Using USA credit cards in Cuba
 

I've contacted two hotels in Cuba that do not allow USA-issued credit cards to be used. Is this true for most hotels, restaurants, etc. in Cuba? Just want to double check with USA citizens who have been there recently (hopefully in 2017). Thanks for any and all information.

True. U.S. based companies' credit cards DO NOT WORK in Cuba.
The only exception I know of is to apply to Stonegate Bank online. You must do this with sufficient time ahead of the trip to process your application and receive the card. If you have decent credit, it shouldn't be a problem to get a card.
However, not much in Cuba (casas particulares/B&Bs, restaurants, bars, souvenir shops, etc) actually use credit cards of any kind. It's a cash economy.
It is also a very safe place, so don't be worried about carrying lots of cash. (It is more expensive than you might think, though, so take 1.5 or 2 times what you think you might need, just in case.) Some casas have a safe in the room, but not all; cash should be safe in locked luggage.

If you decide to stay in casas (as most independent travelers do) instead of expensive hotels, you can also book the same casas as on other casa sites (like Cuba Junky, where you book directly with the host, then pay on arrival), for more money (maybe double) though through AirBnB, but using a credit card from home. Your choice.

Thank you, SambaChula, for the information about credit cards and cash. So unique to carry cash in our credit card world!
Thanks also for the web site Cuba Junky.

It really depends on where you travel, and I suppose, how "budget". Depending on where you are, ATMs are not always reliable or safe (cloning, muggings), and not everyplace accepts credit cards.

Enjoy your Cuba trip.
There are now several regular posters here who have been there who can help with any further questions.

We went to Cuba as independent travelers in December 2016. As Samba said, US cards are not accepted, other than the Stonegate card.

https://www.stonegatebank.com/credit_cards.htm

We chose to get that card (a very easy process - took a little over a week) because were staying in hotels. The card was accepted in all our hotels and in one paladar (private restaurant) - Cafe el Ajiaco in Cojimar, a suburb of Havana. We have since heard that we could have used the card to get cash in banks and cadecas (money exchange places). You will still need cash for most restaurants, guides, taxis and souvenirs. We took Euros for our other expenses because US dollars have a 10% surcharge for exchange. Our friends bought art there and were able use a bank transfer. Happy to answer more questions.

CUBA: A different topic:
Going to Cuba next week... I see that suggested gifts are toothpaste, hygiene products,towels... etc.
I know from being a baseball fan that they're crazy about the game... so, I bought a sack of shiny new major league baseballs to give away to kids at random...I would have "killed" to have one of those growing up in Chicago with our no-cover/electrically-taped/ dead balls.
However, I was told by someone recently back that we can only take personal items and they'll probably be confiscated upon entry!
I have called the Cuban Embassy in WDC... no answer; have asked AmerAirlines baggage dept (they're researching).
I'd hate to lug them from SF and have them confiscated by officious folks in the Havana airport.
Does anyone have any REAL info or whom I should ask?
[email protected]

PLEASE CHANGE YOUR MINDSET ABOUT CUBA !
Yours isn't an unusual attitude for first timers with third hand info, but it is not a useful one, one that will serve you well (or those you think you are helping).
Do not unfairly compare Cubans' lifestyle to the quality of life/salary for folks in countries like yours, but in comparison to the quality of life of others in the region, in which Cubans compare quite favorably.

"I see that suggested gifts are toothpaste, hygiene products, towels... etc.
... I know from being a baseball fan that they're crazy about the game... so, I bought a sack of shiny new major league baseballs to give away to kids at random"

GIFTS? Do you go around giving away cr@p to kids on the street at home? No? Then DO NOT do it in Cuba. Give the baseballs to your local team or return them to the store.

If you have friends there and know their specific needs and desires, bring them what they have specifically requested.
Otherwise, understand that they CAN get what they need; there are frequently shortages, though, for a fixed time, and the consumer culture (want, want, want--new, new, new) is not nearly as strong there as it is in your home.

You will likely only come in contact with the most well-off group of people in Cuba, those who work in the tourist sector. They, particularly, are not lacking, in the general scheme of things in Cuba. (Resort workers, for example, are likely to sell whatever is brought in multiples by multiple tourists, on the black market for pennies on the dollar value. That's how much they are in need of your junk.) You, as a regular tourist, are not likely to be in areas or around people who are in the most need anyway.

