US Cash in Cuba
Aug 1st, 2016, 04:56 AM
#1
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US Cash in Cuba
I understand that I won't be able to use my US credit cards or debit cards in Cuba, including not being able to get cash from ATM's.
This means carrying cash. I shouldn't need that much. I am taking a tour and most things have been prepaid. So, money belt time.
I read somewhere that there is a charge for using US dollars in Cuba. Can anyone clarify this and let me know how much? Is the charge less for Canadian dollars? I live close to Canada and could possibly change some US money into Canadian if there was a big benefit.
Thanks,
Cindy
This means carrying cash. I shouldn't need that much. I am taking a tour and most things have been prepaid. So, money belt time.
I read somewhere that there is a charge for using US dollars in Cuba. Can anyone clarify this and let me know how much? Is the charge less for Canadian dollars? I live close to Canada and could possibly change some US money into Canadian if there was a big benefit.
Thanks,
Cindy
Aug 1st, 2016, 08:29 AM
#2
This means carrying cash. I shouldn't need that much. I am taking a tour and most things have been prepaid. So, money belt time.>>
no problem with carrying cash. Cuba is one of the safest places we've ever visited. if you want to use a money belt by all means do so but don't feel you have to.
As for US$ I'n not sure if you can change them but even if you can, they will probably carry a heft surcharge. much better to take Canadian $ but make sure whatever you take, they are perfect notes, no rips, tears or even creases.
no problem with carrying cash. Cuba is one of the safest places we've ever visited. if you want to use a money belt by all means do so but don't feel you have to.
As for US$ I'n not sure if you can change them but even if you can, they will probably carry a heft surcharge. much better to take Canadian $ but make sure whatever you take, they are perfect notes, no rips, tears or even creases.
Aug 1st, 2016, 08:02 PM
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You do realize that you can't spend any foreign currency in Cuba, right? Whatever you take (dollars, pounds, euro, yen) you have to change into convertible pesos (abbreviated CUC), an artificial currency that Cuba has created. That's what you spend. You can't give your foreign currency to anybody, either for a purchase or as a tip. You must exchange it at a bank or a branch of CADECA, the state money-exchange outlet.
US$1 = 1 CUC ... But you will pay a 10% surcharge for making that exchange. Right now €1.00 = US$1.12, so €1.00 = 1.12 CUC, and you wouldn't pay a surcharge for making that euro-CUC exchange.
Ask your tour operator for an idea of how much extra cash you should take. I assume they set aside time for tour members to change money. I'm sure they get this question often.
US$1 = 1 CUC ... But you will pay a 10% surcharge for making that exchange. Right now €1.00 = US$1.12, so €1.00 = 1.12 CUC, and you wouldn't pay a surcharge for making that euro-CUC exchange.
Ask your tour operator for an idea of how much extra cash you should take. I assume they set aside time for tour members to change money. I'm sure they get this question often.
Aug 2nd, 2016, 02:30 AM
#4
You do realize that you can't spend any foreign currency in Cuba, right? >>
I'm sure that the OP did realise that, Jeff - she's asking about whether changing U$ carries a surcharge, as I read it.
She will have to pay to change her U$ into canadian $ or € to take with her of course.
I'm sure that the OP did realise that, Jeff - she's asking about whether changing U$ carries a surcharge, as I read it.
She will have to pay to change her U$ into canadian $ or € to take with her of course.
Aug 2nd, 2016, 05:47 AM
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Yes, I did no I can't use my US$, I should have phrased the question differently, I was questioning the upcharge to change US$.
Since we are flying out of Toronto anyway, and will be there the night before our flight, there will be no problem getting Canadian$.
Assuming the exchange fee to change my money in Canada is less than 10% I will be that much ahead of the game. I don't live far from Canada and will be able to use any leftover Canadian money eventually. Right now the exchange rates are good enough that I don't mind holding on to some Canadian cash for future trips.
Annhig, I know you were just in Cuba. Did you spend much money on things other than food and accommodations and admission fees? I don't usually take tours so this trip is throwing me for a loop as far as how much cash to take.
