TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin cash card

Went today to get travelers checks at AAA which they no longer offer because of fraud issues. They recommended the Visa Cash Card. Is this card accepted everywhere on the island?

I can't speak for 'everywhere' but I did ask at a few locations when we were there in December and while most of them still accepted AE TCs, no one at the five or six places I asked, knew anything about or were accepting the cash cards. Regular CCs - no problem in most places, and of course, the US dollar was accepted everywhere on both sides of the island. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

Be careful on some prepaid cards. Some are not valid outside of the US.

I use the AAA debit card (prepaid card) in SXM also in Europe, no issues. I no longer use travelers checks.

If you use a prepaid card in a restaurant, be prepared to have them put a 20% "hold" on the card! It happened to a friend in SXM, and twice to us in the US, even though we left a cash tip. The hold amount should be back on the card the next day.

This sounds like the perfect alternative to TC and cash. We changed debit cards this year, so no longer have no-fee ATM withdrawals, which we always used to get cash on island about every other day. Can you use the AAA as a debit card at an ATM to get cash? Do you get a pin # like you would with a debit card? Is there any fee associated with getting the card?

It is an American Express Debit card and you get one free ATM withdrawal per month. Local ATM fees still apply.

It should work anywhere AE and debit cards are accepted.

I do not see fraud protection listed as a perk but fraudulent use would be limited to the amount on the card. Having a PIN should minimize this issue (like any bank debit card)

We just take cash and plenty of it. Keep it in safe and take out daily as needed. What we don't spend we bring home. Pretty simple.

That works....and a handy ATM card helps decrease the amount you have to bring

I only use the AAA card to retrieve cash from ATM. I use my Capitol one credit card for all other expenses, no international charges.

Perfect....

...but, just curious, why don't you just use your regular ATM card?

I'm thinking because there's only a limited $$ put on the card and someone couldn't wipe out your regular account affiliated with your Bank ATM - just a guess...

Can't argue with that....

I guess it would be pretty hard in either case to get access to your card AND your PIN...skimmers excepted.. but that would be no different than n the USA