What Currency for South Pacific Islands?

[CaptainBazz]

We are sailing from Sydney in March to the South Pacific visiting New Caledonia, Fiji, Samoa Islands and French Polynesia. Has anyone visited these islands and can tell me the currency they prefer? Would they accept US$, AUS$ or do they prefer local currency? We would only be buying snacks, beer, trinkets etc, nothing major.

[Aus Traveller]

Most businesses and market stalls in New Caledonia and French Polynesia want Pacific Francs, although a couple of stalls in the cruise terminal in Noumea have accepted AUD in the past. The currency is Pacific Francs not the Francs used in continental France, but this currency would probably be acceptable. In Fiji and Samoa we have used AUD in the past. Maybe you aren't going to Pago Pago (American Samoa). The currency there is US$.

[OzKiwiJJ]

5 hours ago, CaptainBazz said:

We are sailing from Sydney in March to the South Pacific visiting New Caledonia, Fiji, Samoa Islands and French Polynesia. Has anyone visited these islands and can tell me the currency they prefer? Would they accept US$, AUS$ or do they prefer local currency? We would only be buying snacks, beer, trinkets etc, nothing major.

If you are going to Noumea first there is an ATM at the supermarket diagonally across the road from the cruise terminal. That makes it easy to get enough to cover your New Caledonia and French Polynesia stops. 

 

You should be able to find an ATM in Suva for Fiji dollars if you find you need them but it may not be so easy if you are going to the smaller ports in Fiji. 

 

Also you might be able to use a credit card in many places these days. 

[Keithajaneb]

Do the ships offer any currency exchange services?  specifically the VOLENDAM.

Thanks in advance.

 

 

[Snoopkat]

We recently sailed on Quantum of the Seas and did a ship tour to Duck Island in New Caledonia. AUD was accepted for purchases and snorkelling equipment hire.

[Aus Traveller]

1 hour ago, Keithajaneb said:

Do the ships offer any currency exchange services?  specifically the VOLENDAM.

Thanks in advance.

I haven't been on the Volendam, but I can safely answer "No". Sometimes, representatives from a local bank come on board after the ship docks, but this always involves a delay. If you want local currency, it is probably easier to get it ashore from a currency exchange or withdraw currency from an automatic teller machine.

[arxcards]

Touristy spots that accept Aussie dollars will usually accept NZ and US dollars as well. I can't say I have heard of it extending to Canadian dollars though.

[Aus Traveller]

1 hour ago, arxcards said:

Touristy spots that accept Aussie dollars will usually accept NZ and US dollars as well. I can't say I have heard of it extending to Canadian dollars though.

I don't think there would be any chance at all that they would accept Canadian dollars. The market stallholders and shops will accept AUD and NZ because they receive so much of these currencies that it is worth the bother and cost of currency conversion when they bank it (but no coins of course). They wouldn't want to be bothered with any other currencies because they would have no idea of the correct exchange rate. All too much trouble.

[SilvertoGold]

10 hours ago, Aus Traveller said:

I don't think there would be any chance at all that they would accept Canadian dollars. The market stallholders and shops will accept AUD and NZ because they receive so much of these currencies that it is worth the bother and cost of currency conversion when they bank it (but no coins of course). They wouldn't want to be bothered with any other currencies because they would have no idea of the correct exchange rate. All too much trouble.

In all our South Pacific cruises we could never use CND. A lot wouldn't take anything but USD or their own currency. This also goes for Australia and N Zealand.

[SilvertoGold]

13 hours ago, Aus Traveller said:

I haven't been on the Volendam, but I can safely answer "No". Sometimes, representatives from a local bank come on board after the ship docks, but this always involves a delay. If you want local currency, it is probably easier to get it ashore from a currency exchange or withdraw currency from an automatic teller machine.

HAL did have some currency of the ports they visited, pre-pandemic,  especially for Europe.  The exchange is high and a 3% service charge is added. Now, you could contact HAL and ask.

Edited January 12, 2023 by SilvertoGold

[Aus Traveller]

5 hours ago, SilvertoGold said:

In all our South Pacific cruises we could never use CND. A lot wouldn't take anything but USD or their own currency. This also goes for Australia and N Zealand.

In your previous post, I didn't think you indicated you might use CND in Aust, but another poster made such a reference. Obviously in Aust and NZ, you would have to use local currency only.

[Aus Traveller]

5 hours ago, SilvertoGold said:

HAL did have some currency of the ports they visited, pre-pandemic,  especially for Europe.  The exchange is high and a 3% service charge is added. Now, you could contact HAL and ask.

I haven't seen cruise ships offering Pacific island currencies on board (and that is what we were talking about), except when local bank representatives set up an exchange desk in the atrium. Pre-COVID that used to happen often for ports such as Tonga and Samoa, not New Caledonia and Vanuatu.