Conquest Ports - Do shops and vendors take credit cards?

[jimjay001]

Hi! Planning the finances for the trip..... should I be prepared to have a lot of cash in each port? I'd prefer to limit the amount of my cash and save it for small purchases, tips, cabs, etc. and rely on my credit/debit card for the majority of my purchases. Anyone have any advice? Do the local shops accept most credit cards or should I be prepared to have the cash available?

[LSUtraveler]

Don't know what cruise you're taking but on the Eastern, Southern and Western cruises I haven't had any problems where we shopped that didn't take major credit cards. Of course we haven't been to each and every shop but the majority take credit cards.

[suzy1212]

Don't know what cruise you're taking...

Conquest would be Montego Bay, GC, and Cozumel.

[ConquestCruiser]

Conquest would be Montego Bay, GC, and Cozumel.

 

Yes, they usually take all major credit cards......but make sure you contact the credit card company or they will flag your card thinking it's been stolen, happend to my mom in Jamaica!!

[barbevrn]

Most shops and ship approved shopping areas DO take your credit card. Some of them will tell you up front that they charge a little more for anything bought with one. Make sure you know your conversion rate because the receipt can kinda be scarey when it is written using currency numbers from the port you are in.

 

They all take cash and will still try ways to get more. We tried to buy water once with a $10 bill on an excursion in Mexico. They didn't have change....did I want to get something else? Um, no thank you..........Somehow they had change as I tried to leave. :rolleyes: Then, I think they wanted a tip. I went into your store for a bottle of water.......no other service........... Just the expectation of something for nothing...............Well, lets just say GRRRRRR!

[joepeka]

Our Conquest stop in Cayman didn't happen (poor weather) so I can't comment on that port but in Jamaica and Conzumel we had no problems using credit cards (Amex). All prices we saw in the shops and restaurants were quoted in USD so we didn't have any currency conversion surprises.

[jimjay001]

Thanks everyone! Joepeka, I see you're from AZ as well. Must have been nice to get out of the desert for awhile and see some salt water! I can't wait get back on a beach!

[billsrobb]

Thanks everyone! Joepeka, I see you're from AZ as well. Must have been nice to get out of the desert for awhile and see some salt water! I can't wait get back on a beach!

 

 

I live in Peoria near the sports stadium.

 

Robb

[PlanoDebbie]

If you use a credit card in port, be sure that the receipt shows the translated amount into US dollars. Also, hold on to all of those receipts til your credit card bill comes in to compare the two. You don't want to purchase a T-shirt for 200 pesos, and find out you got charge $200! Plan on using cash with street vendors though. I would only attempt a credit card purchase in a real store.

 

On last year's cruise, I only brought about $200 cash with me. Other than a few bucks here and there, I only used it in the ports. I used a credit card to settle up our room charges at the end of the week.

[joepeka]

Hi Jimjay and Robb, yes it was great to get out of the desert and on a cruise. I'm bummed that we don't have another one planned and booked yet but we're working on it. We live not far from Deer Valley airport.