Currency

[Beachin2]

Later this summer we will be cruising to Denmark, Sweden, Estonia, Finland Russia, Norway & Iceland - who all use different currencies. I'm considering taking Euros (as well as US dollars) in cash rather than 6 different local currencies.

 

Is the logic that "most" of these countries would readily accept the Euro make sense?

[KeithJenner]

No it doesn't. These countries have their own currencies and that's what they use.

 

That isn't to say that some places won't accept other currencies, especially in the areas near the ports, but by no means everywhere.

 

Your best fallback is a credit card. I don't doubt you will be able to spend Euros in a number of places, but if you don't have local currency then you run the risk of not being able to get some things.

 

If you don't want to take a load of currency then make sure you have a credit card, and also an ATM card so you can get a small amount of local currency if required. Just draw out a small amount to make any little purchases you may want if necessary.

[easyboy]

I agree. When on guided shore excursion, we just bring $ and € where spots we are brought to usually accepts them. We only exchange local currency onboard or in port when we explore the port on our own for use on public transport or small shops. We don't mind the exchange rate since it is in small amount anyway.

 

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[Thejuggler]

I'll be on a simlar cruise in a few weeks. We withdraw what little money we need, but Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Finland are getting to the point of almost being cashless. Sweden in particular has a very low number of atms per head of population.

 

Take a fee free credit card and spend using that, even what may be considered mall amounts can be charged. I was in Rome a few weeks ago and only spent €30 cash between three of us over three days, if I could use a card I did.

[boatsarefun]

Later this summer we will be cruising to Denmark, Sweden, Estonia, Finland Russia, Norway & Iceland - who all use different currencies. I'm considering taking Euros (as well as US dollars) in cash rather than 6 different local currencies.

 

Is the logic that "most" of these countries would readily accept the Euro make sense?

 

I understand that if you use cash in Russia it must be roubles. We did spend on our credit card there and it was charged in roubles.

[Bostonjetset]

I understand that if you use cash in Russia it must be roubles. We did spend on our credit card there and it was charged in roubles.

We just got back from the Baltics and you are [mostly] correct about the Rubles. A few souvenir shops would take USD or Euros [at a bad exchange rate of course] but we didn't really need cash anywhere there. The only time it was an issue was when a person if our group wanted a cup of coffee from a street cart...they only took Rubles in cash, not credit cards nor foreign currency. I used my credit card for everything although if one takes an organized tour there, there will be very little time for shopping anyway...we were go go go for 2 days but it was still a great time. I always like to save one banknote, one coin, and one postage stamp from every country I visit and so intended to use an ATM for a small amount. However, our tour guide just gave me a 50 Ruble note and a couple small coins from her wallet and told me to take them as a souvenir as they "are basically worthless" with less than $1 USD in value haha.

 

In the other countries, you will need at least some local currency [sweden is possibly an exception though even there we found having a little cash useful]. If you are traveling with others, it is easier to split taxi costs, meals, etc. if you all have some cash rather than fumbling with multiple credit cards or tracking who paid for what things when and then converting to USD [or GBP or EUR, etc.].

 

Have a wonderful trip! Every one of these countries is amazing [though I've never been to Norway I hear it is lovely there as well].

[KeithJenner]

I'll be on a simlar cruise in a few weeks. We withdraw what little money we need, but Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Finland are getting to the point of almost being cashless. Sweden in particular has a very low number of atms per head of population.

 

Take a fee free credit card and spend using that, even what may be considered mall amounts can be charged. I was in Rome a few weeks ago and only spent €30 cash between three of us over three days, if I could use a card I did.

 

 

 

This is very true in many parts of Europe, yes.

 

We use very little cash at home these days. With contactless, I use my card even for very small purchases, and we really now only use cash in small independent shops and at pubs. I've noticed recently that we are very much in the minority in most pubs nowadays.

 

Compared to at home, I see lots more cash being used in the US, so I think we are probably a bit more "cashless" than many areas in America.

 

I would still want the ability to get cash out, as the sort of places that may be less keen on using cards for small amounts are the small independent places, where for example you may want to pick up that little souvenir.

[Earl Rosebery]

Later this summer we will be cruising to Denmark, Sweden, Estonia, Finland Russia, Norway & Iceland - who all use different currencies. I'm considering taking Euros (as well as US dollars) in cash rather than 6 different local currencies.

 

Is the logic that "most" of these countries would readily accept the Euro make sense?

The currency in Norway, Estonia and Finland is the Euro

The other 4 have their own. In Sweden, Denmark and Russia you can get by with just a credit card.

