Baltic cruise/foreign currency?

[carol luvs cruisin]

Hi- Does anyone know what type of currency we should have for a Baltic cruise? Are Euros accepted everywhere or do we need separate money for Russia, Sweden, Estonia etc?

 

Thanks

[Travelcat2]

Here is some currency information:

 

Sweden - Krona (SEK is the code)

Denmark - Danish Kroner (DKK)

Estonia - Kroon (EEK)

Russia - Ruble

 

I put in Denmark since many Baltic cruises begin or end there.

[carol luvs cruisin]

Hi- Thanks for the info. Since there are so many different currencies, is it best just to exchange a little each day from the ship - or I assume there are ATMs everywhere? I just don't want to have to spend time looking for currency at each port.

 

Thanks

[OrpingtonT]

I don't know about Estonia or Russia, but prices are often quoted in Euros as well as local currency in Norway and Denmark. There are ATM's but as you say, you can get currency from the front desk charged to you account. I did this with no trouble.

[RachelG]

I got Swedish and Danish kroner ahead of time from my bank at home. We spent 2 days precruise in Denmark and 3 days post in Sweden, so I knew I would need that money.

In Estonia, a bank representative came aboard the ship the morning we arrived and was able to exchange money for us that morning and afternoon when we returned.

In Russia, we had a private guide who I paid in US dollars, cash. That is what they preferred. She also provided rubles for a couple of things that required Russian cash currency, and I paid her back in dollars. Our entrances to museums, etc were included in the tour, so this was just stuff like a couple of drinks, etc.

[CruiserMom]

Can you use Euros in any of these countries, or do you have to have their currency? My husband was thinking about getting Euros ahead of time, hoping the countries would take them. If not, exchanging twice is pointless.

We are also spending several days precruise in Copenhagen & an extra day in Stockholm.

Thanks.

[RachelG]

Finland uses Euros of course. (I didn't mention that in my earlier post--I keep a big supply of Euros on hand all the time because we travel a lot, and I buy them when I think the exchange rate is good, so didn't even think about that.)

There are places in the other countries that cater to tourists that will take Euros, but you are going to need some Danish and Swedish money I think, unless you plan on using a credit card all the time. Smaller shops and restaurants don't take Euros. And be aware that many places in norhern Europe require the credit card to have a PIN and a chip, which neither of mine do. So you need some cash just in case.

[cruisincarly]

Finland uses Euros of course. (I didn't mention that in my earlier post--I keep a big supply of Euros on hand all the time because we travel a lot, and I buy them when I think the exchange rate is good, so didn't even think about that.)

There are places in the other countries that cater to tourists that will take Euros, but you are going to need some Danish and Swedish money I think, unless you plan on using a credit card all the time. Smaller shops and restaurants don't take Euros. And be aware that many places in norhern Europe require the credit card to have a PIN and a chip, which neither of mine do. So you need some cash just in case.

 

You don't need pin & chip in most stores in Sweden (at least as of last March), but you will be asked for your ID when you use a non-Swedish credit card. You can pay with credit cards almost everywhere. Also, ATMs are plentiful, look for the "Bankomat" signs.

 

Very few places in Stockholm will accept Euros, except perhaps very touristy-type shops.

[cruisebugbit]

- Every - I repeat EVERY country willl take US dollars. We did not change one cent into Euros, Kroner, Krona, Rubles, etc. The taxi cabs in Stockholm and in Copenhagen take credit cards and US dollars as well. We paid with both.

 

This is a quote I copied and pasted from another thread on this board titled "Just Back From Voyager Baltic Cruise".

 

FYI.

[Caroldoll]

cruise with money. The ship gave use the wrong type of currency for a couple of the Scandanavian ports and in Russia the guide would not give us time to get Rubles. We were told they were not allowed to take American dollars. They collect money at the restrooms and I didn't have rubles. I had to make sign language to the attendant that if she didn't allow me to use the toilet, I would be forced to use the floor. She relented, but wouldn't take money. On the other hand in the mens room my husband encountered the same situation and the attendant made the American dollars disappear. Money is a trick on this cruise. Loved the cruise though. Oh, I had to borrow rubles for a coke in the airport in Moscow--the tour guide lent them to me--and I paid her (out of sight of anyone) a handsome premium for the favor!

