Canadian Money

[crusingchic76]

Looking forward to my 1st canadian cruise....question for all who have gone, do I get canadian money? Thoughts?

[RetiredMustang]

I would recommend you do so. Whenever we take a cruise that includes Canadian ports, we buy Canadian currency. We have access to money exchanges here in the D.C. area, but I see you are from Boston and probably can find one easily enough. If not, you can probably get some from an ATM at the first Canadian port visited, or even on board (but the rate on board is usually not as good).

 

The basic reasons are two-fold: It makes it easier for us, and we don't have to rely on the business/vendor/whatever accepting U.S. currency.

Here's something to consider: many cruises originate in Boston and go to Montreal or Quebec, then they come back the other way. How many Canadian cruisers try to make purchases or leave tips in Canadian dollars in Boston? How easy do you think it would be for them? I would guess it would be about how it would be for U.S. dollars in Canada ports -- some places it would be easy, others hard.

 

Dave

[Alberta Quilter]

I second what Retired Mustang has said but wanted to add that the exchange rate that you would get in Canadian shops or restaurants would not be as good as what you would get at a bank or money exchanger at home.

 

You will be able to use American coins in Canada, however. But do not expect any kind of exchange rate. It will be at par.

[catl331]

... or even on board (but the rate on board is usually not as good).

Possibly not, as the HAL site now says

On board our ships, U.S. dollars is the only currency accepted. We also accept U.S. travelers checks. A currency exchange service will be available for selected itineraries, such as our European and World Cruise programs.

[TheEmerson]

Go to your bank and ask for the current rate to buy some Loons. Some banks will keep a limited amount of currency on hand, while some will place an order and it will show up in about one to two days. Bigger the branch, more likely they will have currency on hand. When I travel to CA for work I keep what is not used, and go to my bank for a top-off. The rates were on par or better than the exchange rate + service fees some places charge.

[sallycruiser06]

I think the other poster meant " loonies" which is the Canadian dollar. I think I would stick to paper bills when you exchange money as the coins are pretty weighty! We have a two dollar coin as well..called a "toonie". You will get lots of the coins in change as soon as you purchase something. Enjoy your trip!

[jayjaycan]

You won't need Canadian money in any port of call you may visit but, the exchange rate you will get from the merchant is not as good as you will get from your own bank. HAL may exchange money for you but it will be at a higher rate as will ATM's.

 

The Canadian $1 and $2 denominations are in coins. I doubt your bank will provide these.

 

Many merchants will make change from USD payment in CAD.

 

All US coins are accepted at par though.

 

All major credit cards are accepted.

[Daisyloo]

The US dollar and Canadian dollar are close to par right now, with the US a bit higher. Buying through your bank or a currency exchange would get you the best rate of exchange. Having Canadian cash will make it easier for you, especially if you go into smaller establishments or off the "beaten path". Also, as far as credit cards go I find that American Express is not accepted as frequently as Visa or Master Card and it's because they charge a higher merchant fee. So it might be wise to have a Visa or MC on you. Enjoy your trip. :)

[sail7seas]

We cruise to Canada every summer and have for years.

We find those who deal with tourists are very obliging to us Americans and they accept our U.S. $ for taxi rides, small purchases of trinkets/souvenirs and we never change money. I am sure whatever exchange they are giving is very poor but if the purchase is of any size, we use credit card. If it is just pocket money, we are grateful for the convenience and are happy to give the taxi driver a bit more. (S)he has done us a service and the few extra $ won't sting too badly.

 

If we go to COWS for an ice cream cone, they obligingly take our U.S. $ If we buy a postcard, they take U.S.

 

[startwin]

I agree with those who advise getting your Cdn dollars from your own bank, and it will be cheaper. Yes you can use US dollars in Canadian ports, but when we visit the US we always get our US dollars before leaving home. You just might hit a store or service that does not want to accept your currency.

 

If, however you are not going to spend any time in Canadian ports, then there's no need to bother.

[sail7seas]

Possibly not, as the HAL site now says

 

 

I have never seen/heard of currency exchange on Maasdam when we do Canada/NE cruises.

 

We have had currency exchange on European cruises.

 

 

[Skipper's Mom]

You may be able to obtain Canadian currency through your brokerage house. I got mine at no charge. It was nice having CA bills for paying the limo from the airport, lunches, dinners, etc in Montreal.

 

We do the same when we go to Europe. It's good to hit the ground with local currency rather than chasing down ATMs.

 

Also, try to get a credit card that has no foreign transaction fees. Capital One is a good choice.

[whogo]

Do not use a US exchange bureau to buy Canadian money. Travelex, for instance, marks up the cost by 11% and then adds a $9.99 fee. The fee is particularly onerous for small exchanges. $10 Canadian is worth $9.71, yet Travelex charges you $10.79 (11.1% markup) plus $9.99 (an additional 103% markup).

 

$20.78 total cost of $10 Canadian

$9.71 total worth of $10 Canadian

$11.07 markup, or 114% markup

 

A $10 Canadian purchase is a worse case Travelex scenario. The Travelex markup on $100 Canadian is 21%. I do not know how much you would lose paying a Canadian merchant in $US, but I would rather support a Canadian merchant than Travelex.

 

A US bank should charge less than 6% for foreign currency.

US credit cards charge 0% to 3% for foreign purchases.

US ATM cards charge 0% to 3% plus $0 to $5 for ATM withdrawals in foreign lands.

Do not use a US exchange bureau.

[sapper1]

At your last port in Canada try to get as many loonies and toonies as you can exchanged for five or ten dollar bills as your bank at home will not accept coinage for exchange, only paper money. You will be stuck with the loonies and toonies.

