Canadian Currency

[TheCalicoCat]

For our port stop in Victoria, where can I change USD into CAD?

 

(I'm considering the Harbor Ferry & assume that I will need cash for entrance. Ditto taxis...)

[cruising_chow]

You could buy Canadian cash in advance or we do accept US dollars in Canada eh.

 

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[xlxo]

I believe those services accept plastic. Of course Loonies and Toonies are welcome too.

[sherryf]

We never bother to get Canadian money. We either use plastic, or just use US cash. They typically accept it 1:1, so you may lose a little, depending on the current exchange rate, but it's worth it for the convenience on small purchases if they don't take plastic.

[VennDiagram]

For our port stop in Victoria, where can I change USD into CAD?

 

(I'm considering the Harbor Ferry & assume that I will need cash for entrance. Ditto taxis...)

 

What day of the week are you in Victoria? Are you walking or taxi-ing to the Harbour Ferry? There may be a bank on your route (where you could exchange US cash for Cdn). Or there is a shop right at the port where you could buy a small item and get change in Cdn $$$s.

 

Or pay using US cash. When we took the little boats around the harbour, I think they wanted cash (but my memory on that is a bit foggy). I am pretty sure you can use your US credit card for a taxi.

[zdcatc12]

We never bother to get Canadian money. We either use plastic, or just use US cash. They typically accept it 1:1, so you may lose a little, depending on the current exchange rate, but it's worth it for the convenience on small purchases if they don't take plastic.

 

I wouldn't consider 25% little. For very small purchases, yes, but anything else, no. We took a tour and getting cash from the ATM, the exchange rate was so good, that we actually paid less than what we were quoted for the tour, i.e. $85 USD or $100 CD for the tour, after getting $200 CD cash from the ATM, the after conversion amount was only around $160.

[rkacruiser]

I strongly suggest getting a small amount of Canadian currency from your local bank or AAA. Trying to find an ATM on arrival and hoping that it will work and not "eat" one's debit card is a waste of one's limited sightseeing time in a port.

[alwaysfrantic]

We got a little from an ATM in Canada. No problems. But mainly used a credit card for everything

[sherryf]

I wouldn't consider 25% little. For very small purchases, yes, but anything else, no.

 

Well, the exchange rate varies over the years. It hasn't always been as extreme as it is now. And I did say I did that for small purchases, usually under $5 in places where they don't take plastic.

[martincath]

If it's literally just for small stuff that you can't pay by credit card, unless you have out of country ATM fees refunded by your bank, then just breaking a $20 in Timmies or any of the many touristy businesses will cost you less in total than taking cash out of an ATM since they usually incur a fixed fee than becomes a horrific % of a small withdrawal.

 

You could also ask for a few CAD at reception on the ship - while their rates will be worse than a bank, they're usually better than the unofficial taxi/mom & pop store rates. I know I've swapped my CAD for USD when I've forgotten to fill my wallet before cruising, so they seem to keep at least some sensible foreign currencies onboard.