Good credit card for Europe?

[ruadisneyfan2]

We are considering a Mediterranean cruise with DCL in 2013 and the guide book I'm reading (Rick Steves) mentions how some cc's have foreign currency fees tacked on. So I PM'd my cc bank and sure enough, they charge 3% onto any charges originating outside the US. (Chase/SWA Visa)

Does anyone know of a cc that doesn't do this?

Thanks!

 

[cornflake]

We are considering a Mediterranean cruise with DCL in 2013 and the guide book I'm reading (Rick Steves) mentions how some cc's have foreign currency fees tacked on. So I PM'd my cc bank and sure enough, they charge 3% onto any charges originating outside the US. (Chase/SWA Visa)

Does anyone know of a cc that doesn't do this?

Thanks!

Sorry, dunno any - all three I've used outside the U.S. (or even just for charges that were international - try to save a koala from the comfort of your couch and...) have a fee for the conversion.

If you find one, I'd be interested, heh.

Alternately, just use cash? Though you're kind of swapping ATM/CC fee at that point.

 

[Liandro]

Vice Versa is the same we pay a fee in America.
I just have to warn you that a CC is almost nowhere accepted whiteout a pin code.
In fact the whole CC is very rare accepted. Just be prepared to withdraw cash at an "pin automate" as they call them. Asking for an ATT will get you nowhere.
I certainly would advise to take a Visa card .

 

[MAH4546]

Chase Sapphire Preffered.

Vice Versa is the same we pay a fee in America.
I just have to warn you that a CC is almost nowhere accepted whiteout a pin code.
In fact the whole CC is very rare accepted. Just be prepared to withdraw cash at an "pin automate" as they call them. Asking for an ATT will get you nowhere.
I certainly would advise to take a Visa card .

That is absolutely not true, especially in touristy areas where all three major credit cards are widely accepted. Little family owned businesses often won't accept cards, but that's not where tourists are often going.

 

[dani77]

Check out different credit card companies and compare their fees. I'm from Germany and use a mastercard from my local bank als well as the visa rewards card from amazon when travelling in the US. Both have a fee of 1% if used in a different country. Still a fee but not as much as the one you quoted.
As far as cc in general go...prepare for taking some cash as well! It is NOT very common to pay small amounts by cc in europe. Usually small stores or coffee places (like starbucks) do not accept credit cards. It is much more common here to pay via debit card since it's cheaper for the stores (credit card fees for them are pretty high). Larger stores (except of drugstores or grocery stores) do accept credit cards though, as do most restaurants (decent sit down places)
Best way to do it would probably be to withdraw cash from an atm machine using either your credit or debit card. Or take traveller's checks (like the american express ones).
The cc most widely accepted here are visa and mastercard. Hardly any place accepts diners or amex.

 

[Eastern]

Capital One does not charge a fee.

For a debit card, check with your bank. Because I keep a certain amount in my checking account, all ATM transactions are free on both ends, even in Europe.

 

[Marionnette]

Chase Sapphire Preffered.

Apply at chasesapphire.com/tv and get the annual fee waived and 50,000 bonus points after spending $3000 in the first three months.

 

[jessrose18]

We are going to Europe soon and have been before this is our advice. We use our bank card to withdraw cash from ATM rather than exchanging money at windows. Just check with bank for fees and daily limits and make sure you have a pin. We use that to pay for food, tickets, etc. big things like hotel bills we use visa and yes they charge a foreign fee. A non fee card would be great, hope you can find one! I recently bought train tickets in euros from a site they were $40 and I got charged $1 fee from visa...

 

[jedijill]

USAA and Capitol One have excellent credit cards that don't charge the 3% fee. I used a Fidelity debit card when I went to Europe. No ATM fees and the account is free.

Make sure you call the banks before you go to let them know you are traveling. You don't want them to shut you down for suspected fraud!

Jill in CO

 

[Lynn CC]

Capital One Visa Signature has 0 foreign transaction fees. I've used that while traveling overseas the last few years. Who wants to pay those fees...I've also used a debit card that is linked to my checking from TD Bank. You can deduct $500 each business day, but you have to take into consideration the exchange rate before withdrawing. I was charged $2 a transaction. I usually made this at a post office or 7eleven if I could find one. I think if you do this anywhere else such as a mall you would be charged who knows what at the end you are withdrawing from.

It's not as difficult as it may seem, just check out your options, but Capital One was very convenient and you can pay your bill online if your going to away for longer than a month in order to keep charging and not incur any finance charges.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Thank you everyone! We are just starting to plan this caught me by surprise though I guess I shouldn't be surprised by bank/cc fees these days.

We haven't been to Europe since our honeymoon in 1995 and we used traveler's checks. They can be a pain too. We used to take them to Orlando & have had cashiers in grocery stores question our signatures and even with ID still have a hard time. One thing we don't want is a hard time shopping!

