So, would a 20% change in the value of the euro really make a difference based on the cost of the hotel room? I buy non-refundable all the time.We're planning a trip for September and want to make some advanced hotel reservations to get into the better value hotels before they become harder to book. I'm guessing that booking very early is a good idea. For instance, we have a Greek tour set up and know the dates. Want to get into the hotel the tour uses so we won't have to change hotels.
The best rates are non-refundable. I'm guessing they will charge our card right away. If so this will be a bet on the Euro level.
Is this right, do hotels normally charge the card immediately to do a non-refundable booking? Do they charge the card immediately for even a refundable booking (particularly in Italy)?
When you buy non-refundable is it charged immediately or at check-in? I just want to understand the methods used in Europe.So, would a 20% change in the value of the euro really make a difference based on the cost of the hotel room? I buy non-refundable all the time.
Yikes!!! What is the right kind of ATM card to use? My credit union is on the PLUS network. I have sent an email to them to find out if they have a foreign transaction fee or ATM fee. It would be horrible to get over there and not to be able to withdraw money!
I plan on taking 2 credit cards and 2 debit cards and keeping them separate - one on my person and the other in my luggage or hotel /cruise ship safe.
When you buy non-refundable is it charged immediately or at check-in? I just want to understand the methods used in Europe.
It's true, I would not hold off just based on betting on the direction of exchange rate as the current market rate is the world financial market's best guess. Maybe future prices are another angle on this, but I don't worry about guesses.
EDIT: I looked up the Euro exchange rate and it shows
current = 1.18
futures (Mar 2015) = 1.184
futures (Jun 2015) = 1.186
I also carry $100 with me for the same reason. DW also carries $100 and I make sure she has at least about $100 in local currency.You should be fine with those options, but a little cash on hand is always a good hedge. For our trips to Australia, New Zealand and Vanuatu last year I kept a $100 cash just in case we had trouble with ATM's. In Vanuatu there were several walk in Western Union places where they manually scanned a debit card for cash. I'm sure that Europe will be as well serviced with walk-in forex places should ATM's not work for you.
PS
Vanuatu was still on magnetic stripe for cards.
Thanks Sarah and 2B for your experiences with hotel charges....
Also, check out Booking.com for hotels. We used that extensively in some very backwater central Asian towns to find hotels and were pleasantly surprised. I imagine it would be great for finding stuff in more tourist friendly areas as well.
Thanks Sarah and 2B for your experiences with hotel charges.
This booking.com link gets one to the English language version: Booking.com: 586,112 hotels worldwide. 41+ million hotel reviews.
By accessing Booking.com reservations, the crooks have been able to obtain contact details to send customers demands for prepayment.
I've always made reservations directly through a hotel's web site or by contacting them. If something goes wrong, I'm hoping the direct contact will make it easier to correct. But we have used sites like TripAdvisor for info purposes.
I've always made reservations directly through a hotel's web site or by contacting them. If something goes wrong, I'm hoping the direct contact will make it easier to correct. But we have used sites like TripAdvisor for info purposes.
Goldman Sachs now says that we will have EUR:USD parity this summer, and that the EUR will continue to fall in value until the end of 2016.
Goldman Sachs euro parity forecast - Business Insider
Wow, my €50 taxi ride keeps getting cheaper and cheaper!
OT Got me thinking.....can't even remember the last time I took a cab. /OT
AAA also can provide foreign currency if you are a member. I know they do Canadian money; pretty sure they do Euros too.
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No, no..it wasn't a snipe at you (or anyone)...it's just that I got to thinking that it must be decades since I took a cab......last time, IIRC, was from the airport in Riyadh to our compound (because we landed too late to ask someone to pick us up).When your 82 year old Dad can't really walk more than a 10th of a mile without needing a rest, you take cabs a lot in Amsterdam!
Goldman Sachs now says that we will have EUR:USD parity this summer, and that the EUR will continue to fall in value until the end of 2016.
U.S. Dollar Tumbles After Fed Statement - WSJThe dollar tumbled toward its biggest one-day decline against the euro since March 2009 on Wednesday after the Federal Reserve scuttled some investors’ expectations for rising U.S. interest rates.
No, no..it wasn't a snipe at you (or anyone)...it's just that I got to thinking that it must be decades since I took a cab......last time, IIRC, was from the airport in Riyadh to our compound (because we landed too late to ask someone to pick us up).