Crete Holiday - Cash only?

[OLTB]

Hello all

Myself, Mrs OLTB and OLTB Jnr are off to the West coast of Crete this Summer and so far the apartment/hotel owner and car hire business have both said they don't have credit card machines and will only accept cash.

This is fine (if not unusual) and I will make sure that I have separate envelopes for these payments. Does anyone know if this is this normal for Crete and should I just take a wodge of cash rather than try and find someone who's willing to take a debt/credit card for things like meals/drinks/shopping etc. and therefore risk having to pay tax?

Cheers, OLTB.

[Raptor]

Just back from Crete and that was definitely not what I found. In fact car hire company wanted a deposit against accidents on card. Every bar and restaurant took credit cards as well. We were in Heronissos. Would question both of these companies, check on tripadvisor and booking.com, both hVe good customer eview and feedback.

Raptor

[swill453]

I've had apartment owners in Crete ask for cash, but also some who take credit cards. Bars I think would prefer cash but may take cards, proper restaurants always happy to take credit cards. Larger supermarkets are also fine with credit cards, the small shop on the corner would probably prefer cash.

Car hire on the other hand - I've never had one anywhere in the world (including multiple times on Crete) not only accept credit cards, but actually insist on it so they can reserve the insurance excess amount. Have to say your one sounds a little dodgy...

[OLTB]

I've had apartment owners in Crete ask for cash, but also some who take credit cards. Bars I think would prefer cash but may take cards, proper restaurants always happy to take credit cards. Larger supermarkets are also fine with credit cards, the small shop on the corner would probably prefer cash.

Car hire on the other hand - I've never had one anywhere in the world (including multiple times on Crete) not only accept credit cards, but actually insist on it so they can reserve the insurance excess amount. Have to say your one sounds a little dodgy...

Thanks both (I think!) - I did check on TripAdviser prior to booking so I hope all legitimate and not mates of the owners...

I won't take as much cash as I was planning on doing.

Cheers, OLTB.

[stevensfo]

You can mix cash and cards.

As OLTB said, car hires will want a credit card number for their guarantee. But you can pay the actual daily hire charge in cash if you want.

I do it like this in Malta all the time.

Steve

[malkymoo]

I have hired a car a couple of times on Naxos, the last time three years ago. Two different small local companies, the first time I paid cash, no credit card required. The second time I paid by credit card, again no credit card deposit required. No problem with either hire. I think maybe the small companies are a bit more relaxed in the way they run things.

[AF62]

Car hire on the other hand - I've never had one anywhere in the world (including multiple times on Crete) not only accept credit cards, but actually insist on it so they can reserve the insurance excess amount. Have to say your one sounds a little dodgy...

I have rented cars from a number of places across Europe where they were happy to be paid in cash with no credit card - Kefalonia, Shetland Islands, and Malaga, amongst others. The common theme was they were renting slightly older cars and the price included full CDW, so whatever you did to the car it didn't matter.