Shopping in the Baltics

[RickT]

Against my better judgement I am posting this question on behalf of my wife. When visiting foreign countries she likes to shop especially for things that are difficult to get in Canada (or the U.S. for that matter). Does anyone have any suggestions of things to look for in the various countries that a Baltic cruise visits?

[aqua]

I wish I had bought more amber in Poland! I bought gifts but purchased nothing for myself. My friend wears her necklace often, but I don't have one!

I also wish I had bought vodka in Russia. It was cheap and would have been a fun memento.

[gointostpete]

I'm not much of a shopper, but I too wish I had bought myself some amber while in the Baltics. I think my problem was that there was so much to choose from I couldn't make up my mind and came home with nothing (to my later regret). I also have now been to Russia and to the Ukraine and still have not bought myself one of those ubiquitous stacking dolls. I've bought many and given them as gifts, but never kept one for myself. Next time, I'm definitely getting one for me!

[Steamboatin]

Best quality and prices we found on our recent Baltic cruise on amber was in Tallinn, Estonia.

[spearmint]

Best quality and prices we found on our recent Baltic cruise on amber was in Tallinn, Estonia.

 

So, did you use Estonian currency, USDollars, or Euros? My impression from these boards is that Estonian currency is all they take.

[grabbit97]

So, did you use Estonian currency, USDollars, or Euros? My impression from these boards is that Estonian currency is all they take.

 

 

I think the ONLY place we found that did NOT take US Currency was in TALLIN, we tried to buy an ICE CREAM cone at MCDONALDS, and they only took their own currency. Credit Cards are wildly accepted tho for purchases in stores.

 

We bought stacking dolls and laqure boxes in Russia.. a few little glass animals in a store across from the church in Tallin, and a few shot glasses in other countries as souvenirs / momentos.. Didn't buy any Amber, dont' happen to like it..

 

Most countries gladly took the US Dollar...

 

Nat

[bpolan]

do they use the euro in talinin or does estonia have their own currency?

bpolan

[Steamboatin]

We were in a park over looking the harbor and new city area on a guided tour and the merchants in the local park gladly accepted US paper money for the purchase of their goods.

 

Elsewhere in Tallinn we made a large purchase on some amber jewerly and they accepted our Visa credit card. They billed the credit card in their local currency and the credit card company charged us a small currency exchange rate to convert it to US Dollars.

 

Our tour guide told us that Estonia is in a "tight spot" currency wise. They are new members to the Euro group but Estonia's finanical status is not good enough currently to be cleared by the "Euro Union" to use Euro's so they are forced to still use their old currency. He said it is a real problem for the country and the merchants of the country. He said at best it will be several years before they are given permission to start using the Euro as their currency. However, the country's financial future is looking bleak and there is a very good chance that they will not be allowed in the fore seeable future to be allowed to use the Euro as the country's currency. It is a big problem for them according to our local tour guide.

[Deloresgardella]

I got a small amount of Tallinn own currency from my bank. I couldn't order it from my local band had call main branch where they with currency exchange. It is the only one except Russian Rubios that I can't order from my local branch. When I called for the Tallinn moneys I asked about Russian Rubios they said they couldn't order them. They could get them up until two weeks ago.

[Joyfredsblondecruiser]

Thank you all for the wonderful information. Happy Sailing, Joy

[ahti01]

Steamboatin wrote that someone in Tallinn told- Estonians are

forced to still use their old currency....it is a real problem for the country and the merchants of the country.......it will be several years before they are given permission to start using the Euro as their currency. However, the country's financial future is looking bleak.... Estonians will not be allowed in the fore seeable future to be allowed to use the Euro as the country's currency. It is a big problem for them.......

 

I m more optimistic person

Estonia is was first country in the territory of former Soviet Union where national currency (Estonian kroon) was in use, it happened in 1992.

Estonian kroon was pegged to German mark and after that when Germany started to use Euro, our currency have been to related Euro.

It has always stabile exhange rate- 1 Euro is approximately 15,6 Estonian kroons.

Missing Euro is not big problem for us.

Estonian economy is growing. I just picked some statistics up proving our development.

For example- average montlhy wage befoe taxes in Estonia in 1992 was only 140-160 kroons or 13-14 USD by current exhange rate.

It means that in 1992 Estonian average wage was 200 times smaller comparing to our neighboring country Finland !!!!!!!!

Estonia joined EU in 2004, one year before our average monthly wage has reached level 6723 Estonian kroons or 560 USD.

Last years, after joining European Union, our economy has growing fast too. This is why average monthly wage before taxes is reaching level 10,000 EEK or 830 USD this year. Analysists believe that average wage will grow 10-15 % next year too.

Our main market is market of EU.

I think that Euro money is not so important for our business, but being part of large European market is really important.

1992- same year when Estonia started to use national currency, our export was only 5,4 billion Estonian kroons

2003- before joining EU- 62,5 billion kroons

2006- 9 months, 88 billion kroons. I guess that this year, during 12 months Estonia will export goods and services for 105-115 billion kroons or so.

And so our government has more and more money to spend.

Governmental budget revenues (in billion Estonian kroons)

2003- 39 ( year before joining EU)

2004- 47

2005- 53

2006- 61

2007- 69 (according to budget approved by parliament)

Estonia is one few countries in Europe where government is spending less then they can collect taxes. We have also special fund to covers expenses necessary in more critical situation.

Some politicans like to say we must join Euro zone and we should use Euro instead of national currency. Main problem why it has not happened because of very fast growth of our economy ( more then 10 % per year) our inflation is higher then it is allowed by Euro money standard.

In general Euro money is not so popular among simple people. Besides if to visit some large shops or groceries- you can see two prices- big numbers in Estonian kroons, smaller numbers in Euro.

Same about banks. If I must use bank service over Internet, I can see how much money I have in Estonian currency and below I can see same money in Euro.

It is very easy to convert money, incl Euro in Estonia. There are plenty ATM s everywhere and lot of offices of currency exchange in Tallinn.

So many shops and sellers of souvenirs accept USD or Euro in the tourist area of Tallinn, but not everyone, because Estonian kroon is still our national currency.

So I do not think missing Euro is serious problem for Estonia. Estonians like their money which is- I think- much more pretty money then colorless and almost ugly Euro.

[Joyfredsblondecruiser]

Thank you so much Ahti01 for this wonderful information. Happy Sailing, Joy