Subarctic
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Posts posted by Subarctic
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We are going on a Baltic cruise at the beginning of September. I have also found most of this info interesting, except the many postings about US CCs and Debit cards.
We know this part of the world is expensive, so don't really plan on buying much.
Helsinki tourism at least in fact nows runs on rich Russians with the real purchase power. The occational cruisers from the west are paupers compared to them. The world has changed quite a bit.
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Considering it's going to be built in China is a enough of a safety concern to me. My partner is Chinese & trust me, he agrees!
I'm afraid I must call that a silly point.
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Yes, that is what I saw as well. So the question is whether or not they are just announcing something they would have to do anyway, or is there some additional safety review which they are doing?
A classification agency will be involved early on, as it will be far easier to correct anything the so called class would not accept already in the drawing stage.
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I have a very long layover in Helsinki, en route to Vienna and the start of my river cruise. I get in at 8:15, and my flight out isn't until after 5:00. What's the best way to take advantage of my day? Should I spend money for a car and driver, or just plan to tour on my own? I'm not a nervous flier, but I do tend to be nervous about getting to the airport late and missing my plane.
Also--this is assuming that the airport lets in transit passengers leave the airport. Do you know anything about that?
Kiitos in advance for any help you can give!
I would start off by asking about your preferences, any special interests, special hobbies?
If you're good to go for Vienna, I see no reason why you could not have yourself stamped into the Schengen area in Finland.
"Car and driver" is probably not your thing unless you plan to spend serious $$$.
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This guy (he's actually Riku Nieminen) also did a trip on his own in Helsinki lately:
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http://www.taksihelsinki.fi/en/node/205
So 5.70 e + 1.78 e/km
Some 2.8 km to city center, 3.4 km to Market Square means approx 10.70 e - 11.80 e.
And no tipping is required in taxis. All cost the same (unlike in Stockholm for instance) and will absolutely not screw you.
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As I said, here in the U.S., I don't write checks (with only one exception) and haven't in many years. I don't even remember the last time I wrote a check at any kind of retailer--it's been at least 25 years. And, I don't write checks to pay my bills. The only people I ever see with a checkbook are elderly people and even that's very rare. In the U.S. the only people I can think of who would be writing checks...well, I can't think of anyone. LOL. I haven't gotten a physical paycheck in about 15 years either. We're not so far behind the times as you might think. :D
That's great. Looking forward to the time when 99% of U.S. tourists have a Credit Card with them that is in accordance with the new EU standard!
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This one?
In that case the dotted line is the subway, not a walking route. :confused:
The subway I personally would consider a sight on it own, it's the most northern one in the world, and runs well. If someone's interested in seeing the real Helsinki, by all means ride to the eastern terminus and back!
It's strange that the HST transports still don't have the GPS operated signs inside, indicating the names of the stops that I've seen in my buses almost ten years ago.
I'd like to point out these excellent chopper pictures to get you on the map better. http://www.fonecta.fi/kartat/HELSINKI Choose "kopterikuvat" from the top left.
(Some of the Helsinki port area is still under development in the pics.)
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Seem Helsinki City Transport does not yet know how they will operate in July, so the national matka.fi shows only walking routes, and the City's planner won't be displaying anything ...
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Hi Sinpplu, hi Ultima Thule,
Your contribution in this great thread is amazing!
We will arrive Helsinki on NCL Star on a Thursday next month, docking at Hernesaari (not 100% sure).
What is the best way by public transport to Seurasaari and back to port?
We have time from 7 am to 3 pm. Can we see a couple of other things on the way back to ship?
Thanks in advance!
I've filled in the journey planner for you. You just need to supply the correct date & time.
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Here's the journey planner filled in for you. Seems you'll need to walk, which is to my mind not a bad proposition at all as the neighbourhood is one of the most desirable in Helsinki.
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People here might like this page on the divided and very remote Finnish-Swedish lighthouse islet of Märket between Åland and Sweden.
http://www.majakkaseura.fi/eng/market/market_diary_2013/week_22/
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I also got my first debit card in the late 1970s--I remember the first time I used it in front of my mother and she asked me why I was using a credit card (I was buying something that you wouldn't normally use a CC for). When I told her I wasn't and that the money would come out of my checking account, both she and the clerk said, "Really??!". LOL. But I still wrote checks for many years--that's how I paid my bills. But, that was the only thing I wrote checks for (except as I pointed out earlier, I still have to dig them out now and then to pay fees at my daughter's school or put money in her lunch account). I haven't had to write checks to pay bills in many years now as I use my banks online bill pay service. So, I have a box of checks in my desk that comes out less than once a month--DD is graduating in a couple weeks so I can just get rid of them. LOL.
