How much foreign currency needed?

[iowasue]

We will be cruising around the Norwegian Fjords and the North Cape in a few weeks. We fly into Amsterdam the night before and will be staying in a hotel in Rotterdam. That means we have 3 different currencies to deal with! How much Euros, Kroners, and American dollars will be needed for a 2 week cruise?

[RuthC]

That sort of depends on how much you think you will spend on your own. I've sailed Norway more times than I can count, and been through Amsterdam and Rotterdam almost as many times. Over the years I have purchased some Euro, and have picked up Norwegian Krona somehow, but can't remember how. Some places have taken US money in payment, and given change in local currency.

When I arrive, I usually nap and hang around the hotel. When I have gone off to sightsee I have used a credit card to pay. Meals are put on the room account, which is on a credit card. In other words, I haven't needed much cash.

Norway tours are through HAL, and I tip the guide with whatever currency I have.

Now, if you are going to spend cash for snacks and meals, entrance fees, souveniers, and other things, then you will need to bring a supply of local money.

Figure a budget and work from there. You should be able to get more money on the ship, or an ATM.

[3rdGenCunarder]

I agree with Ruth. Rough out a budget of your typical spending and go from there. Do you buy a lot of souvenirs? Do you like to stop for a drink or a snack while you tour?

 

As you plan, know that food and drinks are expensive in Norway, so err on the high side.

 

Check your bank's website to see where there are compatible ATMs (almost all are, but it's good to check). Also check to see if your bank has foreign "partner" banks. Bank of America has "partners" where you can use the ATM and not incur out-of-network fees. BoA also will do currency exchange without extra fees if you have an account there.

 

We always change some money before we leave home. We used to use a local American Express office, now we use the bank. Sometimes we have used an airport Travelex. I like to arrive at my destination knowing I don't have waste time in the airport worrying about finding an ATM. For extended trips, we use ATMs to get more local currency.

 

Before we did our first cruise to Norway, the only foreign ATMs I had used were in England or Canada. I went on line, found out where there would be ATMs, and was all set to go. When I went to use an ATM in Norway for the first time, I had a moment of panic--I can't read Norwegian! I should have realized it would be OK. The first screen offers choice of language, which I expected. The good part is that each language is identified in its own language (Espanol, Francais, Deutch, English, etc). Whew! BIG relief. It seems obvious now, but at the time, I felt pretty stupid.