Two ?s- one on booking Denrus Value tour and one on Rubles.

[Coastaljen]

First of all, how close to leaving has anyone booked the Denrus Value tour? I am wondering if they "sell out" or they just add another bus. I want to wait until April for a July trip because I will do a private tour instead if anyone looks for other people to join then.

 

Second of all, Rubles (or however you spell it).. I read somewhere or saw on the dvd that you can only get those in Russia. If you are on a tour, do you just go to a machine and get some. You have to all stay together on the value tour with preplanned itinerary. Also, I saw somewhere where someone said you can't take them out of the country. Is that correct? That makes it tougher to determine exactly what you need. Heaven knows I have some currency from a lot of countries because I don't notice it until we sail away and the banks won't exchange foreign currency that is in coins...

[BigBearLady]

First of all, how close to leaving has anyone booked the Denrus Value tour? I am wondering if they "sell out" or they just add another bus. I want to wait until April for a July trip because I will do a private tour instead if anyone looks for other people to join then.

 

Second of all, Rubles (or however you spell it).. I read somewhere or saw on the dvd that you can only get those in Russia. If you are on a tour, do you just go to a machine and get some. You have to all stay together on the value tour with preplanned itinerary. Also, I saw somewhere where someone said you can't take them out of the country. Is that correct? That makes it tougher to determine exactly what you need. Heaven knows I have some currency from a lot of countries because I don't notice it until we sail away and the banks won't exchange foreign currency that is in coins...

I ordered foreign currency for each country I will be visiting on HAL's Prinsendam, including $200 worth of Rubles. I gave half of them to my daughter and her husband to use while we are there. I ordered them from my bank (B of A) and it was an easy process. I have heard that you can take Rubles out of Russia, but I don't have any first hand knowledge.

[Coastaljen]

Thanks.

 

I thought the dvd last night said you could only get them in the country. I may have misunderstood. I use the same bank, so no problem.

[jhannah]

A tour book I have says that Rubles are only available within Russia. Interesting that some have found they can be ordered in advance. I'll have to check into that.

[pattyj 1204]

I'd still have trouble thinking how much foreign money I'll need. Anyone have any ideas? You use your credit card for large purchases, but if you want postcards, beverages, snacks, tips, bathrooms?, you really need local currency. We bought Euros in the Med, but I think I could have used more and now I don't remember how much I bought, Dumb I know. I do know that I'm going to try to get some English currency as I wanted a soda as soon as we got off the plane in Spain and was really glad we had Euros. We even loaned some to fellow passengers.

[vickykay]

same question (Hi Patty) - any suggestions as to how much local currency to have in each country , ie for small purchases, drinks, bathrooms, cards, etc- even how much to take out of an ATM? thanks Vicky

[Coastaljen]

Speaking of money.

 

I have used my ATM card half a dozen times in my life. I got it a couple of years ago when I was doing a land tour of Europe.. in case of an emergency.

 

I am afraid it won't work somewhere else. No reason..just a paranoia. It is a Bank of America card.

 

Is there any trick to using it outside the country? Right now I just go up and follow the easy English directions on the machin.

[BigBearLady]

I'd still have trouble thinking how much foreign money I'll need. Anyone have any ideas? You use your credit card for large purchases, but if you want postcards, beverages, snacks, tips, bathrooms?, you really need local currency. We bought Euros in the Med, but I think I could have used more and now I don't remember how much I bought, Dumb I know. I do know that I'm going to try to get some English currency as I wanted a soda as soon as we got off the plane in Spain and was really glad we had Euros. We even loaned some to fellow passengers.

I ordered $100 worth of each country's currency, except for Euros. I got several hundred dollars worth, since they are accepted in several countries.

[vickykay]

we have used ATM cards (they are also Bank of America) in many countries in Europe with college terms abroad during the past several years- even small towns in Hungry. always have worked. In England, Bank of America is connected with Barkley bank so there was never a fee. vicky

[breakiron]

I've used my ATM card many times over the years in Europe, even in Moscow and St. Petersburg and never had a problem. Whichever airport you arrive at in Europe usually has ATM machines which are a lot less expensive to use then changing currency at an exchange. Ken...

