Euros cash amount recommendations for Mediterranean travel?

[coco2/27]

My sister and I are taking a one month Mediterranean cruise, with additional 5 days in Italy.  We normally use our credit cards for most transactions, but realize we’ll need Euros for other things like those pesky bathroom tips, afternoon coffee’s, maybe transportation, and street side vendors.  We’re trying to figure out what might be a reasonable amount of Euros to bring.  Any advice???

Any hints are much appreciated!

And thank you in advance 🙏🙏

[euro cruiser]

You can just bring an ATM card and get cash as you need it.

 

Because I travel to Europe fairly frequently, I always have at least 100 euro on me when I arrive, but I almost never need it right away.

[CruiserBruce]

I would get at most 50 euros, and would probably not spend it. But our spending ideas don't match yours well.

 

Other than fairly rare bathroom "fees", the majority of those sites take credit card.

[CruiserBruce]

Is it 5 weeks, or 5 days? Vastly different, but in either case we would get our euros at ATMs in country,  at a bank. The best exchange rate. Easy to do.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Just make sure your debit card doesn't charge ATM fees.  Using a bank ATM minimizes this, as many banks belong to worldwide consortia that would also include your home bank.  If you have a debit card from an internet bank (like Schwab Bank), it will pay back any ATM fees anyway.

[John Bull]

You can use your card even for a coffee.🙂

Like others on this thread we keep some local jingle in our pockets for the rare occasion when card payment isn't possible. And we carry at least two cards in case of loss or a technical issue.

 

If you don't already have a card which has no foreign transaction fees, you'll save quite a lot by getting one. Your fellow-Americans can suggest suitable cards.

 

When using your card, check that merchants charge it in local currency. In most (possibly all) countries on your cruise that'll be Euros €

Some will ask if you want to be charged in the currency of you card - DECLINE, keep the charge in local currency,

Be very aware that more-and-more card readers are automatically set to convert to the card's currency before you're asked to swipe or PIN or sign. Check the price on the screen, if it's in USD insist that it is changed back to local currency.

Your card issuer will convert charges to USD at a far better exchange rate than any merchant or their bank, and some outlets' exchange rates are exceptionally poor. So keep it in local currency.

Your card being charged in local currency also enables you to confirm that what you're being charged is the same as the price board, menu, price sticker etc.

 

Same applies to ATMs - always but always select the local currency option.

 

Same applies to your on-board account if you're not on a USD ship. Always but always keep the charge in ship's currency. 

 

JB 🙂

 

 

[fnar]

21 hours ago, coco2/27 said:

My sister and I are taking a one month Mediterranean cruise, with additional 5 days in Italy.  We normally use our credit cards for most transactions, but realize we’ll need Euros for other things like those pesky bathroom tips, afternoon coffee’s, maybe transportation, and street side vendors.  We’re trying to figure out what might be a reasonable amount of Euros to bring.  Any advice???

Any hints are much appreciated!

And thank you in advance 🙏🙏

We like to take 100-150 euros along, though we never use it all. We do end up using it first day though as car services drivers expect a tip and we usually prepay fare.

[euro cruiser]

There is never a need to tip in Italy.  You have paid for the service.

[nadeki]

We noticed traveling the Med this year we used cash more often than in Northern Europe. 
 

it depends on the type of shopper you are !!

 

Some small shops or street vendors or street venues only took cash. 
 

taxis wanted cash. 
 

Cash was never turned away. 
 

enjoy your trip

[9265359]

21 hours ago, nadeki said:

Some small shops or street vendors or street venues only took cash. 
 

taxis wanted cash. 

 

Some places claim to only take cash...

 

Start to walk away from that purchase and you will likely find a card machine magically appearing or the one that didn't work suddenly working.

[schmoopie17]

As they say on CC...YMMV.

 

In our case, we have a number of private tours/transfers booked for our Med cruise next week. All of the tours/transfers require cash (euros)...no credit cards. As a result, we have around 900 euro already planned just for these trips. 

 

On a somewhat related note, we're planning on bringing hardly any US dollars. I don't see the need for them for two weeks in Europe. We plan to do additional tips to ship's crew in euros. I'm assuming those are just as valuable to crew as dollars...especially on a Med cruise.

[9265359]

4 hours ago, schmoopie17 said:

All of the tours/transfers require cash (euros)...no credit cards.

 

No surprise there.

[JGmf]

We just came back from 10-day med cruise with 4 days after in Mallorca.  We used two ATM's there, but the exchange rates stunk, even though I was careful to use proper bank cards and proper ATM's.  Next time, I'll go to AAA to get the funds.

 

That said, for about two weeks, we went through about 300 euros, between tipping excursion and tour guides, leaving a nominal 3+ euros as a tip at Italian restaurants, and buying fresh figs, fruit, and other awesome bites from the zillions of street stand, etc..  

[TouchstoneFeste]

On 9/10/2024 at 1:13 PM, JGmf said:

leaving a nominal 3+ euros as a tip at Italian restaurants,

Just back from Italy. At one large hotel restaurant I left a large US-sized tip without thinking. Five waiters lined up to thank us.

[firefly333]

On 9/10/2024 at 1:13 PM, JGmf said:

We just came back from 10-day med cruise with 4 days after in Mallorca.  We used two ATM's there, but the exchange rates stunk, even though I was careful to use proper bank cards and proper ATM's.  Next time, I'll go to AAA to get the funds.

 

That said, for about two weeks, we went through about 300 euros, between tipping excursion and tour guides, leaving a nominal 3+ euros as a tip at Italian restaurants, and buying fresh figs, fruit, and other awesome bites from the zillions of street stand, etc..  

I'm solo so I assume in 4 days less? You say we used 300 euros... how many is we. 

[JGmf]

12 hours ago, firefly333 said:

On 9/10/2024 at 1:13 PM, JGmf said:

We just came back from 10-day med cruise with 4 days after in Mallorca.  We used two ATM's there, but the exchange rates stunk, even though I was careful to use proper bank cards and proper ATM's.  Next time, I'll go to AAA to get the funds.

 

That said, for about two weeks, we went through about 300 euros, between tipping excursion and tour guides, leaving a nominal 3+ euros as a tip at Italian restaurants, and buying fresh figs, fruit, and other awesome bites from the zillions of street stands, etc..  

I'm solo so I assume in 4 days less? You say we used 300 euros... how many is we. 

 

In my case, "we" is two.