travellers checks?

[karylj]

We are trying to decide if bringing travellers checks from the US is a good idea in Europe as a cash alternative. How easy are they to use, exchange for Euros in ports or onboard the ship, how widely and easily accepted by restaurants and merchants? We have already gotten Euros to bring with us and will use ATMs for additional cash if needed. Should we bother with the travellers checks?

[cf_chuck]

We are trying to decide if bringing travellers checks from the US is a good idea in Europe as a cash alternative. How easy are they to use, exchange for Euros in ports or onboard the ship, how widely and easily accepted by restaurants and merchants? We have already gotten Euros to bring with us and will use ATMs for additional cash if needed. Should we bother with the travellers checks?

 

My experience is that travellers checks get a slightly higher exchange rate in banks or money exchanges. It's not a lot, but if you get free travellers checks, it helps a bit. There's also the protection advantage of travellers checks. I wouldn't count on exchanging US currency for local currency aboard ship.

 

Many places accept credit cards. Depending on the bank issuing the card, these can be even more advantageous than converting US currency to local currency. Some credit card issuing banks charge a small percentage fee for foreign currency conversion, but even with this, the rate seems more reasonable than converting tender to local currency. If you think about it, the currency exchanges incur labor costs, but credit cards can all be done electronically.

[jhannah]

I haven't used Travelers' Checks in years. I've seen places that post that they don't accept them. IMO they are not worth getting.

[thecook]

I was planning on using travelers checks (I can get them free)so that I don't have to carry a lot of cash for tips and incidentals. I had planned to cash them as needed on the ship, and at hotels on our cruise/tour of Alaska. Will this be a problem?

[arzz]

In my experience there is no difficulty cashing traveler's checks at the front desk or the casino on board -- they do not charge a fee to cash them. They are definitely a safe way to bring emergency cash if all else fails (credit cards, atm cards, etc). Our preference is to use our atm card in port for foreign cash, use the credit card whenever we can and only exchange dollars for foreign currency if all else fails. Sometimes, however, things do fail -- we had one European trip when our atm card, for reasons still unknown to us, failed to work in Europe. If we had not had our credit card and some traveler's checks with us it would have been a very limited and hungry trip (we were not on a cruise). Since then we always bring some traveler's checks as an emergency back up.

[karylj]

In my experience there is no difficulty cashing traveler's checks at the front desk or the casino on board -- they do not charge a fee to cash them. They are definitely a safe way to bring emergency cash if all else fails (credit cards, atm cards, etc). Our preference is to use our atm card in port for foreign cash, use the credit card whenever we can and only exchange dollars for foreign currency if all else fails. Sometimes, however, things do fail -- we had one European trip when our atm card, for reasons still unknown to us, failed to work in Europe. If we had not had our credit card and some traveler's checks with us it would have been a very limited and hungry trip (we were not on a cruise). Since then we always bring some traveler's checks as an emergency back up.

 

Thanks for the advice!

[sapper1]

We always carry travellers' cheques as an emergency cash supply. I have had experience with the magnetic strip on the back of my ATM card wearing out and not working. If that happened on a trip we would be out of luck. I also use the travellers' cheques for giving extra tips. The crew have no problem cashing them at the front desk.

Most hotels will cash travellers' cheques for guests at no charge.

I do understand that they are less commonly used in Europe and not widely accepted there, but there is no problem in the US or Canada.

[Deb C.]

Since I travel solo most of the time, I don't have the luxury of a spouse carrying a different credit card if mine is lost, worn out, eaten by machine, etc.

I also use the traveler's cheques as a bargaining tool that sometimes works. When I buy my jewelry and have come to a stand still on bargaining, I then ask if they will give me more off the price if I don't use the credit card but give them traveler's cheques. It has worked several times in the past (in the Caribbean).

I get my traveler's cheques free of any fee at AAA and my bank. If I don't end up using them on vacation, I have money for post-vacation photo processing, etc. !!! Deb C.

[RuthC]

I was planning on using travelers checks (I can get them free)so that I don't have to carry a lot of cash for tips and incidentals. I had planned to cash them as needed on the ship, and at hotels on our cruise/tour of Alaska. Will this be a problem?

Might I suggest that if you are a couple, get the cheques that can take one of two signatures.

The voice of experience here---if the cheques can be signed by only one person, and that person is incapable of signing, the other person can be in real trouble.

[sapper1]

Might I suggest that if you are a couple, get the cheques that can take one of two signatures.

 

The voice of experience here---if the cheques can be signed by only one person, and that person is incapable of signing, the other person can be in real trouble.

Absolutely!!! I forgot to mention that fact in my previous post. That is a very important point.

[cccole]

I usually use ATM's in whatever city we are in.....but this summer is providing some challenges regarding local currency. If you cash traveler's checks onboard, while in Europe, will they give you U.S. dollars or the currency for the country where you are in port? If they give local currency with the same exchange rate as a bank ATM then I would rather get local currency before we leave the ship.

 

Thank you for any help, Cherie

[thecook]

Thanks for the info...didn't think about the two signature type!!!

[RuthC]

If you cash traveler's checks onboard, while in Europe, will they give you U.S. dollars or the currency for the country where you are in port?

The ships deal in US currency. You can cash your Travelers Cheques at the Front Desk for US cash, then exchange that for local currency.

That exchange comes with a service charge and convenience. :rolleyes:

[Susie51]

Thank you for your helpful tips. I thought traveler's checks were harder to use, but you're experiences show that it is a good idea to have them with you.

[cccole]

The ships deal in US currency. You can cash your Travelers Cheques at the Front Desk for US cash, then exchange that for local currency.

That exchange comes with a service charge and convenience. :rolleyes:

 

Thank you Ruth......I haven't used traveler's checks in so long I just didn't know how the ships handle them. I will probably take a few with us and then depend on ATMs for local currency. Cherie