currency for Baltic Cruise

[dockgirl]

Hello,

We are cruising to the Baltic July 16 on the Regal Princess and was wondering what currency to bring?

Thanks in advance

[CruiserBruce]

Discussed extensively on the Northern Europe board, for example, this thread:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2418419

[Ladybuggers]

I did the Baltic last year. This is what i took.

EUR RUB DDK SEK NOK

[eandj]

We took along some of the currency we needed for our 3 day precruise stay. The other currency we needed along the way, which was not a whole lot, we got at local atm's. We don't like scads of leftover bills, so we count on credit card and atm's when traveling abroad. Just plan ahead for any private tours that require cash for payment. And find out ahead of time which currencies they accept.

[skynight]

We boarded in Copenhagen where we spent 3 days pre-cruise. We purchased Danish Krone. You can also use credit cards and some places, like the boat tour will take US$. While in Copenhagen we took a trip over to Malmo by train. The RT fare was paid in US$. In Malmo we charged a tour and lunch. In Oslo we used our credit card. In Germany, Estonia, Sweden and St. Petersburg we took a private tours paid in US$, did not require any local currency. In Helsinki we used some Euros that we had to purchase some items and food.

Hope this is helpful

[jkrislc]

I used Euros for the most part. In the other posts, I used credit cards. I was able to use Euros in Russia; I had no need for Rubles.

[Jeter02]

Honestly,when I cruised the Baltic, I stuck with my credit card. Otherwise I use some Euros. They do have an ATM on the ship (obv. small service fee). So before you get off at each stop, you can take out the proper currency as the ship has is all available for you.

[anthonyy7]

Don't bring any currency from home. If you need cash just wait until you arrive at destination, in CPH there is ATM at baggage claim. Just last summer we used our credit card for almost everything in all the ports, from a small bottle of water to ticket machines. Things you may need to small cash for ... lockers, bathrooms, some places and sights in Germany. We used the ATM twice, on arrival in CPH which we never really used any of the danish krones until we returned to the airport. Also in Lubeck Germany when a church only accept euro coin so ATM it was.... just make sure you notify your credit card of your travels and have zero foreign transaction fees.

 

 

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[ccrain]

We take local currency all the time. We took all the local currencies for our 2016 Northern Europe cruise and did not regret it at all. Yes, its a pain keeping track - separate envelopes for each type - but it pays off in stress reduction.

 

Here are a few reasons:

 

1 - ATMs get backed up with a line, or break. When you are running to catch a group or a bus, it can be a pain. We typically just walk on by!

 

2 - Not all ATMs in Europe may take your card. We spent a couple of hours in Bruges one morning getting Euro's - we had run out. It was actually fun for us, but not if we were part of a tour group.

 

3 - In St Petersburg, prices in Euro or Dollar were inflated, while Rubles (cash) were a better deal by upwards of 20%. This is common in street markets where cash is king and negotiations are the name of the game.

 

4 - I don't like using credit cards for small or quick transactions. Quick and easy local cash for that snack, bottle of water, ice cream cone, candy, bobble or bangle is the way to go.

 

5 - I don't like handing my credit card to just anyone who disappears and re-appears. Cancelling a card in the middle of a vacation can be a royal pain in case of fraud.

 

6 - We tip in local currency for tours. But we also tip the crew with all of our leftover cash at the end of the cruise. A multi-cultural tip if you will.

 

7 - I call it my 'bribe' stash. I take enough local currency to get us to the airport or embassy or a hospital if things go south.

 

8 - Keeps my blood pressure lower. In a foreign county watching a machine with strange writing suck your ATM card in causes a few more points on the scale until the machine spits it back out.

[Tedferg]

They do have an ATM on the ship (obv. small service fee). So before you get off at each stop, you can take out the proper currency as the ship has is all available for you.

 

I was told ships ATM only carries $$$. I would be surprised if they restocked with local currency at each port, however I have not used ship's ATM

[IECalCruiser]

Other than Euros, which we used in Germany, Estonia, and Finland, the only time we "needed" local currency was to check our backpack in a locker before entering the Munch Museum in Oslo. Someone at the check-in counter loaned us the required coin which we returned once we retrieved our bag at the end of our visit. A very nice gesture [emoji4]

 

We purchased about 50 Euro's from a neighbor who had recently returned from trip to Europe and we paid them the intraday rate for that day. We did need to use Euro coins for the bathrooms at the Rostock train station and the Rock Church in Helsinki. We also needed to get additional Euros from a Swedebank ATM in Tallinn.

 

We charged most everything in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden although we got some Danish currency with our VAT refund which we used for a small purchase in the duty free shops at the airport. As in Spain, Italy, and Greece, we used the Visa ATM app to find the "right" ATM's.

 

In Russia, the happily accepted Dollars, Pounds, and Euro's.

 

 

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[IECalCruiser]

I was told ships ATM only carries $$$. I would be surprised if they restocked with local currency at each port, however I have not used ship's ATM

If the ship has ATM's they will only dispense USD or whatever the onboard currency is on your cruise. They also have currency exchange machines where you insert one currency and you will receive another currency. These are not ATM's. Be aware that the exchange rate and fees for these machines are very, very bad.

