Whats going on with travelers checks???

[mom2girls]

I've always gotten them from my credit union without a problem. I hate carrying a lot of cash with me. I like traveler's checks because I know the pursers desk can cash them for me. And, if I'm lucky to come home with some, I can just take them back to the credit union to cash them.

[firedisney97]

My Mom works for a credit union and we bank at a different one in town and neither of them do traveler's checks any more. Travelers Checks are the currency that most often comes back as fraudulent. We will just be carrying cash and use our credit card when we leave next Feb.

[kwilliams137]

Travelers checks are still available. Most of the larger institutions got away from them as they can make more $$ off of pre-paid debit cards etc. Our insitution and several others still carry them. Also I have heard a few things about how difficult they are to cash. If you present checks to a vendor they have the right to refuse however any bank will cash long as you have proper ID (with limits). They can even call AMEX to verify the checks are still good before accepting them. Carnival has always cashed travelers checks for us in the past.

 

 

AVP/Supercommunity Bank

[FlaKrznNubie]

Why are some folks so reluctant to use a credit card ?? When used responsibility, they are the no risk way to take the hassle out of traveling.

 

If lost or stolen, your liability is $50 max (less if you report before they are used).

 

And, when you get home, as soon as the charges post to the account, take that sock full of cash to the bank and pay off the balance.

 

And, if the travel company goes bankrupt within 60 or 90 days of you paying them with a credit card, you get a full refund. Can't get that with a debit card, check or cash.

 

Say what you want folks, but a credit card is a great travel tool.

[Mskala]

Why are some folks so reluctant to use a credit card ?? When used responsibility, they are the no risk way to take the hassle out of traveling.

 

If lost or stolen, your liability is $50 max (less if you report before they are used).

 

And, when you get home, as soon as the charges post to the account, take that sock full of cash to the bank and pay off the balance.

 

And, if the travel company goes bankrupt within 60 or 90 days of you paying them with a credit card, you get a full refund. Can't get that with a debit card, check or cash.

 

Say what you want folks, but a credit card is a great travel tool.

 

Using credit cards responsibly is often the issue for some people. It's human nature to have the tendancy to want to spend more when you know the "money" is available. It's just easier to budget when you have it in your hand and can immediately see what's going on.

[cccer]

We got traveller checks last month for our cruise at our local bank, no problem. We really only use them to cash them in at the casino and have never had a problem.

We use credit cards on shore. We have never been told we can't use them. In Costa Maya, they clearly told us they wanted cash, but still took a credit card.

[yogi2929]

Got the DD a prepaid visa card with her name on it thru our bank. It has worked out well for her in school.

 

On her trip this summer she will be bringing this, some American money and some money of the countries that she will be visiting.

[popcorngal]

We too get our cheques at AAA and just cash them at the casino. That seems to be where most of our cash ends up anyhow...:rolleyes:;)

[candigirl41]

I am one of those people who tends to overspend when I know the money is there. This is why I don't have any credit cards. I like the idea of a prepaid visa with name, but not sure how well that work. I know the prepaid cards without names won't work, just wouldn't want to get one with my name and then have it declined and be stuck with nothing.

 

Candi

[Jeans*Fanatic]

Don't put it onthe prepaid visa. Ports like Costa Maya/Belize will not take it. they don't take credit cards. maybe at Diamond Intl, but the little shops and tours do not take credit cards. We found this out the hard way. Even in Cozumel at Nachi Cocum and Chankanaab they didn't take them. We had to take a cab to the bank and use our ATM card to get cash. Very confusing because then you are getting their currency and paying their fees and yours. The ship has an ATM but we didn't think about that. Figured cards were accepted everywhere. Actually even to rent the scooters in Nassau we needed cash only but my inlaws had the cash with them to cover for us. We will always bring cash and keep it locked in our safe or het small amounts from ships ATM.

 

This is very good information!!! I didn't know this!!! I will make sure to have cash on me when I visit these ports again!!!

 

When I visited my credit union last year, they had them. So I would check your local credit union to see if they have them. :)

[UpstateCruizer]

I bought my travelers checks from my credit union. That way I don’t have any cash sitting around the house or I am not carrying a lot of cash on the way to the ship. I cash them on the ship and keep the money in the safe. It’s a couple of extra steps that I think is safe. The credit union doesn’t charge for them and the ship doesn’t charge to cash them.

 

 

This is how we do it as well. I hate having large amounts of cash on us when we travel. I alos don't like waiting til the last minute to get the traveler's checks. Dh gets them at the credit union and he keeps the receipts with him and I put the checks in my purse. No worries about anyone stealing them or losing them. We cash them at the pursers desk as we need additional cash. We usually bring some of them home and deposit them back into our bank account. It's really quite simple as long as you aren't bringing them with the intent to use them on the islands.

[UpstateCruizer]

Why are some folks so reluctant to use a credit card ?? When used responsibility, they are the no risk way to take the hassle out of traveling.

 

If lost or stolen, your liability is $50 max (less if you report before they are used).

 

And, when you get home, as soon as the charges post to the account, take that sock full of cash to the bank and pay off the balance.

