Caribbean Cruise - Currency Types

Do cruisers take small amounts of each different currency or do you just rely on US$ and/or Euros and then use local currency given in change for small purchases?

If we buy local currency, we will need US$, EC$, Barbadian $, Trinidad & Tobago $, Euros, Mexican Pesos, Colombian Pesos & Aruban Florins! And then there's the fun with Cuban $ exchanges in Havana ... :)

Is it best to bring a working stock of US$ & Euros and then use ATMs for the remaining currencies? We have a Euro Account so can use the debit card in Amsterdam, Lisbon and the Azores en route.

TIA

Steve & Elaine

For the most part, Caribbean islands will accept US dollars.

Most ports take USD

If you want take some Euro or EC

I have been (multiple times) to most of theCaribbean islands and , ports s where cruise ships call in the caribbean . We used U.S. $$ all over the Caribvean. We used U.S. an cred it cards inJjamcia, Nasau, Barbdos, S. L:ucia, Dominica, Dominican Republic, St. Kitts, bonaire, Arub a, Curacao, Guadeloupe, Guatamala, Martinique, St., Maarten, Tortola, St. Barts, San Blas islands, (Panama) and and an..d... Those are the only ports that come immeiately to mind..... a nd Cozumedl, (San Juan and St. Thomas, St. John are U.S.), Caracas, , We never had a problem using our U.S. $$ or credit cards.

We took different currencies for different islands/ports and some currencies we got on island ATMS.

Not only did we save money (even with exchange rates from UK agencies) due to not having to pay a convenience charge (saw US folk in the same restaurant get charged £20 more for a similar meal) we also had lots of amazing coins and notes as souvenirs.

It also meant we could buy everything from the smallest/boutique style local shops without worrying.

We found fellow Europeans had similar and fellow US cruisers generally paid in dollars.

I think we saved way over £100 using local currency.

Assuming "Columbia" means Cartagena, USD is all you need except for Havana.

Exchange rates offered by the ship will be poor, and I'm wary about whether / where ATMs in port dispense only local currency.

So get your USD before you leave, at the best rate you can get from the usual suspects - Tesco, M&S, Sainsbury, Post Office etc. If you use Sainsbury (mebbe other stores too) book click-and-collect on-line - the rate is significantly better than the rate offered in-store. Be wary with internet agencies, some use only or predominantly high-value notes. Decline any notes bigger than $20, and ask for plenty of $1 and $5 notes.

Outlets at your port which deal predominantly with tourists quote in USD and they give change in USD. But although those which mainly serve locals usually accept USD, they give change in local currency. That might sound great, but if you want a couple of $3 icecreams late in the day each icecream will effectively cost you $10 with the bonus of some souvenir shrapnel. That's where low-denomination notes can save you quite a few dollars.

Cuba. It's the CUC, not to be confused with the locals' pesos.

USD I think are still regarded as black-market.

Last time we went to Cuba, CUCs were only available at the port.

Nowadays I think you can buy in advance, but if not the system at the port is surprisingly quick. Take sterling to exchange, avoids double-changing with USD or faffing around with plastic.

Hop-on buses stop at the cruise terminal, and altho they're pretty tatty they're a good way to get an over-view.

Do visit "Hemingway's favourite bar" - if you can figure which of the dozen or so contenders was his favourite :D

A five-minute walk up-stream from the cruise terminal is a huge indoor "craft" market, a good place to end your visit & use-up left-over currency.

Havana is likely to be the highlight of your cruise. Great place.

Euros?

A few outlets in Martinique and Guadeloupe insist on Euros rather than USD. So check before you buy. And buy elsewhere if they do.

JB :)

Edit - re Velvetwater's post.

On many islands, USD is official currency alongside the local currency and the exchange rate is fixed.

But when we first started visiting the Caribbean it was on land holidays - we used local currency & when negotiating at market stalls were well-and-truly p*ssed-off when a cruise ship disgorged its passengers flashing bundles of USD. So I know where Velvetywater is coming from.

