Using Dollars in Norway

[Hlitner]

Well, you need to tell that to the cab driver who was really nasty with us in Copenhagen about the tip we gave him. He spoke very little English, but the guy at the pier said her was being a jerk.

 

That taxi driver would have quickly identified you as being from North America and, accordingly, expected a generous tip. Just because they drive taxis...does not mean they are stupid. They know about Americans and their tipping habits and want to take advantage. I should add that we live in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico for most of the winter and see the taxis doing exactly the same. If they know folks are off a cruise ship they will try to overcharge and encourage big tips (often by claiming they have no change). They do not usually try this with those of us who live in PV.

 

In Copenhagen, if we get a friendly helpful taxi driver we might tip him/her about 5%. If he was unhappy, we would likely withdraw the tip. And we understand that even giving 5% is more generous then most locals.

 

Hank

[GrJ Berkshire]

Totally agree with Hlitner. It's an American thing the reputation as tippers is such that people try it on . Taxi drivers think they can get 15-20% as they perceive that is what Americans will tip. We always get a very different reaction when they know we are Brits. Five years ago we car toured Denmark, visiting much of this lesser known country( outside Copenhagen) and there is not tipping culture anywhere. Scandinavians have a high cost all inclusive price, the local wages are high, tipping therefore is not seen as part of the culture. The taxi driver just equated Americans, cruise passengers, as easy prey for making a quick buck.

[Karennella]

Totally agree. Pretend you are Australian and they wil have zero expectations!

I know your custom is different and I abide by it when in the US. But in my own country the people I know most deserving of a tip are the carers who look after my mother, who has an aggressive form of dementia. Of course it would be unethical for them to accept tips but they are heroes. The wait people in our local restaurants probably get paid more anyway and they are just doing their job.

[CruiserBruce]

Totally agree. Pretend you are Australian and they wil have zero expectations!

 

I find this pretty funny...3 times on a recent 2 week Italy trip, we were approached by Australian tourists who thought we were Brits!

[LondonTowner]

I'm British and often been asked by Americans if I am Australian!

[jumpjump]

On my recent Baltic cruise, I was on a mixed group on SPB tour early this year, one of the guides clearly stated what's the going rate gratuity is expected at the end of the tour. Just straight out & asked for it.

 

On the brochures during the tour, it also states out that driver & tour guides get X.

 

Yes.. keep some change around for some of the stops. There was a couple that required $$ for the potty. If your guide is really good, they will know which one is free. Our guide will ask whether we need to stop or not.. & if we can wait, there's a free one in X minutes.

 

:)

[LondonTowner]

The guide can suggest a tip amount, but doesn't mean they are going to get it. Personally, I find that very unprofessional.

[Mim Lloyd]

The guide can suggest a tip amount, but doesn't mean they are going to get it. Personally, I find that very unprofessional.

 

Me too. Actually I find it pretty rude to simply expect it. I hate this tipping culture. We took my pensioner mum to New York 12 years ago and stayed in a hotel just off Times Square. My mum approached a doorway and a hotel employee darted in front of her and opened the door. She was startled and said 'thanks.' As she carried on walking the man sort of part blocked her way. She looked up at him and said 'excuse me' and tried to step around him. He had his hand out and she took hold of it and gave him a handshake! Another guest said 'he wants a tip for opening the door for you.' My mum was incredulous and shouted out that she didn't expect, ask or need the door to be opened for her and he had a damn cheek expecting to be paid for it. She ended up saying that he was 'no better than a beggar!' We had a great time but it really got on our nerves being expected to tip for everything everywhere we went.

[LondonTowner]

Mom Lloyd

 

I tend to agree with you. The worst places I have been for people being so open and blatant is India and Egypt. In the end you just ignore them. However, in Egypt we did leave a decent tip to a couple of the hotel staff who had been particularly helpful.

