Traveling from US to Europe: what are your recommendations for currency conversion and cell phone/data?

Your phone may not be compatible with the telephone networks in Europe. In any case, if you’re leaving from the USA, you’ll be at least 5 hours ahead of the US East coast, and farther ahead of the other time zones. So communication will be spotty in any case with your friends and family that much out of phase. (When I travel overseas I just turn off my phone when I get onto the plane “there”, and turn it on again when I land “here” – unless I use its clock features while I’m away. It’s just not going to work where I’m going, and there’s no one I’m talking to in any case. I use the computer and send emails to folks back here.)

If the trip is all-inclusive, then you won’t need much cash at all. Whatever you feel like carrying should be fine. It’s been a long time since I’ve traveled to Europe, so I can’t suggest a number now, anyway.

I use my iPhone in Europe all the time. You need to check with your carrier to see if they provide international service and how to access it. You will probably not want to use data on your cellphone; unless you have Wi-Fi access, it is very expensive. As for money, you will need some for incidentals. I would probably bring a few hundred euros but you can use a debit or credit card to get more at an ATM. I buy some euros from my bank and then get more as needed. You don’t need chip and pin cards for ATMs but you do for ticket dispensing machines. The credit card should be fine for those.

1) use an ATM in Europe to get cash. Don’t change money at one of the airport booths. Better rates and less hassle. Every airport will have an ATM.

2) Make sure that your credit card has one of those embedded chips. They generally don’t like our magnetic stripes, espeically in unattended train stations and some smaller restaurants.

3) If you have an AT&T or Tmobile phone, buy a cheap SIM card when you get there. Don’t use your US SIM because you pay horrendous roaming charges.

More and more places in Europe do not accept debit / credit cards without a pincode and a chip. The magnetic strip will not work in many countries.

Your debit card should say visa or maestro or cirrus.

Use ATM, avoid changing at change booths.

Enjoy and don’t call our money the ‘Euro Dollar”.

;-)

Just check with your long distance carrier and make sure your phone is unlocked. If it is you can buy a European SIM card at the airport.
They might also sell you an international phone and data plan that you can cancel when you get back.
If you have an AMEX platinum they won’t charge you a fee to exchange the curency. Many cards do.

You won’t be able to use a debit card without a chip-and-pin in most places in Europe. However you can buy a Visa or Mastercard travel-card/gift-card in advance and load it before you travel. This is much easier than messing with cash or travellers’ cheques. In any case it’s better not to carry your debit card on vacation anyway – if a travel-card is lost or stolen, no-one will be able to drain out your main current account.