Cashing Travelers Checks

[BrittaniMV]

I'm a little bit confused and was hoping somone may have had some direct experience onboard to share.

 

I called Seabourn yesterday to ask if travelers checks can be cashed onboard and was told no. However, while reviewing my pre-cruise booklet last night there is a section encouraging travelers to bring travelers checks instead of cash. It mentions they can be cashed onboard. Has anyone successfully cashed a travelers check onboard recently?

[Martita B.]

I cashed numerous Traveler's Cheques on the Pride during Christmas and New Year's sailing at the Purser's Desk~~~not a problem.

Happy Sailing

MB

[LaPaloma]

Britaini....Just know that other than the ship....travelers checks are not readily accepted in our world today. Why I don't know...perhaps they have to wait too long to get their money back. Another word of advice. Even if you call Visa or Mastercard and inform them where you will be...your chances are huge that you will be cut off when trying to use them. The reason being, the computer does not recognize it as your normal profile. Amer. Express has been great...thus we use that and cash. I'll bet you are really getting excited. If I remember correctly you will be sailing the first week of March. We just returned from the Legend and it was truly wonderful..Lola

[CruisinMatt]

LaPaloma, that's curious. Have you actually had problems using your credit cards abroad? :confused: I've used mine in South America and Europe, many times no problem. I do think I did call ahead of time to let them know.

Semi-related, I used my cell phone in Europe last year and a month later I was automatically sent a special chip for my phone for international users as they detected I was out of the US - interesting!

[SantaAna,CA]

I cashed several AMEX travelers checks on the Legend in April of '06 and on the Pride in December of '06. If there has been a change in policy and someone knows for sure, can you post it here? It comes in way handy for me with my scuba diving reservations, as I can cash the checks in for whatever currency is used in the port we're visiting that day. If Seabourn has changed the policy, I need to know, for sure. Thanks for asking!

 

Jane

[LaPaloma]

Yes, in the last two to three years we have had our cards cut off after the first usage in several different countries. Am Ex does not do this. My daughter even had her Cash Card cut off. For a single traveling ..that was difficult. My friend who is single was in Turkey last year and had both Credit Card and Cash Card cut off. Luckily she had taken cash due to my warning. It did change her plans to purchase. The computer age is wonderful..but..sometimes it would be nice to be dealing with humans.

[GrannyLorr]

We have used Credit Cards all over the World for at least the last 10 years....have never notified anyone that we would be traveling....and never had a problem! Haven' t used travelers cheques for years.

[BrittaniMV]

It seems this has developed into a big debate at the Seabourn office in Miami. I

 

asked again today and was again told that travelers checks could not be cashed on board. I had my pre-cruise booklet with me today though and pointed to the specific page and paragraph that indicated the travelers checks can be cashed on board. After a very long period on hold Adrianna informed me that there was a very serious debate underway. They are going to touch base with the Chief Purser on the Legend to find out what the current practice is. Once I receive a response I will post my findings.

[SantaAna,CA]

Brittani, thanks so much for pursuing this and also, for letting us know when you get the answer. It sounds to me like they are changing alot of practices at Seabourn! As I made use of the purser in cashing travelers checks, this info will be useful to know.

 

Jane :)

[mcboo]

One of the biggest problems with travelers checks in the past few years is that they are widely being counterfeited. Any merchant that accepts them is stuck for the loss if it turns out they are indeed counterfeit.

 

Your best bet is to use a credit card and ATM card.

 

You can get local currency from ATM machines worldwide.

 

mcboo

[bldsld]

One of the biggest problems with travelers checks in the past few years is that they are widely being counterfeited. Any merchant that accepts them is stuck for the loss if it turns out they are indeed counterfeit.

 

Your best bet is to use a credit card and ATM card.

 

You can get local currency from ATM machines worldwide.

 

mcboo

 

...and the exchange rate is much more favorable.

[BrittaniMV]

I heard back from the Seabourn offices today and they confirmed travelers checks are being cashed on board for both US dollars and foreign currency.

[Iamboatman]

I travel all over the world on a very regular basis. I have never had a credit card canceled, but I believe once about 5 years ago, I had to speak with a representative because it was for a large purchase.

 

Traveler's checks were popular before ATMs and credit cards were readily used. Nowadays they simply are less secure and more cumbersome because there are so few places that actually accept them. The better alternative - if you need one - are Amex, Visa or MC, preloaded cards - which can be canceled if lost or stolen. (Amex sells them as a separate product from the normal gift cards.)

 

Considering that you will almost always obtain a better exchange rate from an ATM -with no or very low service fees - I can't find good reason not to use my ATM card for local currency in most every locale.

 

If you have problems with your ATM or Credit Card it is probably because at some point you intentionally limited the ability to use them overseas or you are associated with a smaller bank that flags such use because they do not have an independent international banking department...which is also quite rare nowadays.

[BrittaniMV]

Thanks for the suggestion about the VISA chargeable card. I have given these as gifts as Christmas time and they seems to work well. This might be a good option for us.

 

We are traveling to the Carribbean and from what I have read, the ports mostly take US dollars. Therefore, the exchange rate is not the largest issue for us. I am really just concerned about safety in carrying large amounts of cash into a port. When we went to the Carribbean in 2004, it seems like travelers checks were widely accepted. Can anyone comment as to a recent experience?

 

We actually bank with a small, local credit union and could not book our bed and breakfast reservations in St Thomas with our credit union debit or credit card. The owner said she has had a few people that had similar experiences when they bank with small banks. It maked me nervous to depend on my debit card for ATM's when there is a possibility of problems.

[Iamboatman]

As you are with a small bank and you are not going to change it just for a cruise, go with the Visa preloads and some travelers checks. You will be covered either way.

[blackbird71]

Many years ago for a non travel reason I opened a secure credit card with my Credit Union for $300. The reason then and now I like it is the credit limit will never change. OK if somebody steals your credit card you can in most cases get out of their charges, but I like my little $300 limit credit card for my shopping ashore. Because the credit card is with my Credit Union, I can go online and make a payment to cover any purchases and the next day my credit balance is cleared.

 

So when I go ashore all I carry is the little limit cc , cash I expect to spend that day and my ship IDs. Works for me.