Credit card safety

Holly, You may find that your AmEx cards are not as widely accepted in Europe as Visa and M/C, so may be of limited use. Splitting cards and storing in different locations is a method I always use on trips. Some are kept in the Money Belt while I keep one credit card and one ATM card more "accessible" for daily use. I never use hotel room safes, so can't comment on that. I prefer to keep cards with me. Happy travels!

You might want to check the Graffiti Wall under Tourist Scams for thoughts about using hotel safes.

I would also recommend keeping them with you. As with your passport, always, always keep them in the same place, wallet, neck wallet, hidden wallet, etc. If you always put them where you got them they will always be there when you need them.

My travel mantra is to always know exactly where all important stuff is. That definitely means put everything back where it "belongs" after use. Just a bit ago, I dug out my CapOne Mastercard to buy something and was told they didn't take it and I had to use cash instead. I put the card back right away. (btw -- it was a small clothing store in Binz auf Ruegen. It didn't surprise me. Restaurants and hotels do accept Visa and MC.)
Happy travels!

First thought is who needs six credit cards,, wow... Ever heard of cash, lol Amex cards not widely accepted , don't bother. I bring a Visa, my hubby brings his (different bank then mine) . We each bring our debit cards ( different banks) and use cash for most small purchases. I have used hotel safes for decades.. as far as I am concerned they are in fact quite safe.. I only use a moneybelt while in transit from place to place. Make darn sure you talk to bank and credit card companies and have them make a notation on your file that you will be using card out of country.. otherwise you may get a nasty surprise if they lock accounts due to "suspisious activity "

Ditch the Amex cards. They are nearly worthless. We take three credit cards and two debit cards on two different accounts. We cross carry as your suggested. We use primarily one debit card and one credit card. Everything else, including passports if not needed that day, in money belts properly worn under clothing. Never use hotels safes. In nearly a years travel in Europe over the past 18 years or so, I have never had any problems with that approaches. Works very well for us.

Interestingly, I just got a mailing from Bank of America, who is the card provider for Virgin Atlantic Amex. They are changing the VA cards from Amex to World Mastercards with a chip. No idea yet whether this will be a chip and PIN card or chip and signature, but obviously Bank of America (or maybe Virgin Atlantic) recognizes that Amex is pretty worthless in Europe.

Thanks for the tips. WE will bring just one AMX, MC, Visa, and debits. I will not use hotel safe in room, only through main hotel, if needed. I have used in room safes at just about every hotel in the US, Marriott, Hilton, Ritz Carlton, Hotel Intercontinental, Fairmont, Westin etc.. and I have never had any issues. Are the European housekeepers that unethical? That is surprizing. Well thanks for the feedback. Holly

Holly, I don't think Frank was saying not to use the room safe. I think he was saying that he never uses it. Many of us use them regularly, including me.

I would think theft from hotel service staff is extremely rare, especially in smaller, family owned hotels/B&Bs. And especially now with tripadvisor and other online review sites, where customers can quickly devastate a business's reputation if they are not on the up and up. What can easily happen is another guest can steal from your room. Bedroom doors are usually left open while staff cleans a floor, and they might not always be in the room. It only takes a few seconds for someone to walk in, grab the laptop on the desk, and walk out. So never leave anything valuable laying around, but I've never understood the aversion to room safes.

Since you are probably enroute or there by now, consider this simply my two-cents worth for others to consider: I use Visa more often, but I would not recommend that you ditch the Amex card if you plan to rent a car, or make a last-minute decision to do so. You can save a lot of money with Amex Premium on rental insurance, provided you pay with the card. It is also an option for a lot of the larger hotels -- think air conditioning -- and, if I recall correctly -- train tickets. Those are about the only things I use cc's for other than the occasional splurge meal; since I usually pay cash,I don't usually notice what cards restaurants or shops accept.

Holly of course the housekeepers aren't all crooks, in fact I am sure 99.9% of them aren't, I have been going to Europe since the 70s and have left stuff out of safe on dressers more often I should have, never had a theft.. I stay in reputable ( but not expensive ) places where the staff are likely far more interested in keeping their jobs then losing them from theft, I also never stay in huge mega hotels, most places I stay are small so with a staff of only 2 or 3 ladies a thief would stand out! Some people do not like safes, I personally use them and like them ... PS Also some people worry about having to leave their hotel key at the front desk when they go out .. they worry staff will steal from them , I think those folks are seriously deluded.. since staff can have access to your room at any time anyways.. all hotels have master keys.. duh.. So while hotel staff obviously will have master keys or codes for the safes too, its silly to assume staff are out to steal from you ,, I truly believe 99% are not.. but yes, there is always a remote possibly you get a crooked staff memeber, but its no more common there then it is here.. ( and since I only stay in smaller places in Europe and more likely to stay in huge places in North America then its more likely to happen here I think)

I've been traveling in Europe for 15+ years now and many years before that in US and Canada. I've always used the hotel safes for storing my valuables (from jewelry to cash to passport) and have never had a problem. I don't know anyone personally who has had anything taken from a hotel safe. The manager or desk clerk may have a master key/code to get in them but the housekeeping staff does not - no need to.