Which Credit Card for International Travel?

[dad3and3]

My Daughter is going on Semester at Sea, a college semester on board a ship that travels around the world.

Anyone with experience with international travel that could answer a question about which Credit Card would be best for this kind of travel.

I find that most cards have a 1 to 3% transaction fee for items charged to the card. Cash advances seem to be high with interest rates up around 20% starting from day one.

Any input for you world travelers would be helpful.

Thanks

 

[B@rt]

VISA is widely accepted. I haven't seen a place that took cards that didn't take those.

 

[greenLED]

I find that most cards have a 1 to 3% transaction fee for items charged to the card. Cash advances seem to be high with interest rates up around 20% starting from day one.

Any input for you world travelers would be helpful.

What card issuer are you using? I've never seen cards that charge the user per transaction. Cash advances, however, do have much higher interest rates, so you gotta be careful with those.


I've taken our US-based cards half way around the world without a glitch. Even my local debit card has worked abroad.

One of our card issuers suggest that you call their CS in advance of your trip to let them know that charges from international locations will be made within certain dates. It's not required, but we do it anyway, just to make sure charges made after our trip is over are not processed, and the charges made while we're away do get through.

Visa and MasterCard are most widely accepted, but there are some countries in South America where American Express is more common (I don't like their higher rates and smaller availability).

 

[barkingmad]

What card issuer are you using? I've never seen cards that charge the user per transaction. Cash advances, however, do have much higher interest rates, so you gotta be careful with those.


I've taken our US-based cards half way around the world without a glitch. Even my local debit card has worked abroad.

One of our card issuers suggest that you call their CS in advance of your trip to let them know that charges from international locations will be made within certain dates. It's not required, but we do it anyway, just to make sure charges made after our trip is over are not processed, and the charges made while we're away do get through.

Visa and MasterCard are most widely accepted, but there are some countries in South America where American Express is more common (I don't like their higher rates and smaller availability).

All the credit cards I have seen do charge when they change from the foreign currency into your own local currency - not just for cash advances. Perhaps on yours they build it in to the exchange rate?

I would say VISA is the most common worldwide but not a bad idea to take a backup as well - i.e. Mastercard.

But I would not worry about the transaction fee - it is probably a lot less than you would pay to convert cash at a bank or foreign exchange.

 

[bitslammer]

If possible take both Visa & Mastercard. That will give you the best coverage. You can leave Discover or Amex at home as they are rarely used.

One VERY important note: call your bank and tell them the card will be going overseas. Many companies will shut down the card at the first overseas charge. To them it's an anti-fraud measure. That can really ruin a trip. They may ask where/when it will be used but you can give them a basic itinerary.

 

[albert]

i usually bring Visa & Amex, widely accepted on planet earth.

 

[TedTheLed]

American Express is the most widely accepted credit card on earth.
I suggest you use the Amex travelers checks too and exchange for local currency as needed.

 

[kelmo]

The 3% foreign exchange convenience fee is a RIP-OFFF!. Use cash. BofA charges a 1% convience fee (ATM), which really irritates me as well. But much better than 3%. Some credit unions don't charge a "convenience fee" for their cards, ATM or credit. Make sure they have Interlink, Plus, and/or Star membership as these are widely acepted world wide. Travellers Checks are hard to cash and you will lose typically 5-8% in the exchange. If your daugther is going to have a backup stash of hard currency, say $500 in large bills, make sure they are new bills. If the bills are all beatup they won't be accepted. If she is going to a city with open markets or bizzares, Istanbul, Florence, and Hong Kong come to mind, cash is king. The vendors will pass on the credit card charges to the consumer, you! And with cash you have much more bargaining power. Besides, if she she locks up her cards and passport on ship before going to town they are much safer. Less to keep track of and it will make you think hard about impulse buying. If she has internet access on the ship she can look up the exchange rate for the day when buying or selling local currency.


BTW - you are a great Father for doing this for your Daughter!!!

 

[barkingmad]

American Express is the most widely accepted credit card on earth.
I suggest you use the Amex travelers checks too and exchange for local currency as needed.

Are you sure about that...? I do not have figures to hand for the number of merchants accepting Amex worldwide but in terms of the number of cards issued and value of transactions processed it is *far* behind either Visa or Mastercard.

Many merchants hate Amex as (typically) the merchant charges are so much higher! It may be relatively more popular in the US but I doubt it is the same 'worldwide'.

Why bother with travellers checks / cheques if you have a credit card - will probably cost you even more than 3% - you can withdraw cash at an ATM anyway?

