Good credit card for Europe?

[stsomewhere]

You can exchange us dollars for euros on board DCL. Save your receipt and they will exchange it back for you at the same rate.

 

[Ronda93]

We traveled in France and Italy last year. Got the Capital One Signature Visa. No additional fees, the exchange rate may be tipped in their favor a little bit, but still cheaper that 3-4%.

We contacted the CC and bank to tell them we'd be making charges overseas. They asked what countries. We hit the ATM as soon as we arrived and got Euros. There was a flat fee and a percentage fee at our home bank. A couple of retailers/restaurants wanted cash. One restaurant said our card wouldn't work. I think he was lying. Taxis wanted cash.

As a PP said, the chip+pin cards are required more and more for the train/travel kiosks. Our simple mag strip American CCs were fine for everything else. We had to use a ticket agent for some fares. Still no problems.

Have a wonderful trip and rest easy.

Ronda

 

[Lynn CC]

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.

I checked online on the day I was planning to withdraw for exchange fee rates then went to the ATM, then when you check your account online you will see the exchange fee included in your deduction. I don't think it's listed at the ATM machines in 711. I withdrew $500 in the current currency of the country (that is what came out of the machine)... I was in and when I looked online in my account I would see a withdrawal for $554....it said the exchange rate at the current moment in time I withdrew + $2 withdrawal fee. The YEN over the last 2 years has been a killer on the pocketbook!

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

We traveled in France and Italy last year. Got the Capital One Signature Visa. No additional fees, the exchange rate may be tipped in their favor a little bit, but still cheaper that 3-4%.

We contacted the CC and bank to tell them we'd be making charges overseas. They asked what countries. We hit the ATM as soon as we arrived and got Euros. There was a flat fee and a percentage fee at our home bank. A couple of retailers/restaurants wanted cash. One restaurant said our card wouldn't work. I think he was lying. Taxis wanted cash.

As a PP said, the chip+pin cards are required more and more for the train/travel kiosks. Our simple mag strip American CCs were fine for everything else. We had to use a ticket agent for some fares. Still no problems.

Have a wonderful trip and rest easy.

Ronda

Did the train stations that wouldn't accept your cc have the ability to accept cash bills? in Euros of course.

I checked online on the day I was planning to withdraw for exchange fee rates then went to the ATM, then when you check your account online you will see the exchange fee included in your deduction. I don't think it's listed at the ATM machines in 711. I withdrew $500 in the current currency of the country (that is what came out of the machine)... I was in and when I looked online in my account I would see a withdrawal for $554....it said the exchange rate at the current moment in time I withdrew + $2 withdrawal fee. The YEN over the last 2 years has been a killer on the pocketbook!

That's not bad at all.

 

[mjantz]

When I weent to Turkey we brought a large amount of cash at the suggestion of our guide & then they took us to a place to exchange it the next day. I did end up hitting up an ATM one evening when they took us to a mall. I ended up bringing home about $20worth of Turkish Lira which I took the following year & then gave to a family member going on a cruise that stopped in Istanbul.
When we were in Europe (UK, France & Germany) the lack of chip in our debit & credit cards only became a problem 1 time. We were at a little truck stop kind of place & the kids wanted magazines (they love that European magazines come with free stuff) & the magazine place couldn't take the card. Other than that we used a mix of the local currency & our debit card. We were staying in apartments & would many times get cash when we went to buy groceries.

And DEFINITELY tell your bank & credit card companies where you are going. If you have a layover at a foreign airport, let them know. You do not want to end up in a foreign country with a locked credit card.

 

[jessrose18]

i have been reading lots of travel books/blogs and it seems that chip and pin cc are the most concerning at train ticket kiosks or other ticket kiosks..... when allowed to print your tickets at home there is a great website seat61.com that tells you how to purchase european train tickets for the best price.

 

[JDUCKY]

love my State Department Credit Union Platinum Visa.

No FETF!

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Did the train stations that wouldn't accept your cc have the ability to accept cash bills? in Euros of course.

Yes. Train stations have counters where you can buy your tickets from a cashier. Be warned they often have very long lines, but if you are having trouble figuring out what tickets you need, this is the place to go anyway. They always take cash, although sometimes they do not take CCs without a chip and pin. Larger subway stations also usually have someone working at a window where you can buy tickets for cash.

Strangely enough, I was in Italy last October where the machines in the train stations took my AMEX card (no chip and pin) with no problems. First time I have found ticket machines which took regular CCs in Europe.

 

[JDUCKY]

Capital One.

Some places will not take credit cards. I was on a med cruise and one of the restaurants we were at my friends credit card would not go through. She ended up having to pay cash, even though she had used it other places.

Did they call to inform their CC company that they would be using it on a trip?

That's one thing people forget to do. Esp. in this day of CC fraud, having a card denied while traveling overseas can often be prevented by simply calling the issuer and letting them know the dates/places of travel.

 

[JB2K]

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!

If it already hasn't been mentioned, Capital One is rare in the fact they don't charge the additional 3% on foreign purchases.

Also good to know - Bank of America customers can use their ATM cards at participating "Global ATM Alliance" cash machines around the world and withdraw local currency fee-free (a list of participating banks can be found
here.