Seine cruise

[Cruising Quilter]

My husband and I will be sailing on Avalon's Creativity from Paris to Normandy and back. We are sailing July 11, 2017 and are so excited. This is our first river cruise and our first trip to Europe! Any tips would be appreciated. We are planning to use our debit card at the airport to obtain Euros. We have prepaid our tips so we will only need cash for snacks and souvenirs. We are not planning to buy anything very expensive. How much cash should we get? Are ATMs readily available at other stops outside of Paris? Thanks for any advice you can provide.

[alexkrn46]

ATMs are available all over but will charge you a change fee,We did something different we exchanged dollars for an pre paid euro card and brought some cash euros.

 

we loved the Seine and ready enjoyed this river,enjoy

[seabreezer]

ATM's are probably the cheapest way to go especially with a debit card with a bank that reimburses any ATM fees. Charles Schwab has a debit card without any fees. You can also use credit cards very easily almost everywhere but be aware of transaction fees.

[Host Jazzbeau]

As stated, make sure your debit card won't charge you a fee to use an ATM in Europe. That means avoid all non-bank ATMs [e.g. Travelex], and look for the symbol of your bank's network on the bank ATM. [Or get a card like Charles Schwab or First Republic that refund ATM fees] Also make sure you have a credit card that doesn't charge a Foreign Transaction Fee [CapitalOne Quicksilver is a great card for this purpose] -- then use it everytime you can to get the best interbank exchange rate plus cash back.

[easyboy]

We exchange some loose euro bills at our local bank and use the ATM in Europe for the extra needed.

 

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[notamermaid]

Some cash will come in handy, especially small notes and coins for the odd small place that does not accept credit cards. For a non-touristy shop or a boulangerie (bakers' shop) perhaps. A tip: get an uneven sum, not 100 euros, or see if you can stagger the notes manually. Normal distribution when you want 100 euros is 50/20/20/10 but you might want more small notes. Not sure how far 100 euros would get you, Paris is expensive. For a whole week you could need more even with all expenses paid. ATM's are readily available in all town centres but further out of town and in small villages you might not find one.

 

Rick Steves has got a page on ATM's, perhaps this is helpful: https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/money/cash-machine-atm-tips

 

This is what the search engine came up with when I looked for an ATM in Rouen: http://www.visa.com/atmlocator/index.jsp#(page:results,params:(query:%27Rouen,%20Seine-Maritime,%20Normandie%27))

 

notamermaid

[dan4182]

My husband and I will be sailing on Avalon's Creativity from Paris to Normandy and back. We are sailing July 11, 2017 and are so excited. This is our first river cruise and our first trip to Europe! Any tips would be appreciated. We are planning to use our debit card at the airport to obtain Euros. We have prepaid our tips so we will only need cash for snacks and souvenirs. We are not planning to buy anything very expensive. How much cash should we get? Are ATMs readily available at other stops outside of Paris? Thanks for any advice you can provide.

 

 

 

Cruising Quilter, enjoy your trip.

 

A couple of photos from our 2013 Paris to Normandy to whet your appetite

 

 

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[Cruising Quilter]

Thanks for all of your input! I appreciate the pic as well. We are packing and hoping we are taking the right stuff! I'm hoping we will get some great pics and that the weather cooperates too.

[dan4182]

Thanks for all of your input! I appreciate the pic as well. We are packing and hoping we are taking the right stuff! I'm hoping we will get some great pics and that the weather cooperates too.

 

The photo I posted was from Claude Monet's home and gardens in Giverny. This was one of the best stops on our cruise. Other notable spots were Honfleur during the Apple Festival (try the Calvados), Caux-de-Bec where Champlain departed for his exploration of North America, the Normandy Invasion sites and the American Cemetery and Museums and the Pointe-du-Hoc area where the American Rangers scaled the cliffs to destroy German gun sites. The provincial capital of Rouen is beautiful and the chapel dedicated to the memory of Joan of Arc is very impressive.

 

The entire province of Normandy is green, lush and beautiful and is populated by very friendly people who are grateful for the American, British and Canadian soldiers, airmen and sailors who purchased their freedom from the Germans at an enormous price.

 

The cheeses and wines of that area are pretty tasty also!

[INSIDERS CABIN]

I only used Euro coins for daily tips for excursion guides and drivers. I exchanged my Euro notes at reception. Otherwise, credit card with no fees for international transactions. Shipboard purchases of excursions were paid with my credit card as well. Laundry, drinks, etc all went on onboard account and were settled on credit card. Basically, I do not remember spending cash! Great trip, especially liked Rouen tour and Paris at night .....I'd consider Versailles very carefully during summer because of big crowds....we were there in October and a man in our group fainted from the heat. Have a good trip and see it all!

