I have cash passport Travelex cards and they work very well and the fees are better than most of the banks. Do a search and you will find lots of great information on the BB

quote:

Originally posted by debervin:
Hi:

My son and I are going on the GB/Ireland explorer tour that leaves on 7/11. I was wondering how much money and traveler's checks that I should buy? Is it easy to use american express and credit cards there?

A lot of people will tell you that Traveller's Cheques are basically taboo. Well, I will tell you the opposite. I use traveller's cheques every year when I go overseas. I use American Express. I change the majority of them once I arive in London there is a branch across the road from Harrods. Change as may as you can as you get charged one surcharge and it does not matter how many cheques you cash. I also have changed them without problems at hotels in Europe, though I have to say, pick the bigger hotel chains such as the Marriots or Sheraton's. They did not charge any commission. You can also use them to pay for your optional. Whatever you decide to do, regarding how you chose to take your funds overseas, remember that everyone here will give you advice based on their own experiences. YOu decide for yourself what you think will work for you.

Gen

I'm a little curious as to why you use them, Gen, when there is an ATM on virtually every street corner? Why go to the bother and expense of buying them?

Just curious about what your reasoning is for using them.

Hello folks
I am an Insight Tour Director. Ican confirm that we do NOT accept Traveller's Cheques in payment for optional excursions.

When did the system change Paul because we have paid our optional excursions with Traveller's cheques for all 16 of our Insight and Trafalgar tours with the last one being 8 months ago?

Hi there
The Insight daily itineraries for 2009 state " payment can be made in cash or by Visa Mastercard or AMEX". Travellers cheques have all but disappeared now. The reason is that that they as a system were wide open to fraud and money laundering, and reputable companies will no longer handle them. Use them as a way of carrying funds by all means, but they will need to be cashed before use.
Hope this helps.
Paul

European Heritage-One month left until lift off! Two years of planning, saving,and waiting and it's almost here We are leaving Canada on July 2 for London and will meet up with our tour which starts on July 5th. We are excited because it is such a long tour and we visit so many countries. Will be interesting to experience our first guided tour. I am disappointed that we are the only ones that are in the "Who is going where?" for this tour. Is anyone else going on the BB and you just haven't bothered to put your name down?
Brenda

quote:

Originally posted by PamH:
Please let me know what you thought about the Gingerbread when you get back. Most of the people of our tour last year did not like it at all. Maybe it was that we were just about all Australian and we may have had different ideas on what Gingerbread should taste like. I feed mine to the ducks.

Pam: My husband & I loved the gingerbread. I must say that it was different from what I'm used to - but it was yummy. We actually got some discards from an Aussie on our tour - she hated it.
Glad we got it instead of the ducks

Linda

Linda
Thank you for your reply re the Gingerbread. I am glad that you enjoyed it. As I said it must be just the Australian people that do not like it. Did you enjoy the trip? Do you have any plans for your next tour as yet or is it all too soon to think about that. I had a get time on my tour of Eastern Europe. The history for that part of the world is very interesting.

Linda
Just read your Tour Tale and see that you had David Turner as your Tour Director. We had him last year and he was very good and I am glad that no one was late as they would have been told about it from him as he does not like to be late for anything. A very well orgainsed person.