Travelling to Cuba, are credit cards widely accepted? Are there cash machines?

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Tropicales

In addition to Riki's comment, ATMs are available but are not always reliable as it depends on the communication lines of the day. Sometimes they'll work, sometimes they won't. So using a non-US credit is very useful in doing cash advances or payments. And these can be used at the banks, , airports, cadecas (money houses) and resort/tourist areas.

At your orientation meeting (which is highly suggested to attend...which is usually the day after you land), your tour rep will give you every detail you'll need to know as to where you can use your card, money exchanges, hours, etc.

Have a great time.

Brit Boy

Credit Cards are accepted in hotels and some restaurants. BUT - not cards originating from an American bank. It is illegal in America to trade with Cuba, so the banks can't process their cards in Cuba.

It is not just American Express, some credit cards commonly used in the UK are from American Banks, and you may not realise this. Check your card before you go. Take lots of American dollars in cash, preferably 1 dollar notes. The Cubans love dollars and will do anything for them!

canada_021974

Yes. Of course , there is no such an availability like in other places, but you can pay mayor things such as renting a car, restaurants , etc. That being said, it is easier to carry cash. There are cash machines, and if you are in old havana, there are a lot of them. You have to be careful with people around you when you do it though. The best is going to a bank, they are very secure.

Nick P

Money

Cuba's state banking system is trying to keep up with the rise in international tourism and joint business ventures. Both the Banco de CrÃ©dito y Comercio and Banco Financiero Internacional have been opening up branches in most major business and tourist areas; most are open Monday through Saturday from 8am to 4pm. These banks are the place to go for cash withdrawals off of your non-U.S.-issued credit cards. They'll also work for cashing traveler's checks or changing currency, but your best bet for money-exchange transactions is the national chain of casas de cambio (money-exchange houses), CADECA, S.A. You'll find CADECA branches in most major cities and tourist destinations, as well as at all the international airports. Some of their more strategically located branches are open 24 hours. Don't be scared off by the long lines in front of most CADECA offices. These are invariably Cubans looking to buy dollars. Foreigners wanting to sell dollars for Cuban pesos can almost always jump to the head of the line and walk right in.

Currency

Although Castro has replaced the U.S. dollar with the Cuban convertible peso, or CUC, Cuba has always operated under a de facto dollarized economy. The CUC is an internationally unsupported currency, and it is, for all intents and purposes, pegged to the U.S. dollar. All of the CADECA branches and major banks will change U.S. dollars, euros, British pounds, and Canadian dollars.

There are, in fact, two distinct kinds of currency circulating in Cuba: the moneda libremente convertible ("convertible peso" or CUC), and the moneda nacional (Cuban peso or MN). Both the CUC and moneda nacional are divided up into units of 100 centavos. To complicate matters, the euro is also legal tender in many of the hotels, restaurants, and shops in several of the larger, isolated beach resort destinations.

The convertible peso functions on a near one-to-one parity with the dollar -- at press time the official exchange rate was US$1=CUC$0.93. However, U.S. dollars are penalized by a 10% surcharge on all money exchange operations into convertible pesos. For this reason, it is best to carry any hard currency you plan on spending in Cuba as euros, British pounds, or Canadian dollars. All of these are freely exchanged at all CADECA branches and most banks around Cuba. Be sure to bring relatively fresh and new bills. Cuban banks will sometimes refuse to accept bills with even slight tears or markings. Also, it is wise to bring a calculator with you and carefully monitor the exchange process, as tellers have been known to deliberately shortchange unsuspecting and overly trustworthy tourists.

Convertible pesos come in 1, 3, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 peso bills. Convertible peso coins come in denominations of 5, 10, 25, and 50 centavos, and 1 peso. Although the government has long abandoned its official posture of a one-to-one parity between the Cuban peso (MN) and U.S. dollar, the habit of converting moneda nacional prices directly into dollars is still common in many situations.

