Cruising cash

[trubey]

Our first cruise is on the Prinsendam on September 20th from Lisboa to Piraeus.

Our permanent home is in Europe, so we do everything here in Euros. I can't really get US cash here except from the ubiquitously usurious money-changers. ;) (There should be a smilie here that looks like a pirate! I guess he sort of looks like he has a patch over his eye, doesn't he?)

Ahem. But do I really NEED dollars, as such, on the ship?

If so, for what, that euros won't work just as well?

Do they have arrangements of any sort for getting cash on the ships themselves, like ATMs, or should I just bring some with me and rely on ATMs in the ports for extras?

This is a great site! It's already joined my 'toolbar favorites'!

as ever, lane

[cactuslady]

I don't know the answer to your question, but welcome to our group! There are several of us Cruise Critics on the same cruise. I'm looking forward to a wonderful time. :)

[sail7seas]

Each time we have cruised in Europe (which was before Euros existed) , there was a money exchange on board the ship. No big bargain on the exchange rate but the convenience of not having to waste time ashore going to a cambio/bank made it worth it. Of course, there was a different currency for each country before Euros (EU) came into existence.

Aboard the ship, it is a cashless society. Everything is charged to your cruise account. The only place you use cash is the casino and that is done in U.S. dollars. Tipping anything above and beyond the automatically billed $10 per day would be done in U.S. Dollars as well.

Would your going to a bank and making a single exchange of Euros for dollars be that costly for you? I would not think a single exchange would be that usurious as to make it prohibitive.

[Navy_Chief]

In your shoes, I would take a guess as to how much US currency you think your going to need and just get that amount. Leave the rest on your credit card as far as your shipboard account goes to get around the "Money Changer's" fees. If you don't plan on the casino, then I would think your not going to realy need that much. For that matter, I understand you can use your ship account for casino chips as well but there is a 3% fee.

-Bob

[Krazy Kruizers]

:)

Just remember that if you tip in Euros, when the crew goes to exchange that money, they will be charged a fee just like anyone else.

:)

[npeters]

:)

Just remember that if you tip in Euros, when the crew goes to exchange that money, they will be charged a fee just like anyone else.

:)



Yes, but conversely, if you tip in US dollars, wouldn't they have to exchage to Euros to spend on shore (this is a European cruise), or use at home if they are from a Euro-based country, or even exchange it for their own country's currency? The Euro is very strong right now...I think I'd rather have Euros!

[digby]

Euros worked just fine on the Westerdam in Europe in May. You need almost no cash on board anyway. Even the tipping now just goes on you bill.

[sail7seas]

Unless you wish to tip over and above the $10 charge that really is spread out over alot of people.

We felt on Maasdam that the crew was so good to us and we had such wonderful service that we wanted to give them some extra.

[Joanandjoe]

On the Celebrity Horizon we were able to get cash in the casino, which was charged to our shipboard account. We never tried to do this on our two HAL cruises. Can you get cash at the casino on the Volendam? (I assume that any cash would be U.S. dollars.)

P.S. - Regarding tipping, $10 per day is much less than we've tipped under the tipping not required policy; so we'll probably give substantial additional tips to our steward, waiter and busboy.

[Cruiseoften]

Our first cruise is on the Prinsendam on September 20th from Lisboa to Piraeus.

Our permanent home is in Europe, so we do everything here in Euros. I can't really get US cash here except from the ubiquitously usurious money-changers.
Ahem. But do I really NEED dollars, as such, on the ship?

If so, for what, that euros won't work just as well?



Can understand your reluctance to use money changers :eek: robbers all! I'd have thought you could obtain US travelers checks from your bank. TC's are easily cashed on board although you will only need US cash for gambling and, if you choose, a few extra dollars for your favorite waitstaff at the end of the cruise. As has been said, everything else you buy on board is charged to you shipboard account.