Currency when departing from Auckland

Hi everyone,

Not long until our cruise now!! Yay!

We were wondering what currency P&O use when departing from Auckland? Is it NZ dollars or AU dollars? Eg if we were going to take some coins for the pokie machines etc what currency would we take?

Thanks for your help!:)

Hi everyone,

Not long until our cruise now!! Yay!

 

We were wondering what currency P&O use when departing from Auckland? Is it NZ dollars or AU dollars? Eg if we were going to take some coins for the pokie machines etc what currency would we take?

 

Thanks for your help!:)

I believe the currency stays in Austraian dollars - so you would need Aussie dollar coins for the pokies. They'll be available on board.

Since our coins are the same, couldn't you actually put in the NZ ones?

Since our coins are the same, couldn't you actually put in the NZ ones?

NZ coins are not the same as ours Jane.... Their Dollar coins are about the size of our $2 coins, and their $2 coins are the same size as our $1 coins. The 50s, 20s and 10s are completely different now - in 2006 they abolished the 5cent piece and issued new (smaller) 10s, 20s and 50s. The 10s the size of our 5 (and is copper like our old ones and twos), the 20s the size of our 10 and the 50s the size of our 20. See here

Gee, I am certainly behind the times aren't I!

I hate using coins of any 'foreign' country!!:o ;) Especially the US. I do use quarters though. You should see the collection of US coins I have.:p

I have some left over NZD too from last year when we were transiting through AKL. I didn't realise they accepted AUD in AKL airport.

When I was in NZ, I had to remember that the $1 and $2 coins were the other way around.:rolleyes:

Gee, I am certainly behind the times aren't I!

Perhaps you should take a trip to NZ before January to get aquainted.:p ;)

I hate using coins of any 'foreign' country!!:o ;) Especially the US. I do use quarters though. You should see the collection of US coins I have.:p

I have some left over NZD too from last year when we were transiting through AKL. I didn't realise they accepted AUD in AKL airport.

When I was in NZ, I had to remember that the $1 and $2 coins were the other way around.:rolleyes:

I always have trouble with the $1 and $2 coins in NZ... I had the same problem in the UK, where the 1pound and 2pound coins are the reverse of our $1 and $2 coins.

Not all the shops at Auckland Airport take Aussie dollars, but some do. There is also an ATM there that dispenses Aussie dollars, although I think it's more for locals taking money out of NZ accounts.

Gee, I am certainly behind the times aren't I!

Their new coins are so light - they feel like plastic play money.

lol:pi am a kiwi in Sydney,yes those new coins i think there are a pain:eek:they changed all the coins last year back home in nz ,no 5 cents anymore and the 10 and 20 cents are different and the new 50 cents now is the size of the aud 10 cent.very light and yes play money,so any old nz coins cannot be used in nz anymore even the old 50 cents and no aud coins 5 10 20 cents,i will be going back for xmas to see mum,also nice photos of the pacific dawn to,i have some have to find a way to download some,cheers matt

Thank you for the replies. I have a few AU coins from my last trip over so will take those with me. So if we are paying our cruise card by credit card, are we able to withdraw cash from our cruise card throughout the cruise for casino, shore trips etc?

american dollars, as its in international waters when the casino opens.

american dollars, as its in international waters when the casino opens.

I think its still Austraian dollars for the casino

american dollars, as its in international waters when the casino opens.

American dollars are not the currency used on these cruises, including the Casino. Australian dollars is the currency onboard.

Thank you for the replies. I have a few AU coins from my last trip over so will take those with me. So if we are paying our cruise card by credit card, are we able to withdraw cash from our cruise card throughout the cruise for casino, shore trips etc?

You are able to get a cash advance, done as a purchase on your onboard account, from the Casino... You need photo ID to it, and you are charged a 1% (or mabye 5%) surcharge. This ISN'T done as a cash advance directly to your cruise card, so no worries about extra interest etc.

american dollars, as its in international waters when the casino opens.

The P&O Australia ships don't charge anyting in US dollars, at any time. Not in Australian or international waters.

On Sapphire Princess we noticed the casino used princess casino tokens exactly the same size as US quarters. This was handy as the laundry machines took US quarters. Coming from Australia, stopping at NZ ports, & paying shipboard ac by credit card, the laundry was the only time I needed US coins. The exchange rate on board was a rip off to change money in the machines!! P&O Aust operates only in AUD whether in International waters or not:)

well, i used american dollars and they worked on the poker machines.

well, i used american dollars and they worked on the poker machines.

Well I hope the exchange rate was working your way ... otherwise I guess you just lost more than those using AUD!!:eek::D

Can't imagine any P&O Aus Ship changing their pokie machines over to USD every time (and just because) they go into International Waters (and when we were in International Waters on the Star --- it was definately AUD!)

well, i used american dollars and they worked on the poker machines.

On what ship?

Hi

When we cruises from Auckland in 2006 all currency was in Australian Dollars. This included the cash that we got out at the casino.

A good thing to remember though is that your departure tax at the airport needs to be paid in NZ dollars.

Cheers

Rach

well, i used american dollars and they worked on the poker machines.

Hi, if you were on a P&O ship working from Australia,you use Australian dollars, if a Princess American based ship, or any other American based ship they use U.S dollars.

regards, Lorraine:) :)

A good thing to remember though is that your departure tax at the airport needs to be paid in NZ dollars.

Do we pay departure tax if the ship departs from Auckland? Or do you mean if we are flying to Aussie to catch the boat then that needs to be paid for at the airport? :confused:

Do we pay departure tax if the ship departs from Auckland? Or do you mean if we are flying to Aussie to catch the boat then that needs to be paid for at the airport? :confused:

I've wondered thay myself... But doing a quick google search, from what I can tell, the departure tax in New Zealand only applies to Air departures, not ALL departures. I know here we pay the $38 departure tax in the fare for cruises that are leaving the country.

So yes, if you were flying to Australia you'd need to pay the departure tax when you left the major international airports, but maybe not if you are leaving on a cruise ship.

Australia's system of including the departure tax in the airfares/cruisefares is so much easier.... One less queue to join at the Airport.

Do we pay departure tax if the ship departs from Auckland? Or do you mean if we are flying to Aussie to catch the boat then that needs to be paid for at the airport? :confused:

We paid the departure tax at the airport when we were flying back to australia. The cost of the NZ departure tax is already included in the cruise ticket price.

Sorry for the confusion.

Rach