Changing Money

[Ombud]

I know I can withdraw from any ATM .... that isn't my concern. I've already figured out how much pocket cash I want 

 

I will depart from SFO to late to buy Canadian there and my bank doesn't have a physical branch close to me. Can the PSD change USD into Canadian so that I'm not trying to hunt down an ATM at my 1st stop?

 

Do I even need Canadian?

Edited May 2, 2019 by Ombud

[skynight]

I know you stated that you will not have easy access to an ATM, but are you flying to Canada? If yes, there is almost certainly an ATM at the airport when you land.

[Ombud]

No. I fly to Miami and sail north from Fort Lauderdale to Quebec 

[AVP133]

U.S. money is generally accepted at stores, hotels and restaurants in Canada but they will usually give you a lower rate than financial institutions.

[Ombud]

Thanks. It's just pocket money so I won't worry. Using Visa for larger purchases 🤑

[skynight]

Looks like there are a half dozen banks within easy walking distance of the pier in St. John, your 1st stop in Canada.

[Thrak]

They may accept US currency but it's rude. Canadians can't come to the US and use Canadian money so why would people expect to use US currency in Canada? It will be simple to find an ATM once you get there. Credit cards work for most purchases but for cash purchases please get the local currency. It's only polite.

[Ombud]

Thanks. That's what I thought! It is a different country so it's probably easier for those working a festival to just get Canadian (Buskers Festival in Halifax is my 2nd stop .... will visit ATMs in St John)

[tillys mom]

I will just offer this if you really, really prefer taking some money with you.

 

ATMs are easy, but if you want to carry currency with you, Wells Fargo sells almost any country’s. You can keep $300 in an account and there is no banking charge. When you get ready to purchase, deposit the amount in USD to cover the foreign currency you want and then call and buy. You can have it shipped to a local bank or mailed to you. There is a small fee, but I prefer this to finding an ATM and worrying about rates.

[tailspintom]

2 hours ago, Thrak said:

They may accept US currency but it's rude. Canadians can't come to the US and use Canadian money so why would people expect to use US currency in Canada? It will be simple to find an ATM once you get there. Credit cards work for most purchases but for cash purchases please get the local currency. It's only polite.

Well, here is a rare occasion where we disagree.  Accepting or offering a currency ought not to be considered neither rude nor polite.  If a person offering products or services in Canada does not wish to deal in US currency, they do not need to accept it.  They do it because they benefit from the exchange,  Otherwise, why do it?

[Thrak]

My comment was based on a few comments made by Canadian citizens who shook their heads at the fact Americans seemed to "expect" other countries to accept US currency. Personally I have never understood why anybody would expect to be able to use US currency in Canada. For the most part we just use a credit card when we travel. We did travel through several Canadian provinces a couple of years back and used local ATMs to get Canadian currency as we were in the country for several weeks.

[bemis12]

4 hours ago, Thrak said:

They may accept US currency but it's rude. Canadians can't come to the US and use Canadian money so why would people expect to use US currency in Canada? It will be simple to find an ATM once you get there. Credit cards work for most purchases but for cash purchases please get the local currency. It's only polite.

 

In my business, as in theirs, I get to choose the methods of payment I will accept. I accept some methods that are more expensive to me and a greater hassle.  I do this to increase my sales.

 

There's nothing rude about choosing any method I have indicated is acceptable.

[Fouremco]

1 hour ago, Thrak said:

My comment was based on a few comments made by Canadian citizens who shook their heads at the fact Americans seemed to "expect" other countries to accept US currency.

Speaking as a Canadian, I see no problem with Americans travellers expecting most other countries to accept the USD. Along with the euro and the yen, the USD is a "global currency" that is accepted for trade throughout the world. As the exchange rate offered by Canadian (and other) merchants will always favour them, they'd almost always prefer USD, given the choice.

[AZ Stan (FKA Stan in Chicago)]

6 hours ago, tillys mom said:

I will just offer this if you really, really prefer taking some money with you.

 

ATMs are easy, but if you want to carry currency with you, Wells Fargo sells almost any country’s. You can keep $300 in an account and there is no banking charge. When you get ready to purchase, deposit the amount in USD to cover the foreign currency you want and then call and buy. You can have it shipped to a local bank or mailed to you. There is a small fee, but I prefer this to finding an ATM and worrying about rates.

The exchange rates used by the ATM networks are wholesale rates, much better than any you will get buying foreign currencies from a bank in the U.S.

Stan

[Steelers36]

Agree with those posting about paying in USD currency in Canada.  Major cities, especially near the border, often have this situation in touristic areas.  Anytime I have seen a card posted by a retailer as to the rate they are offering, it is a terrible ripoff and I am embarrassed to see American tourists being taken advantage of that way.  It's great for the retailer who can pocket the USD at end of the day and replace it with CAD for way less than they can purchase USD for travel south. 

