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Prepaid Visa or AMEX Bluebird?


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First - I did try searching the terms on here to try to find relevant information but nothing seems to have been posted past 2013 and not sure if things have changed since then with various banks/etc.

 

Hubby and I are taking the kids and my mom and dad on a huge family cruise in just over a month. We are experienced, they are not. When we cruise, we usually carry a bit of cash, keeping much of it in the safe provided and use a credit card for most other purchases at port, which are also pretty minimal aside from lunch or a unique souvenir.

 

Due to the fact that we are taking a larger group, and 3 of our 5 kids won't have their own spending money (the other 2 are 17 and 19 and have jobs), we are saving a large amount of cash to bring instead. However we don't feel comfortable carrying that large of a wad with us. Not to mention that while we have covered most of my mom and dad's expenses, they will want to spend their own money on things. BUT... they do not have credit cards (had a nasty financial loss a couple years ago) and do not want them.

 

So... has anyone had any experience in the last 6 months using prepaid visa or Amex cards (the kind you get with your name embossed on after buying the temp card at the store) in the Caribbean?

 

I ask this as it is something that came up in conversation and I didn't know what to say when they asked how they should pay for some stuff at the ports. That led me to wonder if I should get something like that for the large amount of cash we plan on bringing because honestly we would rather not load the credit card up with debt if we don't have to.

 

I did call AMEX and their Bluebird card has a 2.7% fee after conversion for foreign currency.

 

I am also waiting on a call back from the smaller credit union I have my business account at to see what their terms are with using my business debit/credit card outside the US.

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  • 2 months later...

I am probably too late to comment on this to help you. DO NOT use Bluebird card on cruise Sign and Sail. They will put a hold on for each purchase and then afterwards will charge the entire amount. The hold will last for up to 30 days. So basically you are double charged and can't do anything about it.

 

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Forums mobile app

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