Canadian Money Exchange

[cousins]

Should I (if I can) exchange some money here in FL at my local bank to get about $200 in Canadian money....or can I do that on the ship at the Purser's Desk...or find a bank in Canada once we're in port there????

[LHT28]

You could probably get a bit ahead of time but if you have a debit card there will probably be an ATM machine near the port
What ports are you stopping at?

[LisaP]

If I recall correctly, the Canadian ports of call are Halifax and Saint John. Shari, is that right?

I'd see about exchanging $ before you leave home, if that's possible without going too far out of your way. The second-best option is to use an ATM in your first Canadian port of call. You may be able to find out through your bank (or its Web site) the locations of ATMs in Halifax. Keep in mind, though, that most out-of-network fees are typically a flat rate, and could end up the equivalent of 1%-2% or more of your CAD$200 withdrawal. Exchange rates on the ships tend to be pretty unfavorable, but as you are talking about a fairly small amount, it shouldn't add up to much. (If you were talking about a much larger amount, I'd go with the ATM rather than the shipboard bank.)

[cousins]

Thanks Lisa I think I'll see if my bank carries Canadian $$$ to exchange. I know last time I was in Canada we used our Visa and there was always an extra charge of some sort for each purchase on the bill when we returned home. I thought it might be cheaper to do it at a bank. If my bank does not have Canadian bills, perhaps a bank up near Canada at one of our other ports like Portland Maine will change the $$$ for us.
4 weeks to go!!!

[Novice Senior]

It's interesting to follow money exchange from an American point of view. For the first time in years our Canadian dollar is inching upwards. It seems to vary from day to day so before racing off to your American bank check the exchange rates.

And while I'm on line, may I put in a plug for keeping your paper dollars. We've travelled widely and one can't been the universals appreciation of a US dollars for incidental tipping. We now have coins for our dollar and two dollar bills and somehow a coin tip doesn't seem as much.

On our two recent cruises the ships; ATMs only offered American money in non American ports. And the ATM charges were less than ones we used on land.

RUth

Ruth

[gdjoslin]

I used our debt card a couple of times in Vancouver, when checked my charges on line a few days later I found our that BofA charges about 14% for international use.

[Novice Senior]

Incredible charges as the American dollar is hovering between a 6 and 8% advantage. Our Visa exchanges at the daily rate with no charge for foreign purchases.

Ruth

[cousins]

My bank (Wachovia) here in So. FL says they don't have Canadian $. I can order it for a fat fee (no thanks). We are going to Newark NJ should we exchange $ at that airport or wait and do it at the Halifax port? Because I don't understand how this all works I'm just leary of getting ripped off.

[LHT28]

Originally posted by Novice Senior:
Incredible charges as the American dollar is hovering between a 6 and 8% advantage. Our Visa exchanges at the daily rate with no charge for foreign purchases.

Ruth

Most CC charge 2-3 % above the daily bank rate for purchases in other countries and/or Foreign exchange fee.
you need to check the "term & conditions"

[LisaP]

Ruth, with the Canadian and U.S. dollars near parity, have you heard if U.S. dollars are still accepted in tourist areas near the border?

Shari, airports offer perhaps the worst exchange rates out there. Find out from Wachovia the fees that will be assessed if you use an out-of-network ATM in Canada.