TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Travelers checks

For the last 20 years we have been taking travelers checks to SXM.
We usually cash them at Hollywood Casino as needed.
Does anyone who has been on the Island recently
have any updates on cashing travelers checks?
Thank you.

Up to last April we always took AE TCs which we receive at no cost to us but after hearing so many complain about problems with using them, we opted to spend the last extra thousand of TCs we had and then swap over to CCs and cash. I have to say, we had no problem whatsoever in using the travel checks at major supermarkets, restaurants and at the various casinos, not to mention using them at our favorite jewelry stores.

I still feel more comfortable carrying TCs over cash and I'm not particularly hot on the idea of cash advances from the various island ATMs after hearing of so many having problems with them.

Perhaps it's an age thing and old habits dying hard, but I really am happier in general with travel checks and had no problem whatsoever in spending that last thousand! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

Thank you. We stay a month so do not want to carry so much cash.
The last couple of years we have seen signs At Casino Royale about not cashing them. Last year we still could cash them at the Hollywood casino since we stay in Simpson Bay Area.

Although Casino Royale does have a sign that says they do not cash traveller's cheques they, in fact, do. I changed mine there last year without a problem.

That's kind of interesting, how did that conversation go? You walk up to the cashier and say "I know you have a sign that says that you don't cash travelers checks, but will you do it anyway?"..

We use cash and CCs. Almost all places have a room safe so we put most of the cash in the safe and take what we want when needed.

I can't remember the last time I saw a Traveller check.

In Europe they have been replaced by a card that is charged with a credit and that you use in an ATM.

Quite frankly, I would not see the use of them, cash and CCs will work fine here.

It is known FACT, there are some places that do NOT take credit cards on both sides of the island.

That's why cash was mentioned along with cc in the post. Good to have both.

Yes, but if the place does NOT accept a credit card then it (credit card) is useless at that particular place.

Regarding Travelers Checks in general, IF you can find them to even take with you, there have been reports the last year or so of many places not accepting or cashing them. I had a couple of old ones with me last trip and I did cash them in a casino. Sadly, TC are pretty much a thing of the past but with not every business on SXM taking credit cards, having a reasonable amount of cash is necessary.

Correct. That's why cash was mentioned to have also. Cash and cc covers it all.

We have recently returned from St.Maarten and regularly cashed travellers checks at Hollywood Casino, Princess Casino and Dunes Casino.Also some supermarkets were taking them recently.

Thank you, Elizabeth, as this was our experience, too.

For those who don't use them, that's your choice and I respect that, but knowing of someone who actually lost a wallet full of cash (along with his credit cards.....) I still feel there is a place for the much maligned TCs. At least they are easily replaceable. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

I will agree with you pat. The problem many will have though is even finding a source for Travelers Checks. Last time I got some I had to order them through my bank and was very limited in denominations.

I am glad there does at least still seem to be some acceptance of them as it had sounded like most places would not accept them. It was mentioned their banks would not take then so I don't know if something has changed or what but glad to know they are still a possible option.

There was a rash of counterfeit $20 TC's were we told at the bank. We use to cash them at our hotel ($50 limit per day) but they were no longer doing this. We went to 3 different banks on island and no one would cash them. We ended up using a CC.

We brought checks back home and deposited them in our saving account but not without a "song & dance" I assume since we hadn't gotten them at our bank but at AAA.

My bank special orders them for me in the amount and denomination I want - that for me being hundreds since anything less is annoying to me, and we get them as a freebie with our particular bank account.

To each his own, right?! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" />

Actually just went to the cashier and asked "Can you cash these?". I will add, I don't remember where I saw the sign, getting old and senile I guess <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" />

I don't like to carry a lot of cash around and find TC's to be a bit safer; they are replaceable if stolen as opposed to cash, which isn't. I have in the past cashed them at the Dunes Casino too. I find it easier to cash them at a casino than at the bank which takes forever, and you need at least 2 pieces of I.D., whereas the casinos have usually accepted my driver's license.

OK. We used to carry tc, a long time ago, but now it's just too much trouble to cash them, for us.

Wow, surprised someone was faking $20 TC!! Not much you could buy with $20! I guess the scammers thought that no one would look at them very closely, if they were only $20?? SXM does seem to have a pretty frequent problem with fake US currency too. Wonder where this stuff is coming from, as I can't imagine there is anyone on island good enough to make even a BAD counterfeit bill.

Carol that was our local bank that said there were a lot of counterfeit TC's. And one business on SXM said they weren't taking TC's in 20 denomination. We always brought $100's & $500's at at the time I thought the bank on SXM (near what's now Carrefour) didn't want to take them because they'd have to give out too much on hand cash. The the RB in P'Burg near police station refused them too.

Years ago, when we used them, we got $50 and $100 and always just used them to pay for stuff and get whatever change.

Same here and it worked so well. But this year I won't take too many just in case. We don't go until March so maybe someone else here can report if TC's are a problem.

That's why I said CCs AND Cash. BTW, you can pull money from an ATM also...

I have never used an ATM in my life and have no plans of doing so on SXM or elsewhere.

I guess online banking is a no go also... <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" />

No, I actually do that.

<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" />

Wow ... ATMs have been around since 40 years now ...

So has common sense.

As with most things "common sense" is in the mind of the person using it. I think that is common sense to use an ATM to obtain ALL my cash and have been doing it at home and overseas for 20 years. You, obviously, think differently.

Not a big deal but definitely doesn't come under the realm of "common sense"....maybe personal preference would be a better label

Most places on the French side do not take TC. We use CC and cash. Have never had a problem with ATM's. We use the one at Credit Mutuel (sp) in Hope Estates frequently. Only carry the cash we think we will need for cabs, etc. and places we know that only accept cash.

We had no problem using TC's last summer. The banks and Casinos on the Dutch side cashed them for us. We cashed in over 3000.00 with no problems. We also used them at Le Grand Marche.