Canada: Credit/Debit card or Travelers Checks?

[4_Leaf_Clover]

Just wondering what you guys prefer to use while you are in port in Canada....your credit/debit card, or travelers checks?

 

Did you ever have a problem with usuing your credit/debit card?

 

Will taxi's and shuttles even take credit/debit cards? Will they tak travelers checks?

 

Thanks in advance!! :)

[Putterdude]

All major credit cards are accepted in Canada, however Discovery and AMEX are not widely accepted. Most ATM cards are also accepted. US cash is accepted in most business except transit, however you will likely receive your change in CDN funds. Taxis and shuttles will take credit cards but I have never seen one set up for ATM cards. Like most places travelers checks (cheques in Canada) are no longer widely accepted, however the pursers desk on the ship will cash them for you.:)

[4_Leaf_Clover]

All major credit cards are accepted in Canada, however Discovery and AMEX are not widely accepted. Most ATM cards are also accepted. US cash is accepted in most business except transit, however you will likely receive your change in CDN funds. Taxis and shuttles will take credit cards but I have never seen one set up for ATM cards. Like most places travelers checks (cheques in Canada) are no longer widely accepted, however the pursers desk on the ship will cash them for you.:)

 

If travelers checks arent accepted in canada, then I guess we'll stick with our debit/credit cards! I just wanted to make sure I had something that the taxi's, shuttles, businesses, tourist places etc would accept. I didnt realize the taxis could take cards :)

[scottbee]

Just wondering what you guys prefer to use while you are in port in Canada....your credit/debit card, or travelers checks?

 

Did you ever have a problem with usuing your credit/debit card?

 

Will taxi's and shuttles even take credit/debit cards? Will they tak travelers checks?

 

Thanks in advance!! :)

 

 

Major Credit cards (VISA/MC) are widely accepted like the US, and Amex slightly less so (just like the US). JCB (a popular Japanese card) is taken in some stores, especially those catering to tourists., and Discover is virtually unheard of in Canada.

 

Most merchants in larger/tourist towns will also accept US$, but then only bills up to the $20. Expect to get anywhere between even money and C$0.95 for a US$ (the official exchange rate is something like US$1 = C$1.01

 

Bank machines are widely available, and depending on what bank you use in the USA may have an agreement for no fee with a large Canadian bank.

[Putterdude]

If travelers checks aren't accepted in Canada, then I guess we'll stick with our debit/credit cards! I just wanted to make sure I had something that the taxi's, shuttles, businesses, tourist places etc would accept. I didn't realize the taxis could take cards :)

 

The one thing that you need to watch with some US credit cards are the "foreign transaction fees" applied by some issuers of of credit cards. for instance I have a BofA Visa card that I used for an excursion in Mexico in December and B of A dinged me something over $5 for doing so.:mad:

[4_Leaf_Clover]

The one thing that you need to watch with some US credit cards are the "foreign transaction fees" applied by some issuers of of credit cards. for instance I have a BofA Visa card that I used for an excursion in Mexico in December and B of A dinged me something over $5 for doing so.:mad:

 

I know, and thats why i dont know what the best thing for me to do would be.... take my chance with US money or deal with the transaction fees.

 

OH, if I go to an ATM money and withdrawal money, it'll give me Canadian cash, right?? I guess I could always do that--whatcha think? I wonder how much the fee will be to do that.

[4_Leaf_Clover]

Expect to get anywhere between even money and C$0.95 for a US$ (the official exchange rate is something like US$1 = C$1.01

 

Bank machines are widely available, and depending on what bank you use in the USA may have an agreement for no fee with a large Canadian bank.

 

So the exchange rate is pretty even huh? $1 for $1?

 

My bank is a small bank only available in the county that I live in, so there wont be any sort of agreement :(

[mapleleaves]

So the exchange rate is pretty even huh? $1 for $1?

 

My bank is a small bank only available in the county that I live in, so there wont be any sort of agreement :(

 

CALL your bank and ask what the fees will be! You need to call anyway to advise them that you may be using your card outside of the USA. Some banks freeze cards if they're used out of the U.S.; they think the card may have been stolen. Better safe than sorry.

I visit BC a few times a year so I just use the ATM to get whatever cash I'll need. It costs around $1.50 for a transaction fee and currency conversion. Well worth the convenience of having Canadian funds when I need them. For purchases I use my credit card and again the fees with my bank never go beyond $2. Your bank might not charge anything but you won't know until you call.

[4_Leaf_Clover]

CALL your bank and ask what the fees will be! You need to call anyway to advise them that you may be using your card outside of the USA. Some banks freeze cards if they're used out of the U.S.; they think the card may have been stolen. Better safe than sorry.

I visit BC a few times a year so I just use the ATM to get whatever cash I'll need. It costs around $1.50 for a transaction fee and currency conversion. Well worth the convenience of having Canadian funds when I need them. For purchases I use my credit card and again the fees with my bank never go beyond $2. Your bank might not charge anything but you won't know until you call.

 

I actually work at the bank that I bank with :) I didnt realize it was a transaction fee that the bank itself applied, I thought it was a standard Canadian fee. Learn something new every day!

 

I have bought things from Canada online before and the transaction fee was always around $1 or so. Much better than $5 like a previous poster stated! Yikes!!

[Putterdude]

I know, and thats why i dont know what the best thing for me to do would be.... take my chance with US money or deal with the transaction fees.

 

OH, if I go to an ATM money and withdrawal money, it'll give me Canadian cash, right?? I guess I could always do that--whatcha think? I wonder how much the fee will be to do that.

 

I would check with my CC company and find out what if any foreign transaction fees they levy, if they are high then just buy some t/checks in US funds and cash them for CDN funds at the pursers desk or as you have suggested use your ATM card to get a small amount of $CDN at a Canadian bank....or just use US cash.

[AkSusan]

I actually work at the bank that I bank with :) I didnt realize it was a transaction fee that the bank itself applied, I thought it was a standard Canadian fee. Learn something new every day!

 

I have bought things from Canada online before and the transaction fee was always around $1 or so. Much better than $5 like a previous poster stated! Yikes!!

For my credit card, the Transaction Fee is 3% of the purchase, but usually get a better exchange rate on the purchase using the credit card!

 

Susan in Anchorage :)

[Alaskanb]

We have a Capital One MC credit card that has no international transaction fees --saves us a bundle.