Getting Euros at Heathrow ATM's

[Loracpin2]

We are leaving from Harwich on Sept 19 and our first port is LeHavre, where we will need euros at 8:00am for payment of a private tour. Since it is so much more cost effective to pay ATM transaction fees for foreign currency, does anyone know if the ATM's at Heathrow dispence both BPS and euros.

 

Thanks.

[barneymag]

Not sure that ATMs will dispense Euros in a UK airport (even Heathrow) only ever got £££'s

Why don't you use a pre order service like Travelex and collect some Euros at the US airport of departure ? I always use Travelex in UK regardless of currency and don't pay any conversion or charges if preordering online and paying with a debit card - even if you just take enough for your first day then you can get to a ATM in France to get more for your trip. Not sure what commissions you pay in US but in UK no commission or bank charges if pre-ordering online and paying by debit card.

[NorbertsNiece]

There are definitely ATM's that dispense Euros in T5 at LHR..... but I think they're Travelex.... not Bank ATMs.... will be an expensive way of getting your currency....

[wales4ever]

Travelex and there is another booth, whom I cannot remember their name are hideously bad in their exchange rates bordering on rip off. Try ordering at your local bank before you leave. Even if you change currency on the ship, the poor onboard rate will b better than the airport.

[barneymag]

You're right that if you walk up to Travelex or any airport currency exchange the rates are criminal - However if you pre-order online for collection at airport and pay by debit card you will get decent rates ....... However for the OP perhaps converting enough $ for € on the ship for day 1 in Europe won't be worth the extra hassle and then get extra € in France

[R&M1000]

You normally do not pay a tour operator until the tour is finished. That being said, ask the tour operator to stop at an ATM while along the tour and get your Euros then.

[DragonOfTheSeas]

Are you staying in London for a few days or traveling directly to Harwich? Someone from London answered my question on the same topic--that there are "Cash points" [ATMs] in various tube stations that dispense euros.

 

I did not ask about the airport directly. However, several replies said the exchange rates on machines at the airport are not very good. YMMV

 

Here is a link. http://www.theguardian.com/money/2014/jul/15/london-underground-euro-cash-machines-atm

[Loracpin2]

Thanks for the responses. Will try to verify that we don't need to pay for tour until the end. Most likely will get the euros from our bank before we leave and not worry about the exchange loss. Thought of getting off the ship at 7:30 and frantically trying to find and ATM in the LeHavre port before we meet the guide by 8:00, is just not worth the stress.

[Lsimon]

If you do not need tons of Euros why don't you just get them from a local bank before you leave home. I bank at a local branch of a large US bank. They charge "no fees" for customers and their purchase/buy rates are about 5% off of the cash spot foreign exchange market. Depending on your ATM card and network used an ATM can cost you anywhere from 1/2% (with no ATM/Network fees) to around the same 5% if your ATM card issuer charges out of network fees and/or foreign transaction fees. Be sure to check with your ATM card issuer to find out what foreign transaction and ATM fees there will be to make sure you'll save anything at all by bothering with an ATM in France or London.

 

While a 3% or 5% difference sounds like a lot we're generally not talking about a big cost if you're just looking to get a couple hundred Euros for the day. Getting the cash in advance could be a lot more convenient than worry about taking time to find an ATM during your tour and/ worse yet, running into ATM issues when you're overseas and need the currency ASAP. We've run into issues ourselves and know several other people who have had issues as well.

[nekzaadvakil]

We were on the Silhouette in June (Rome to Venice) and we noticed that there were 2 ATMs on the ship itself. The one in the casino dispensed USD while the one near Guest Relations dispensed Euros.

 

Perhaps you could check with Celebrity if the same is available on your ship?

[Project_gal]

Travelex and there is another booth, whom I cannot remember their name are hideously bad in their exchange rates bordering on rip off. Try ordering at your local bank before you leave. Even if you change currency on the ship, the poor onboard rate will b better than the airport.

 

The exchange rates offered by every FX company at Heathrow are controlled by BAA. They are calculated using a set formula on the rate offered by certain UK banks. In the circumstances, it is not fair to name and blame any company. BAA strictly control all the retail businesses at their airports.

Edited July 30, 2014 by Project_gal

[roysmith99]

Check out a helpful website.

 

http://www.heathrow-airport-guide.co.uk/cash-facilities.html

 

Hope it has the answer you need.

[Pet Nit Noy]

Thanks for the responses. Will try to verify that we don't need to pay for tour until the end. Most likely will get the euros from our bank before we leave and not worry about the exchange loss. Thought of getting off the ship at 7:30 and frantically trying to find and ATM in the LeHavre port before we meet the guide by 8:00, is just not worth the stress.

 

Getting Euros from an ATM will work even if you have pay at the beginning of the tour. I guarantee your tour guide will know the location of the most convenient ATM at most points of your tour. He/she should be willing to take you to an ATM to facilitate payment. After all, no tour guide wants to read a post that goes along the lines of, " Great guide. Knowledgeable and friendly, but really inflexible on the topic of payment. Our guide was happy to have us spend more money to get the proper type of currency from a US bank rather than take us to the closest ATM to get Euros."

 

Even if the closest ATM is not located exactly at the meet-up point, I suspect there will be one located at some point close to the beginning of the tour.

 

As with all slightly out of the ordinary situations, I recommend you explain your intended approach in advance. I'll bet that if you write and tell him/her/the company your plan to use an ATM as early as possible in the tour, the response will be cooperation. Folks don't always respond best when surprised, although the OP isn't the first and won't be the last to face this exact problem.

Edited July 30, 2014 by Pet Nit Noy

[Pet Nit Noy]

We are leaving from Harwich on Sept 19 and our first port is LeHavre, where we will need euros at 8:00am for payment of a private tour. Since it is so much more cost effective to pay ATM transaction fees for foreign currency, does anyone know if the ATM's at Heathrow dispence both BPS and euros.

 

Thanks.

 

Please read my post in the duplicate thread with more responses.

[Lsimon]

If you do plan on relying on an ATM to get cash the day of your tour keep in mind that the maximum you can withdraw will be subject to two different limits: Your ATM cardholder will have a maximum per transaction and per day in US dollars so remember that you need to factor in the exchange rate to determine the maximum number of Euros. The ATM machine operator will likely also have a maximum per transaction and a maximum daily limit that may be based on their system and not just one ATM.

 

I've read posts here from people with tours planned who needed to visit ATM's daily in Europe even in ports when they didn't need cash just so they could accumulate enough cash for needs later in their trip. I've also had friends and acquaintances who just couldn't get their ATM cards working overseas for some reason and I've had issues once or twice myself which delayed my ability to get cash from an ATM a day. These are just some of the reasons I know get most of my Euros in advance from a bank at home.