Travelers Checks and Euros

[greatam]

If you bank at one of the big international banks-Citi, Chase, etc-you should be able to get the Euro travelers checks direct from your bank at a relatively low cost.

 

I purchase foreign currency (rarely travelers checks, but I have) frequently from Chase for business travels. Euros and GBP take about 3 days, China yuan takes about 10. They debit my account, charge a small fee and will either send the currency directly to the address on my account or I can pick it up at the bank. I pick it up.

 

Otherwise, Travelex or Amex have offices in most large cities and can provide travelers checks in various denominations in various currencies.

[greatam]

There is no charge, they get their rates daily from B of A, just go to the front desk, change a 100 or 200 in t. chks and if you go by a bank somewhere, compare and ask how much they charge for the exchange, usually about 10 euros, if it's better than do it at a bank, but I have found out that I was better off doing it at the front desk.

 

The OP does not want to CASH travelers checks. Wants to OBTAIN travelers checks in a large amount to pay for an excursion. He/she will merely hand the checks to the tour operator and doesn't want to have to deal with CASH.

[Sir PMP]

The OP does not want to CASH travelers checks. Wants to OBTAIN travelers checks in a large amount to pay for an excursion. He/she will merely hand the checks to the tour operator and doesn't want to have to deal with CASH.

 

Sounds a litle 'fishy' to me..

[greatam]

Sounds a litle 'fishy' to me..

 

Why would this be "fishy"??? I just returned from 11 weeks in the Mid East/Asia (business trip). I spent a few days traveling around Thailand for fun. Wanted to stay on the Jungle River Rafts on the River Kwai. They take cash or traveler's checks ONLY (they don't have electricity, so no way to operate a credit card machine). If I had to travel a long distance, I would have purchased Thai Baht travelers checks at the closest Amex or Travelex office. As it was, I was at the Peninsula hotel in Bangkok, so just used an ATM, got Thai Baht out of the machine and when I arrived at the river pickup for the hotel, paid cash to the boat driver. Traveler's checks are NOT accepted many places in the world and often when they are accepted, they are surcharged 10-15%. They can be cashed on the ship, but are very hard to cash in a lot of places.

[AF-1]

There is nothing fishy about giving the tour compnay travelers checks. American Express told me there is no charge to buy them, and Romeinlimo does not accept credit cards or personal checks. It costs them 3-4% to use a credit card, so they rather take cash or travelers checks, that way they don't lose money. If they accepted credit cards they would have to raise the price of the tours to cover the service fee.:)