If you insist on trying to bring medical supplies, think of bringing them in large quantity (a very large duffle bag worth hundreds of dollars, perhaps, bought with $ collected from your neighbors or church--less is not really worth the effort), contact one of the charter airlines in Miami (better informed, since they have been flying Cubans home to visit with this stuff for years) to find out what special arrangements you may have to make to enter the country with genuine "humanitarian aid" (medicines), and know beforehand which religious institution or clinic is willing to accept them. (I can suggest one if you wish.)

The best thing you can bring is an open mind, and the best tip is in cash.

Please rethink your plans and thoughts on Cuba and Cuban people.

If you wish to follow through with bringing bulk medical supplies:
Here is a link to a thread on bringing medical supplies in quantity to Cuba, which in turn links to yet another thread on the topic. There are mentions of legitimate places to bring those supplies.
There is also a mention of what it takes to transit with humanitarian aid.

Hi JAGrippo, I know people who routinely take soccer balls (uninflated, a dozen or so). I would think you'd be fine with baseballs - a cool idea - as long as you don't take too many. Nobody looked in our luggage at customs. Could be because we went with just carry on, but as long as you're not overloaded, you will probably breeze right through.

You will run into sports-loving kids everywhere - my 20-something sons had opportunities for all kinds of pick up games with young children. I don't think giving out baseballs will promote begging or the evils of capitalism as inferred above. But If you don't want to donate to random kids, your guide can arrange a visit to a school. (We donated pens to a middle school in Viñales.)

We also took bass strings to a conservatory (guitar strings and reeds are also MUCH needed, if you have access to them). In addition we packed Costco-size bottles of Advil, Alleve, Benedryl and other over-the-counter meds. We donated them to the non-denominational free clinic operated by El Patronato, the synagogue in Central Havana. You can set this up in advance by emailing Adele at [email protected] or [email protected]

The office at El Patronato is usually open during normal business hours during the week, so it's possible to do a drop-in.

And it's in Vedado, not Centro.

They wouldn't take my Capital One credit card. Also, when I went to exchange MY currency for theirs, they were paying something like 60 cents on the dollar. I can't believe their cuban dollar is so strong, but what do I know? Bring enough Cuban money (change it before you leave) - I highly recommend it.

You can't get Cuban money outside of Cuba, but we did bring Euros to avoid the 30% excess charge for exchanging US dollars. As stated above we also got the Stonegate credit card to pay for our hotel, but we didn't use it for cash (I believe that you can now, but I'm not sure about fees.)

Reality check, people.
"They" exchange U$1 for 0.87 CUC (that's a 3% transaction fee on whatever currency you exchange and 10% penalty for changing US dollars, because of the embargo). That is at any bank, any cadeca, and most hotels in Cuba.
If you got "something like 60 cents on the dollar (if the dollar in question is US), you got cheated. Or is the "MY currency" something other than U$ ????? CDN???
It is NOT CORRECT to advise folks "to avoid the 30% excess charge for exchanging US dollars" because, as above, it is not nearly 30%; it is 13%.
Bad info just multiplies itself online, like a game of telephone.
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Check the exchange rate before you leave.
As of today's exchange:
U$1000 = 870 CUC exchanged directly in Cuba at official rate
but
U$1000 = 880 Euros (at the bank in US)
those 880 Euros = 917 CUC in Cuba
So you do better by 47 CUC by changing U$ to Euro at home and then Euro to CUC in Cuba. TODAY that is. (Exchange rates vary daily.)

You can also ask your casa owner to exchange at a higher rate, or to find a friend of his/hers that will. You might get (as reported by others) U$1 = 0.96 CUC or so.
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Most everything is in cash, unless you go high end and pay upscale prices, much more for food and lodging. So even with the Stonegate card in your pocket, it might not be very useful.

Sorry - the USD penalty was indeed 10% +3%, not 30%. We had leftover euros and got the rest through work at a favorable rate, so it was a no brainer for us.

Also, if you apply to Stonegate Bank for a cc, make sure you sign the "declaration form" or it will not work in Cuba.

