Can we get Euros onboard with our seapass card?

[Yustonuser]

Hello. We have read that it may be possible to get Euros in the ship's casino and have them charged directly to our seapass card, the exchange rate being whatever it is when we depart on the first day of the cruise. Has anyone else heard this? We need to know if we should plan an alternate way of exchanging money if this is not true.

Thanks.

[pcur]

No, that's not exactly right. The currency in the casino is US dollars, and yes you can charge cash to your seapass account. It goes through as a purchase NOT a cash advance. Then you take the cash to the Currency Exchange Desk and exchange the US dollars into Euros.

 

Yes, they set the exchange rate at the beginning of the cruise, and if it doesn't fluctuate much, keep it. The exchange rate is about 3% above the "real" exchange rate, so it's not too bad. Not as good as an ATM with no fee, but much, much better than the money booths at the airports, etc.

 

They do not exchange coins, so when you hand them the cash they calculate to the nearest rounded off amount (in their favor), so you may lose another 50 cents.

 

We've done this on the Splendour, Brilliance, and just a few weeks ago on the Millie. A very nice gentleman gave me a dollar bill to round off my exchange. Very nice of him.

[madforcruising]

Talking about coins, keep in mind the smallest Euro bill is 5 Euro. The coins are 0.01 - 0.02 - 0.05 - 0.10 - 0.20 - 0.50 - 1.00 - 2.00

[Ephraim]

The latest thing in Europe (at least as far as I have seen) are ATMs that offer you an instant exchange rate. They show a screen with their exchange rate and offering to bill your bank in US funds for your withdrawal of Euros.

 

For me, this was useless, as I'm Canadian and I would end up paying TWICE for currency conversion, but if you know your exchange rates, you could pick between the two deals.

 

The same happened in at least one large store that we were in. We were offered to be billed in CAD or in EUR. So, watch for those options in Europe.

[madforcruising]

I´d like to make you aware about ATM´s in some European countries, especially southern Europe / Med. ports.

 

This is not first hand information but they had this warning out in the news over here some time ago.

 

Be careful when using ATM´s and the display shows something in a foreign language you do not understand!!!

Never ever confirm anything on those screens by pressing buttons when you don´t understand it.

There have been reports about ATM´s being programmed to ask for "donations" and by confirming those messages you automatically "donate" amounts:eek: before proceeding to your cash out.

 

Another quite common thing over here is manipulation from ATM´s to get your cards and PIN numbers.

 

There´s several ways of doing this including cameras filming the keypad where you enter your PIN. So always cover it with your other hand when entering the PIN. Also should the ATM "eat" your card, or in other words don´t give it back - stay at the ATM, don´t leve it and call police.

As soon as you leave some gangster that prepared the ATM will get there and get your card out of it.

 

I don´t want to scare you and yes I still use ATM´s but you should be careful as there´s many ways to manipulate those.

[hcw80]

I haven't cruised in Europe, but I travel there frequently. I never exchange money in the US. I have an ATM that allows me to make withdrawals overseas and I ask for x number of Euros and it works out fine. I normally only use cash for small purchases, cab fares, etc. Everything else I put on plastic and they do the exchange rate for me.

[pcur]

Speaking of extra Euro coins, or extra Euros of any denomination:

 

We just got back from a European cruise on the Millie. Our dining steward told us she's quitting at the end of her contract in 7 months, because they get paid in US dollars, and with the exchange rate the way it is to Euros (which is the currency of her home country), she's just going to go back home and work for less money and end up with the same amount!

 

Anyway, we save the coins for the airport to buy a magazine, soda, etc. The paper leftover Euros we give as extra tips to the crew. That way they don't have to convert it, we don't have to pay twice on both ends to convert it to/from US, and everybody is happy!

[Ephraim]

In Spain and Portugal, all the ATMs from the major banks work in many different languages, including English.

 

This isn't the third world, people.