Baltic cruise questions???

[chrismch]

We're booked for this cruise next year which ports in 7 countries. What is the best way to deal with the constantly changing currency? We'll probably be buying inexpesive souvenirs and some snacks and my need funds for local transit. Should we just find the nearest ATM or is US currency broadly accepted? What might be a good base amount to get? Are items cheaper or more expensive due to the exchange rate? I've heard I will need local currency for sure in St. Petersburg. Your input iis appreciated:p

[calmac]

It is probably worth checking the Baltic Ports thread - this question has come up there a few times.

 

In answer to your question on St Petersburg - we managed for 2 days with US$ on a privately organised tour.

[virgenia]

We used a combination of local ATMs (UK and Stockholm), leftover Euros (Germany and Finland), credit cards (Estonia), US dollars or Euros (St Petersburg), and ship's currency exchange (Norway and Denmark). We were very spoiled on our Med cruise because everyone took Euros. This was a little harder and I stressed out before the trip over it, but it was not a problem. ATMs are everywhere. Be sure and contact your bank before you go (and CC company too) and let them know you will be using your card in foreign countries.

[lisalovlee33]

We were just at the Baltics a week or so ago (oslo, copenhagen, tallinn, st. petersburg, stockholm, gdansk (gdynia)). In all the ports, we never took any of the ship's excursion but planned it on our own, - taxi, trains, bus.

oslo - right at the pier by the tourist info - there was able to give us local currency - took the local bus to the park with lots of statues, and walk around town.

copenhagen - there's ATMs in the airport (we landed in Copenhagen). Bought train tix to downtown hotel with credit card also.

tallinn - we walked to town and back, lots of walking, very do-able. Lots of ATMs everywhere. Bought stuff with credit cards. Euros are accepted in some stores - liquor, soveniers,..

st. petersburg - took tour with RedOctober. Bring enough US dollars to cover the ride. Most shops took Euros, some USD. No need to get rubles.

stockholm - we got stockholm card in advance. Could get into the train to get to stockholm. (we were docked in Nynashamn). Once in Stockholm, we used the card to everywhere, very easy to do. Bought stuff with credit card.

gdansk (gdynia). Took a local taxi, about USD7 to the train station. In train station, there's ATM machines. Bought some currency and took the train to gdansk.

Best to bring some Euros and USD. And you'll be all set. We managed to get by eventhough we did everything on our own. I'm sure you'll managed the same way, esp. if you're taking some of the ship's excursion, which even lessen the chance of spending local currency as most stores takes CC anyway. Good luck.

[phdiva]

Sounds like local currency may be the way to go based on your description of what you want to do (inexpensive souveniers, snacks, local transportation) ... before we left, I calculated how much local currency we were likely to need at each port based on entry fees for museums as they were listed in guidebooks and my knowledge of our own snacking habits. If you use US dollars, you will get a REALLY BAD exchange rate (as opposed to in the US where foreign currency isn't even accepted). That said, bring plenty of US dollars in a range of denominations (lots of 1s and a few 10s and 20s) just to cover your bases.

 

Copenhagen - ATM for local currency (plus credit cards).

 

Nynasham/Stockholm - US dollars for the all-day train pass (for a really unfavorable exchange rate) and local currency from an ATM once we got to Stockholm.

 

Helsinki - Euros that we had on hand, and I exchanged some US dollars for Euros on the ship. In retrospect, I wish had waited until we went ashore to use the ATM, as I underestimated the amount of Euros we needed that day and, by the end of the day, we were counting our cents.

 

St. Petersburg - No local currency. We used a private tour company that preferred US dollars. The street vendor from whom I bought postcards accepted US dollars and Euros, too.

 

Tallin - No local currency. I used a credit card to buy some jewlery and US dollars for a little souvenier.

 

Gdansk - No local currency, as we were on a ship's tour.

 

Oslo - Too much local currency from the ATM. (Two of the museums that we were planning on seeing were closed on Mondays.)