Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Mail
Deposit regular mail in the red pillar boxes on the streets. You'll recognize them
by the monogram of Queen Elizabeth II. The postage rate for airmail letters up to 10
grams and for postcards is 70¢ to the United States and Canada, 85¢ to the United King-
dom. Airmail letters and postcards to the North American mainland can take 5 to 7 days,
to Britain possibly a little longer.
Mobile Phones
The three letters that define much of the world's wireless capabilities
are GSM (Global System for Mobiles), a big seamless network that makes for easy cross-
border cellphone use in dozens of countries, including Bermuda.
The best cellphone connections in Bermuda are arranged through
rangeRoamer
(www.rangeroamer.com), which provides short-term cellphone service for travelers to
Bermuda. You can purchase a Bermuda-compatible worldphone, rent a phone in Ber-
muda, or in some cases use your own cellphone while traveling on island.
You can use your own phone if it uses GSM, if it is “world capable” (dual band interna-
tional), or “unlocked” to accept any SIM card from another carrier. GSM phones have a
SIM card slot, which lets you put the rangeRoamer SIM card in it. All phones from AT&T
and T-mobile have this slot, but only 4 percent of phones from Verizon or Sprint do.
Incoming calls to Bermuda cost $1.99 a minute; calls from Bermuda to the U.S. are
charged $2.99 a minute.
Money & Costs
Legal tender is the Bermuda dollar (BD$), which is divided into 100
cents. It's pegged through gold to the U.S. dollar on an equal basis—BD$1 equals US$1.
U.S. currency is generally accepted in shops, restaurants, and hotels. Currency from the
United Kingdom and other foreign countries is usually not accepted, but can be easily
exchanged for Bermuda dollars at banks and hotels. You should exchange enough petty
cash to cover airport incidentals, tipping, and transportation to your hotel before you
leave home, or withdraw money upon arrival at an airport ATM. For up-to-the-minute
currency conversions, visit
www.xe.com/ucc
.
ATMs
The easiest and best way to get cash away from home is from an ATM. These
machines are plentiful in Bermuda. The
Cirrus
(
&
800/424-7787;
www.mastercard.com)
and
PLUS
(www.visa.com) networks span the globe; look at the back of your bank card
to see which network you're on, and then call or check online for ATM locations at your
destination. Be sure you know your personal identification number (PIN) and daily with-
drawal limit before you depart.
Note:
Remember that many banks impose a fee every
time you use a card at another bank's ATM, and that fee can be higher for international
transactions (up to $5 or more) than for domestic ones (where they're rarely more than
$2). In addition, the bank from which you withdraw cash may charge its own fee. For
international withdrawal fees, ask your bank.
Credit Cards
Credit cards are another safe way to carry money, but their use has
become more difficult, especially in Bermuda (see below). They also provide a convenient
record of all your expenses, and they generally offer relatively good exchange rates. But
note that many banks now assess a 1% to 3% “transaction fee” on
all
charges you incur
abroad (whether you're using the local currency or your native currency).
There is almost no difference in the acceptance of a debit or a standard credit card.
Note:
The Discover Card (popular in the U.S.) is
not
accepted in Bermuda. MasterCard
and Visa, however, are generally accepted.
“Chip and PIN”
represents a change in the way that credit and debit cards are used.
The program is designed to cut down on the fraudulent use of credit cards. More and
more banks are issuing customers Chip and PIN versions of their debit or credit cards. In
the future, it will be common for vendors to ask for a four-digit personal identification
number or PIN when you use your credit card.
Warning:
A number of places in Bermuda are moving to this new system. In the
changeover in technology, some retailers have falsely concluded that they can no longer
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