Euros or U.S. Dollars

[Marlster]

Doing a river cruise Amsterdam to Budapest. Do any of these countries accept USD or do you have to use euros?

Marlster

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Doing a river cruise Amsterdam to Budapest. Do any of these countries accept USD or do you have to use euros?

Marlster

 

You're kidding, right? Would euros be acceptable at a typical restaurant in the U.S.?

Edited April 1, 2016 by Wendy The Wanderer

[Host Jazzbeau]

Doing a river cruise Amsterdam to Budapest. Do any of these countries accept USD or do you have to use euros?

Marlster

 

You're kidding, right? Would euros be acceptable at a typical restaurant in the U.S.?

 

Marlster is from Canada. Why would you want to exchange into one foreign currency (US Dollars) and then use it in a different foreign area (Euro zone)? Most of the countries on your cruise will be in Euro zone -- Hungary isn't and you will be better off with their local currency, but because they share borders with Euro countries you can probably use Euros there without too much problem or bad exchange rate. US dollars will always get you a bad exchange rate in retail establishments. But the best advice is to get a credit card with no foreign transaction fees and then charge everything you can in the local currency -- the credit card will give you an excellent exchange rate. For the small stuff, get a little local currency at an ATM [easy to find, although probably not called that].

[franski]

But the best advice is to get a credit card with no foreign transaction fees and then charge everything you can in the local currency -- the credit card will give you an excellent exchange rate. For the small stuff, get a little local currency at an ATM [easy to find, although probably not called that].

 

Marlster - depending on which bank you deal with, you may be able to use some of the ATMs without incurring fees. We bank with Scotia - and they have articulation agreements with many banks (ie: Deutschebank in Germany, PNP Paribas in France, Barclay's in the UK) so can use their ATMs free of charge when traveling.

 

We get enough local currency to start and then top up at ATMs along the way. Your guides can always help find an ATM.

 

Fran

[JVilleGal]

You need Euros!

[hdcnm]

Travelex has a prepaid debit card that you can load with Euros and a number of other currencies. Its called a Cash Passport We have used it when we travel many times. You can purchase it on line or at one of their stores or in their shopping mall kiosks. It has worked out very well for us. You can also reload it. This is the link to the website:

https://www.travelex.com/cash-passport/cash-passport

[steamboats]

Except for Hungary (Hungarian Forint) all other contries do have Euro as currency. None will accept US Dollars as payment - except maybe some overpriced souvenir stands in Hungary but they do accept Euro as well.

 

steamboats

[Floridiana]

Don't pounce on Marlster. :rolleyes: I have been to places where USD were preferred - Cambodia - and where it was the official currency - Ecuador. The question is legit, but the answer is no. Use Euros in the Netherlands, Germany and Austria. Forint in Hungary.

[JVilleGal]

We ordered 300 Euros from our bank at home so we would have some money with us when we landed. Also we always split the money & credit cards between us (so if something happens with my purse or DH wallet) we still have a credit card (we carry different cards each) and some money. We also have ATM cards for two different banks. And yes you can find ATM machines on arrival at the airport but I am just too tired to want to do that. I want my bags, get thru immigration and get the heck out of the airport. I don't want to also need to search out an ATM machine. That's just me. Order some Euros from your bank at home, usually takes 24-48 hrs and a tiny fee :)

[Kylie]

What do you think is a reasonable amount of euros to start with for our Amsterdam to Budapest cruise? I was thinking 200 (or about $220 US). Should we get more? We are going use an ATM at the airport.

[JVilleGal]

What do you think is a reasonable amount of euros to start with for our Amsterdam to Budapest cruise? I was thinking 200 (or about $220 US). Should we get more? We are going use an ATM at the airport.

 

 

Sounds reasonable! Just so you have money in your pocket and can pay for lunch or a taxi. You never know!

[TravelerThom]

Sounds reasonable! Just so you have money in your pocket and can pay for lunch or a taxi. You never know!

For cruise lines that do not include tips, many will accept either cash or credit cards for crew tips. I always start with enough Euros for modest expenditures and tips; if I spend more, then I give the remaining Euros and fill-in with a credit card. Actually we leave tomorrow for Portugal Douro River and still have a bunch of Euros that we got last year at $1.06.

 

Thom

[CPT Trips]

Sounds reasonable! Just so you have money in your pocket and can pay for lunch or a taxi. You never know!

 

Agreed! You can use leftovers for program/cruise director, concierge and crew tips. Or retain the Euros for future travels.

[Marlster]

You're kidding, right? Would euros be acceptable at a typical restaurant in the U.S.?

 

I wasn't sure, that's all just asking a question.

[Marlster]

Marlster is from Canada. Why would you want to exchange into one foreign currency (US Dollars) and then use it in a different foreign area (Euro zone)? Most of the countries on your cruise will be in Euro zone -- Hungary isn't and you will be better off with their local currency, but because they share borders with Euro countries you can probably use Euros there without too much problem or bad exchange rate. US dollars will always get you a bad exchange rate in retail establishments. But the best advice is to get a credit card with no foreign transaction fees and then charge everything you can in the local currency -- the credit card will give you an excellent exchange rate. For the small stuff, get a little local currency at an ATM [easy to find, although probably not called that].

