What Money To Take To Tahiti

We are going on the Tahitian Princess on Jan 26. It is doing the Cooke
Island swing.

Which currency should we take? I have been told to take:
- US $
- French Polynesian Franc
- New Zealand $
- buy cash on each island with my debit card.
- use my credit card

What has been the personal experience of some of you? Is Princess's exchange
rate that much worse then the banks on the islands? (we didn't find that
they were bad on our Caribbean trip on the Sun. The banks in the Caribbean
were higher.)

Wayne

Wayne, do not use the purser to exchange your money for the Poly Francs. The
exchange rate is terrible. Go to the ATM's right there in Papatee and
exchange it or use your CC for any larger purchases for the best rates. Make
sure you exchange it back to US cash BEFORE you leave as US banks will not
exchange any coins, just paper money. Also don't be too shocked at the
prices as they are almost always listed in FPF. It is true though that
prices are pretty expensive compared to the Caribbean especially. Enjoy as
that was one of our best cruises and the scenery there is simply amazing.
The culture is also so very much different than the US you cannot even
compare.
Jim


"Wayne J." wrote in message
news:7iClh.533684$1T2.119475@pd7urf2no...
We are going on the Tahitian Princess on Jan 26. It is doing the Cooke
Island swing.

Which currency should we take? I have been told to take:
- US $
- French Polynesian Franc
- New Zealand $
- buy cash on each island with my debit card.
- use my credit card

What has been the personal experience of some of you? Is Princess's
exchange rate that much worse then the banks on the islands? (we didn't
find that they were bad on our Caribbean trip on the Sun. The banks in the
Caribbean were higher.)

Wayne

Wayne J. wrote:
We are going on the Tahitian Princess on Jan 26. It is doing the Cooke
Island swing.

Which currency should we take? I have been told to take:
- US $
- French Polynesian Franc


What has been the personal experience of some of you? Is Princess's exchange
rate that much worse then the banks on the islands?

Not always, when the purser USED to exchange money. On one occasion,
the purser's desk gave a much better rate than the banks in Papeete
because
they had plenty of surplus Polynesian Francs from the previous week and
they
were keepint the same exchange rate while the bank exchange for the
USD
took a plunge.

But the Tahiti Princess now has money changing machines, and they ARE
unfavorable in all currency exchanges to the passengers.

I keep some PF from trip to trip because the taxi from the airport to
the pier
is less than 1/2 of what the ship charges for their bus trasnfer and
your taxi
fare is better (by a small margin) negotiated in PF than in USD.


Wayne

-- Reef Fish Bob.

"jim" wrote in message
. ..
The culture is also so very much different than the US you cannot even
compare.


What are you trying to say? French Polynesian culture is bad or good or
arrogant or nice? I've never read anything about their attitudes towards
American travelers. I assume it is positive, yes? I have read some of the
islands with the big hotels have a big trash problem and those islands don't
hold the pure beauty that they once had. Much rather go to Tonga.

On 12/31/2006 2:28 PM Von Fourche wrote:
"jim" wrote in message
. ..
The culture is also so very much different than the US you cannot even
compare.


What are you trying to say? French Polynesian culture is bad or good or
arrogant or nice? I've never read anything about their attitudes towards
American travelers. I assume it is positive, yes? I have read some of the
islands with the big hotels have a big trash problem and those islands don't
hold the pure beauty that they once had. Much rather go to Tonga.


My favorite are Ningies or Quadloos. If they worked for Captain Kirk
they will work everywhere. Really, I don't think that any cultural
aspersions were made in the previous post. He was just passing on what
is common knowledge in some circles. "ATM fix everything!" It doesn't
matter if the local monetary unit is Poly Francs, Ningies, Quadloos or
photos of Anna Nicole Smith. ATMs will sort things out and do it at a
favorable rate.