Up here the banks have for a long time either refused to cash cheques altogether, or charge rediculous fees. In practice that that would only be a problem for people with U.S. contacts, as cheques have been practically dead since the 1980s.
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Chip cards aren't standard in the U.S., but we've had debit cards for many years. I haven't written a check (other than for my daughter's school fees, since the public schools seem to be behind the curve) in years and years. I use my debit card or cash for everything. My friends are the same. To my knowledge there's no lag in embracing debit cards. :D
Speaking about lag .. I'm 50 now, and have never written a cheque. Like many Finns, I've had my debit/ATM card since the mid-1980s, the first cards were issued in the late 1970s.
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Subarctic, thanks for the opportunity to clarify: my bank rep said "Do not let them tell you must use a PIN." That is what I meant by the vendor "asking" for the PIN. (Vendor: hotels, shops, restaurants, or anyone else whom you might pay for services with a credit card.)
Unfortunately I'm lost as to what they have tried to tell you in the States. The PIN _is_ the default, there is no way around it. You will be presented with the PIN query anyhow. Increasingly, there is NO way around entering the PIN any longer. This goes for all cards, credit, debit, no matter. In fact debit and credit are one and the same card at least in Finland.
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That's confusing to me, too. I watched a travel show last weekend in which they talked about protecting the chip cards and did a demo of how easy it is to get the card information if you have the right technology...
This is not the case with the EMV cards. Although some basic data can be accessed from the chip card, the actual banking action is all encrypted, and the code is not broken by anyone. We will surely know if it ever will be.
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This was probably covered above but just in case: I use a certain card for travel due to no charges for international purchases. Just got the new one with a chip, so this will be 1st time using it. Never used for cash advance/ATM, so I called my bank about a PIN. They strongly (STRONGLY) discouraged giving the vendor a PIN. Bank told me it would show up on my statement as a cash advance. They said to tell the vendor to just hit "enter" on the register and sign instead.
PIN is of course only to be memorized by yourself. No vendor will ever ask you for one. You will enter it into the vendor's terminal yourself at the point of payment. This is safe.
PIN is increasingly your only choice as many shops here in Finland for instance are not accepting the backup system on showing your ID and signature any longer.
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We'll be coming from the Emeral Princess and How far is tram 9 from the dock West Harbor?
We plan to go to market square first then to rock church. How far is the walk from from market square to rock church? Or you have take a tram?
How do we get back to the ship?
We do plan to buy the one day pass.
Any must see besides these?
Thanks.
Here's the journey planner page partly filled in for you. Just fill in the correct date/time and you are good to go.
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We'll be coming from the Emeral Princess and How far is tram 9 from the dock West Harbor?
We plan to go to market square first then to rock church. How far is the walk from from market square to rock church? Or you have take a tram?
How do we get back to the ship?
We do plan to buy the one day pass.
Any must see besides these?
Thanks.
Here's the journey planner page partly filled in for you. Just fill in the correct date/time and you are good to go.
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I know there has been a lot of discussion about the chip and pin credit cards lately. We leave in 12 days and I have assumed that most tourist attractions will still accept the old American magnetic strip cards. When we arrive in Helsinki for the day, we will take the ferry to Suomenlinna Fortress and if it's nice, enjoy the beer garden. We will be within walking distance of Market Square so don't need to buy a tram ticket from a machine. I have been assuming there will be a person in the kiosk to buy a ferry ticket and that they will accept our credit card. I had also assumed the Suomenlinna Brewery would accept our card. Would you know if this is correct? Our only other option is to find an ATM to get cash. Is there an ATM in Katajanokka terminal?
Automatic ticketing machines of for instance the Helsinki City Transport and the State Railways will only accept chip cards.
The locations of the Finnish "Otto" (="withdrawal") ATMs can be found at:
http://www.otto.fi/missa-otto/
(type "Helsinki", or whatever, into the top box)
On Suomenlinna Brewery matters, I recommend asking them directly:
http://www.suomenlinna.fi/en/visitors_guide/restaurants_and_cafes/restaurant_suomenlinna_brewery
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If you don't have a pin code make sure to bring valid identification. I can't press this enough. Here in Sweden the bank requires proof of identification for any amount above SEK200 if you don't have a pin code. (A copy of your passport will not be enough).
