HELP!!!CASH,CREDIT CARD or TRAVELER CHECKS

[Sunny AZ Girl]

We took all 3 last year. We found the traveler's checks to be more of a hassel than it was worth in the ports we were in. In one port (Costa Maya) we went to the little town of Majahaul. While the day was a cruise highlight for us, we found that we could only use cash - no phone lines for credit cards. As we only brought a little cash we wanted to use a tc. We found that the restaurant we were in would reluctantly accept it, only for an extra fee. So this year we brought extra cash and no trav checks. We kept the extra cash in the safe and had no problems. We used our credit cards wherever we could, but planned on using cash for private excursions that had to be paid for on the bus or boat, miscillaneous tips and small vendors.

 

I think that the more modern the ports, the more you can use credit cards.

[texancruzer]

Maybe the moral of the story is that you should have several ways of getting your hands on your money instead of just one credit card with you.

 

Which was my point in my earlier post.... we take 1000.00 in travelers checks and put them in the safe..... we do not touch them. They are emergency funds only. Then when we get home I use them to pay the American Express bill that was used to pay the Seapass account.

 

We also take cash (usually 1000.00) I carry 1/2 and dh has 1/2. We usually have some of this left over too.

 

We also always take other credit cards. Some places on the islands do not take American Express.