[wheezedr]

Maybe I missed it but no one seems to have noted that Norway and to an even greater degree Sweden are essentially cashless societies. We spent 2 weeks in both last year and while I did get kroners of each at local ATM's it was always easier to use my CC than to spend the cash , even on little purchases like a bottle of water. Would never consider getting cash in advance as ATM' are so simple and prevalent. For these 2 countries do not get much. By the way if you do have cash left virtually all major European airport shops will take bills from multiple countries and even use them on a single purchase. They will not take coins which can become souvenirs or be donated to local charities at slots in the airports.

[GUT2407]

Me too. Actually I find it pretty rude to simply expect it. I hate this tipping culture. We took my pensioner mum to New York 12 years ago and stayed in a hotel just off Times Square. My mum approached a doorway and a hotel employee darted in front of her and opened the door. She was startled and said 'thanks.' As she carried on walking the man sort of part blocked her way. She looked up at him and said 'excuse me' and tried to step around him. He had his hand out and she took hold of it and gave him a handshake! Another guest said 'he wants a tip for opening the door for you.' My mum was incredulous and shouted out that she didn't expect, ask or need the door to be opened for her and he had a damn cheek expecting to be paid for it. She ended up saying that he was 'no better than a beggar!' We had a great time but it really got on our nerves being expected to tip for everything everywhere we went.

 

 

Yep, it seems they create jobs then want you to tip for them. A bit like bell boys carrying your bags, I carried the thing all the way to the check in desk, I can carry it to my room.

 

But no instead someone will hold their hand out for a few bucks.

[Keith1010]

I would be thankful you were able to use dollars. We never go to another country expecting to use dollars. I am sure Danes don't come to the US expecting to use krone.

 

I agree.

 

We use the local currency there.

 

Keith

[kaisatsu]

Maybe I missed it but no one seems to have noted that Norway and to an even greater degree Sweden are essentially cashless societies.

 

I think you missed it. ;)

 

[Our guide] was paying for a single coffee with his credit card and that is the norm there. ... We went into bank at Stavanger but it was like the latest ones in Sydney. No counters at all and I think a person who would assist you to use the ATM if you need help.

 

Most of the time I used my credit card. It's defiantly not necessary to carry a lot of kroner.

 

Credit card really is the way to go. No one will blink an eye, and there is rarely a minimum purchase.

[Karennella]

I find this pretty funny...3 times on a recent 2 week Italy trip, we were approached by Australian tourists who thought we were Brits!

 

We keep getting asked if we are Brits!

[LisaAtlCruiser]

OP, I for one appreciate your post. Not sure why people reacted to it but whatever. I am going to Norway next week and was trying to decide if I needed cash or could use my CC. And was wondering about tipping in US money - after all it is a tip (not required, not demanded). So thank you for providing this information.

 

 

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[anthonyy7]

We were in Oslo on Wednesday and never got local currency. We used our CC for bus tickets and admission to museums. We did use the restroom once at Vigeland park, it was $1 per the sign! Other places had free restrooms.

 

 

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[BritinSoCal]

Don't think I'd ever attempt or assume that I could spend USD in Europe, the only - incredibly touristy - places that I've seen accept them will royally screw you on the exchange rate and give you change in local shrapnel.

 

We also found that most (not all) of the public toilets we encountered in Europe were pay toilets - although one in Vigeland sculpture park charged 10 NOK, €1 or $1 - so bizarrely cheaper to pay the attendant in USD!

 

'Mandatory' tipping is one of those bizarre US customs that I still haven't wrapped my head around, but one of the reasons that tipping is discretionary in Europe is that unlike the US, restaurant staff tend to be paid rather better than the pittance your average server in the US can be expected to see (after all, the Federal minimum tipped wage is a whole $2.13 / hr).

[Desert Cruizers]

We will be staying in Copenhagen 2 1/2 days before our cruise then visit Oslo, Kristiansan, Reyjkavik & Akureyri, my question is first for our 3 days in Copenhagen, and how much DKK should we bring, also how much should we have for the Port cities. BTW we are doing group tours for the Iceland Ports.

