Which is better - choosing With or Without Conversion at ATM in Barbados?
I laughed when I saw that “With or Without Conversion” screen at an RBC ATM by Holetown. Pressed Without, got Barbados dollars, and my Capital One card sorted it. Later at my hostel in Hastings, a German guy admitted he hit With Conversion and basically lost €10 on the spot. We all agreed - the wording is misleading, but the choice is simple: always go Without.
This is DCC under a different name. “With conversion” = bad rate locked by the ATM. “Without conversion” = billed in BBD, then converted by Visa/Mastercard at the fair rate. Even if your US bank adds 3% foreign fee, it’s still better. Look for ATMs by RBC or FirstCaribbean - just remember: Without is right, With is rip-off.
I got caught by this at a Republic Bank ATM in St. Lawrence Gap. Chose “With conversion” because it sounded safer. My $300 BBD withdrawal ended up almost $14 more expensive compared to my friend who chose Without. Next day at a FirstCaribbean ATM near Oistins, I picked Without and it was perfect. So yeah, always go Without Conversion in Barbados.
At CIBC FirstCaribbean ATMs in Bridgetown, “With conversion” means the ATM converts BBD → USD with its own inflated rate. “Without conversion” means you let your card network handle it. Always choose Without conversion - that’s the cheaper option. I used my Wells Fargo debit card this way and it matched the real exchange rate instead of the padded one.