Restrooms in Baltic Ports

[cruiserdru]

What is the availability of 'public' restrooms in Baltic ports? Are they separate facilities, located only in shops and/or restaurants, located at museums/visitor sites, few and far between, etc?

 

Do all facilities require small change to open the doors or do they have attendants who are given change and who hand out tissue?

 

In any of the ports should we expect hole in the floor facilities?

 

And any other related info you think folks from the States need to know to be comfortable while out and about on their own?

 

We will be visiting:

 

Rotterdam/Amsterdam

Copenhagen

Stockholm

Helsinki

Talinn

Gdynia/Gdansk

Oslo

 

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

 

Dru

[jstducky]

We will be visiting:

 

Rotterdam/Amsterdam

Copenhagen

Stockholm

Helsinki

Talinn

Gdynia/Gdansk

Oslo

 

 

Dru

 

Of the cities you are visiting, I have been to Copenhagen, Stockholm, Helsinki and Tallinn.

 

I found the restroom facilities in the Baltics to be much, much nicer than those you would find in the Mediterranean.

 

There are no hole in the ground facilities in the Baltics - at least not that I ran into. All of the facilities that I saw were Western style and had toilet paper. Some of them were pay and some weren't. I would always keep a small amount of change on me just to be safe. And you could probably get away with using Euro coins for the restrooms as well rather than worrying about SEK or DKK or anything else. I think the restroom facilities are a bit more lenient. I don't remember if change was given or not.

 

What you should try to do is use the facilities at the different tourist locations that you will be at. For example, in Stockholm, if you visit Vasa Museum, there are restrooms there - so use those. I remember there being restrooms at Nobel Museum as well and I would imagine City Hall, etc. Also, if you eat at a restaurant, they will have restuarants as well so use the facilities before you depart the premises.

 

In Helsinki, I remember there being a restroom at Tempeliaukkio (rock church) - though I could be wrong about that. I think if you make it over to Suomenlinna (Fortress Island) the visitor's center there has facilities as well.

 

In Copenhagen, I remember using the facilities at Rosenborg Castle, and I believe the main tourist information center (near to Tivoli) also had facilities for use. Tivoli will have facilities as well.

 

When I travel to Europe since restrooms may be a problem for those of us from the US who are used to finding well-stocked and reasonably-clean public facilities everywhere, I generally tend to carry toilet paper with me in my backpack or purse so that I'm not caught without any. I also tend to bring toilet seat covers with me from home and take a couple with me folded up in my purse. They don't weigh anything or take up any room. And I always keep some change in my purse just for use with the restrooms.

 

But, like I said, when I cruised in the Baltics, I never had problems finding restrooms or being concerned about the cleanliness of them. It's much easier to travel in the Baltics and deal with the facilities than it is in the Med, that's for sure!

[surfsidemary]

I was on a Baltic cruise in 2011. I don't recall restrooms ever being an issue. They were available, and they were in acceptable condition. I agree with the previous poster about taking opportunities as they present themselves. I never in my travels pass up a restroom opportunity. I specifically recall restrooms in a museum in Hesinki, a restaurant in Stockholm that was once a dungeon (the restroom was back up at street level and the bartender held the key). The only place I can recall needing change was in Germany -and you didn't ask about that. I found that almost everyone in the Baltics speaks some English and will go out of their way to direct you.

[Giantfan13]

Restrooms in Europe are not as readily available as they might be in the States. Especially if you want a free one. For males, there are many of those sort of stalls along the streets where men can just step in and do their thing. For the women, you need a regular rest room and it will benefit all to have some change, ALWAYS. As nature may call and with no change and no direction to a free WC, one might be in trouble.

 

Usually most McDonalds have rest rooms that are clean and free.

 

Cheers

 

Len

[Sinppu]

Restrooms in Europe are not as readily available as they might be in the States.

 

I do have to disagree with this.

In Helsinki there are restrooms in every department store, cafe, restaurant, museum, hotel lobby and then some. Same goes for Stockholm and most likely all the other ports as well.

Some have a small fee, 50 cents most often. They are always free of charge for customers.

 

No attendants. NO holes in the floor. (I've only seen these in Asia)

The restroom level of cleanliness does not differ from those in the States, in general. I've visited quite icky gas station toilets on Route 66 but I do not assume they are standard all over the country ;)

 

We are just as Western and modern in North Europe as you are in the US. So no worries :D

[Giantfan13]

I stand corrected.:D:D:D:D

 

Cheers

 

Len

[Sinppu]

I stand corrected.:D:D:D:D

 

Cheers

 

Len

 

Well I do have the advantage of living here :D:D