Visiting countries with different currencies.

[clarets]

New to cruising so need a little more help please.

 

We will visit 5 countries and will need 4 different currencies, What is the best way to do this i.e get it before we go or can you change currency on board ship, i will leave the amounts needed to another day:').

 

Thanks for any answers in advance.

[SausPud]

What are the countries and currencies needed?

 

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[jasperado]

Most places will take credit cards even for a couple of cups of coffee. If you use a credit card, get one with zero charges for foreign transactions....Halifax Clarity for one, I only use this when abroad. You can always pull out £20 worth or so from an ATM when you arrive at port. We did this in Oslo.......drew out £20 bought a small bottle of coke (mind you, it cost £3!) and credit carded the other purchases, so the ATM exercise was a bit of a waste of time, and money because the charges to change the cash back to GBP made the bottle of coke even more expensive!! :p:p:p:p:p

[jeanlyon]

Nationwide credit card is the same. No charges. We usually take that and about £200 in Euro. Mostly taken.

[Thejuggler]

If the ports are European a credit card is all you need for purchaees with a back up debit card if you need cash.

 

If anywhere Scandinavian, particularly Sweden, card is now king, everywhere takes them.

[Host Sharon]

I assume you are travelling to the Baltic? as this is the cruise that requires the most different currencies. I took small amount in each one for drinks etc and use a no-foreign-fee credit card for larger purchases.

[majortom10]

I always like to take a small amount of each country currency prior to the cruise. Might be a little more expensive but last thing I would want to do is be looking around for ATMs and not everywhere takes credit cards especially for small purchases.

[Denarius]

You can buy most major currencies on the ship and have the cost charged to your shipboard account. Not the best rates but convenient if you only want a small amount as unlike atms they do not charge a minimum conversion fee.

[snaefell]

We always take a little currency from each country,in some cases you may have to order from a travel agent as they don't have some in stock.

 

When we visited Norway last time we had a guy telling everyone on board that you never need cash,card is all you need,next day in port in Norway you can guess who was having a big arguement with the guy at this small cafe as he had ordered a coffee & they didn't take card payments!

[smj777]

We've had this before. When you go to get your coffee or a meal etc.just say 'Can I pay for this with my credit card?' If they say no, just go somewhere else. It very rarely happens in Western countries.

[kruzseeka]

Also agree with previous posters - cards such as the Halifax Clarity Card or similar we find ideal. No transaction charge for ATM withdrawals and near perfect exchange rate. We too find a credit card widely accepted for trains, entrance fees and most shops and cafés (although as suggested best to check before ordering at cafés). We take currency like Dollars and/or Euros (usually find one or the other will be accepted) but try to preserve cash as far as possible (surplus saved for next trip) by using our card as much as possible.

If it's a Baltic Cruise unless it's changed, you can't buy Roubles outside of Russia as it's a closed currency. We've been several times and never had Roubles. We've bought guide books at the Hermitage, Catherine Palace from traders (not the official shops) who were offering them for sale in $, € and £. The small markets outside Catherine Palace and the Church of the Spilled Blood accepted $ too.

The last place we'd buy currency is onboard as the rates are poor.

[jeanlyon]

Absolutely agree. I couldn't be bothered with taking 4 different currencies. Really not necessary these days.

[Selbourne]

Following recommendations from work colleagues, I got a Revolut card. It is fantastic. You just load it with sterling before you travel and then use it as a debit card for purchases or cash withdrawals in any country. The exchange rate is brilliant with no transaction fees and I no longer bother with foreign currency other than a few euros for the very rare occasion that cash is required, given that Euros are accepted everywhere, including non euro-zone countries. I have found it to be transformative and has taken away all the hassle of foreign currency.

[Mrs Tinkywinky]

Last year I went to the Baltic , bought £50 euros and £20 each of Danish Krone , Swedish Krone and Russian Roubles. You can buy Roubles here before you go, no problem. I didn't use the Swedish Krone at all , Sweden is moving towards a cashless economy . I spent the other currencies and also used a Santander zero card which is like a Halifax Clarity.

[P&O SUE]

Sometimes you do need an odd coin for the toilet, I remember we did in Norway and recently in Amsterdam it was a 50 cent charge to get through the turnstile - luckily we had some change from a previous trip!

[LondonTowner]

We always have a supply of Euros, so took them to the Baltic as they were the currency in a couple of places we visited. I think the only time we used any cash at all was when OH need €1 for the toilet.

 

We used CCs all the time and we have both Santander Zero and Halifax Clarity.

 

 

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[malibumal]

I will be visiting three places on the Dalmatian coast so advice on how much currency to take please. Krona?

Edited April 4, 2018 by malibumal
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[SausPud]

I will be visiting three places on the Dalmatian coast so advice on how much currency to take please. Krona?

 

Based on what little information you have supplied, I would say take at least £750,000.00 worth of currency. Then you can by a house or a boat or a new car.

 

What stops and do you plan to buy at these stops?

[Mrs Tinkywinky]

I am confused!!! You said that you are visiting 5 countries with 4 currencies in your original post! Are you actually going on a cruise ........?

[terrierjohn]

As far as I am concerned there are only 3 currencies required for holidays worldwide, US dollar, Euro and Sterling, plus of course a good credit card. Anywhere that does not take one of these does not get my business.

[malibumal]

I am confused!!! You said that you are visiting 5 countries with 4 currencies in your original post! Are you actually going on a cruise ........?

That’s not me. Yes I am going on a cruise!

[Mrs Tinkywinky]

Sorry . What has happened to the OP , Clarets then?

[malibumal]

No idea.

[yuvraj]

I would get small amounts of cash in local currency either on the ship or at a bureau de change at port. The amounts I need are so small that it is not worth worrying about poor exchange rates. If I am planning to spend a fair amount then I would get the currency back home. Ordering online is best option and some offer buy back as an option so you can convert back any cash not spent.

 

I hang onto Euros and Norwegian Krone as I am likely to use these currencies again on future cruises.

 

I am more cautious about using my credit card. There are two worries, First is that the card may be declined for whatever reason. The second is a worry about fraudulent charges. One way around this is to use a prepaid card but I never got used to doing this.

[wowzz]

I would get small amounts of cash in local currency either on the ship or at a bureau de change at port. The amounts I need are so small that it is not worth worrying about poor exchange rates. If I am planning to spend a fair amount then I would get the currency back home. Ordering online is best option and some offer buy back as an option so you can convert back any cash not spent.

 

I hang onto Euros and Norwegian Krone as I am likely to use these currencies again on future cruises.

 

I am more cautious about using my credit card. There are two worries, First is that the card may be declined for whatever reason. The second is a worry about fraudulent charges. One way around this is to use a prepaid card but I never got used to doing this.

I use a transaction free credit card all over the world, and have never had any issues. If the card is used fraudulently you will reimbursed. Much safer than cash.

 

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