[RachelG]

The machines to get subway tickets in Copenhagen and Stockholm definitely DON"T take US dollars. Some touristy shops in these countries do take US dollars, but frankly, those are the places I usually try to avoid as they cater to tourists. I prefer local shops, and they don't take US dollars. Now, you could get buy with using your credit cards for everything--but you would still need rubles for the toilets in St. Petersburg and change for the subway tickets (the machines don't take US credit cards without a PIN and chip).

[Travelcat2]

It think it's a good idea to pay in local currency when you can. In Russia it is a bit difficult. Our tour guide paid for things in Rubles and we paid her in back in Euro's. When YOU exchange your money, you know what the exchange rate is going to be. When you pay with dollars, you generally do not know what rate you are paying.

[Winner]

Cruisebugbit--I'm sorry, you (or your quote) are mistaken; every country does NOT take US Dollars. Why should another country honor our currency when even a Canadian cannot use Canadian dollars more than a few miles from the border?

 

Unless you are staying in well-known chain hotels, dine only in the hotel's restaurants and shop in tourist shops that advertise they accept dollars, I doubt you find anything but local currency, or perhaps euros, welcome. Plastic is usually welcome everywhere.

 

I wouldn't insult a seller of local handicrafts in Tallin by offering only dollars. We are guests in another country and should not expect its citizens to accept what is to them "foreign" currency.

[Hambagahle]

Even if some places WILL take USD, you will get your change back in the local currency. So it is a good idea to have the local currency to start with since the rate the shop will give you is not a good one. ATM's are the way to go. In Russia we had no problem getting roubles from ATMs - and could also have got USD had we wished to. In Estonia, they take Euros freely, at a good rate so if you have Euros you don't need to worry there.

Otherwise get Danish and Swedish krone. They don't like taking Euros, and far less USD (the dollar is falling, and what they take today will be worth less tomorrow sort of thinking!!)

[cruisebugbit]

Cruisebugbit--I'm sorry, you (or your quote) are mistaken; every country does NOT take US Dollars. Why should another country honor our currency when even a Canadian cannot use Canadian dollars more than a few miles from the border?

 

Unless you are staying in well-known chain hotels, dine only in the hotel's restaurants and shop in tourist shops that advertise they accept dollars, I doubt you find anything but local currency, or perhaps euros, welcome. Plastic is usually welcome everywhere.

 

I wouldn't insult a seller of local handicrafts in Tallin by offering only dollars. We are guests in another country and should not expect its citizens to accept what is to them "foreign" currency.

 

I know and I agree. I was just a humble messenger in that post delivering a quote I read related to the discussion.

[Winner]

Cruisebugbit--The criticism was not directed to you but to the quoted message.

 

Winnie

[SailorNYC]

As most have mentioned, you will definitely need rubles for Russia. We spent 3 weeks there in 2005. Do not believe it was possible to use USD. However, most restaurants did accept credit cards and you are able to get local currency from the ATMs.

 

Best,

[alidor]

We just came back from the Regent cruise. We found using ATM's helped a lot. It was nice to have the local currency if you wanted to buy a drink, a snack, etc. In Russia, we just ended up at the tourist stores and they do take dollars. In Estonia, Copenhagen, Helsinki (a favorite!), it was just easier to have the local change. If you wanted an ice cream cone, for example, (Scandanavians love ice cream), you really needed the local currency. If you wanted just to do the tourist shops, dollars and debit or credit cards were okay. If you wanted to shop more locally than the tourist shops, though, you really did need local currency. We pretty much thought out what we were going to spend and got that amount from an ATM. What little currency we had remaining, we exchanged at the airport on the way home.

 

Hope this makes sense - am a bit jet lagged! The cruise ended Friday in Stockholm but we stayed 2 additional nights on our own and got home yesterday.