What currency in Greece?

[TLCOhio]

I found a recent article that reiterates what several here have stated about travel to Greece if there is a Grexit. (My concern is that I dont want to be stranded in Greece because I have family members who depend on me for their care) Anyways, there is nothing that even a crazy lady like myself can dig up that would be cause for concern. Here's the article for my fellow worriers.

 

Appreciate the posting of this article from a website connected with CNN. There are many true "realities" in this writing. My view is that there will be a "transition" after the Greek people vote down this "cash flow offer" from Europe and other international finance people. Between the cruise lines and world financial institutions, they will find ways to be creative and work things out. Yes, the Greek people can be warm and wonderful. BUT, at the moment "it" happens, there will be confusion. Long-term, the suffering by many in Greece will be significant. Sad to happen for such a nation with wonderful history, architecture, culture, etc.

 

From the Wall Street Journal this morning, they have three different articles, including one with this headline: "Greece Divided on Bailout Referendum". Here are a few of that story's highlights from their correspondents in Athens: "A decision to hold a referendum next weekend is splitting a nation that woke up Saturday in shock. Many Greeks—from citizens to politicians—were struggling to get a grasp on the news that they will be called on to vote on July 5 about the economic retrenchment, including pension cuts and steep rises in value-added tax, that the rest of the eurozone and the International Monetary Fund have in recent days insisted upon as the condition for continuing to finance Greece. Greeks were divided as to how effective the referendum will be, and unsure about what the government might do with the referendum result."

 

Personally, we do not have any upcoming Greek trips scheduled, but want to travel back there. Ideally, giving things time to "settle out" and have clearer future financial systems/rules in place would be best. If I was scheduled there in later July or August, there will be "concerns", but I believe they will figure out ways to make things work and allow tourists to get by.

 

These WSJ reporters also noted: "From early in the morning, people were seen lining up at ATMs to withdraw their money, worried about the stability of the country’s financial system. Some cash machines had completely emptied out." There was a picture of Greeks in a long line waiting to get money out of an ATM. Their story also said: "Despite the unpopularity of the creditors’ terms, however, opinion polls show Greeks overwhelmingly want to stay in the euro—even if it means further economic sacrifices—because national bankruptcy and exit from the euro would probably be far more disruptive to Greece’s economy, politics and society."

 

Full story at:

http://www.wsj.com/articles/greece-divided-on-bailout-referendum-1435397627

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Dozens of nice visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc. We are now at 200,948 views for this live/blog re-cap, including much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

[TLCOhio]

From the BBC within the past two hours, they have this headline: "Greek debt crisis: ECB faces monumental decisions" with these highlights by their Economics Editor: "The European Central Bank faces what is arguably the most challenging and important decision. Will it continue funding Greek banks next week, in the uncertain days before next weekend's referendum on the bailout deal demanded by the country's major creditors? Why is this decision so hard? Greek banks are wholly reliant on support from the ECB. Some members of the ECB's governing council will fear that it would be breaking all central banking rules by continuing to provide support. It is now almost inevitable that Greece will miss the 30 June deadline for making a €1.5bn ($1.7bn; £1.06bn) payment to the International Monetary Fund, and that would call into question the solvency of the government. There would be greater doubts about the solvency of Greek banks, since the Greek state is the ultimate guarantor of the banks. The point is that a central bank is never supposed to lend to insolvent banks, because to do so would be to explicitly throw good money after bad - and would imply the central bank could be failing in its primary responsibility of preserving the value and integrity of the currency."

 

They had a large pictures showing: "Customers queued for cash in Athens on Saturday outside a bank branch whose doors remained shut".

 

Full story at:

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-33297621

 

THANKS! Terry in Ohio

 

For Athens, Greece, check out this posting with many ideas, tips and exciting visuals. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1101008

There have been over 11,030 views on this posting.

[agabbymama]

I think if a Greek port was on my agenda, I'd plan on credit cards as much as possible for any days in those ports. Have a few EURO and a lot of good old USA $.

 

In the event Greece does leave the EURO, you won't be totally stranded without any money (that happened to me when I traveled to Hungary). Nobody happened to mention I was arriving on a long 5 day Holiday weekend, no banks or exchange kiosks would be open. The guide I had hired loaned me $100 worth of Hungarian forint until the banks opened.

 

Good Luck and Happy Travels to All!

[John Bull]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-33300543

 

It's beginning to look like the Greek govt's brinkmanship & delaying tactics have gone one step too far, & that they'll almost-certainly not meet the 30th June deadline for reform.

