Visiting Japan.

[fudge]

Hi Everybody,

We are sailing from Vancouver/Alaska then onto Japan. I need some currency advise please. On the Regent web site it says that most stores do not accept credit cards which I find strange? Is the US dollar accepted please?  Mrs Fudge will want to do some retail therapy, I dont want to take Yen and have a pile left over.

Thanks for any advise. 

[RetiredandTravel]

All the restaurants in Tokyo we went to took AMEX (I checked first).  The smaller shops where we bought souvenirs, books etc only took cash.  This website (Japanese Tourism) says Japan does take credit cards widely but I'd research it more because I don't think its as prevalent in say the US.

 

https://www.japan.travel/en/plan/credit-cards/

[fudge]

Thank you so much for the information and the link, thats a superb site for information.

 

We are also looking at a Christmas/New year cruise Dec 21st 2024 Cape town to Cape town 15 days on the Splendor, has anyone been on this ship recently, what is she like?

Looking at a C class penthouse suite, are they nice, they look good on the virtual video.

[Snackdaddy]

We are thinking about either buying a Suica Card or adding a Suica to Apple Wallet.  The Suica can be used for public transportation and as a payment method at many shops, convenience stores and vending machines.

https://youtu.be/nU5bZIGVeAo

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207155

https://www.japanlivingguide.net/living-in-japan/transportation/mobile-suica/

[John Cruise]

You must be talking mom and pop stores.

😎

[Gilly]

@SnackdaddySuica cards are immensely useful and something we use on every visit.  An excellent idea.

@JohnCruiseConvenience stores in Japan are legendary places, worth a visit just to see the wide range of goods and services on offer!  Certainly the best place to get a quick snack or an emergency umbrella.  

Edited March 14, 2023 by Gilly

[Carol From California]

3 hours ago, fudge said:

Thank you so much for the information and the link, thats a superb site for information.

 

We are also looking at a Christmas/New year cruise Dec 21st 2024 Cape town to Cape town 15 days on the Splendor, has anyone been on this ship recently, what is she like?

Looking at a C class penthouse suite, are they nice, they look good on the virtual video.

We were on the Splendor in October. Loved it! We did the Cape Town to Cape Town holiday cruise in 2018 on the Explorer. I would not hesitate to go on the Splendor (ships are the same). I think the Splendor has a slight edge. I liked the color scheme more. We never book a Penthouse but many others do and say it's a gorgeous suite. We are perfectly happy in the Superior Suite, which is the same suite as a Concierge suite.

[fudge]

Thank you everyone, I can always rely on the cruisers on this board to come up with the right answers.😄