Virgin Cruiser-Baltic

As title says,never cruised before,booked P&O to Baltics in June, so many questions, can anyone advise which currency to take?Does everywhere take euro?Ok may be a strange question,are there plenty of public toilets/WC everywhere, and how much are they?I'm so excited about this trip,in St.Petersburg do you get time to wander about on your own after doing a tour ?Thanks for any info.

Where to start?

Currency is not Euros in Russia, Sweden or Denmark. Generally a credit card is a good option and you don't have to worry about it. We took a small amount of local currency for snacks. We used some of the left over to tip the guide.

Whether you will have walking around time after a tour depends on the tour. Probably no walking around on your own in St. P. Other places can be done on your own (maybe not Berlin) and you would have plenty of walking around time.

Here's a link to pictures

https://msknortherneurope.shutterfly.com/pictures

As title says,never cruised before,booked P&O to Baltics in June, so many questions, can anyone advise which currency to take?Does everywhere take euro?Ok may be a strange question,are there plenty of public toilets/WC everywhere, and how much are they?I'm so excited about this trip,in St.Petersburg do you get time to wander about on your own after doing a tour ?Thanks for any info.

Last summer, my husband and I stressed about handling money because many of the typical ports on a Baltic cruise use unique currencies. For example, Norway and Denmark use unique currency although each is named Krone; Sweden uses a unique currency named Krona.

We decided to bring no local currencies from the US with us, relying on getting money at the cash points in each country. Surprise! We were able to charge so many things that the ONLY place we got any local currency was in Denmark and that was because we stayed an additional three nights.

Not everyone will agree, but if I have to pay a small surcharge for using Euro for one or two purchases/services out of a 10-day trip I'll happily do that instead of getting unique currencies, paying for that service, and, finally, dealing with the left overs.

The answer to your specific question about independent strolling is that unless you get a visa for travel to Russia you CANNOT visit on your own. Suggestion: This question tells readers you've begun posting without reading any of the threads on this board. So many of your questions have been asked and answered that you should scan the threads and read the pertinent threads. Then, if you have questions that haven't been answered, folks will be happy to help.

In Stockholm, most places will accept card and cash, some places only accepts cards while some (in clear minority) places only will accept cash.

Euro's are accepted in some places but there is no guarantee and no general rule of thumb.

The only places we needed cash was a public toilet in Stockholm (needed coins specifically), a few street food vendors in Copenahagen, and at the Hermitage gift shop because the CC machine was being difficult.

I'm not sure if I've seen public restroom answers in prior posts. Copenhagen's were clean, free, and surprisingly pretty. The restroom right outside the port in Tallinn was voted "the most exceptional public restroom in Europe" by my teenagers, who loved the piped in perfume smell. It was free, quite pleasant, along with being very clean. The one we used in Stockholm required coins to get thru the door to the single stall room, was also clean. SPB, they were clean and free at all the stops we made on our tour (Hermitage, Peterhof park, the hydrofoil.) HTH.

Thanks for all replies especially about public restrooms.It's not the sort of information that is normally available.I hav e

been trawling through various threads and taking notes.its so overwhelming so thanks again.

I HIGHLY recommend you find a copy of "Rick Steves' Northern European Cruise Ports" either at your local library, a bookstore or Amazon. This book is a WEALTH of information on facts about each country (e.g. what currency they use, how to obtain that currency, where the best public toilets are and how much they cost, etc.) It also has great information on how to use public transportation in each port (which is easy to do and much cheaper than taxis); how to sightsee on your own, if you wish; what tours are worth your time and money (e.g. it might not be a good idea to take a HO/HO bus in some ports); what sights in each port are most worth seeing, etc.

I can't stress enough how useful this book was to me when planning our July 2015 Baltic Cruise.

I HIGHLY recommend you find a copy of "Rick Steves' Northern European Cruise Ports" either at your local library, a bookstore or Amazon. This book is a WEALTH of information on facts about each country (e.g. what currency they use, how to obtain that currency, where the best public toilets are and how much they cost, etc.) It also has great information on how to use public transportation in each port (which is easy to do and much cheaper than taxis); how to sightsee on your own, if you wish; what tours are worth your time and money (e.g. it might not be a good idea to take a HO/HO bus in some ports); what sights in each port are most worth seeing, etc.

 

I can't stress enough how useful this book was to me when planning our July 2015 Baltic Cruise.

Another vote for this book - it is a great resource for first time visitors!

As title says,never cruised before,booked P&O to Baltics in June, so many questions, can anyone advise which currency to take?Does everywhere take euro?Ok may be a strange question,are there plenty of public toilets/WC everywhere, and how much are they?I'm so excited about this trip,in St.Petersburg do you get time to wander about on your own after doing a tour ?Thanks for any info.

Being from the States, we WANTED the experience of using other currencies. It sort of enhanced our experience in the countries that we visited. Unlike other Americans who sort of feel that everyone will accept our dollar so why bother exchanging, even if it costs more.

You, being from UK, may not feel as I do, but again, it's up to you.

Most tour companies are responsible for you anytime you are in St Petersburg. They pick you up at the pier and drop you off there when the tour is over. If, you want to sort of escape, on your own, after they drop you off, I guess it is possible, but there is nothing anywhere around the cruise terminal, so why even bother.