We were just there. We didn't exchange for local currency in any of them. The only problem arose when one of the ladies guarding the toilets in St. Petersburg insisted on a rouble coin. In the end she accepted a euro coin.

 

Tips to guides in SPB or on a cruise ship should be in cash. Euros or USD are fungible.

If you can, try to get a chip and pin credit card from your bank.

[FollowingTheSun]

The currency in Norway, Estonia and Finland is the Euro

 

Norway use the Norwegian Krone.

 

On our recent trip we chose to take about $70US in the local currencies. I can't think of anywhere that didn't accept out credit card so the local currencies were just 'for fun'

In Copenhagen, we were considered odd when we tried to buy an ice-cream with cash instead of card.

 

We exchange the cash at our local bank before leaving.

We now have a collection of strange money that will keep the younger relatives amused for the next few birthdays etc.

 

Jim

[Beachin2]

Thanks for simplifying this - we have chip cards, so if they are so widely accepted we will use that rather than futch around with currencies, conversions and poor exchange rates.

[Kansas Gal]

We just returned from the Baltic. Most of the countries (except Russia) would take Euros, but gave you change in the local currency.

[LondonTowner]

We have done a Baltic cruise and came back last week from a Norwegian fjords cruise. Nowhere did we use cash. Even on a market stall in Bergen they accepted CC and I only bought a fridge magnet.

 

We do always have some Euros, but didn't spend any cash at all. We have CCs that make no foreign transaction fees.

 

 

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[Extra Kim]

I live in Sweden and I almost never use cash, even if I'm only buying a Coke... I think that I use cash five times per YEAR.

We have been to most countries around the Baltic sea, we used our Visa card in Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Denmark, Germany and Poland (needed cash for the cab ride, but he took us to a ATM).

As long as you have a Visa card or Mastercard you will be fine to 90% of all shops in Sweden. Diners and American Express doesn't not work in a lot of shops.

 

We even have an option to pay with our phones with an app called Swish. I wouldn't use cash in Sweden and if I did I wouldn't exchange more then 100 Kronor (~12 US $).

[Extra Kim]

The currency in Norway, Estonia and Finland is the Euro.

Norway doesn't use the Euro, they are not even a part of the European Union.

[spbstan]

If you are buying anything of much value, use local exchange banks to change dollars or euros for local currency, you will save 10-20% in exchange compared to your bank. Buying a fur or art work could save you alot. About the only places in Russia which do not have credit card merchant accounts are street vendors, who have no fixed prices either. You often get better deals going to stores, which all have fixed posted prices.

[LondonTowner]

Spbstan

 

You will get the best rate of exchange by paying with a CC with no foreign transaction fees and paying in local currency.

 

 

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[Hapylady]

I have a credit card with no foreign transaction fee but it doesn't have a pin, just a chip. Will this be an issue?

[Hlitner]

I have a credit card with no foreign transaction fee but it doesn't have a pin, just a chip. Will this be an issue?

 

Most of the time you will be fine...if dealing with a human :). But Chip/PIN is sometimes the only way to deal with certain vending machines such as to buy gas, train tickets, etc. We do tend to rely on our credit cards (we have 3 with zero foreign exchange fees) and use our ATMs (which also have no fees) when we need cash, Europe seems to be in love with credit cards that have a RFID Chip (still rare to see these in the USA) which they can simply swipe over a reader. Apple Pay is starting to appear in some European countries...and this also is easy to use since you simply swipe your phone over the reader. Otherwise, you have to use your credit card the old fashioned way...where you normally will sign a receipt. When you are in areas frequented by tourists, most folks are used to dealing with our Chip Signature cards.

 

One funny thing in the USA is that plenty of folks have been spending money on shielded wallets and card holders which shield RFID cards from being hacked. But most of those folks do not even have a RFID card. Go figure.

 

Hank

[LondonTowner]

The reason that the contactless cards are now popular is because Northern Europe is quickly becoming a cashless society. In London on our vast transport system it is no longer possible to pay with cash and has been that way for a while now.

 

Many people pay for low value items with just a swipe. Obviously, much quicker if you are rushing to work.

 

 

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[PNW Traveler]

I have a credit card with no foreign transaction fee but it doesn't have a pin, just a chip. Will this be an issue?

 

Contact your bank and they will assign a PIN to your card. We have done this prior to traveling to Europe. The PIN works in most instances in Europe. Occasionally they will also ask for your signature. This is easy to do and streamlines credit card use in Europe.