by David McGuffin | Apr 13, 2020 | Blog
Read Episode 1 here.
Charlotte’s Coronavirus Test
Charlotte was sick with a fever, chills, and a cough over the weekend. I was 4-5 days into my symptoms. In retrospect, Charlotte was probably two days into the Coronavirus by Friday. It is funny how you remember small, seemingly insignificant details, with the advantage of hindsight. Charlotte recalls she had an eye infection earlier in the week, and now we hear that is a symptom of COVID-19, too. We both stayed home and away from people over the weekend. When Monday rolled around, Charlotte called our family doctor and reported she suspected she had COVID-19.
The doctor wrote orders for her to go to a newly set up, drive through testing site at a local hospital. She hopped in the car and drove there only to find no testing site and no one who knew anything about it either. The next day, we gave it another try. This place is an hour from our home, but with nothing to do, it was a welcomed distraction just to get out, even if it was only in our car! No signs were indicating where the drive-thru clinic was located, but with a little luck, we found it behind the hospital in the industrial area. The only indication was a sizeable mobile sign, the kind you see on the roads, flashing traffic information such as “detour.” Only this sign said, “Event Parking,” ha!
The entrance driveway was lined with orange traffic cones. Several hospital employees were standing along the way with hand made signs saying, “Don’t roll down your windows,” and “Pull forward to the tent.” Once at the tent, we were met by an attendant, holding another hand made sign which said they would need names and information to match the patient to the doctor’s orders. This was a swift process, and we were on our way in a couple of minutes. Moving up about 200 yards down a cone-lined drive brought us to a rear entrance of a medical building with a covered drive-through portico.
The medical staff was divided into two sections, the first to collect your personal information and match it with the doctor’s orders. The second station was where the test was administered. These people were decked out in full PPE (funny how we did not know that term until a few weeks ago). A lab tech asked Charlotte to roll her window down, and with just a few motions, stuck the swab up Charlotte’s nose, retrieved it, and placed it in a bio-hazard bag, sealed it, and said, “that was it.” We were in and out of the whole process in fifteen minutes!
Just as we pulled out to leave the hospital parking, Charlotte took a call from her doctor, who was concerned Charlotte may have COVID-19. Given that she recently had open-heart surgery, the doctor wanted her to go to the ER to have a chest x-ray. So, we pulled into the ER, and I let her out at the entrance door. I was not allowed inside, so I parked and waited a couple of hours for Charlotte to finish her visit. The good news is the x-ray showed her lungs to be clear, so all was well. We drove back home and, like many of you, spent the next days at our home. That was St. Paddy’s Day, March 17.
The Test Results
Four days later, on March 21, Charlotte received a call from the testing center confirming she had COVID-19. That call was followed up by a conversation with the local Department of Health. Charlotte had to provide information about who she was in contact with and where she had traveled. By this time, I was 12 days beyond my initial symptoms and Charlotte was 8-days out.
We passed it on to our family!
Earlier in the week, our son reported he was sick with Coronavirus symptoms. Then a day later, his wife and my daughter developed similar symptoms as well. So, within 10 days of my having the initial symptoms, at least five other family members exhibited the Coronavirus symptoms. There are four grandchildren to consider as well. They range in ages from 4-7 years. We suspect, at least two of them contracted the virus, but who knows for sure.
Our Symptoms
All five of us exhibited similar and varied symptoms. I experienced a dry cough, fever, and chills for about 12 hours. In retrospect, I suffered a loss of smell, loss of appetite, and feeling of lethargy that lingered for 7-10 days. Charlotte recalls she had an eye infection after returning from DC on March 9. When she got sick on the 13th, she had fever and chills overnight and into the next day. Additionally, she experienced periods of extreme sweats, loss of appetite and smell, severe head congestion, headaches, a runny nose, and a sense of being tired much of the time. My daughter and daughter-in-law were sick with fever and chills, coughs, and loss of appetite. My son had the worst case. He became ill on March 16 and exhibited symptoms for ten days. He was tested on March 25 and pronounced COVID-19 positive on March 30. His symptoms were much like what has been described above, in addition to extreme tiredness, sweats, and chills that went on for a week.