Thanks again
Cindy
Since we are flying out of Toronto anyway, and will be there the night before our flight, there will be no problem getting Canadian$.
Assuming the exchange fee to change my money in Canada is less than 10% I will be that much ahead of the game. I don't live far from Canada and will be able to use any leftover Canadian money eventually. Right now the exchange rates are good enough that I don't mind holding on to some Canadian cash for future trips.
Annhig, I know you were just in Cuba. Did you spend much money on things other than food and accommodations and admission fees? I don't usually take tours so this trip is throwing me for a loop as far as how much cash to take.
Thanks again
Cindy
Aug 2nd, 2016, 09:52 AM
#7
Hi Cindy - I'm glad I understood you correctly!
I think that you'd be vey unlucky to be stung as much as 10% for changing U$ into Canadian $ so particularly as you could use any you'd have left at the end of the trip, you should be ahead of the game if that's what you take.
My DH actually did a spreadsheet of what we spent our money on, but I don''t have a copy to hand - I'll ask him to send it to me later. but from memory, transport was our other major expense, which won't apply to you as you are going on a tour.
so long as you aren't in really up market places, drinks are pretty cheap [2CUC or so for a pina colada or a mojito] as are meals [again I suspect that these are covered for you, like your accommodation].
The only other major expense could be souvenirs - we brought back a load of cuban coffee beans from a cafe in the square in old Havana, chocolate from the chocolate shop there [both excellent] rum, musical instruments for our son, a great painting [which cost more to frame than to buy] and a whole load of other stuff that was cheap and fun. There is a great market at the Parque Centrale end of Obrapia [the main shopping street in old Habana] where you can get lots of handmade goods - for example I bought a terrific bracelet made out of a dinner fork for a jeweller friend of mine.
if you want to read some more of our impressions and experiences, click on my screen name and you should find my trip report - sadly unfinished, but it does cover Havana.
I think that you'd be vey unlucky to be stung as much as 10% for changing U$ into Canadian $ so particularly as you could use any you'd have left at the end of the trip, you should be ahead of the game if that's what you take.
My DH actually did a spreadsheet of what we spent our money on, but I don''t have a copy to hand - I'll ask him to send it to me later. but from memory, transport was our other major expense, which won't apply to you as you are going on a tour.
so long as you aren't in really up market places, drinks are pretty cheap [2CUC or so for a pina colada or a mojito] as are meals [again I suspect that these are covered for you, like your accommodation].
The only other major expense could be souvenirs - we brought back a load of cuban coffee beans from a cafe in the square in old Havana, chocolate from the chocolate shop there [both excellent] rum, musical instruments for our son, a great painting [which cost more to frame than to buy] and a whole load of other stuff that was cheap and fun. There is a great market at the Parque Centrale end of Obrapia [the main shopping street in old Habana] where you can get lots of handmade goods - for example I bought a terrific bracelet made out of a dinner fork for a jeweller friend of mine.
if you want to read some more of our impressions and experiences, click on my screen name and you should find my trip report - sadly unfinished, but it does cover Havana.
Aug 2nd, 2016, 03:47 PM
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Annhig, thank you! Im not a huge shopper but chocolate and coffee sound perfect. I'll have to check the crazy US customs rules first. I read your trip report earlier but I'm going to read it again now that I know my itinerary.
How did you get the painting back? Even unframed it sounds like it could be cumbersome.
Cindy
How did you get the painting back? Even unframed it sounds like it could be cumbersome.
Cindy
Aug 2nd, 2016, 07:38 PM
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The general consensus is that Cuban coffee is okay, but not in the same league as Colombian, Costa Rican, or Guatemalan. I'm not a coffee drinker. I did bring some Cuban coffee back for friends. It is Cuban after all, and something that hasn't been available in the U.S. for decades. That was the attraction.
Chocolate didn't even occur to me. Next trip!
