AmandaLMcL Posted January 20, 2018 #1 Share Posted January 20, 2018 Obviously Euros and USD are the main currencies, but there are some countries that don't seem to accept these. We tend to visit the markets and street stalls in the port towns rather than the big duty free or chain stores. Can anyone advise on currencies accepted in: India, Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, PNG, KL, Sri Lanka, UAE, Oman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2552phxcrzr Posted January 20, 2018 #2 Share Posted January 20, 2018 Obviously Euros and USD are the main currencies, but there are some countries that don't seem to accept these. We tend to visit the markets and street stalls in the port towns rather than the big duty free or chain stores. Can anyone advise on currencies accepted in:India, Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, PNG, KL, Sri Lanka, UAE, Oman. Off hand, I don’t know that I can list the actual currency names in each of those countries, but they all prefer local currency. We got an ATM card with no exchange fees or ATM fees (Schwab has one, for example) and used that to get money out of the ATMs where we needed to pay for tours in local currency ... we aren’t shoppers, so didn’t need money for markets. Fiji, by the way, accepted Australian dollars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tampa Girl Posted January 20, 2018 #3 Share Posted January 20, 2018 Off hand, I don’t know that I can list the actual currency names in each of those countries, but they all prefer local currency. We got an ATM card with no exchange fees or ATM fees (Schwab has one, for example) and used that to get money out of the ATMs where we needed to pay for tours in local currency ... we aren’t shoppers, so didn’t need money for markets. Fiji, by the way, accepted Australian dollars. We have always found on HAL that the front desk will have a supply of local currencies, and we will get them as needed. For the small of shopping that we might do in these ports, the exchange rate is immaterial. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Smokeyham Posted January 21, 2018 #4 Share Posted January 21, 2018 Reading the excellent blog by Erin Erkun I am getting the sense that local currencies are still needed in many locations for private tours and smaller purchases, so we can't just rely on credit cards and dollars on a world cruise. Is that correct? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Keith1010 Posted January 21, 2018 #5 Share Posted January 21, 2018 There are many locations around the world where you pay in local currency. In the UAE you should expect to pay using local currency and in Oman expect local currency as well for many things. Are there some exceptions? Yes. Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare wishIweretravelling Posted January 21, 2018 #6 Share Posted January 21, 2018 Some cruise lines will bring local currency exchange people on board at the first port in a new country. What I did was exchange any leftover of the last currency for the new currency. That way you don't wind up with a commission or fee to exchange the leftover back to your home currency (if you can exchange it at all). You're paying commission or fees for the new exchange, but you'd be paying it anyway no matter what you're exchanging. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janmcn Posted May 31, 2018 #7 Share Posted May 31, 2018 Just look online for what currencies are used in those countries and obtain a small amount from your local bank if you really want it on hand. We obtained a few local currencies for some ports where we were multiple days and I had private tours scheduled...Australia dollars, Singapore , Hong Kong, Cambodia, etc. But the ship will easily provide small amounts of local currencies. (for a price)...no real need to worry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heidi13 Posted June 1, 2018 #8 Share Posted June 1, 2018 On our last WC - 2015 Sun Princess, DW carried Sterling, US, Euro, Australian and in addition she had about $20 in local currency for every other country we visited (provide RBC had access to the currency). Although the dollar amounts are small, RBC provides vastly superior rates to the ship, or foreign currency exchange dealers. While cruising we find most stores will accept VISA & US$, and most street vendors will accept local currency or US$. Obviously you can bargain better, if using local currency. On return we had very little local currency remaining, so exchange losses were minimal. On our next WC in 2020, we will carry Sterling, Euro, US, Australia, New Zealand, India (land tour) and Egypt (land tour), plus small amounts for each of the other countries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Smokeyham Posted June 1, 2018 #9 Share Posted June 1, 2018 On our last WC - 2015 Sun Princess, DW carried Sterling, US, Euro, Australian and in addition she had about $20 in local currency for every other country we visited (provide RBC had access to the currency). Although the dollar amounts are small, RBC provides vastly superior rates to the ship, or foreign currency exchange dealers. Can you tell us what "RBC" stands for? - Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heidi13 Posted June 1, 2018 #10 Share Posted June 1, 2018 Can you tell us what "RBC" stands for? - Thanks! Royal Bank of Canada - operates both in Canada & US Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Smokeyham Posted June 1, 2018 #11 Share Posted June 1, 2018 Royal Bank of Canada - operates both in Canada & US Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendy The Wanderer Posted September 3, 2018 #12 Share Posted September 3, 2018 Surely you can use ATM's to get the currency you need for most places? I'm not sure I see the necessity to get all these currencies in advance? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heidi13 Posted September 3, 2018 #13 Share Posted September 3, 2018 Surely you can use ATM's to get the currency you need for most places? I'm not sure I see the necessity to get all these currencies in advance? With limited time in port and the remoteness of many ports, we have no desire to spend time looking for an ATM using the "Plus" system. Getting currency in advance works for DW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rkacruiser Posted September 3, 2018 #14 Share Posted September 3, 2018 With limited time in port and the remoteness of many ports, we have no desire to spend time looking for an ATM using the "Plus" system. Getting currency in advance works for DW. That is exactly my thinking. Also, I live "in dread" of the problems that I would face if the ATM "ate" my ATM card in a foreign port. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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