money in turkey

It depends on what you plan on doing and where you are going. Most, actually nearly all, will take credit cards. However, smaller vendors such as street carts will want cash. I would just stop by an ATM and get out the equivalent of $100 if you are eating your meals on-board. This will cover any potential needs/ wants. Change the money to Euro on the boat or at a bank if you have left over. I know that banks are not necessarily the best rates, or the boat for that matter, but on such small amounts of cash, I wouldn't be concerned.

"banks are not necessarily the best rates" Banks, provided you use their ATMs, have the best possible rates.... Some places in Istanbul will take euros (forget dollars), but of course the exchange rate will be lousy. I don't take cruises, but I seem to remember reading that the purser on board will exchange currency, again, not at bank rates.

@Kathy- you are right, ATM's are the best rates, generally. I was referring to actually going in and exchanging currency. That's why I recommended Frances use the ATM's.

thanks all. I was not very clear in my question. I am only wanting to do casual spendingcoffee, maybe a taxi, small purchases etc. so was just wanting to ascertain if euros or dollars would be taken by these smaller vendors so I would not have to get money from the ATM. I doubt the ship would take lira but will check it out. Thanks again

"casual spendingcoffee, maybe a taxi, small purchases etc. " Those are precisely the operations I would expect to be least likely to take anything but the local currency. The place I saw that took euros was a sit-down restaurant.

Kathy is right on the money! Use Lira, just be judicial in not getting too much. Though, again, since you will be spending what amounts to a small bit, I would not be too concerned about losing a few percent by bad rates to convert into Euro once you leave Turkey.

Excellent--I've got the message. Thaks everyone

Be sure to ask if the amount you are asked for is in old or new lira. Many prioces are still in old lira. The new ones are worth ten times as much as old, so a price or charge of 20 old lira is only 2 new.

See www.turkeytravelplanner.com for info, including photos, of differences between old and new money in Turkey

Frances, is your ship's home port in Istanbul? If so, then I would think that you could tip on the ship in lira, to use up the last of your lira. You could try emailing the cruise company, to ask them. Just a thought.