Which is better - choosing With or Without Conversion at ATM in Cayman Islands?
I was at a Scotiabank ATM near Camana Bay. It asked the same “With or Without Conversion” nonsense. I hit Without, got KYD, and my Canadian TD Visa billed me properly. A friend I was diving with at Stingray City chose With conversion and basically threw $20 away. In Cayman, keep it simple: always pick Without.
DCC is widespread in tourist-heavy islands. In Cayman, the ATMs show USD/GBP options, but the local currency is KYD. Always pick Without Conversion so you’re billed in KYD. The card networks (Visa/Mastercard/Amex) convert more fairly. Even if your bank adds a foreign fee, it’s still cheaper than the ATM’s “guaranteed” rate.
I was staying near Seven Mile Beach and used a Butterfield ATM. Picked With conversion, thought it would be easier since my card is in GBP. Big regret - Barclays UK showed me an awful rate. Next day at Cayman National in George Town, I pressed Without conversion, and the rate matched what Revolut showed me. Always hit Without in Cayman.
Butterfield Bank ATMs in George Town often ask “With or Without Conversion.” Same trick as elsewhere. With = ATM fixes the rate for you, worse than market. Without = you get billed in Cayman dollars (KYD) and your card network does the conversion. I used my Capital One card at Cayman National - Without was clean, With would’ve cost me about 6% extra.