| Money matters can be confusing when traveling but | | | | with the item or it is not what it is purported to be. |
| maybe this article will help you out. We always take | | | | The very best way to find out where the good |
| lots of single and five dollar bills with us on every | | | | shopping is, ask the crew. Some of the shops actually |
| cruise. They come in handy for taxis, tips for tour | | | | "sponsor" the cruise lines shopping lectures. The cruise |
| guides, tips for the staff, and little souvenirs at craft | | | | lines will receive a commission from the stores they |
| shops. They are handy if you run across a bartender | | | | recommend. It's a great big commercial to a captured |
| on the ship that is really treating you well. | | | | audience, but if there is a problem the cruise lines will |
| Europe has now changed to the Euro in many | | | | stick to their policy and get you a refund. So it's a |
| countries making it easier to travel from country to | | | | matter of comfort level, go on your own if you think |
| country. The countries that are now using that | | | | you are savvy enough or go with the cruise lines |
| currency are: Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, | | | | recommendation to be safe. |
| Germany, Greece, Holland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, | | | | The days at sea the cruise the ship's boutiques will |
| Portugal, Spain, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, The | | | | have "sales" so wait until then to see if what you want |
| Vatican, Martinique, Guadalupe, Montenegro, and | | | | has been reduced. |
| Kosovo. | | | | If you know what you want to buy when you are |
| Thanks to the miracle of the ATM machine, it is now | | | | cruising, check out the costs at home before you go, |
| easier that ever to get money in foreign countries. Use | | | | including the discount stores. Sometimes you can get a |
| your ATM card in the machine to get the appropriate | | | | better deal at home with the comfort of knowing it's |
| amount of money for the days you will be in each | | | | returnable if it is defective. |
| country. This eliminates carrying lots of Traveler's | | | | If you buy perfume open the sealed box before you |
| Checks but take a few in case of emergencies. Never | | | | leave port to make sure the perfume has not |
| carry big wads of money no matter where you travel. | | | | evaporated. At one of the islands we visited I |
| It makes you an instant target. | | | | purchased some perfume and just out of curiosity |
| Always keep in mind that you will be unable to | | | | opened it when we returned to the ship. The seal was |
| reconvert coins so spend them liberally. It will be | | | | still it tact but the bottle was three quarters empty. |
| necessary to know the exchange rate so you can | | | | Since we were still in port I was able to return it to the |
| figure out how much you will need. If you are doing a | | | | store for another bottle. |
| cruise in the British Isles you may make three stops in | | | | I'd like to add just a word on traveling to different ports |
| Ireland so plan for three days of the local currency if | | | | everyday and credit cards. When we were traveling in |
| you don't want to keep finding an ATM machine. | | | | Europe I purchased several things in different ports on |
| If you are cruising around the Caribbean, every | | | | different days. By the third day the credit card |
| merchant takes dollars and credit cards, I recommend | | | | company would no longer honor my card because |
| using Credit Cards. If you don't use the above | | | | they were suspicious of theft. For that reason, I |
| suggestion about using the ATM's the ship will provide | | | | always carry two credit cards and make sure both |
| a service to change dollars into Euros or any other | | | | companies know I will be traveling extensively. This is a |
| currency necessary. You should have some of the | | | | very good tip to know. |
| local money for buying small items such as soft drinks | | | | Follow this money and shopping advice and you should |
| or a snacks, tips or local craft items. Any other | | | | get along fine no matter which country you visit. Happy |
| purchases should be charged to your credit card | | | | Cruising. |
| because this protects you if there is something wrong | | | | |