It's the same as in Finland. Just to make sure I called and ask my bank today. They said that there might be one or two ATM:s out there that still takes magnet strip but he couldn't say where they were. The goal is to exchange them all. If you don't have a card with chip I would suggest you bring cash for small things and card the rest. My experience is that Magnet strip + pin will work, Magnet strip + signature showing passport will work.
I should think that also in Sweden the merchant will be responsible for any losses if thay accept payment using the old method, therefore they may be reluctant, and also be instructed against it by their head offices.
The Finnish ATMs are actually unique in that they have two slots, one for the EVMs, one for the old ones. This was done in order to prevent some of the skimming activities (copying of the stripe by an attached device) as for the chip slot the card will not be going in all the way. Therefore they _may_ be useable for the old cards for a while.
Another thing is that the banks may have instated a continental block on the use of an European card in the U.S. and vv. as it's typical for fraudsters to transfer card info across the world. This can be done on request but I don't know if this is the default anywhere.
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What about ATMs in the rest of the baltic area? We are planning to use ATMs in Stockholm, Copenhagen, Tallinn, etc with a traditional American debt card. Hope it will work! Anyone have actual experience to report?
They will basically be under the same EU regulations:
see e.g.
and http://www.fodors.com/community/europe/do-atms-charge.cfm
The general rule is, again, NOT to rely solely on the old traditional magnetic card.
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Adding: perhaps the US consumers should voice their concern at their banks? The EMV system is not really going to go away.
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While I appreciate the "official" word on the chip and pin cards, I don't think the magnetic strip cards will be refused in most tourist locations where there is a person to accept it.
Merchants would be very short sighted to not accept magnetic strip cards since 98% of Americans ( that's my number) have never heard of a chip and pin card. Thousands of American tourists will be getting off their ships for the day and have nothing but magnetic strip cards. It will be the merchants loss if they don't accept the card. They will lose money since souvenirs don't HAVE to be purchased.
I have been aware of the chip and pin cards for a number of years and have not been able to get one in the US. This year I have found a number of places that will provide a chip and sign card (e.g. AAA) and only very recently have I discovered a few chip and pin cards available. If it's been that hard for me to get one, I rather doubt the average cruiser will have one.
So if Helsinki doesn't want my money ( via credit card), then I'm okay with that. I'm sure another port/ country will be happy to take my magnet strip credit card.
(Sorry if I sound annoyed...I am at the US credit card companies for not switching to chip and pin ...and I'll BE annoyed if a merchant refuses my card)
That's ok. However, the same SEPA arrangement will be effective in all the EU countries as well as Norway, being an EEA country. Our hands are tied. In the past with the national system, for instance, the automatic payments like your paycheck would be on your account at 00:00 the day they were supposed to. With the new pan-European system they will pop up sometime in the morning.
I wanted to warn people not to rely solely on the magnetic stripe cards. I learned this the hard way by having forgotten the PIN of my credit card lately. I thought there woud be no problem, as I had succesfully used the backup method of IDs and signature in the past. Turned out the central offices of many shops had disallowed the use of the backup method lately. I got me a new combo debit/credit card and was eventually fine. All credit card management in the country has now been sold to a Danish firm as well.
The touristy and/or high street shops _may_ be willing to make an exception, but they are not required to.
If I may quote from a U.S. source:
If you're traveling overseas this summer [2012], you may want to shop for more than a swimsuit and walking shoes before you go. As EMV smart cards continue to proliferate outside the U.S., it's becoming increasingly difficult to use traditional magnetic stripe credit cards in certain travel situations. But a handful of new U.S. credit cards could help American travelers.
Compare credit cards here - CreditCards.com
What About Travelers' Checks?
in Northern Europe & Baltic Sea
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The last time a check was being given to myself in Finland was in the year 1984, it was unusual even then, and therefore I can recall the year.
The only use for a paper token still is that we may ask inter-bank documents (bank draft) in paper from the bank when we buy a house or an apartment or something extremely valuable. These are then later verified over the phone by the both bank staff.
Travellers' check would just send eyes rolling. It's just barely possible some bank might still cash them, but there would be a considerable fee.