Euros Question

[brer111]

We are just looking for suggestions from others regarding Euros. We are cruising Italy and Greece this month. Trying to figure out how much we should bring in Euros with us. We are sailing 10 days and will be in Rome 2 days before. I know we can use a credit card but we will need Euros for shuttles and other small things. Also how should we break down the Euros. TIA

 

Ellen

[schmoopie17]

This is no different than asking how much (in dollars) should we bring on a trip to Florida.

 

Nobody knows your spending habits, how many and what types of shuttles you will take, and how many and what kinds of "small things" you will buy.

 

To answer your question, I would say to start with 100-200 euro in small denominations so you aren't breaking big bills. If you run out, ATMs are everywhere.

 

Edited October 4, 2023 by schmoopie17

[complawyer]

italy wont take anything but euros. i would take about $1,000 worth of euros (considering the length  of your vacation), and just exchange whatever you dont spend when you get home

[SoloAlaska]

I would calculate a base amount based on these potential needs plus add in any potential shopping you may want to do. Not everyone accepts credit cards and if there’s a problem while you travel the cash will be nice to have on hand.

 

15-20 euros per person per port for shuttles and small tips.

10-20% of cost of shore excursions in tips

€ for coffee/snacks/water/lunch etc 

€ entry fees for museums etc you might visit

 

I always carry more than a days worth into port just in case but having the math for overall does help.

 

So as a solo traveler who doesn’t take big excursions or eat big meals during the day I plan on bringing €40 per day plus a few hundred for shopping for my European ports but will also have my credit and debit card if needed. On a given day I would carry €200 with a selection of small bills for the first 40 and the remaining in medium size bills. I never carry large bills since some places don’t accept them but if your buying more expensive items then the larger bills make sense.

[KeithJenner]

50 minutes ago, schmoopie17 said:

This is no different than asking how much (in dollars) should we bring on a trip to Florida.

 

Nobody knows your spending habits, how many and what types of shuttles you will take, and how many and what kinds of "small things" you will buy.

 

To answer your question, I would say to start with 100-200 euro in small denominations so you aren't breaking big bills. If you run out, ATMs are everywhere.

 

Correct answer here.

 

Personally, I would never take more than $50 in cash with me, and often don't have more than a few Euros on me. Just the same as I never carry cash around at home.

 

Others will want to take hundreds or thousands of Euros with them, as that this their preferred way of spending.

[CruiseMH]

3 hours ago, brer111 said:

. Also how should we break down the Euros. TIA

 

Everything up to 50-Euro bills is not a problem. But 100-Euro bills ..well..they might(!) be accepted but the people won`t be happy about it at all.

[ExArkie]

Also worth noting - apparently, no taxis in Athens take credit cards. If you plan to take a cab somewhere, it’ll have to be paid in euros.

[SoloAlaska]

45 minutes ago, CruiseMH said:

Everything up to 50-Euro bills is not a problem. But 100-Euro bills ..well..they might(!) be accepted but the people won`t be happy about it at all.

I think this also comes down to common sense no matter where you are. If your buying a coffee let’s say it’s preferable to use a 20 at most but if your going paying for a nice lunch the break out the 50.

[SoloAlaska]

45 minutes ago, CruiseMH said:

Everything up to 50-Euro bills is not a problem. But 100-Euro bills ..well..they might(!) be accepted but the people won`t be happy about it at all.

I think this also comes down to common sense no matter where you are. If your buying a coffee let’s say it’s preferable to use a 20 at most but if your going paying for a nice lunch the break out the 50.

[Nixxon]

As a general rule, southern European countries prefer cash in smaller restaurants and shops. The more you venture out of the main tourist areas, the more true it is. It often saves them the trouble of paying taxes. So I would bring enough to pay for at least lunch, transportation etc. on port days, as well as for smaller souvenirs. Probably about €100 per day in t0s, 20s and 50s will do the job. You can get cash in ATMs all over as well, and the exchange rate is usually better with the credit card company, So I would probably bring only a couple of hundred to get through through the first few port days, and use ATMs after that. 

[mapleleaves]

be sure to have some coins; most public bathrooms require a euro coin.

[eileeshb]

FYI euro notes smallest denomination is €5, you may want to get a bag of €2s or €1s at a local bank when you get there for tipping, but tipping is also not required in Europe so just a euro or two is generally plenty. 

[LauraAnneC]

For the most part, everyone pays with either a card or their phone nowadays, especially post Covid. It’s more rare to use cash. As for tipping, we do usually tip but nothing like the way tipping is done in the US.  Make sure you have a code for your card. No one signs anything here!

[amelia3171]

I would take €100 at most out at a bank ATM when you arrive. Almost everywhere takes credit cards. If they don’t, I would wonder why any tax paying business wouldn’t accept credit cards. 

[debenson0723]

3 hours ago, amelia3171 said:

I would take €100 at most out at a bank ATM when you arrive. Almost everywhere takes credit cards. If they don’t, I would wonder why any tax paying business wouldn’t accept credit cards. 

