Cuba

johnbasssimpson

we are lucky to be travelling to Cuba this summer and was wondering how to exchange money as you cant buy it here, do you take Euros or Sterling as Dollars incur a surcharge. Which credit card or not. and pre loaded are they viable?
Cheers John

Voyager2002

You can take cash sterling... pretty easy to exchange.

You get better rates if you use a card that does not load the exchange rate, but then they add a three per cent service charge to the transaction. (However, the rate you get from such a card is about five per cent better than the rate you get for cash.)

The main towns have ATMs that take visa cards, but if you want to use a Mastercard then you have to take it inside the bank or cadeca and may have to queue for a while. You need to show your passport (original) when getting a cash advance and perhaps when paying for something by card: to exchange cash a photocopy of your passport will do.

If using a card, whether pre-loaded, debit or credit, ensure that it is not issued by a bank with US connections. Metro bank cards work there; Lloyds bank ones do not! MBNA and Citibank cards will certainly not work there: Post Office card was fine.