Strange question regarding Vancouver

[cwis]

And the bills smell like Maple Syrup!!

Quick give me your bills I have pancakes

 

[Rob1872]

The best exchange rate will almost always be using your credit card, especially if your card doesn't charge foreign transaction fees. Worst exchange rate will be the kiosks at airports and tourist areas.

 

[Dug720]

Quick give me your bills I have pancakes

I'm not Canadian. Just remember it from visiting Toronto a few years ago.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

OK, off topic, but I have a question - we have some left over Euros from a recent trip. Any thoughts on whether we'll have a better exchange rate on them if we change them in Canada vs. the US?

We're traveling to Canada later this summer and we thought MAYBE, we'd get a better rate of exchange for them, over changing US currency.

 

[Mrlogboy]

Any decent American bank will allow you to use Canadian ATMs to get Canadian currency at market rates, and everyone should have at least one credit card that doesn't charge foreign transaction fees.

This is what I was going to say.
Dual Can Usa citizen and go to Vancouver every other month. No matter where you go whether we were in Asia, Europe etc we get best rates from ATM compared to your bank at home or in Canada and never use the airport exchange.

 

[Mrlogboy]

OK, off topic, but I have a question - we have some left over Euros from a recent trip. Any thoughts on whether we'll have a better exchange rate on them if we change them in Canada vs. the US?

We're traveling to Canada later this summer and we thought MAYBE, we'd get a better rate of exchange for them, over changing US currency.

You an app like ex to see where you get the best rates but if you want to change euros to say us in Canada then no would not get a good rate. But the Xe app will show you different exchange rates but remember every bank
Everywhere is different as they charge hidden fees meaning you do not get the best rates and some are even worse.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

You an app like ex to see where you get the best rates but if you want to change euros to say us in Canada then no would not get a good rate. But the Xe app will show you different exchange rates but remember every bank
Everywhere is different as they charge hidden fees meaning you do not get the best rates and some are even worse.

No, I mean, instead of us changing US currency for Canadian when we take our trip, we would first change the Euros to Canadian, then use US currency if we need more.

 

[Mrlogboy]

Get the xe app it is tied to the markets and you get a good idea of the rates then says if you have 100 euros you can see the value exchange rate. That is what I use and quite accurate but again it is the best rate and might get a few cents late

 

[TinkLoverSam]

How do you tip?

At a restaurant? With the same card you used to pay. In a cab? With the same card you used to pay. A porter or bellman is the only reason I see for needing cash

 

[SirDuff]

And the bills smell like Maple Syrup!!

Not actually true.

There may be a by-product of the precess (from the use of plastic) that some people (I’m not one of them) seem to think makes a “maple syrup” smell, but we do not have maple scented money.

https://www.woot.com/blog/post/the-debunker-does-canadian-money-smell-like-maple-syrup

One of many articles debunking the myth (though, really, it would have been amazing if we really did have scented money).

 

[SirDuff]

I was in Vancouver and Victoria in October 2019 and every place took U.S. Dollars at face value. Of course they are going to take the money. The U.S. dollar is worth over 25% more by taking it. But I don't think we spent more than $25 in two days.
When my mom passed away I discovered she had about $50 in Canadian currency for emergency trips on short notice to Canada, she was from Canada. Most was in $1 and $5 bills, which I believe have been pulled from circulation.

The $1 bills are out of circulation (as of the beginning of 2021) but $5 are in circulation (they’ve not been replaced by coins). Sounds like she may have had the old style $5 bills, but that’s not a problem.

You can send to Bank of Canada to exchange or do it at a Canadian bank.

https://www.bankofcanada.ca/banknotes/about-legal-tender/

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Delete

 

[mousefan73]

If going for a one or two night pre-cruise. I would risk no exchanging any cash and simply using my CC card. Knowing that some places may not except cards - though on our recent trip we did not encounter this. We did have some cash that we used for buses. Though I believe they also took cards.

Had we no cash I would have tipped the porters USD and that would have been ok.

Now a longer trip ( like CA is your vacation) I would find it presumpous to assume that everywhere in CA accepts USD- and would simply use an ATM to get cash. To be honest, even with high ATM fees, you should come out ahead vs using an aiport exchange place. There you not only have a feee but the ROE is horrid.

 

[Rob1872]

OK, off topic, but I have a question - we have some left over Euros from a recent trip. Any thoughts on whether we'll have a better exchange rate on them if we change them in Canada vs. the US?

We're traveling to Canada later this summer and we thought MAYBE, we'd get a better rate of exchange for them, over changing US currency.

Intuitively I'd guess that it probably won't be any different. They are all using the same international currency exchange rates and adding their profit percentage/fees on top. You might get a slightly better rate on cashing in Euros in England (just because they would be used to selling more Euros there so their administrative cost of dealing with your Euros there would be lower). I find it hard to believe that US vs. Canada would make a difference on the administrative costs/fees for accepting Euros at the exchange kiosks.

 

[cwis]

OK, off topic, but I have a question - we have some left over Euros from a recent trip. Any thoughts on whether we'll have a better exchange rate on them if we change them in Canada vs. the US?

We're traveling to Canada later this summer and we thought MAYBE, we'd get a better rate of exchange for them, over changing US currency.

You probably lost more given the current exchange rate of the EUR vs USD. Almost hit parity.

 

[tvguy]

At a restaurant? With the same card you used to pay. In a cab? With the same card you used to pay. A porter or bellman is the only reason I see for needing cash

Porters, bellman, room service, yes. Cash is still the only option for many things.

 

[NAB]

Porters, bellman, room service, yes. Cash is still the only option for many things.

Even for those things we don’t mind taken U.S dollars no need to exchange just for that For a few bucks.

 

[Doingitagain]

I wonder if you can use Canadian currency for room service tips since the crew may debark in Vancouver at times?

 

[NAB]

I wonder if you can use Canadian currency for room service tips since the crew may debark in Vancouver at times?

I think they would prefer U.S dollars since it is worth more.

 

[Doingitagain]

I think they would prefer U.S dollars since it is worth more.

We wouldn't do it 1:1, we generally over tip when it is foreign currency because we are getting rid of our stash.