Currency needed for river cruise ports?

We will be going on a river cruise along the Danube River and wonder what different currency we will need? Our ports are: Budapest, Bratislava, Vienna, Durnstein & Melk, Linz & Salzburg and Passau. We know Austria Germany and Slovakia on Euro countries, but will they take the US Dollar?

Hungry has their own currency but will they take the Euro or US Dollar?

In the past we have found that some airports have good exchange rates booths. We arrive in Munich airport and thought we could exchange there?

Here in Milwaukee we can get Euro but the exchange rates are not good. We are told that ATM machines in other countries usually charge a fee and that a cash withdrawal is considered a cash advance and also has additional fees. We have a Capital One Visa that has no transaction fees and wonder if it that will be accepted at most places. Thanks for any help and comments. Steve

Airport change booths have terrible exchange rates. They advertise no commission, but make it up with poor exchange rates.

If you have a bank ATM, the only fee would be what your bank charges. I have an ATM card with a bank that does not charge a fee.

Using a credit card to get currency is not a good idea, as it is considered a cash advance.

I have found that the foreign exchange department of major banks have good exchange rates. I got Euros and some Forints. The Hungarian currency that I did not spend went into tip envelopes.

We did not go to the Czech Republic but some that did said they needed local currency for the washrooms but most vendors took Euro

All others took Euro

Getting some forints if you are staying in Budapest for a few days would be a good plan & use the ATM ...if one bank ATM does not work just try another one ;)

And your Cap 1 Visa will work just fine. That is what we use and have never had any issues with it.

Cheers,

We will be going on a river cruise along the Danube River and wonder what different currency we will need? Our ports are: Budapest, Bratislava, Vienna, Durnstein & Melk, Linz & Salzburg and Passau. We know Austria Germany and Slovakia on Euro countries, but will they take the US Dollar?

 

Hungry has their own currency but will they take the Euro or US Dollar?

 

In the past we have found that some airports have good exchange rates booths. We arrive in Munich airport and thought we could exchange there?

 

Here in Milwaukee we can get Euro but the exchange rates are not good. We are told that ATM machines in other countries usually charge a fee and that a cash withdrawal is considered a cash advance and also has additional fees. We have a Capital One Visa that has no transaction fees and wonder if it that will be accepted at most places. Thanks for any help and comments. Steve

We were only in Hungary 1 day and was advised that the store clerk would convert the Euro to Forints if you tell them before they ring up your purchase. 285 forints = $1. US dollar Therefore I didn't make the exchange and only used Euro. My ATM card wouldn't work in any of the bank ATM's. It didn't have a "chip" like the credit cards so I had no choice but to use the credit card to do cash advances. Paid exchange rate plus withdrawal fee. $$$$. All of Germany and Austria accept Euro. You will need some .50 cent Euro's for the toilets in some place's but look for the tourist info centers and / or buy a coffee or tea use the establishments restrooms for free!:)

Just returned from an Amsterdam to Budapest cruise. We did take Forints for Hungary but found that many, many stores took Euros but exchange rate was not great. You most definitely will need local coins for the unattended washrooms of which there are many. Even the McDonald's charge to use the washrooms. Most charge 50c in euros but in Hungary it was 150 forints. Rarely did any store take US $ and why should they. You would not expect the stores in the US to take Euros.

We were only in Hungary 1 day and was advised that the store clerk would convert the Euro to Forints if you tell them before they ring up your purchase. 285 forints = $1. US dollar Therefore I didn't make the exchange and only used Euro. My ATM card wouldn't work in any of the bank ATM's. It didn't have a "chip" like the credit cards so I had no choice but to use the credit card to do cash advances. Paid exchange rate plus withdrawal fee. $$$$. All of Germany and Austria accept Euro. You will need some .50 cent Euro's for the toilets in some place's but look for the tourist info centers and / or buy a coffee or tea use the establishments restrooms for free!:)

Kaudreamer12: not sure why your atm wouldn't work....you don't need a chip to use your debit card in European ATMs. I took the Viking Grand European cruise this spring from Amsterdam to Budapest and had no problems getting money from any of the atms. I use a debit card from my credit union which has no foreign currency charge and got a good exchange rate in Amsterdam, Germany and Budapest.

When we did a similar cruise, just about everyone took Euros. We did use the ATM for a few $$$$'s worth of Forints. We also did not spend them all and what was left was part of our tip. Most stores, restaurants did not take US $$$'s but a lot of local vendors (stalls, open air markets, did) they just got out their calculators and "did the math" to come up with the exchange rate. Some displayed prices in Fortins, Euros, Pounds and Dollars, depending how big and "touristy" the place was.

Thanks folks! For a first timer, this has been the most informative currency related thread I've read on these forums.

