Do I have to purchase Euros?

[onyx007]

As of today.....$1 USD = 1.24 Euro.....or conversely.......1 Euro == $.81 USD. A currency exchange in the US is always the best exchange rate vs. ATM in foreign country.

 

Yes, completly wrong, an exchange in your own country to foreign currency is sometimes easier but never, really never better then withdrawing money from an ATM in a foreign country...

[Corfe Mixture]

Yes, completly wrong, an exchange in your own country to foreign currency is sometimes easier but never, really never better then withdrawing money from an ATM in a foreign country...

 

Absolutely. I live in the UK, but spend 5 months of the year in France and, because one needs a local bank for things like mobile phone contracts, I have both UK and French bank accounts.

 

Would you believe that, even though I can get decent rates for bulk transfers, the cheapest way to transfer funds to my French account is to take both mine and my wife's commission free UK debit cards to the ATM at our French bank and hit the cash withdrawal limit of €300 per card per day and then pay the €600 into my French bank account using the same ATM. I then repeat the exercise every day I pass the bank until I have topped up the French account to the desired level.

[PaulMCO]

Duh what a strange thread. I have never been so embarassed as an American. When you go on vacation to a foreign country you make sure you have foreign currency.

 

To the Kettle's from OK. Give me a break. I did not want to travel to Dallas to buy Euros.

 

To all you can buy foreign currency on the Internet at rates better than Travelex. Just try ezforex.com

[lenquixote66]

My bank does not charge a fee and it takes 2 business days to get the Euros.

[di234]

AAA also sells Euros.

[onyx007]

When I arrived a couple of weeks at the port in Martinique the first thing I've seen was this sign, and I had to laugh because I remembered this thread:

 

[Survivor2013]

What about using credit cards? While traveling through Europe in the past that's what we did as we were told we would get a better exchange rate. Do most stores in Martinique take credit cards?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[onyx007]

What about using credit cards? While traveling through Europe in the past that's what we did as we were told we would get a better exchange rate. Do most stores in Martinique take credit cards?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

 

I would think in the shops it's not a problem, but I would think that

that's no option for taxi, bus or tour operators...

[beachbuddy]

I've made a organised tour in the morning (St.Pierre and Rum distellery) and went on my own on a little walk around the town after lunch.

I've not seen any shops that are really having something for tourists.

There were some stalls right at the pier and I'm sure they will take U$.

 

Which tour do you take ?

 

Curious.....how was this tour? I booked it for April but can't find any reviews on it.

 

Thanks for any info you can give me.

[onyx007]

Curious.....how was this tour? I booked it for April but can't find any reviews on it.

 

Thanks for any info you can give me.

 

It was alright, you will first drive to a church, which is a small copy of the one in Paris (Sacre Coeur), then you drive a long drive on a good but curvy street through the rainforest. You will arrive at the Depaz Rum Distillery, where your tour guide will give you a tour, followed by a little degustation.

The final point is the volcanic museum in St.Pierre; the former capital which was 1902 destroyed by the Volcano.

 

I found it ok, if you like to do a tour, and you're not that comfortable with French, but I found it's a bit of a rush at the various sights.

 

(I returned a couple weeks ago, and I took the public bus which costed 5 Euros each way per person, there is a bus from St.Pierre to Mont-Rouge which would stop halfway for Depaz; with a short walk from there, but it might be not that easy, speaking no French)

[beachbuddy]

It was alright, you will first drive to a church, which is a small copy of the one in Paris (Sacre Coeur), then you drive a long drive on a good but curvy street through the rainforest. You will arrive at the Depaz Rum Distillery, where your tour guide will give you a tour, followed by a little degustation.

The final point is the volcanic museum in St.Pierre; the former capital which was 1902 destroyed by the Volcano.

 

I found it ok, if you like to do a tour, and you're not that comfortable with French, but I found it's a bit of a rush at the various sights.

 

(I returned a couple weeks ago, and I took the public bus which costed 5 Euros each way per person, there is a bus from St.Pierre to Mont-Rouge which would stop halfway for Depaz; with a short walk from there, but it might be not that easy, speaking no French)

 

No, none of us speak French. That's why most of us booked that tour. How long of a drive would you say it is.......I don't cherish being on a bus for a long time. Oh......was the bus air conditioned?

[beachbuddy]

It was alright, you will first drive to a church, which is a small copy of the one in Paris (Sacre Coeur), then you drive a long drive on a good but curvy street through the rainforest. You will arrive at the Depaz Rum Distillery, where your tour guide will give you a tour, followed by a little degustation.

The final point is the volcanic museum in St.Pierre; the former capital which was 1902 destroyed by the Volcano.

 

I found it ok, if you like to do a tour, and you're not that comfortable with French, but I found it's a bit of a rush at the various sights.

