Anybody know about changing money?

I'm going to Grand Cayman. Do I need to get their money? Should I get some
before I go or after arriving? Or, do they just use dollars?
Thanks in advance.
Rocky

>I'm going to Grand Cayman. Do I need to get their money? Should I get some
>before I go or after arriving? Or, do they just use dollars?
There's no need to get any local currency before you go. Just bring your ATM
card and credit card and you'll be fine. Use the credit card as often as
possible because you'll get the best exchange rate that way, plus you can
dispute any unauthorized charges. You'll still need at least some cash though,
so the ATM card will come in handy for that. Even though there might be a small
fee for using the ATM, it's still a better deal than going to one of the
currency exchange kiosks, which are nothing but officially sanctioned rip-off
stations.

"Anthony" <JAWPW1@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:vpOdnYgozt4mv-rdRVn-hA@comcast.com...
..
>
> Duh. The Cayman dollar is fixed at 80 cents to the US dollar so there's
no
> exchange rip-off. But just take US$; you'll get change in CI$. And your
> credit cards and atm card will work fine.

Double Duh Anthony. The rate is "fixed" in stores, etc. but there is also a
market based exchange rate that is typically more favorable. Open your eyes
next time that you are in the airport and you will see that the exchange
rates offered there are not .8CI to the USD.

Chris

"Chris Pflaum" <cpflaum@everestkc.net> wrote in message
news:107es2cgkc23f55@corp.supernews.com...
>
>
> Double Duh Anthony. The rate is "fixed" in stores, etc. but there is also
a
> market based exchange rate that is typically more favorable. Open your
eyes
> next time that you are in the airport and you will see that the exchange
> rates offered there are not .8CI to the USD.
>
> Chris
>
News to me. Are you saying there's an exchange counter in Owen Roberts? Or
are you talking about one in a US airport? I'm going to GC in a week and
I'd like to test this.

"Rock The Diver" <DontEmailMe@SpamSucks.net> wrote in message
news:8kEdc.887$KG2.1569@reggie.win.bright.net...
> I'm going to Grand Cayman. Do I need to get their money? Should I get
some
> before I go or after arriving? Or, do they just use dollars?
> Thanks in advance.
> Rocky
>

It's been a couple years since I've been there. I remember getting bills
that showed both Cayman and US dollars. US dollars are accepted. I
wouldn't use a credit card because my CC company charges a fee for currency
conversion and an additional fee via a reduced exchange rate. (Ripoff.)
Years ago I actually made out very nicely using credit cards while
traveling. The last few times have been costly. When the bill comes, you
find you're getting one last screwing on your vacation.

"ben bradlee" <up2u2figr@NoWay.zip> wrote in message news:<cuedna9ySLHRmOXd4p2dnA@centurytel.net>...


> It's been a couple years since I've been there.

I've been there every year since 1990. Will be there again next month.


> I remember getting bills
> that showed both Cayman and US dollars. US dollars are accepted.

This much is correct.


> I wouldn't use a credit card because my CC company charges a fee
> for currency conversion and an additional fee via a reduced exchange
> rate. (Ripoff.)

You should have doubly emphasized _*MY cc COMPANY*_.

Some do. Many don't.


> Years ago I actually made out very nicely using credit cards while
> traveling.

I did that years ago. I do it NOW, when used appropriately, GIVEN
the rules -- as in cost-benefit analysis in a Free Market.

My Chase VISA showed that I earned about 400,000 Continental FF miles
from just using the charge card over the past few years. That's the
EQUIVALENT of $8,000 USD "rebate" (or Free Lunch , one of the few
remaining sources for such). (Based on the nominal equivalent of
$20 per 1,000 FF miles, on most airlines).


< The last few times have been costly. When the bill comes, you
> find you're getting one last screwing on your vacation.

Ah, so THAT's why you're known as "Bendover ben bradlee"! ))

-- Bob.

"Steve" <SPAMTRAPglawackus@hvc.rr.com> wrote in message
news:4079657F.4010803@hvc.rr.com...
>
>
> Anthony wrote:
>
> > News to me. Are you saying there's an exchange counter in Owen Roberts?
>
> It's upstairs, right next to the restaurant.
>
>
> --
Thanks, I'll go look altho' why they should offer more than CI$.8 to US$1
beats me. I've been going to GC three or four times a year for more than a
decade and I've never heard of getting a better rate of exchange than the
official one. Still, something new every day, sometimes!

ben bradlee wrote:

> "Rock The Diver"
>>I'm going to Grand Cayman. Do I need to get their money?
>> Should I get some
>>before I go or after arriving? Or, do they just use dollars?

If there's a business in Cayman that doesn't accept US dollars it's a fairly well
kept secret. In areas frequented by the cruise ship passengers you may get change in
US, but most places will offer your change in CI. Unless you want to keep some CI as
a souvenir or for a future trip, just spend it at the next place.


>
> I remember getting bills
> that showed both Cayman and US dollars. US dollars are accepted. I
> wouldn't use a credit card because my CC company charges a fee for currency
> conversion and an additional fee via a reduced exchange rate. (Ripoff.)

My cards also charge a fee for conversion, but I've never seen one, since the charges
have always been made as US dollars. That seems to be the standard procedure in
Cayman and many other places that use or widely accept US currency. Of course there
will also be plenty of places where the charges are in the local currency, and if
you're someplace where most businesses don't accept US currency it's a no brainer how
a credit card will be charged. If in doubt, ask.


--
Steve

The above can be construed as personal opinion in the absence of a reasonable
belief that it was intended as a statement of fact.

If you want a reply to reach me, remove the SPAMTRAP from the address.

I also use credit cards in the Caymans and I always INSIST that the bill be
in CI. The American Express conversion rate was always much better than the
..8 that the merchants and restaurants gave.

Chris

"Steve" <SPAMTRAPglawackus@hvc.rr.com> wrote in message
news:zHdec.23368$Nn4.4587064@twister.nyc.rr.com...
>
>
> ben bradlee wrote:
>
> > "Rock The Diver"
> >>I'm going to Grand Cayman. Do I need to get their money?
> >> Should I get some
> >>before I go or after arriving? Or, do they just use dollars?
>
> If there's a business in Cayman that doesn't accept US dollars it's a
fairly well
> kept secret. In areas frequented by the cruise ship passengers you may get
change in
> US, but most places will offer your change in CI. Unless you want to keep
some CI as
> a souvenir or for a future trip, just spend it at the next place.
>
>
> >
> > I remember getting bills
> > that showed both Cayman and US dollars. US dollars are accepted. I
> > wouldn't use a credit card because my CC company charges a fee for
currency
> > conversion and an additional fee via a reduced exchange rate. (Ripoff.)
>
> My cards also charge a fee for conversion, but I've never seen one, since
the charges
> have always been made as US dollars. That seems to be the standard
procedure in
> Cayman and many other places that use or widely accept US currency. Of
course there
> will also be plenty of places where the charges are in the local currency,
and if
> you're someplace where most businesses don't accept US currency it's a no
brainer how
> a credit card will be charged. If in doubt, ask.
>
>
> --
> Steve
>
> The above can be construed as personal opinion in the absence of a
reasonable
> belief that it was intended as a statement of fact.
>
> If you want a reply to reach me, remove the SPAMTRAP from the address.
>