Exchanging money at or near cruise port in Havana?

Does anyone know the exchange rate of a Canadian dollar to a CUC? My bank here in Detroit has no fee if you exchange US dollars for at least $300 Canadian. So I too am thinking of exchanging to CAD to avoid the fee on USD. Thanks!

Look here for the official rate (which fluctuates daily a bit):

https://www.oanda.com/currency/converter/

(Note: Today this site is quoting about 3 cents higher for CUC than what I got a couple of weeks ago in Cuba for exchanging Euro, so maybe somewhat the same for CDN.)

Today the site reads

1 CDN = .74 CUC or

U$1 = 1.34 CDN = 1 CUC

I contacted a local bank in my town about exchanging US$ for Euros. I was told that I would have a flat $45.00 fee for doing this. Then get hit with a 3 % exchange rate in Cuba. I am better off just taking US money & paying the 10% fee.

I contacted a local bank in my town about exchanging US$ for Euros. I was told that I would have a flat $45.00 fee for doing this. Then get hit with a 3 % exchange rate in Cuba. I am better off just taking US money & paying the 10% fee.

I would find a new bank. That's absurd.

I would find a new bank. That's absurd.

My sister-in-law told me to call this bank because that is the one she retired from. I was not impressed.

I contacted a local bank in my town about exchanging US$ for Euros. I was told that I would have a flat $45.00 fee for doing this. Then get hit with a 3 % exchange rate in Cuba. I am better off just taking US money & paying the 10% fee.

Bank of America charges 5% which is rolled into the exchange

(so U$1000 got 888 Euros,

at the exchange rate of a couple of weeks ago,

which may change by a few cents over a short time).

Going on a cruise ship to Havana. Anyone know if the boats that go regularly also exchange dollars for Cuc?

Does anyone know the Cuban exchange rate for Euros or Canadian dollars? Is it posted online?

Going on a cruise ship to Havana. Anyone know if the boats that go regularly also exchange dollars for Cuc?

The only place to exchange for CUCs is in Cuba.

Does anyone know the Cuban exchange rate for Euros or Canadian dollars? Is it posted online?

Just search for currency converters. But, unless you're planning on spending $1,000 or more, it's generally not worth the effort of converting US to Euros or CAN $. You won't save but a few dollars at best.

I would find a new bank. That's absurd.

Yes that is I paid flat fee of 7.50 for as much as I wanted in Euros . I exchanged 800.

Also this statement Talk to Dr. Albert Gomez, a PhD who's spent most of his life studying Cuba, was born there, and was RCCL's expert says will take US Dollars they will not

The same reason that RCCL says you have to use their tours only.

The real secret to getting a good deal is:

1) You personally bank at a bank that has $0 transaction fees - I bank at Capital One, which has no fees.

2) Use an ATM in the country whose currency you want (Canada, UK, EU) and select your cash WITHOUT conversion. Note, if you go to a Bank there may be an ATM surcharge fee ($2-$3), but I found every Airport in the EU and UK that I've used, and some hotels have surcharge fee-free ATMs.

You then get the exact rate of the current exchange without any fees. When you go to any bank or exchange counter, even if they say "no fees" the rate they give you is not the current going rate, it has a "fee" built into their price.

So, I went to Canada, used an atm, selected without conversion, and for $400 CAD, my checking account withdrew $305.84 + $6 ATM fee (I accidentally made it in two transactions, should have been a $3 fee). (By the way, had I selected with conversion, meaning I accepted the ATM host bank's exchange, which they add their hidden fee into, it would have cost me an extra $12.)

$400 CAD at the Cuban Gov't exchange rate, less the 3% fee, is $298 CUC, basically with my ATM fee, giving me a blended rate of 4.6%, significantly better than 13%. Of course, saving $25 isn't a huge amount, but its the principle, so if you are in one of those countries anyway, take out that currency from an ATM, select withOUT conversion!

We cruised NCL Sky to Havana last week and exchanged too much money (only about $40 extra, a lot less than some people). Despite the strict warnings by NCL and other online sources about only being able to spend CUC's in Cuba, we found that not to be the case. We needed to pay our tour company in CUC's, but lots of people/places take dollars. Our guide and driver would have been happy with US dollars for a tip and the palador where we ate lunch showed prices in multiple currencies and would have, apparently, taken foreign currency. Our guide also said most people take dollars and euros, although some establishments do not. I sure wish we'd known that in advance.

Changing money in the cruise terminal is easy and quick. We were through customs, security and money exchange much more quickly than we expected (about 20 minutes from the time we walked off the ship), having been braced for long lines.

TCutt, were you charged the 10% fee for changing USD as others have mentioned on this part?

We cruised NCL Sky to Havana last week and exchanged too much money (only about $40 extra, a lot less than some people). Despite the strict warnings by NCL and other online sources about only being able to spend CUC's in Cuba, we found that not to be the case. We needed to pay our tour company in CUC's, but lots of people/places take dollars. Our guide and driver would have been happy with US dollars for a tip and the palador where we ate lunch showed prices in multiple currencies and would have, apparently, taken foreign currency. Our guide also said most people take dollars and euros, although some establishments do not. I sure wish we'd known that in advance.

 

Changing money in the cruise terminal is easy and quick. We were through customs, security and money exchange much more quickly than we expected (about 20 minutes from the time we walked off the ship), having been braced for long lines.

If you change USD to CUC at the pier or another Cadeca you will pay 13%...3% fee plus another 10% 'tax'.

I bought 600 CAD for 400something plus 8 bucks at my bank and used CAD. Only paid 3% but there was a conversion fee. I may have come out a.little ahead. I then changed most CUCs back to USD with a vendor at $1CUC for 1 USD, and converted my CAD to US on the ship

:o Yikes. But it all worked out. I have a few CUCs left, and some pesos I got in Coz from a merchant. I'll use them in December.

Some on-line currency converters will do various currencies into CUC. Google is your friend.

Once our tour drops us back at the terminal, how easy would it be to go back into the cruise terminal to exchange more Euros for CUC, if needed? I don't want to exchange too much with the 3% fee to exchange back to USD.

Once our tour drops us back at the terminal, how easy would it be to go back into the cruise terminal to exchange more Euros for CUC, if needed? I don't want to exchange too much with the 3% fee to exchange back to USD.

If you are at the cruise terminal in Havana the currency exchange is just up the stairs. There is also a currency exchange by the post office in the square.

If you are at the cruise terminal in Havana the currency exchange is just up the stairs. There is also a currency exchange by the post office in the square.

Thank you!!!!:)