NCL DAWN 15 night European cruise, what type of cash is needed?

[aceparty]

Hello We are going on a 15 night European cruise and wondering what type of cash is needed. US DOLLARS, EROS, POUND, ETC.

I will list all the ports we are visiting below.

• Southampton London,United Kingdom
• Paris (Le Havre),France
• Brussels / Bruges (Zeebrugge),Belgium
• Amsterdam (Ijmuiden),Netherlands
• Hamburg,Germany
• Inverness (Invergordon),Scotland
• Edinburgh (Newhaven),Scotland
• Kirkwall,Orkney Isles
• Belfast,Northern Ireland
• Glasgow (Greenock),Scotland
• Dublin (Dun Laoghaire),Ireland
• Cork (Cobh),Ireland
• Portland,England
• Southampton London,United Kingdom

We have been on well over 30 cruises to Caribbean, Alaska, Bermuda but never a European one. The Caribbean takes US DOLLARS . Just like to know what type on money to bring.

 

[eileeshb]

12 minutes ago, aceparty said:

Hello We are going on a 15 night European cruise and wondering what type of cash is needed. US DOLLARS, EROS, POUND, ETC.

I will list all the ports we are visiting below.

• Southampton London,United Kingdom
• Paris (Le Havre),France
• Brussels / Bruges (Zeebrugge),Belgium
• Amsterdam (Ijmuiden),Netherlands
• Hamburg,Germany
• Inverness (Invergordon),Scotland
• Edinburgh (Newhaven),Scotland
• Kirkwall,Orkney Isles
• Belfast,Northern Ireland
• Glasgow (Greenock),Scotland
• Dublin (Dun Laoghaire),Ireland
• Cork (Cobh),Ireland
• Portland,England
• Southampton London,United Kingdom

We have been on well over 30 cruises to Caribbean, Alaska, Bermuda but never a European one. The Caribbean takes US DOLLARS . Just like to know what type on money to bring.

 

United Kingdom(England ), Scotland and Northern Ireland all take pounds sterling £, be careful in which version of cash notes you get, Bank of England notes are preferred. In Northern Ireland the individual banks can issue their own notes which are not easily accepted in Scotland or England.  Germany, France, Belgium, Netherlands and Ireland all use Euros €. Most places will take card payments as a legacy of covid when everyone moved to cashless transactions. Some may require à minimum transaction value to take a card payment, usually five to ten euro or pounds. On a Europe itinerary I tipped the barmen with 1 or 2 euro coins. But that was a continental itinerary where all the ports of call were € . 

Edited June 15, 2023 by eileeshb

[julig22]

Most places take credit cards so the only cash needed would be for small purchases or transportation/tips.

 

Stops in Europe are different than Caribbean - many are not focused on tourism so would prefer their local currency.  Some places with accept either euros or pounds, but not so much USD.  And expect a terrible exchange rate.

 

I got a Charles Schwab account and get foreign currency at an ATM.  Basically it's a prepaid ATM (visa) card, limited to the amount of money I've put into the account.  No ties to any of my regular bank accounts so any fraud would be limited to the amount of money in the account.  No charge to have the card, no foreign transaction fees, they also pay ATM fees.  And if I should get into a bind and need money while overseas I can have funds transferred into the account.

 

[AstoriaPreppy]

9 minutes ago, julig22 said:

I got a Charles Schwab account and get foreign currency at an ATM.  Basically it's a prepaid ATM (visa) card, limited to the amount of money I've put into the account. 

 

 

I also have this Charles Schwab account and card (and highly recommend it). It's called the "Investor Checking" account, and you can sign up online. To be clear, it's not a prepaid ATM card, it's a full checking account with a debit/ATM card that has zero fees for any ATM or cash machine globally.

 

We initially got it for travel, and now use it constantly: bodega ATMs, casino ATMs, cruise ship ATMs, cash machines around the world (including Japan, where you inexplicably need cash all the time), etc. It takes the hassles out of ever needing cash and not being by a bank-specific machine... they refund every single fee and charge. It's crazy more people don't have it. 

[UKstages]

most ports you will visit are cashless... everything from pay toilets to restaurants to shops. in fact, many retail outlets no longer take cash at all... it's a post covid thing and a security thing. honestly, for the six or seven hours (or less) that you will typically be in port, or the two or three days you'll be in a country, it really doesn't make sense to get notes in each currency. you will rarely need cash.

 

as for tipping tour guides and others... those that work in the tourism industry understand that you may not have local currency and will readily accept US dollars or another currency. they save it up and take it to the bank once a week or once a month or whatever, where they exchange it.

 

i like the schwab idea mentioned above... it's a great idea if you want to use an ATM... but i'll tell ya... i used to fret about having local currency. and i no longer do. i just don't find it necessary. i completed a five night stay in london after my most recent cruise and never once used cash. 

