ATMs in Curacao keep asking Accept or Decline Conversion - what does that mean? Shows high charges for this
My friend swore by accepting conversion on Curacao’s MCB Bank ATMs, saying “it’s easier.” But after reviewing his charges, he realized it was a costly mistake. The ATM added a roughly 12% markup on top of standard fees, plus a fixed €7 fee. I checked and found that declining conversion consistently saves money, especially if using Visa or Mastercard from Europe or the US. Even though Curacao’s local ATM fees are unavoidable (usually around $5), handling conversion yourself keeps costs lower and clearer.
I talked to another traveler, and they also found Curacao’s ATMs pushed hard for the accept conversion option. It’s an easy trap-sometimes the machine uses scary language. Don’t fall for it! Declining is best, especially with cards like Visa, Mastercard, or Maestro. Still, local banks have a near-monopoly so everyone pays fees, but you can still save a bit by reading carefully before tapping.
I made the mistake of accepting conversion at Banco di Caribe my first day. The fee for accepting was 14.60 NAF (about $8 USD) on top of the regular ATM fee! After that, I always declined and noticed my bank charged less overall, despite Curacao’s general ATM fees being high for foreign cards. ATMs are everywhere, but always double check the screen options.
Just landed in Curacao, and at almost every MCB or Banco di Caribe ATM, I got a pop-up asking to accept or decline conversion when withdrawing Florins or USD. If you accept, you’ll pay sometimes $10 per transaction, plus a lousy exchange rate. Locals always suggest declining-it lets your Visa or Mastercard issuer handle the rate, which is usually at least 5-10% better. Just watch for minimum and maximum withdrawal limits too.