euros? What do you do?

[katiegirl1264]

Hi

 

We are on EDGE in August going to Italy and Greece. Do most people bring Euros with them? Or do you just use credit cards?do you contact your credit card company to tell 

them you're going abroad?

 

 

 

[Cruise Junky]

A mix. We have a great currency exchange place across the street so we always buy some foreign currency. My AMEX is dropping the 2.5% exchange fee August 1st so I’ll certainly use that where I can.  ATMs when I need more cash. I try and find a partner bank to mine and then there’s no transaction fee. 

[Louhut1]

I always get some Euros from the bank before I leave so I can get a cab or transportation to our hotel or any immediate needs upon arrival.  I always contact our credit card.  Once I forgot they wouldn’t approve my purchase until I called them.  Not always easy when you are overseas. Once you are there you can use credit cards and ATMs for money. Have a great cruise. 

[ghstudio]

Before you go, get a bank card that doesn’t charge a fee and refunds any atm fees. I recommend the Schwab bank card but that requires a Schwab brokerage account...there may be others.  Use that card to get euros from a BANK atm when you arrive in Europe.  Be careful to use a bank atm not a private or money exchange one.  Make purchases using your no exchange fee credit card...and make sure that the store/restaurant charges you in euros...some will try to convert to $’s for you...don’t let them.  Don’t rely on any Amex card...it is not widely accepted...you want a visa or MasterCard credit card

 

call the number on the back of the card and tell them when and where you will be traveling.  They may give you an option to limit the amount of purchases during your travel to limit possible theft/fraud.  We never do it, but your choice

[GastroGnome]

Echo that - Amex is not widely accepted in Europe. Mastercard or visa are the way to go.  You will need some currency for small purchases.  Smaller shops often won't accept cards for purchases under 5 and sometimes 10 euros.  Apple pay and the like are also not that widely accepted in smaller locations.

[hubofhockey]

.I don't go to US banks to get euros.  When we land at a European airport, we find an ATM and get cash.  I use a Capital One debit card as they don't charge any fees (maybe $1 for some transactions). 

[keesar]

We bring some Euros with us from a local bank.  Just enough to get started.  We obtain more from bank ATMs in Europe.  Be aware of what the fees are with your bank card.    

 

I let my credit card company where and when I will be leaving the country.

[OhioDogLover]

I agree with the comments above about ATMs, Visa and MasterCard, etc.  I try to get Euro from a bank ATM as soon as I land at the airport.  Be mindful of the withdrawal limit (if any) on your ATM card and the conversion.  I have seen that goof people up who forget about that. I also try to use credit cards a lot of the time and always charge in the local currency.  I always notify my bank and the credit card companies.  Generally, I have a few Euro left over when I come home, and if so, I put them away for the next time. However, using the ATM at the airport works so well that I don't really need them.  

 

Have a great time on your trip.

 

Ohiodoglover

[cangelmd]

6 hours ago, katiegirl1264 said:

Hi

 

We are on EDGE in August going to Italy and Greece. Do most people bring Euros with them? Or do you just use credit cards?do you contact your credit card company to tell 

them you're going abroad?

 

 

 

Always notify your bank and credit cards. We also do a mix, we have a special card to use abroad that has no conversion fee - I guess if Amex is dropping theirs, we won't need it anymore.

We also use ATMs while abroad and save a little pot of money to use elsewhere.

I don't advocate this, because it is the most expensive way to do it, but we always have a small amount of money ($200, maybe, depends on the rate) exchanged in the airport, because we can specify small bills for taxis etc, and it allows us to have enough local currency available to make it from the airport to a hotel at a time when we aren't thinking as clearly as we might be.

We used to do this through our bank a week or so before we left, but it isn't a lot cheaper to do it that way - DH and I really like the comfort of knowing we have a little money available even if we are exhausted.

[vtcruising]

We get some euros at our local bank before the trip, including some smaller bills. Calculate what you will need for cash in euros before you go and think about where you will get them, because of ATM limits. We do private tours, which often ask for cash that day or share tours with Roll Call people and need to give the the organizer cash, which adds up.

 

If you are on a private tour they will bring you to an ATM, but it may be inconvenient, depending upon the tour. If in a pinch, GS usually has some Euros for exchange (at a less than optimal rate and we have had them run out) and one of the ATMs onboard always has dispensed Euros when visiting EU countries, but you will pay the ATM fee.

 

 

 

 

[TeeRick]

On Celebrity ships in Europe usually there are a couple of ATM's on board.  One dispenses euros and the other USD (usually in the casino area).  Of course the fee will be high but as others have said some banks reimburse the fees.

[George C]

We brought about a thousand in euros from local bank had shopped around and they had a good rate. Also informed credit card company and made sure it did not have foreign transaction fee. Sounds like a great vacation, enjoy.

[TeeRick]

Getting euros directly from a bank is more expensive generally than using an ATM with reimbursed fees.  Why risk carrying so much cash?  Also another option is to use a pre-purchased VISA debit card.  Just like using traveler's checks in the old days.

[Cruise Junky]

2 hours ago, cangelmd said:

Always notify your bank and credit cards. We also do a mix, we have a special card to use abroad that has no conversion fee - I guess if Amex is dropping theirs, we won't need it anymore.

We also use ATMs while abroad and save a little pot of money to use elsewhere.

I don't advocate this, because it is the most expensive way to do it, but we always have a small amount of money ($200, maybe, depends on the rate) exchanged in the airport, because we can specify small bills for taxis etc, and it allows us to have enough local currency available to make it from the airport to a hotel at a time when we aren't thinking as clearly as we might be.

