Exchanging money at or near cruise port in Havana?

I am going on short cruise to Havana on NCL (1 1/2 day there).

Is there a bank or money exchange place to get Cuban CUCs at or near the port?

I know there is a surcharge (10%?) for US dollars. I have some extra Euro and Mex pesos - will they exchange those for me. I know I need to bring crisp clean bills.

Also, when we return to ship, are there any stores, shops, etc. at or near the port we can use our leftover Cuban currency - don't expect to have much, but tough to convert back after return to US.

Thanks for any help.

There are banks, cadecas and hotels in the Havana Vieja neighborhood to change money. The official rate is the same: 0.87 CUC for U$1, including the transaction fee of 3% that is also applied to Euros, etc. Bring your passport.

On the way back, walking, there will be plenty of places to get rid of your last CUC by buying souvenirs.

"leftover Cuban currency ........tough to convert back after return to US"

Not just tough, impossible at a bank.

reading other threads people have stated there are exchange places at the port just as you leave the ship & they will buy back your CUC on the way back to the ship

Or you could give them to the crew if they are doing other trips to Cuba

There is an exchange booth in the ship terminal. As mentioned bring your passport. No problem exchanging your foreign currencies, other than coins. Somebody correct me if I am wrong but no foreign coins such as the Canadian $1 and $2 or the one pound coin will be accepted. Each separate foreign currency transaction will be accompanied by a separate print-out. Retain them to support the conversion of any remaining CUC' you may have, back into your currency .The same booth or any other can be used to make this exchange

Can we exchange US Dollars at the exchange booth in the ship terminal or would it be better to change those dollars into Euros first?

Can we exchange US Dollars at the exchange booth in the ship terminal or would it be better to change those dollars into Euros first?

Yes. Yes.

Can we exchange US Dollars at the exchange booth in the ship terminal or would it be better to change those dollars into Euros first?

Our bank charges about a 10% commission on currency exchanges. Doesn't pay to do it before, except the Cuban government doesn't make the profit on the transaction. I have euros from previous trips to Europe we'll bring.

If we convert 100.00 US dollars into CUC would that then be 87.00 CUC? What denominations do they come in?

And if we want to then convert back to US dollars any unused CUC upon departing will there is an additional 3% transaction fee?

Thanks!!

Our bank charges about a 10% commission on currency exchanges. Doesn't pay to do it before, except the Cuban government doesn't make the profit on the transaction. I have euros from previous trips to Europe we'll bring.

I would call another bank and check if, I were you if you. I called my bank here on the east coast of FL (PNC branch) and asked specifically about a fee to change USD to CAD and they said no fee, just give them a few days to get it.

Perhaps the fee was because it was euros? Florida banks have a lot of US / Canadian customers, especially in the winter.

If we convert 100.00 US dollars into CUC would that then be 87.00 CUC? What denominations do they come in?

And if we want to then convert back to US dollars any unused CUC upon departing will there is an additional 3% transaction fee?

Thanks!!

Your numbers are right. We were given all 5 and 10 CUC notes plus some change.

The official rate is the same: 0.87 CUC for U$1, including the transaction fee of 3% that is also applied to Euros, etc. Bring your passport.

 

 

So getting Euros from my bank is not worth the effort?

 

Are Euro coins acceptable?

 

Thanks!

The official rate is the same: 0.87 CUC for U$1, including the transaction fee of 3% that is also applied to Euros, etc. Bring your passport.

 

 

So getting Euros from my bank is not worth the effort?

 

Are Euro coins acceptable?

 

Coins of any nation are never accepted at exchange houses/banks.

 

Getting Euros at home to then exchange for CUC in Cuba is a matter of DOING THE MATH at the time of travel (and of how much money you intend to spend total).

I would call another bank and check if, I were you if you. I called my bank here on the east coast of FL (PNC branch) and asked specifically about a fee to change USD to CAD and they said no fee, just give them a few days to get it.

 

Perhaps the fee was because it was euros? Florida banks have a lot of US / Canadian customers, especially in the winter.

Living in Detroit, just across the river from Windsor, Ontario, Canada, it is usually easy to convert US to Canadian. So I was thinking of doing that to avoid the 10% fee on exchanging US in Cuba. If anyone has pros/cons to this idea, would love to hear. Thanks!

I also live close to the Canadian border. Cruising next sunday and I had to go to Canada for something anyway so I did exchange some money. I don't think you get charged the surcharge in cuba that way.

I also live close to the Canadian border. Cruising next sunday and I had to go to Canada for something anyway so I did exchange some money. I don't think you get charged the surcharge in cuba that way.

What was the exchange rate? What was the fee?

How many CDN for U$100?

No, you won't get charged the 10% for US dollars. You will get charged a 3% transaction fee.

Living in Detroit, just across the river from Windsor, Ontario, Canada, it is usually easy to convert US to Canadian. So I was thinking of doing that to avoid the 10% fee on exchanging US in Cuba. If anyone has pros/cons to this idea, would love to hear. Thanks!

Pros/cons depend on DOING THE MATH at the time you are traveling.

Check the rates ab1881 got (if there is a reply to the question above).

It was posted here that $100 US equaled 87.00 CUC's. How many CUC do you get for $100 Canadian.

Our traveling friends are going to convert our US $ near where they live in Virginia as they have a location where they regularly convert when they travel in Europe and Asia. Is there a significant difference between US to Canadian or US to Euros? They are going to Europe in July so will be buying Euros prior to that trip. Trying to determine which currency will give me the most for my $ US.