And that the ECB (that's the European Central Bank, not the English Cricket Board ;)) will therefore not extend the bailout - though they've been pretty good at doing U-turns in the past, so nothing would surprise me.

 

The last straw was the decision yesterday to hold a referendum in a week or two's time on whether the people will accept the terms required by the ECB and the other Eurozone countries for continuing the bail-out. That would of course delay the decision beyond the date for agreement and for repaying a tranche of the bail-out. And probably also require even more short-term emergency funding to balance a continuing withdrawal of money from Greek bank accounts - a lot of Greeks probably have very comfortable and well-stuffed cushions and pillows ;)

 

Sounds like a big cop-out by Greece's rather naïve politicians - whichever way it goes it's going to be tough for Greece, and the politicians will then put the blame on the people for making the decision rather than having the balls to do what they were elected for - making tough decisions.

 

Cruisers aren't going to be significantly affected, certainly not as much as those taking land vacations in Greece.

I continue to advise cruisers travelling in the next few weeks to get enough euros for their Greek ports at a preceding port, preferably of course a Eurozone port. USD and sterling aren't widely accepted in Greece - that may change.

Any Greek ATM withdrawal limits hopefully won't affect foreign cards but if you're unlucky you may find machines empty, or if your timing is unfortunate they may even be closed for a few days. And if the currency has just changed you'll be getting very poor value.

I doubt there'll be a problem in shops, restaurants etc accepting credit cards issued by foreign banks - certainly the merchants won't want to refuse them.

 

If the bail-out is accepted, prices will increase - VAT (purchase tax) will go up, and mebbe other obscure taxes which affect visitors. If it's with-held and Greece exits the euro, any inflation which affects tourists will be more than offset by a dramatic fall in the value of the Greek currency, so effectively prices will fall for visitors.

But for better or worse, any change in value-for-money will be small-beer compared to the overall cost of a cruise.

 

My limited experience of Greece is that any demos will be mainly in Athens, the islands are much more laid-back about politics. So if frustrations boil over I'd hope that any port-of-call cancellations or problems will be limited to Piraeus/Athens. And any violence won't be aimed at cruisers - non-Europeans especially are well out of the shenanigans, but don't get caught in the cross-fire.

 

Just my own amateur take on the politics.

And I'm usually wrong :D

 

Edit: An update while I was posting:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-33300543

 

JB :)

[Got2Cruise]

First I thought the vote was to leave the Eurozone but now I realize that the referendum is for the Greek people to vote if they should accept the deal.

 

I'm really confused because I thought the last day was June 30 but they are voting on July 5.

[John Bull]

First I thought the vote was to leave the Eurozone but now I realize that the referendum is for the Greek people to vote if they should accept the deal.

 

I'm really confused because I thought the last day was June 30 but they are voting on July 5.

 

Correct.

And there's a probability that the IMF or ECB or Eurozone countries or all three will decide on 30th June to pre-empt the need for that referendum. Eurozone countries have already said that they will not extend that date to allow for a referendum result, so in theory a referendum is already dead-in-the-water.

 

If the Greek Govt wanted to hold a referendum they should have built it into their negotiation timetable & set it up for, say, 25th or 26th June at the latest so that they could agree or decline the bailout terms by that 30th June deadline.

My understanding is that the referendum isn't planned to incorporate any detail but will simply ask whether voters accept "the terms" or not, so they could've continued to negotiate those terms right up to the morning of the referendum.

 

To avoid a Grexit, one side or the other is going to have to do a U-turn.

Both sides seem pretty good at that :rolleyes:

 

There's talk of Greece making overtures to Russia for financial backing. Mebbe for real, mebbe just to twist Europe's arm, mebbe it's just a rumour.

Time will tell, & we won't have to wait long.

 

JB :)

[exbiologist]

So I'll be on a cruise stopping in Mykonos on July 27 and Athens July 30. I do appreciate the earlier thoughts on the subject. Anything else to prepare for? Any chance government services will be stopped?And are ports run by private companies or the government?

Will the major attractions still be open? Any chance Princess would decide to reroute the itinerary to avoid Greece?

Would any of this affect Turkey in any way?

Appreciate any additional thoughts

[Langoustine]

I keep reading posts from people who think there is going to be some sort of "orderly transition" from the Euro if Greece defaults. It seems to me that there is, instead, going to be a rather chaotic situation developing immediately, with the banks closed, the bancomats dispensing nothing until the Bank of Greece can print enough new Drachmas to replace the Euros they no longer have, and tourists in Greece without either Euros or credit cards in a tight spot. What do you think?

