Currency for the Viking Homelands

Hi everyone, we are on the Viking Homelands tour. We were able to just use Euros last time we were on a River Cruise (except Budapest). This time there will be a few different currencies. We do plan to use our CC but I understand some small places like street vendors do not accept CC. How did you handle it?

Thanks!

Euros

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How did you handle it?

 

Thanks!

Local currency from an ATM-- unless the vendor is actually quoting prices in dollars or euros.

Use your credit card for larger amounts wherever possible and, if asked by the vendor, make sure that the amount is taken in the local currency. Your own credit card company will give you a better conversion rate. Local currency can be obtained from an ATM just check with the card issuer before you leave home what their charges are.

It is a difficult one as often you simply want to have a coffee or snack and don't necessarily want to convert money.

And I don't mean to be rude but, please don't insist on shops, restaurants etc taking dollars. I have seen this so many times in different parts of the world.

Thanks everyone. I agree. Dollars isn't their official currency and we shouldn't expect them to accept it for our convenience.

And I don't mean to be rude but, please don't insist on shops, restaurants etc taking dollars. I have seen this so many times in different parts of the world.

Thank you for saying it out loud!!

Great question. We are struggling with the same. For that trip, if we go off on our own and need a taxi or you need to tip a local guide, we would need:

Swedish Crowns

Danish Crowns

Norwegian Crowns

Euro (Germany, Estonia)

Polish ZLOTY

Russian Rubles

Plus Iceland Crowns if you do an extension.

In most cases, these ports are only for a day so to go to an ATM each day will not be very feasible. Yes we will all use credit cards as much as possible but when we used Viking before, we were expected to tip the local guides with local money.

Would love to hear from someone who has done this trip to how how all the different currencies are handled.

Great question. We are struggling with the same. For that trip, if we go off on our own and need a taxi or you need to tip a local guide, we would need:

Swedish Crowns

Danish Crowns

Norwegian Crowns

Euro (Germany, Estonia)

Polish ZLOTY

Russian Rubles

Plus Iceland Crowns if you do an extension.

 

In most cases, these ports are only for a day so to go to an ATM each day will not be very feasible. Yes we will all use credit cards as much as possible but when we used Viking before, we were expected to tip the local guides with local money.

 

Would love to hear from someone who has done this trip to how how all the different currencies are handled.

I posted #17 on VIKING STAR VIKING HOMELANDS CRUISE on our solution

We too are struggling. SPlanning on using local currency for coffee, snacks, bathrooms (LOL) and using credit cards for larger purchases, restaurants ,etc. I am planning to go to AAA and get about $30 for each country. Someone said many countries will accept euros and port cities may accept $. Since we aren't traveling until June3, please let me know what you found out on your trip in May. MUch appreciated.

Also, I have been calling my credit card company and other to get info about ATM transactions. For credit card purchases, they said there is no international fee, but the ATM has a 23% per day charge on transactions. Is this correct.?

bookworm, we don't get back until June 5 so it will be too late for you. I plan to head to the bank for help soon. They are really helpful, at least our bank is. Everything you listed for cash purchases is exactly why we want to get a little bit in advance. I just don't want to run to ATM's everyday on vacation either. I think every credit card that we all have will charge differently. I know my VISA doesn't have an international fee but I have to check in about my debit card.

bookworm, we don't get back until June 5 so it will be too late for you. I plan to head to the bank for help soon. They are really helpful, at least our bank is. Everything you listed for cash purchases is exactly why we want to get a little bit in advance. I just don't want to run to ATM's everyday on vacation either. I think every credit card that we all have will charge differently. I know my VISA doesn't have an international fee but I have to check in about my debit card.

Yes, do check each card you plan to use. I had Charles Schwab Debit and there was never an additional charge. I was going to take my Case Debit in case there was something that I saw that I could not live without that I had not budgeted for. When I called to notify Chase they told me they could not guarantee the card since Russia was on itinerary. They said I could take it but my charges might be denied. They said it all had to do with Russia, I went to Chase and transferred $1000 to CS just in case. It turns out I didn't need it so I transferred it back to Chase. Just a heads up!