This is what I do.  I have a Capital One 360 checking account, opened online and completely fee free. I load up my debit card with cash before I leave for Europe (or any other foreign country I visit) and use it to pull out foreign currency from an ATM once I arrive. I might get 50 euros for about 10 days and typically bring some home (seed money for next time). Have used this card in taxis, shuttles, the Tube (tap in and tap out) and anywhere else I need to buy something. I find it easier not to overspend this way as I always know what my balance is and I don't have to worry about having the correct currency for different countries (such as in Scandinavian countries). For hotels or on a ship I use a credit card but otherwise, it is this card and I love coming home with very minimal debt. 

[itsnotjustme]

The wife and I recently went on a trip with 4 nights in Greece, and 14 days cruising the Eastern Med (with four ports outside Euro countries).  We brought about 300 euros, and at least half of it came home with us. Smaller bills (20 and below is good.  Small amounts of coin doesn't hurt either.

 

We generally use a credit card if it is an option, Cash is used for very minor purchases and tour guide tips.

 

That is us - you need to think of it for how you spend. 

Edited October 5, 2023 by itsnotjustme
Correction.

[SpacemanSpiff]

8 hours ago, ExArkie said:

Also worth noting - apparently, no taxis in Athens take credit cards. If you plan to take a cab somewhere, it’ll have to be paid in euros.

We found a similar problem in Rome.  After the third time, we stopped asking.

[SpacemanSpiff]

7 hours ago, mapleleaves said:

be sure to have some coins; most public bathrooms require a euro coin.

Very true.  I bailed out a poor lady who hadn't bothered to have any euros on her at a bathroom; this was a payback from when I had the same thing happen to me in Istanbul two days before and a local bailed out my bladder. That bathroom had a card scanner, but it didn't recognize my card as valid.

Edited October 5, 2023 by SpacemanSpiff

[yakcruiser]

I am one of the weird ones that likes to use cash whenever possible and had no problem accessing Euros anywhere in the Med. One tip though, do not use the cash machines in the cruise terminals. They charge outrageous fees. Find a bank in town.

[Laszlo]

We were in Croatia last year for a week, we used a CC everywhere except for bathrooms which were 1-2 Euros

[Girr]

Euro is just like the states since post-COVID just about everyone takes CC - I've actually been asked for the card when making small purchases with cash.  Business have learned, even with having to pay a fee, it's just so much easier for them not having to maintain cash to make change.  Now, in some smaller off the beaten path they may prefer cash, but not so much.  

The major exception are taxi drivers.  Rome, by law, requires taxi drivers to take credit cards, but you'd never know it.  The rest of Italy and all of Greece doesn't have a similar requirement for I always have euros on hand for taxis.  The best rule is always ask before you get it if you plan on using a CC.  I also tip in Euros instead of using a CC.

In Italy I use the post office ATMs - you'll get a great exchange rate and no fees!  The downside is your only allowed to pull 200 Euros per transaction, but you can do multiple withdrawals.  If you get large bills from an ATM just head over to a bank and change them out to 10s and 20s.  

As for the amount, this is really dependent upon your spending habits.  How much do you normally get when vacationing?  

[LauraAnneC]

Did you know in Italy you can be fined if, upon leaving a shop where you paid in cash, you don’t have a receipt for the transaction? I know Irish Italians that this has happened to ! 

[ExArkie]

21 hours ago, Girr said:

Rome, by law, requires taxi drivers to take credit cards, but you'd never know it.

I have encountered cities in the US where taxis are required to take credit cards, but suddenly find that their credit card processing machine is either broken or can’t find a wireless signal once we reach the destination. 

[fredflint]

I have found that it is better and a better rate to get money at the airport from an ATM my wife has a debit card we use before that I would overpay a credit card and use that to get money without paying interest.  You need to be creative at the ATM to avoid large bills ask for 100 euros and you will get a single 100 euro bill ask for 80 you could get all 20s or a 50 20 and 10.   We have  stayed for as long as 5 days after a cruise and never come anywhere near  500 euros spent but we do use credit cards wherever we can, make sure you have at least 2 cards that have no transaction fees.

[Girr]

6 minutes ago, fredflint said:

I have found that it is better and a better rate to get money at the airport from an ATM my wife has a debit card we use before that I would overpay a credit card and use that to get money without paying interest.  You need to be creative at the ATM to avoid large bills ask for 100 euros and you will get a single 100 euro bill ask for 80 you could get all 20s or a 50 20 and 10.   We have  stayed for as long as 5 days after a cruise and never come anywhere near  500 euros spent but we do use credit cards wherever we can, make sure you have at least 2 cards that have no transaction fees.

Just be aware at more and more airports the ATMs aren't' bank related and have excessively high exchange rates.  So many of the machines are basically the same as the kiosks or a currency exchange store found in airports.