Charging on the Islands

[RBAlbany]

Preparing for our cruise which includes Bermuda, St. Martin, and PR. My regular card (Mastercard) has a foreign transaction fee. I have a Discover card which does not. Will the Discover card be accepted at most place on the those islands?

[Clarea]

Preparing for our cruise which includes Bermuda, St. Martin, and PR. My regular card (Mastercard) has a foreign transaction fee. I have a Discover card which does not. Will the Discover card be accepted at most place on the those islands?

We have found that Discover is much less likely to be accepted in the Caribbean than MC/Visa. You might be OK with Discover in Puerto Rico, since that is the US, but I'm not sure about that.

 

Capital One has MC cards with no transaction fees.

Edited July 9, 2015 by clarea

[DHADEN]

If you are going into the stores that RCI guarantees (on their shopping map), they almost ALL accept Discover.

 

We do the same thing. Have a Visa we use for EVERYTHING because of the % we get back, but use the Discover when traveling to avoid the charges.

 

Hope This Helps.

[Tony O]

Have you considered the Capital One credit card as they have no foreign transaction fees .Plus they have several types of rewards tied with the card.

[OCruisers]

Have you considered taking CA$H?

At port stops we had much rather use cash than our credit cards.

 

LuLu

[negc]

My Marriott Rewards Visa card issued by Chase Services has no foreign transaction fee so that is what we generally use when traveling in foreign locations including the Caribbean, Canada and Europe. There is an annual fee but the points I accrue have allowed us to stay in a number of great Marriott properties across the globe.:)

[Krazy Kruizers]

For small charges and restaurants, we use cash.

When I want to buy something that costs $$$ -- I have a credit card that I use only for ports on cruises that has a low limit on it. One can never be too careful who may get your credit card number.

[ScottsSweetie]

We made a $120 purchase at the pharmacy in Cozumel on our last cruise. I knew that our Visa charged a small foreign transaction fee, so I was not surprised when it hit our bill. It was a whopping $3.60 - to me, well worth the convenience.

[Keith1010]

Try getting a Capital One Credit Card with no transaction free.

 

Keith

[sail7seas]

Discover is accepted in some Caribbean places but not widely. the most commonly accepted are the usual M/C, Visa and AmEx. There are even some places that don't take AmEx.

 

[sail7seas]

For small charges and restaurants, we use cash.

When I want to buy something that costs $$$ -- I have a credit card that I use only for ports on cruises that has a low limit on it. One can never be too careful who may get your credit card number.

 

I have a card with low limit I use for Internet Shopping. I don't like to use high limit cards on line.

 

Edited July 9, 2015 by sail7seas

[Putterdude]

I have a US Capital One card but don't use my BofA card that much ashore so I just grin and bare the few foreign transaction fee. Curiously, Capital One Canada unlike its US parent, does have foreign transaction fees.:mad:

[zqvol]

Preparing for our cruise which includes Bermuda, St. Martin, and PR. My regular card (Mastercard) has a foreign transaction fee. I have a Discover card which does not. Will the Discover card be accepted at most place on the those islands?

 

 

Unless you are making a major purchase just use cash. You are only talking about 2 islands Bermuda and St. Martin. (San Juan is still considered part of the US the last time I looked.)

 

If you are able to cruise the small transaction fee should not really be a concern. You will find that very few places accept the Discover Card, so you should plan on having an alternative ready.

[Nitemare]

We made a $120 purchase at the pharmacy in Cozumel on our last cruise. I knew that our Visa charged a small foreign transaction fee, so I was not surprised when it hit our bill. It was a whopping $3.60 - to me, well worth the convenience.

 

Exactly.

 

I'm on vacation. If I have to pay 3% more for the convenience of a credit card and not having to change money (at a bad rate) and maybe having some left over, I'm using the credit card every time.

[Bonnie J.]

Make sure you let your credit card company know you may be making charges out of the country- in the Caribbean. Then your card won't be rejected and turned down.

[4x4bob]

While I carry a credit card with me when off ship, I prefer to pay with Cash. That way I will not be concerned when the shop keeper takes the card into the back room to process the card.

 

Bob

[Nitemare]

While I carry a credit card with me when off ship, I prefer to pay with Cash. That way I will not be concerned when the shop keeper takes the card into the back room to process the card.

 

Bob

 

I don't worry about that for one second, as we are all fully insured against CC fraud. They can have my credit card's digits and do what they please with them.

[toberman]

Exactly.

 

I'm on vacation. If I have to pay 3% more for the convenience of a credit card and not having to change money (at a bad rate) and maybe having some left over, I'm using the credit card every time.

 

But.... Just about every place in the Caribbean will accept US$ (cash) !

[bakersdozen12]

Preparing for our cruise which includes Bermuda, St. Martin, and PR. My regular card (Mastercard) has a foreign transaction fee. I have a Discover card which does not. Will the Discover card be accepted at most place on the those islands?

 

 

My Southwest Visa also waves foreign transaction fees. Also, they typically give bonus points when you sign up. I used mine to book my flight to New Orleans for free. [emoji16]

[JVilleGal]

I don't even bring Discover when traveling as it is so RARELY accepted.

[sail7seas]

I don't even bring Discover when traveling as it is so RARELY accepted.

 

Depends to where you are traveling. If domestic, lots of places accept it. If International, not so many.

 

[sail7seas]

Some experienced travelers choose to walk the streets daily in ports with minimal amount of cash. Easy to get a credit card replaced but once the cash is lost/stolen, not so easy.

 

I carry enough to make me comfortable for taxi, lunch, unexpected circumstance but not so much I'd chase a jerk down the street who tried to steal it.

 

(That 'comfort zone amount' certainly will vary for each of us depending upon so many variables.)

[JVilleGal]

Depends to where you are traveling. If domestic, lots of places accept it. If International, not so many.

 

 

 

 

 

Sorry referring to Internationally! Not worth the bother when out of the U.S.

[sail7seas]

Agreed. :)

[zqvol]

While I carry a credit card with me when off ship, I prefer to pay with Cash. That way I will not be concerned when the shop keeper takes the card into the back room to process the card.

 

Bob

 

 

I've never seen that happen, they always handle it right in front of me, but even if they don't I don't care. You have great protection using a CC, and are not liable for fraudulent charges.