I'll check out those free cards.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Capital One Visa Signature has 0 foreign transaction fees. I've used that while traveling overseas the last few years. Who wants to pay those fees...I've also used a debit card that is linked to my checking from TD Bank. You can deduct $500 each business day, but you have to take into consideration the exchange rate before withdrawing. I was charged $2 a transaction. I usually made this at a post office or 7eleven if I could find one. I think if you do this anywhere else such as a mall you would be charged who knows what at the end you are withdrawing from.

It's not as difficult as it may seem, just check out your options, but Capital One was very convenient and you can pay your bill online if your going to away for longer than a month in order to keep charging and not incur any finance charges.

I also bank at TD so this is good to know. Do they post exchange rates right on the ATM machines? They have 7-11s in Europe?

Unfortunately, it's only a 7 nt cruise. We can only have 1 week off in summer at my job due to high demand & with kids in HS can't go during school year. A quickie will have to do this time. Still beats staying home.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I travel to Europe several times a year and I try to use my Capital One card, because, as some have already mentioned, they don't add foreign transaction fees.

The advice given by another poster that ccs are not accepted without a PIN code is untrue. It is true that you often need a card with a chip and pin code for buying things such as train and subway tickets from a machine, but most retail establishments can take cards which do not have one. You can buy a card which has a chip and pre-load it with currency from Travelex. I have found this to be a good fall back when I have needed a chip and pin card.

Here is some good information about using ccs in Europe and possible problems:

http://travel.usatoday.com/deals/in...-and-pin-credit-cards-coming-to-US/46327546/1

http://travel.nytimes.com/2011/06/1...-card-problems-abroad-practical-traveler.html

Some general advice:

MasterCard and Visa are more widely accepted than American Express.

Make sure that you have a four digit PIN for your debit card so you can get cash from ATMs.

Call your cc company and your bank before traveling and let them know that you will be using your debit and credit card in Europe. That will lessen the chance that your card will be declined, although it still can happen.

Forget about Traveler's checks - no one uses these any more.

 

[elaine amj]

I have the citi thank you Premier card. Nice that it doesn;t have a foreign exchange fee.

I'm actually looking for a card with no annual fee that correspondingly has no foreign exchange fee as I plan to cancel the Premier soon as it has a $125 annual fee. Was great while it lasted - got enough bonus points for $700 in tix to Florida!

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I have the citi thank you Premier card. Nice that it doesn;t have a foreign exchange fee.

I'm actually looking for a card with no annual fee that correspondingly has no foreign exchange fee as I plan to cancel the Premier soon as it has a $125 annual fee. Was great while it lasted - got enough bonus points for $700 in tix to Florida!

Wow that's a high annual fee. We'll only have 1.5 days in Barcelona pre cruise then 4 full days in various ports. Paying the 3% would probably be cheaper.

 

[Liandro]

Chase Sapphire Preffered.



That is absolutely not true, especially in touristy areas where all three major credit cards are widely accepted. Little family owned businesses often won't accept cards, but that's not where tourists are often going.

Okay I hope the OP doesn't get upset when the CC will not be accepted.

The strings for using a CC have been pulled massively and most banks even don't have cash inside . Only outside in the ATM.
OP be careful and get A CC with a chip and pin code to get money "out of the wall".

It is even very questionable if you can pull money out of the wall in the PIGS countries.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I have a Chase Marriott Premier Visa. They do not have any exchange percentage fees; they use the interbank rate only. Most cards user the interbank rate plus a fee of as high as 4%.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I have a Chase Marriott Premier Visa. They do not have any exchange percentage fees; they use the interbank rate only. Most cards user the interbank rate plus a fee of as high as 4%.

Have you had a hard time having it accepted in Europe (mostly Italy & France)?

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Okay I hope the OP doesn't get upset when the CC will not be accepted.

The strings for using a CC have been pulled massively and most banks even don't have cash inside . Only outside in the ATM.
OP be careful and get A CC with a chip and pin code to get money "out of the wall".

It is even very questionable if you can pull money out of the wall in the PIGS countries.

You really need to stop posting this misinformation. Credit cards without chips and pin codes are widely accepted all over Europe. I have used my AMEX, VISA and MasterCard with just a magnetic strip all over Europe. It is very difficult to find a credit card in the US which even offers cards with a chip and pin, although this is slowly changing. With the magnetic cards, you need to hand your card to the cashier and tell them that it has no chip rather than run it through the credit card reader yourself. Merchants must honor US cards according to their agreement with these credit card companies. You will occasionally run across a cashier who will not do this, but this is rare.

As to your other point, no one has been talking about using a credit card for cash advances from an ATM.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Have you had a hard time having it accepted in Europe (mostly Italy & France)?

I am going in April. But I will be spending most of my money at either DLP or (the night before my flight home) at the Marriott CDG Airport. I know it will be accepted at those locations.