foreign currency exchange

[MamaParrotHead]

is there anywhere either in port (Nassau, St. Thomas, St. Martin) before we leave or on the ship to exchange any foreign currency we have left over from excursions? obviously we'd like a few for keepsakes, but don't want any sizable amount to just be wasted.

 

thanks.

[springtxbill]

Do not even think about exchanging your money for the local currency to start with. They all take US dollars.

[MamaParrotHead]

but do they give change in US dollars? I was reading in another post on CC that everyone should carry plenty of small bills to avoid getting change back in foreign currency. which makes sense, but we all know about the "best laid plans...." and with my luck, I'd run out and get stuck with a fist-full of currency I have no clue about. also, when you're shopping (Nassau, St. Thomas, St. Martin) does the cruiseline advise you about the current rate of exchange for the port city, or do the merchants convert the local prices to dollars?

 

thanks!

[springtxbill]

Most of the merchants will actually have their prices posted in dollars or possibly. Credit cards may be charged in dollars or the local currency and converted by your bank. The larger merchants wil;l probably have dollar bills for change but coins will not have, they may give you some local coins for the change. If you convert money to start with you will lose on the conversion and anything you do not use you will again lose on the conversion back. The ship does give you the prevailing rates.:)

[vijoge]

We used US dollars with no problem on all the islands. We went to a local bank to get island money for our son's collection.

[geoherb]

We've never exchanged money for a cruise. The exception was when we went on a cruise to Canada (Halifax and Saint John), we did use an ATM to get some Canadian cash.

 

In the Caribbean, take a bunch of dollar bills and five dollar bills. Most prices will be in U.S. dollars. Sometimes you'll get local coins as change, especially if you're away from the shops nearest the dock. I bring them back for my co-worker's children.

[punkmuse]

i actually had a really hard time getting local currency in the Caribbean. i wanted a few coins for my scrapbook and i went around on each island asking to exchange like a dollar or 50 cents and they looked at me like i had 4 heads. they would pull open their cash registers and most of the time they had no local currency, only dollars.

 

we didnt venture any further than the shops around the pier though.