Bringing Cash

[jmak315]

Does it even do any good to bring USD into the ports? Should we only use credit cards?

 

FYI - Western Caribbean in Freedom IN 11 DAYS!! :D:D:D

[Daisyloo]

Any of the Caribbean islands we have travelled to have all accepted US dollars and we always take some ashore. For smaller purchases like souvenirs, a drink or snack we prefer to pay cash. We take a credit card too in case we want a bigger purchase. In Martinique we took Euros: I think they would take USD but much prefered the Euro.

[maureencruiser]

You should bring small bills of US cash. I prefer not to risk my credit cards being spread all over Jamaica and you do not want to buy a 25 cent postcard and pay with a 100 bill, and get the change in Jamaican money. If your bill is 8, pay with a 10, a few dollars is a nice souvenir if they give you Jamican instead of US.

[rummenroman]

I never take my credit card into ports with me. I have heard too many horror stories about card fraud happening to those that do this. I always take USD and the only place I've had an issue with it is in Guadalupe. But that island is no longer a port of call for Royal.

[bouhunter]

I never take my credit card into ports with me. I have heard too many horror stories about card fraud happening to those that do this. I always take USD and the only place I've had an issue with it is in Guadalupe. But that island is no longer a port of call for Royal.

 

And if any unauthorized charges show up you call the credit card company and they're removed, all is well. Not exactly a "horror story". And this can happen right here in the US too.

[hendo13]

10 US dollars equals 1032 jamaican dollars so just be waste it is like 1 dollar us is equal to 100 Jamaican

[Philly Steve]

Singles come in handy for tip money upon embarkation and during port stops.

[gatour]

For the FOS ports of call, US dollars should be fine. However I normally bring small bills to buy "trinkets", a beer or two etc. For anything bigger I use a credit card. I split up my cards, leaving a couple on-board, if ever one got "burned", I would have back ups and can contest the charges on the burned card, once I got home.

[Big_G]

And if any unauthorized charges show up you call the credit card company and they're removed, all is well. Not exactly a "horror story". And this can happen right here in the US too.

 

That's great except they shut off the card. It happened to a couple we met on a Mobay shuttle. The next time we saw them they said their card had been shutoff when they tried to use it in Grand Cayman. The only place they used it was in Margaritaville in Mobay. Apparently someone was racking up charges on it back in Jamaica while they were trying to use it in Grand Cayman.

 

 

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[jmak315]

Wow, y'all have been MOST helpful. Ok, I am going to take cash!! Thanks!

[CleveRocks]

We find that US dollars are readily accepted in any tourist area in the Caribbean. Greenbacks may not be as well-accepted if you go off the beaten path, but otherwise you're fine. As a sign of respect, I prefer to use the local currency when I travel, but it's just not practical to do while cruising as opposed to visiting for a few days.

 

In addition to cash. I bring a credit card with me, but it's a card I NEVER use in real life and that has a relatively low spending limit (like under $1,000). If it gets stolen or if there's some sort of fraud, my exposure is limited.

[cb at sea]

We use cash for smaller purchases.....larger things, we use a credit card....not the one we have linked to our shipboard account, though!

[DrD]

The only time I tried to use my card on shore during a cruise my company cut it off right away and I had to make a bunch of calls to get it back. Huge PITA.

 

Why they do this I have no idea, I mean they see the charge for the cruise, and the flights, and charges on the cruise, so why would they be surprised to see a charge in Cozumel? Someone needs better software.

[bigque]

The only time I tried to use my card on shore during a cruise my company cut it off right away and I had to make a bunch of calls to get it back. Huge PITA.

 

Why they do this I have no idea, I mean they see the charge for the cruise, and the flights, and charges on the cruise, so why would they be surprised to see a charge in Cozumel? Someone needs better software.

 

Just go to your bank or call your credit card company before you leave and give them your itinerary and dates so they can enter the information in the system, this way your account or credit card is flagged and won't be cut off when in those places.

[rummenroman]

Just go to your bank or call your credit card company before you leave and give them your itinerary and dates so they can enter the information in the system, this way your account or credit card is flagged and won't be cut off when in those places.

 

Did that....they still turned me off....I was not a happy camper.:mad:

[1ParticularHbr]

If you do decide to take one credit card into port for larger purchases, take Visa or Mastercard. We discovered American Express is not as widely accepted in the Caribbean as it is back home.

[Clarea]

If you do decide to take one credit card into port for larger purchases, take Visa or Mastercard. We discovered American Express is not as widely accepted in the Caribbean as it is back home.

Same with Discover, not widely accepted, worse in Europe.

[tiessa]

We use cash for smaller purchases.....larger things, we use a credit card....not the one we have linked to our shipboard account, though!

 

That's what I do, too. I had a card cancelled the day before I left on a cruise and I found out when I called my company to tell them where I would be travelling! They were going to send me a letter!

 

By the way, get a Capital One card. They are the only ones I know of that do not charge a fee for foreign transactions.

[trev71]

Being from Canada I always get a few hundred usa dollars for spending on port. I always use my credit card at well known places like DeL Sol and what not if they are recommended by the cruise ship.. If its one of them corner store places I use my cash there.

[WetToes]

I never take my credit card into ports with me. I have heard too many horror stories about card fraud happening to those that do this. I always take USD and the only place I've had an issue with it is in Guadalupe. But that island is no longer a port of call for Royal.

 

 

We're more comfortable using cash in most ports too.