Regal Princess Scandinavia/Russia

[bella c]

We are leaving in 2 weeks for this cruise. The currency for Norway Sweden and Denmark are the Krone and Krona

and St. Petersberg is the Ruble. Germany and Estonia are the Euro. My question is will we need to get currency for Krone and Krona and Ruble. Yes, I know there are ATMs and the ship , but my motto is be prepared. I don't want to wait on the ship, and don't really want to use and ATM. We just want some curacy for snacks or lunch or tips or cab fare, bus fare etc.

Do they accept the dollar, euro, or do I need to get their currency. CC will be used for gifts dinner etc. Old posts from 2015 16 say Russia takes the dollar, and the larger cities take the euro.

It is now 2018 anyone been there done that???

[skynight]

We are leaving in 2 weeks for this cruise. The currency for Norway Sweden and Denmark are the Krone and Krona

and St. Petersberg is the Ruble. Germany and Estonia are the Euro. My question is will we need to get currency for Krone and Krona and Ruble. Yes, I know there are ATMs and the ship , but my motto is be prepared. I don't want to wait on the ship, and don't really want to use and ATM. We just want some curacy for snacks or lunch or tips or cab fare, bus fare etc.

Do they accept the dollar, euro, or do I need to get their currency. CC will be used for gifts dinner etc. Old posts from 2015 16 say Russia takes the dollar, and the larger cities take the euro.

It is now 2018 anyone been there done that???

Denmark, Norway, Sweden - If you plan to spend cash you will require local currency. When we did this cruise we boarded in Copenhagen and spent some pre-cruise time there. We used the ATM at a local bank. In Sweden & Norway we used a credit card.

In St. Petersberg you are most likely taking a tour, Princess or private, to avoid the visa issue. You can not leave the tour unless you have a Russian tourist visa. This is all paid for in US$. There are some shops that accept US$. No need for local currency or currency of any kind.

We took private tours in both Germany and Estonia and did not require any Euros.

Are you going to Helsinki? We toured on our own and had some Euros to buy some lunch. But, credit cards are accepted.

[sergeant655]

The ATM in the airport in Copenhagen dispenses both euros and Danish kroner there is one in the central train station that dispenses Swedish kroner as well the one in The train station is only a benefit if you’re spending time in Copenhagen prior to cruise

[Loritd]

Has anyone used a travel card? My bank recommended one. It is a prepaid Visa debt card? I had never heard of one but I like the idea of not using my regular credit card or ATM card. Any thoughts?

[caribill]

Has anyone used a travel card? My bank recommended one. It is a prepaid Visa debt card? I had never heard of one but I like the idea of not using my regular credit card or ATM card. Any thoughts?

 

Using it for what?

a) obtaining local currency at an ATM?

b) making purchases where credit/debit cards are accepted?

 

Check what fees are associated with using your bank's debit card:

a) initial purchase

b) ATM usage

c) foreign purchases

[wheezedr]

We are leaving in 2 weeks for this cruise. The currency for Norway Sweden and Denmark are the Krone and Krona

and St. Petersberg is the Ruble. Germany and Estonia are the Euro. My question is will we need to get currency for Krone and Krona and Ruble. Yes, I know there are ATMs and the ship , but my motto is be prepared. I don't want to wait on the ship, and don't really want to use and ATM. We just want some curacy for snacks or lunch or tips or cab fare, bus fare etc.

Do they accept the dollar, euro, or do I need to get their currency. CC will be used for gifts dinner etc. Old posts from 2015 16 say Russia takes the dollar, and the larger cities take the euro.

It is now 2018 anyone been there done that???

Your making life much too difficult for yourself. First even though Norway, Sweden and Denmark all use some form of the kroner, each of them is a different currency with different valuation relative to the dollar. Second, Sweden and Norway are essentially cashless societies. You can use your CC for virtually everything and in some places merchants will actually discourage cash. Denmark may be the same. You certainly should have € for those countries that use it as their currency. That leaves Russia. We did 2 days without any Rubles. The old bathroom question often arises. In that situation I gave a dollar and magically got 10 rubles in change. The boards suggest that some tour companies now require payment in Rubles so I cannot accurately comment on that. In any event I would acquire any currency needed at an ATM in that country. I always use bank ATM’s and have never had an issue. It is best if you have a card which reemburses your fees.

