russian tours

[Rhonbru]

we have booked tours with alla tours they advertise in US$...I try not to use our credit card, sent a email asking could I pay in US$ or russian roubles....they answered they could not accept US$ ....BUT didn't say I could pay by russian roubles ....I got the empression that they wanted me to pay by credit card but didn't actually say that....has any used alla tours and paid by russian roubles

[fabnfortysomething]

we have booked tours with alla tours they advertise in US$...I try not to use our credit card, sent a email asking could I pay in US$ or russian roubles....they answered they could not accept US$ ....BUT didn't say I could pay by russian roubles ....I got the empression that they wanted me to pay by credit card but didn't actually say that....has any used alla tours and paid by russian roubles

 

a few years ago they accepted cash in US dollars as long as in mint condition but now companies not allowed to accept foreign money

 

yet they still quote in dollars obviously assuming most of their clients are American!

 

how would you get Russian roubles-I know there is an ATM within port

 

any particular reason you don't want to use credit card?

 

We are there in July and intend to pay by credit card and will be charged in roubles

[marylizcat]

Getting roubles isn’t difficult! It is the same as getting any foreign currency. You just order it from your bank or post office or other foreign exchange place.

 

 

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[Huntingdon1701]

I paid by card last year, but several in my group paid in cash on the day - no problems that I observed. Alla were excellent throughout.

 

I imagine it is easier for them if people pay by card, but if you have a strong preference for not doing so, they'll let you use cash.

[dogs4fun]

I paid by card last year, but several in my group paid in cash on the day - no problems that I observed. Alla were excellent throughout.

 

I imagine it is easier for them if people pay by card, but if you have a strong preference for not doing so, they'll let you use cash.

They will accept cash in Russian rubles only. Or - you can pay using your credit card.

[Havingfun2010]

we have booked tours with alla tours they advertise in US$...I try not to use our credit card, sent a email asking could I pay in US$ or russian roubles....they answered they could not accept US$ ....BUT didn't say I could pay by russian roubles ....I got the empression that they wanted me to pay by credit card but didn't actually say that....has any used alla tours and paid by russian roubles

 

I'm not sure of why you don't want to use your credit card for big purchases. I have used my credit cards all over the world, and the only place I have ever had fraudulent activity was in the USA. You are usually protected against Fraud with credit cards, and generally it is safer to have a credit card than cash. The reason they want you to pay in credit card is the same reason I use a credit card. It is considered safer to use, and no one wants to be handling all that cash.

 

I'm using a different tour company, TJ tours, and they accept MC/Visa/AX. They also will accept cash if it is rubles. After all, they aren't banks, they are a business.

[Rhonbru]

a few years ago they accepted cash in US dollars as long as in mint condition but now companies not allowed to accept foreign money

 

yet they still quote in dollars obviously assuming most of their clients are American!

 

how would you get Russian roubles-I know there is an ATM within port

 

any particular reason you don't want to use credit card?

 

We are there in July and intend to pay by credit card and will be charged in roubles

 

 

I just like to prepay for things so I don't have a big credit card bill after my holiday...I asked about paying in roubles and asked for the price in roubles....they juist didn't answer the question ...so I got the impression they preferred payment by credit card ....can anyone tell me...they advertise in US$....if they charge our credit card will it be roubles to A$ not roubles to US$ to A$

[EllieinNJ]

I didn't want to bother with rubles so paying by credit card. Alla says tips have to be paid in cash so I e-mailed them to ask if they would accept US dollars and they said they would.

[Coral]

I have been to Russia a few times. I just ordered money from Wells Fargo. They needed at least 3 extra days in order to get it.

[Ashland]

I'm not sure of why you don't want to use your credit card for big purchases. I have used my credit cards all over the world, and the only place I have ever had fraudulent activity was in the USA. You are usually protected against Fraud with credit cards, and generally it is safer to have a credit card than cash. The reason they want you to pay in credit card is the same reason I use a credit card. It is considered safer to use, and no one wants to be handling all that cash.

 

I'm using a different tour company, TJ tours, and they accept MC/Visa/AX. They also will accept cash if it is rubles. After all, they aren't banks, they are a business.

Then TJ Travel has changed because I easily paid my tour to Tatiana in person (2nd day of our tour) in US$'s. If you used a credit card there was a sur-charge.