COVID-19 Negative?
During the first two weeks of April, we all noticed drastic improvements and our health getting back to normal. Charlotte was re-tested on April 10 and confirmed negative the same day. My son, had another test today and was confirmed negative. As for me, I am sure I had the Coronavirus but was not showing symptoms when the drive-through testing became available in our area. So, I was not eligible to have the test. Our hope is that all of us can give plasma once the “antibodies” test arrives in our area.
Conclusions
I am not a doctor or medical professional so my conclusions here are based on anecdotal information from my family and my personal experiences.
- The Coronavirus is very contagious.
- I am convinced a lot more of us have/had it than is reported.
- I imagine many people are infected but asymptomatic.
- We are fortunate all our cases were relatively mild and that we’ve had a full recovery.
- Most people in my neck of the woods are not doing a very good job of social distancing. It is crowded in our local supermarkets, whole families are wandering around in wads with little concern for the required 6-foot distancing.
- All things COVID-19-related have rolled out slowly. The drive-through tests, PPP loans, antibody tests, and plasma donations have all been delayed by days and caused us multiple trips to accomplish anything.
I pray for the day when this is all behind us and we can get back to life as normal. But, I think when it does happen, there will be a new normal. Maybe we won’t shake hands and give hugs, just a hello will do. When it comes to travel, I have a sinking feeling it will come back slowly. Maybe I will not even go to Europe this year! There is no way to predict anything because this is new for all of us. One thing I do know, this pandemic and its repercussions have not caught God off guard! He is in control of the situation and I pray that I can give up and let Him do the leading. All the best to you! Stay safe and stay home!
EPILOGUE
It was the first week of May 2020, when I got word I could have an antibodies test. By this time, testing had been ramped up in North Florida and there was not a shortage of COVID-19 test kits or Antibodies test kits. I went to a nearby Quest Diagnostics facility, had my blood drawn, and within two days had my results. I tested positive for the COVID-19 antibodies, meaning I had had the Coronavirus, had recovered, and now my body had generated antibodies to fight off another attack.
A few days later, the health department and our local blood bank called to ask if I would donate plasma. My son and daughter-in-law had donated their plasma a few weeks before and it was no big deal, so I was happy to donate as well. Unfortunately, I was not able to donate due to the blood-thinning medication I take.
by David McGuffin | Feb 14, 2020 | Blog, Destinations, Experiencing Europe
Paris, Rome, Venice, Salzburg, and Tuscany are some of the most romantic destinations in Europe! What’s not to LOVE about these cities… good food, fine wine, enticing rivers, evocative museums, enchanting gardens, all laced in a rich history and dripping with decadent ambiance. Today is Valentine’s Day, and this morning I woke up thinking about these riverside destinations and how I always manage to find something I love about being there. Of course, it is much more fun if you are there with someone you love! Charlotte and I have many cherished memories in each of these cities. In the next few days, I am going to write a post about each of these destinations, so stay tuned. But for now, why not consider taking advantage of one of these discounted tours and experience them first-hand for yourself!
The Best of London and Paris
The Best of London and Paris tour provides an opportunity to settle in and experience two of Europe’s major capital cities. London presents a relatively stress-free introduction with non-stops flights from North America, almost no language barrier and easy transportation. All this coupled with our comprehensive itinerary and an opportunity to experience some of the best theatre in the world makes London a perfect beginning to this tour. The EuroStar high-speed train will zip you from London to Paris in less than three hours. In Paris, we’ve included all the major tourist sights and must-see attractions, but there is also plenty of time to slow down and enjoy the experience.
London – 4 nights in a centrally located hotel.
Paris – 4 nights in a centrally located hotel.
The Best of London, Paris, & Rome
The Best of London, Paris and Rome tour provides an opportunity to settle in and experience three of Europe’s major capital cities. London presents a relatively stress-free introduction with non-stops flights from North America, almost no language barrier and easy transportation. All this coupled with our comprehensive itinerary and an opportunity to experience some of the best theatre in the world makes London a perfect beginning to this tour. The EuroStar high-speed train will zip you from London to Paris in less than three hours. In Paris, we’ve included all the major tourist sights and must-see attractions, but there is also plenty of time to slow down and enjoy the experience. A quick flight down to Rome provides another cultural layer to your tour experience along with historic and religious sights.