But for a cruiser who's in each port for just a day, messing with half-a-dozen currencies, getting confused about exchange rates, lots of left-over shrapnel from each port, mebbe even an entire currency unused because of an itinerary change, etc is a royal pain.

If you want to make the effort, Velvetwater is right.

If you're lazy and want a simple life, JB is right.

Thanks to everyone for the information and advice. I think it will be mostly US$ & Euros and then a quick scoot to the ATM for other local currency. I have some US$ - just need to remember where the safe place that I stored them is ... Should be a lovely cruise - 11 days and counting until embarkation!

Steve & Elaine

We just bring a small amount of US$ for small purchases and currency conversion in port when necessary. We use our CC for major purchased.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

US $ is generally accepted throughout the Caribbean. In fact, on French St. Martin, where the euro (worth about $1.17) is official currency, many places accept US $ on a one for one basis - saving you about 17% - as well as the hassle of getting euros.

Assuming "Columbia" means Cartegena, USD is all you need except for Havana.

 

Exchange rates offered by the ship will be poor, and I'm wary about whether / where ATMs in port dispense only local currency.

So get your USD before you leave, at the best rate you can get from the usual suspects - Tesco, M&S, Sainsbury, Post Office etc. If you use Sainsbury (mebbe other stores too) book click-and-collect on-line - the rate is significantly better than the rate offered in-store. Be wary with internet agencies, some use only or predominantly high-value notes. Decline any notes bigger than $20, and ask for plenty of $1 and $5 notes.

Outlets at your port which deal predominantly with tourists quote in USD and they give change in USD. But although those which mainly serve locals usually accept USD, they give change in local currency. That might sound great, but if you want a couple of $3 icecreams late in the day each icecream will effectively cost you $10 with the bonus of some souvenir shrapnel. That's where low-denomination notes can save you quite a few dollars.

 

Cuba. It's the CUC, not to be confused with the locals' pesos.

USD I think are still regarded as black-market.

Last time we went to Cuba, CUCs were only available at the port.

Nowadays I think you can buy in advance, but if not the system at the port is surprisingly quick. Take sterling to exchange, avoids double-changing with USD or faffing around with plastic.

Hop-on buses stop at the cruise terminal, and altho they're pretty tatty they're a good way to get an over-view.

Do visit "Hemingway's favourite bar" - if you can figure which of the dozen or so contenders was his favourite :D

A five-minute walk up-stream from the cruise terminal is a huge indoor "craft" market, a good place to end your visit & use-up left-over currency.

Havana is likely to be the highlight of your cruise. Great place.

 

Euros?

A few outlets in Martinique and Guadeloupe insist on Euros rather than USD. So check before you buy. And buy elsewhere if they do.

 

JB :)

Thanks, John. I buy Euros at the High Street Loan Shops - the rates beat all the usual suspects and I can deposit the surplus (ever the optimist) notes in our Euro Account. Outwith Europe, it's only the Azores that require Euros. I don't want to return to Scotland with all sorts of odd sod local currencies that will gather dust if we don't visit again - our first Caribbean trip so lots to learn and to enjoy. 46 nights including the pootle across from London, Tilbury :)

USD is fine for ALL places except Cuba.

Thanks, John. I buy Euros at the High Street Loan Shops - the rates beat all the usual suspects and I can deposit the surplus (ever the optimist) notes in our Euro Account. Outwith Europe, it's only the Azores that require Euros. I don't want to return to Scotland with all sorts of odd sod local currencies that will gather dust if we don't visit again - our first Caribbean trip so lots to learn and to enjoy. 46 nights including the pootle across from London, Tilbury :)

Here was me guessing Thomson.:rolleyes:

Now I guess it's Fred or C&M.

Have a great cruise

JB :)

Never had a problem using the US Dollar in Caribbean ports. :D

Seems Cuba would be the only exception.

Got to be C&M Columbus. EM

For the Eastern and Western Caribbean we mainly use USA currency and at stores credit cards.

In some places say in the Southern Caribbean if Euros are the main currency we will use them to optimize the rate on purchase but again we'll use credit cards in stores, etc.