[karoo]

I’m paying in Roubles by CC on the day. I’m assuming it will be just one straight conversion to my CC bank (CommBank) which is $AUS. When I make any overseas purchases my bank always does a straight conversion from the country’s currency I’m in, to Australian. I won’t have any $US dollars as I’m not from the US. Using $US would be two lots of conversion fees. I will have Euros though. They probably quote it in US dollars as that’s what US travelers tend to ask for. I’m happy with quotes in the local currency as I have a Currency Conversion App on my phone. In Europe though I find they tend to quote in Euros more than US in the countries not using Euros.

PS- I don’t think my CC would be able to charge in US unless I was in the US as the only options that come up are local currency or $AUS. I always choose the local currency and let my bank do the conversion. Use a currency converter to work out the US cost in Roubles. If you are using the local currency it should be cheaper as they are not paying conversion fees in the Roubles.

 

 

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Edited May 10, 2018 by karoo

[fabnfortysomething]

I just like to prepay for things so I don't have a big credit card bill after my holiday...I asked about paying in roubles and asked for the price in roubles....they juist didn't answer the question ...so I got the impression they preferred payment by credit card ....can anyone d tell me...they advertise in US$....if they charge our credit card will it be roubles to A$ not roubles to US$ to A$

 

Yes I also asked our tour company[TJ Tours] for the price in roubles and it took a few times too get them to do so

like you US dollars are a foreign currency to us and would involve 2 currency conversions

 

They say they quote in dollars but convert to roubles at the exchange rate on the day for payment in local currency

[Havingfun2010]

Then TJ Travel has changed because I easily paid my tour to Tatiana in person (2nd day of our tour) in US$'s. If you used a credit card there was a sur-charge.

 

I don't think its the tour company, but a series of new laws that say they can only accept cash as a business in rubles. All the big tour companies say, this on their pages, so I'm guessing it's a rule not done by the tour companies. Now as far as the Surcharge, the webpage of TJ Travel states there is no surcharge, and that the price of the trip will be charged in Rubles to match the current exchange as quoted in USD.

 

There is always a surcharge for anything money transaction you do. There is a 1% (hidden)surcharge for interbank transactions. There is a surcharge for getting cash. Surcharges in international travel is a way of life. However, my credit card does not charge an international transaction fee. Some cards do. What you look at is the exchange rate. That exchange rate actually includes the 1% hidden charge.

 

However they will accept TIPS in USD or EUR. Tips are personal transactions and not business transactions.

 

There are protections you have when you use credit cards and the last thing I want is to carry $3000.00 in cash on me. (unless I win it in the casino, I would make that as an exception!)

[SClakeliving]

I didn't want to bother with rubles so paying by credit card. Alla says tips have to be paid in cash so I e-mailed them to ask if they would accept US dollars and they said they would.

Yes, I am using Alla in August and they told me the tips should be in cash and can be US$ or Euros or Roubles.

[Second seating]

What percentage are you tipping Alla?

 

Thanks.

Second seating

[Havingfun2010]

What percentage are you tipping Alla?

 

Thanks.

Second seating

 

I'm tipping the recommended amount of 15%. However, that's 10% to the guild and 5% for the driver. I could always decide more or less, but I'm planning 15%

[SClakeliving]

What percentage are you tipping Alla?

 

Thanks.

Second seating

10% to guide and 5% to driver , as suggested. But may give more or less depending on my experience.

[2cruisecats]

We just left St Petersburg. We paid TJ with our Canadian credit card. They charged in Rubles, no surcharge, but you needed to go to the gift store where they have access to credit machines. Quick in and out; no lines; no shopping. I imagine with a large grp there could be a wait. Cash can be paid directly to the guide eliminating the gift shop stop. New gov't rules require the tour companies to charge in their currency. Tipping is in cash -- US$, Euros or Ruble. It is suggested 5% for driver and 10% for guide. I put US $, for each,in an envelope with their name on it and did tip extra for our guide ( fantastic tour). I do not like to carry a lot of cash when travelling and hardly do so at home anymore. Credit cards are widely accepted in Scandanavia and Russian tour areas and in Stockholm we ate in at least 2 restaurants that had signs stating that they only accepted credit cards (and one did not accept Amex!).

[LondonTowner]

We went on excursions with Alla five years ago and have booked with them again this year. They quote their prices in USD , but you pay for the trips in roubles. Wherever you are in the world you should be paying for goods on your CC in the local currency.

 

We have three different CCs that make no foreign transaction charges, so we want to pay in roubles for the best rate of exchange.

 

 

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