London – 4 nights in a centrally located hotel.
Paris – 4 nights in a centrally located hotel.
Rome – 4 nights in a centrally located hotel.
Tuscany Villa Vacation
Join a small group of 8-15 people in Italy for a fantastic holiday in Tuscany. We will set up for seven nights at the modern 21st-century agriturismo resort near Volterra, Italy. This wonderful agriturismo “villa” comes complete with all the “perks” such as modern rooms, WIFI, air conditioning, plasma TV, and a private pool. This all sits smack-dab in the middle of a hilltop vineyard with broad sweeping vistas of the Tuscan countryside.
Each day we will head out to explore the sites and experiences within driving distance. Day trips include visits to Volterra, Siena, San Gimignano, and Lucca. But one of the joys of staying in a villa is to experience la dolce vita, the sweet life of doing nothing! So, we will have chunks of unstructured time to sit by the pool, relax, walk in the countryside vineyards and enjoy your vacation. We’ve also included a night in Florence, before and after your villa vacation, to help you ease in and out of your travels.
If you’ve been to Italy and seen the sights but were frazzled with a breakneck pace… this is the next vacation experience for you! You’ll feast on fine food, taste some wonderful wine, experience charming villages and treasure packed museums. My personal friends will serve as local guides welcoming you with open arms to their hometown. If you are looking for a real vacation… consider joining me in Tuscany for this vacation experience.
Florence – 1 night
Podere Marcampo near Volterra – 7 nights
Florence – 1 night
The Best of Germany, Austria, & Switzerland
We kick off this tour in the grand imperial city of Vienna, famous for castles, kings, music and cuisine. Then, you’ll have two relaxing days in Salzburg’s famous city center. A visit to Neuschwanstein Castle and nearby Reutte rounds out the fifth day of the tour. We’ll head to Switzerland for my favorite alpine village experience in the beautiful Lauterbrunnen valley. Then we will take a turn to the north and follow the Rhine River valley through the Black Forest to the cute little town of Rothenburg. Finally, visit Hitler’s first concentration camp in Dachau before capping off your tour with two days in Munich, the capital city of Bavaria.
Vienna – 2 nights, Salzburg – 2 nights, Reutte – 1 night, Lauterbrunnen – 2 nights, Rothenburg – 2 nights, and Munich – 2 nights
The Best of Italy
The Best of Italy Tour visits favorite destinations situated north of Rome. Beginning in Rome, you’ll visit the essential tourist sights and classic destinations. Then, travel to the delightful villages of the Cinque Terre where you’ll enjoy two days exploring this coastal region where the mountains literally fall into the sea. Volterra, my choice for the quintessential Tuscan hilltown, is sure to win you over to the “la dolce vita” lifestyle. Siena adds another layer to the complete Tuscan experience with its famous Il Campo and Duomo. Florence, the “cradle of the Renaissance,” will have you walking in the steps of Michelangelo, DaVinci, and the Medici’s. Venice, the romantic canal laced city, rounds out the big three tourist sites. Finally, we will cap off the tour relaxing on beautiful Lake Como in addition to taking a quick look at Milan’s bustling city center.
Rome – 2 nights, Cinque Terre – 2 nights, Volterra – 2 nights, Siena – 1 night, Florence – 2 nights, Venice – 2 nights, Lake Como – 2 nights, and Milan – 1 night
Sign up for any of these tours online and pay your $400 deposit. When we confirm your application, we’ll deduct the discount from your final invoice.
by Wayne Jacobson | Dec 21, 2016 | Blog
Viking River Cruise… who me? Final Episode
Apples and Oranges
It is not possible to fairly compare a European river cruise with a European land tour. The two offer totally different travel experiences and as a friend says, it is like comparing apples and oranges… you can’t! There are positive elements to both experiences, so in wrapping up my cruise experience, I’ll try to comment on the unique elements of each and offer some comparisons.