Edited September 4, 2016 by Desert Cruizers

[BritinSoCal]

We will be staying in Copenhagen 2 1/2 days before our cruise then visit Oslo, Kristiansan, Reyjkavik & Akureyri, my question is first for our 3 days in Copenhagen, and how much DKK should we bring, also how much should we have for the Port cities. BTW we are doing group tours for the Iceland Ports.

 

Without an idea of your planned itinerary for CPH and likes / dislikes it's hard to quantify how much you'll need. We spent 4 days in CPH and had a killer B&B deal at our hotel, so made sure we were well fortified each morning (also smuggled out some fruit, etc... for light snacks and hunger pangs), but seriously over-estimated how expensive Copenhagen was. We used public transport for everything (even to / from the cruise terminal) and at DKK 36 for a City Pass and DKK 130 for all-zone (in case you want to visit Frederiksborg and / or Helsingør).

 

Also the amount of foreign currency you carry will depend whether your credit and debit cards attract ATM or foreign currency transaction fees (ours don't) but you'll generally get a better exchange rate from an ATM than at a bank or the airport (and certainly don't use the on-board ATM - a fellow cruiser on out recent cruise was seriously ripped-off by this).

[Desert Cruizers]

No foreign Transaction fees on my American Express, we plan to use the HOHO as much as we can and will be staying at Hotel Bethel. We arrive August 23 at 12:45 and leave on cruise the 26th. We plan to keep everything within Copenhagen, not much with the Museums. Still haven't made up our mind on the Card yet, but am sure we will want to catch some lunch or from what I have read, grab something in the markets and have a pic nic.

Edited September 4, 2016 by Desert Cruizers

[BritinSoCal]

No foreign Transaction fees on my American Express, we plan to use the HOHO as much as we can and will be staying at Hotel Bethel. We arrive August 23 at 12:45 and leave on cruise the 26th. We plan to keep everything within Copenhagen, not much with the Museums. Still haven't made up our mind on the Card yet, but am sure we will want to catch some lunch or from what I have read, grab something in the markets and have a pic nic.

 

Might want to check how widely AMEX is accepted (ATM will be no problem though). From personal experience while travelling on business there seems to be more and more reluctance in Europe - especially from smaller vendors - to take AMEX, due to the high retailer fees they charge.

 

Copenhagen is readily explorable on foot, but a 2 zone 24 hr transit-pass is currently only DKK 24 (your hotel is near Nyhavn) - ticket machines take cards or coins from our experience and as as small amount of local cash is always useful we tended to use the shrapnel we'd collected.

 

And from our experiences we had no problems with the US Chip and (sometimes) Pin cards throughout our cruise. We set up Pins on all our cards (setting them to a 4 number code in advance) and when asked for our Pin just entered it - the cc queue at the Vasa museum in Stockholm was non-existent, versus 50 or 60 deep!

[Desert Cruizers]

I will have a Visa Card with a Pin. I read about the Pin and AE doesn't use Pin's so got one for my Visa Card. On a different subject, I haven't mapped distances but imagine your about 2 hours from us here in Palm Springs.

[BritinSoCal]

I will have a Visa Card with a Pin. I read about the Pin and AE doesn't use Pin's so got one for my Visa Card. On a different subject, I haven't mapped distances but imagine your about 2 hours from us here in Palm Springs.

 

With no traffic and remind me of the speed limit again :)

 

mea culpa - made a slight error earlier. DKK 24 is the cost of one ticket (valid for 1 hour of travel) for 2 zones in Copenhagen. 24 hour pass is DKK 72 - still pretty good VFM.

 

Enjoy Copenhagen, it's a fantastic city (I wrote a trip report over on TA) and your cruise.

[Desert Cruizers]

Thank you,this will be our first visit and friends alerted me to this TA, even DH was excited when I told him about it and his usual comment is, " What another cruise. ":D

[PNW Traveler]

From our experience - land based trips and cruises - American Express is not widely accepted in Scandinavia. You may wish to consider an additional card, VISA or MasterCard, for travel.

(Bank of America has a new no transaction fee VISA travel card with perks specifically designed for travelers.)