 

[DM51]

As others have said, she should take 2 cards - 1 Visa and 1 Mastercard, and tell the card companies where she will be going. A lot of places refuse to take Amex because of the fees.

As she will be away for a while, she should make sure the credit card balances are paid off monthly from her bank by direct debit, rather than racking up ruinous CC interest.

Cash is good, but the downside of course is that it can be stolen. Best not to take anything larger than $20 bills - $50s and $100s are routinely refused in some countries.

 

[bitslammer]

I have only anecdotal evidence but in the past 3 years I've been to:

• Sao Paulo Brasil
• Santiago Chile
• Buenos Aires Argentina,
• Rome and the surrounding region,
• Most of (former West)Germany
• A little of Belgium,

American Express was not very well accepted in all of those areas. Visa was by far the best, and some places took only Mastercard for whatever reason. :shrug:

I used to do travelers checks but gave that up as credit card/ATM is just as easy. I just reload on the cash as needed and try not to carry any more than I would normally.

 

[Daniel_sk]

I also don't think that Amex is very well accepted here. For EU, I would say - VISA and then Mastercard.

 

[dad3and3]

Thanks for all your suggestions. From your suggestions and my own research, looks like Visa is the most popular with Mastercard a close second. Discover seems to be the least likely to be accepted with Amex also in disfavor. Travelers checks seem to be discouraged due to the cost of conversion and hassle trying to cash.

From what she has been told by students that have taken the trip, cash is King, small world. They also advised her to take small bills, nothing larger than 20's and they were even discouraged.

Seems like all cards have a fee. The smallest I have found is 1% through Cabela's Visa. Most other charge 3%. She will also take an ATM card but there are also fees for that use internationally.

You were also right on with the advice of letting the CC companies know where you are going and the dates. Had to give them a complete list and time table which I guess is good.

Looks like she will be able to use her Cell Phone also in most places except Japan. They seem to be on some other system. Per minute charges vary with T-moble any where from 2.99 in Viet Nam to .99 in Spain so we will have to monitor her phone usage as well. They do have text messaging for only .35 so we will probably be text pro's by December.

Thanks agian

 

[TedTheLed]

American Express has offices in 2200 countries, you can check where you are going on this chart for the availability of Amex support

http://www10.americanexpress.com/sif/cda/page/0,1641,21299,00.asp

seems Amex travelers checks cost $15 per order for any amount up to $1000 online, plus shipping. I didn't check out why the $1000 limit.

how much cash are you planning on spennding on your trip? what will you do (as the ad says) if it's lost or stolen? With Amex checks there's immediate replacement.

 

[greenLED]

Looks like she will be able to use her Cell Phone also in most places except Japan. They seem to be on some other system. Per minute charges vary with T-moble any where from 2.99 in Viet Nam to .99 in Spain so we will have to monitor her phone usage as well. They do have text messaging for only .35 so we will probably be text pro's by December.

I'm guessing her cruise ship will have sat internet connection and/or wireless hookups. She should be able to access Skype and make calls through them. Computer-to-computer calls are free, and even if she calls your land or cell line, the fees are pretty low.

 

[DM51]

Looks like she will be able to use her Cell Phone also in most places except Japan. They seem to be on some other system. Per minute charges vary with T-moble any where from 2.99 in Viet Nam to .99 in Spain so we will have to monitor her phone usage as well. They do have text messaging for only .35 so we will probably be text pro's by December.

Intl phone charges can be quite a rip-off, so be careful. She could be charged for receiving calls, as well as making them! As you say, text may be cheapest.

 

[daloosh]

I prefer Amex, and have used it all over the world. However, I only use it in bigger department stores/hotels/restaurants. For other places, I carry a MC and a Visa, to cover all the bases.

Semester at sea may be different from regular passenger cruises, but on a cruise ship from a large line, satellite internet service can range from 50-75 cents a minute on up to $3-4 per minute.

For cabin-based calling, especially since you may involve the ship's operator, it could be much more expensive! And even with cellphones, a lot of places you can get service are roaming areas, which can have high per-minute charges.

Best of luck, sounds like a fun trip for her!
daloosh

 

[meuge]

In my experience, VISA is accepted most widely, followed by MasterCard. Amex isn't an option in many countries (outside tourist areas).

 

[flashgreenie]

I have been around the world several times and I find if you have Mastercard and Visa, you are pretty much covered. AMEX is not so welcomed in some third world countries.

 

[greenLED]

Guess I'm used to research vessels with sat connections.