Edited June 27, 2015 by Langoustine

[exbiologist]

I don't imagine it will be orderly. But people adapt quickly. I suspect it will be sudden and soon. What is hard to contemplate is whether those on fixed income or govt salaries will flip out, strike or otherwise make things during this transition period difficult for the two days I'll be in the neighborhood at the end of July.

[Langoustine]

I don't imagine it will be orderly. But people adapt quickly. I suspect it will be sudden and soon. What is hard to contemplate is whether those on fixed income or govt salaries will flip out, strike or otherwise make things during this transition period difficult for the two days I'll be in the neighborhood at the end of July.

 

Good point. I do think shifting to the New Drachma will initially be difficult for those Greeks who haven't already withdrawn their Euros to travel abroad or import things not made in Greece, as I suspect the ND will immediately plunge in value relative to the Euro, which could also be devastating for those who have mortgages or other debts denominated in Euros payable to non-Greek banks. To see what that can mean, look at what recently happened to Polish property loans denominated in Swiss Francs. I really don't know how the Greek public will react, though for many of them I suspect it's hard to see how things could be any worse than going on and on with the present austerity measures; I don't know how you can increase taxes on a people with that level of unemployment or cut pensions without giving each pensioner a suicide pill, before there's a revolution---and I don't see that as being in anyone's best interest. This is going to be very, very interesting next week.

Edited June 28, 2015 by Langoustine

[Got2Cruise]

I don't imagine it will be orderly. But people adapt quickly. I suspect it will be sudden and soon. What is hard to contemplate is whether those on fixed income or govt salaries will flip out, strike or otherwise make things during this transition period difficult for the two days I'll be in the neighborhood at the end of July.

 

According to this article, the change over would take 18 months, because there is no money printed at this time http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travel-advice/11635549/Should-holidaymakers-to-Greece-be-worried-about-a-Grexit.html

[Blue Elephant]

We were on a Princess cruise recently through Greece and Turkey. the merchants in Turkey were more than happy to accept American dollars or Euros as payment. I think they actually preferred dollars and Euros - as a "hard" currency?

 

Having some extra Euros on hand will not go astray in my opinion.

[John Bull]

According to this article, the change over would take 18 months, because there is no money printed at this time http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travel-advice/11635549/Should-holidaymakers-to-Greece-be-worried-about-a-Grexit.html

 

A small but significant mis-reading of the piece, G2C. ;)

If there's a Grexit, euros will run as legal tender in Greece alongside the new currency (my paraphrasing) for up to 18 months, which is a whole different thing.

 

Over the years, when various currencies switched to the euro, their "old" currencies (German deutschmark, French franc etc) ran alongside for about the same length of time and prices were quoted in both currencies - but in fact the old currencies fell into disuse in a matter of weeks.

 

A Grexit, if it happens, would be rather different.

It would probably happen the same way as the introduction of different currencies in various eastern bloc countries following the break-up of the Soviet Union.

If a Grexit happens the same way, banks and ATMs will close for a few days for the new currency - lets call them New Drachmas, as Langoustine's post - to be introduced.

By pressing a few buttons, euros in Greek bank accounts will change to ND, with a value of one-for-one.

Euro notes (bills) in banks will be used as temporary ND until proper ND bills are printed, by defacing them with for instance an over-print of large indelible black letters "ND". ATMs and bank tills will be filled with these ND-defaced bills, which will be the same denominations but ND, not euros.

All this can be done in a few days.

Hence the run on the banks, and hence everyone's advice to take euros to Greece with you rather than rely on ATMs.

 

The true value of ND will then be determined by the currency markets - from parity with the euro ND will of course fall quickly & significantly against it & against all other currencies, bringing major inflation to Greece.

On Day 1 of the ND, a coffee might be priced as 2 euros / 2 ND.

Within a few days the price might be 2 euros / 3 ND

 

Wages, pensions, etc will of course be in ND.

With a Grexit no bail-out terms need to be implemented, so pensions won't have to be reduced or taxes increased.

But because of inflation those pensions & wages will buy less goods.

And interest rates may rise in an attempt to reduce that de-valuation.

Heads they lose, tails they lose.