--
____
Brian M. Kochera
"Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once!"
____
View My Web Page: http://home.earthlink.net/~brian1951

"Brian K" wrote in message
ink.net...
On 12/31/2006 2:28 PM Von Fourche wrote:
"jim" wrote in message
. ..
The culture is also so very much different than the US you cannot even
compare.


What are you trying to say? French Polynesian culture is bad or good
or arrogant or nice? I've never read anything about their attitudes
towards American travelers. I assume it is positive, yes? I have read
some of the islands with the big hotels have a big trash problem and
those islands don't hold the pure beauty that they once had. Much rather
go to Tonga.
My favorite are Ningies or Quadloos. If they worked for Captain Kirk they
will work everywhere. Really, I don't think that any cultural aspersions
were made in the previous post. He was just passing on what is common
knowledge in some circles. "ATM fix everything!" It doesn't matter if
the local monetary unit is Poly Francs, Ningies, Quadloos or photos of
Anna Nicole Smith. ATMs will sort things out and do it at a favorable
rate.

--
____
Brian M. Kochera
"Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once!"
____
View My Web Page: http://home.earthlink.net/~brian1951

It was actually meant in a wonderfully favourable way! You do not 'bargain'
with the locals. The have priced the items in what they feel is a fair price
and to dicer with them over it is insulting as it indicates you feel they
are not honest and overcharging. They are very friendly and honest. Instead
of the daily newspaper stuck in the mailbox, you will see a long loaf of
fresh bread! We observed a lady riding her scooter with another child
standing in front of her on the floorboards and hand on the handlebars and
another standing on the back of the seat with his hand on her shoulders! An
American would have been arrested for this! They bury their family in the
front yard and honour them. My wife and I saw two classrooms of children on
a picnic/beach day/whatever where they were of mixed gender and around 10/12
years old. When it was time to leave they all ran for the showers that are
located on the side of the building and removed their clothing and took a
shower together and with the teachers who were also nude. Again, in the USA
someone would be going to jail. Their culture is one of trust and honesty
and faith in their fellow people. I found that very refreshing. I wanted a
tattoo by this famous artist who resides on Hiuhani. He was not at his
studio and after asking at the local info centre one knew him well as he was
her uncle or some type of relative. She knew he was with his family having a
day off and playing at the beach, she wanted to call her friend who knew
where he was so he could go and get him for me. As we did not have that much
time I said please not to bother. They were so kind and friendly that I felt
like we knew them all our lives. Wonderful people and I would love to go
back. Remember it is their country and traditions so respect them and accept
it for what it is.
Jim

Wayne J. wrote:
We are going on the Tahitian Princess on Jan 26. It is doing the Cooke
Island swing.

Which currency should we take? I have been told to take:
- US $
- French Polynesian Franc

I had already given the reasons for the two above. My second
thought would be to take the Euro, which was not one of the
choices you gave, especially if you travel to Europe often in
your travel.

When I started I 5 cruises to the French Polynesia 4 years ago,
covering the Tahiti, Marquesas, Cook Islands, and Samoa
itineraries and others, the USD was about on par with the EUR.

Today, the exchange rate is 1 EUR = 131.854 USD

and the trend will continue, given the weak economy of the USA.

For what you DON'T use in Papeete in EUR, it would be an
investment with a health return just keep the Euro to spend
elsewhere!

-- Reef Fish Bob.

"Wayne J." wrote in message
news:7iClh.533684$1T2.119475@pd7urf2no...
We are going on the Tahitian Princess on Jan 26. It is doing the Cooke
Island swing.

Which currency should we take? I have been told to take:
- US $
- French Polynesian Franc
- New Zealand $
- buy cash on each island with my debit card.
- use my credit card

What has been the personal experience of some of you? Is Princess's
exchange rate that much worse then the banks on the islands? (we didn't
find that they were bad on our Caribbean trip on the Sun. The banks in the
Caribbean were higher.)

Wayne

thanks for the answers. Guess it will be USD in travellers cheques for the
ship bill, ATM for some of the islands and AMEX for the big stuff.

Wayne