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Currency for Baltic/Russia cruise?


sstepson
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We’re on a Northern Capitals cruise next summer on RCCL. Looking for tips on how to deal with all the different currencies. It looks like we’ll be using Pounds, (not an issue, since we’ll be in the UK for a few days) Danish Kronur, Norwegian Kronur, Euro (for Helsinki and Tallinn) and Rubles for St. Petersburg.

 

Obviously, credit cards will be the way to go for the majority of purchases, but will it be possible to exchange small amounts of cash to use for transportation, restaurants, etc. while we’re in ports? Will merchants in Scandinavia (or Russia) accept Euros?

 

Any tips from anyone who has dealt with this issue would be appreciated!

 

Thanks, guys

 

 

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We were on DCL and could exchange money on the ship. It wasn't a great rate, but for the little we needed it was fine. You can also find a ATM, which is what I do when I need larger amounts of cash.

 

On our Baltic cruise, with 3 days in Copenhagen prior, I needed cash for a hot dog vendor in Copenhagen (but not the crepe vendor across the street), and a public restroom in Stockholm. Pretty everyone took CC's.

 

We didn't go to Norway, so can't comment on that.

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On our Aug cruise, we used our Visa in every single country with the exception of the rail ticket machines in CPH which I needed to use my debit card and an ice cream shop in Rostock. Every other merchant throughout the NCL Baltic ports took CC without hesitation. If you have euro's, you'll be good on the majority of ports in case cash is needed.

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We found it useful to have some Euros in our pockets as we could use it in Germany, Estonia (Tallinn) and Finland (Helsinki).

For the rest of the ports, we used our credit card.

Some cash was needed for toilet entry (even as a customer at Hungry Jacks/McDonalds in some countries)

Will merchants in Scandinavia (or Russia) accept Euros?

Don't think so.

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When we went, several years ago, we were faced with the same dilemma. We ended up getting Pounds, we had a pre and post cruise stay in London. We also got local money for Copenhagen, Stockholm and some Euro's for the ones that accepted that. We never got any Rubles as we were told we probably wouldn't need them as the tour covered most expenses and when we did want to buy something, we charged it.

Now, overall, as some have said, we also went with the objective of charging as much as possible. If they took a CC, we charged it. But we also wanted to experience being in a foreign country and not just throwing US Dollars at them. We wanted the feeling of using local currency as we felt the people would appreciate it more. We did found they did.

We did buy a few things from the street vendors in St Petersburg, but they took US Dollars and gave us Dollars back as change. Bartering goes a long way also with them.

It's up to you, but, as I said, we loved the fact that we were in Stockholm and were using their Kroner. Etc.

We could have hit an ATM, but we decided to exchange what we wanted, at home, and take it with us, so we didn't feel the need to find an ATM if it were necessary.

Cheers

Len

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Use a free foreign exchange CC. If you do need cash use an ATM with a free foreign exchange debit card.

 

By next year Stockholm will be even more of a cashless society than it is now. Don’t be surprised to see some shops and restaurants refusing to take cash at all.

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Honestly, I wouldn't consider using a credit card as "throwing US dollars at them." When pretty much all transactions are via credit/debit card anyways, what currency you use at home is mostly irrelevant. While a few transactions would ask me if I wanted it to be charged in dollars vs euro/kroner, most did not even give me the option.

 

Much of Scandinavia is going cashless. We also recently had lunch in a Dutch pancake house restaurant that only took CC's. No cash allowed.

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Honestly, I wouldn't consider using a credit card as "throwing US dollars at them." When pretty much all transactions are via credit/debit card anyways, what currency you use at home is mostly irrelevant. While a few transactions would ask me if I wanted it to be charged in dollars vs euro/kroner, most did not even give me the option.

 

Much of Scandinavia is going cashless. We also recently had lunch in a Dutch pancake house restaurant that only took CC's. No cash allowed.

 

You misunderstood what I meant. Over the years, many people have some on here basically sayin ghta they do NOY need to or not care to exchange any money, that US Dollars are accepted all over. While that is true, I find that very annoying. I really won't go into my reasons why as not wanting to insult anyone, but by my comment of 'throwing US Dollars at them' was meant in that context.

Cheers

Len

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There's a few typos in your response, so perhaps I am misunderstanding, but I didn't see anyone say they used dollars?

