Holiday to Canada questions?

tomboy42

Hey all,

Was just hoping someone could help me with a couple of questions. Going on holiday to Canada next month for a couple of weeks and just want to know about:

Currency, does it have to be ordered? Presumably the credit union would be the best place for it. Does it take long? And how much should I bring (i.e. is Canada expensive!)

Secondly, I've a few friends over there I want to contact when I'm there. Will my mobile work over there (it's meteor). The website is not clear on this if I need to set it up beforehand or whether (like the US and Australia etc.) it will automatically switch for roaming.

Any help would be great.

Thanks!

emec

tomboy42 wrote: »

Hey all,

Was just hoping someone could help me with a couple of questions. Going on holiday to Canada next month for a couple of weeks and just want to know about:

Currency, does it have to be ordered? Presumably the credit union would be the best place for it. Does it take long? And how much should I bring (i.e. is Canada expensive!)

Secondly, I've a few friends over there I want to contact when I'm there. Will my mobile work over there (it's meteor). The website is not clear on this if I need to set it up beforehand or whether (like the US and Australia etc.) it will automatically switch for roaming.

Any help would be great.

Thanks!

Currency - your best best is to take out big chunks of money from an atm when you are here. Safer than carrying loads of cash around. Will cost depending on your bank so check with them, I think with Bank of Ireland I was paying 10 euro per 500. Annoying but best. Otherwise order the currency from the bank, they might not have much Canadian dollars, sooner the better.
Canada is expensive! Works out the same as Dublin or London in the cities, not sure about the smaller towns.

Best bet for mobiles is to go into the shop and ask.
For vodafone they couldnt guarantee coverage on pay as you go, said they could only do that on contract. Luckily my phone is still able to send and recieve messages. No call coverage.

Where abouts are you going?

minterno

hi,im working in canada for a few months and am with vodafone pay as you go and as the previous poster has said its hit and miss,the only provider that will work on a vodafone payg is rogers which seems ok in the citys but is very poor is some areas,im in northern alberta and have coverage only a few times a week,the guys that are on vodafone billpay have full coverage as they can use the telus or bell networks which for some reason in not allowed on pay as you go,the cheapest option i have heard of is to buy a cheap tesco mobile in Ireland and a cheap payg phone in Canada,you can use the tesco phone to make the calls from ireland and talk away for pennies,i forget the prices per minute but a workmate uses this system and gives his wife a ring(2 rings and hangs up,she then calls from Irl on the tesco mobile) and chats away every morning,he recieves no charge and she only uses a few cents on the call,as for cost of living,its more expensive than ireland but only a little and some items are cheaper,you'll get cameras and electronics a good bit cheaper and the people are very friendly