Curious Idiot question #3 How do you pay for that?

[valhalla360]

Unless we have cash left over from the last trip, we show up with a Credit Card and ATM card.


As others have said, if it's that out of the way that they don't have an ATM machine, they probably don't have much use for cash anyway and they are used to dealing with people who don't have cash.

[mchlsutton]

Credit/debit card (or two) plus a small emergency cash reserve is your best bet.

Simply make sure that your card is set up to handle foreign transactions before leaving (something I learned the hard way in the airport en route to Paris!).

Safe travels.

[zboss]

Start out with a firm foundation by selecting a good bank.

IMO - By and far (unless you are wealthy enough to worry about private banking) I think the best bank for cruisers from the USA is Charles Schwab Banking. In particular their "Schwab Bank High Yield Investor Checking Account". Although they don't have ATM's they reimburse you for use on ALL ATM's worldwide - Apparently it is cheaper for their bank to use someone else's network and pay for the privilege.

Then, you really don't have to carry too much cash. In places without ATM's (for example Zanzibar) we traded in about $300 and got back a backpack full of cash, almost none of which we used! For areas where ATM's are not common but not unheard of you really don't need much cash since CC are accepted everywhere. Even when the network is down, they can still process the CC the old way using CC slips.

[captmikem]

[QUOTE=daletournier;2151345]It depends where you sail. Where I've been sailing you need to carry a reasonable amount of cash, for various reasons, one being cash solves problems quickly if you find yourself in a situation.
/QUOTE]



Cash, particularly US $100 bills will get you into and out of many situations. Most governments are corrupt. You can fight the system or simply pay the “cost”.

A few years ago I sailed into the Galapagos without the required permit. I asked to stay and visit the islands, I was told I could stay at the anchorage I was in for three days then had to leave. A few Ben Franklins and I was told “Stay as long as you want, go wherever you want”.

I spent two weeks cruising all the islands, they even provided a guide. It was a great adventure that I could not have done with plastic.

Michael

[TFM]

tommoran5555@aol.com
1. Bahamas: Cash always preferred, credit cards mostly OK.
2. Cuba: Cash only as of May 2016.
3. Capital One card does not add foreign exchange fees, although local establishments may.

[powsmias]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

Most of my daily living is done with cash... chilean pesos.... sucked out of a cash machine in town.

Bigger purchases I take a card ashore, 3 unlinked accounts, only one card on my person at any time. Its a real bugger if you lose a card... happened to me once... new card couriered out muy pronto but until I got back to Oz I could only use it to draw cash out from the desk in Banco de Chile branches... not very convenient.

I have a very small US$ float ... untouched since I bought it back when $A was at parity with the the $US . It goes with me when I fly... just in case... along with three other currencies.

Fee free Debit cards? Where do you find them? I use mine to draw cash... always get hit with a foreign transaction fee.

this works for me but not sure of atm charge outside usa.. good luck

https://www.usaa.com/inet/ent_logon/...kredirect=true

[kclancy]

My Capitol One VISA card does not charge transaction fees.

[Lancerbye]

Having some cash in the currency of the country is always a good idea. I have been caught several times, where the ATMs would not accept any of my cards. I usually carry Visa , MasterCard and an Interac debit card. In the Philippines in Dipolog you might find ATMs out of service all over the city because they are out of money. Common on Social assistance day. In Doha, Qatar I had my credit card swallowed by the machine, because I entered the wrong access code. Card retrievable after 7 days at the main branch connected to machine . In Osaka, Japan many ATMs don't accept foreign cards, you have to be able to find the right ones. Don't assume that your cards will always work .

[Cheechako]

We always stashed some cash, and Amex Travelers checks.... just in case.

[Ndavies]

Debit card usually works good at ATMs or credit card ( usually Visa as not many places overseas will take Amex). Check with your bank ahead of time on foreign transaction charges and negotiate them down if you can.

We are just returning from Cuba and that's an exception. No US cards can be accepted, some places will take European Visa cards. So in this case, you will need sufficient cash for entertainment, fees, marinas, etc. Euro or Canadian dollar is a better currency to carry in Cuba as the $US has a surcharge on currency transactions.

[Dave22q]

Check your card companies before you go. Most charge fees and shaft you on exchange rates. Travelers checks are always an option. Most local banks will cash at a fair exchange rate. Check local situations, eg in Cuba cash is an advantage.

[vjm]

I have a Charles Schwab checking account, and it works as both a debit and a credit card. Immediate reimbursement of all ATM fees. It usually comes back to your account within one business day.

[ErBrown]

For those of you out doing it. Which cards have you found best from an exchange rate and lack of service charges perspective?

[Dave22q]

Debit cards bad, credit cards less bad. Debit card from a credit union may be the exception, less profit pressure. If you must use cards try to bunch your transactions, fees are generally per transaction, not a percentage.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by Dave22q

Check your card companies before you go. Most charge fees and shaft you on exchange rates. Travelers checks are always an option. Most local banks will cash at a fair exchange rate. Check local situations, eg in Cuba cash is an advantage.

Travelers checks are way out of date.

The misses organizes group tours. It's rare but she has had the occasional person bring travelers checks. No one wants to touch them. We've had to loan a couple people cash until they got home because they brought travelers checks and no ATM card.

Not saying you can't find someone who will take them, just that no one wants to mess with them.