Currencies Needed for Baltic Ports?

[OBX Cruisers]

We'll be using ATMs to get Euros and Swedish, Danish, and Norwegian Kroners - all countries where we'll be spending more than one day. Will watch the amount of Kroners we withdraw carefully, however, as we often save our Euros for the next trip but don't expect to return to the countries that use Kroner.

 

Not sure what to do for our 1/2 day in Gdansk however. Are we going to need Zloty for that short time? What has been your experience so far with currency exchange? I think the last post on this subject for Viking Oceans was in March so would really appreciate an update from those who have already cruised.

 

Any ports where we may be "stuck" if we don't hit the ATM right away?

[id4elizabeth]

We went on mostly Viking tours for this part of our 50 days and didn't use anything other than our credit cards to buy some small souvenirs. We used Euros to tip guides and drivers - they seemed quite allright with those. We didn't need any other currencies except in Russia for 2 days we did get some rubles and used our leftovers there to tip the guides.

 

One 'new' thing I noticed this year in all credit card transactions the credit card machine would ask me whether I wanted the charge in local currency or in USD. I read somewhere that you should always do the local currency because the exchange rate will be better. Think it was Rick Steves but not sure. Also, don't know whether this is correct or not. But it seemed to be a universal question the machines ask so you may want to research which is actually better.

[OBX Cruisers]

Did you run into any times whe you needed small local coins

[OBX Cruisers]

Oops . . . for toilets?

[Vineyard View]

We ended coming back with small amounts of a couple different Baltic currencies (we tend to DIY rather than excursions so found it convenient for very small purchases during a longer stay) and during some port days didn't even tap the ATM (Gdansk was one of them). Credit cards worked well - a couple times there was the 'toilet' issue and we either stopped for a cold drink and then used that cafe's toilet, or at one point the person coming out was holding the door for the next person. That was probably sheer luck! ha! like you, we don't generally worry about leftover Euro....the Baltics was a bit different tho.

[id4elizabeth]

IF you're on a Viking tour, they always took us to places that were 'free' so we didn't need coins. When we were on our own we did run into this, but like VV, we found a cafe.

 

The downside of ATMS is that they only dispense bills, so then you still have to get those changed into coins. Easier to find a cafe.

[Vineyard View]

I should probably add that we didn't use much money to do our typical 'find a great plaza and enjoy a beer/wine/ soda with lunch' during most ports during the Baltics portion......food is outrageously expensive in most Baltic ports ( found out the hard way). We did find a great neighborhood cafe in Copenhagen and Warnemunde that was reasonable (and very tasty) - but they took chip & pin credit cards.