We used to do this through our bank a week or so before we left, but it isn't a lot cheaper to do it that way - DH and I really like the comfort of knowing we have a little money available even if we are exhausted.

Its a special Amex, not every one is dropping their transaction fee. 

[scottygirl]

7 hours ago, ghstudio said:

Before you go, get a bank card that doesn’t charge a fee and refunds any atm fees. I recommend the Schwab bank card but that requires a Schwab brokerage account...there may be others.  Use that card to get euros from a BANK atm when you arrive in Europe.  Be careful to use a bank atm not a private or money exchange one.  Make purchases using your no exchange fee credit card...and make sure that the store/restaurant charges you in euros...some will try to convert to $’s for you...don’t let them.  Don’t rely on any Amex card...it is not widely accepted...you want a visa or MasterCard credit card

 

call the number on the back of the card and tell them when and where you will be traveling.  They may give you an option to limit the amount of purchases during your travel to limit possible theft/fraud.  We never do it, but your choice

I agree with all of the above.  If you have a Fidelity account they also offer fee free ATM withdrawals internationally.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

1 hour ago, Cruise Junky said:

Its a special Amex, not every one is dropping their transaction fee. 

 

My AmEx card hasn't had a foreign currency exchange fee for years.  However, AmEx is not widely accepted in Europe.  Get a Capital One Visa which also doesn't charge foreign currency exchange fees.

 

I generally get my Euros and whatever foreign currency I need from my bank ahead of time.  I dislike having to search for ATMs while I'm out seeing the world.  Had to once in Norway which turned out to be way more expensive than I had anticipated.

[Cruise Junky]

20 minutes ago, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

 

My AmEx card hasn't had a foreign currency exchange fee for years.  However, AmEx is not widely accepted in Europe.  Get a Capital One Visa which also doesn't charge foreign currency exchange fees.

 

I generally get my Euros and whatever foreign currency I need from my bank ahead of time.  I dislike having to search for ATMs while I'm out seeing the world.  Had to once in Norway which turned out to be way more expensive than I had anticipated.

I’m Canadian, we don’t have the same credit cards available to us. It’s been very rare that they have no transaction fees. 

[Jim_Iain]

We always bring Euros (left over from previous trips) and mostly use our Chase Sapphire Card for purchases.   For additional Cash we use an ATM card from First Republic which rebates all ATM fees.  

 

One suggestion is when using credit cards in international locations you will be given the opportunity to be charged in either your Local Home (USD) or Euros.   This is called Dynamic Currency Conversion.   Always choose Local Currency unless you are using a credit card that charges foreign transaction fees.   Selecting your currency will cost you an additional 1-3%

 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/geoffreymorrison/2014/07/30/pay-in-local-or-home-currency/#28db73963307

 

[evandbob]

We bring Euros for use in port for small purchases like gelato at local stores and for tipping tour guides.  We'll get some from our local bank prior to the cruise.

 

We also have a no foreign fee CC or two, usually MC or Visa, for meals or back up use if needed.

[Mike45LC]

Many of the excursions I was looking at warn that the driver expects to be paid in cash in Euros on the day of the tour.  And the excursions are not cheap.  I ordered $2,500 worth of Euros from my bank, in mixed bills, so that I can pay for the excursions and cabs and restaurants and ….  without worrying about it.  

 

I'll use my credit card to pay for any large purchases.

 

[ghstudio]

Celebrity charges the same rate that you would get at a Bank of America branch.  If you are willing to pay the bank fee...just change money on the ship.  Do not ever change from one non us currency to another non us currency on a celebrity ship!  You will be charged their exchange rate to US dollars and then charge you again for the exchange to the other currency.....don’t ever do this unless you Dont mind paying something like 15% commission.

[Mercruiser]

14 hours ago, ghstudio said:

Before you go, get a bank card that doesn’t charge a fee and refunds any atm fees. I recommend the Schwab bank card but that requires a Schwab brokerage account...there may be others.  Use that card to get euros from a BANK atm when you arrive in Europe.  Be careful to use a bank atm not a private or money exchange one.  Make purchases using your no exchange fee credit card...and make sure that the store/restaurant charges you in euros...some will try to convert to $’s for you...don’t let them.  Don’t rely on any Amex card...it is not widely accepted...you want a visa or MasterCard credit card

 

call the number on the back of the card and tell them when and where you will be traveling.  They may give you an option to limit the amount of purchases during your travel to limit possible theft/fraud.  We never do it, but your choice

I'm an American living in Europe for a temporary job assignment. I use the Schwab no-ATM-fee checking account for all my ATM cash withdrawals. There are no ATM or other fees. I've used this debit card all over the world for ATM cash withdrawals. Highly recommended.

[Kartgv]

Another source of euros before leaving home is AAA if you're a member.    Their rates aren't bad and you can get a 'starter pack' of a small amount to use until you can access an ATM.    

[wrk2cruise]

Years ago I got a Capital One Visa card with no foreign transaction fees.  I also opened a high yield money market account which has an ATM card which reimburses fees (some limitations) and no foreign transaction fees.  I only use this account for travel and fund it with a limited amount of $$.  I don't carry any card with access to my main bank account.

[DENIE]

A friend of ours who goes to Europe several times per year (some cruises, some land vaca's) advised us to go to Triple AAA ( we are members). They have a service that allows you to buy almost any currency.  At the end, if you have money left, they will buy it back.  As I understand, there are no fees.  You do have to be a Triple AAA member.