Cash Stations

[mjmagee]

We will soon be on an 11 day Hawaiian cruise. I don't like to take a lot of cash and usually stock up at the occasional ATM/cash station, using my debit card. Our bank is Bank of America and I was shocked to learn they have no branches or ATMs on the islands. Does anyone know what type of ATMs are common in the port areas or at the ABC store? I would even go open an account at another bank to be able to use a debit card without paying those darn fees! Marilyn

[CruiserBruce]

All of the common ATM chains are well represented in Hawaii. Check any bank you see there for the ATM chain/network you need.

[Susan-M]

Maybe you can get by without using ATM's if you take some cash and use credit cards for most purchases. Or perhaps use an ATM once if you need to. We spent 4 weeks in Hawaii in the spring and didn't use an ATM once, and we came home with some of the cash that we brought. We brought about $700. in total, which meant that we were only carrying $350 each at most.

[Donray]

Hawaii like a lot other states only have in state banks. No B of A, no Citi Bank, etc. But, the good news is you can use your B of A card at almost all others banks ATMs in Hi.

[slidergirl]

Don't worry. Look on the back of your BofA card. You'll see symbols for the common ATM alliances (i.e., Cirrus, PLUS, Maestro, Co-op) on the back. Just be sure the ATM you are trying to use also has a corresponding symbol.

You will pay those pesky service charges, though, in most cases. But, it's not worth it to set up new accounts, etc., just to avoid a few dollars in charges...

[fendbass]

May I suggest that you consider getting pre-paid Visa card? There are very few places that will not take a Visa card. I've done that my last 2 trips to Hawaii with no problems

[cccole]

Chase and Bank of Hawaii are the ATMs we use on the Hawaiian Islands. Most ATMs will take your card but will charge you a fee. If we are using an ATM that is not associated with our bank we take a large amount of cash out to minimize the fees. We have also been BofA customers and been amazed at their lack of representation in Hawaii. Sometimes the hotel that you stay at, or the cruise ship, will cash a personal check with no fee. Enjoy, Cherie

[PCWalton1]

I have Bank of America too. Our last cruise to Hawaii I brought several hundred dollars with me and did the rest of my purchases with debit/credit. Never used an ATM for the cruise.

[mjmagee]

Thanks to all for replies. Just trying to avoid those charges which can be up to 3%, which is what the cruise line charges. Unfortunately the days of the purser cashing personal checks are long gone! Even the travelers checks route, which they will cash, is going the way of the dinosaur. B of A does not even handle them any more. You have to order them online. Oh well it is a new world and while you might need cash, you cannot always get it. Maybe I can take some cash and plan on turning it into more cash in the casino on the way to Hawaii! Thanks again to everyone. Marilyn

[cb at sea]

Just bring the cash and avoid those ATM charges. Your cabin should have a safe to store it. If not, the purser's desk will have safe deposit boxes, or you can lock it in your suitcase.

[Susan-M]

It seems that you might think that it's more of a problem than it actually is, unless you don't have a credit card. If you have a CC and bring a few hundred dollars in cash, you should be good. And the worst case scenario is that you have to use your debit card at an ATM to get more cash. Have you checked with BoA to see what they charge for that? You mention 3% but that seems high ... usually it's a flat rate fee of a few dollars per transaction.

[slidergirl]

It seems that you might think that it's more of a problem than it actually is, unless you don't have a credit card. If you have a CC and bring a few hundred dollars in cash, you should be good. And the worst case scenario is that you have to use your debit card at an ATM to get more cash. Have you checked with BoA to see what they charge for that? You mention 3% but that seems high ... usually it's a flat rate fee of a few dollars per transaction.

 

I was a little confused at the OP's mention of percentage instead of a flat service charge fee. The ATM fees are usually $2.50-$3.00 for a withdrawal from a bank not your own. I've heard that you might get hit both ways - the bank that owns the ATM AND your own bank for the privilege of using the card. But, the percentage usually comes in when you are doing an ATM transaction in a foreign currency.

I belong to a Credit Union which does not charge any fee on their end, so I will say that I am not up to date on what banks will charge for you to get access to your own money...

[MJB1437]

To avoid fees, I will sometimes make a small purchase at a super market using my debit card and get cash back- no fees involved and you don't have to make a large purchase.

Myrna