 

Thrak, this really isn't such a big deal.  That said, there are going to be places that might not have a posted rate and then a sales clerk is going to have to ask a manager and it becomes a bit of a "thing" to get it done. 

 

My advice is to use credit card and limit acquiring cash.  Especially if you have one that doesn't charge a foreign currency surcharge.  They are accepted almost everywhere and for almost anything and everything - even small purchases.  Same as in USA. 

 

But also look into ATM fees and rates.  Perhaps your bank in the US has a partnership of sorts with a Canadian bank.  TD Bank in the US (lots of presence up and down east coast) is owned by TD Canada Trust in Canada and might offer better rate for its customers.

 

We Canadians have it lucky as our banks offer USD credit cards as readily as CAD cards and we also have USD bank accounts - again just a prevalent as CAD accounts. 

 

[Thrak]

For all those responding to my comment about using USD in Canada, consider me properly chastised.

[Lucky TGO]

1 hour ago, Thrak said:

For all those responding to my comment about using USD in Canada, consider me properly chastised.

Hi Thrak,

It’s OK your a good guy in my book. 😁 

Tony

 

[Knickearth]

17 hours ago, Ombud said:

Thanks. It's just pocket money so I won't worry. Using Visa for larger purchases 🤑

Make sure your visa has a "no foreign transaction fees".  It makes a big differences especially if you are planning large purchases.

 

[Gwendy]

8 hours ago, Thrak said:

For all those responding to my comment about using USD in Canada, consider me properly chastised.

One of my pet peeves is people who won’t make the effort to get and use local currency,  Once was behind a woman who wanted to pay in US$ in Sweden, because “I don’t understand whatever money you people use”.  Enough said about rude.

[Ombud]

2 hours ago, Gwendy said:

One of my pet peeves is people who won’t make the effort to get and use local currency,  Once was behind a woman who wanted to pay in US$ in Sweden, because “I don’t understand whatever money you people use”.  Enough said about rude.

So rude!!

 

There are festivals in 5 out of our 10 ports and I've been to the ports before so will go to the festivals. I would never go to our local Art & Wine Festival and expect vendors to take charge cards for small purchases (absorbing the 2-3% card fees) nor would I expect these vendors to so while also incurring international transaction fees thus losing 5%+ of all sales. The big stores can absorb it

 

Will hit the ATM in St John

[BarbinMich]

Whatever you do, don't use the ATM offering foreign currency aboard the ship.  The exchange rate is extremely unfavorable and there is a service charge as well.  Usually have done what others have said, getting local currency at ATMs.  Once, however, for a reason I can't remember, we had to use the ship's ATM and encountered quite a bad exchange rate and/or large fee, can't remember which.  In the UK, it is possible to get cash from ATMs at Barclay Banks with no charge if you have a Bank of America ATM card as BOA and Barclay are affiliates, as I recall.  So if you're in Southampton, you can take out pounds with no charge or fee; I've done this several times--there are ATMs in the big mall and elsewhere.

[TM]

Pretty much all vendors and retailers in the Canadian cities will accept US dollars.  In fact many like getting them.  They will however most likely charge you the same.  So if an item is $30 Canadian thy're not going to do the math.  They expect you to pay $30 US which is to their advantage when they convert it to US dollars and they come out ahead..

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, TM said:

Pretty much all vendors and retailers in the Canadian cities will accept US dollars.  In fact many like getting them.  They will however most likely charge you the same.  So if an item is $30 Canadian thy're not going to do the math.  They expect you to pay $30 US which is to their advantage when they convert it to US dollars and they come out ahead..

I know the conversion rates will be poor, but if a retailer pulled this stunt, it is a black eye on tourism IMO since the current exchange is around 33%, so a tourist would ideally get 25% off the CAD price.  Giving 20% off would not be unreasonable and the vendor still makes out well.

 

[macmax]

Canadian vendors etc are under no obligation to accept USD but many in border towns and/or tourist areas do but set there own exchange rate. It's no different than trying to use USD in the UK or Europe and if accepted, any change will be in the local currency.

 

On the other hand, Canadian currency has never been accepted in the states even in border towns. We even get our Canadian pennies turned down. Thankfully we have discontinued those useless things.

[Redwing55]

28 minutes ago, macmax said:

 

 

On the other hand, Canadian currency has never been accepted in the states even in border towns. We even get our Canadian pennies turned down. Thankfully we have discontinued those useless things.

UH, not true.  We grew up in Detroit, and it was commonly used.  Almost always the change was valid.  As for the paper money, it was hit and miss.   Granted, this was 40-50 years back.  But heck I still recall all that not long ago.. less than 10 years, being able to use Canadian coins.  

 

Also, it was pretty common to get Canadian coins back as change.  I even got that as tips when I was a paperboy.  One of the bigger issues these day is the strength of the Dollar... one loses to much on a 1 to 1 exchange.