Money, Money, NZD and XFP, Oh my!

[catmommy]

Hi Folks!

 

I know we can exchange money on board but I'd like to have some local cash on hand so we don't have to change money at the airport, might just want to get to the hotel ASAP after the long flight, or the hotel. I have read that hotels offer some of the worst exchange rates.

 

So I was going to get some XFP locally. I was wondering if I should also get some NZD, which I understand are accepted for Fiji or or get Fiji dollars? Any other local currencies I should consider obtaining?

 

I'm also not sure how I should deal with the rest of our money. Its been a very long time since I've even thought about traveler's checks since I'm so used to places that either take credit cards or US dollars without a blink of an eye.

 

My hope is to buy what I do purchase from smaller local vendors and I don't want to cause them extra hassle by dealing with my dollars or for me since I might end up over paying in dollars if I use them.

 

Mike, I know we talked about this a bit ago. What did you end up doing?

 

Thanks!

Caroline

[JMARINER]

Both Fiji and most of Tahiti (FP) will take US dollars. Change in Fiji will usually be back in dollar and the same for Tahiti, except for Papeete, where you may get XPF's back. Both place are very used to dealing with Americans. Taxis in Papeete will take dollars, buses (Le Trucks) will not.

 

You do not say where else you are going so I can not comment on other currencies?

 

J

[paulmichael]

Hi Folks!

 

I know we can exchange money on board but I'd like to have some local cash on hand so we don't have to change money at the airport, might just want to get to the hotel ASAP after the long flight, or the hotel. I have read that hotels offer some of the worst exchange rates.

 

So I was going to get some XFP locally. I was wondering if I should also get some NZD, which I understand are accepted for Fiji or or get Fiji dollars? Any other local currencies I should consider obtaining?

 

I'm also not sure how I should deal with the rest of our money. Its been a very long time since I've even thought about traveler's checks since I'm so used to places that either take credit cards or US dollars without a blink of an eye.

 

My hope is to buy what I do purchase from smaller local vendors and I don't want to cause them extra hassle by dealing with my dollars or for me since I might end up over paying in dollars if I use them.

 

Mike, I know we talked about this a bit ago. What did you end up doing?

 

Thanks!

Caroline

 

 

Hi Caroline: I went to my bank, Wells Fargo, and got some XFP and Fiji Since we are only going to big Islands in Tahiti our US money will be good, but I think we will get more bank for our buck if we use local dollars. I am staying on in Fiji for 6 more days after, OOO thats a bad word and we have not left yet, after... the cruse so I got a bit more Fiji dollars.

[paulmichael]

Hi Folks!

 

I know we can exchange money on board but I'd like to have some local cash on hand so we don't have to change money at the airport, might just want to get to the hotel ASAP after the long flight, or the hotel. I have read that hotels offer some of the worst exchange rates.

 

So I was going to get some XFP locally. I was wondering if I should also get some NZD, which I understand are accepted for Fiji or or get Fiji dollars? Any other local currencies I should consider obtaining?

 

I'm also not sure how I should deal with the rest of our money. Its been a very long time since I've even thought about traveler's checks since I'm so used to places that either take credit cards or US dollars without a blink of an eye.

 

My hope is to buy what I do purchase from smaller local vendors and I don't want to cause them extra hassle by dealing with my dollars or for me since I might end up over paying in dollars if I use them.

 

Mike, I know we talked about this a bit ago. What did you end up doing?

 

Thanks!

Caroline

 

 

Hi Caroline: I went to my bank, Wells Fargo, and got some XFP and Fiji Since we are only going to big Islands in Tahiti our US money will be good, but I think we will get more bank for our buck if we use local dollars. I am staying on in Fiji for 6 more days after, OOO thats a bad word and we have not left yet, after... the cruse so I got a bit more Fiji dollars. I may get some New Z dollars for the Cook Islands, or just get them on board. Last year when I used US the items tend to cost more. Just think, we are down to less than a month. We are leaving on the 15th. Mike

[Rich 1]

The PG has a limit of $200 per person per day if you change your money into XFP.

 

The local / vendor rate was 100xfp = $1

 

Rich

[catmommy]

Both Fiji and most of Tahiti (FP) will take US dollars. Change in Fiji will usually be back in dollar and the same for Tahiti, except for Papeete, where you may get XPF's back. Both place are very used to dealing with Americans. Taxis in Papeete will take dollars, buses (Le Trucks) will not.

 

You do not say where else you are going so I can not comment on other currencies?

 

J

 

In addition to Tahiti and Fiji we are also stopping in Tonga. I think that Tonga would be covered by the NZD or the Australian dollar, correct or not?

 

BTW, if you get your currency from TravelEx they also off a "buy-back" option; if you sell your currency back within 31 days they pay you what your purchased it for. This offering costs you $5 dollars. That is because they have different buy and sell rates. This might be worthwhile if you think you have more than you need. I didn't get it becuase I got the NZD yesterday and we wouldn't be back in time for the offer to apply. But like I told the clerk this just means i have to spend it all. :)

 

BTW, the NZD seems like some kind of plastic, the bill have clear inserts on ehtm with the amount embossed in the clear area. The bill are very colorful, almost all other money is compared to ours, and the bill are all of slightly different sizes.

 

The rate I got was @.83 cents = 1 NZD.

 

They had the NZD on hand but have to order the XPF for me.

 

I just wanted to have some cash on hand in the local currency so as to not have to find an ATM or a currency exchange right off the bat.

 

Also they do not exchange coins just bills, the only coins they exchange are pounds and Euro coins.

 

Thanks!

Caroline

[JMARINER]

In addition to Tahiti and Fiji we are also stopping in Tonga. I think that Tonga would be covered by the NZD or the Australian dollar, correct or not?

 

Tonga uses its own dollar and cent monetary system, the Tongan Pa'anga. However, just as in most tourist island in the south pacific US Dollars are widely accepted. I had no problems using them in Tonga last year on the PG Brisbane-Tahiti crossing. Also got rid of left over AU$ there too.

 

J

[trinidad]

Don't forget, you can use your credit card for larger purchases and get a good exchange rate. On our last FP cruise, all the vendors took US $$ and unless you are flying in to Tahiti early, you won't need any FP francs before you get on the ship.