 

I agree it would make no sense, and be a bit egocentric, to assume that US currency can be used anywhere an American was going. That's the whole point of overseas travel, is to get AWAY from the US and see somewhere new.

 

Dh makes it a point to a get a few coins from every trip, to use as golf ball markers.

 

And I had been meaning to come back and say that it is always a good idea to at least have a few coins for restrooms, particularly if you are not with a ship tour in port.

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We did that cruise in June. Took € and £ with us as they are easy to obtain in Vancouver. No need for any other currency. Only problem was gaining admission to the toilets in Russia where the guardian ladies insisted on a ruble coin. We gave them a Euro coin instead and they relented.

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The smallest denomination is one kopeck (0.01 ruble). They are not being minted any more, but are still in circulation.

That said, don't bother with coins (including cents, eurocents, twopences, farthings, and Ukrainian kopiykas). Foreign coins are not accepted and, if left as a tip, may even be construed to be an unkind joke. Russian coins are easy to come by in Russia, but any vendor should be able to give you change for any smaller bill (up to 500 rubles).

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Agreed, you can't get coins ahead of time. But you could get a small amount of Euro/Kroner bills that you could break easily. Or ask around for friends that travel - you may find a handful of euro that way. It really wasn't a big enough deal to go to much trouble, but that was the only consistent need for hard cash, 1-2 Euros/Kroner at a time. Some restrooms are just suggested "tips" others were coin operated turnstiles or "pay the attendant at the window" to get in.

 

I'd think in Russia you might not need them as a tour would take you where the restrooms are free - The Hermitage, etc.

 

And no, do not leave American coins. That would be somewhere between rude and useless, or maybe just both.

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When we did our Baltic cruise we used our CC with no foreign transaction fees everywhere, even for a bus ticket in Stockholm. When paying with CC you will be given the option to pay in the currency of your home country or local. For best rate of exchange always choose local.

 

As we often visit Eurozone we always have a supply of Euros and used them in Tallin. We didn't need local currency at all.

 

 

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When we did our Baltic cruise we used our CC with no foreign transaction fees everywhere, even for a bus ticket in Stockholm. When paying with CC you will be given the option to pay in the currency of your home country or local. For best rate of exchange always choose local.

 

As we often visit Eurozone we always have a supply of Euros and used them in Tallin. We didn't need local currency at all.

 

 

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We were on Baltic capital cruise in September. We used a credit card that did not have international fees. When we needed cash we found that most countries took euros. Even St. Petersburg.

 

 

 

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I've always had Euros accepted in Scandinavia if I didn't have any local currency. In a lot of shops the prices are shown in local currency and Euros. In Euro countries it's very useful to have a couple of 50 cent pieces in your pocket as that seems to be what's needed for toilets.

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I've always had Euros accepted in Scandinavia if I didn't have any local currency. In a lot of shops the prices are shown in local currency and Euros. In Euro countries it's very useful to have a couple of 50 cent pieces in your pocket as that seems to be what's needed for toilets.

 

There is no general truth about Euros in Scandinavia. Some stores might accept it some other might not.

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There is no general truth about Euros in Scandinavia. Some stores might accept it some other might not.

 

I used my C.C in Copenhagen and Stockholm.

I had € and $ with me and was told by our SPB guide in St Petersburg that they would accept either in preference to roubles.

The only place that wouldn’t accept C.C / € / $ was in the Church of the Spilled Blood in St Petersburg. They only accepted roubles, so I didn’t go to shop.

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  • 1 month later...
  • 4 weeks later...
We did that cruise in June. Took € and £ with us as they are easy to obtain in Vancouver. No need for any other currency. Only problem was gaining admission to the toilets in Russia where the guardian ladies insisted on a ruble coin. We gave them a Euro coin instead and they relented.

 

I'll bet she took it. Rubles are worth almost nothing and a euro was a big tip!

 

Sue

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Rubles are worth almost nothing and a euro was a big tip!

Except there is no easy way of exchanging euro - or any other - coins into roubles. Banks don't want to deal with coins. Not to mention the "big tip" wouldn't even cover a metro ride to the nearest bank.

So basically it's like leaving a tip in UAE dirhams or Qatar riyals at a diner somewhere in rural Alabama or Illinois. It will be noted - and maybe accepted for amusement value, - but unlikely highly appreciated.

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