I would get a 2nd card in case yours gets compromised or is denied. I have had to use a back-up card (fewer rewards points, not my first choice card to use! ) when my “favorite” was denied on several different occassions in several different countries. No particular explanation for non-acceptance, just incompatible.
B of America has a travel rewards card with no foreign transaction fees that is chip. I’m not aware of any US cards that are chip and pin, US standard seems to be chip and signature. I’ve generally had little trouble with my Mastercard fron CapitalOne which is not yet chip. There are other cards as well, you might want to search this forum, several discussions that I recall reading.
About the booking, I’ve not booked Domus, but have booked many other venues in Rome and received an email confirm quickly. I don’t remember ever not being sure things didn’t go through. Can you email them about it? Sometimes, I have had to inform my credit card company that I’m making foreign transactions, even from the US. Is it possible your CC company blocked the transaction? You can check with them to see if the transaction went through. I remember having long conversations with my Visa company - even had them on the line - as I tried to book trains in Spain a couple years ago - I hope that had become easier before my next Spanish trip!
Thanks, I would love your packing list conmama. And I am looking forward to your trip report when you get back
Ok, it looks like I need to apply for another credit card. H won’t be thrilled as he is a one credit card guy, but he will understand.
And thanks for the info momofadult, very helpful. My credit card asked for verification and a password which I set up but maybe it didn’t go through. I’ll check.
@deb922 I had to laugh reading your post. My DH is also a one credit card guy, and we only have the Visa. No Macy’s, Kohl’s…nada. I brought this up to him MONTHS ago when i was finding out information and he dismissed it saying we don’t need it. So, about 3 weeks ago he finally starts to read the Rick Steves Italy book in the evening. You know what he emails me from work LAST week? “I think you are right, we need to get another credit card. I’ve called the current credit card company and looked at the transaction fees and I researched the one Rick Steve’s suggested…it sounds like a good one.” I’m sure he also read the horror stories that Rick discussed not having 2 cards. So, he called Capital and had to unfreeze our credit first (I hate you Anthem!!!), and it only took 60 seconds. We should be getting the card this week…talk about last minute.
Funny, we’re leaving in a few days for the Amalfi Coast, and I’ve done zero planning. Think we’ll go to Pompeii, Amalfi Coast tour, Positano and Capri. Hope it works out with no planning!
Have a great trip busdriver and trojanchick99. I’d love it if you came back here and gave some impressions of what you liked and didn’t like on your trip.
I will admit I am not a camera person. Now that I have an iPhone that’s is what I’ve used mostly. What are your plans for a camera or pictures? I’d like to take some great photos, right now the only camera I have is an old canon point and shoot digital camera with a battery that isn’t keeping a charge.
IMO, iPads are too bulky to carry around and to hold/pose for photos! Ok when you’re at someone’s house and want to take a quick photo but around a city - not for me!
iPhones can take quite good photos. IMO, unless you are going to have a legit camera “outfit” - your phone will take as good of photos as a point and shoot - maybe better! Zooming photos may not be exceptional but most shots fine. Maybe take a little time now to figure out what a iPhone can do to take better photos.
Y’all know I barely carry a purse, much less an IPad all day, haha. My little string bag is good enough and fits the phone. I said somewhere that I did carry my fancy semi-pro on a long trip to Europe and the weight drove me nuts. And then I didn’t want to leave it anywhere, for fear of losing it.
Add to that (I’m not really odd, I promise,) I just hate looking like a tourist. I can dress down, sure, but there’s a treat in looking like a native. (I think we talked about that, too.)
My recent experience (last week) was that you need chip and pin for gas stations in Italy. But – the unattended stations will take paper Euro notes. I have chip/sig cards and those were fine for purchases in shops and hotels.
DH will take photos with his Phone, they take beautiful pictures. IPAD too bulky and heavy for me to lug around all day. My Point and Shoot takes better pictures indoors and with backlight option then his phone…plus, it’s easier for me to use than a phone, and I like the zoom. So, I will carry that and use it, and DH will use his phone.
We arranged updated credit cards. (I think they are chip/signature). But at the last minute we opted to get debit cards (something we’ve never had) from the credit union. I picked them up 2 days before departure and accidentally backed into a pole in the parking lots. Oops, thankfully no obvious damage from it.
Our debit cards worked nicely at the ATM during our May trip in Italy and Germany. The kids had their debit cards with different accounts, one from a different bank. So that eased some of the stress about a card getting “eaten” by the ATMs. We used cash for VRBO apartment and the Venice hotel (10% discount) and a lot of the meals.
