Use of U.S. credit cards in Cuba

[sail7seas]

Can anyone with U.S. credit cards, confirm they were avble to use them in Cuba?

 

Thanks. I have been told cards from other coungtries can be used but not U.S ? (yet)

[VACARITraveler]

When we there they did not take US credit cards and charged a 10 percent penalty for converting US currency (we exchanged euros - no penalty)

 

 

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[CHOPPERTESTER]

Take clean Canadian bills to exchange to avoid the 10% US penalty on top of a very bad exchange rate.

[wander]

This past spring in Cuba any US credit cards were useless, do not know about Canadian or others.

 

Best to take Canadian dollars or Euros - stiff fee to exchange US dollars. I had a collection of Canadian bills ready to take with me to Cuba. I neglected to pack them (darn) and had to just accept the fee to exchange of USD in Cuba. I actually only had to pay for souvenirs. Hard to spend much on such in Cuba so I needed only about $50 USD for 7 days on shore in Cuba.

[RJ2002]

We were in Cuba last spring on a land tour. I researched our US credits cards carefully, and confirmed none of ours could be used in Cuba. In our current situation, I don't see that changing anytime soon.

 

We were on essentially an inclusive tour, with only a few meals on our own, please any purchases we wanted to make. I think we ended up taking $600, and changed maybe $300 to CUCs, which we spent on a few meals and drinks, and a few souvenirs.

[sapper1]

Our experience was that Canadian credit cards were accepted but you had to show your passport at the time of use. Cards drawn on US banks were not accepted.

That may change. Who knows.

US cash was discouraged by the imposition of a very high rate of exchange. Canadian cash was accepted for exchange into Cuban tourist pesos and could be exchanged back before leaving the country. Tips in Canadian dollars were preferred.

[senorjim]

Can anyone with U.S. credit cards, confirm they were avble to use them in Cuba?

 

 

 

Thanks. I have been told cards from other coungtries can be used but not U.S ? (yet)

 

 

 

No

 

 

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[pv girl]

Sapper - thanks!

 

Your info was very helpful to those from the US. You opened the door to the possibility of using Canadian $ or Euros - easy work-around for those who only have US credit cards. We can get those two foreign currencies very easily.