$$$ to Euro

[Luv2CruiseOften]

We are flying into Barcelona and spending a couple of days in Barcelona before our cruise. Where do you get the best exchange rate?

 

Thanks

[TLCOhio]

We are flying into Barcelona and spending a couple of days in Barcelona before our cruise. Where do you get the best exchange rate? Thanks

 

It is generally going to be an ATM that is your best situation for exchange. You should check with your bank and see what their charges are on a debit card withdraw, etc. As of right now per the Wall Street Journal, each euro costs you $1.2649. In the past month, it was up to about $1.32. In early June it was down near $1.19. Two years ago, the euro was up around $1.60.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For more details, great visuals, etc., from our July 1-16 Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle Silver Cloud experiences:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

[riffatsea]

Rates change daily. You need to inform your ATM bank and your credit card bank that you are traveling. Ask about THEIR fees for international withdrawals.

I buy some euros from my own bank because the fees they charge are high and the price I can buy at is only a tiny bit more.

[chipmaster]

As the other poster said when you extract from a ATM they usually go with average rate of that day. You have to factor the local bank out of network, your fee and the limits of withdraw.

 

For a few hundred euros get it at the airport ATM and expect a couple dollars fee from your bank and the local bank ATM as well. So you are looking at about 2% overhead. That will be far better then the posted exchange and additional fees from the money changing / sucking pits you see at the airport.

 

If you need a LOT of euros then the inconvenience of having multiple cards and or mulple trips to the ATM versus a poorer rate for exchange before you go from your local bank, you'll have to decide for your self. I read somebody saying they have multipe bank accounts with which allows them to hit the 4x the daily limit. I guess at somepoint convenience for me trumps that kind of extra work.

 

Enjoy Barcelona its a wonderfuly embarkation/disembarkation city!

 

We are flying into Barcelona and spending a couple of days in Barcelona before our cruise. Where do you get the best exchange rate?

 

Thanks

[financialgrl]

I left the US with no converted money; some may not feel comfortable doing so. My credit union has a much better rate than banks but doesn't convert money. BUT if I use their ATM card it's a straight $1 fee at an overseas ATM. The bank, OTOH, was pretty expensive -Wachovia wanted $15 to order money and then a 3% conversion rate so I figured I could do better just getting money at an ATM in country. Never had a problem in Spain, Italy or the UK.

[Keith1010]

You are best to use your ATM.

 

As mentioned be sure to let your credit card and atm banks know of your travel plans.

 

Also be sure to write down the phone number that you need to call when outside the country which becomes even more important if the machine keeps your ATM card.

 

When you call the bank, be sure to verify how much money you can withdraw each day as their is a limit.

 

Keith

[Kerry's Girls]

Lots of taxis in Barcelona take credit cards, so it wasn't that big a deal for us to arrive with no Euros in hand. We waited in the taxi line and immediately had one that took credit cards (I used Capital One as suggested here), so we were able to get to the hotel and check in before heading out to an ATM (there were a number of them within two blocks of our hotel). Just be sure to know the numerical pass code. If you use letters in the States, like me, you have to convert it to numbers for Spain.

 

Best,

Mia

[GlendaleCruiser]

My credit union doesn't deal with or order Euros so I had to use a BofA that I also do biz with. They charged me for having them sent Fed-Ex from wherever they get them, and I actually had to pay a $1.32 rate when the exchange rate was listed online as $1.28. I know that I paid for them, but I don't care. I've got them.

 

Last year I had to pay $1.49 for one Euro so I'm still ahead.

[ballawana13]

My credit union doesn't deal with or order Euros so I had to use a BofA that I also do biz with. They charged me for having them sent Fed-Ex from wherever they get them, and I actually had to pay a $1.32 rate when the exchange rate was listed online as $1.28. I know that I paid for them, but I don't care. I've got them.

 

Last year I had to pay $1.49 for one Euro so I'm still ahead.

 

Just exchanged dollars for Euros at a local American Express Travel office. The exchange rate was $1.39 per Euro plus a $15 service fee. Thought this seemed a bit high with the exchange rate at about $1.34. How much do the banks charge if you use an ATM in Europe?

[riffatsea]

American Express gave you a VERY poor rate!!

My bank,Wells Fargo charged a rate of 1.33 when the interbank rate was 1.286. NO other fees because I have an account there.

You will have to ask your own bank what they charge for international ATM use as it varies greatly!!

[4774Papa]

On our July cruise starting from Venice, we acquired all our Euros from ATMs. I took about $500 in US cash as a back up, and did have to convert about $300 on our ship toward the end of the cruise. The exchange rate with cash is not as good as with the ATM. There was an ATM at the Venice airport, but it took 15 minutes for me to find it. Also, we found many ATMS in Venice.

 

I inquired with my bank about buying Euros prior to going over, and the rate was very poor.

Still, you need to be prepared to have Euros when you leave your airport, to pay taxis or for bus or other transport.

If your flight is going to a major city, there should be an ATM. ALSO, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A FOUR DIGIT ATM CODE>

[flgirl543]

I called Wachovia today to order euros. The exchange rate today is $1.304 for 1 euro. Wachovia is charging $1.375 for 1 euro. My question is if I use my Wachovia card at an ATM in Europe will they use their conversion amount (based on today's numbers - $1.375) plus an additional 3%, plus their ATM fee? I hope I made my question clear.

[hubofhockey]

I called Wachovia today to order euros. The exchange rate today is $1.304 for 1 euro. Wachovia is charging $1.375 for 1 euro. My question is if I use my Wachovia card at an ATM in Europe will they use their conversion amount (based on today's numbers - $1.375) plus an additional 3%, plus their ATM fee? I hope I made my question clear.

 

http://www.flyerguide.com/wiki/index.php/Credit/Debit/ATM_Cards_and_Foreign_Exchange

 

That chart shows transaction fees for all banks using debit cards. I wouldn't use a Wells Fargo/Wachovia ATM card based on what I am seeing. If you have a PayPal account, you might want to consider getting a debit card from them. I wasn't charged any ATM costs and the exchange rate seemed to be the going rate. Others have success with Capital One. But I didn't want to open a bank account just to cruise.

[Lou33]

Just use the ATMs. For my credit union, they gave me the published rate and only charged a 1% fee. We also exchanged about $150 at the airport right before our trip, but the fee was very high. I think it was about about $35. But we needed some Euros just in case we couldn't find an ATM at the Barcelona airport, and we needed cash for a Taxi. But that wasn't necessary, we could have found an ATM at the airport before we got in the taxi.

[Kerry's Girls]

But we needed some Euros just in case we couldn't find an ATM at the Barcelona airport, and we needed cash for a Taxi. But that wasn't necessary, we could have found an ATM at the airport before we got in the taxi.

 

Also, a great number of the taxis take credit cards. That's what we did.

 

Best,

Mia