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First time in Cabo: What should I do for money/pesos?


LandsB
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Hi all,

 

I'm trying to do some quick research before our trip to Cabo on a Carnival cruise.

 

Do I need to get Pesos before I get off the ship?

Do I need them at all?

What if I don't spend them all?

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. We'll be spending money at a few restaurants, a resort, and probably some boat or parasailing rentals.

 

Thanks,

LB

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Almost all of Cabo’s restaurants and attractions will take USD, usually a of couple of pennies off the bank rate. Stores and restaurants usually have it posted somewhere.

You can get Pesos at home or go to a Cambio. In Cabo there’s one streetside from the lighthouse. Need your passport for the transaction.

 

 

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  • 1 month later...

It's smart to have pesos to spend while in Mexico because you'll get a better exchange rate and cheaper prices if you pay in the local currency. No need to fiddle with pre-trip money exchanges, we just go to the nearest bank ATM and take out pesos once we arrive in Mexico. Easy, safe, no passport nor interaction required, and usually much cheaper (even with fees) than using a cash exchange booth.

 

A couple of tips: always alert your bank at home before you travel, and always use an ATM at a physical bank in Mexico (not just a random ATM on the street). Some banks are closed in Mexico on Saturdays, which means the ATMs will commonly be out of money if you attempt to make a withdrawal on that day of the week.

 

I withdraw pesos at my first port stop and spend them the rest of your trip. I'm sure you'll find plenty of ways to spend any extra money, I always do.

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Hi all,

 

I'm trying to do some quick research before our trip to Cabo on a Carnival cruise.

 

Do I need to get Pesos before I get off the ship?

Do I need them at all?

What if I don't spend them all?

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. We'll be spending money at a few restaurants, a resort, and probably some boat or parasailing rentals.

 

Thanks,

LB

 

When I went in April the exchange rate most shops in Cabo were offering was almost the same as my bank. So if you're just doing Cabo, american dollars are fine. Mazatlan had no posted exchange rates, and the rate in PV were not favorable at all. So pesos, or a card that can be charged in pesos is an advantage in those ports.

 

Most major banks will allow you to order pesos ahead of your cruise, and they will usually buy back the extra bills when you get back. Otherwise you can exchange or use an ATM when you get down there. Just remember to exchange back at the last port. Or if you don't have that much, it works for extra tips for the crew.

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Hi all,

 

I'm trying to do some quick research before our trip to Cabo on a Carnival cruise.

 

Do I need to get Pesos before I get off the ship?

Do I need them at all?

What if I don't spend them all?

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. We'll be spending money at a few restaurants, a resort, and probably some boat or parasailing rentals.

 

Thanks,

LB

The typical cruise passenger does not need to have pesos.The USD is readily accepted where tourist go. They do not accept US coins and any change you get will be in pesos.

 

Having said this, it can be helpful to have pesos for transportation/trinket expenses. It's all about getting a good exchange rate. Businesses tend to be close to bank rates. Taxi/bus drivers and street vendors make it up as they go.

 

Your cruise will have you ashore for three days in Mexico ports. Your potential exchange rate loss will be negligible. Those of us that stay for weeks/months at a time always use pesos. Send me any leftover pesos that you want to get rid of. 8-)

 

Enjoy!

 

 

 

Sent from my SM-T700 using Forums mobile app

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........

 

Your cruise will have you ashore for three days in Mexico ports. Your potential exchange rate loss will be negligible. .........

 

Enjoy!

 

 

 

Sent from my SM-T700 using Forums mobile app

 

 

One cruise we ended up paying USD for our meals. Think it cost us $5 total. 4 Mexican ports, 3 people. We eat in more local (Mercados) and in restaurants catering to locals and Mexican tourists. We paid under $50 for all our meals and snacks.

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