\All the other ports are very easy to do on your own. As long as you are mobile and can walk easily, you will have no problems at all.

Cheers

Len

The public toilet question was new so decided to search for the info for Helsinki.

Public toilets in Helsinki are free and you can see all the city's public toilets on this map: http://www.hel.fi/palvelukartta/?lang=en&search=public+toilet&city=helsinki&col=1&access=0

In addition pretty much all cafes etc. have free toilets for customers.

The public toilet question was new so decided to search for the info for Helsinki.

 

Public toilets in Helsinki are free and you can see all the city's public toilets on this map: http://www.hel.fi/palvelukartta/?lang=en&search=public+toilet&city=helsinki&col=1&access=0

 

In addition pretty much all cafes etc. have free toilets for customers.

My experience was public restrooms in Helsinki were not free. We were there on Mid Summers Eve 2015 and all of the public restrooms near the main tourist areas were closed and locked, but it appeared that the one near the cathedral took coins. Because it was a public holiday we couldn't find an open café anywhere near where we were (The market area) At Church in the Rock (Very lovely BTW), it cost us a euro pp to use the restroom. The difficulty finding a toilet not withstanding, Helsinki is a very beautiful city.

My experience was public restrooms in Helsinki were not free.

Since April 2015 public restrooms in Helsinki should be free of charge.

However, at the moment they are closed due to some dispute. The legality of the contract between the city and the cleaning company has been challenged by another cleaning company or something like that. Hopefully things have been sorted out before the tourist season starts.

... Unlike other Americans who sort of feel that everyone will accept our dollar so why bother exchanging, even if it costs more.

Just pointing out that not a single poster has recommended US dollars as an alternative to local currencies.

Just pointing out that not a single poster has recommended US dollars as an alternative to local currencies.

Sorry, but there have been many posters here, over the years, who plainly say that they have no need to change any money, as US dollars are accepted everywhere in the Baltics. And, you know, for the most part, they are correct. The exchange rate is obviously very poor, but if you don't care then why bother.

Sorry, but this is a fact.

Cheers

Len

Sorry, but there have been many posters here, over the years, who plainly say that they have no need to change any money, as US dollars are accepted everywhere in the Baltics. And, you know, for the most part, they are correct. The exchange rate is obviously very poor, but if you don't care then why bother.

Sorry, but this is a fact.

 

Cheers

 

Len

Hi, Len

Your post surprised me.

But then I've never offered USD in any Baltic port.

No matter, the OP won't have USD, and the Euro plus a credit card are good substitutes for local currency except for public buses & trams and perhaps a few small outlets.

And, as we've learned from this website, public washrooms :D

Yes, if tendering euros in places like Copenhagen, Stockholm & St Pete's the exchange rates won't be in the OPs favour. But for trivial purchases like a beer it's no big deal.

We always like to have a little local shrapnel in our pockets, mebbe £20's-worth between the two of us.

For St Pete's we took enough roubles for the guide's tip - we spent some of it on beers to go with our provided lunches (those restaurant accepted only roubles) and made up the tip shortfall with euros. A good way of having local jingle but no left-over money suitable only as souvenirs.

In St Pete's, as you'll glean from browsing this forum, tours that you fix up in advance with local operators are visa-free, same as ships tours - something the cruise lines avoid telling you in their literature. Visas are only needed if you want to explore unescorted.

Most ships tours are a confusing combination of half-days - impersonal & limited by being 40-50 seater coaches, over-priced & with much wasted time.

P&O are different in that they also offer two-day tours in 16-seater minibuses, same as the local operators. In fact, they're local operators' tours, chartered by P&O. Probably more expensive than booking direct but otherwise very similar. I'd recommend you book with Alla or SPB or Best Guides, etc, but if you're the sort of folk who take comfort in booking ships' tours then I'd urge you to book one of P&O's minibus tours rather than the cattle-drives in large coaches.

You do have to depart & return to the port with the tour, Different tour operators have different interpretations of how much freedom is allowed during the tour - some will drop you somewhere like the main shopping street (Nevski Prospekt) and arrange to meet you back there at a appointed time. If this is important to you, e-mail them and ask - they're normally quick to respond to queries.

JB :)

Sorry, but there have been many posters here, over the years, who plainly say that they have no need to change any money, as US dollars are accepted everywhere in the Baltics. And, you know, for the most part, they are correct. The exchange rate is obviously very poor, but if you don't care then why bother.

Sorry, but this is a fact.

With the growing ability to charge both purchases and services, the need for cash has gone way down. While I would never offer US dollars in a transaction in Europe (the exception being tours in St. Petersburg) on the very, very, very few times when I needed cash we didn't hesitate to use Euros. We first got Euros in Belgium, the first port call of our Baltic trip and in subsequent Euro-using port calls.

Rightly or wrongly, we assumed the exchange rate would be better for Euros than for US dollars. More importantly for us, we needed insanely small amounts of cash so the convenience of using Euros trumped some over-payment.

Europe is far ahead of the US in the number of places people can use a charge card and, happily, all the hysteria about US travelers not having chip and PIN cards is a thing of the past. I needed my PIN only once during a two-week + trip in Europe/the Baltic.