Best way to get Euros???

New to cruising in Europe. Sorry if this sounds silly, but what is the best way to get Euros. Should I get them all from my bank or just a little and then use the ATMs in the airport.

What about writing a check on the cruise if I need more. Wil they give me euros or us currency??

Thanks!

Sorry,

I just found another thread that answered my questions. I haven't had enough coffee yet:eek:

Sorry,

 

I just found another thread that answered my questions. I haven't had enough coffee yet:eek:

can you link to that thread? I'd like to see the answers.

I always recommend getting them in port at an ATM for optimal conversion rates. Be sure to notify your ATM Card company that you are traveling and for any purchases you charge also notify the credit card companies.

Keith

I agree with Keith. We also get about 100 Euros from our local bank before we leave. The exchange rate and service fee are not good, but it's useful to have for taxis and incidentals before you get to an ATM.

Every airport has an ATM when you come out of arrivals. Bring some US mine just for emergencies and tips :)

what is the best way to get Euros.

Claim you are a bank in danger of going belly up and the European governments will bail you out with billions of Euro´s:eek:

Claim you are a bank in danger of going belly up and the European governments will bail you out with billions of Euro´s:eek:

Very good.:D:D:D

We got them thru our bank before we left for Barcelona so we had the money on hand.

Got 2 packs from aaa and then used ATM.

We use Wells Fargo when ordering foreign currency.

We are taking several private tours on our upcoming Mediterranian cruise. Consequently, need about 2000€ total. Tour guides prefer to be paid in cash. My bank has ATM limit ; not sure I can get that raised But even if I could Just seems like an extra worry also to have to find ATM each day. Any experience with this?

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In all the European cities we've been in, ATMs are thicker than panhandlers.

I have found that some won't take my card, and sometimes one card works when another won't. So up the block to the next ATM. It's never been a problem. I even got local curremcy in Syria -- but I won't be going there this year!

We are taking several private tours on our upcoming Mediterranian cruise. Consequently, need about 2000€ total. Tour guides prefer to be paid in cash. My bank has ATM limit ; not sure I can get that raised But even if I could Just seems like an extra worry also to have to find ATM each day. Any experience with this?

 

 

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Interesting, when questions like this pop up, I never expect that someone would need 2000 Euro. You're correct, it could be difficult to get that much out of an ATM.

We are taking several private tours on our upcoming Mediterranian cruise. Consequently, need about 2000€ total. Tour guides prefer to be paid in cash. My bank has ATM limit ; not sure I can get that raised But even if I could Just seems like an extra worry also to have to find ATM each day. Any experience with this?

We had a limit too, and just used the ATM several days in a row. It's really pretty easy to find an ATM.

Additionally, there are atms on board with the European sailings where you can get dollars in some machines and euros in others.

I think most banks have a 24 hour withdrawal limit of $300-500, at least that's been the case with every bank I have ever used. As said above, it will be hard to get $2000 euros in this case.

I think going to your bank ahead of time and ordering the euros might be your best option. Or at least get half and then worry about the rest through ATMs later.

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New to cruising in Europe. Sorry if this sounds silly, but what is the best way to get Euros. Should I get them all from my bank or just a little and then use the ATMs in the airport.

What about writing a check on the cruise if I need more. Wil they give me euros or us currency??

Thanks!

Euros:

Buy at least 100 euros before you leave the States for a taxi, etc.

Royal Caribbean had a very good rate on our recent cruise.

Get a Bank of America account and ATM card. Check out foreign ATM on the B of A site for the countries where B of A has an agreement for fee-free ATM withdrawals. There is a daily limit. I have used B of A related banks in England, France, Spain and Italy.

We exchanged some before we left at Wells Fargo last year. We were in Barcelona 3 days precruise, and there was an ATM right near our apartment. We withdrew some each day. Check with your bank regarding the fees to withdraw from a foreign ATM. I also recommend checking the foreign exchange fee for your credit card. Some are higher than others. We used Capital One, and there were no fees.

Interesting, when questions like this pop up, I never expect that someone would need 2000 Euro. You're correct, it could be difficult to get that much out of an ATM.

We just returned from a 12 day cruise on the Serenade and had six tours booked privately which all required cash payment. I was very fearful of carrying that much cash at anytime, so this is what we did:

I ordered 1000 Euros thru Bank of America and picked them up from our local branch.

I also ordered 1500 Euros in American Express Travelers Checks as i found out that one of the tour companies we were booked with accepted them. ( it was Limo in Rome)

We withdrew euros while in Barcelona at an ATM using our Discover credit card which we did two days in a row ( and that gave us 800 euros to take on board).

