Prices in St Petersburg

[hyacinth1]

Just trying to work out how many roubles to get. Did anyone buy russian hats, nesting dolls and vodka in St Petersburg? If I can get a rough idea I can calculate how much to take. Its such a bother transferring the currency back to pounds after. thanks

[stunnedinva]

Just trying to work out how many roubles to get. Did anyone buy russian hats, nesting dolls and vodka in St Petersburg? If I can get a rough idea I can calculate how much to take. Its such a bother transferring the currency back to pounds after. thanks

 

I took $200 worth of roubles for my 2 days in St. Petersburg, spent it all, and used my credit card for other purchases. The only Russian hat I bought was a wool "Russian army" hat with patches and pins on it for my 5 year-old great nephew. I don't care for the nesting dolls, but they have beautiful hand-carved wooden Father Frosts of various sizes, as well as hand-carved wooden Christmas ornaments and doll ornaments dressed in various Russian traditional dresses that caught my eye and are easy to pack. This website (whose prices are high) might give you an idea:

http://eshop.souvenirboutique.com/

 

Have a great time! (P. S. Your last name's not Bucket, is it?) ;)

[MercedMike]

Just trying to work out how many roubles to get. Did anyone buy russian hats, nesting dolls and vodka in St Petersburg? If I can get a rough idea I can calculate how much to take. Its such a bother transferring the currency back to pounds after. thanks

 

The only thing we spent rubles on in Russia was lunch one day at Stolle pie shop. Everyplace else took US$, Euros, and I would assume pounds as well as all sorts of plastic. I seriously recommend using your credit card everyplace.

 

All three things you mentioned ran from cheap schlock to expensive fine goods. Nesting dolls were mostly $100 and up in good qualities, fur hats were at least $100 and up and way up. Vodka is probably the cheapest thing on your list!;) To be honest with you, the prices aboard ship were probably as good as ashore.

 

Check out our review and pics at http://www.elite.net/~thehalls/baltic.html

[leenie29]

Just trying to work out how many roubles to get. Did anyone buy russian hats, nesting dolls and vodka in St Petersburg? If I can get a rough idea I can calculate how much to take. Its such a bother transferring the currency back to pounds after. thanks

 

Alla took us to one shop for Russian gifts that had a wide range of prices and merchandise. We got inexpensive and really pretty nesting dolls to bring back for friends and they were about 17 to 22 Euros each for the 6 doll nests (my son got one that was all the 20th century Soviet leaders that was 17 Euros, my other son got a mini Schnauzer nesting doll that was also 17 Euros). They also have mini nesting dolls that were 6 Euros each for 5 doll nesting. But you could spend thousands of dollars on a nesting doll that were extremely large and very detailed. We also got nice T-shirts that were around 8 Euros each. The military hats that had old Soviet pins on it were $10 and made great gifts (They sold them on our ship for the same price). My husband got a faberge type egg that opened for his niece that was $40.00. There was also lots of amber, icons, and wooden boxes that weren't too expensive.

 

We used credit cards everywhere and only used Rubles to pay for lunch. Our guide told us to take out $30.00 in Rubles for lunch which was far more than we needed at Stolle pies (it was $15.00 for lunch with soft drinks for the 3 of us).

 

Eileen

[little britain]

We got £100 worth of RUR at LHR - we spent 1030RUR on lunch on the first day at Peterhof that was a bit of a rip-off - and then only 300RUR for 3 drinks and 4 portions of pie at Stolle. What a bargain that place is!

We bought a small laquer box and a few pre-stampted postcards in the shop Alla took us to, we bought a guide book to the Hermitage for 250RUR and then we left the rest as a tip for Alla - about 1500 RUR which is about £37.

[volkoff]

look here http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=782068