 

Thank you, I do have a lot of american dollars on hand that is why I was asking, thanks. I will have to check into the credit card you are talking about, but I dont think we have such a thing.

Marlster

[Capt_BJ]

everything said Euro was not accepted in Hungary

 

so at the airport I got F' from the ATM; we already had EURO in hand

 

every time we bought something in H' the price presented to us was in E ..... we had to ask for a price in F

 

maybe we looked too US . . . .

[Marlster]

Marlster - depending on which bank you deal with, you may be able to use some of the ATMs without incurring fees. We bank with Scotia - and they have articulation agreements with many banks (ie: Deutschebank in Germany, PNP Paribas in France, Barclay's in the UK) so can use their ATMs free of charge when traveling.

 

We get enough local currency to start and then top up at ATMs along the way. Your guides can always help find an ATM.

 

Fran

 

That is very interesting, we deal with CIBC and Coast Capital, will check with them.

Marlster

[Marlster]

Don't pounce on Marlster. :rolleyes: I have been to places where USD were preferred - Cambodia - and where it was the official currency - Ecuador. The question is legit, but the answer is no. Use Euros in the Netherlands, Germany and Austria. Forint in Hungary.

 

Thank you so much for defending me, have never had a comment like that in all the years I have been on CC, there is always someone that is probably having a bad day, I am giving them this excuse rather than being nasty.

Marlster

[nancyevans]

1. I usually get some local currency here in the US before I travel.

2. IMO don't use an ATM at the airport. I'm usually tired coming off the plane and don't want to be an easy target for pickpockets. Plus too many people see you use the ATM and know you have cash.

3. Look carefully at ATMs in Hungary. You can select small bills. Some shop keepers don't like to accept large bills for small purchases.

4. Get a credit card with no foreign exchange fees.

[purduemom1]

everything said Euro was not accepted in Hungary

 

so at the airport I got F' from the ATM; we already had EURO in hand

 

every time we bought something in H' the price presented to us was in E ..... we had to ask for a price in F

 

maybe we looked too US . . . .

 

Interesting. The only places we saw prices only in € were in shops that sold exclusively to tourists. Some even had Paprika priced in USD! Boy was that price way out of line! We shopped at the Great Market Hall and most prices were in Forents although € were sometimes also shown. Using the money exchange app on my phone quickly showed that the € price was quite a bit higher.

[purduemom1]

1. I usually get some local currency here in the US before I travel.

2. IMO don't use an ATM at the airport. I'm usually tired coming off the plane and don't want to be an easy target for pickpockets. Plus too many people see you use the ATM and know you have cash.

3. Look carefully at ATMs in Hungary. You can select small bills. Some shop keepers don't like to accept large bills for small purchases.

4. Get a credit card with no foreign exchange fees.

 

You can also take out an odd amount and will then receive some smaller bills. We made smaller withdrawals of odd amounts and had no problem using the bills. Also did this in the Czech Republic. Not all ATMs offered a choice of denominations.

[jpalbny]

We'll be arriving in Budapest on Friday, and I'll be looking for the equivalent of an ATM at some point that day. BofA's global alliance keeps expanding but so far nothing in Hungary, so I'll have to eat the $5 plus 3% ATM fee. But since the typical exchange rate is inflated 10%, as long as I get more than USD 100 in a transaction, I'm coming out ahead. I'll probably get $200 in local currency when I find an ATM.

 

I always use an ATM for Euros, and I get 500 at a time. The BofA alliance with banks in Germany, France, Spain, Italy, and a bunch of other Euro countries means that the $5 fee is waived and there is only the 3% fee on withdrawals. So I get a stockpile, and just spend as I need, and bring the rest home for next trip. That reminds me; need to check and see how many are sitting in my travel wallet and I'll probably restock once we get to Germany. Deutsche Bank is a freebie there.

 

Sometimes I've brought my Euros to seemingly odd places and exchanged them for local currency, instead of exchanging my USD. I've done this in Jordan and Tanzania, to name a few. The exchange rates weren't far off, plus the Euros would have been sitting in my wallet for months, otherwise unused, since I can't spend them at home. So it was better to use them. When the Euro was stronger this strategy worked a little better.

 

The Euro vs. Forint pricing was on full display when we bought our Budapest cards online last week. They quoted prices in both Euros and Forints. The markup to pay in Euros was only about 3%, but it was there. I opted to pay in Forints, and I saved about $2 by paying attention to this. I have the XE.com app on my phone so I can compare on the fly.

 

Since we've purchased the Budapest cards online, we can pick them up at the airport, and use them for public transport to our hotel. So there is no pressure to find an ATM immediately upon landing. Can't wait to get there!

Edited April 2, 2016 by jpalbny

[CPT Trips]

Just a note - today was the first time we encountered an ATM that only took chip cards. Found one around the corner that took my mag stripe so all was well.

[jpalbny]

Just a note - today was the first time we encountered an ATM that only took chip cards. Found one around the corner that took my mag stripe so all was well.

 

Where was that? Have seen them in Canada but not (yet) anywhere else. Got a chip ATM card recently though, so not worried when it does eventually happen.

[nyfeds]

On any trip, we always bring a couple of hundred in local currency of the country. ATMs are readily available all over the world. Easy enough to withdraw more local currency, on an as needed basis.