Acceptable Currency On a River Cruise – Cash, Credit Card or ATM?
On a Europe river cruise, many of the countries along the rivers use the Euro. The exception is through eastern European countries which are still using their own currency, not the Euro. For a list of countries and their currency, click here.
In Europe, your river ship will use the Euro and your onboard account will be in Euro. At the end of your cruise, you may choose to pay in Euro or US dollars. Credit cards and cash are accepted, but not traveler’s checks. If you choose to charge your credit card, the final amount that you owe will be calculated using the current rate of exchange.
ATMs are usually found in the city centers. Be aware that internationally, credit cards contain a micro chip rather than a magnetic strip found on US credit cards. Check with your bank before you leave home to see if you can replace your magnetic strip card with one that has a micro chip.
While you are at your bank, it’s always a good idea to get small amounts of currency for the places you’ll visit. Major banks can take your request and have the foreign currency delivered to the bank for pick up within 48-hours. At the same time, let your bank and credit card companies know which countries you will visit so they clear any purchased for you.