The ship also had an two ATMs on board...one dispensed dollars, and the other euros, however, the machine with euros broke down during the cruise and was not available for the last 4 days of the cruise.

Lastly, Bank of America has an agreement with BAL bank in Italy where you can use your ATM card and not incur foreign transaction fees. We found this bank on our last tour day in Sorrento when we were running low on euros.

Remember to have some euros if you take a taxi from the port to the airport. Our trip from Barcelona was 35 euros per cab ( we needed two). The shuttles thru RCL were really pricy.

hope this helps....my husbands mantra during the entire trip was that he was "bleeding euros" and its true how quickly they escape your pocket!

We just returned from a 12 day cruise on the Serenade and had six tours booked privately which all required cash payment. I was very fearful of carrying that much cash at anytime, so this is what we did:

 

I ordered 1000 Euros thru Bank of America and picked them up from our local branch.

 

I also ordered 1500 Euros in American Express Travelers Checks as i found out that one of the tour companies we were booked with accepted them. ( it was Limo in Rome)

 

We withdrew euros while in Barcelona at an ATM using our Discover credit card which we did two days in a row ( and that gave us 800 euros to take on board).

 

The ship also had an two ATMs on board...one dispensed dollars, and the other euros, however, the machine with euros broke down during the cruise and was not available for the last 4 days of the cruise.

 

Lastly, Bank of America has an agreement with BAL bank in Italy where you can use your ATM card and not incur foreign transaction fees. We found this bank on our last tour day in Sorrento when we were running low on euros.

 

Remember to have some euros if you take a taxi from the port to the airport. Our trip from Barcelona was 35 euros per cab ( we needed two). The shuttles thru RCL were really pricy.

 

hope this helps....my husbands mantra during the entire trip was that he was "bleeding euros" and its true how quickly they escape your pocket!

Bank of America is part of the Gobal ATM Alliance. There are fee-free withdrawals in a number of countries. Search Global ATM Alliance at the B of A web site. Here is the current list of banks; our experience is that despite the limitations stated by B of A, there is no fee at any pasrticipating bank:

Barclays United Kingdom: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Jersey, Guernsey and the Channel Islands (NOTE: WE HAVE USED BARCLAYS WITHOUT ANY FEE IN SPAIN.)

BNP Paribas France (NOTE: WE HAVE USED BNP WITHOUT ANY FEE IN ITALY.)

BNL Italy

UkrSibbank Ukraine

Deutsche Bank Germany

Scotiabank Canada, Peru, Chile and the Caribbean including: Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Jamaica, Sint Maarten, Puerto Rico, Saint Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands

Westpac Bank Australia and New Zealand

We just returned from a 12 day cruise on the Serenade and had six tours booked privately which all required cash payment. I was very fearful of carrying that much cash at anytime, so this is what we did:

 

I ordered 1000 Euros thru Bank of America and picked them up from our local branch.

 

I also ordered 1500 Euros in American Express Travelers Checks as i found out that one of the tour companies we were booked with accepted them. ( it was Limo in Rome)

 

We withdrew euros while in Barcelona at an ATM using our Discover credit card which we did two days in a row ( and that gave us 800 euros to take on board).

 

The ship also had an two ATMs on board...one dispensed dollars, and the other euros, however, the machine with euros broke down during the cruise and was not available for the last 4 days of the cruise.

 

Lastly, Bank of America has an agreement with BAL bank in Italy where you can use your ATM card and not incur foreign transaction fees. We found this bank on our last tour day in Sorrento when we were running low on euros.

 

Remember to have some euros if you take a taxi from the port to the airport. Our trip from Barcelona was 35 euros per cab ( we needed two). The shuttles thru RCL were really pricy.

 

hope this helps....my husbands mantra during the entire trip was that he was "bleeding euros" and its true how quickly they escape your pocket!

Good post. Shows there are lots of options!

Let me add one more. If you have an ATM card and use it on a regular basis, most banks will raise your ATM w/d limit with a phone call or visit to a branch. You need to be careful, many banks will charge you upwards of $5 for an ATM w/d outside of the US.:eek:

All very helpful info!

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My son is in Europe right now on a tour with a group from his school. We got him enough Euros to get him through the first day or two, and then we went to AAA to get a reloadable travel money card. I can check the balance daily and load as needed.

He hasn't had any problems using it in businesses or at ATM's. as a matter of fact, one in his group had trouble using his credit card, so they brought money to me to put on My son's card, so my son can pull money out for their son.

Are there any additional fees for using the ATMs at the airport versus using the ones in town?