 

And, if the travel company goes bankrupt within 60 or 90 days of you paying them with a credit card, you get a full refund. Can't get that with a debit card, check or cash.

 

Say what you want folks, but a credit card is a great travel tool.

 

My hesitation in using a credit card is strictly limited to foreign ports. I have no issues using ours for everyday purchases to get the cash back or bonus point rewards. We carry no balance so it's a great way to make money while spending money we'd already be spending. My issue is that I've had our card frozen in the past while traveling as a safety measure by our credit card company. While it's great they do it to protect us I don't want the hassle of trying to pay for something and then finding out it's frozen until we call them. This has happened in the past esp with Discover Card. They call our home phone and let us know they've frozen the account until we contact them. Well kinda hard to do when you are in some foreign port and don't find out til it comes back declined. We do call ahead and ask them to flag our account to note we are on vacation and out of the country along with the dates. While this is helpful they can't guarantee that our card won't get frozen. I also don't want to pay any fees for using a card out of the country and I'm not sure which cards and which islands might or might not have such charges. So for me it's much easier to use travelers checks at least for now while they are available :)

[glrounds]

I will never use travelers checks again. When I went on a cruise about 8 years ago it was nothing but a hassle. The local people in the Bahamas didn't know what they were and wouldn't take them. I had to borrow cash from my friend's dad, then cash them on the ship and pay him back. If you are just gonna cash them, what is the point? God knows I love my check card and almost never have cash on me at home, but when going on trips you just don't know and nothing is better than good old American Green.:D

 

I always take good ole American Green, also :D. . . have my company's ATM as backup, but would be very hesitant about using it in any foreign country. Once those numbers transfer, all kinds of things can happen and MOST OF THEM ARE BAD ! ! :eek:

[FlaKrznNubie]

My hesitation in using a credit card is strictly limited to foreign ports. I have no issues using ours for everyday purchases to get the cash back or bonus point rewards. We carry no balance so it's a great way to make money while spending money we'd already be spending. My issue is that I've had our card frozen in the past while traveling as a safety measure by our credit card company. While it's great they do it to protect us I don't want the hassle of trying to pay for something and then finding out it's frozen until we call them. This has happened in the past esp with Discover Card. They call our home phone and let us know they've frozen the account until we contact them. Well kinda hard to do when you are in some foreign port and don't find out til it comes back declined. We do call ahead and ask them to flag our account to note we are on vacation and out of the country along with the dates. While this is helpful they can't guarantee that our card won't get frozen. I also don't want to pay any fees for using a card out of the country and I'm not sure which cards and which islands might or might not have such charges. So for me it's much easier to use travelers checks at least for now while they are available :)

 

I did have an issue once while in the Caribbean trying to buy an expensive piece of jewelry as I didn't notify my CC security dept I will be using it on a cruise. A 2 minute call fixed it.

 

Now, I always call ahead when going out of the country and have never had any issues since with a credit card (Mexico, caribbean and Europe).

 

Seems to me years ago, I had a travelers check(s) lost, misplaced or stolen and it was very much harder to get it replaced than what the general consensus of opinion is. I believe that is the last time I used travelers checks due to being without the funds for much longer than I expected. This would put a serious crimp in someone's plans.

 

Now I just take cash & credit card and use the safe.

[PlumpGal]

A lot of people even in the continental USA do not realize when you try to cash Traveler's checks....they are Better than cash. The money has already been paid for, up front.

Years ago, we came back from our vacation and were just trying to use a few of them up. We handed over a Traveler's check to the checker at the Western Sizzlin' (that's been maybe MORE than a FEW years ago!). He looked at us like we had leprosy! We asked for the manager. He humbly begged our pardon and quietly told the checker, that yes, it was good.

[Thirsty Cruiser]

Why are some folks so reluctant to use a credit card ?? When used responsibility, they are the no risk way to take the hassle out of traveling.

...

 

Say what you want folks, but a credit card is a great travel tool.

As was already mentioned, credit cards are worthless in some ports. Even if they are accepted in some places at a port, they will not be accepted by the guy on the street selling wood carvings, or the beer stand selling Red Stripes for $1. Cash is the only way to go in port, IMO.

Bring travelers checks if you don't feel comfortable with a bunch of cash, but cash them on the ship.

[morganboys]

not so long ago I was wally world and the people in front of me were passing through from Canada on their way to Texas. They tried to pay with travlers checks. The clerk had to call a manager and the manager had to go to customer service and call the 800 # on them to verify that they were good. The reasoning the manager gave them was they are easy to counterfit. A travelers check takes two weeks to clear and they can't scan them through their verifcation system like they do a check.

[FlaKrznNubie]

As was already mentioned, credit cards are worthless in some ports. Even if they are accepted in some places at a port, they will not be accepted by the guy on the street selling wood carvings, or the beer stand selling Red Stripes for $1. Cash is the only way to go in port, IMO.

Bring travelers checks if you don't feel comfortable with a bunch of cash, but cash them on the ship.

 

Yea, I can't recall ever trying to use a credit card to pay a street vendor.

 

Somehow, I doubt he would accept a traveler's check, either....

 

And yes again, that is what cash is for...