Traveling Over Land
Traveling by land, whether on a big bus or with a smaller group, always provides culturally diverse interactions with the local people. The bigger the group, the fewer the opportunities exist for this cultural immersion, but no matter, one will interact with the locals. These cultural interactions include those with hotel and restaurant staff, shopkeepers, local guides, coach drivers and even toilet attendants! Opportunities abound to break away from the group and experience Europe on your own. Additionally, traveling by land provides unlimited opportunities to visit big cities, small villages, national parks, historic sites and more while not being limited to sights strictly along or near a waterway.
My company, David McGuffin’s Exploring Europe, offers tours for small groups ranging from 6-24 people. Typically, our tours are regionally based making for relatively short travel days, focused sightseeing and some time for exploring on your own. Our tours are arranged so there are two nights in each destination which allows one to establish some “roots” in the locale and settle into the customs and culture. We include at least half your dinners served at some of my favorite restaurants offering authentic and gourmet local menus. Breakfast is included daily at our hotels. Our hotels are top quality properties, usually 4-stars or better, designed for Europeans and situated right in the heart of our destinations. Some are small family-run properties while others are larger European chain hotels and resorts. Our tours are all-inclusive meaning you’ll never be burdened with optional tours, added costs and nickel-and-dime add-ons. Finally, all tips are included… for everything! Our advertised price is the price you pay, period!
River Cruising
River cruising limits your destination choices and sightseeing to locations along or near the river route. My personal experience comes from a recent river cruise on a Viking long-ship cruising from Budapest to Passau in seven days. The boat is set up with 95 staterooms accommodating up to 190 passengers. I’ve described the ship’s features in detail in a previous article which you can read here. Every passenger, save a couple of Canadians and a couple of Aussies, were 100% USA Americans. The ship’s crew all spoke perfect English and it was the language of the ship. Many passengers were on their second, third or more Viking cruise. The Viking company does very well with their targeted marketing to Americans ages 60 and beyond.
Unpacking only once is definitely the best benefit of cruising. The stateroom was well planned with closets and drawers to hold your stuff and space under the bed to store empty suitcases. The bath was small, but well-planned, modern and bright. All meals were included. A bountiful breakfast buffet, table service or buffet lunch and seated three and four-course dinners. BUT, the meals were all heavily slanted to American tastes, ideas and portions. There was one night we had a traditional Austrian buffet dinner featuring sausage, pork knuckle, pretzels, cheese, sauerkraut and all the fixings.
There was organized sightseeing offered every day. These included short coach and walking tours with local guides followed by some free time on your own… although often, this free time was limited due to having to go back to the ship for a meal or castoff. I felt it was necessary to eat all my meals aboard ship because I had paid for them. Dining on the ship certainly was a choice I made, although I think most of the folks did the same. Getting back to sightseeing, there were optional tours offered every day and with this option came an added cost ($79-$150 per tour) and an investment of time away from the port of call. The guided tours were mostly informative, led by a local professional guide with a placard “lollipop” that we were to seek out and follow. The group usually consisted of 30 to 40 cruisers.
It was a well-known fact that tips were not included for any portion of the tour. Our pre-tour information included suggested tip amounts for drivers, local guides, ship’s crew and the tour director. This was heavily reinforced at our ship-wide meeting at the beginning and end of the tour. Additionally, envelopes were placed in our rooms on our last night as a final reminder. On top of it all, we were encouraged to give additional tips to members of the crew who serve you well. For me and Charlotte, the suggested and optional tips added up to €360 above and beyond the cost of our tour.
Wrapping it Up
Cost is the final factor to consider. I calculated that our Viking cruise cost us $3800 per person, plus coach airfare of $1400 per seat. European coach tour prices vary widely depending on the size and services, however, my Exploring Europe small group tours beat Viking by almost $1000 for our 7-9 day tours. Although, I must mention that our prices do not include lunches, a few dinners and drinks. Check out all my European tours here at my website. Again, the two travel styles cannot be equally compared, however, I have given you my exact cost for a dollar-to-dollar comparison, so you be the judge.
