Currencies on SA Cruise

[davwen81]

FYI, We just finished a Buenos Aires to Santiago cruise on the Sun with 6 days in Argentina at the front end to see Iguazu Falls and Buenos Aires. Thankfully we brought enough cash to pay for everything because we had a terrible time getting money from an ATM. Using two different bank cards we were only able to get money one time and all we could get was 2000 pesos (with an 82 peso fee). The walking tour guide said they can't keep money in the ATMs because the peso has devalued so much and they have no large denomination bills so the machines don't hold much money. We had to have pesos for the Iguazu Falls entrance fee but everything else, their shops, restaurants and boat rides did take credit cards. Fortunately, our hotel in Iguazu had change for $150 so we could get in the second day. We exchanged some more at the AEP airport when we flew back from Iguazu at 14.30 pesos/$

 

We were in Punta Arenas on a Sunday. The cruise lecturer said the banks would be closed but the ATMs would still be available but we tried 5 different banks after we returned from our excursion at 5 andall were locked. Luckily everyone accepted US during the cruise and our guide for a walking tour in Valparaiso took us to an exchange place when we got enough for the day and the (very nice) bus to Santiago and the airport.

 

 

Thanks for that information, very helpful

 

 

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Edited November 19, 2016 by davwen81

[Northern Aurora]

Also wanted to thank "mdod" on their update. When we spent several days in Buenos Aires in 2015 prior to a cruise it was clear that few ATM machines had any pesos, but it wasn't a problem for us as we had much more US currency with us that we would ever normally carry. We will be returning to BA in early March to spend a few days before boarding another cruise so have been following the currency situation.

[sitraveler]

Useful, but out of date.

 

No longer a "blue" rate. Currency is floating, ATM's should be fine. Chile seems to prefer US dollars.

[davwen81]

Useful, but out of date.

 

No longer a "blue" rate. Currency is floating, ATM's should be fine. Chile seems to prefer US dollars.

 

 

You are wrong, this is from February this year when there was no BLUE rate ( and that wasn't even mentioned in the post!) and is how they found it in BA after the devaluation last year, so it is very current information!

YOUR information is what's out of date!

 

 

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[Northern Aurora]

Useful, but out of date.

 

No longer a "blue" rate. Currency is floating, ATM's should be fine. Chile seems to prefer US dollars.

 

"mdod" posted on February 17, 2016. If you have information that you would consider to be more useful, we are interested in reading it.

[thinfool]

This article may have current information...

 

https://vamospanish.com/pesos-vs-dollars-vs-credit-cards-argentina/

[land lover]

We're boarding the Star Princess at Rio to Chile, 4 Jan - 18 Jan 2016. I just heard this crazy information from couples who have been on a cruise to SA. Please verify the accuracy. US dollars have to be crisp with no folds on the edges???

 

This is not crazy info at all, it has been the standard for years when traveling abroad.