New Currency…are you still saving your cuc? | Debbie's Caribbean Resort Reviews Forums

Hey all. With the rumor mill running at full speed over the slow but pending monetary change over in Cuba. I was wondering if any of you have changed your thoughts of saving your cuc for your return trip. I have read a few posts and articles from different sources that the changeover is coming but it probably won’t be in full effect ’til 2016. My last trip, I still saved 20cuc for my next trip but I don’t know if I’d feel comfortable saving more than say 30cuc.Also, I’ve heard that some Cubans are saving Cdn$ rather than cuc. If so, is there a change in thought off tipping in Cdn$ now? I never thought of it before, but if they are indeed saving Cdn$, this might change the amount of Cdn$ I take, specifically small bills. Although, I don’t know about Loonies and Twonies. Are these going to become accepted now?

I would love to hear from others!

I brought 100 CUC’s out with me on the last visit. If they were only to be worth 100 CUP’s when I go back, I’d just write it down to experience. I’ve lost a great deal more than that on stock market deals in the past – I’ve had some winners too, I might add.Why would Cubans want to save Cdn dollars, apart from the fact that it’s very low at the moment and could well rise? They may as well convert everything to CUP’s.

Although, I don’t know about Loonies and Twonies. Are these going to become accepted now?
Foreign change will never be accepted by a bank for exchange, which means Cubans receiving loonies and toonies can only exchange them with other tourists. (it does not stop them from soliciting coins for tips, since anything is better than nothing, and they can always find someone who will change it for them). I will continue taking some CUCs home, just not a large amount. You can bet the changeover will be gradual, so there should be lots of time to unload whatever CUCs you bring back (unless your next trip is well into the future). If worst comes to worst, I can afford to write off $20 – $30, no big deal.

The changeover will have to be gradual with no possibility of any Cuban losing savings otherwise Raul will have another Revolution on his hands, so I give this no thought at all… I bring back CUC with no worries.No foreign coins are accepted for exchange in any country, it’s not just Cuba. Leave the Loonies and Toonies at home, don’t burden other travellers with exchanging them.Lots of Cubans keep their savings in foreign currency, but CAD certainly isn’t one of the most popular choices.Cheers,

Terry

	I will spend CUCs next time I go to Cuba and try to bring less next time I just love having some money with me as soon as I arrive to pay things such as casa, taxi etc in a case I am not going to all inclusive.

	Yes, please, please DO NOT tip in Canadian (or other currency) coins. I just came home with $70 worth. Changed to Canadian bills for a staff member. Others were trying to exchange Canadian coins for CUC at 1 to 1. Some people got caught off guard. We were getting about $86 CUC for $100 Canadian.

	Does anyone remember when they stopped exchanging US dollars? It was not over the night if I remember and I believe that monetary change in Cuba will be at slower pace which means at least 12 months will be given for people to exchange CUCs or CUPs.

Yes, please, please DO NOT tip in Canadian (or other currency) coins. I just came home with $70 worth. Changed to Canadian bills for a staff member. Others were trying to exchange Canadian coins for CUC at 1 to 1. Some people got caught off guard. We were getting about $86 CUC for $100 Canadian.
I’ve been asked, but I will never change Canadian currency for CUC. You lose too much in that. I’ve changed Canadian coins for Canadian cash. But that’s as far as I’ll go.

Does anyone remember when they stopped exchanging US dollars?
The Cuban government withdrew USDs from circulation in November, 2004. The following April they changed the CUC exchange rate from $1.00 USD to $1.08 USD. In March, 2011 they re-pegged the CUC back to par again with the USD.That said, USDs have always been accepted for exchange in Cuba, up to and including present day. The only different with exchanging USDs into CUC is that for casual tourists it suffers a 10% surcharge that no other foreign currency is hit with.For anyone travelling to Cuba with large amounts of USDs or for repeat visitors with local connections it’s easy to exchange USDs with no 10% surcharge because so many Cubans are now keeping their savings in USDs instead of CUC.Cheers,Terry

	For anyone travelling to Cuba with large amounts of USDs or for repeat visitors with local connections it’s easy to exchange USDs with no 10% surcharge because so many Cubans are now keeping their savings in USDs instead of CUC.Cheers,Terry Thanks for clarifying exchange of $US to CUC for tourists. What about Cubans can they go to the bank and exchange $US to CUC? I believe not!?

Anyone can exchange US$ in Cuba, Cubans or tourists. The only issue is the 10% surcharge that the banks and Cadecas charge.
To be exact, it was 8 November, 2004 that the US dollar was withdrawn from circulation, and after a grace period ending 14 November, the 10% penalty was applied. Cubans holding US$ had that seven-day period (8th to 14th, inclusive) to exchange without penalty. The change was announced some time before the 8th, so in reality they had some time before the official change to exchange their dollars without penalty.

I may bring back 10 CUCs for the next trip in November, but not much more than that. I don’t want to get stuck with useless money.

Maybe one day these bills will be unique and worth more on eBay

	Has there been any news lately with concerns to any changes with the Cuban currency?

	Good, I still have about 80 CUCs home. I was going to spend most of it buying rum at the airport but our flight left 2 hours early due to an impending storm so they rushed us through check-in and loaded us on the plane before I could buy anything.

Dude, that’s my nightmare!!! NO duty free? Horrors!

I live for duty free.

Me too! My only saving grace is that I buy rum faster than I drink it. I know, shame on me!

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