Exchange US cash at Home or Cuban Pier

[Cruisin4aTan]

I have seen many threads on the exchange booths at the pier. Is there a reason that we would not want to exchange it prior to leaving Tampa?

[VidaNaPraia]

I have seen many threads on the exchange booths at the pier. Is there a reason that we would not want to exchange it prior to leaving Tampa?

 

Yes, a very good one. The CUC is officially exchangeable only within the country of Cuba,

[Cruisin4aTan]

Well that was fast and quick. lol Thank you, now I know!!

[VidaNaPraia]

Well that was fast and quick. lol Thank you, now I know!!

 

As they say down there:

Es Cuba!

[hannibal54]

I have seen many threads on the exchange booths at the pier. Is there a reason that we would not want to exchange it prior to leaving Tampa?

 

You will be charged a 10% embargo penalty, plus a 3% exchange rate fee. If you exchange $100.00 you will get 87 cucs in return. Some places will take US money, I sometimes got dollars in change.

[Luckyladyh]

Am I reading correctly that you should exchange your USD for CUC once arriving in Havana? Where do you do this?

 

With so many people getting off the ship - is it crowded at the money exchange spots? Thank you.

[hannibal54]

Am I reading correctly that you should exchange your USD for CUC once arriving in Havana? Where do you do this?

 

With so many people getting off the ship - is it crowded at the money exchange spots? Thank you.

 

Once we got off of the ship and made our way through the Cuban security, we walked straight ahead to the exchange area in the terminal. There were a couple people there to direct you to the next available teller. It kind of reminded me of a bank. You go to the teller, hand her your money, they do their thing & hand you the Cuban money. This went very fast, I was worried about long lines but this didn't happen. One less thing to worry about.

[VidaNaPraia]

Am I reading correctly that you should exchange your USD for CUC once arriving in Havana? Where do you do this?

 

With so many people getting off the ship - is it crowded at the money exchange spots? Thank you.

 

For anyone not planning to get directly on board an excursion tour bus, there are about at least a half dozen locations (banks, cadecas, hotels) to exchange money within a few blocks of the pier in the Havana Vieja neighborhood.

The word to use to ask is CADECA. Any neighborhood resident can point the way.

[pbenjamin]

For anyone not planning to get directly on board an excursion tour bus, there are about at least a half dozen locations (banks, cadecas, hotels) to exchange money within a few blocks of the pier in the Havana Vieja neighborhood.

The word to use to ask is CADECA. Any neighborhood resident can point the way.

 

The currency exchange inside the terminal is much more convenient, actually, whether or not you are boarding a bus. If there are lines, and we did not encounter any, you are indoors with air conditioning. The CADECAs in or near Plaza de San Francisco all seemed to have long lines.

[VidaNaPraia]

Banks, hotel lobbies and cadecas also have air conditioning.

Certain times of year, September for example, are much hotter and more humid and therefore more tiring to walk around in Havana, than say March. But iif you require consistent air conditioning, Cuba may be difficult.

[babyclaytonmom]

Once we got off of the ship and made our way through the Cuban security, we walked straight ahead to the exchange area in the terminal. There were a couple people there to direct you to the next available teller. It kind of reminded me of a bank. You go to the teller, hand her your money, they do their thing & hand you the Cuban money. This went very fast, I was worried about long lines but this didn't happen. One less thing to worry about.

 

 

So to exchange your extra Cuban $ back to USD at the end of the day do you pay the 13% fee again?

[VidaNaPraia]

So to exchange your extra Cuban $ back to USD at the end of the day do you pay the 13% fee again?

 

No, just the 3% transaction fee.

Try to anticipate how much you need for purchases of any kind for the time you will be off the ship. You can always buy some inexpensive souvenirs for folks at home with a small amount of remaining cash in CUC at the last minute, instead of standing in line to exchange back.

[hannibal54]

So to exchange your extra Cuban $ back to USD at the end of the day do you pay the 13% fee again?

 

No, we have another cruise booked in Sept. that goes back to Havana so we kept any money that we have left for our next trip.