A European river cruise and a European land tour, especially the European tours I offer, vary widely. The two are totally different travel experiences designed for two types of travelers… those seeking cultural immersion and an authentic real-life and local experience, and those desiring the comforts of home punctuated with short guided excursions out to see the sights. I am glad I traveled with Viking. They do a fantastic job with customer service and the boat and accommodations were top notch. I enjoyed the down time and leisurely pace, however, I very quickly realized it would be my only European river cruise. I am glad I chose the route from Budapest to Passau because it allowed me to see some sights along the river I had never visited.
To wrap it up, floating down that river with two hundred people in an “American bubble” is not my idea of experiencing Europe. I am a traveler, one who enjoys planning and exploring on my own or with a small group of like-minded people. Armed with information and an adventurous spirit, there is a whole world out there to explore. Get out of your comfort zone and GO!
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If you found this article informative, please share it with your friends, family, coworkers and associates. If you have something to add, just leave a comment in the box below.
Do you want to learn more about traveling to Europe? There is a wealth of information and special discount pricing on my tours at https://davidmcguffin.com/.
David McGuffin is Founder and CEO of David McGuffin’s Exploring Europe, Inc., based in Middleburg, Florida. You can connect with him on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn and YouTube. David spends his time in Europe organizing and leading small group and independent tours to European destinations. In business since 2001, David has provided exceptional travel opportunities to several thousand satisfied customers. You can find out more about David and his European tours at his website, https://davidmcguffin.com.
by Wayne Jacobson | Dec 15, 2016 | Blog
An Authentic Austrian Dinner
This was the appetizers we found on our tables at dinner last night. I was so happy to see local meats and cheeses that I forget to take photos of the rest of the meal… ha!
Last night we had an authentic Austria dinner! It featured all the typical food and drinks you’d find in a place like the Augustiner or Steigl Braüstube in Salzburg. The chef and his crew along with the entire ship’s staff did a fantastic job providing a taste of Austria. In my last post, I was longing for this type of dining experience and I am happy to say the chef delivered.
Yesterday’s cruise included the Wachau Valley Gorge, a designated UNESCO Heritage destination, between Dürnstein and Melk. The river twists and turns through a scenic valley loaded with charming towns and endless vineyards all watched over by once stately (but now crumbling) medieval castles. The views we had from the river were fantastic!
We enjoyed an early morning stop in the little village of Dürnstein. In fact, I think we docked here very late the previous evening as we slept through the night. Because there were two cruise ships in town at 8:00 a.m., many of the shops were open for business and ready to sell to the 400 or so cruisers. However, Charlotte and I had a pleasant walk around town encountering relatively few boat people. I suspect most were sleeping in.
We finished up our day with a visit to Melk Abbey. Just like on my coach tours, we received a private guided tour of the museum, library and church buildings. Perhaps the best part of the evening was our stroll through town and the countryside on our way back to the boat.
That’s my thoughts for today. I welcome your thoughts, comments and suggestions as well.
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Wrapping up this episode
If you found this article informative, please share it with your friends, family, coworkers and associates. If you have something to add, just leave a comment in the box below.
Do you want to learn more about traveling to Europe? There is a wealth of information and special discount pricing on my tours at https://davidmcguffin.com/.
David McGuffin is Founder and CEO of David McGuffin’s Exploring Europe, Inc., based in Middleburg, Florida. You can connect with him on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn and YouTube. David spends his time in Europe organizing and leading small group and independent tours to European destinations. In business since 2001, David has provided exceptional travel opportunities to several thousand satisfied customers. You can find out more about David and his European tours at his website, https://davidmcguffin.com.
by Wayne Jacobson | Dec 14, 2016 | Blog
Viking River Cruise… Who me? Episode 1
The Stateroom
There are many benefits associated with this Viking River cruise, but perhaps the best is the opportunity to unpack once for a seven-day tour. Our stateroom more than meets our needs with plenty of sleeping, lounging and bathing spaces. It is nicely appointed and well laid out with closets, drawers and plenty of storage spaces. We elected to upgraded our accommodations to a stateroom on the top deck with a sliding glass door and balcony. This has turned out to be a good decision, especially on the days we are cruising up river and have views and vistas. There is a flat-screen 42” television with many English-language channels for entertainment as well as CNN International, BBC and Sky News. Finally, the stateroom contains several electrical outlets set up for standard USA appliances operating at 110 VAC. All things considered, our accommodations match any American-styled upscale hotel such as Hilton or Marriott. It is top-notch and we have no complaints.
