What’s the best way to exchange currency for a North American adventure? Doc Holiday reveals the best way to go.
My wife and I have booked our holiday of a lifetime tour around Canada and then we cruise to Alaska. What’s the best way and best time to procure some US and Canadian currency and how much of each would you recommend we take? We plan on several side trips and excursions from the tour and the ship plus the inevitable mementos and family gifts to return with.
DOC: If only I knew the answer to when would be the best time to buy and sell international currency, then I could retire and join you.
However, if you want to be sure of the exchange rate you receive and are working to a tight budget, the experts advise buying now while the Australian dollar is OK.
They predict it will trend down over the coming months. One way you could do this is to grab one of the prepaid travel money cards and load it now with US and Canadian dollars. That way you’ve locked in your exchange rate and can budget according to what you have.
Travelex (travelex.com.au) offers a Multi-currency Cash Passport available in-store and at most Australian international airports.
It’s a prepaid, pin-protected, MasterCard travel money-card that allows you to store 10 currencies on the one card, including US and Canadian dollars. It’s accepted at any MasterCard location worldwide plus you can access local currency through an ATM. It is also reloadable in-store or online and features a 24/7 emergency assistance help number. You can easily check your balances, view your transaction history and move your funds.
As for how much you will need each day, set yourself a limit as to how much you want to spend on gifts – it’s easy to get swept up in the fun of buying souvenirs for everyone back home and ending up with a bunch of tea towels and stubby holders no one really wants. Instead, grab a couple of things for key people, keeping your spend limit in mind, then treat yourselves to one or two special mementos. This way you will carry on the lasting memory of your trip for longer.
I suggest you load your currency passport or your normal debit card with your budgeted spend amount, then withdraw the US or Canadian dollars locally as you go. This way your unspent money is either still in Australian dollars or can easily be converted back. If you have a credit card, take it in case of an unexpected purchase or to allow for any unforeseen circumstances.
CRUISING WITHOUT LOSING
My wife and I are in our late 60s and have begun planning a three-week trip to Europe in April/May 2018 during which we want to include a river cruise visiting cities including Prague, Budapest and parts of Germany. Can you suggest some reasonably priced river cruise lines?
DOC: Many companies offer European river cruises of all shapes and sizes. Have a look at Evergreen (evergreentours.com.au) and Avalon (avalonwaterways.com.au) for reasonable rates.
One of the most popular river cruise routes is from Amsterdam to Budapest (or vice versa) and this might be the one best suited to you. It generally takes about 14 nights as it makes its way through countries such as Germany, Austria, the Netherlands and Hungary.
It will come down to preference when choosing, as most offer similar itineraries and inclusions. Weigh up things such as shore excursions – you may have particular villages or activities you would like to experience. Also look at the stops and how long is spent in each port; this too could influence your choice.