 

it's a different world out there... and it's largely cashless.

 

YMMV. 

[insidecabin]

We have a stash of  £ € $ as we will use them over time we hit Euro land and US every year.

When the stash gets low we top up.

 

Recently I went multi currency(Revolut other are available)  to have on the phone which has been great just load it up and that's contactless sorted  it now the preference at home(UK) as well for all the day to day.

(Have decided to get the revolut real card to use in ATM as another backup option) 

 

Have come unstuck a couple of places where the system in store rejected immediately without trying the transaction, had to resort to our no fee back up card.

 

On our round Ireland on the Star in May I was surprised that we needed cash for the bus.

There are no cash options  an App or the Leap

https://www.transportforireland.ie/tfi-local-link/ways-to-pay-on-tfi-local-link/

 

The two relevant stops, if just planning to use the train to Cork or Dart to Dublin they have ticket machines.

   

[fruitmachine]

8 hours ago, UKstages said:

most ports you will visit are cashless... everything from pay toilets to restaurants to shops. in fact, many retail outlets no longer take cash at all... it's a post covid thing and a security thing. honestly, for the six or seven hours (or less) that you will typically be in port, or the two or three days you'll be in a country, it really doesn't make sense to get notes in each currency. you will rarely need cash.

 

as for tipping tour guides and others... those that work in the tourism industry understand that you may not have local currency and will readily accept US dollars or another currency. they save it up and take it to the bank once a week or once a month or whatever, where they exchange it.

 

i like the schwab idea mentioned above... it's a great idea if you want to use an ATM... but i'll tell ya... i used to fret about having local currency. and i no longer do. i just don't find it necessary. i completed a five night stay in london after my most recent cruise and never once used cash. 

 

it's a different world out there... and it's largely cashless.

 

YMMV. 

This ☝️ 100%

 

I live in the UK, and I think I've used cash once in the last nine months.  That was only because I had some left in my wallet and decided to clear it out.

 

Three visits to Europe in the last year, and again I think I used cash only twice - to pay a private transfer driver that I had booked.  He may have taken cards, but I still had the cash from a previous trip and was sharing the cost with others.

[julig22]

Keep in mind that if you are using credit cards you should have one that does not charge foreign transaction fees - those can add up quite quickly.  And some cards require you to let them know in advance that you are travelling - otherwise your card will be declined.

 

While I use the Schwab ATM card if I need cash, I use the NCL card (BofA) for most of my travel purchases.  No annual fee, no foreign transaction fee, no requirement to notify BofA about my plans.  Onboard purchases give 3% "cash back", everything else is 1% I think.  But those points can be used for room upgrades so well worth it to me to use their card over another card that might give more points for travel.

[Asawi]

As has been mentioned, most of Europe is kind of cashless. I live in Europe, but not in a Euro country and have had the same Euro stash for, I think, 8 years. I travel (by land) a handful times each year and usually only use a few Euros cash. Netherlands and Germany were quite late in embracing plastics, but nowadays I haven't had any problems there.

I will get a small amount of £ when doing UK/Ireland in October, but don't really expecting to use them. Glad to see that @fruitmachine confirms that UK is as cashless as other places (but to be honest, not a surprise. plastic was extremly widespread very early at least in cities). 

Also maybe it's worth mentioning, cash tipping is nowhere near as common here as in US. 

[AstoriaPreppy]

18 hours ago, UKstages said:

most ports you will visit are cashless... everything from pay toilets to restaurants to shops. in fact, many retail outlets no longer take cash at all... it's a post covid thing and a security thing. honestly, for the six or seven hours (or less) that you will typically be in port, or the two or three days you'll be in a country, it really doesn't make sense to get notes in each currency. you will rarely need cash.

 

as for tipping tour guides and others... those that work in the tourism industry understand that you may not have local currency and will readily accept US dollars or another currency. they save it up and take it to the bank once a week or once a month or whatever, where they exchange it.

 

i like the schwab idea mentioned above... it's a great idea if you want to use an ATM... but i'll tell ya... i used to fret about having local currency. and i no longer do. i just don't find it necessary. i completed a five night stay in london after my most recent cruise and never once used cash. 

 

it's a different world out there... and it's largely cashless.

 

YMMV. 

 

This is absolutely true... recently I've noticed more people in the service industry with Venmo/CashApp codes ready to go for tips. 

[UKstages]

in many largee cities, there are street musicians who display venmo codes in their open guitar cases!

[Asawi]

29 minutes ago, UKstages said:

in many largee cities, there are street musicians who display venmo codes in their open guitar cases!

That's interesting! Last year was one of very few occasions when I misses cash. I was in Dresden and there were several incredibly talented street musicians. I did have some coins in my room, but most of the time forgot to bring them. Cause I just don't use cash... 

[aceparty]

Thank you to everyone. I'll have to see if any credit card are good international rates.