[breakiron]

I forgot to mention when you put your ATM card into the machine, the first thing usually on the machine is a page in the language you would like to have the directions. You just press the key for English and you're ready to go. This also works when buying tickets for the bus or the subway in most European countries. Ken...

[Coastaljen]

Thanks. :)

[kruzseeka]

We have been on two Baltic Cities cruises and on each occasion, with the exception of St Petersburg, everywhere we went accepted Euros.

 

In Russia, market traders and souvenir shops will usually deal in all major currencies (they want your money - but you may have to watch the exchange rate) but we went into a book shop on Nevski Prospekt and they would only accept Rubles. They were happy to take a Mastercard though and we bought a travel DVD of St Petersburg - 3 hours playtime, superb photography and sound track (but difficult accented commentary) for less than £4 (8$). The exchange rate was spot on and the card charges minimal so I would advise Euros and a charge card.

[Bennett'sCruise]

QUESTION: if we don't spend all the foreign currency, can we exchange it back to dollars when we return to the States?

[Mary Ellen]

QUESTION: if we don't spend all the foreign currency' date=' can we exchange it back to dollars when we return to the States?[/quote']Why not? Europeans change their euros to USD when they vacation here. ;) Now, coins are difficult, if not impossible to exchange. I've often seen collection bins for coins in International airports, the money collected usually goes to children's charities. I 'think' sometimes flight attendants have also collected change for charity.

[Coastaljen]

I have always been able to exchange currency back at the bank as long as it was in bills. I would think Russia would be the same.

 

The problem for me is many places have dollar or more in coins, and I forget that I have them.

 

I have also been able to spend a variety of coins in airport duty free shops before getting on the plane (when I don't forget and pack the coins.)

 

Qantas collected them on the flight from Sydney to LAX. Mine would have been spent, but they were packed.

[hylasgirl]

I was not able to get Roubles here in Salt Lake City either. We have always had good luck ordering all sorts of currencies, but this they could not order for me. Does anyone know if you can use your ATM somewhere in Russia? Can you get any on the ship?

[critterchick]

When we cruised the Jewel last year, we were told that it's illegal to take rubles out of Russia (not that it doesn't happen), which is why you can't order them in the US.

 

We used Denrus for our two days in St. Petersburg and we were able to use dollars everywhere they took us.

[BigBearLady]

When we cruised the Jewel last year, we were told that it's illegal to take rubles out of Russia (not that it doesn't happen), which is why you can't order them in the US.

I don't understand why you think that Rubles can not be ordered here in the US? I ordered $300 worth, along with many other currencies from my bank (B of A). I gave my daughter and her husband about $100 worth of each currency for our trip.

[Coastaljen]

I have read where a number of people did get Rubles prior. However, I believe even on the John Lawrence dvd he says you can't get them prior. I may be wrong, but I think I heard that on his dvd.

 

Anyway, it is obvious you can. :) I am glad about it.

[stunnedinva]

I usually get about $50 worth of each country's currency in advance so I can hit the ground running. I'm in the Washington, D.C. area, so it's easily available here, including roubles. If I need more, I go to the ATM or use a credit card. Usually, unless I'm planning to go back to that country, I try to spend all the cash I have because the exchange rate changing it back into $$ once I get home is really bad. I always keep GBP and Euros, however. :)

[hylasgirl]

I don't know... maybe your bank was able to. We have a HUGE foreign exchange at Wells Fargo here, and they said that they are not allowed to bring in Roubles.

 

Critterchick... Thanks... Good to know that it will be ok with the US$ I know that we are paying Alla Tours in US money. What's the worst that can happen... we go hungry all day? I will just have to hope that Alla can either point us in the direction of an ATM, or they take what we have. We plan on spending 2 hours on our own before they take us back to the ship, so... hopefully we can get a drink and a snack??

 

Does anyone know if you can get Roubles on the ship??

[merlot101]

I thought that even in small groups, we have to stay together the entire time since we have no Visa. They drop us at the ship and we have to go in. Please enlighten me. Even in the museums we have to stay together--I thought.

[Coastaljen]

That is exactly what I have been told.

 

I assumed that meant they were getting their own visas ahead of time.

[merlot101]

We aren't given visas. the whole group is with a guide who is suppose to be with us. Please, we need info on this. Maybe I need to start a new question.