Currency for cruise around British Isles

[VMax1700]

1 hour ago, rocklinmom said:

Yes Belfast uses GBP. Even though they are in Northern Ireland they are part of UK. 

And here again be careful if using paper money!  Northern Ireland banks issue their own notes, in pounds sterling, but Northern Ireland notes will not be accepted in London stores (experience, not hearsay!).  So ensure that any notes you receive in change is Bank of England notes.  If you withdraw from an ATM and get Bank of Ireland, Allied Irish Bank, Ulster Bank etc notes, then change them in a bank, ask a retailer to change them for you (they will oblige, specially if you make a small purchase!) or make sure you spend them.  Hearsay is that UK Banks will change them @ 90p for 1 pound.

 

Northern Ireland shops accept English, Irish and Scottish notes!

Edited July 11, 2019 by VMax1700

[ducklite]

On 7/8/2019 at 12:07 PM, turnip eater said:

If you’re going to Northern Ireland eg Belfast , you’ll use GB pounds there too. Part of UK of GB and NI. 

Also, St Helier, (Jersey), Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own  Sterling notes. Easiest to use CCs 😳😄

Belfast is on the Pound Sterling and English notes are gladly accepted there.  Scottish not as much.  Beware because NI also has it's own notes in pounds, and you will have a challenging time using them outside of NI in the rest of the UK.  Particularly with Brexit looming, make sure you get your change in British pounds and not in NI notes.  I'm not convinced that NI won't cease to exist as a country within the next five years.

[tartanexile81]

I'm asking for a group of 4 couples who will walk down the Royal Mile after visiting the Castle.  Would you be able to recommend a few restaurants where we can grab lunch that can handle a group of 8 walking in at once?  Thanks.  

 

Roo, I think it will be very hard to get  table for 8 on the Royal Mile. It is so busy and so touristy and although there's a huge amount of choice I don't think I could suggest any restaurant where you could just walk in and definitely get  a table for 8. Could you not just reserve a table say for 2 hours after your time slot at the Castle? 

[Roo]

Thanks everyone for your information!

 

[cherylakers]

On 7/10/2019 at 3:21 PM, markeb said:

 

The ATMs in the arrivals hall at Heathrow if memory serves (and also Paddington) are Travelex, not a bank. There may be bank ATMs at Heathrow, but I've never found one, and I've looked. When I've needed to, I've pulled a few pounds there, but normally wait until I'm in the city where there are abundant banks and ATMs. And on my most recent trips, I've been able to get by on plastic and Apple Pay.

We just might have to wait then.  I know we can use a credit card to pay our car service.  We might have to get a few before we leave from our bank here so we have tip money.

 

Thanks for the hint!

[RM]

7 hours ago, rocklinmom said:

Yes Belfast uses GBP. Even though they are in Northern Ireland they are part of UK. 

Thank you

[LondonTowner]

On 7/9/2019 at 11:53 PM, gnome12 said:

I haven't been to London in over 20 years, and this will be my first trip to Scotland, so obviously I am only going by what I hear. It was here on these boards that I heard people say that trying to use Scottish bank notes in England could be a problem.

I e never had any problem using Scottish pound notes in England.

[gnome12]

16 minutes ago, LondonTowner said:

I e never had any problem using Scottish pound notes in England.

Post 26 says he has experience of not being able to use Northern Irish bills in London. I'll stick to British pounds to be safe. (Actually, since the only bills that my currency exchange had were £5 notes, any change I get will be in coins, and this is irrelevant unless I need extra cash.) 

[phabric]

I had taken your cruise in 2015.

 

 One of our table mates, had taken a Princess excursion, they had stopped for lunch at their owe expense, when it was time to pay, the small restaurant would not take US$ or credit card.  The man had to go to the post office to get cash and go back and pay the bill.  They had not brought any £ or Euro, only US$.  They thought every place took US$ or credit card.

 

Bring a small amount of cash with you.

[newgrange]

Reiterating the warning not to get stuck with 'local' sterling. UK not so united when it comes to accepting Northern Irish or Scottish notes outside their original home. Don't get stuck with them, ask for change in 'real' sterling if you are intending change your money back once you get home, or going to 'Bank of England' territory later.

[GrJ Berkshire]

On ‎7‎/‎12‎/‎2019 at 2:33 PM, phabric said:

I had taken your cruise in 2015.

 

 One of our table mates, had taken a Princess excursion, they had stopped for lunch at their owe expense, when it was time to pay, the small restaurant would not take US$ or credit card.  The man had to go to the post office to get cash and go back and pay the bill.  They had not brought any £ or Euro, only US$.  They thought every place took US$ or credit card.

 

Bring a small amount of cash with you.

'Amazing to me that any well travelled person would expect that US $ would be excepted in the UK !!!

Equally many small establishments will not take credit cards as the cut that the card companies take can be 3%, so also lots of places have a £10 of more minimum purchase to use a cc. In mainland Europe the non- acceptance of credit cards is not unusual especially in Germany and Italy in rural locations..Use of cards in some rural locations in UK can be quite funny with card machines held above the head, taken outside to get a signal in poor WiFi areas.The cc's also will only work with a 4 digit pin, the sign option may be accepted in London, but not out in the sticks. The same for Scottish notes they are legal tender but in the rural locations with few bank branches remaining they will not be popular and may be refused. I can't answer for Northern Irish notes as they are very rarely seen in south of England but would therefore be treated with some suspicion.

[Highpeaklad]

On 7/11/2019 at 2:15 PM, rocklinmom said:

Yes Belfast uses GBP. Even though they are in Northern Ireland they are part of UK. 

 

The clue is in the name: The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 😉