As a U.S. citizen on a legal trip, you can bring back up to $400 worth of souvenirs, including a maximum of $100 worth of alcohol and/or tobacco. ($100 total, not $100 of each.) I'm amazed at how many people I know wanted me to bring back cigars, and not one of them smokes.
A quality Cuban cigar goes for $25, so that $100 total won't go very far. I used my $100 allowance on rum instead.
Chocolate didn't even occur to me. Next trip!
As a U.S. citizen on a legal trip, you can bring back up to $400 worth of souvenirs, including a maximum of $100 worth of alcohol and/or tobacco. ($100 total, not $100 of each.) I'm amazed at how many people I know wanted me to bring back cigars, and not one of them smokes.
A quality Cuban cigar goes for $25, so that $100 total won't go very far. I used my $100 allowance on rum instead.
Aug 3rd, 2016, 08:18 AM
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Jeff, thanks for the customs info. $400.00 each is certainly enough. I don't drink or smoke, so none of my allotment will be used for that. Chocolate, coffee, jewelry, that's more my speed. Husband can bring back rum if he wishes. Living as close as we do to Canada, anyone that really wants Cuban cigars manages to find someone to bring them over for them.
Cindy
Cindy
Aug 3rd, 2016, 01:50 PM
#13
How did you get the painting back? Even unframed it sounds like it could be cumbersome. >>
it was rolled up. Cindy. [yes, we thought of that before we bought it!]
You'd be hard pressed to spend $400 each on souvenirs from Cuba; you'd probably have to fill your luggage with coffee beans!
Jeff - we were impressed with the coffee we had in Cuba and asked our B&B host in old Havana for a recommendation - he said to go where they all go which is to the Cafe El Escorial in the corner of the Plaza Vieja; you queue for the freshly roast beans at the counter in the corner and in the meantime you can try the coffee which I seem to remember is 75c for a single espresso. We brought back 2 kilo bags and wish we'd bought more.
This bit's for you Jeff - a bit further north on Mercaderes [at the corner with Amagura] is the Museo del Chocolate which is really a cafe and chocolate shop. We were lucky in that we did our shopping there early; when we came back past there later in the day the queues were very long. We thought that the chocolate was vey good and again we wished that we'd bought more when we got home.
If you are thinking about taking presents for people you meet, we were really unsure about this so we ended up buying a load of cornish biscuits in boxes with pretty pictures on them; these went down really well with our hosts and others and again, we wished that we'd brought more.
it was rolled up. Cindy. [yes, we thought of that before we bought it!]
You'd be hard pressed to spend $400 each on souvenirs from Cuba; you'd probably have to fill your luggage with coffee beans!
Jeff - we were impressed with the coffee we had in Cuba and asked our B&B host in old Havana for a recommendation - he said to go where they all go which is to the Cafe El Escorial in the corner of the Plaza Vieja; you queue for the freshly roast beans at the counter in the corner and in the meantime you can try the coffee which I seem to remember is 75c for a single espresso. We brought back 2 kilo bags and wish we'd bought more.
This bit's for you Jeff - a bit further north on Mercaderes [at the corner with Amagura] is the Museo del Chocolate which is really a cafe and chocolate shop. We were lucky in that we did our shopping there early; when we came back past there later in the day the queues were very long. We thought that the chocolate was vey good and again we wished that we'd bought more when we got home.
If you are thinking about taking presents for people you meet, we were really unsure about this so we ended up buying a load of cornish biscuits in boxes with pretty pictures on them; these went down really well with our hosts and others and again, we wished that we'd brought more.
Sep 26th, 2016, 10:36 AM
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The exchange rate (official, everywhere) is 0.87 CUC for US$1. (week of 9-17-16)
(btw the rate is 0.88 Euro to US$1, so no sense in changing)
Taxis in Havana often try to charge a higher flat rate to foreign tourists, what we call in Brazil "the gringo tax", so that might take up a bit of cash. The again, figure you are paying to sit in air conditioning instead of sweating buckets (very hot and humid in Havana).
One Monte Cristo cigar (one of the top 3 brands, along with Cohiba and Romeo y Julieta) can be 10CUC per piece.