No go on US Credit Cards. So, if like us and don't want a new credit card, it was a matter of trying to figure money out ahead of trip. I had euros and easily exchanged those right outside tha Havanna airport at a reasonable rate. Meals, even eating at the more expensive restaurants in Havanna, were less than I expected. But artwork was more than I anticipated. So, we found ourselves at a bank halfway through the trip, waiting for over an hour to exchange for euros for CUCs. We later in the trip found a bank with shorter lines.

italynovice, we found that some banks had much shorter queues than others just round the corner - we never did work out why that might be. As for exchange rates they are fixed, wherever you change money, whether in the Eteca or the bank as they are fixed by the Cuban Gov. [unless of course you change money on the street which is not advisable].

"As for exchange rates they are fixed, wherever you change money,"

This is apparently only true for the exchange rate for US dollars (as was pointed out on the Thorn Tree Cuba forum by those regular, knowledgable travelers who have been going to Cuba regularly for decades). As these posters pointed out, it is not the case for Euros, CDN, GBP or other currency.

Our experience, SambaChula, was that wherever we went in Cuba, and however we changed money, be it at a bank or Cadeca, or indeed by taking it out at an ATM, we got the same rate, subject of course daily variations.

reading that site [thanks for the link, BTW!] apart from one place which is apparently notorious [and you have to search hard to find which it is] the variations complained of appear to be very small - a few cents each way.

As I say, I can only go on our experience which is as I said.

And your experience was with US dollars, I assume.
So yes, there would be one "official" exchange rate.

However, when you generalize about exchange conditions and do not specify which currency, that is misleading and adds to the confusion of others reading for accurate info for their own trip
(which is why if I were a new reader here preparing to go to Cuba I would completely ignore ANY info on this forum and go straight to Thorn Tree --or TA with same expert posters--not people here who have spent all of 5 minutes on the island).

Yes, the difference could be small on currency other than US dollars, but depending on where you exchange (particularly at hotels vs. bank/cadeca, it could be significant. It is misleading and inaccurate to say that the exchange rate is "the same" though.

Between one cadeca (airport) and another cadeca (Vedado local with few foreigners in line)
last week (yes, I've been back there again to see friends)
there was a minimal difference on Euros--1.04 vs 1.05 CUC per Euro.

However, U$1000 = 880Euros = 917CUC
but direct U$1000 = 870CUC

"wherever you change money, whether in the Eteca or the bank"

btw Eteca is the phone/internet company.

The currency exchange shop is called the CADECA.

And your experience was with US dollars, I assume.
So yes, there would be one "official" exchange rate.>>

Why would you assume that? You've told me often enough that my experience isn't as valid as yours when it comes to to advising americans going to Cuba so you are obviously aware that I'm not american. Anyway as you well know we 're brits so we used sterling.

and if you'd read what I wrote, you'd see that I corrected my mistake about the name of the Cadeca in the post that you are quoting from.

<<However, U$1000 = 880Euros = 917CUC
but direct U$1000 = 870CUC>>

That is nothing to do with Cuban exchange rates but the effect of variations and anomalies in the international exchange rate market.

Take 2, since my last post was deleted (first time in 12 years on Fodors!):

Hi annhig. We had the same experience, as you. Euro - CUC exchange rate was identical at the airport, cadecas and hotels. International rates fluctuate, of course, but the Euro remained the same for the week we were in Cuba. If you're American and changing a large amount, as we were, and can get Euros at a reasonable rate, I recommend taking them over USDs.

"...the Euro remained the same for the week we were in Cuba."

"THE W-E-E-K ", i.e. one week only. Exchanging at limited number of locations in a limited geography of stay, not always true for all travelers.

Currency exchange for other-than-US-dollars IS NOT FIXED at any exchange location in Cuba, as it is with the dollar rate. You can get one rate at one location and quite a different one at another. It's not such a tiny country and there are lots of places where one can change currency.

Whether Euros or US dollars (or CDN or other) are the best option (best yield in CUC) for those whose national currency is US dollar depends on the prevailing rate at the time of travel. DO THE MATH just before you travel.

lol, crosscheck, turns out that though we were there almost a year apart, and had exactly the same experiences with exchanging money, we're both wrong. Clever trick!

A shared delusion! Must have been the mojitos.

We will be traveling as a group to Cuba (7 adults and two children). For 8 days we will be on a tour (a company that does tours, but since our group is so big, it will be a private tour) staying in casas particulares and being driven around with a tour guide. After the tour, we might spend some time at the beach, Varadero or other.