Dining Opportunities
The ship serves breakfast, lunch and dinner onboard daily. There is a sit-down, three course service in the main dining room and a simpler menu served upstairs in the lounge area. Because we’ve paid for them in the price of our tour, we’ve eaten all our meals onboard. Dinners in the main dining room, lunch on deck or in the lounge and breakfast in the lounge as well. There is plenty of food and everything has been prepared and present by professional chefs and wait staff. There is something for everyone, every taste and every dining preference.
The food choices are heavily slanted to the “American” palate leaving very little opportunity to experience local dishes. So far, I’ve had four dinners and chosen some sort of beef each time. My friends had the pork filet one night and loved it and there is always an opportunity to get a chicken breast, BBQ sauce and fries. Fish and vegetarian options are available as well.
The Typical Viking Cruiser
There 95 rooms aboard this ship making it possible to accommodate 190 people in double and twin bedded rooms. The hotel manager here onboard tells me the ship is filled almost to capacity. According to a show of hands at our embarkation meeting, I reckon 98% of the people on board are Americans with a few Canadians and Aussies to fill out the mix. As for ages, there are a few 30-somethings but most are well into their sixties and seventies. All in all, a very homogenous group of cruisers. Finally, I imagine 30% of the passengers on this cruises have been on at least one other Viking river cruise.
I’ve provided the facts, now here’s what I think so far
This combination of a homogeneous group travelers, great service from the staff, the Americanized travel style, the safety of the English language and the predictable menu choices make this an easy and unthreatening travel experience. Unfortunately, it also sequesters the traveler in a culturally sterile bubble giving very few opportunities to experience the life of a local.
Today, I am writing this while sitting in the ship’s lounge with 80 other cruisers, peering out the windows at the passing scenery while the tour director provides a commentary about the villages and countryside. Later, we will have another ship-board lunch followed by a group tour on Melk Abbey. How I yearn to get out and take a walk in the village and vineyards, pop into a local shop, strike up a greeting in German, sip the local Wachau wine and sample some locally sourced sausage, mustard and bread.
That’s my thoughts for today. I welcome your thoughts, comments and suggestions as well.
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Wrapping up this episode
If you found this article informative, please share it with your friends, family, coworkers and associates. If you have something to add, just leave a comment in the box below.
Do you want to learn more about traveling to Europe? There is a wealth of information and special discount pricing on my tours at https://davidmcguffin.com/.
David McGuffin is Founder and CEO of David McGuffin’s Exploring Europe, Inc., based in Middleburg, Florida. You can connect with him on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn and YouTube. David spends his time in Europe organizing and leading small group and independent tours to European destinations. In business since 2001, David has provided exceptional travel opportunities to several thousand satisfied customers. You can find out more about David and his European tours at his website, https://davidmcguffin.com.
by Wayne Jacobson | Sep 13, 2016 | Blog, Essential Travel Resources
Dynamic Currency Conversion… Just Say No!
Have you ever been asked “Would you like that in dollars or euros?” Or perhaps a “yes” or “no” box pops up on the point of sale machine asking if you would like to choose your home currency. This is called Dynamic Currency Conversion or DCC and it is becoming the norm in many countries worldwide. At first, it sounds like a good idea, but for the consumer it is very expensive and should be avoided at all costs!
On the other hand, it is very good for the merchant because they make a huge commission for offering this service. In most cases the cardholder will be hit with a 7% markup above the current bank exchange rate. Take a look at this UK
MasterCard website promoting DCC for its merchants. Here you can clearly see that DCC benefits the merchant, and MasterCard makes up some lame reasons as to how it benefits customers.
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| photo credit: http://howtogeek.com |
Often the choice of accepting DCC is presented in a matter-of-fact manner, giving no indication that it is a bad (or good) idea. But don’t blame the cashier, unless they are the owner of the shop, they are probably required to offer the pitch in a certain manner and tone of voice, such as, “Would you like that in dollars or sterling?” This, coupled with a stately British accent is bound to sway some travelers to accept the idea. However, it is never a good idea to convert your transaction with DCC into your home currency.