Currently, Cuban pesos can be exchanged legally for U.S. dollars or CUC (and vice versa) at any CADECA money exchange office, most banks, and many hotels. The official exchange rate as of press time was around 26 pesos to the CUC. While opportunities for travelers to pay in Cuban pesos are few and far between, it is not a bad idea to exchange around CUC$5 for pesos soon after arrival. It may be possible to pay for some restaurants, taxis, local buses, movie theaters, and other goods or services in Cuban pesos, and the savings are substantial. If "MN" is displayed on the prices, you should theoretically be paying Cuban pesos. However, in most cases vendors will try to insist that any non-Cuban pay in convertible pesos, often at a one-to-one rate of exchange.

You can exchange any remaining convertible pesos for U.S. dollars or euros at the airport before leaving. Do so, as the convertible pesos will be useless outside of Cuba.

Note: Cubans still often use the term "peso" and "dollar" interchangeably. If you are quoted a price in pesos, it may not be the bargain you think it to be. To be clear, "moneda nacional" or "MN" always refers to Cuban pesos. Other terms for a U.S. dollar include divisa, verde, guano, and fula.

Credit Cards

MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted at hotels, car-rental agencies, and official restaurants and shops, with the caveat that they must not be issued by a United States bank or financial institution. Diners Club is also accepted, although to a much lesser extent. American Express cards are not accepted anywhere on the island. It is always best to check with your home bank before traveling to see if your card will work in Cuba.

Most paladares (private-home restaurants), casas particulares (private-home accommodations), and small businesses do not accept credit cards. In the more remote destinations, you should count on using cash for most transactions. Moreov

Chancy R

Only in major hotels. If you go out of the tourist areas you will see such poverty, animals, dogs cats strays starving, people begging, cities in total decay. The poor people of Cuba. My heart goes out to them all.
No credit cards just cash. Your peso will have to be converted for a cuban person to make use of it. Things must change for the poor people of Cuba.

Riki

Contrary to one post, do not take American dollars with you, you will be penalized when you convert them to Convertible Pesos (CUC ) currency used by tourists. Take Sterling, Euros, Canadian dollars but not U. S. Cuba is mostly a cash society there may be ATMs in some places although the only one I have seen after ten visits was in Varadero and even at that one it was necessary to go inside the bank to obtain funds. Check before you leave home about your credit card although I have never had a problem obtaining cash at currency exchanges at the resorts with my VISA CARD drawn on scotiabank in Canada. To be on the safe side don;t count on using a credit card for payment except at resort shops or for room charges should you have any at your resort. Check the site below for approximate conversion rates.

travel_stories

Credit cards are not widely accepted. You have limited places to go and use them. They also charge quite high fees. Have a look at http://www.fascinating-travel-destinations.com/information-on-cuba.html
I don't recall seeing any cash machines. They did have money change booths. You are best to take cash - Euros.US dollars are not a good option as again, they charge a lot to change them into convertible pesos. Change money into convertible pesos once you are there, and then use cash to pay for things, unless big bills like hotels.

Beardo

As mentioned, firstly, credit cards from US banks, or subsidiaries (such as MBNA Europe) will not work here. Other Visa and Mastercard should work here - in hotels, larger stores, car hire, better restaurants (but not paladares) - though sometimes you will be told that the machine isn't working (and sometimes that will even be true).

Yes, there are ATMs - but only for visa cards. In Havana there are dozens (in particular at Banco Metropolitano). I didn't find one in Guantanamo but did in Moa. However, you dont need an ATM - you can draw cash over the counter at banks with either Visa or Mastercard.

Victor

The cards are accepted, but about cash machines, I doubt it

barcovago

If you are an AmeriKan you NEVER USE A CREDIT CARD in Cuba because IT LEAVES A PAPER TRAIL.. and you DON'T LEAVE A PAPER TRAIL unless you want to do some jail time.

Take CASH and exchange it for the CUC at any CUBAN BANK because you will pay a 20 percent FEE in addition to the exchange rate if you try using cash at a hotel.

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