So, the tour portion, including accommodations and most meals, will be paid for in advance. We will have to pay for maybe 2 or 3 dinners. We will have to pay for hotel at the beach, but presumably we can book it and pay for it in advance from the US using a credit card. Then we have meals for 5-6 days.

Bottom line: Like most of us, we're not used to traveling with cash. How much cash would you bring per person?

You're intending to stay in a hotel and not a casa particular in Varadero? I'm sure hotel prices vary according to the property. Casas in Varadero are about 25-30 CUC. I doubt hotels will deal with a US credit card, according to some posts I've read.
Dinners run about 8-12 CUC unless you try one of the more upscale restaurants in Havana, which could run 30-45 CUC per person with drinks according to some posts.
I would take 50-100% more cash than you think you might need. Cuba is very safe.
Why not apply for a Stonegate Bank credit card which works in Cuba if you sign the OFAC declaration on their site?

I think we will apply for the Stonegate credit card - just not comfortable not having that as backup.

Yes, we'd be staying in a hotel at the beach (need a swimming pool in addition to the beach, with a toddler and an infant along).

Am I reading the currency exchange correctly - i.e. one CUC equals one USD?

".... reading currency exchange correctly - i.e. one CUC equals one USD?"

Only technically. There is a 3% exchange fee, and there is a 10% penalty on US dollars because of the embargo, so you really get 0.87 CUC for U$1.
That's why some people exchange dollars for Euro at home, then Euros for CUC in Cuba. Gets you about 0.92 CUC for your dollar. Worth ithe time and energy on U$1000; maybe not on less.

Most things are cash in Cuba. You may not find anywhere but maybe official cigar stores to use the cc. But it also lets you get a cash advance if needed.
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The ocean in Veradero does not have big surf, just rolling waves. The drop off is gradual. The edge would be fine for a small kid..IMO. There's a bit more breeze in the afternoon, and a tiny bit more chop.
There are some casas particulares right on the beach. And there is a place at the end of Calle 30/31 that has shade and rents loungers for 2 CUC per day. They also sell sandwiches and drinks. Lots of restaurants in Veradero. The hotels are at the far end of the peninsula and rather isolated.

We got our Stonegate card in late November for our December trip. At the time we were told by Stonegate that the card would not work in ATM machines, but it could be used in banks for cash. (We didn't try this.)

The word on Tripadvisor is that now the card DOES work in ATMs (one of the few MCs accepted in Cuban ATMs). But just to be safe, I would recommend taking enough cash for all the meals you have away from your hotel, plus enough for taxis, tips, snacks, souvenirs and art.

For meals, allow $15-$30 per entree. Taxis are much pricier than in Mexico or other places in Latin America or the Caribbean.

We easily booked our hotels online but were not able to pay in advance - this is where the Stonegate card comes in handy. (We also stayed in hotels so we could have access to pools - We thought about booking casas but found none that would work for our family when we booked our last-minute Christmas week trip.)

In short, the card is free and terrific to have for hotels and emergency cash. It also will entice you to return to Cuba! Please let us know if it now works in ATMs.

To clarify the Stonegate card was happily accepted in all hotels, both Cuban and foreign owned.

I have seen forum reports of the card not being accepted at hotels in Varadero.

Wow, that's surprising because the whole point is that it 'reads' as a Cuban bank card (Stonegate has reciprocity with a Cuban bank). We used it in a Varadero-style hotel in Jibacoa, where we stayed our last night. The only places we couldn't use it were where cards were not accepted at all.

Apparently some hotels don't differentiate US cards, don't understand that Stonegate works, but as I said, these are forum reports I've read.

Hmm...there's nothing American looking about our card. Could easily be a from a European or Latin American bank. When we used the card in a restaurant, the manager thought we were from Spain. He was very happy when we revealed that our credit card was from the US, paving the way for easier transactions. Our experience watching other travelers was that establishments will try any card to see if it works.

So few restaurants and other establishments in Cuba accept anything other than cash that very few tourists, maybe only those who stay at the highest end properties and choose to travel to a very select list of upscale restaurants, may encounter a situation where any credit card is an option.

Isn't a problem with hotels not accepting US credit cards the original pist that started this thread?