With today’s regulations, merchants are required to notify the cardholder that DCC is available and there is a choice. Originally, the merchant was not required to notify the cardholder that DCC was being applied. The customers would simply make the purchase, get a sales receipt in the local currency and the DCC would be applied afterward in the “back office.” The cardholder would not know this had occurred until they received their credit card statement. Initiated by Visa and MasterCard, this practice is now forbidden and all credit card companies impose penalties on merchants who fail to comply.
In order to get around the back-office DCC regulation, merchants will sometimes automatically select DCC without the cardholder having a chance to accept or deny. The conversion will show on the sales slip and an unsuspecting customer may walk out the door none the wiser. If questioned by the cardholder, the cashier may claim their point of sale (POS) machine automatically converts to the card’s home currency. This too is incorrect and if detected, the cardholder should immediately request that the sale be reversed or voided and run again in the local currency. However, this could be difficult, especially if working against a language barrier.
Tips to help you make the best of your travel dollar
– Notify your bank and credit card company when you will be traveling outside your normal spending area. This is important when traveling at home or abroad. Most banks will put a travel exception on the account so that your spending will be approved while traveling. If you do not notify your bank or credit card company, you will be denied access to your funds.
– Always refuse DCC, no matter how tempting the comfort of working in your home currency. Following this simple rule will cut at least 5-7% off your purchase before ever leaving the checkout counter. DCC in not ever required so don’t feel obligated to accept it, even if the merchant selects DCC without your knowledge. If this happens, the cardholder should immediately request that the sale be reversed or voided and run again in the local currency.
– Use a credit card that has no foreign transaction fees. Most credit cards issued in the USA charge fees up to 3% for transactions originating outside the USA. This applies to both point of sales and online transactions. So, it only makes sense to find a credit card that carries no fees for foreign transactions. I’ve found that many
American Express cards have no foreign transaction fees. I use the
Barclay Arrival Plus World Elite MasterCard which offers no foreign transaction fees, true Chip and Pin capabilities, and lots of benefits in the form of travel rewards.
– Don’t use non-bank ATM’s. You’ll often find these stand-alone machines in small convenience stores, at gas stations and roadside auto stops. These machines are owned and controlled by the local merchant, not a bank. The owners of these ATM’s are free to mask the DCC options any way they like, and you can bet it will be to their liking, not yours. Steer clear of these machines, but if you must use them, be sure to read all the screens carefully and opt out of DCC. Sometimes you will see messages such as “lock-in your rate” or “guarantee your conversion”. Others may post messages such as “press yes for dollars”. Double check everything and always opt out of anything that looks like DCC. Alternatively, you can always cancel the entire transaction before you enter your final “yes.”
– Always check your printed receipt. Somewhere at the bottom you’ll find the cost in the local currency. If USD is mentioned anywhere on the receipt, then you’ve been had by the DCC con game.
– Download a currency converter app to get up-to-the-minute exchange rates. I like an app put out by
OANDA. It is available for Apple and Android. Look for the name “Currency.”
Summary
Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC) is a service offered to credit cardholders that offers to convert a foreign transaction at the point of sale into the home currency of the cardholder. This is never a good idea for the consumer because it comes with inflated exchange rates that benefit the merchant. An unsuspecting cardholder can lose up to 7% by opting in to this feature. Since DCC works against the purchaser, never say you would like your purchases to be converted to dollars.
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If you found this article informative, please share it with your friends, family, coworkers and associates. If you have something to add, just leave a comment in the box below.
Do you want to learn more about traveling to Europe? There is a wealth of information and special discount pricing on my tours at
https://davidmcguffin.com/.
David McGuffin is Founder and CEO of David McGuffin’s Exploring Europe, Inc., based in Middleburg, Florida. You can connect with him on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn and YouTube. David spends his time in Europe organizing and leading small group and independent tours to European destinations. In business since 2001, David has provided exceptional travel opportunities to several thousand satisfied customers. You can find out more about David and his European tours at his website, https://davidmcguffin.com.
