all those currencies!

For our Baltic Cruise June 2014 we used two currencies. Since we were in London for four days pre-cruise we took with us apx 400 GBD which we used for misc expenses and taxis. We also had apx 200E with us. We used our credit card for nearly everything everywhere. We also converted apx 10.00 worth on the ship for local pocket change. There are times you just cannot use a credit card and need local currency. A big ex.are pay bathrooms. Not all of them are free and sometimes all that is available is a pay one with an attendant so no sneaking in. You pay or you don't get in!! Just wanting to purchase a soda from a newsstand it's handy to have some cash to get small change for bathrooms! For St Petersburg we used only the credit card as all our fees for admissions to sites were all ready paid for by the tour company. We came home with some coins and no GBD as we used that for lunch at Heathrow. All our tour companies we paid with our credit card.

 

I too was worried about all the different currencies we needed but it turned out to be quite easy and we did not use any ATM machines at all.

Mauimary:)

Glad you managed to avoid using ATM's...this is strange to most on these boards...We travel frequently and have never used ATM's when we do.

Oh, well, if some people want to live in the past it's not going to affect me. So, please continue.

Glad you managed to avoid using ATM's...this is strange to most on these boards...We travel frequently and have never used ATM's when we do.

You make it sounds like its a bad thing to use ATM´s, why´s that?

Any small fee we may have paid was well worth it in the bigger picture of the security having TC's provided us.

By all means do as you wish, but please don't use spurious arguments like security. Any CC fraud issues are covered by the issuing bank. As long as you keep your PIN private, there are NO security issues.

Travellers' Cheques are expensive, inflexible and anachronistic.

Stuart

You make it sounds like its a bad thing to use ATM´s, why´s that?

Technophobia? They're not part of his hometown bank? They don't supply $$$?

Stuart

Not to hijack this thread, but I never use an ATM either. I always make sure we have enough cash to get us by and try to charge just about everything I can.

I understand that ATM's are everywhere, but like a policeman, when you need one, they aren't there when you do need one. I just don't like the idea of having to try and find one, if and when I need them.

Again, I prefer to exchange money at home before I go, and charge just about everything I can.

Cheers

Len

I really don't understand the need for the sarcasm here. If Ashland likes to use TC, fine. he explained his reasons. If you don't agree that's fine also, but really no need for all the other garbage.

Cheers

Len

Well I have used ATM's for years but over the years the fees have become much higher. I do not want to get a new credit card to avoid these fees. So after reading thru these posts, I'm thinking getting a small amount of local currency on the ship might be a good idea. I know the exchange rate will not be optimal but when you add the ATM fees on a small amount withdrawn, I'm thinking the ship option might be just fine.

Being from the UK, could you take British pound notes (£20 or £10) and whatever Baltic Country you spend in receive the change in their currency ?.

This seemed to work well on a recent trip to Norway

If they take the pounds they'll give you a terrible exchange rate.

Would a store in England accept Estonian money?

You'll do much better using your credit card, or taking local currency out of an ATM than trying to get a local vendor to take foreign money.

If they take the pounds they'll give you a terrible exchange rate.

 

Would a store in England accept Estonian money?

 

You'll do much better using your credit card, or taking local currency out of an ATM than trying to get a local vendor to take foreign money.

Indeed. Many big stores in London will accept Euros or Dollars. They're not being kind and helpful; they're making an extra 5%+ on every transaction.

I've no problems with people having their own solutions; it's just unhelpful when they try to make unwarranted claims about them being the best. Using TCs and paying 5% extra for everything you buy (given conversion rates in local banks) is really hard to defend.

Stuart

I really don't understand the need for the sarcasm here. If Ashland likes to use TC, fine. he explained his reasons. If you don't agree that's fine also, but really no need for all the other garbage.

 

Cheers

 

Len

I don't hope it was pointed at me because I was genuine surprised and therefore my question.

I have I my 29 years never seen a travelers check and almost always use an atm because I think its not the trouble worth to get to my bank to get some other currency's.

It helps now that my bank now got ATM's that can supply me with € and £.

I'm mostly visiting Germany and here I always find ATM's at the central stations or airports but I do realize as a cruise passenger it can be harder to find an ATM at the cruise pier.

Thanks for all of this info. We will go the credit card & ATM route. Two questions:

1. How much local money (in USD) should we take out of ATM to cover 8 bathroom stops?

2. How do you convert leftover money back to USD? Local place back home?

In Denmark you are looking at between 40 cent and one dollar per stop.

Most places is either 2 kroner or pay if you wish but the central station charges you 5 kroner but the ticket machines takes credit card (presumably only pin and chip card)

I don't hope it was pointed at me because I was genuine surprised and therefore my question.

 

I have I my 29 years never seen a travelers check and almost always use an atm because I think its not the trouble worth to get to my bank to get some other currency's.

 

It helps now that my bank now got ATM's that can supply me with € and £.

 

I'm mostly visiting Germany and here I always find ATM's at the central stations or airports but I do realize as a cruise passenger it can be harder to find an ATM at the cruise pier.

DV

NO it wasn't aimed at you. In all the time you have been on this board trying to help people you have been nothing but grand and polite.

Sorry for any misunderstanding.

Cheers

Len

To be fair my question did stir up some less polite replys but I thought it was better to ignore it because my mission was not to ridicule him/her.

I really don't understand the need for the sarcasm here. If Ashland likes to use TC, fine. he explained his reasons. If you don't agree that's fine also, but really no need for all the other garbage.

 

Cheers

 

Len

Sarcasm isn't a surprise when it comes to many subjects on these boards.

Many feel that the use of ATM's is the "only correct" way to have funds available when you travel.

You're correct. I was just offering an alternative, even if it seems archaic to some. We travel a great deal and this method continues to work well for us...no harm in offering options.

Thanks so much Len.

As always,

Cheers !!

I was searching through these threads for advice on what currencies are in use in the Baltic. I have traveled extensively through Europe on cruises and on our own and like to know the accepted currencies. Fortunately, in the Med the Euros is king except for Turkey, Croatia etc. My policy is to order some small denomination currency du jour of the countries that I will be visiting. Not a lot...but enough to see me through to a cab and a lunch. I will always locate an ATM ( and I make sure that my bank and CC companies have had previous notice.) Because I am unfamiliar with the Baltic currencies, the CC boards are always full of great advice. There is always more than one way to peel a potato...but i Do have to agree somewhat with Wiltonian in that Travelers Cheques may be soon be in the past. Be careful.