Buy euros on ship?

[Bjbilly]

Going on Oaisis from Miami to Barcelona should I buy euros on ship or at home in US ? Anyone have any info on which would cost less?  Thanks for any info

[little britain]

Get them from atm at first port of call. 

[Ashland]

You can also get them online from your local bank. We use BofA and do this when their needed. Pick up is usually about 2-3 days.

[jeh10641]

I always go to my bank (Bank of America) online before I travel to Europe for local currency. Usually I buy about US$100.00 in each of the local currencies: Euros, Pounds, or something else. Once on land, I then use local banks that are affiliated with BOA to avoid extra charges. NEVER use a shop that offers CURRENCY EXCHANGE. They have the worst rates.

[smokeybandit]

ATMs from reputable banks are always the best place to get local currency. 

[njkruzer]

I call the bank (wells Fargo) so I get the small denominations I want.  Pick up at local branch, though I think they'd mail them to me.  Really easy. I have used atms in various countries as needed.  Only need currency for tips and small purchases. 

[mugtech]

2 hours ago, jeh10641 said:

I always go to my bank (Bank of America) online before I travel to Europe for local currency. Usually I buy about US$100.00 in each of the local currencies: Euros, Pounds, or something else. Once on land, I then use local banks that are affiliated with BOA to avoid extra charges. NEVER use a shop that offers CURRENCY EXCHANGE. They have the worst rates.

If you are ever in Vigan in the Philippines, the best rates to get pesos are at the Two Brothers department store( known locally as 2B).  They are better rates than the banks, no service charges or acounts required.  2b or not 2b should never be the question.

[George C]

I shopped around and my local bank gave me a good rate , I wouldn’t want to buy that on the ship.

[klfrodo]

I get mine from my local Triple AAA since I bank at a Credit Union.

However, from my recent experience of 8 days in England, 36 hours in France, then a 12 day cruise to the Canaries, don’t get more than a couple hundred euros. All of my spending was electronic either via credit card or Apple Pay. Cash is going the way of the dodo bird.

[George C]

Make sure you travel with a credit card that doesn’t have foreign transaction fees

[njkruzer]

Just now, George C said:

Make sure you travel with a credit card that doesn’t have foreign transaction fees

Agree!

[nolimits]

Recently got pounds from BOA when we arrived in Scotland .They where no good made of paper. New pounds are plastic/paper  

paper hasn’t been accepted for 3 yrs, BOA should of been aware. Luckily cards are king. We found out they could be changed in post office. 

[njkruzer]

10 minutes ago, nolimits said:

Recently got pounds from BOA when we arrived in Scotland .They where no good made of paper. New pounds are plastic/paper  

paper hasn’t been accepted for 3 yrs, BOA should of been aware. Luckily cards are king. We found out they could be changed in post office. 

We had old bills. There was a place in Southampton traded them for us. Sorry don't recall the place.  No fee.

Dh said he thinks it was Hudsons post office type place.  Can't believe you got those recently.  Ours were in 2017.

Edited January 30 by njkruzer

[BirdTravels]

We buy through AAA. Anything you get on the ship will be at a bad exchange rate. 

[steamboats]

There used to be one ATM (of two) on the Royal Promenade which had Euro on the Med cruises. But as you are on the TA cruise they might not have switched it. And I can´t tell you anything about the fees (I have something of 6 USD in my mind).

 

Best thing would be to use an ATM in your first EU port (which pretty likely is Malaga). You might not need much cash anyway.

 

steamboats

[mugtech]

            Norwegian recently proclaimed that they will not longer be exchangijg any currency on the ships.  Actually it is for our convenience, for any exchange rates were better.  Would not be surprised if Royal made a similar change.

[Ocean Boy]

7 hours ago, nolimits said:

Recently got pounds from BOA when we arrived in Scotland .They where no good made of paper. New pounds are plastic/paper  

paper hasn’t been accepted for 3 yrs, BOA should of been aware. Luckily cards are king. We found out they could be changed in post office. 

