No U.S. Dollars in Cuba
Oct 30th, 2004, 11:37 AM
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No U.S. Dollars in Cuba
Hi Canuck from Canada! So what's your take on this? We're booked for end of November to Cayo Largo and included in our tickets was the warning to not bother taking any U.S. money, but my husband is thinking that no way will there be a complete change to the new Cuban peso. I already have a pile of clothes & small gifts to take down for room staff, etc. - that doesn't change. And not that there will be any shopping or much in the way of excursions on Cayo Largo, but it's going to be weird not taking some U.S. cash for what spending there is to do there?
Oct 30th, 2004, 04:56 PM
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Hola Dos Gatos:
I was at a travel show today and managed to corner the folks from the Cuba Tourist Board in Canada. The basic scoop is this.
As of November 8th, US dollars will not be accepted for use in Cuba for most services. HOWEVER you can exchange US dollars to Cuban Convertible Pesos at the rate of 1 to 1 at banks, currency exchange booths and hotels. However there is also a 10% charge for changing US dollars.
BUT....
You can also exchange other world currencies (British Pound, Swiss Franc, Euro, Canadian Dollar) directly to Cuban Convertible Pesos based on present exchange rates, again based on the value of the Convertible Peso = to the US dollar. THE GREAT NEWS is that there is NO 10% fee to use any of the other world currencies.
So go ahead and make your plans, and just take Canadian dollars or such and exchange them at the airport, hotel etc, and spend the Convertible Pesos just like you would US dollars. Any that you have left over at the end of your trip you can exchange BACK into whatever world currency at the airport as you leave.
Other than lining up to change money, shouldn't be any problem at all. Oh and by the way, there will be no penalty to use any NON-US based credit card either.
I'm headed back down to Havana Dec 17th for 16 days (going to catch the last 2 days of the Havana International Jazz Festival) then head down the island to see Trinidad. So instead of US dollars, this trip I'll just take a mixture of both Canadian Dollars and Euros. And maybe$100 in US funds just to have.
Have a great trip and don't worry too much about the money issues. From my friends in Havana the word had come that the Cubans had been frantically printing Convertible Peso notes for the last several months so I don't forsee any major problems with having notes available.
Oh, and the $25.00 exit tax is now paid in Convertible Pesos instead of US dollars.
Steve
I was at a travel show today and managed to corner the folks from the Cuba Tourist Board in Canada. The basic scoop is this.
As of November 8th, US dollars will not be accepted for use in Cuba for most services. HOWEVER you can exchange US dollars to Cuban Convertible Pesos at the rate of 1 to 1 at banks, currency exchange booths and hotels. However there is also a 10% charge for changing US dollars.
BUT....
You can also exchange other world currencies (British Pound, Swiss Franc, Euro, Canadian Dollar) directly to Cuban Convertible Pesos based on present exchange rates, again based on the value of the Convertible Peso = to the US dollar. THE GREAT NEWS is that there is NO 10% fee to use any of the other world currencies.
So go ahead and make your plans, and just take Canadian dollars or such and exchange them at the airport, hotel etc, and spend the Convertible Pesos just like you would US dollars. Any that you have left over at the end of your trip you can exchange BACK into whatever world currency at the airport as you leave.
Other than lining up to change money, shouldn't be any problem at all. Oh and by the way, there will be no penalty to use any NON-US based credit card either.
I'm headed back down to Havana Dec 17th for 16 days (going to catch the last 2 days of the Havana International Jazz Festival) then head down the island to see Trinidad. So instead of US dollars, this trip I'll just take a mixture of both Canadian Dollars and Euros. And maybe$100 in US funds just to have.
Have a great trip and don't worry too much about the money issues. From my friends in Havana the word had come that the Cubans had been frantically printing Convertible Peso notes for the last several months so I don't forsee any major problems with having notes available.
Oh, and the $25.00 exit tax is now paid in Convertible Pesos instead of US dollars.
Steve
Oct 30th, 2004, 07:34 PM
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United States based credit cards, or any credit card drawn on a US Bank have never been allowed in Cuba. So this new move away from US currency doesn't change that policy at all.
If you use credit cards issued by strictly Canadian banks or European banks (NOT USA subsidiary's) then you have no problem at all.
Steve
If you use credit cards issued by strictly Canadian banks or European banks (NOT USA subsidiary's) then you have no problem at all.
Steve
Oct 31st, 2004, 02:39 PM
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You will love Cayo Largo. It just has to have the most beautiful secluded beaches anywhere. My only problem with the place was the food. Not totally horrible, but just not up to par...or even close in my opinion. I'm not much of an all-inclusive person and to me, a big part of a holiday is finding great food. Although we used extreme caution in NOT drinking the water, both of us came home with salmonella poisoning, so be very careful and bring plenty of meds!
Another thing NOT to miss, is the day excursion to Havana. I would go back to Cuba in a minute, but I would spend a few days in Havana to explore it more. The old part is just amazing. Such lovely people on Cayo Largo too. Have fun.
Another thing NOT to miss, is the day excursion to Havana. I would go back to Cuba in a minute, but I would spend a few days in Havana to explore it more. The old part is just amazing. Such lovely people on Cayo Largo too. Have fun.
Oct 31st, 2004, 05:21 PM
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Hola Steve, thanks for the info. Like you, my husband is going to take a few U.S. bucks just as a safety measure. Along with our Canadian dollars and credit card, we should be covered. For such a short trip and not much to spend (shopping or otherwise), we won't bother with travellers cheques. Think we'd rather skip any line ups at the airport exchange booth and bring back any leftover pesos for the next trip. Your trip sounds great - I'm sure you will have your usual good time, and we'll see some new pictures on your site.
Hi Forest168 - thanks for the advice but this will be our 15th all-inclusive throughout the Caribbean including 2 already in Cuba. We're booked into Sol Cayo Largo and have experienced their quality before in Cayo Guillermo and Holguin - know not to expect too much off the buffet as it's typical Cuban fare (eat to live, not live to eat) fancied up a bit for the tourists, but hopefully they will have some good food in their a la carte restaurants. We found the Cuban restaurant at the Paradisus Rio de Oro in Holguin, and the International one in the Melia Cayo Guillermo to both be very good. And unfortunately, Havana will definitely have to be next time, as the other half has been looking forward to the scuba diving in this area...hopefully the reefs were not damaged too too badly by the hurricanes.
Hi Forest168 - thanks for the advice but this will be our 15th all-inclusive throughout the Caribbean including 2 already in Cuba. We're booked into Sol Cayo Largo and have experienced their quality before in Cayo Guillermo and Holguin - know not to expect too much off the buffet as it's typical Cuban fare (eat to live, not live to eat) fancied up a bit for the tourists, but hopefully they will have some good food in their a la carte restaurants. We found the Cuban restaurant at the Paradisus Rio de Oro in Holguin, and the International one in the Melia Cayo Guillermo to both be very good. And unfortunately, Havana will definitely have to be next time, as the other half has been looking forward to the scuba diving in this area...hopefully the reefs were not damaged too too badly by the hurricanes.
Nov 28th, 2004, 08:22 PM
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We just got back from Holguin and I advise you to get the money exchanged at the airport. We are Canadians and we converted Canadian to Convertible Pesos at an exchange rate of 80 cents. (still based on the american exchange rate) anyways...the hotel offers to change it for you but they do charge an extra 5% and this is if they have the money to even do it. And as for the banks it can take up to an hour of waiting time to get in and then another 15 minutes waiting time once inside, So use the airport for gettig the exchange and returning any left over. have a great time there but leave any and all american money at home as no one will take it not even the workers.