 

In the short term this "de-valuation" would be painful. In the long-term, by making home-produced goods cheaper than imports, and by making exports from Greece and vacations in Greece better value, it would hopefully kick-start the Greek economy.

That's exactly what happened when sterling was devalued a couple of decades ago.

 

Euros will continue to be accepted - in fact welcomed - and possibly other mainstream currencies too, for at least that 18 months.

 

All the above only if there's a Grexit.

That's by no means certain, despite the looming deadline, and not helped by the European Central Bank today announcing that it will no longer provide emergency daily funding to cover the money being withdrawn from banks by their customers.

 

Mebbe the Greek govt will capitulate on Tuesday & accept the bail-out terms. Mebbe they can still stall the bail-out partners by severely limiting withdrawals (capital controls) for a week or two until the result of the referendum is known.

But the deadline is so close now, that it's perhaps best to wait & see rather than continue to speculate.

 

exbiologist - Turkey won't be affected. :) In fact the Turks & the Greeks have never been the best of friends and I suspect they might be quite gleeful about Greece's problems.

Can't help much with your other questions. If there's a general strike for your day in Athens your ship might not dock (it's not just the public sector that goes on strike) or there might not be any public transport (ship's transfers, ho-ho buses and some taxis were running when we were there on a strike day, but not the metro & local buses). And the ship will not put you in harm's way if there's general violence, even though any violence would not be directed at tourists.

But the situation should be a great deal clearer by the time you go. :)

 

JMHO as always.

 

JB :)

[TLCOhio]

From the New York Times today within the past hour on Sunday, they have this breaking-news headline: "Greece Will Close Banks to Stem Flood of Withdrawals".

 

Here are some of the story highlights: "Greece will keep its banks and stock market closed on Monday and place restrictions on the withdrawal and transfer of money, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said as Athens tries to avert a financial collapse. The government’s decision to close banks temporarily and impose other so-called capital controls came hours after the European Central Bank said it would not expand an emergency loan program that has been propping up Greek banks in recent weeks while the government was trying to reach a new debt deal with international creditors."

 

The article also notes: "Greece appears to be taking steps similar to ones by Cyprus in 2013 to avoid a bank collapse. In that case, however, the Cypriot government acted in concert with other European governments as part of a new bailout program. In Greece, the emergency banking measures were a result of a breakdown in talks with other eurozone countries. The breakdown has intensified pressure on cash-poor banks as jittery Greeks withdraw their savings."

 

John Bull offers lots of other important details and factors to consider. More news, sadly, will be coming on Greece and its struggles. Hopefully, it will not disrupt cruise ship visitors too much.

 

Full story at:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/29/business/greek-debt-crisis-european-central-bank.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=first-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 180,196 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

Edited June 28, 2015 by TLCOhio

[6rugrats]

Thank you to those posting updates. Am leaving on a land trip to Greece in a few days and have purchased extra Euros, and not counting on using ATMs.

[Langoustine]

Thank you, JB, for your analysis; it pretty much mirrors what I've been reading in the NY Times for the past few months. It also strikes me that there may two very different exchange rates pretty quickly, as was the case in Turkey when I was there in the U.S. Army in 1972, an official rate and a much different black market rate. I quickly found that I could get many more Turkish Lira for my U.S. dollars in back alleys than from a bank or currency exchange. I found that as a foreigner I couldn't use them to buy a train or plane ticket, since I didn't have an official receipt from a bank showing where I got them, but they were real and I could use them easily in shops and restaurants. If the same thing happens in Greece, tourists using credit cards or withdrawing ND from bancomats using debit cards will probably have their ND charges converted to dollars or Euros at the official rate, rather than the "real" rate determined by the market. There's no way I would go to Greece right now without taking Euros with me. As you say, all this may be moot if the parties can compromise and Greece remains in the Eurozone, but things don't look too promising right now.

Edited June 28, 2015 by Langoustine

[TLCOhio]

Thank you to those posting updates. Am leaving on a land trip to Greece in a few days and have purchased extra Euros, and not counting on using ATMs.

 

YES!! That sounds like a good and smart plan. If just having cruise stops in Athens and/or the island can be easier. It's have a number of days in Athens before or after a cruise that could get more challenging. Having "hard currency" will make things better and safer.

 

From the New York Times within the past hour, they have this more current headline: "Fears of Greece Leaving Euro Are Fears of the Unknown" with these highlights: "Greece could soon find itself in the middle of a daunting economic experiment. Ever since Greece became part of the euro over a decade ago, the common European currency has been entrenched in the lives and activities of the country’s 11 million people. Precedents for such a transformation may not exist. Economists say they cannot think of a time when a developed country with an open economy dropped out of a shared currency and set up its own new money."

