Dollars to Euros

[beg3yrs]

Seems the old advice of getting foreign currency at airport ATMs is changing. I saw this article today and it seems to have some updated information as the travel writer is currently on a trip.

 

http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/today-in-travel/cash-on-arrival-new-game-plan-for-airport-atms.html?id=21194088&source=94&value=2014-12-15+00%3A00%3A00&u=T0N6MP5GDR&nl_cs=21268731%3A%3A7597281%3A%3A21194088%3A%3A

[Corfe Mixture]

Headline rate is:

1 Euro = 1.24 USD

1 USD = 0.81 Euro

 

40 Euros purchased at a US airport Travelex would today cost you $US54.93

 

https://buy.travelex.com/us/Purchase?product=ba4ee1c8-3531-4653-ad59-bfc12208c9f5&type=Cash&amount=40.00&event=Purchase&Currency=

 

If you purchased something costing €40, using a Commission free Visa card today, you would get today's Visa interbank rate and the transaction would be billed as $US 49.575.

 

If your bank charged you a foreign currency transaction commission on the deal of 2.5% it would be billed as $US 50.814.

 

If you drew €40 cash out of ATM, using a credit card, as opposed to a debit card, this would count as a credit card cash withdrawal and you would have to add to the above whatever interest / fees your provider applies to cash withdrawals.

 

http://www.visaeurope.com/making-payments/exchange-rates

 

I posted the above on another thread back on 6th December, when the headline rate was €1 = $US 1.24 and whilst the headline rate may have changed the relativity of the different methods of 'changing' dollars into euros remains valid.

Edited December 15, 2014 by Corfe Mixture
Auto spell checker on iPad went wild

[Mississippian]

When on a cruise in Europe can you get euros at the desk using your onboard account/credit card? I know that most places take dollars, but I don't want to be standing in a busy market doing the math (:

Very few places in Europe take dollars.

 

I like to change a fair amount of money before I go, using a bank with a 5% or less commission. This is not much more than what the average debit or credit card charges for currency exchange, and you have the advantage of having the cash money in your pocket, with no worries about finding a working ATM, which in my experience can be a very time consuming pursuit.

 

I used to also carry extra U.S. currency to change abroad. It is now virtually impossible to exchange dollars for euros except in the largest cities. So you do need to take an ATM card. To deter fraud, many people open a travel debit card account and use the ATM card from that account in Europe. You just do an online transfer from your main account as needed, and have no worries about fraud. You should not have any type of debit card linked to your main checking account as fraudsters can bleed your account dry in a heartbeat.

[hawkeyetlse]

Seems the old advice of getting foreign currency at airport ATMs is changing.

I think the old advice was to arrange a small amount of money ahead of time so that you are not under pressure to find an ATM as soon as you arrive. And not to use any old cash machine, but to look for "real" ATMs affiliated with major banks (maybe even a foreign bank that has an agreement with your card/bank at home to give you fee-free withdrawals).

 

So the article about airport Travelex machines is a useful warning/reminder. But it is still very clear to me that relying on ATMs during your travels is still a much safer plan than leaving home with all of the money for your whole trip on you, in cash. :eek:

Edited December 16, 2014 by hawkeyetlse

[latebloomer56]

We have used AAA a few times. Problem is they do conversions in packets and we have had extra bills before. I did eat the cost on board to exchange these both times. It all comes down to planning. I don't plan to bring as much this next trip and use my Visa instead (yes I know they hit us with a fee $$$) it is just easier for me.

[Woobstr112G]

We used the machine onboard the Regal and were pleased with the rate, convenience, and safety of using it onboard. The best rates we got, though, were at our hotel in Venice and at the bank in the U.S. The worst rate was at the airport in Venice. The rate looks good until they charge their "fee".

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

 

Interesting that you found bad rates at Marco Polo airport. We've actually found the exchange kiosks at Marco Polo airport to have pretty decent rates (2008, 2009, 2011, 2013).....:):):)

 

Bob

Edited December 16, 2014 by Woobstr112G

[UpcountryTravelers]

AAA has a travel card that has a very favorable rate of exchange dollars to Euros. It's a loadable debit card. We found it very convenient during our last European trip. We are keeping it for future travel.

[Corfe Mixture]

AAA has a travel card that has a very favorable rate of exchange dollars to Euros. It's a loadable debit card. We found it very convenient during our last European trip. We are keeping it for future travel.

 

Don't forget to load it before Friday, as, in currency terms, you will be in 'Europe' on 23rd and 28th.

[latebloomer56]

AAA has a travel card that has a very favorable rate of exchange dollars to Euros. It's a loadable debit card. We found it very convenient during our last European trip. We are keeping it for future travel.

 

This may be worth looking into.

Thanks

[caribill]

AAA has a travel card that has a very favorable rate of exchange dollars to Euros. It's a loadable debit card. We found it very convenient during our last European trip. We are keeping it for future travel.

 

Is it loaded with $$$ or with Euros?

 

If with $$$, it will be subject to whatever exchange rate is associated with the ATMs you use it with to get Euros.

 

This rate can be a good rate that is really given by the USA bank that AAA processes the request through or a really bad rate given by the organization the ATM is owned by.