Pounds have changed? I have sone left over that I figured I'd just use on my next trip to London. I never used them as I found using a credit card was just so much more convenient.

[Cooper30]

We went to Europe for the first time last fall.  We were stressing over the best way to get Euros and decided to call our credit union.  They told us to just use a bank atm in Europe.  I forget what the actual fee was, but I remember my wife (who counts every penny) being surprised at how small the fee actually was.  It was less than if we had gone another route.

Obviously everyone has different circumstances with regards to banks/credit unions/etc, but this worked very well for us. 

 

When we got to our B&B, we asked the host where to find an atm.  He showed us where the one at his bank was and we used that.  He told us the key thing to remember was to use an actual bank atm, not a third party one because they charge more fees.

 

Edit:  I did see you're on a Miami to Barcelona cruise and not able to access a European atm prior to boarding.  You could always find a bank atm at your first port call in the EU.

Edited January 30 by Cooper30

[nolimits]

Pounds changed 5/6 yrs ago as we learned  LOL . No one would take old paper bills. BOA really would of had us in a pickle if we didn’t have 

credit cards. People reacted as if old bills where phoney money. Free to exchange in post office old for new. If you had an account in a British bank they also exchanged them. We arrived on a Sat evening banks and post office closed till Tues . There was a bank holiday . Our Bellman at hotel exchanged some personally till Tues so we had some pocket money.

      Tap card and go was everywhere so really cash was obsolete. We do like to tip cash even when paying with card so bellman’s exchange helped the service people we encountered. Cabs,Barmen.waitstaff Tour guides etc 

[jeh10641]

12 hours ago, nolimits said:

Recently got pounds from BOA when we arrived in Scotland .They where no good made of paper. New pounds are plastic/paper  

paper hasn’t been accepted for 3 yrs, BOA should of been aware. Luckily cards are king. We found out they could be changed in post office. 

We were in England in October 2023 with "Pounds" from BOA and had no trouble using them. Is this something new since then?

Jim

[Charles4515]

5 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

Pounds have changed? I have sone left over that I figured I'd just use on my next trip to London. I n8 dver used them as I found using a credit card was just so much more convenient

Last time I was in the UK which was 8 days land I never got any cash. I used a credit card or a tap and pay, Apple Pay from my Apple Watch. Even for the Tube.  

[njkruzer]

28 minutes ago, jeh10641 said:

We were in England in October 2023 with "Pounds" from BOA and had no trouble using them. Is this something new since then?

Jim

No, change occurred more than 7 years ago.

[jeh10641]

59 minutes ago, njkruzer said:

No, change occurred more than 7 years ago.

Okay. Where in NY were you from? We lived in Hackettstown and Green Township before we moved to Seattle. I taught in Newton and had a bookstore there (long story).

Jim

[njkruzer]

1 minute ago, jeh10641 said:

Okay. Where in NY were you from? We lived in Hackettstown and Green Township before we moved to Seattle. I taught in Newton and had a bookstore there (long story).

Jim

NY was Queens growing up, LI at SUNY SB for college.  Dh went to graduate school at City.  Left NY in 1973.  Then Atlanta,  Plano, TX, Pittsfield,  MA, Parsippany,  NJ.  Nashville since 2018 is home when not traveling. 

[jeh10641]

Just now, njkruzer said:

NY was Queens growing up, LI at SUNY SB for college.  Dh went to graduate school at City.  Left NY in 1973.  Then Atlanta,  Plano, TX, Pittsfield,  MA, Parsippany,  NJ.  Nashville since 2018 is home when not traveling. 

I had an uncle who had a dental practice in Stonybrook in the 1950s. I grew up in Manhattan, Pelham and Larchmont.  I have a former colleague/friend who lives in Plano and cousins in Nashville. Sounds like you are living my life.😊

Jim