Keith

Here was me guessing Thomson.:rolleyes:

Now I guess it's Fred or C&M.

 

Have a great cruise

 

JB :)

Well, after our first - and last cruise with them, it certainly won't be Fred ...

This will be our 4th cruise with CMV - we're perfectly clear about the offering and are happy to accept the limitations that apply, so we enjoy ourselves.

We're back on 14th December and have decided against nipping over to France for Xmas & New Year in case ferries are delayed (as happened last year ...). Then 17th January, it's South America for the first time on NCL Sun (first time with NCL so more new experiences!).

BTW, I used to live in Warsash and obtained my 'Part 1 (In)competent Crew' RYA qualification about 30 years ago. It included a fiasco of an attempt to moor on a bouy in the Romsey area - ah unhappy memories .

Steve

 

BTW, I used to live in Warsash and obtained my 'Part 1 (In)competent Crew' RYA qualification about 30 years ago. It included a fiasco of an attempt to moor on a bouy in the Romsey area - ah unhappy memories .

 

Steve

For those wondering what sort of navigational foul-up results in a ship mooring near Romsey (about 8 miles inland :eek:), this is a lake with tiny little training ships big enough only for one trainee and one instructor.

https://www.miniport.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/our-ships.jpg (:D)*

BTW, Steve, I too used to live in Warsash decades ago. The little row of cottages opposite the Royal Thames YC, on Shore Road.

JB :)

* ps. Sorry, my little joke ;)

Here's the real thing

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/11/04/14/2E0A32A700000578-3300377-Part_of_Southampton_Solent_University_the_training_academy_at_th-a-2_1446645678730.jpg

For those wondering what sort of navigational foul-up results in a ship mooring near Romsey (about 8 miles inland :eek:), this is a lake with tiny little training ships big enough only for one trainee and one instructor.

https://www.miniport.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/our-ships.jpg (:D)*

BTW, Steve, I too used to live in Warsash decades ago. The little row of cottages opposite the Royal Thames YC, on Shore Road.

 

JB :)

* ps. Sorry, my little joke ;)

Here's the real thing

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/11/04/14/2E0A32A700000578-3300377-Part_of_Southampton_Solent_University_the_training_academy_at_th-a-2_1446645678730.jpg

John

No worries - I'm not fat - just thick-skinned :) I lived in Jumar Close (1987-1990) - a quick skip through the pedestrian passage and we were opposite the College of Nautical Studies in Brook Lane. My Incompetent Crew weekend course was via the RYC in Warsash. 4 of 6 students had travelled from all over England for that weekend - my next door neighbour and I just walked the 400 metres or so with our kitbags ...

I don't remember the exact detail of the mooring - I remember the Training Captain mentioning Mountbatten country and a sail up a creek!

Navigational foul ups did happen - 1 student from Nottingham was working towards his Part II qualifications and was practising plotting positions to check against the Skipper's - his comment was something like 'I've obviously done something wrong - according to me, we're sailing on the A303 and exceeding the speed of sound ...' (for our North American viewers, the A303 is a main south coast road that takes tourists to Stonehenge ...). :)

Almost 30 years later and I still retain quite graphic memories of what was avery long weekend ...

Steve

Typically ATMs and credit cards give you the best exchange rate.

If you fly into the US, there will be plenty of ATMs at the airport.

Look for credit cards with no foreign exchange fee.

Many of the local currencies in the Caribbean are tied to the US dollar, so exchange rate is 1 to 1 or 1 to 2 or similar.

Typically ATMs and credit cards give you the best exchange rate.

 

If you fly into the US, there will be plenty of ATMs at the airport.

 

Look for credit cards with no foreign exchange fee.

 

Many of the local currencies in the Caribbean are tied to the US dollar, so exchange rate is 1 to 1 or 1 to 2 or similar.

We're on a 46 day cruise from UK so no flights - dock at the port of call and away you go. US$ and some € for the European ports/Azores seems the least trouble - and the good old credit card for any major purchases. Thank you for the information - holidaying in Europe has made my brain lazy - € is pretty much all you need and you don't really need to think about currency issues!