Looks like I'll be using my Visa ATM card to obtain euros but I'll have a credit card too.

Thanks folks! For a first timer, this has been the most informative currency related thread I've read on these forums.

 

Looks like I'll be using my Visa ATM card to obtain euros but I'll have a credit card too.

I use my bank ATM card to get cash as needed for things like bathrooms and ice cream cones but for all other purchases including restaurants, I use my capital one card because they don't charge any foreign exchange rates and the card itself is free. If you don't have one I would strongly suggest that you get one. In addition to the convenience, if you order something and want it shipped to you (like a cuckoo clock or glassware) the card will insure it against damage, where if you take it on the plane it's not insured if broken or lost. If you're traveling with Vantage keep in mind that several times when you're having lunch on shore they give you money to pay for it! It's kind of like getting lunch money from Mom when you went to school:D. I don't know if other companies do that or not, but I do know that it was always more than we needed for what we eat for lunch.

We are on a 27 day and ATM works great ..

I use my bank ATM card to get cash as needed for things like bathrooms and ice cream cones

one thing I failed to mention: when you are using an ATM to get cash in a currency OTHER than euro be careful not to take out more than you need, especially if you're only in that country for a day or less. Once you leave that country your money is basically useless and can be difficult to get rid of (nobody wants rubles for instance) I always keep my left over Euros and keep them in a "euro piggy" for the next time I go to Europe.

We were able to use Euros in Switzerland (the only non-Euro country on our cruise).

Some good advice that we heard: if you have non-Euros left at the end, use those as part of your gratuities. The staff will be back in that country sooner than you will!

We were able to use Euros in Switzerland (the only non-Euro country on our cruise).

 

Some good advice that we heard: if you have non-Euros left at the end, use those as part of your gratuities. The staff will be back in that country sooner than you will!

what a nice idea! I usually keep mine because I travel frequently enough that it's handy not to worry about having them when I get off the plane. There are quite a few countries that will accept Euros and some will even accept dollars problem is you don't know until it's too late!:D

They will all take Euros. .....Hungary and Slovakia

Sent from my GT-P6210 using Forums mobile app

They will all take Euros. .....Hungary and Slovakia

 

Sent from my GT-P6210 using Forums mobile app

Not always and not everybody., Rob...most of the time they'll accept euros, but they don't have to...and I would hate to be in a restaurant or holding a half-eaten donut and find out they won't!:)

We were advised that many stores and restaurants would take Euros but would return change in the local currency. We there pleasantly surprised to find in Switzerland that every clerk had a separate purse for Euros so they always gave us change back in Euros. [There is so much cross-border traffic between Germany and Switzerland that this is normal for them.]

Switzerland is way more sophisticated than some other countries! And you are absolutely right about the change ...merchants may not have any problem taking Euro or dollars because they're worth more than some of the local currencies but they change will be in local currency and how do you know you're getting a fair deal? You don't.:D

We have a Charles Schwab ATM card. With it there are NO ATM fees anywhere in the world. If any are charged, Schwab will refund them to your account.

We have a Charles Schwab ATM card. With it there are NO ATM fees anywhere in the world. If any are charged, Schwab will refund them to your account.

Sounds like a good deal.

I was able to purchase euros online through Travelex and have them delivered to my credit union which will also convert those unused back to US dollars when I get home.

The only problem is that $1000 US buys 670.50 Euros from Travelex. At an ATM in Europe $1000 US buys 742.15 Euros. This is the current rate of each. Many banks will charge a small fee, but many other US banks will charge none and reimburse you for the charges from the foreign bank. This is a total ripoff.

Can you tell me what bank to try?

all of a sudden my 2 banks and 1 credit union want to charge anywhere from 2-3% transaction fees PLUS what we have to pay to the foreign bank and "out of network" fee.....I hate to change USD here for a one time fee and then have to carry so much cash....what was wrong with Travelers' Checks of days past or NO FEE atm's!

For cash while in Europe & the UK, I use my Bank of America ATM card. BOA is partnered with Barclays, Deutsche Bank and many more. The ATM fee is 1% of the transaction (using a partner ATM) and you get the market exchange rate. I have had no problems finding or using their machines. I think Wells Fargo has a good program, but I don't know the details yet.

The last trip, I didn't even bother with ordering currency beforehand. I just got it at the airport AT THE ATM.

I remember using Travellers checks during a pre-Euro, seven country road trip. What a hoot! Finding a bank, converting as we moved from country to country. I think I still have some marks, francs (Swiss), lira, francs (French) .....

Thanks, seasoned travelers, for the tips. As a first time cruiser on my first trip to Europe I am petrified that I won't find an ATM if I need it in a pinch. I feel secure having some euros in hand from the start but will take your advice if I ever travel abroad again.