Cuba currency conversion - US dollars or Canadian?

[Nolan Warden]

I'll soon be traveling to Cuba and it's my first time since they stopped
using the dollar. What's the situation like now? Can any other
currency be used besides the convertible peso? What is the
percentage/fee for changing from US dollars? Is the charge less if
converting from Canadian dollars? I've heard that changing from US
dollars is more expensive so I'm wondering if it's worth changing to
Canadian dollars before arriving in Cuba. Thoughts? Experiences?

Thanks.

-nolan

[Bob Westcott]

Conversion works ok for Euros and Canadian $, US$ get a 10% surcharge.
When you leave the country, you can convert back to whatever currency you
came with. I did notice that the airport conversion rate in Varadero was
less favourable than in Holguin.


Bob




"Nolan Warden" <nolanwarden@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:42C1B5B6.80509@hotmail.com...
> I'll soon be traveling to Cuba and it's my first time since they stopped
> using the dollar. What's the situation like now? Can any other currency
> be used besides the convertible peso? What is the percentage/fee for
> changing from US dollars? Is the charge less if converting from Canadian
> dollars? I've heard that changing from US dollars is more expensive so
> I'm wondering if it's worth changing to Canadian dollars before arriving
> in Cuba. Thoughts? Experiences?
>
> Thanks.
>
> -nolan
>

[Nolan Warden]

Bob and others,

Do you remember how much they charged in Cuba for conversion of Euros or
Canadian dollars?

-nolan


Bob Westcott wrote:
> Conversion works ok for Euros and Canadian $, US$ get a 10% surcharge.
> When you leave the country, you can convert back to whatever currency you
> came with. I did notice that the airport conversion rate in Varadero was
> less favourable than in Holguin.
>
>
> Bob
>
>
>
>
> "Nolan Warden" <nolanwarden@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:42C1B5B6.80509@hotmail.com...
>
>>I'll soon be traveling to Cuba and it's my first time since they stopped
>>using the dollar. What's the situation like now? Can any other currency
>>be used besides the convertible peso? What is the percentage/fee for
>>changing from US dollars? Is the charge less if converting from Canadian
>>dollars? I've heard that changing from US dollars is more expensive so
>>I'm wondering if it's worth changing to Canadian dollars before arriving
>>in Cuba. Thoughts? Experiences?
>>
>>Thanks.
>>
>>-nolan
>>
>
>
>

[Bob Westcott]

It was a bit difficult to figure out. The THEORY (and I can't emphasize
that word enough) is that the Cuban government has tied the exchange rate
between tourist pesos and the US dollar on a 1:1 basis. So....

1 Peso = US $1.10 (remember the 10% surcharge on USD)
1 Peso = CDN $1.22 (based on current exchange rates)


As with any cambio setup, you don't get the whole rate; service fees are
built into the exchange rate, and of course the buy rate is different than
the sell rate. Our flight had a layover in Varadero, so we exchanged some
CDN into pesos. I believe it was around 1.27 or so. When we got to
Holguin, the rate was more favourable. As near as I can tell, the Varadero
airport is not very traveller friendly... beverages, etc were much more
expensive there than anywhere else we saw. The Holguin airport was about
2/3 price for beer, food, etc as the Varadero one.

Just remember to exchange any left over currency back when you leave the
country; it has no value anywhere else in the world.


Bob



"Nolan Warden" <nolanwarden@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:42C2DF60.6020903@hotmail.com...
> Bob and others,
>
> Do you remember how much they charged in Cuba for conversion of Euros or
> Canadian dollars?
>
> -nolan
>
>
> Bob Westcott wrote:
>> Conversion works ok for Euros and Canadian $, US$ get a 10% surcharge.
>> When you leave the country, you can convert back to whatever currency you
>> came with. I did notice that the airport conversion rate in Varadero was
>> less favourable than in Holguin.
>>
>>
>> Bob
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> "Nolan Warden" <nolanwarden@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:42C1B5B6.80509@hotmail.com...
>>
>>>I'll soon be traveling to Cuba and it's my first time since they stopped
>>>using the dollar. What's the situation like now? Can any other currency
>>>be used besides the convertible peso? What is the percentage/fee for
>>>changing from US dollars? Is the charge less if converting from Canadian
>>>dollars? I've heard that changing from US dollars is more expensive so
>>>I'm wondering if it's worth changing to Canadian dollars before arriving
>>>in Cuba. Thoughts? Experiences?
>>>
>>>Thanks.
>>>
>>>-nolan
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>