Exchanging monies in Europe?

[cruzfiend]

Do you have any recommendations for making purchases in Europe? I am looking for advice on whether I should use travelers checks, charge card, or changing US $ for euros. We will be spending time in Greece, Venice, and Croatia. Thank You!

[ziggypup]

Using your charge card is probably the best way to make purchases. But you also need to have some cash on hand for situations in which a card can't be used. I am going on a Med cruise next month and plan to exchange some currency. I am just going to my local bank and make the exchange prior to going overseas. I just look at it as one less thing to do. The last time I checked the rate for Euro's was about .75 cents on the dollar.

[macd4]

Use your ATM card to get cash you might need for taxis, tips, or items from street vendors while on land. Use your charge card at stores, restaurants, and hotels while on land.

 

If you have a few credit cards, check the international fees on each of them. Many banks charge a 3% fee, but some only charge a 1% fee.

 

Either way, the net exchange rate will be best using your ATM and credit cards.

[Host Karen]

If you visit the Mediterranean port of call board (http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=234), you will find a few current discussions on this very issue and lots of helpful advice.

[eh2zed]

We use our CC as much as possible and for local currency use ATMs that take our CC not debit.

[Cymro1953]

We use our CC as much as possible and for local currency use ATMs that take our CC not debit.

I'll second that.

Living in the UK all our O'seas holidays are in Europe. We take enough Euros to get us going then get more from the ATM's as we need them and for any bigger purchases we use C.C.

I'm not sure what money you'll need in Croatia, she's still waiting to join the E.U.

 

Berwyn

[cruzfiend]

Thank You for all of your replies. I knew I could count on my CC family;)

[mpb43]

I'm not sure what money you'll need in Croatia, she's still waiting to join the E.U.

 

We had a port of call in Dubrovnik, Croatia in 2007. The currency is the Kuna, but the Euro was accepted everywhere we visited (restaurants and shops). They give you your change in Kuna though.

[greeneng]

Your best solution to large purchases is to use a credit card. You will always get the exchange rate of the day of posting, sometimes the same day and sometimes up to two days later. Most credit card companies change a foreign currency transaction fee, usually 3%. This is charged even purchases which are billed in dollars. There are a couple of credit card companies which charge no foreign currency fees, with Capitol One being the best known.

 

The best solution to obtain cash is an ATM with a money card. Put enough dollars on deposit to cover your cash requirements for the trip and draw that down at an ATM. Again, some companies charge a fee and some don't. Again, Capitol One does not so long as you use a machine which is on one of their networks. I have never had a problem finding one of those.

 

Just my suggestion, and how I do it.

 

Jim

[GEORGET]

Do you have any recommendations for making purchases in Europe? I am looking for advice on whether I should use travelers checks, charge card, or changing US $ for euros. We will be spending time in Greece, Venice, and Croatia. Thank You!

 

I would avoid travellers checks in dollars or euros for purchases in Europe as they dont like them.

for large purchases use your credit card.

For some reason us Brits get a better exchange rate for cash in europe than in the UK this may apply for dollars as well.

Dubrodnic excepts euros and there is a bank inside the walled town if you want to exchange to the local currency. Unless the ship tenders you will have to use the shuttle bus as the new dock is a long way from the town.

 

Venice is expensive buy a waterbus ticket for 24hours and enjoy.

 

If you are staying overnight and want to go on a gondola leave it to 9pm and barter like mad. 70 euros 45 minutes (he wont sing)

also go on the secret tour in the douges palace you will be taken to where Casanova was inprisoned. It does not cost much more than the entrance fee but is limited to 45 people and we had to book it the day we arrived for the following day at the Palace.

 

Athens cheap duty free a dock side and takes credit cards

If you are NOT from the EU remember you can reclaim the VAT paid at the AIRPORT

but check on board on how to do this as the i believe the retailer has to give you a form for the customs.

 

hope it helps

[xpcdoojk]

Your best solution to large purchases is to use a credit card. You will always get the exchange rate of the day of posting, sometimes the same day and sometimes up to two days later. Most credit card companies change a foreign currency transaction fee, usually 3%. This is charged even purchases which are billed in dollars. There are a couple of credit card companies which charge no foreign currency fees, with Capitol One being the best known.

 

The best solution to obtain cash is an ATM with a money card. Put enough dollars on deposit to cover your cash requirements for the trip and draw that down at an ATM. Again, some companies charge a fee and some don't. Again, Capitol One does not so long as you use a machine which is on one of their networks. I have never had a problem finding one of those.

 

Just my suggestion, and how I do it.

 

Jim

 

 

Absolutely spot on. Capital One and ATM. :cool:

 

The only further advice I can give is that you make sure your bank has preauthorised the use of ATM machines in the specific foreign countries you will visit. I go further, by making sure I have a significant person at my credit union's email address, as I have gotten to a place and not been able to get money from the ATM. You can almost always exchange dollars in the port, at a similar rate to what you get at your local bank. So, my backup would be old fashioned cash in US dollars if I couldn't use a credit card or get money from an ATM. When doing ATM withdraw as much as the limit is so you minimize the cost of the transaction fee, unless you really only need currency for nominal charges. I haven't gotten foreign money from my bank in at least 7 or 8 years, and I have been to Europe 5 times, South America 1 time, New Zealand 1, Tahiti 1 and the Caribbean a few times.

 

jc