Cash for Bahamas trip

[Peeew]

I’m planning a few months in the Bahamas. Is it best to assume cash is the best plan for purchases? Any issues with customs agents when bringing in cash?

[CSY Man]

Everybody prefers cash in the Bahamas, including Custom and Immigration.
Sure, big Marinas take credit card but I never used plastic in the Bahamas, cash is King, especially US Dollars. (There is a local Bahamian currency, but you knew that already)

[bgallinger]

Cash is always the best and American dollars work. In the Bahamas, many marinas (if you choose to camp out in a marina) charge 5% for credit cards. Rule for the Bahamas...bring cash, bring lotsa beer, bring lotsa EVERYTHING!

[billknny]

Originally Posted by Peeew

I’m planning a few months in the Bahamas. Is it best to assume cash is the best plan for purchases? Any issues with customs agents when bringing in cash?

I wonder how current CSY_Man's experience is.

We have spent the last two winters in various places (Abacos, Berry Is, Exumas) in the Bahamas and had no trouble paying for things with a CC. You will want more cash that you would use in the USA, but the idea that you can't routinely use a CC is just wrong.

We don't stay in many marinas, enjoying time at anchor a lot more. But for those times we did stay in a marina, every one was happy to take a CC, even the "small" marinas... I am sure there is an exception--somewhere--but it truly is the exception and not the rule.

Marinas, restaurants, fuel docks, grocery stores... they all are well into the 21st century when it comes to money. The only exception we can think of off hand was the local farmer's market.

Now... when you get to the REALLY out islands (say, Mayaguana) that changes a bit. But there is nothing there to buy anyway...

As for large amounts of cash, if you carry more than $10K you are required to tell the US customs about it. It IS legal to carry it, you just have to announce it. The Bahamas officials never asked us about cash on board. If they had asked, we would have told them.

[a64pilot]

I used to fly to the Bahamas, if you didn’t have cash, you had better not need fuel, plus sometimes on the out islands the data link would go down, and no CC would be taken until they came back up, same for ATM’s

Now that was I guess at least a decade ago, maybe a little more.

[CarlF]

We use credit cards for marinas, most grocery stores, and most restaurants. But you should have a large cash reserve for:

a) credit card machine is broken - about 20% of the time

b) the ATM is broken or there is no ATM - outside of Nassau this seems to be about 50% of the time and it can be broken for months. Many smaller islands have only 1 ATM (or none). We try to bring enough cash to not need to look for an ATM for the whole trip.

Make sure guests know. The Bahamas isn't cheap. It's easy to spend $150 for two people for a not-fancy meal when you include the service charge and booze. Suddenly $1000 in cash doesn't look like it will last for a couple of months. I've had guests arrive for a week on the boat with $100 in cash -- which would hardly get through drinks on the first night. He said he just assumed ATM's were plentiful

--- or maybe this was a clever way to avoid picking up many restaurant tabs

[CSY Man]

. the idea that you can't routinely use a CC is just wrong.

Who said that...?

I wonder how current CSY_Man's experience is.

Not very current, it has been 2 years since the last cruise, but have done 29 Bahamas voyages with boat and a few with airplanes, both private and commercial.
Not a stranger to the Bahamas and in my experience cash is King.

[Caliber40]

No problem with CC in the Bahamas.....except maybe real remote areas which there are few! No 5% penalty either.....it's 2018!

[Sailingveterinarian]

I suggest bringing lots of 1s, 5s, and 10s. Everybody doesn’t always have change. Bahamian money is on par with US. Many people will give you Bahamian money for change. It spends the same, but not after you leave the Bahamas.

[zeehag]

if bahamas doesnot have atms, then they are the very last place on planet that knows that predicament. cash is ridiculous to carry while travelling except in the small amounts required for repairs and emergencies. atms are prolific and abound everywhere. you may need to walk 2 or 3 blocks, but they are there.
by the way, cash comes from atms, in case you were unaware of the connection.

[Alec H]

If you are going to be there for any length of time, have a CC that doesn't charge for foreign exchange.

[zboss]

In the Abacos, most of the Berries, and Euthera everyone accepts credit cards except the conch stands. We don't carry a lot of cash but the extra 5% credit card charge does add up.

[sailorbobdeb]

We just returned from the Bahamas at the end of June. Checked in N. Bimini, no credit cards accepted because the 'machine is down'. Boater that followed us into the marina was running all over trying to find a working ATM that would accept his card. Marina upcharge 5% to use credit card. Berry Islands very hit or miss for using credit card and frequent 5% extra to use it. Abacos very much the same. Most of our time was not spent in big cities and we did eat out in the little mom and pop places. Lots of places did not accept cards. Our trip was 4.5 months in length. Next time we'll probably bring even more cash. Everyone accepted US Dollars and gave us change in Bahamas Dollars.

Almost forgot, had a bad experience that a credit card charge made in a small store at the start of our time in the Abacos kept recurring. I had to call the credit card company (using our BATELCO minutes) and get that taken care of. Another reason for cash.

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by sailorbobdeb

We just returned from the Bahamas at the end of June. Checked in N. Bimini, no credit cards accepted because the 'machine is down'. Boater that followed us into the marina was running all over trying to find a working ATM that would accept his card. Marina upcharge 5% to use credit card. Berry Islands very hit or miss for using credit card and frequent 5% extra to use it. Abacos very much the same. Most of our time was not spent in big cities and we did eat out in the little mom and pop places. Lots of places did not accept cards. Our trip was 4.5 months in length. Next time we'll probably bring even more cash. Everyone accepted US Dollars and gave us change in Bahamas Dollars.

Almost forgot, had a bad experience that a credit card charge made in a small store at the start of our time in the Abacos kept recurring. I had to call the credit card company (using our BATELCO minutes) and get that taken care of. Another reason for cash.

Sounds like par for the course. If you're in the Bahamas for more than one week in Nassau take cash. Those cruisers that rely on cc must just cruise around Nassau harbour. Have been cruising Bahamas since 1990. It was cash then and has changed little.

[Sailingveterinarian]

I love being in the Bahamas. I love the people, I love the lifestyle. I live at anchor in the Exumas for 5-6 months yearly. I’m from a town of 1000 on Lake Champlain. Enjoy and appreciate the lack of gucciness. Cary cash. Pay in cash. Enjo. If you can’t live without ATMs and all your gucciness...go to Atlantis.