Traveler's Cheques Disappearing!

[kkmonga]

First time in 30 years of traveling that I can't get traveler's cheques. My bank doesn't offer them anymore (Bank of America) and the few banks that do require that you have an account with them. Some want to offer the Travel Money card, but it is frought with fees. I always got my traveler's cheques for free, so the hefty 3-5 percent plus atm fees plus interest stinks! I called my VISA guy, and he admitted that he goes "old school" with a money belt. Guess my cash goes in the "vault" with "the girls!" I'm glad they have a safe in the cabin. CCL says they still cash traveler's cheques at the information desk, but few merchants will even accept them anymore! I hate to put everything on my VISA card. In port, I prefer to use cash and avoid the extra 3 percent fee for international transactions. (Don't worry--that won't apply onboard, at least through my card, because the office they bill from is in the US.) Is anyone else running into this? I leave for N.O. on Sunday.

[Luv2Travelnow]

Visa cards are far safer, and if you get a cash back card it can help negate the fees they charge for international purchases.

 

The last time I used Traveler's cheques was in 1998, and I can't say I'm sorry to see them disappear.

[LemurCat]

First time in 30 years of traveling that I can't get traveler's cheques. My bank doesn't offer them anymore (Bank of America) and the few banks that do require that you have an account with them. Some want to offer the Travel Money card, but it is frought with fees. I always got my traveler's cheques for free, so the hefty 3-5 percent plus atm fees plus interest stinks! I called my VISA guy, and he admitted that he goes "old school" with a money belt. Guess my cash goes in the "vault" with "the girls!" I'm glad they have a safe in the cabin. CCL says they still cash traveler's cheques at the information desk, but few merchants will even accept them anymore! I hate to put everything on my VISA card. In port, I prefer to use cash and avoid the extra 3 percent fee for international transactions. (Don't worry--that won't apply onboard, at least through my card, because the office they bill from is in the US.) Is anyone else running into this? I leave for N.O. on Sunday.

 

Yeah, they've been phasing them out over the last ten years or so. I've never had an issue using straight-up cash. And "the vault" always proves pretty safe. Just make sure you're "locked and loaded" with no gapping. :p

[Loves_Dogs]

I got mine at the local AAA Auto Club. If you have Triple A, try your local office.

[Acklander]

I don't think I've used travelers checks in 20 years, but at work occasionally people will pay with them so guess they're still around. Check with AAA if you're a member, they should have them.

[MargaritaPlease]

Welcome to the 90's!

[shadoo]

Our local AAA no longer offers Travelers Checks.

I think I will go with plain old cash and divide it up between DH and I.

[medcruiser8]

I got mine at the Citibank since I have a credit card with them so you may want to check with your credit card company(ies). I did have to pay with them in cash though and there was a very small (2%?) fee, less than the fees for the alternatives. There was no fee to cash them on board.

 

My excursion companies needed cash/traveller's check. I got them because I didn't want to travel to the ship with that much cash, I was told the ATMs on board charge a fee + what if the machine is not working, and there is a fee to get cash from credit card/check at guest services.

[cruie4ever]

First time in 30 years of traveling that I can't get traveler's cheques. My bank doesn't offer them anymore (Bank of America) and the few banks that do require that you have an account with them. Some want to offer the Travel Money card, but it is frought with fees. I always got my traveler's cheques for free, so the hefty 3-5 percent plus atm fees plus interest stinks! I called my VISA guy, and he admitted that he goes "old school" with a money belt. Guess my cash goes in the "vault" with "the girls!" I'm glad they have a safe in the cabin. CCL says they still cash traveler's cheques at the information desk, but few merchants will even accept them anymore! I hate to put everything on my VISA card. In port, I prefer to use cash and avoid the extra 3 percent fee for international transactions. (Don't worry--that won't apply onboard, at least through my card, because the office they bill from is in the US.) Is anyone else running into this? I leave for N.O. on Sunday.

 

You should get a Capitol One Visa or Master Credit card. Capitol One does not charge any fees for converting your charges into US Dollars . We use our Capitol One visa all the time when traveling outside the US .We still take american Express Travelers Checques for back up .We just don't pay for them with our bank.We get them at Wachovia & hopefully we can still get them free at Wells Fargo ,after Wells fully takes over .

[purrlinda]

I got mine at the local AAA Auto Club. If you have Triple A, try your local office.

 

I work for AAA in Southern California and we stopped issuing travelers checks in January of 2008. I'm surprised to see that other clubs still offer them.

[MargaritaPlease]

Capitol One does not charge any fees for converting your charges into US Dollars

 

Further, they offer $0 liability. This is the way to travel.

