Cash or Travelers Checks?

[travlnblueberries]

I used to get them at the AAA office but that was a long time ago. You can probably get them at an American Express office. The problem with TC is no one wants to take them any longer because with the ease of getting a quality color printer, people were making copies at home and cashing them in stores. If a store takes a homemade TC they are out of the money. Everybody takes ATM cards and you can use them at foregin banks. I used them in Italy. They come out of your checking or savings account and should be able to get one from your bank. I usually take $500.00 in cash and use the ATM when I run through that. TC's are very old school.

I hate to tell you this but they also make copies of paper bills.

[DDuck58]

Just a warning about cashing TC's onboard. I had Visa TC's in Euros - they were approx. 6 years old, but since they are not supposed to expire, I did not bother cashing them in. I did check Visa's website prior to my cruise at the end of Sept 2013 to make sure there were no issues with them. I also had a look around the Celebrity website for information (I have cashed in AmEx TC's in US dollars onboard)...

Well, Guest Services could not and did not cash them.... they were the wrong type!! They only deal with AmEx TCs. I had gone through my cash, I did not bring my bank card and I did not want to do an advance on my credit card.... so I was in trouble.... Went to about 5 banks at the next port and was rejected each time. At one of the banks, they called Visa who informed them and me that these were VERY old and the clearing house had closed.... bottom line is that even though the rep from Visa assured me that TC's never expire, I could not cash them... Well, to me that is the same as expired!!

I was finally able to find a small exchange office that was willing to cash them for a fee, but foolishly, I didn't cash them all. When I got back home, I discovered that the local exchange office was NOT willing to cash them - I should have done it in Europe and my bank was very hesitant - once again saying that the TC's were the wrong kind (not AmEx)....In the end they did cash them back to local currency when I said that they could just put it in my bank account and I suspect after checking if we were 'good' customers....

I will be cashing in all of my AmEx TC's shortly. I do not want to be in that position again - having money... but not having money! Do not get them!

:(

[kcwingwalker]

I would do cash or debit/credit/gift cards. Traveler's checks are too much of a pain....and contrary to popular belief, they are not good forever, and you could be stuck with unusable checks.

 

You don't need that much cash on a cruise...just enough for trinkets, tips, meals ashore, etc. So just take whatever cash you need. If you need more, most ships have an ATM, or you can get cash from the purser, and of course, there are ATMs in all major ports.

 

Agree!

 

Traveler's Checks are so behind the times and a big pain.

[NMLady]

Just a warning about cashing TC's onboard. I had Visa TC's in Euros - they were approx. 6 years old, but since they are not supposed to expire, I did not bother cashing them in. I did check Visa's website prior to my cruise at the end of Sept 2013 to make sure there were no issues with them. I also had a look around the Celebrity website for information (I have cashed in AmEx TC's in US dollars onboard)...

Well, Guest Services could not and did not cash them.... they were the wrong type!! They only deal with AmEx TCs. I had gone through my cash, I did not bring my bank card and I did not want to do an advance on my credit card.... so I was in trouble.... Went to about 5 banks at the next port and was rejected each time. At one of the banks, they called Visa who informed them and me that these were VERY old and the clearing house had closed.... bottom line is that even though the rep from Visa assured me that TC's never expire, I could not cash them... Well, to me that is the same as expired!!

I was finally able to find a small exchange office that was willing to cash them for a fee, but foolishly, I didn't cash them all. When I got back home, I discovered that the local exchange office was NOT willing to cash them - I should have done it in Europe and my bank was very hesitant - once again saying that the TC's were the wrong kind (not AmEx)....In the end they did cash them back to local currency when I said that they could just put it in my bank account and I suspect after checking if we were 'good' customers....

I will be cashing in all of my AmEx TC's shortly. I do not want to be in that position again - having money... but not having money! Do not get them!

:(

 

We have often cashed TC at front desk and none of them were AmEx. However they were US$$ which is onboard currency. I think your problem was that your TC's were in Euros.

[DDuck58]

Just a warning about cashing TC's onboard. I had Visa TC's in Euros - they were approx. 6 years old, but since they are not supposed to expire, I did not bother cashing them in. I did check Visa's website prior to my cruise at the end of Sept 2013 to make sure there were no issues with them. I also had a look around the Celebrity website for information (I have cashed in AmEx TC's in US dollars onboard)...

Well, Guest Services could not and did not cash them.... they were the wrong type!! They only deal with AmEx TCs. I had gone through my cash, I did not bring my bank card and I did not want to do an advance on my credit card.... so I was in trouble.... Went to about 5 banks at the next port and was rejected each time. At one of the banks, they called Visa who informed them and me that these were VERY old and the clearing house had closed.... bottom line is that even though the rep from Visa assured me that TC's never expire, I could not cash them... Well, to me that is the same as expired!!

I was finally able to find a small exchange office that was willing to cash them for a fee, but foolishly, I didn't cash them all. When I got back home, I discovered that the local exchange office was NOT willing to cash them - I should have done it in Europe and my bank was very hesitant - once again saying that the TC's were the wrong kind (not AmEx)....In the end they did cash them back to local currency when I said that they could just put it in my bank account and I suspect after checking if we were 'good' customers....

I will be cashing in all of my AmEx TC's shortly. I do not want to be in that position again - having money... but not having money! Do not get them!

:(

As a further update, my bank has just informed me that Visa has rejected the cashing of my TC's, so they have withdrawn the money from my bank account and are launching an investigation... the saga continues...

[DDuck58]

We have often cashed TC at front desk and none of them were AmEx. However they were US$$ which is onboard currency. I think your problem was that your TC's were in Euros.

Hmmm.... interesting.... I have never had any problems with the AmEx TC's in $US either.... but even the bank told me that they really were not recommending them anymore - they are dead! And of bigger concern was the fact that the banks in Greece would not cash them

[Tiggertastic]

we pay for most trips in cash - we work out what they are before we go and make sure we take enough

[BlueRiband]

Haven't used travelers checks for over 10 years as they are difficult (in my experience) to cash. They had their usefulness years ago but worldwide ATM networks have rendered them obsolete. Some lines no longer accept them. Cunard won't cash them nor are they accepted for on board account payment.

[Shak]

We still take travers checks as a way to limit the risks of taking a lot of cash. I can still get them for free and RCI cashed them last week while on a cruise.

 

Shak

[navybankerteacher]

We still take travers checks as a way to limit the risks of taking a lot of cash. I can still get them for free and RCI cashed them last week while on a cruise.

 

Shak

 

I have always liked the idea of having them as a reserve, but learning that Cunard will not cash them (American Express US dollar T/C's) I think I will turn them in at my local bank before they reall are hard to negotiate. Local ATM's really are the way to go.

[Shak]

I have always liked the idea of having them as a reserve, but learning that Cunard will not cash them (American Express US dollar T/C's) I think I will turn them in at my local bank before they reall are hard to negotiate. Local ATM's really are the way to go.

 

I don't sail Cunard so that is not an issue. I have no problems with ATM cards I take one as well but access to ATM machines when needed in a foreign country is not always convenient and the local currency is not always the currency you want especially if you need US dollars. And the biggest advantage of travelers checks is they can be replaced if lost or stolen; not so with credit or ATM cards. So as long as the cruise line I use cashes travelers checks I will continue to use them.

 

Shak