Let me explain something to you....al PIN on a non chip and pin card is totally meaningless. The ideas are totally incompatible. On a chip and pin card, the pin resides in the chip which the terminal reads. A pin issued by a bank for a technologically ancient US magnetic strip card does not reside on the magnetic strip...it is used only for use in an ATM to withdraw cash which you most likely don't want to do anyway given the huge fees on most. The pin in this case resids in the bank computer and is like a gate keeper. When you do an ATM withdrawal and enter the pin, the transaction is sent to your bank and the first thing your bank computer looks for is if the pin is correct...this pin resides in the bank computer, not on the magnetic strip, not on the non existant chip on such a card.

People have reported they have used a magnetic strip card for a purchase and been asked for a pin....in this circumstance you can enter any pin you wish and the transaction will probably go through. Unless you intend to use your credit card for a cash advance in an aTM, and I would carefully check the fees involved if I were you, don't waste your time. It won't help.

The only problem with using my USA credit card in Europe this year was merchants trying to make me accept dynamic currency conversion. Really irritating.

thanks everyone for all your thoughts on this issue- I have notified my credit card company that I am going and am taking several different debit and credit cards
Marilyn