US $ in Antigua

[JHCALLAHAN]

Hello,

My wife and I are going to Antigua for a week soon, and I'm curious about the need to convert some $ US to $EC. I started to do this awhile back, concerned about the devaluation of the dollar, but decided I would probably be spending $20 or more in bank fees to save a few cents, so blew it off.

 

My question is, do street vendors, small shops, etc. accept US currency? I expect to get some $EC once I get there, just curious how widely accepted is $US,

 

Thanks for any info,

JHC

[okgladmom]

Hello,

My wife and I are going to Antigua for a week soon, and I'm curious about the need to convert some $ US to $EC. I started to do this awhile back, concerned about the devaluation of the dollar, but decided I would probably be spending $20 or more in bank fees to save a few cents, so blew it off.

 

My question is, do street vendors, small shops, etc. accept US currency? I expect to get some $EC once I get there, just curious how widely accepted is $US,

 

Thanks for any info,

JHC

 

JHC

 

We just returned from Antigua and most of the shops have the US $$ listed. The shops around the port, the Cheffette fast food restaurant across from Rockley Beach and the vendors at Rockley all accepted our US $$. However, when we received our change back at Cheffette, it was in EC $$.

 

Hope that helps.

[Smileeface]

Is the currency the same in Barbados and Antigua? Rockley is in Barbados...?

[Aplmac]

The shops around the port, the Cheffette fast food restaurant across from Rockley Beach

and the vendors at Rockley all accepted our US $$. ===> Yes, widely so!

However, when we received our change back at Cheffette, it was in EC $$. ===> Oh no no no.. :)

Sorry, but I can just about guarantee you

that the change you got back from Chette Rockley, Barbados was in BARBADOS Dollars

- not EC(Eastern Caribbean) Dollars.

 

Barbados has it's own Dollar at a fixed exchange rate of 2:1

although some stores may give you only Bds. $1.98 or $1.97 for your U.S.Dollar

because that's what they in turn get at the Bank, when they deposit next day.

 

For simplicity's sake, most everyone just goes with 2:1 --just to have the Foreign Exchange!

 

.

[Aplmac]

Is the currency the same in Barbados and Antigua? ===> No.

Rockley is in Barbados...? ===> Most definitely.

Your U.S.Dollar is acceptable Caribbean-wide, North South East and West!

 

 

Perhaps only in Euro-islands like Martinique and Guadeloupe

might you experience some Euro-hassle with USD acceptance :cool:

 

 

The East Caribbean Dollar is the currency du jour in..

Anguilla? (I'm not sure about that one..)

St.Kitts and Nevis

Antigua and Barbuda

Montserrat

Dominica

St.Lucia

St.Vincent and the Grenadines

Grenada

- at a fixed exchange rate of around EC$ 2.70:1 US$

 

 

Barbados has its own Dollar at 2:1

 

 

Trinidad and sister-isle Tobago have their own Dollar at around 6.2:1

but for simplicity's sake most folks on the island(taxi drivers,etc) will go with 6:1

 

.

 

[okgladmom]

Sorry, but I can just about guarantee you

that the change you got back from Chette Rockley, Barbados was in BARBADOS Dollars

- not EC(Eastern Caribbean) Dollars.

 

Barbados has it's own Dollar at a fixed exchange rate of 2:1

although some stores may give you only Bds. $1.98 or $1.97 for your U.S.Dollar

because that's what they in turn get at the Bank, when they deposit next day.

 

For simplicity's sake, most everyone just goes with 2:1 --just to have the Foreign Exchange!

 

.

You're exactly right...my bad!

[metalmuff26]

Sometimes the US price is shown on the item you are purchasing along with the other price as well. The US price is the smaller one. If you just give the vendor the exact price then you wont have to worry about getting change back in the Carribbean money. Just take small bills so you wont have to worry about it. This worked for us because we only bought small things here and there but I guess if you are spending a lot down there then maybe you can go into town and convert your money somewhere.

[JHCALLAHAN]

It was rarely an issue. Seems like there was a cabbie or two that had trouble changing $ US, but most everyone took it. The resort would change US for EC, but when we went to leave they wouldn't change the EC back to US :mad:. However, between cab fair and tip to the airport and the "departure fee" or whatever we spent most of it. Only had enough EC left for souvenirs for kids and grandkids, so it all worked out.

 

JHC

[arizonaperson]

Just wondering the same thing. Do taxi's taxi USD,since that is probably the first thing we would do when getting off the ship?

Going to Barbados, St. Lucia, & Tortola as well do they take USD for a taxi ride?

Thanks.:)

[Zeno]

Just wondering the same thing. Do taxi's taxi USD,since that is probably the first thing we would do when getting off the ship?

Going to Barbados, St. Lucia, & Tortola as well do they take USD for a taxi ride?

Thanks.:)

 

Yes U.S. $ are accepted pretty much everywhere.