Money on Caribbean Islands

[Momloveshockey]

Hi. Do we need Pesos when we go into Cozumel? Same thing with GrandCayman and Jamaica?? Or can we just use USdollars if we buy a small souvenir?

 

[Chemist]

You can use dollars in Mexico.
Stores will have prices listed in both dollars and pesos.

Note: last time we were there the exchange rate that way was TERRIBLE. (i.e. generous rounding)
But for a few trinkets its probably not that big of a deal.

 

[Booth44]

Hi. Do we need Pesos when we go into Cozumel? Same thing with GrandCayman and Jamaica?? Or can we just use USdollars if we buy a small souvenir?

You will be able to use $USD in all those places, and generally be better off having not converted to the local currencies.

 

[71 Truck]

If you are going to use a credit card ask first before you buy anything if they are charging in US dollars or their local currency. A few years ago in Cozumel we bought an expensive item at a jewelry store. The store charged our card in Pesos however the receipt did show the dollar conversion so we did know the price they gave us was correct. Always check before you buy anything using a credit card. It is hard to dispute the charge when you get home if the conversion price is not correct.

The surprise we got was from our credit card company. They charged us a conversion fee. My wife had called the credit card company to inform them we would be traveling out side the country, she asked if there was anything she needed to know if we used our card, they said no. When we got our bill and saw the conversion fee, she called and complained . They refused to reverse it.
Now we always ask even if we have shopped at that store in the past if they still charge in dollars.

Whenever we buy basic souvenirs like trinkets or t shirts we pay cash most of the time. Every island we have been to takes cash no problem. If we buy something expensive like jewelry or several bottles of liquor we do use our credit card and we always ask if the charge in dollars.

In the Cayman islands and in Cozumel some stores will show pricing in US dollars and their local currency so ask if you are not sure. When we shopped in Mega (Mexico's version of Walmart) everything was in Pesos however they did take US dollars, we did not use a credit card there we paid cash.

 

[Momloveshockey]

Thanks for the info. I’ll be calling my credit card company anyways... they will freeze our cards if they think there’s fraud. Since the Islands are not a frequent place for us...lol... better safe than sorry. I’ll ask!

 

[Rob1872]

Everywhere you go in a 'cruise tourist area' will take dollars. You would probably surprise most of them if you tried to pay in local currency.

 

[dad of 3 addicted to DCL]

Credit card or USD. The first time we went to Cozumel, I thought that I'd be smart and get a few hundred dollars converted to pesos. BIG mistake. I had to go to the manager's office in the jewelry store in order to pay in the local currency vs. just swiping my card. Took over a 1/2 hour for a $40 purchase. Never again...

 

[MomOTwins]

I found it easiest to just pay cash dollars. The souvenirs we like are small things anyway in the $5-10 range (e.g. fridge magnets) so the bad conversion rate didn't bother us and we avoided credit card foreign transaction fees.

 

[BigRob66]

You can use dollars in Mexico.
Stores will have prices listed in both dollars and pesos.

Note: last time we were there the exchange rate that way was TERRIBLE. (i.e. generous rounding)
But for a few trinkets its probably not that big of a deal.

No matter what you do, you will get taken advantage of with exchange rates when paying cash. My last time in Cozumel I paid in USD when they gave me the amount in Pasos. I'd get Pesos back. If I gave them Pesos for the Peso request, they would give me USD back. Screwing me on the exchange rate no matter what. If your credit card is favorable with foreign transactions, use that, and fall back to USD.

 

[LAX]

No matter what you do, you will get taken advantage of with exchange rates when paying cash. My last time in Cozumel I paid in USD when they gave me the amount in Pasos. I'd get Pesos back. If I gave them Pesos for the Peso request, they would give me USD back. Screwing me on the exchange rate no matter what. If your credit card is favorable with foreign transactions, use that, and fall back to USD.

I would refuse to accept USD in change if I were to pay a merchant in Mexico using MXN. I would probably ask for my money back & walk away. I have zero tolerance for people trying to take advantage of me.

LAX

 

[BigRob66]

I would refuse to accept USD in change if I were to pay a merchant in Mexico using MXN. I would probably ask for my money back & walk away. I have zero tolerance for people trying to take advantage of me.

LAX

it was in a bar mostly. Cant give back the drink. Didnt make it back there a 3rd day...

 

[motherdaughtercruisers]

I’m pretty positive all of those places will take USD as we did not bring anything else when we went.

 

[monkeydawn]

You will be fine with USD in all those places but there is the interesting point of paying with exact change or finding out what currency you will be getting back. Rather than possibly deal with foreign change, you can try to take a variety of bills so you always have the exact amount.