There's also a made to order perfume store on/near the tourist shopping street Obispo, which along with the chocolate makes a nice gift or treat.
On entry into the US in Miami, I used the machines at immigration that spit out a receipt with your photo after you answer a few questions. I then took this to the person at the counter. He asked where I had been. I replied Cuba. He asked "How much rum are you bringing in? How many cigars?" He said "Welcome home." and that was it.
(btw the rate is 0.88 Euro to US$1, so no sense in changing)
Taxis in Havana often try to charge a higher flat rate to foreign tourists, what we call in Brazil "the gringo tax", so that might take up a bit of cash. The again, figure you are paying to sit in air conditioning instead of sweating buckets (very hot and humid in Havana).
One Monte Cristo cigar (one of the top 3 brands, along with Cohiba and Romeo y Julieta) can be 10CUC per piece.
There's also a made to order perfume store on/near the tourist shopping street Obispo, which along with the chocolate makes a nice gift or treat.
On entry into the US in Miami, I used the machines at immigration that spit out a receipt with your photo after you answer a few questions. I then took this to the person at the counter. He asked where I had been. I replied Cuba. He asked "How much rum are you bringing in? How many cigars?" He said "Welcome home." and that was it.
Sep 26th, 2016, 04:01 PM
#17
>>The exchange rate (official, everywhere) is 0.87 CUC for US$1. (week of 9-17-16)
(btw the rate is 0.88 Euro to US$1, so no sense in changing)<<
are you saying, Samba, that there was no surcharge for changing U$?
I think that's the first time I've read that anywhere.
What about for using U$ credit cards or debit cards in ATMs?
(btw the rate is 0.88 Euro to US$1, so no sense in changing)<<
are you saying, Samba, that there was no surcharge for changing U$?
I think that's the first time I've read that anywhere.
What about for using U$ credit cards or debit cards in ATMs?
Sep 29th, 2016, 08:22 AM
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"are you saying, Samba, that there was no surcharge for changing U$?
I think that's the first time I've read that anywhere. "
Call it "the exchange rate" or call it a "surcharge". Whatever.
You get 0.87 CUC for each dollar, the official rate everywhere in the country.
You get 0.88 Euro for each dollar at the current official rate (worldwide). Is that a surcharge? Or the exchange rate?
You get 0.88 CUC in Cuba for each Euro.
-------
"What about for using U$ credit cards or debit cards in ATMs?"
I brought cash dollars in various denominations. It felt VERY safe, both walking around and leaving money in the room of the casa particular, locked in my suitcase or in a safety box provided.
I had heard that ATM/credit cards (Visa, Mastercard) were possible to use now insofar as the issuing US bank/company was concerned, but that banks, casas particulares and stores in Cuba were not yet set up to accept them. SO I didn't bother.
I also brought some travelers checks (Thomas Cook, I think) that have been in my possession for a long time as backup, as I was told they are accepted (still) at banks in Cuba, but didn't need to use them, so can't say from personal experience.
I think that's the first time I've read that anywhere. "
Call it "the exchange rate" or call it a "surcharge". Whatever.
You get 0.87 CUC for each dollar, the official rate everywhere in the country.
You get 0.88 Euro for each dollar at the current official rate (worldwide). Is that a surcharge? Or the exchange rate?
You get 0.88 CUC in Cuba for each Euro.
-------
"What about for using U$ credit cards or debit cards in ATMs?"
I brought cash dollars in various denominations. It felt VERY safe, both walking around and leaving money in the room of the casa particular, locked in my suitcase or in a safety box provided.
I had heard that ATM/credit cards (Visa, Mastercard) were possible to use now insofar as the issuing US bank/company was concerned, but that banks, casas particulares and stores in Cuba were not yet set up to accept them. SO I didn't bother.
I also brought some travelers checks (Thomas Cook, I think) that have been in my possession for a long time as backup, as I was told they are accepted (still) at banks in Cuba, but didn't need to use them, so can't say from personal experience.