We would have to have our local Sun Trust get convert currency for us if we did it ourselves and I seem to recall there was a charge the last time they did it as they had to get the exchange thru Orlando main office.

It was posted here that $100 US equaled 87.00 CUC's. How many CUC do you get for $100 Canadian.

There is an official rate fixed by the Cuban government for US dollars.

Other currencies fluctuate with the exchange market

.

A couple of weeks ago, U$100 bought 88 Euros (inc. fees) which then bought 91 CUC (inc. fees).

(i.e.1 Euro = 1.04 or 1.05 CUC at the cadeca)

You're gonna havta do your own math for CDN.

If you're on a cruise and only spending a day or so in port, and not planning to buy world class art, the difference in doing an exchange or just changing US dollars direct may not be worth the time and effort for the amount of money you may end up spending. (You'll probably get ripped off the amount you'd save by taxi drivers anyway. lol)

Word to the wise: All private businesses and many state stores will accept US dollars. Having some CUC is advisable, but at a combined 16% charge, don't go hog wild and get more than you need.

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All private businesses and many state stores will accept US dollars.

That is absolutely UNTRUE.

Maybe a few stores closest to the most heavily touristed area of Havana Vieja that you bought things in did accept dollars, at the clerk/owner's discretion, but not all and certainly not everywhere in Havana (or everywhere in Cuba).

Some Cubans have a reason for wanting dollars (a trip abroad to visit relatives or buy products there for resale in Cuba) but most would have to stand in a very long cadeca line themselves to change it to spendable cash, which may not be worth it to them.

It would be unwise to have the expectation that you will be able to avoid changing money for your visit.

Talk to Dr. Albert Gomez, a PhD who's spent most of his life studying Cuba, was born there, and was RCCL's expert. He will tell you that private businesses will all take dollars, and in fact considers a bit silly to exchange money unless you'll be shopping at state stores. Also see our tour guide, Cuban resident L.D., who specifically said that all Cuban private businesses will take dollars.

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When I exchanged US for Canadian dollars the exchange rate was .32. So $100.00 us got me $132.00 Canadian. There is no fee for this at the local bank in Canada. It probably wont make a big difference, but as I was going there anyway, I did the exchange.

[quote name=VidaNaPraia;52895606

.

A couple of weeks ago' date=' U$100 bought 88 Euros (inc. fees) which then bought 91 CUC (inc. fees).

(i.e.1 Euro = 1.04 or 1.05 CUC at the cadeca)

/quote]

Problem is that money rates flucturates daily. XE says that today $1USD=1CUC and $500=460.35Euros.

I'm not a math major but I calculate that $500USD would be about 485CUC after deduction the 3% charge.

If I bought Euros at a 10% discount at the bank, I would get only 414+Euros which would only translates to 446CUC with the 3% discount.

Don't know if $500 is going to be enough in Cuba (don't drink or smoke) for the one and three-quarter days!

[quote name=VidaNaPraia;52895606

 

.

 

A couple of weeks ago' date=' U$100 bought 88 Euros (inc. fees) which then bought 91 CUC (inc. fees).

 

(i.e.1 Euro = 1.04 or 1.05 CUC at the cadeca)

 

/quote]

 

 

 

Problem is that money rates flucturates daily. XE says that today $1USD=1CUC and $500=460.35Euros.

 

 

 

I'm not a math major but I calculate that $500USD would be about 485CUC after deduction the 3% charge.

 

If I bought Euros at a 10% discount at the bank, I would get only 414+Euros which would only translates to 446CUC with the 3% discount.

 

 

 

Don't know if $500 is going to be enough in Cuba (don't drink or smoke) for the one and three-quarter days!

You're forgetting the 10% penalty added for US dollar exchanges.

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.

A couple of weeks ago, U$100 bought 88 Euros (inc. fees) which then bought 91 CUC (inc. fees).

(i.e.1 Euro = 1.04 or 1.05 CUC at the cadeca)

Problem is that money rates flucturates daily.

Yes, rates fluctuate daily on the market. And also may fluctuate among cadecas, banks and hotels in Cuba slightly on the same day.

The exchange rate for the U.S. dollar is fixed by the Cuban government however and does not change.

XE says that today $1USD=1CUC

Only in theory.

U$1= 0.87 CUC when you exchange dollars in Cuba.

and $500=460.35 Euros

Well, BofA changed U$1000 for 888 Euros in the last few days of March, which includes their 5% transaction fee.

At the very same time, some guy on another Cuba forum was pontificating he could get 960 Euros, but when he actually went to the bank, he got 888.

I'm not a math major

You sure are not! But this stuff is enough to make most people's head spin.

Don't know if $500 is going to be enough in Cuba (don't drink or smoke) for the one and three-quarter days!

examples of prices:

Dinner/lunch should be about 10 CUC or so at most decent places, unless you make reservations at one of the trendier, higher priced restaurants, in which case maybe 30 CUC at most.

Souvenirs. (up to you--T-shirts are about 12 CUC, medium size car painting 12-30 CUC)

Taxis. (varies by distance, and almost guaranteed to rip you off because you don't know the "real" price)

Entry fees to museums and music venues. (varies, max maybe 30 CUC for Tradicionales de los 1950s, unless you go to the Tropicana show or the other expensive one)

Classic car tour. about 60 CUC.

IMO about 100 CUC/day pp should more than do it.

When I exchanged US for Canadian dollars the exchange rate was .32. So $100.00 us got me $132.00 Canadian. There is no fee for this at the local bank in Canada. It probably wont make a big difference, but as I was going there anyway, I did the exchange.

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!