Can I exchange currency on a Celebrity cruise?

If you’re going on a Celebrity cruise soon, you’re probably in the middle of planning for your trip, whether that’s packing your best outfits or booking excursions.

But what about currency? The beauty of cruises is that you get to visit different countries and even continents, often waking up in a new port or country each day. This means it can be hard to know what currency (and how much) to bring with you.

Fortunately, we’ve prepared a guide to exchanging currency during a Celebrity cruise and your best options onboard.

We’ll also show you a handy alternative, the Wise debit card. It’s designed for low-cost spending around the world, automatically converting your pounds to the local currency at a fair mid-market exchange rate*.

Learn more about the Wise card 💳

First up, let’s take a look at currency exchange on Celebrity cruises.

Can you exchange money on a Celebrity cruise ship?

Yes, you can exchange currency on Celebrity cruise ships. You can do so at their guest relations desk, along with other bank services. The exchange rate is set by the Bank of America.¹

How does money work on a cruise ship?¹

In general, cruises are completely cashless and you get charged at the end of your trip. When it comes to Celebrity cruises, you’ll use your SeaPass as a payment method. The SeaPass is essentially your room key which is also linked with your credit card and used for onboard purchases.

You can keep track of your expenses throughout the trip with the Celebrity Cruises app or by visiting the guest relations desk. Also, if you’re travelling with children, you can request to set spending limits for them.

Can you use cash on Celebrity cruises?

Celebrity cruises are cashless and you can only use your SeaPass account and card for paying.¹

What currency is used on Celebrity cruise ships?

Onboard prices on Celebrity cruises are in US dollars.²

Are there ATMs on Celebrity cruise ships?

While cash is not an acceptable payment method onboard, Celebrity cruise ships do have ATMs and they’re located near the guest relations desk and the casino. They also have them in the Celebrity Edge class, where they’re located next to the casino and the elevators for passenger convenience.¹

How to avoid Celebrity cruise currency exchange fees

Similar to airports, cruise ships are known for having unfavourable exchange rates at their desks and ATMs. However, this is often the most convenient option for the passengers.

If you want to avoid cruise currency exchange fees, here are a few tips:

• Exchange currency in advance - before getting on your cruise ship, visit a currency exchange facility and get the currency you need
• Use an ATM while on land - try to make time for finding an ATM during your port days
• Exchange currency on land - search for a currency exchange facility in the places you’re visiting
• Use your credit or debit card - let your card do the conversion instead

Even though Celebrity cruises are completely cashless, you still might want to have the local currency with you when you’re on land. Depending on your cruise route, you might even be going around the world and exchanging currency multiple times.

You can find ATMs and currency exchange points on all Celebrity cruise ships. However, it's best to avoid them, since you can end up paying unnecessary additional fees.

Cruise your way to a smarter currency exchange alternative

In order to avoid high exchange fees and exchange rates during your Celebrity cruise, you could consider the Wise debit card as an option. It automatically converts the currency with only a small, transparent currency conversion fee*.

If you end up using the ATM at the Celebrity cruise ship, make sure you only withdraw in US dollars. If that’s not possible for some reason, your Wise card can convert the money in your Wise account to the right currency whenever you withdraw cash, all at the mid-market rate*.

Even better, you can make 2 free withdrawals each month up to 200 GBP, so you can sit back, relax and enjoy your luxury voyage without worrying about how you’ll pay for purchases on land.

Learn more about the Wise card 💳

So that’s our guide to Celebrity Cruises currency conversion - all that's left is to wish you happy cruising!

Sources used for this article:

1. Celebrity Cruises - Celebrity Cruises FAQ
2. Vision Cruise - Cruise currencies

Sources last checked on date: 07-May-2024