Opinions on foreign currency

[BlackHullSailor]

During our 2015 Baltic Cruise, we used our Wells Fargo account to get approximately $400 in Euros, $200 in Danish (knew we had need to pay for taxi to hotel and back to the airport), and $100 in Russian, Norwegian and Swedish currency prior to leaving the US. Paid just the 1 transaction fee. Additionally, we got a new Visa chipped credit card. Our biggest expense was the private tour we took in St Petersburg and they preferred US $ so no problem. The gift shop the tour guide recommended also took US $ at an OK rate (not great but not a rip off). After buying a few gifts etc, I ended up converting about $75 back to US at the Frankfurt airport at the end of the trip.

 

The requirement for a "chipped" credit card was almost universal in Europe so if you don't have one, get one. I could have gotten additional cash if needed so was set up with "chip & PIN". Didn't need it in the end.

[-Lew-]

 

Have you been on itineraries other than the Caribbean, New England, US west coast or Alaska?

jdeanski referenced a TA.

 

[ccrain]

On several occasions, whether DIY or on a tour, ATMs were broken or did not take our particular card, or were hard to find, OR, the line was so long we didn't want to miss our tour.

 

Some of our own experiences:

 

In Japan you have to access an 'international ATM' which are at 7/11's BUT only give out 10k YEN notes. But we had smaller YEN notes that we brought.

 

In Nagasaki, we got off the ship to find two of 3 ATMs out of order and the line at the other one 20+ people deep and we had a tour bus to catch.

 

In Russia, paying with Rubles got the best exchange rate at all the gift shops - although they would take US$ or Euros.

 

In Helsinki, no ATMs within a mile of the downtown market. We ran out of Euros on that trip!

 

In Bruges, 3 ATMs in a row rejected the card - after running out of Euro's in Helsinki. We found another bank's ATM that did take the card. Never figured out why, but it took about an hour of running around the city.

 

In Papeete, negotiating prices with Cash in the market always works, and you don't have to do quick exchange rate calcs.

 

In South Korea, the various little shops in the market were just easier to deal with on a cash basis rather than credit cards. (Got good discounts.)

 

In Gdansk, ATMs were just really hard to find at all.

 

The experiences we've had have convinced me to take at least a little local currency for every country. And US cash, which always works to get you back to the ship or airport or hospital or embassy!

[Kinkacruiser]

If you don't wish to incur ATM fees, you can buy currency from your bank, etc before you leave. Work out how much you want to spend in each port and what currency you'll need (pounds or euros). At least you won't need to worry about ATMs being out of order or finding one. That's what I do anyhow.

 

Enjoy your cruise :).

[IECalCruiser]

If you are concerned about your ATM being accepted, you can check their website. The ATM card we use is part of VISA. Their website will show a map with the locations of ATM's that will accept the card. Unless you travel far from port, the only need you will probably have for foreign currency is some public transportation, snacks and to use bathrooms. Be sure to have some Euro's or other local currency for the last item!

 

We will start our cruise in two weeks from Venice and there are many ATM options for us there. We will get most of the Euros we need in Venice. Dubrovnik requires Kunas but we will be on a ship's tour and they provide for bathroom stops so we won't bother with getting Kunas.

 

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Edited November 7, 2016 by IECalCruiser

[Thrak]

During our 2015 Baltic Cruise, we used our Wells Fargo account to get approximately $400 in Euros, $200 in Danish (knew we had need to pay for taxi to hotel and back to the airport), and $100 in Russian, Norwegian and Swedish currency prior to leaving the US. Paid just the 1 transaction fee. Additionally, we got a new Visa chipped credit card. Our biggest expense was the private tour we took in St Petersburg and they preferred US $ so no problem. The gift shop the tour guide recommended also took US $ at an OK rate (not great but not a rip off). After buying a few gifts etc, I ended up converting about $75 back to US at the Frankfurt airport at the end of the trip.

 

The requirement for a "chipped" credit card was almost universal in Europe so if you don't have one, get one. I could have gotten additional cash if needed so was set up with "chip & PIN". Didn't need it in the end.

 

What bank do you use in the US that gave you a "chip and PIN" card? My bank (and as far as I know, pretty much every US bank) only has "chip and signature" cards. It boggles me that, even though the US has finally gone to chip cards, they use the signature method rather than the PIN method like everybody else.

[RDC1]

What bank do you use in the US that gave you a "chip and PIN" card? My bank (and as far as I know, pretty much every US bank) only has "chip and signature" cards. It boggles me that, even though the US has finally gone to chip cards, they use the signature method rather than the PIN method like everybody else.