 

This analysis also notes: "Much has to happen before Greece reaches the point of an exit from the euro, or 'Grexit.' And there is no provision in European treaties for a nation to leave the monetary union. When, in the postwar period, countries changed their currency, it usually took many months of careful planning. Global payments systems have to be reprogrammed to accept the new currency. And then the task of actually acquiring a new physical currency can take a few months. Economies have shown that they can operate for a while with a shortage of physical cash. That was the case in Ireland, he said, when bank tellers there went on lengthy strikes in the 1960s and 1970s."

 

Full story at:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/29/business/fears-of-greece-leaving-euro-are-fears-of-the-unknown.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=first-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

From our Jan. 25-Feb. 20, 2015, Amazon River-Caribbean combo sailing over 26 days that started in Barbados, here is the link below to that live/blog. Lots of great visuals from this amazing Brazil river and these various Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, etc.) that we experienced. Check it out at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696

Now at 24,412 views for these postings.

[TLCOhio]

From the Wall Street Journal for tomorrow morning's print edition, they have this headline: "Greece’s European Identity Is at Stake" with this sub-head: "Greece’s history is filled with major disasters and impressive recoveries".

 

Here are some of the key story highlights: "The history of Greece is filled with major disasters and impressive recoveries. Even its birth in 1832 was a triumph over the odds, assisted by the decision of the U.K. and France to come to the rescue of an independence movement on the brink of defeat. Despite its many setbacks, it is arguably the most successful state to emerge out of the ashes of the Ottoman Empire and has proved a beacon of prosperity and stability compared with the rest of the Balkans. This success partly reflects the unique hold Greece has on the European imagination. For the rest of Europe, Greece is more than a country: it represents an idea, a reflection of the common roots of a shared civilization, a beacon of liberty, a symbol of resistance. But Greece’s success is also due to the long-standing determination of Greeks to place their country firmly among the family of Western European nations. It is Greece’s European identity that is at stake in the referendum that the government has decided to call for July 5. Although the question on the ballot will be whether voters want the government to accept or reject the terms of the bailout deal submitted by the creditors last week, the real question at stake is whether Greece wishes to remain a member of the eurozone."

 

As someone who like to learn lots on the history and economics for each country to be visited and/or having traveled there, this background on Greece and it history since being freed from the Turks is of important value.

 

Full story at:

http://www.wsj.com/articles/greeces-european-identity-at-stake-1435522372

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Enjoyed a 14-day, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for more info and many pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 110,265 views for this posting.

[hobbess]

I'll respectfully disagree with a couple of members.

 

That devaluation of sterling was just what the UK needed, instead of trying to keep it at an artificially high value by the govt hiking interest rates, borrowing euros to buy sterling, etc. That devaluation pushed up UK prices of imported goods but persuaded more Brits to buy British. It also made Brit exports much more competetive, made the UK a cheap place for international visitors, made foreign holidays expensive for Brits so Brits stayed in the Uk more for their holidays. It was the beginning of a recovery for the UK.

I firmly believe that Greece exiting the euro would be the best move for both Greece and the rest of the Eurozone. And I believe there's a good chance that it will happen, though the Greeks don't want to lose the stability that the euro gives to their economy and the Eu don't want it because it could set a precedent for other iffy eurozone countries such as Italy and Portugal to leave.

 

I have to respectfully disagree that a Greek exit would be the best move for Greece.

 

Its true that it would make Greece even more affordable for international visitors and thus help its tourism industry, but its not like Greece is that expensive in the first place. Its already more affordable than other Euro countries to visit and there's no Scandinavian sticker shock.

 

If Greece left, I'd expect a return to the double digit inflation Greece went through from the 70s to the mid 90s.

 

But, even more troubling, a Greece exit from the Euro would mean that Greece didn't undergo the significant reforms it has promised and needs to do for its own sake. The 2010 bailout was supposed to give Greece breathing room and time to make those reforms, but the Tsiparas government is now trying to roll back those reforms.

[Anapli]

But, even more troubling, a Greece exit from the Euro would mean that Greece didn't undergo the significant reforms it has promised and needs to do for its own sake. The 2010 bailout was supposed to give Greece breathing room and time to make those reforms, but the Tsiparas government is now trying to roll back those reforms.

