Traveler's Checks

[Vmalcolm]

Ok, call me old fashioned, but I prefer to travel with traveler's checks as opposed to wads of cash or withdrawing money on my debit card. On a Carnival cruise last year they looked at the check's as if they were something alien. I have cruised 40 times and always taken the check's and cashed them at the Purser's desk or in the casino.

 

Has anyone had a problem on Celebrity using them? Did they accept them in the casino, or did you have to go to the Purser? It's been about 5 years since I last cruised on Celebrity and didn't have a problem back then.

 

Thanks!

 

Valerie

[Gonzo70]

I was able to easily cash in traveler's checks at the guest relations desk on my Celebrity Equinox cruise this past December; there were no fees/charges for this service.

[bellybutton530]

Ok, call me old fashioned, but I prefer to travel with traveler's checks as opposed to wads of cash or withdrawing money on my debit card. On a Carnival cruise last year they looked at the check's as if they were something alien. I have cruised 40 times and always taken the check's and cashed them at the Purser's desk or in the casino.

 

Has anyone had a problem on Celebrity using them? Did they accept them in the casino, or did you have to go to the Purser? It's been about 5 years since I last cruised on Celebrity and didn't have a problem back then.

 

Thanks!

 

Valerie

 

Color me old-fashioned as well, Valerie. I don't want a card loaded with all of my money on me as I am out and about. I cash only what I think I'll need in a specific port.

 

It is surprising to me how few places even offer travelers checks anymore. But I did find a place.

[dkjretired]

You will have no problem cashing them on the ship however more and more shops are no longer accepting them. They will probably be gone in five years, too many other better options...

[Chicago Boy]

There was a time when we used Traveler's Check but in recent years we have found them almost impossible to cash. Banks will not cash them unless you have an account with them or someone is with you who has an accont at the bank. We also found lots of stores and restaurants didn't want them either. Now we use our debit or credit card. When we cruise we give the ship our credit card so all we need is cash for walking around money. Everyone is different but this is what works for us:)

[lvz2cruz]

We have gone to the casino and charged money to our onboard account and used the cash for port trips we book ourselves and tips. Is this still allowed?

 

We do not have a debit card.

[retiredldo]

We have gone to the casino and charged money to our onboard account and used the cash for port trips we book ourselves and tips. Is this still allowed?

 

We do not have a debit card.

 

Question, ? I thought if you charged money in the casino that you paid a fee of some percentage is this not true On other ships it sure has been

 

 

Pete

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

We have gone to the casino and charged money to our onboard account and used the cash for port trips we book ourselves and tips. Is this still allowed?

 

We do not have a debit card.

 

It's allowed. You will pay a 3% fee.

[ghstudio]

I had a different problem on a recent trip....I couldn't find a bank that even sold them. So few people bother with them that the banks just stopped carrying them.

[RonJJ]

I have agree with Chicago boy, we took took them with us on a med cruise in 09 and found them almost impossible to use other than on the ship. Most merchants (probably 90% or better) wouldn't accept them because they had to pay a charge on them. I think your better off cashing them on board, or even better using a cc or debit card. We had no problem with those.

[shannon50]

We cashed them in at guest relations everyday on our med cruise before we went on shore.

[Vmalcolm]

Thanks for all the info! Like I said, I refuse to pay a fee to use my debit card...I guess I am cheap in addition to being old fashioned! I will plan on cashing them on the ship as needed. Unfortunately, I usually end up using most of them in the casino.

 

Valerie

[Infi]

I, too, love using TCs on vacation and wouldn't dream of going on a trip without them. Onboard, it's a piece of cake to cash them. No issues. Ashore, you might find more of an issue. Whenever we make large purchases in the Caribbean and Alaska, we use them and it's been no problem. Wouldn't dream of using them to buy a t-shirt or a little souvenir though!

In Europe, they certainly will look at you as though you're an alien - even TCs in Euro are not well-accepted. Against my better judgment, I took debit cards to Europe. It made me a little nervous, but it worked out well and we always had plenty of Euros.

 

Even if the ports won't take them, at least you can still cash those TCs onboard!

[dkjretired]

Thanks for all the info! Like I said, I refuse to pay a fee to use my debit card...I guess I am cheap in addition to being old fashioned! I will plan on cashing them on the ship as needed. Unfortunately, I usually end up using most of them in the casino.

 

Valerie

 

Sounds like my wife, I love her but she'll drive 20 miles each way to avoid paying a two dollar ATM fee even though she spent five dollars on gas, go figure...

[capecodder2]

I know that it is sometimes hard to change how we have been doing things for 40+ years, but one of these days Traveler's Cheques will be history. I gave up even thinking about them 20 or so years ago and now the thoughts of carrying around all those cheques that need signing seems ancient. My ATM card gives me some cash no matter what the currency and doesn't charge anything for it's use, and my credit card is used for everything over $25 and I can total up my expenditures easily. They are easy to carry in a little zippered pocket. But if you insist on TCs, then be my guest as long as they last.

[Edward50]

In Europe, they certainly will look at you as though you're an alien - even TCs in Euro are not well-accepted. End QUOTE.

 

No kidding In Italy we went to 20 large financial institutions trying to cash Euros TC's.

Only one bank would even cash them and only 200 euros per day. A few others in Florence would cash but with a fee of 5 percent.

 

Even the American Express office in Rome charges a fee to cash their own TC's!

[patty1955]

In Rome, the only place we found that would take TC without charge was the Vatican.

[TMLAalum]

We didn't want to charge our private St. Petersburg tour, nor did we want to carry the US cash needed to pay for it. Traveler's checks were perfect. No charge for them at my credit union, and Celebrity was able to provide me with the undamaged bills required by SPB tours.

[Vmalcolm]

As long as I can cash them on board I'm a happy camper! I know eventually they won't be an option...thought about getting a visa card that you just apply the cash to but they charge $25 for them. Just don't like to pay interest/fees on anything! I don't carry a balance on my credit cards and only use credit union affiliated ATM's that don't charge a fee. I guess I'll just have to pay the fee as a convenience in the future. Sigh....

 

Valerie

[eandj]

Valerie, Look into Capital One. THeir charge cards charge no currency exchange or other fees and their money market acct comes with a no fee atm card.