 

Chip and Pin cards

 

Chip cards with PIN and no foreign transaction fees

 

Most of these cards default to using a signature first, but will fall back to a PIN in places where a signature is not possible.

 

First Tech Federal Credit Union Choice Rewards World MasterCard

 

PIN priority with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees. Join the Financial Fitness Association – $8 –

 

State Department Federal Credit Union EMV Visa Platinum

No annual fee. Join the American Consumer Council – free – l

 

Andrews Federal Credit Union Platinum Rewards Visa

No annual fee. Join American Consumer Council – free –

 

PenFed Platinum Rewards, Promise, & Gold Visa

No annual fee. Donate $15 to Voices for America’s Troops –

Barclaycard Arrival World MasterCard

 

No annual fee.

 

Barclaycard Arrival Plus World Elite MasterCard

$89 annual fee, waived the first year.

 

Diners Club Premier (closed to new applicants)

$95 annual fee. Earns points that transfer to Alaska, Delta, and several other airlines. PIN priority – will always default to a PIN transaction when available for maximum security.

 

Diners Club Card Elite (closed to new applicants)

$300 annual fee. PIN priority – will always default to a PIN transaction when available for maximum security.

 

Hawaiian Airlines World Elite MasterCard

$89 annual fee.

 

Wells Fargo Propel World American Express Card

$175 annual fee, waived the first year.

 

UN Federal Credit Union Elite

$50 annual fee. PIN priority – will always default to a PIN transaction when available for maximum security. Join the UNA-USA for $25 to be eligible for the credit union.

 

This UN card has a 1% foreign transaction fee

 

UN Federal Credit Union Azure

No annual fee. PIN priority – will always default to a PIN transaction when available for maximum security. Join the UNA-USA for $25 to be eligible for the credit union.

[53sunset]

We use a Visa travel card. The card was free from our local AAA agency or you can get one at a bank for a little fee. When you get the card, the bank or agency will put the amount you want from your regular bank account. We then get cash from an ATM at whichever country we're in, that way the card isn't connected to our bank account at home. We've used them for years and never had a problem, you can use them at an ATM or as a chage card for a purchase.

[thinfool]

What bank do you use in the US that gave you a "chip and PIN" card? My bank (and as far as I know, pretty much every US bank) only has "chip and signature" cards. It boggles me that, even though the US has finally gone to chip cards, they use the signature method rather than the PIN method like everybody else.

 

You will enjoy reading that you cannot remember a 4 digit pin....

 

http://qz.com/717876/the-chip-card-transition-in-the-us-has-been-a-disaster/

 

"Critics have told me that banks opted for a signature versus a PIN code because it saves them large amounts of money by not having to store PIN codes for everyone. Banks, on the other hand, say they feared that their customers would have a difficult time remembering a four digit code. (This, despite millions of people already using check cards and other access cards with PIN codes.)"

[satxdiver]

What bank do you use in the US that gave you a "chip and PIN" card? My bank (and as far as I know, pretty much every US bank) only has "chip and signature" cards. It boggles me that, even though the US has finally gone to chip cards, they use the signature method rather than the PIN method like everybody else.

 

For our European cruise last September, I contacted two of my credit card companies which already had provided a chip enhanced cards and they gave me a 4 digit pin to use in Europe. However I never had to provide the pin as each time they just asked me to sign the charge slip like in the USA. My two credit cards were Princess (Barclay Bank) and USAA. Both of course are well aware of European practices and had no problem assigning the code. As of earlier this year all my credit card companies have issued chip enhanced credit cards and I have no old cards remaining. The two banks I do business with have also issued chip enhanced cards to be used at an ATM but that enhancement is not used in the USA (YET!).

[caribill]

What bank do you use in the US that gave you a "chip and PIN" card? My bank (and as far as I know, pretty much every US bank) only has "chip and signature" cards. It boggles me that, even though the US has finally gone to chip cards, they use the signature method rather than the PIN method like everybody else.

 

CapitalOne debit card is chip and PIN.

 

Princess Visa is also chip and PIN for overseas use now.

 

For chip and signature cards, supposedly a PIN of 0000 would work, but I have never tested that.

[brian1]

Hi,in the UK we can change our allocated pin at an ATM to a more memorable one ie. the first four digits of your birthday maybe,cheers,Brian.

[BlackHullSailor]

Used Wells Fargo. They offer a bunch of different Visa cards but I asked my bank manager specifically for a "chip & PIN" card and of the 6 or 7 available, one was the right one. I had travelled a lot in Europe on business and knew that things like subways and trains worked better with "chip & PIN".