 

Where do you have reading these? I'm not Tsipras fan but these aren't true! EU (and USA of course) just don't want a left government in their block. EU ask from Tsipras hard measures and he has give these.. next day they ask more hard measures! If Tsipras say yes to their measures they will find more measures until Tsipras resign from government and add their "dogs" on there who sign without reading!

 

Sorry, but we don't want Europe "friends" like them... we don't want a currency who work just for a country!

 

Note... Tourists don't have problems with cash/credits cards on ATMs.. there isn't limit for them but most of stores accept only cash.

 

Note2... the transportation in Athens is free this week (buses, metro etc).

Edited June 29, 2015 by Anapli

[German Giant]

Note... Tourists don't have problems with cash/credits cards on ATMs.. there isn't limit for them but most of stores accept only cash.

 

Be careful, this is just theory!

 

It's all correct, but: The Greeks only get 60 Euros a day / person on ATM and all banks are closed!

 

This means, that EVERY Greek will take this 60 Euros from ATM EVERY day! (we would do exactly the same in this situation)

Most of the ATM will be empty and if not, there will be a very long line! So, if you'll find one with a very long line (which means it's not empty), it's possible that you stay in line a half an hour and it becomes empty untill it's your turn!

[Morgans]

You will need to take cash if possible - Euros. ATMs are running out of money so in theory a tourist can draw out larger amounts but the ATMs may not have any. Shops unwilling to accept debit/credit cards. Who can blame them - they need the cash in their tills/pockets.

[German Giant]

I think if a Greek port was on my agenda, I'd plan on credit cards as much as possible for any days in those ports. Have a few EURO and a lot of good old USA $.

I would not recommend that! (I'm on the Zuiderdam from July 11th with 9 Greek ports!)

 

Nobody knows what will happen in Greece the next weeks, also if the Greeks vote to stay in the Euro, because meanwhile a lot of European countrys don't want them to!

If the Greeks will get no money from their bank (also a big bank-crash of the Greek banks is possible) and a national bankruptcy will happen, I would not trust in, that they'll give you your pre-paid orders.

It's just simple: a tour company get's the money you paid in front not from their bank, but have to pay the fuel for the bus, the driver, the meal, etc in cash, how should this work?

 

I also would not recommend Dollars, because when the banks are closed, nobody can change them!

 

Just take enough Euros in cash with you and everything will be fine!

Edited June 29, 2015 by German Giant

[TLCOhio]

If Greece left, I'd expect a return to the double digit inflation Greece went through from the 70s to the mid 90s. But, even more troubling, a Greece exit from the Euro would mean that Greece didn't undergo the significant reforms it has promised and needs to do for its own sake. The 2010 bailout was supposed to give Greece breathing room and time to make those reforms, but the Tsiparas government is now trying to roll back those reforms.

 

Anapli: Note... Tourists don't have problems with cash/credits cards on ATMs .. there isn't limit for them but most of stores accept only cash. Note2... the transportation in Athens is free this week (buses' date=' metro etc). [/quote']

 

Morgans: You will need to take cash if possible - Euros. ATMs are running out of money so in theory a tourist can draw out larger amounts but the ATMs may not have any. Shops unwilling to accept debit/credit cards. Who can blame them - they need the cash in their tills/pockets.

 

Appreciate these varied items of information and opinion. Agree that it will be smart to bring some hard euro cash if visiting Greece in the near future. It would seem that getting to an ATM that is working and with an available supply of euro cash could be a little in question or doubt.

 

On "free transportation" that message raised two questions: First' date=' [b']how crowded[/b] will those buses and services be if there is no charge? "Free" tends to make people want more and increase crowding. Second, if those things are "free", then who and how are the salaries, fuel, maintenance, etc., to be funded? I assume that the transportation workers are not doing those jobs this week for "free", right? It is not like the Greek government has lots of extra money sitting around to cover those many costs from a week of "free" transportation operations.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For Athens, Greece, check out this posting with many ideas, tips and exciting visuals. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1101008

There have been over 11,030 views on this posting.

[German Giant]

On "free transportation" that message raised two questions: ...

And the third question is: how about timetables, because of overcrowding and the drivers may not bei paid? I don't like to take a very nice photo from the leaving ship out of the port-perspective.

 

In Athens there are three (private) hop on hop off lines running directly in front of the cruise-terminal to all sight-seeings! In my opinion it would be a adventurous idea to save their fares, by taking part in the crises-free-transportation-party.