biomedbob Posted October 10, 2014 #1 Share Posted October 10, 2014 I've heard that some businesses, taxis, prefer C$ over US$. What's the best way to handle this. Exchange on board? Take Travelers checks to a bank? Hold your breath? Hope for the best? :confused: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted October 10, 2014 #2 Share Posted October 10, 2014 Get some CAD at an ATM on shore or use a credit card if possible Some may take USD but not at a good exchange rate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earl Rosebery Posted October 10, 2014 #3 Share Posted October 10, 2014 (edited) Why wouldn't they prefer to do business in the currency of the country where they work? That being said, US dollars will be taken . If you use them for a taxi, don't expect the 10% premium that you would normally get. Most taxis would also take credit cards. Traveller's cheques are obsolete. There are ATMs everywhere. They will dispense Canadian cash and you will get your 10% premium. You will also admire the bright colours and indestructible polymer bank notes. Edited October 10, 2014 by Earl Rosebery Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donaldsc Posted October 11, 2014 #4 Share Posted October 11, 2014 I've heard that some businesses, taxis, prefer C$ over US$. What's the best way to handle this. Exchange on board? Take Travelers checks to a bank?Hold your breath? Hope for the best? :confused: You do know that it is Canada. What do you think the odds of a NYC taxi driver or a driver in any other American city taking Canadian money are? DON Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgratru Posted October 11, 2014 #5 Share Posted October 11, 2014 As stated, most prefer Canadian money but will take US funds....your change will be in Canadian though and you may not get a great exchange rate. As we do when going to US, I would suggest getting a small amount of Canadian currency. What part of Canada are you visiting? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruise_More_Often Posted October 11, 2014 #6 Share Posted October 11, 2014 Why wouldn't they prefer to do business in the currency of the country where they work? That being said, US dollars will be taken . If you use them for a taxi, don't expect the 10% premium that you would normally get. Most taxis would also take credit cards. Traveller's cheques are obsolete. There are ATMs everywhere. They will dispense Canadian cash and you will get your 10% premium. You will also admire the bright colours and indestructible polymer bank notes. And the lovely maple smell when you rub the little maple leaf on the $10 bank note. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6rugrats Posted October 11, 2014 #7 Share Posted October 11, 2014 And the lovely maple smell when you rub the little maple leaf on the $10 bank note. If you rub a loonie does it yodel? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thinfool Posted October 11, 2014 #8 Share Posted October 11, 2014 Just leave the ship at your first Canadian port, find an ATM and get what you need. If you are taking a taxi, tell the driver of your situation. He can get you to an ATM if there isn't one at the dock. If you are taking public transportation you will definitely need CAD$. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urban trekker Posted October 11, 2014 #9 Share Posted October 11, 2014 To the OP - it is not a dumb question - it is one that is often asked by Americans who don't live in the northern border states and don't or haven't visit Canada before. So as others have stated - while US $$$ are readily accepted by many Canadian businesses it is not legal tender in Canada and therefore is accepted as a courtesy - so either pick up a few Canadian $$ at your bank or use an ATM and get some of our wonderful colorful money. Cheers! Dennis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted October 11, 2014 #10 Share Posted October 11, 2014 And the lovely maple smell when you rub the little maple leaf on the $10 bank note. Are you being facetious ? I must be thick .... because I do not understand your comment :confused: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottbee Posted October 11, 2014 #11 Share Posted October 11, 2014 I've heard that some businesses, taxis, prefer C$ over US$. What's the best way to handle this. Exchange on board? Take Travelers checks to a bank?Hold your breath? Hope for the best? :confused: Will they take US$? Yes Will you get the same exchange rate you might get from a bank? Probably not. Of course people like accepting legal tender (US$ are not legal tender in Canada). However, if you're just worried about a few businesses, almost everyone will accept US$, you just wont get as good as an exchange rate. If you want some C$, just visit a bank machine. There are a couple in Waterfront centre (across the street from Canada Place). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRUZBUDS Posted October 12, 2014 #12 Share Posted October 12, 2014 We're headed to Quebec in three weeks. We are ordering some Canadian cash from our bank -- several of their branches in our city offer foreign currency. They will take back the excess - no charges. The New York reference isn't the same. Most major Canadian Cities are close to the US border. My father manged an S.S. Kresge in the 50's in Rutand Vermont. He said they accepted tons of Canadian money -- and Rutland is not on the border, but much closer than New York City. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
no fuss travel Posted October 12, 2014 #13 Share Posted October 12, 2014 The majority of the states that border Canada will accept paper bills from Canada. Once you get a bit further south, you have to have US currency. In Canada, we welcome tourists and accept US currency. You just will not get a good exchange rate from a business, as most businesses have to pay a service fee to their own banks for depositing US currency, hence the lower exchange rates. Sometimes you can get a better exchange rate at a currency exchange as long as you are not using the ones at the airport. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottbee Posted October 12, 2014 #14 Share Posted October 12, 2014 We're headed to Quebec in three weeks. We are ordering some Canadian cash from our bank -- several of their branches in our city offer foreign currency. They will take back the excess - no charges. The New York reference isn't the same. Most major Canadian Cities are close to the US border. My father manged an S.S. Kresge in the 50's in Rutand Vermont. He said they accepted tons of Canadian money -- and Rutland is not on the border, but much closer than New York City. :) C$ are not widely accepted more than 20km from the Canadian border. Heck, the Bellingham airport (15km south of the border and 80% Canadian travellers) doesn't even accept them for parking. You'll find US$ much more widely accepted in Canada than the other way around. However, remember the US$ is not legal tender in Canada. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruise_More_Often Posted October 12, 2014 #15 Share Posted October 12, 2014 (edited) Are you being facetious ? I must be thick .... because I do not understand your comment :confused: Not being facetious at all. Notice that I included a prior poster's comment in my post, "You will also admire the bright colours and indestructible polymer bank notes" and followed that up with my post about the smell. When we exchanged some money at our Montreal hotel, the concierge demonstrated it. Here's a link from abcNews article about it: See it for yourself here. Looks like it might be more than just the $10 note that smells like maple syrup. Edited October 12, 2014 by Cruise_More_Often Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted October 13, 2014 #16 Share Posted October 13, 2014 Here's a link from abcNews article about it: See it for yourself here. Looks like it might be more than just the $10 note that smells like maple syrup. Well none of mine smell like maple syrup.... just plastic :D Power of suggestion can bring very interesting results ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Langley Cruisers Posted October 13, 2014 #17 Share Posted October 13, 2014 When we exchanged some money at our Montreal hotel, the concierge demonstrated it... *ahem* And I'm sure he had a good laugh at your expense once you left for the day! :p;):D Our money has no maple syrup smell. That's hilarious! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tilda Posted October 13, 2014 #18 Share Posted October 13, 2014 We just departed from Vancojuver on another cruise & am very impressed with Canada's new currency. It is brailled. Do you know how difficult it is for the visually impaired to distinguish notes? How easy it was to braille it, way to go Canada. My daughter is visually impaired so I notice these thoughtful gestures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted October 13, 2014 #19 Share Posted October 13, 2014 We just departed from Vancojuver on another cruise & am very impressed with Canada's new currency. It is brailled. Do you know how difficult it is for the visually impaired to distinguish notes? How easy it was to braille it, way to go Canada. My daughter is visually impaired so I notice these thoughtful gestures. Even our old paper money had braille ...nothing new Glad you enjoyed your trip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now