[linda_22003]

First time in 30 years of traveling that I can't get traveler's cheques.

 

It's hard to get a dial telephone these days, too. :o

[Traveler353]

My credit union stopped having them several years ago. No big deal, that is what plastic is for. There are very few places left in the world that you cannot find an ATM. Ditto, on the Capital One card, I have used mine all around Europe and Mexico and have never been charged cash conversion fees. In addition when I travel I put a positive balance on the the card and do not get charged cash advance fees.

[FightOnRon]

It's hard to get a dial telephone these days, too. :o

 

typewriter ribbons are scarse

[awhcruiser]

My credit union still offers them. I brought some home today for my cruise on Saturday...I paid a 1% fee.

[Traveler353]

typewriter ribbons are scarse

 

 

There is a typewriter still sitting my office. I think that they stopped making ribbons for it several years ago.:p

[LemurCat]

typewriter ribbons are scarse

 

You laugh, but we finally ditched our office typewriter about a year ago when I couldn't find anyone to fix our IBM Selectric. The upside is that we finally talked the IT folks into installing Adobe Acrobat on our machines.

[hankandteri]

You should get a Capitol One Visa or Master Credit card. Capitol One does not charge any fees for converting your charges into US Dollars.

 

Agree with Cruie4ever about the CapitalOne card, but it probably won't help you in time for this week's trip. They're the only major bank I know of that still doesn't charge the dreaded ripoff currency exchange fee.

 

I keep a CapitalOne card for this reason only as we tend to take a lot of international trips.

 

Even if you can still get traveler's checks, and I haven't tried in many years, they're getting harder and harder to get people to accept them these days.

[brooklynfc]

I'm pretty sure my federal credit union still offers them, but I haven't asked. Mom will probably want them for this cruise, but I find cash is easier and I was never charged an extra fee on my debit card when I used in on the islands. I just put the cash I won't need at the ports in the safe. When I went to the Bahamas my senior year of hs (2001) the merchants didn't want the travelers checks. I had to sign some over to my friend's dad to pay for some things. But my mom had insisted I take them instead of cash. I use cash now.

[catne]

Not sure it's worth getting those things...a lot of places won't take them anymore when you're traveling outside the US...daughter spent the Fall semester going to school in London...took side trips to Scotland, Ireland, France & Switzerland. She found most stores told her she needed to cash them at a bank. And she said it was an expensive hassle to cash 'em...actually was far cheaper to use her bank card (from a US bank) at ATMs in the various countries (bank fees & currency exchange rate was better getting cash from ATMs than it was to go to a bank and cash a traveler's check.) She actually brought 90% of her traveler's checks back with her. Looked to her like the banks are deliberately over-pricing trav. checks transactions to get people to quit using them.

[Bassnote_1]

The cheques were just getting too cumbersome to use. Both buy and pay for services.

 

One method I heard of to get cash and not pay the ATM or Cash advance fees is to buy a few hundred for the casino and play a hand or two then cash in. Never tried it so I don't know if that would work or not. :confused:

 

I use the Visa as much as I can and carry cash - keep it in the safe and have the concierge break the big bills for us before we head ashore. Visa will charge you a "foreign currency" conversion fee that is pretty hefty when you are on foreign shores.

[chachi]

The convience of the credit card outways the 3% fee for me.

[winddawn]

First time in 30 years of traveling that I can't get traveler's cheques. My bank doesn't offer them anymore (Bank of America) and the few banks that do require that you have an account with them. Some want to offer the Travel Money card, but it is frought with fees. I always got my traveler's cheques for free, so the hefty 3-5 percent plus atm fees plus interest stinks! I called my VISA guy, and he admitted that he goes "old school" with a money belt. Guess my cash goes in the "vault" with "the girls!" I'm glad they have a safe in the cabin. CCL says they still cash traveler's cheques at the information desk, but few merchants will even accept them anymore! I hate to put everything on my VISA card. In port, I prefer to use cash and avoid the extra 3 percent fee for international transactions. (Don't worry--that won't apply onboard, at least through my card, because the office they bill from is in the US.) Is anyone else running into this? I leave for N.O. on Sunday.

LOL at KKmonga's "vault" solution!!!! My girls are pretty reliable too!

 

I just take my extra cash and lock it in the room safe and only take it out as I need it.

[salty dingo]

I don't think you need to take travelers cheques on a cruise. Just take a reasonable amount of cash to get you on the ship, and then go to the casino and get cash at a slot machine. There is no fee.

[recyclelady]

I am sort of old-school, I guess. I still get AAA Travelers Checks. No fee, since I am a gold member. I had the card on one trip out of the country and finding a ATM machine (that worked) in Egypt was not always an easy task!