 

 

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[seabreezer]

Some cash will come in handy, especially small notes and coins for the odd small place that does not accept credit cards. For a non-touristy shop or a boulangerie (bakers' shop) perhaps. A tip: get an uneven sum, not 100 euros, or see if you can stagger the notes manually. Normal distribution when you want 100 euros is 50/20/20/10 but you might want more small notes. Not sure how far 100 euros would get you, Paris is expensive. For a whole week you could need more even with all expenses paid. ATM's are readily available in all town centres but further out of town and in small villages you might not find one.

 

Rick Steves has got a page on ATM's, perhaps this is helpful: https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/money/cash-machine-atm-tips

 

This is what the search engine came up with when I looked for an ATM in Rouen: http://www.visa.com/atmlocator/index.jsp#(page:results,params:(query:%27Rouen,%20Seine-Maritime,%20Normandie%27))

 

notamermaid

The Rick Steve's article is excellent!

[mikesms]

We just returned from this cruise on the Tapestry II. You will absolutely love it! The day in Normandy is incredibly moving (if you opt to visit the cemetery and landing beaches)...As for obtaining Euros, in all honesty I'd use a credit card and do cash advance at an ATM instead of your debit card. But also there is a conversion office in Rouen right across from the Cathedral entrance if you just want do an exchange of dollars to Euros for tipping. This was our first River Cruise after many ocean voyages - but we're already looking forward to our next one!! Enjoy!

 

 

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[Host Jazzbeau]

We just returned from this cruise on the Tapestry II. You will absolutely love it! The day in Normandy is incredibly moving (if you opt to visit the cemetery and landing beaches)...As for obtaining Euros, in all honesty I'd use a credit card and do cash advance at an ATM instead of your debit card. But also there is a conversion office in Rouen right across from the Cathedral entrance if you just want do an exchange of dollars to Euros for tipping. This was our first River Cruise after many ocean voyages - but we're already looking forward to our next one!! Enjoy!

 

I have never heard of a credit card that doesn't treat cash advances like loans -- with interest accruing from the day you get the cash at a very high rate. Why would you do this?

[mikesms]

I tend to pay off credit card balances every month so the rate is a minimal concern. However, providing direct access to my bank account - which is what a debit card does - isn't something I like to chance while overseas.

 

 

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[sharkster77]

I tend to pay off credit card balances every month so the rate is a minimal concern. However, providing direct access to my bank account - which is what a debit card does - isn't something I like to chance while overseas.

 

 

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Why not set up a separate checking account w/ debit card specifically for travel? Place $$ in the account to be taken out as needed, and be sure NOT to link to any other accounts.

[Kate-AHF]

I tend to pay off credit card balances every month so the rate is a minimal concern. However, providing direct access to my bank account - which is what a debit card does - isn't something I like to chance while overseas.

 

 

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Exactly. I won't take my debit card with us anymore when we travel. I place an order through my local bank for a couple hundred euros before we leave, and then use the no-balance Visa for cash advances as we travel.

[TravelerThom]

I tend to pay off credit card balances every month so the rate is a minimal concern. However, providing direct access to my bank account - which is what a debit card does - isn't something I like to chance while overseas.

Maybe your credit card is better than most, but it is common to be charged 3% Advance Fee up front and close to 30% API on that balance from day one. Depending on where you are in your credit card cycle you could pay your bill off in full every month and still end up with 3-4% interest in addition to the 3% Advance Fee. Many (most) credit cards also charge a 3% Foreign Transaction Fee. If you get hit with all those you are paying ~10% in fees even though you are paying it off every month - way more than I care to pay. I use (and recommend) the Charles Schawb debt card mentioned by Jazzbeau, which I fund with maybe twice the amount of money I expect to spend. It is connected to no other account, and should it be hacked I'll eventually get the money back and with minimal disruption to the rest of my financial life.

[gnome12]

One way to avoid paying interest on a credit card cash advance is to make payments in advance so that you have a credit balance on the account.

[Got2Cruise]

You will be amazed how easy it is to pay by credit card throughout Europe. You do need a small amount of cash but almost every place accepts credit cards. Get one that doesn't charge foreign transaction fees. I have the Capital One Venture card. No annual fee and you earn points.

 

 

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[TravelerThom]

One way to avoid paying interest on a credit card cash advance is to make payments in advance so that you have a credit balance on the account.

It is not unusual for US Banks (and I assume similar in other countries) to charge 5% Cash Advance Fee and 3% Foreign Transaction Fee. You might pay no interest, but still be charged 8% in Fees.

[OneSixtyToOne]

AAA sells tip packs so you can have a few Euros in your pocket upon arrival.