How much cash - if any - needed in Norway, Sweden and Denmark?

[Korimako]

Hoping for some actual info. I'm going on a Baltic cruise and will already have euros for those ports which accept them as I will also be spending some time in the Netherlands, France and Italy. My concern is getting SEK, DKK and NOK and then being left with them at the end of the cruise.

How easy is it to just use my credit card and not have the need for cash?

Here in NZ, I can't remember when I last used actual money. Everything - including a cup of coffee, the newspaper, parking fees - goes on my credit card.

If Norway, Denmark and Sweden are equally cash-free then I would probably risk not getting any currency at all.

Any experienced advice gratefully received.

TIA

[oakridger]

The fast answer is that Norway, Netherlands and the UK are almost completely cashless!  I don't know about France and Italy firsthand though.  A couple of my hotels in Norway on my upcoming trip even caution in their website that they are completely cashless and have no cash on premises.  Read the locals comments in these recent threads:

 

 

[hallasm]

5 hours ago, Korimako said:

Norway, Denmark and Sweden are equally cash-free then I would probably risk not getting any currency at all.

It is possible to use credit cards and ApplePay in the vast majority of places and stores. I would suggest a contactless card as some payment terminals cannot read the magnetic stripe.
There are public buses where it is only possible to pay with cash on the bus, but tickets can be bought in ticket machines or in an App.

[Scottishclover]

On our Baltic cruise in 2022, the only place we got caught out with no cash was when we travelled on  a local bus on the island of Bornholm. It was partly my fault - had I been more organised I could have had the app downloaded for tickets. We did one of those free walking tours in Stockholm and the guide even took her tips by card payment😂

 

On that particular cruise we didn’t stop in Warnemuende ( many Baltic cruises do) but I have visited a lot as my daughter lives there. Germany is the one place that you need cash, not everywhere takes card and some places only take German EC cards!! My daughter says she would never go to Berlin without cash as lots of places don’t take cards so  it may be handy to have some Euros if your cruise stops in Germany.

[Thejuggler]

I have never had need for cash in Norway, Sweden or Denmark and our first visit was 12 years ago.

 

Even the street sellers were cashless, which wasn't the case in the UK back then.

 

 

 

[Korimako]

Thank you to all who replied. I won't bother getting any of those currencies, but will just use my contactless card as I do at home. Someone further up the thread mentioned the possible need for euros - not a problem - I have some left over from the last trip to France and will get some more as I am spending time in France, Italy and the Netherlands. Finland, Estonia and Germany use euros.

[Arch2000]

What about for using restrooms?  Do they charge for restroom use in these countries like in mainland Europe?  Is this all electronic too?  I was assuming I'd need some small coins for restroom access

[hallasm]

6 hours ago, Arch2000 said:

What about for using restrooms? 

I cannot answer for all restrooms in Scandinavia, but generally they are free. If payment usually by credit card - chip or contactless.

[ontheweb]

14 hours ago, Arch2000 said:

What about for using restrooms?  Do they charge for restroom use in these countries like in mainland Europe?  Is this all electronic too?  I was assuming I'd need some small coins for restroom access

We solve the restroom problem in Europe by using the restrooms in museums, and since DW is an art teacher (now retired), we end up in a lot of museums.