British Isles cruise money planning question

[cruisecle]

...Our plan for our BI will be to rely on our credit cards for major expenses that is at least accepted in major establishments.

 

Our experience has been that in Europe credit cards are used for all purchases, both large (major) and small. So we will get a small amount of local currency at an ATM.

[casofilia]

Take care, in the UK credit cards carry a fee but debit cards do not.

[caribill]

Take care, in the UK credit cards carry a fee but debit cards do not.

Is the fee from

(a) the merchant

(b) the merchant's bank

© your credit card bank

 

I ask because in our two trips to the UK last year there was no fee on any of our charges with credit cards.

[newport dave]

Take care, in the UK credit cards carry a fee but debit cards do not.

 

This isn't the case for over 90% of the shops. Virtually all the shops a tourist will use won't charge a fee. Some small corner shops may have a minimum purchase normally £5-10. It's normally only travel agents and some online sites that charge a fee. Anyway, from next Jan 19 all credit card fees charged extra to customers will become illegal. Probably means shops will just hike up the price a bit.

[newport dave]

Is the fee from

(a) the merchant

(b) the merchant's bank

© your credit card bank

 

I ask because in our two trips to the UK last year there was no fee on any of our charges with credit cards.

 

Don't know where he got that idea from, see my post above.

[Corfe Mixture]

Don't know where he got that idea from, see my post above.

 

 

 

I think he must have got it from the fact that SOME on line purchases of things like airline tickets (and Princess cruises final balance settlement - but not pre-purchases) apply an 'admin' charge when a credit card is used but not when a debit card is used.

 

For the record, and to emphasise Dave's point you will NEVER pay a different price in a UK / European store for using a credit card, though some will refuse to accept Amex.

 

However one point to note is that if your card is not denominated in the local currency then YOUR bank may charge different fees for using credit or debit card.

 

Certainly that is the case for me using my UK card in France where I:

a) get commission free withdrawals at Visa interbank rate from ATM using my debit card but unsurprisingly pay fees if I use my credit card to get cash out of an ATM

and

b) get commission free purchases at Visa interbank rate when using my credit card BUT PAY FOREIGN TRANSACTION FEES if I use my debit card for purchases.

 

Note: for information for UK readers, I am talking about a Nationwide Select account. I use this account commission free, on the above basis, in all the countries referred to in my earlier post.

Also, although I have a French bank account for direct debits etc., my Nationwide cards are my default cards for cash (debit card) and purchases (credit card) for the five months of the year I am sailing in France.

 

 

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Edited August 12, 2017 by Corfe Mixture

[susancruzs]

I use my debit card everywhere I travel. I do let my bank know I will be out of the country and where I'm visiting. I forgot visiting Canada once and had to get in touch with the bank via email (they were trying to reach me).

 

I also get cash from my regional bank before I go. This Fall I'll get Euros and Pound, they carry Euros but not the Pound. The money comes direct out of my savings, fee is minimal, plus current exchange rate.