VERY interesting Dauntless. Thank you!

I used my Capital One card everywhere and had no problems charging my purchases.

I used my Capital One card everywhere and had no problems charging my purchases.

It seemed strange to me too. They didn't say I couldn't use it there, they just wouldn't say it was guaranteed to be accepted..

We always carry to at least 4 credit cards. We each have different cards in case one of us has trouble and cards are gone. Also, multiple cards cover if one gets turned off from fraud, etc. Though we never use debit cards at all, we do have two for ATM use. The Schwabb one is the best since it will rebate any ATM charges. We do pull local money at ATMs overseas.

We always carry to at least 4 credit cards. We each have different cards in case one of us has trouble and cards are gone. Also, multiple cards cover if one gets turned off from fraud, etc. Though we never use debit cards at all, we do have two for ATM use. The Schwabb one is the best since it will rebate any ATM charges. We do pull local money at ATMs overseas.

I'm not a fan of debit cards because they don't have the same protections as a credit card. However, ATM cards these days are debit cards.To protect myself while traveling, my card is 1) tied to an account that I keep a small amount in solely for travel, 2) is not tied to any other account and 3) has a retail limit of $0.00 per day. If someone tries to use my ATM card to clean out my accounts, they will only be able to get to the small amount that is in that one account and if they try to use it as a debit card not only will they be denied but my card will be flagged by my bank as attempted fraud.

I posted #17 on VIKING STAR VIKING HOMELANDS CRUISE on our solution

Dauntless, sorry. I have looked and looked for (#17). Can you explain if you took different currencies? I am leaning towards just using ATM's when we get to each port.

Question: Is there a shuttle provided at each port (saving on needing taxi fare)?

Dauntless, sorry. I have looked and looked for (#17). Can you explain if you took different currencies? I am leaning towards just using ATM's when we get to each port.

 

Question: Is there a shuttle provided at each port (saving on needing taxi fare)?

I too am confused. Can't find the #17 post mentioned.

I too am confused. Can't find the #17 post mentioned.

This is on the Viking Homelands forum, under that title. I just checked.

This is on the Viking Homelands forum, under that title. I just checked.

Perhaps if you post a link to the post or at least to the thread that you are refering to.

Perhaps if you post a link to the post or at least to the thread that you are refering to.

I

If I knew how to do that I would but all the information you are talking about is on this thread on post 8 and 11.

This is on the Viking Homelands forum, under that title. I just checked.

I guess the secret is entering 'Viking Star Viking Homelands' as the search term and selecting "title" as the filter criteria. Anyway, found it! Thanks for the detailed explanation. Neither one of my CC's has a foreign transaction fee, so I will try to charge as much as possible. Will also get some Euros and take a bunch of singles & fives for guide & bus driver tips. Just need to figure out how to get coins for toilets! (Btw, do the tour buses have toilets--the Viking River ones did?)

(Btw, do the tour buses have toilets--the Viking River ones did?)

Unlike on the river cruises, Viking depends on local contractors for its land services, so things change from port to port.

I posted #17 on VIKING STAR VIKING HOMELANDS CRUISE on our solution

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=52039063&postcount=17

We are also going on the Viking Homelands cruise.

In order to speed things up we ordered the appropriate currency for each country through AAA on-line....just $50-$100 worth of each EXCEPT rubles. The exchange erate was quite acceptable except for rubles. It is our understnading that Euro,rubles,dollars and credit cards are readily accepted in SPB.

The currency was delivered the next day. With so little time in each port we do not want to waste time seeking out ATMs.

Euro are accepted in Finland, Estonia and Germany. We always have " left-over" Euro from past trips.

We don't want to be stuck with too much foreign currency from places we probably won't return to.

We do have some Polish Zloty left over and they go a long way. The Scandinavian countries are much more expensive.

We are continuing our trip in Iceland ( on our own/not on a tour). We were specifically told by our hotel NOT to get Icelandic money. Credit cards are accepted for EVERyTHINg.