 

(I returned a couple weeks ago, and I took the public bus which costed 5 Euros each way per person, there is a bus from St.Pierre to Mont-Rouge which would stop halfway for Depaz; with a short walk from there, but it might be not that easy, speaking no French)

 

We just didn't know what else to do.........been to a lot of islands quite a number of times but this is first visit to Martinique. Really would like to see the beauty of the island.

[Stockjock]

I work for one of the big Wall Street firms and I have a brokerage account with my company. I'll be in Martinique and Guadeloupe soon.

 

I was able to buy Euros and most other currencies through my firm, as could most customers. It's a 2 step process.

 

1. Buy the Euros (or whatever). Since I'm the employee, they gave me the option to mark-up nominally, with a minimum markup of 3 basis points (.03%). I did the minimum markup, which is also what I'd do for any good client. The currency is then purchased and shows as holding in the account on the next business day.

 

2. Once the transaction has settled, again typically one business day, I put in a call to "Global Currency Express". They then overnight the currency via FedEx. They gave me the option to have it delivered to my home or to the branch. Since I work there, I had it sent to the branch.

 

It's the first time I've done this personally, although I've wired Swiss Francs to Switzerland for other clients and such, but I found it to be very easy. And the fees at roughly 2% including delivery, seemed pretty reasonable to me.

[toes_in_sand]

Just for clarification, there is a bus that take you from the port to St Pierre? We are thinking about doing St Pierre, but the limited information we have read is that traffic is a nightmare. My biggest concern is being stuck on a public bus in traffic and missing the ship.

[onyx007]

Just for clarification, there is a bus that take you from the port to St Pierre? We are thinking about doing St Pierre, but the limited information we have read is that traffic is a nightmare. My biggest concern is being stuck on a public bus in traffic and missing the ship.

 

 

Yeah, it's the kind of shared taxi which you find everywhere in the caribbean. Number 30; St.Pierre is the terminal stop. We had no problem with traffic, but if you rent a car, hire a taxi or go on a tour, they all have to use the same road (which is very good).

 

The drive took about 30 to 40 minutes each way and as we understood the bus goes twice an hour. Just leave St.Pierre about two hours before you should be back on board and you'll be alright.

[onyx007]

No, none of us speak French. That's why most of us booked that tour. How long of a drive would you say it is.......I don't cherish being on a bus for a long time. Oh......was the bus air conditioned?

 

No worries; when I was alone with RCI in March I did the tour as well, as I didn't know about other options. The bus was modern and I would think that it had air con.

 

Drive time I would think:

 

Port - Church - depending on traffic not more then 30 min

Church - Rum Distillery - around 45 min

Rum Distillery - St.Pierre - 10 min

and

St.Pierre-Port - around 30 min

[3kids1dog]

We plan on bringing Euros for our day there. We are planning on taking the ferry over to the beaches and spending the day there. I have no idea how much money to convert. We usually bring around $120.00 for spending in ports. Can anyone give me an idea of how much Euros I would need to cover a day including ferry, beach chairs, a few drinks, lunch, maybe some small shopping. I have no idea how much things cost over there, and barely understand the conversion rate! :)

[onyx007]

I have no idea how much things cost over there, and barely understand the conversion rate! :)

 

 

If you normally bring along 120 US, then it's around 100 Euro, that's about the same amount. I think you should be alright with that amount for one day in Martinique.

[3kids1dog]

Thank you so much for your quick reply. My son took 3 years of French and I am trying to have him teach me some of the basics. It is much harder than Spanish!

[onyx007]

Thank you so much for your quick reply. My son took 3 years of French and I am trying to have him teach me some of the basics. It is much harder than Spanish!

 

I would think, that in Martinique it's the same like everywhere else in the world; young people will probably understand some english, older folks will not or pretend they dont ;-) It's France after all ! But even if they understand english, they will be much nicer and happier if you make an efford to speak some french (as it happend last year in France, as a german speaking I started to talk in French and the french people answered to me in english)

[bren61]

We are trying to determine approximately how many Euros we will need to order for our day at the beach (Anse-Mitan).

 

I know we are able to use USD for the ferry ($10pp).

 

Are we able to rent 2 lounge chairs and an umbrella on this beach, if so, how much & do they accept USD for that or just Euros?

 

I assume we will need to use Euros for lunch & drinks at the beach, so what is the average cost in Euros for the following:

 

Per Beer?

 

Per Alcoholic Frozen Drink?

 

Light Lunch? (sandwich & a side)

[Hal Bennett]

Are ATM's readely available for obtaining Euros?

[Erin Dreamer]

I've made a organised tour in the morning (St.Pierre and Rum distellery) and went on my own on a little walk around the town after lunch.

 

My son and wife have said there don't appear to be any excursions sponsored by their Royal Caribbean ship this coming November 2015. I was wondering what ship you were on because it seems you did take a tour, one that they were interested in. Thanks!

[beachbuddy]

Royal Caribbean offers the St Pierre & Rum Distillery tour.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[beachbuddy]

Erin, how was that tour?

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk