Currency needed on Baltic Cruise?

[workstocruise]

Can anyone help with what currencies we should bring on the Constellation's cruise out of Amsterdam? We will be visiting several scandinavian cities as wel as St. Petersburg. We're booked on a tour with SPB for Russia and we are also taking the train to Berlin. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.:confused:

[hallasm]

I'm bringing Euro and US$ - and then change to other local currencies - or using ATM - you can also pay with credit cards in most shop and for the train.

[Gasdoc]

Just be sure to bring lots of whatever currency you choose. Scandanavia is as expensive as it is beautiful.

[rpnickel]

You'll need some Rubles to buy lunch in St Petersburg. The tours like to stop for quick lunches in places that don't take credit cards. There are ATM Machines where you can get Rubles.

[kitty9]

I've been to St Petersburg three times and never used rubles anywhere, not even at the lunch areas. They all accepted, and seemed to prefer, US dollars. Just make sure the paper currency is clean and as smooth as possible with no wrinkles. If you do use the Ruble, make sure you get small denominations because it's nearly impossible to change the Ruble back to any other currency.

 

If you're going to Norway and Sweden on your cruise, Norway is not in the EU and uses the Kroner. And while Sweden is in the EU they refuse to use the Euro and use the Kronor. You can get both at local ATM machines.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

And each Scandinavian country has its own currency. Some will take euros, but probably not at a very good exchange rate. It's definitely a multi-currency trip! So worth it, though!

[Wine-O]

I know travelers checks are a thing of the past, but if you don't want to carry a large amount of cash, bring some travelers checks. The ship will cash them for free. Additionally, use your credit card whenever possible.

[pharmoz]

Can anyone help with what currencies we should bring on the Constellation's cruise out of Amsterdam? We will be visiting several scandinavian cities as wel as St. Petersburg. We're booked on a tour with SPB for Russia and we are also taking the train to Berlin. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.:confused:

 

 

We used CC everywhere even cabs.

[shoreham01]

You'll need some Rubles to buy lunch in St Petersburg. The tours like to stop for quick lunches in places that don't take credit cards. There are ATM Machines where you can get Rubles.

We went on SPB tour and we were taken to a bank to get money for lunch and drinks for both days of our tour. They know exactly how much you will need. If you want to buy anything you can pay in dollars or credit card. You can pay for your tour in dollars too, but they must be new ones, they will not accept dollars that are not crisp and new.

 

As far as the Scandinavian countries are concerned, you will need their own currency for coffee etc and yes it is very expensive. Talinn, Copenhagen and Germany will take Euros.

[Vineyardfan]

Can anyone help with what currencies we should bring on the Constellation's cruise out of Amsterdam? We will be visiting several scandinavian cities as wel as St. Petersburg. We're booked on a tour with SPB for Russia and we are also taking the train to Berlin. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.:confused:

 

In Scandinavia almost all shops, restaurants and taxis accept credit cards, so I would stick with plastic but carry a reserve of euros during that part of your cruise. Living in Sweden I often go weeks without paying in cash for anything...

[krillsister]

If you use a CC, get one from Capital one as they do not charge a conversion fee.

[TravelerThom]

Most European Credit Cards are Chip-and-Pin, which are not the norm in the US. Gradually more banks in the US are offering Chip-and-Pin, and getting one prior to a trip to Europe would be helpful. It is possible to use US Magnetic Strip cards in most places where you can deal with a person; on occasions I've had to explain to the cashier that rather than sticking the card Chip-and-Pin slot in the bottom of the machine, they have to slide the Magnetic Strip card down the slot on the side of the machine - news to the cashier. Now try doing this in Estonian. Generally US Magnetic Strip cards are unusable at unmanned sites. As an example most German Rail platforms have kiosks that will sell you a train ticket with a Chip-and-Pin, but you better hope that the station and a manned ticket booth is open [only during limited hours] if all you have is Magnetic Strip. And be aware that you will have to pay a premium to use that human ticket seller.

 

Netherlands, Germany, Finland and Estonia are on the Euro. Copenhagen MIGHT take Euros, but that is NOT the official currency of Denmark [or Norway or Sweden]. Actually you can probably spend Euros in many locations there, but you'll get a (very) bad exchange rate for that convenience. Russia is the only place in the Baltic where US$ are at least as acceptable as Euros.

 

Thom

[hansolosmom]

We had some Euro on us when we went, but we used our Capital One whenever possible. I think the only time I used the Euro were in Oslo & they gave change in their currency. Although I should point out we did mostly ship's tours so we only were buying souvenirs, not snacks, food/drinks so the cc worked fine for us.

 

We did SPB and you will need some rubles - we needed them for the rest rooms and snacks. They didn't take us to a bank as someone else mentioned, we just got some on the ship. Not sure if that's something which needs to be prearranged with them, but I wasn't in charge of this tour. Also wanted to say don't get too hung up on the 'new bills' I was so worried they wouldn't take my cash because a couple of the bills weren't new and I folded them to put them in my wallet. As long as their in good shape, they'll be fine.

[workstocruise]

Thank you all for your help. I will just get a variety of currency and hope that works.

[wednesday]

We took Euros, crisp and unmarked US Dollars (for Russia), some Rubles and some Swedish and Danish Kroner. We bought some currency before we left but opened a Capital One checking account and used that to get most of the money out of ATM's in port. We also used our Capital One credit card a lot.

[varoo]

If you use a CC, get one from Capital one as they do not charge a conversion fee.

 

Most European Credit Cards are Chip-and-Pin, which are not the norm in the US. Gradually more banks in the US are offering Chip-and-Pin, and getting one prior to a trip to Europe would be helpful.

This is my dilemma. When I called Capital One, I was told that they do not issue chip-and-pin cards.

 

So can we use our regular Capital One card on a Baltic cruise without it being chip-and-pin, or should we try to get a chip-and-pin card from another source?

 

I am sure that we are not the only Americans in this situation.

We do not want to carry large amounts of cash, but will we be able to get money out of ATMs in various European currencies as we go along without having chip-and-pin cards?

 

Also, when you get local money from an ATM for those one or two day stops in each port, how and where do you convert back your remaining currency?

[kitty9]

Thom is correct. Bank of America just sent me a replacement credit card with a chip because they know I travel out of the country a lot. Europe will soon require all credit cards to be chipped to use in ATM machines.

[cafediem2]

Personally I always take a little local currency for small purchases, but not much, credit cards are fine for anything larger (although I try to remember to tell my credit card company where I am going so their fraud systems don't cut in and refuse the card, as they did once, in Austria). The actual currencies as far as I am aware are as follows (not sure exactly where you will be stopping...). Bit of a value statement saying that the Swedes 'refuse' to use the Euro! several EU countries aren't in the Eurozone. I need to find out about Croatia, Montenegro and Slovenia for our Adriatic cruise...

 

Netherlands - Euro

Norway - Norwegian Krone

Sweden - Swedish Krona

Finland - Euro

Poland - Zloty

Estonia - Euro

Germany - Euro

Russia - Ruble (tho as noted, dollars often accepted)

[TravelerThom]

... I need to find out about Croatia, Montenegro and Slovenia for our Adriatic cruise...

Slovenia is in the Euro Zone. Montenegro is not in the European Monetary Union, but despite that uses only the Euro (has no other currency). Croatia is on the Kuna - Euros are usable many places (indeed hotels often quote prices in Euros), but exchange rate may not be good; small purchases (bus fare, snacks) will generally require Kuna.

 

Thom

[TravelerThom]

Thom is correct. Bank of America just sent me a replacement credit card with a chip because they know I travel out of the country a lot. Europe will soon require all credit cards to be chipped to use in ATM machines.

Like several of you on this board, I have for several years used Cap1 in Europe because it has no foreign exchange fee. Since that is a big selling point for Cap1 among travelers, I can't understand why they are slow rolling out Chip-and-Pin. My no fee Pentagon FCU Visa recently dropped their foreign exchange fee and also recently has been issuing Chip-and-Pin on request, so that is the way I am going for now [if you are not within their fairly broad membership base, you can still join for a low one-time fee]. AAA is also issuing Chip-and-Pin cards [again, may be by request, not sure]. I am assuming, that in addition to these and BoA mentioned above, that others are rolling out Chip-and-Pin. Chip-and-Pin are out there, even if still a little hard to find.

 

Thom