Two further points about credit cards. Get one with no foriegn exchange fees, also if a vendor offers to convert his sale price to dollars always decline the offer. You are much off buying in the local currency and allowing your bank to do the exchange.

[sailco]

If you're staying in Copenhagen buy a few krona. Otherwise USD and euros in small denominations should see you OK for coffee and small souvenirs. If you're doing private shore ex, then that's a different matter altogether.

[kiwimeggles]

Hi.

We did this cruise 2016. We took local cash for the cities where we would not be doing a organised tour. Generally enough cash for hop on/off bus, lunch etc. I also took a preloaded travel cash card. This had a visa function so it could be used anywhere but was not a credit card and not linked to any accounts for fraud. Can only spend the cash loaded on it . I loaded it with my local currency (aussie dallars) and used that in places like oslo to buy the bus tickets as we had no set plan for that city as we were in port til 10pm. Due to there being so many currencies i just used that and had it converted at the days exchange through the card. Worked well. Never ran out of money and used it in stockholm and Copenhagen. I also got a couple 100 rubles for st Petersburg. Whilst we did a princess tour i found it handy to have local cash as we brought coffees and drinks from local carts at various attractions. These stalls did not accept foreign currency. The remainder of my cash was spent att the port souvenir shops.

[TracieABD]

I have a designated account/ ATM card that I only use for foreign travel. I pull a bit of money at ports with less used currencies.

 

I also keep have a pretty good supply of Euro at home- because... You just never know when you will need it! It is like the field of dreams—- If you have Euro- you will travel to Europe!;)

[susancruzs]

I did the Regal Baltic cruise in 2016, did not get currencies except Euros, found many places wanted a credit card. I noticed for a cup of coffee the local people paid with cards, no cash. When I shopped for postcards in Norway, they asked me for a credit card.

 

I've been using debit and credit cards in Europe for years, never had an issue. I would try to make it easier on yourself take dollars and Euros. In terms of dollars, I take a decent amount of smaller denominations, too.

[sunsetbeachgal]

I did the Regal Baltic cruise in 2016, did not get currencies except Euros, found many places wanted a credit card. I noticed for a cup of coffee the local people paid with cards, no cash. When I shopped for postcards in Norway, they asked me for a credit card.

 

I've been using debit and credit cards in Europe for years, never had an issue. I would try to make it easier on yourself take dollars and Euros. In terms of dollars, I take a decent amount of smaller denominations, too.

 

 

 

That has been our experience also. We went to a museum in Stockholm that was 100% credit or debit card. No cash accepted even for souvenirs and snacks!

 

 

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[Micahs Grandad]

For Russia we paid for private tour by cc in advance. For lunch both days used cc.

 

Tour guides in all countries visited happy to accept dollars as tips

 

Other countries used cc as possible but still wound up with local currencies sitting on our dresses that is pretty much useless. Hard to tell for currency which is which so eventually will probably just toss.

[Jezabel2924]

We are booked on the Baltic cruise in August. I have 2 CC without transaction fees that we will be taking. Our private tour vendor is TJ and we will pay by credit card at the current rate in Russia for our tours. We have been given guidelines for tips in Euros, which we will pick up and i will have in envelopes ready to hand out to our guides and drivers. We will probably pick up some DKK as we will be in Copenhagen for 5 days prior to our cruise. I have a separate ATM account with no fees for the first 6 foreign transactions per month. There will only be enough money in that account for our cash needs, with the ability to transfer in more via my cell, if needed. From my research, I believe our cash needs will be minimal and plan to give any loose change to our cabin steward at the end of the cruise.

[azdmelani]

I got DKK for Copenhagen and then had a credit card that I was generally able to use everywhere. Russia will accept USD or Euros in most stores as well.