  Back home, I've already spent that bill (without difficulty), but in the future I'll try to look through my bills and keep any "old" currency for home.  

On 10/14/2023 at 4:20 AM, Crestawave said:

As this is our first cruise we're probably going to stick with the  Viking organised trips so I don't think we're likely to be spending too much whilst ashore. 

Thought 1:  Oh, no.  Private tours are almost always superior.  Smaller groups, more choice in your day, and they get out the door faster -- while the ship's tours are still gathering and lumbering towards their busses.  That they're cheaper is just a bonus.  People say, "Oh, but I'm afraid of missing the ship."  And that's fair for a few excursions -- the Tulum Ruins in Cozumel being the poster child, as it's an all-day thing that requires a taxi, a ferry, and a bus (in a Spanish speaking country).  But MOST excursions don't take you all that far from the pier, and most excursions are finished by 12:00 or 1:00, leaving you a buffer of hours to get back to the ship.  

 

Thought 2:  You'll find that MANY of the ship's shore excursions include shopping time.  They're notorious for forcing you to spend an hour in a dull straw market (kickbacks, ya know), then making you zip by a cute little bar where you'd have enjoyed having a drink.  

On 10/14/2023 at 4:20 AM, Crestawave said:

To be honest, we're more inclined to leave the bank cards in the cabin safe .

In general, I agree.  You're limiting your potential loss to the cash in your pocket.  

Another option:  Buy yourself a VISA gift card.  If any nefarious operator were to try to rip you off, they could only access the $50 or so you'd loaded on the card.  They wouldn't have access to your real credit card.  

[tundra1]

I was wondering if the Visa Gift Cards would be accepted in foreign countries.  That is good to know.  We have plans for a rainforest tour in Costa Rica but we have to pay at the entrance to the park.  It would be a piece of mind to use a Visa Gift Card.  Thank you!

 

On 11/8/2023 at 7:21 AM, Mum2Mercury said:

You're limiting your potential loss to the cash in your pocket.  

Another option:  Buy yourself a VISA gift card.  If any nefarious operator were to try to rip you off, they could only access the $50 or so you'd loaded on the card.  They wouldn't have access to your real credit card.  

 

[jlawrence01]

Two issues.

 

Last week in Cozumel, I bought two items totaling US$27 (prices were in USD at the cruise port).  Generally, when you use a credit card in Mexico, you get a receipt showing you wheat you spent on what items and a slip showing what you were charged.  My DW did NOT make sure they gave her both.  I was charged 580 MXP or about $34 on my credit card.  It is not the end of the world and part of it is tax.  Just check your receipts.

 

I think you do better paying cash for smaller purchases whether in pesos or dollars than using a credit card.

 

Second, make sure that you understand the currencies of the locations that you are visiting as in many ports, prices will be in local currency.

 

In Bonaire, I went to a Dutch grocery store a mile from the port.  The prices l paid for spices looked really good as I thought that they were denominated in Florins at a $1.8 to US$1 rate just to find out that the currency in Bonaire is the US$.

 

Always carry small bills as most people cannot make change in US dollars.