A pre-loaded debit card - interesting. So that works better than a regular credit card, for getting a good exchange rate?

I went on a trip last year to Europe and was unpleasantly surprised when I couldn't get cash out of the ATM without a huge charge. If I remember right it was 3.5% or something along those lines. I checked with all my bank accounts, and none of them offered free withdrawals of cash. This is a change from a couple years back, when it was possible.