[realnurse2]

But you can always throw your loonies and toonies in a jar and use them on your next trip to Canada! :)

[Winters in NZ]

The only places where you would require Canadian paper money, is if you went to Montreal or Vancouver and purchased a Metro/Subway/Skytrain day pass, in the same manner that one does in Boston, at the ticket dispenser. But in both cases, bank cards are used at the dispensers as well.

 

For other purchases, you might save yourself a few cents per dollar if you did convert US dollars to Canadian dollars.

 

I have never seen any taxi driver, retail store or restaurant in Canada ever refuse to accept US greenbacks.

 

In Montreal, the closest subway station is a 15 minute walk from the cruise ship terminal.

 

And in Vancouver, the Skytrain station is also a short walk from Canada Place.

[RetiredMustang]

Possibly not, as the HAL site now says

 

I have never seen/heard of currency exchange on Maasdam when we do Canada/NE cruises.

 

We have had currency exchange on European cruises.

 

 

 

No doubt you both are right. I've only gone into Canadian ports on trans-Atlantic cruises, and noted the exchange option on board on those cruises.

 

Dave

[world~citizen]

I would say with so many ATM's around it is a moot point.

 

No you don't have to change your currency (in all probability), but it is kinda nice if you have a few dollars from the ATM for the small purchases. For expensive stuff, there is plastic.

[Christine Frances]

The rates are terrible at stores etc It is a pain for them to deal with USD and you can be sure that they will make money on the transaction. i would recommend using an ATM for cash and your credit card for anything else. The one thing to remember is that you are not going to get USD back in change so you are going to end up with CND anyway. One good thing is that you won't get any pennies as we don't have/use them any more:)

 

 

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[ellieanne]

I have never seen any taxi driver, retail store or restaurant in Canada ever refuse to accept US greenbacks.

 

I have -- a few restaurants in Quebec and the shops/craft vendors/cafes in Sept Iles.

 

I plan on getting Canadian currency before leaving for my cruise in October, mainly because I'll be landing in the wee hours of the morning and want to be able to pay for taxis/food/tips with as little fuss as possible. But I also find the shopkeepers enjoy having Canadian currency.

 

If I were going to England, I'd convert currency to pounds, Euro in the EU countries, New Zealand dollars there. Canada is no different and I treat a visit there as I treat a visit to any other country. It's not the US, so they are under no obligation to accept US currency. Better on the whole to get a bit of native currency just to be safe.

[iancal]

Believe it or not, we found that one of the best places to get US currency in Washington State was at a McDonalds. You could buy a cup of coffee with a CAD 20 and get the best exchange rate and change in USD. It was only good if you wanted a bit of walking around money.

 

Not certain if it works the same with McDonalds in Canada when paying with USD. I hope so.

[sail7seas]

I have -- a few restaurants in Quebec and the shops/craft vendors/cafes in Sept Iles.

 

I plan on getting Canadian currency before leaving for my cruise in October, mainly because I'll be landing in the wee hours of the morning and want to be able to pay for taxis/food/tips with as little fuss as possible. But I also find the shopkeepers enjoy having Canadian currency.

 

If I were going to England, I'd convert currency to pounds, Euro in the EU countries, New Zealand dollars there. Canada is no different and I treat a visit there as I treat a visit to any other country. It's not the US, so they are under no obligation to accept US currency. Better on the whole to get a bit of native currency just to be safe.

 

 

 

When we sail Canada/NE, we usually sail b-to-b, Boston to Montreal to Boston. Our port stops are for the day only and we have no overnights. Our spending money is for trinkets, smalls souvenirs, taxis and lunch. Lunch goes on the credit cards, any purchases of any meaningful amount is charged, U.S. is fine for the taxi and an ice cream cone or such. If the vendor makes a few dollars for his courtesy in accepting our cash, he is entitled to it. The convenience has real value for us. :)

 

[world~citizen]

Just as CAD'S are not legal currency in the US, USD's are not legal currency in Canada. You are counting on the goodwill of merchants.

 

I change my currency when I go to the US. It is not impossible you could run into an embarrassing situation in Canada if you don't, though as many note, it is unlikely, especially in a cruise port.

[Himself]

I purchased 300 Canadian through my bank (BMO Harris) and it only cost me a three dollar fee.

[3rdGenCunarder]

You may be able to obtain Canadian currency through your brokerage house. I got mine at no charge. It was nice having CA bills for paying the limo from the airport' date=' lunches, dinners, etc in Montreal.

 

We do the same when we go to Europe. [b']It's good to hit the ground with local currency rather than chasing down ATMs.[/b]

 

Also, try to get a credit card that has no foreign transaction fees. Capital One is a good choice.

 

I agree. We always get some "destination currency" before we leave home. For the easy ones, like CA$, Pounds, and Euros, our branch of Bank of America has them on hand, so there's no fee (for account holders). For less commonly requested currencies, they do charge a delivery fee. But it's still a better deal than airport exchanges.

 

I have -- a few restaurants in Quebec and the shops/craft vendors/cafes in Sept Iles.

 

I plan on getting Canadian currency before leaving for my cruise in October, mainly because I'll be landing in the wee hours of the morning and want to be able to pay for taxis/food/tips with as little fuss as possible. But I also find the shopkeepers enjoy having Canadian currency.

 

If I were going to England, I'd convert currency to pounds, Euro in the EU countries, New Zealand dollars there. Canada is no different and I treat a visit there as I treat a visit to any other country. It's not the US, so they are under no obligation to accept US currency. Better on the whole to get a bit of native currency just to be safe.

 

Considering how difficult it is for people to use non-US money here, I feel it's only right to conduct business in the local currency. Plus, using local currency is part of the travel experience for me.