has anyone tried using the Abbey banks visa debit card?

Sorry to ask a question!

Just wondered if there is any bonus in changing sterling notes up at the bank vs hotel i.e. is the exchange rate set or does the rate change like normal holiday places or as said above is it a straight peg against the Euro everywhere so you don't actually get a better deal at one place compared to another?

Thanks!

Lazying by the pool wrote:

Sorry to ask a question!

Please, don't be!

Admittedly we were only there for 2 weeks in the Holguin area, but apart from the "bank" at the airport and the one at the Hotel, I cannot remember seeing any other!

Hi All

We are going to Cuba in Nov and will take cash, but for emergencies which credit card should we take. Should it be mastercard rather than visa, and is Barclay or Royal Bank of Scotland mastercard ok?

Grateful for any help or advice.

Thanks
Pam

Hi there i got back from cuba 1 week ago and we used master card without a problem and they first transfer money to the us dollar then over to the cuc so actually you are better of if you use an credit card.

if you have any more questions about cuba please dont hesitate to ask...

they first transfer money to the us dollar then over to the cuc so actually you are better of if you use an credit card.

Re the above I would be less sure about the advisability of using a credit card in Cuba for anything other than emergency back-up. In my experience the final rate of exchange meant that the total cost of the goods (luckily just a few CDs bought at Havana Airport on the way home) was approaching 20% more than if I'd bought some extra CUCs and paid with them. The convenience of using the card was far outweighed by the eventual poor rate of exchange for a transaction that also carried the additonal charge made by the issuer. Friends who made greater use of the credit cards ended up paying an awful lot for the convenience of doing so. In our collective experience the best exchange rate is to be had by changing Sterling notes over the counter at a Bank or Cadeca.

RE which one to take with you, the issue isn't whether it's Visa or Mastercard but which is the issuing bank. Any bank which has known USA connections won't be accepted nor one which is known to collude with the USA embargo. So expect to encounter problems with Lloyds TSB, HSBC, MBNA and Citibank for example. And you need to check with your own issuer, whether they really are the 'issuing' bank. For example, my Virgin Credit card is really an MBNA card and Citibank is the bank which issues a number of the charity supporting cards. To date I haven't encountered problems with my Halifax/BoS cards and, from memory, those expensive CDs were bought using a Mint card which is issued by Royal Bank of Scotland.

These days, I take enough cash in Sterling notes (English) for my expected 'spends', my BoS debit cards (one for my current account which seems to be accepted in ATMs in Cuba without a problem plus one for an instant access savings account that I've never needed to test out) plus my Halifax Mastercard credit card for the ultimate emergency back-up. But of course I only carry around with me enough cash for my daily needs - the rest along with the cards and my passport ia locked away back in my room and only taken out when I know I need to change more money or use the debit card.

SM

I have noticed a lot of people asking if they can use their Visa Debit cards - but there doesn't seem to be an outright answer.

I will be taking sterling cash with me, however I usually take my Barclays Visa Debit card away with me as an emergency back up - would I be able to use this? Or is it a waste of time?

Thanks

Not sure on Debit cards Credit cards are Ok as long as not connected to American bank.

This is a good link sorry

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Travel-g147270-s601/Cuba:Caribbean:Banks.And.Money.html

I have a Nationwide visa debit card do you think this is Ok to take? Staying in Varedero , are there cash machines here?

What's the latest exchange rate for CUC's.
Is it best to change money at airport,bank or hotel.
Sorry answer must be in here somewhere but can't see the wood for the trees!!

Hotel is as good as any make sure they are new crisp notes

make sure they are new crisp notes

Why? I'm intrigued by this comment because even the banks sometimes hand out some quite well worn notes but I've never had any problems using them anywhere. The general attitude seems to be that at CUC is a CUC and therefore valuable regardless of its state! I've even had faded ones accepted without a problem. And if you must know it's because during Carnivale I never carry a bag but stash the essentials in my bra - which is how I found out that condensation inside the VDU of my digital camera never affected the quality of the pics and that the dye runs on CUC notes! But they were never refused even when faded and infused with the aorma of Eau de SM

It is, however, a good idea to ensure that any Sterling notes you want changed are in quite good condition - and that they are Bank of England notes. As a Scottish resident I need to order BofE notes in advance because Scottish notes aren't usually accepted in Cuba, even by the Banks or Cadecas.

SM

It is, however, a good idea to ensure that any Sterling notes you want changed are in quite good condition

Is that not what I said

Sorry, I read it as you were advising the inquirer to make sure that the hotel gave them new notes, not that they needed to take new Sterling notes with them. But I would still say that whilst they need to be in reasonably good condition, it's not essential that UK visitors make sure they take new notes. When I 'order' English notes from my local branch it simply means that they keep any English notes paid into them for me. Also, I always do a final top up of English notes as I arrive at Gatwick and like most ATMs they are rarely 'crisp new notes' that come out of the machine but have never had a problem changing them. Indeed, when the new £20 notes were first issued here there were reports that visitors were having trouble getting the new notes changed in Cuba because the cashiers were unfamiliar with the new design. Luckily that proved to be a short term temporary blip - once they started to see more and more of them UK tourists had few problems.

I've had far more trouble with travellers cheques than used notes so now I never bother with TCs. And in fact I tend not to take that much cash with me anymore either now that its so much easier to find Cuban ATMs that will accept my UK debit card.

SM

I cant remember how many Cuban CUC we got to the pound last year... How many will we get to the pound this year? We are going this friday 13th Feb.. Anyone know? Thank you...It will give me an idea of how much to take with me..

paul johnson1,

There's currently about 1.36 Convertible Peso to £1.

Darren

can i use my nationwide debit card in cuba? i'm thinking of booking the sol rio luna and mares for end of may not been to cuba before
thanks

bushbaby,

You can use the card commission-free. More details on Nationwide's website. I wouldn't totaly rely on the card though as cash machines are few and far between in that part of the world, as are places where you can use cards (you're ok in hotels and larger places).

Darren