 

 

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[ccrain]

If the ship has ATM's they will only dispense USD or whatever the onboard currency is on your cruise. They also have currency exchange machines where you insert one currency and you will receive another currency. These are not ATM's. Be aware that the exchange rate and fees for these machines are very, very bad.

 

 

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On several foreign cruises these machines were restocked with local currency. As IECalCruiser says, the exchange rate is so bad they make money on it. I would avoid except for emergencies.

 

On another point IECalCruiser makes, local coinage is important for public restrooms, especially in the UK (pounds not Euros) and most countries on the continent (Euros). If you are part of a tour group, the guide will typically find restrooms that are free, but in between stops or if you are on your own, you will need the coinage to go....the good news is that these restrooms are very clean and safe as you typically pay attendants on the way in...and most of them do a very good job of keeping it stocked and clean.

[sawtooth]

We did a rough calculation of what our tips would be in each port and what we might spend for incidentals and then ordered that amount of currency.

Extra for Copenhagen where we are staying 3 nights prior to embarking.

Seems to work for us.

[susancruzs]

On my Baltic cruise last year, I took Euros then used my credit card in Denmark, Norway and Sweden. I used US dollars or Euros in Russia, no problem. I noticed in the Scandinavian countries, everyone pays with a card, no matter how small the purchase. I never encountered someone walking away with my card, everywhere I paid the register was insight. Everyone has their own comfort level, but I could not see having so many types of currency.

[upwarduk]

I used Euros for the most part. In the other posts, I used credit cards. I was able to use Euros in Russia; I had no need for Rubles.

 

August 2015.

The only need for roubles is if you want to buy something in one of the churches.

Our guide said that she and the driver were more than happy to take either $U.S or € in tips. Our SPB tour was costed in $ U.S.

[Tedferg]

We received email stating SPB will now only accept Rubles as cash for tour payment - we can still pay on their site with credit card. I am sure tips are accepted in US$

[FritzG]

I was told ships ATM only carries $$$. I would be surprised if they restocked with local currency at each port, however I have not used ship's ATM

 

We were surprised, too, but that is exactly what they do. It must be a huge job, but for each port the atm is stocked with the local currency. The exchange rate is terrible, but unless you're converting hundreds of dollars it might be worth it for the convenience.

[FritzG]

We take local currency all the time. We took all the local currencies for our 2016 Northern Europe cruise and did not regret it at all. Yes, its a pain keeping track - separate envelopes for each type - but it pays off in stress reduction.

 

Here are a few reasons:

 

1 - ATMs get backed up with a line, or break. When you are running to catch a group or a bus, it can be a pain. We typically just walk on by!

 

2 - Not all ATMs in Europe may take your card. We spent a couple of hours in Bruges one morning getting Euro's - we had run out. It was actually fun for us, but not if we were part of a tour group.

 

3 - In St Petersburg, prices in Euro or Dollar were inflated, while Rubles (cash) were a better deal by upwards of 20%. This is common in street markets where cash is king and negotiations are the name of the game.

 

4 - I don't like using credit cards for small or quick transactions. Quick and easy local cash for that snack, bottle of water, ice cream cone, candy, bobble or bangle is the way to go.

 

5 - I don't like handing my credit card to just anyone who disappears and re-appears. Cancelling a card in the middle of a vacation can be a royal pain in case of fraud.

 

6 - We tip in local currency for tours. But we also tip the crew with all of our leftover cash at the end of the cruise. A multi-cultural tip if you will.

 

7 - I call it my 'bribe' stash. I take enough local currency to get us to the airport or embassy or a hospital if things go south.

 

8 - Keeps my blood pressure lower. In a foreign county watching a machine with strange writing suck your ATM card in causes a few more points on the scale until the machine spits it back out.

 

We did the same thing for many of the same reasons for our Baltic/TA last fall. We had a big packet of various currencies, but we were prepared for each port, and it made the trip run very smoothly. Luckily, the TA we're taking this fall will require only euros and GBP.

[Tedferg]

I read a CC review that said they needed cash, Euro, in Berlin restaurants - no credit card. Anyone have this experience ? We have about E60 from a prior trip which should be enough for incidentals in several ports - unless the Berlin comment is correct.

[Colo Cruiser]

We were surprised, too, but that is exactly what they do. It must be a huge job, but for each port the atm is stocked with the local currency. The exchange rate is terrible, but unless you're converting hundreds of dollars it might be worth it for the convenience.

 

On Med cruise we have experienced a currency exchange machine (Euros) as well as the usual ATM onboard.

[FritzG]

On Med cruise we have experienced a currency exchange machine (Euros) as well as the usual ATM onboard.

 

You're right; I forgot that there is a regular arm, and there are currency exchange machines, too.

 

By the way, a big mistake is changing $US to a foreign currency, and then letting the machine change the leftover foreign currency back into $US. You'll pay a terrible exchange rate twice.