currency norway

[poole boy]

we are going on a northern lights cruise in march can we use euros in the ports (Norway) or will we have to get the local currency.
graham

[Dark Knight]

PB
When we did the Fjords, we used local currency

[david63]

You might find a few places that will take the Euro (at a silly exchange rate) but the vast majority use the Norwegian krone.

Personally I would not use any currency in Norway as everything is ridiculously expensive.

[Cockers43]

Just for completeness, the only Scandinavian country to be in the Euro is Finland. All the others are much more sensible! and use their own Krone, (Norwegian, Swedish and Danish).

[Dark Knight]

We found it to be about as expensive as London, Paris or any major city

which can be a bit of shocker

[12maxine]

Yes very expensive we were there in September. I just got some currency from reception and changed it back when going home. We only used it for beer and wine just so we could sit and enjoy a very expensive drink! Served in lovely glasses though.

[Silver_Shiney]

wherever you go, use the local currency.

If the local currency is restricted (ie, you're not allowed to take it in or out of the country), use USD or EUR (unless you're going to Cuba, in which case take EUR only). When I worked in a forex bureaux, we couldn't even sell American Express Euro TCs for pax going to Cuba, because of the word "American"

[Boris+]

I'm still convinced that for a whole load of places the best thing to do is to get a pre-paid card - we got ICE plc cards, and I can thoroughly recommend them.

We applied for the cards online, and when the cards arrived (we each decided to have a separate account/card) they were accompanied by 'spare' cards. The thought is that if you leave one card safely onboard in your safe, and your card is mislaid or nicked then you simply ring up ICE plc or go online into your 'account' and they will activate the spare card/s immediately.

We have used them everywhere - including Norway, and we found that we got a better rate of exchange! To load a card (we went for the £ Sterling variety) with £50.00 as an example will cost you a charge of 92p, then you can use it anywhere (it is backed by MasterCard), and get local currency out of ATMs with no charge.

In Norway we found it was a win-win situation, because as an example if we bought an item which worked out to be £15.80 using the average daily exchange rate then when we were back onboard and looked at the ICE plc account in question, it had charged us £13.40 for that same purchase. Then on top of that at the end of the cruise, on the afternoon of the final port we visited the Norwegian Authorities who came onboard to do the tax refunds - but then that is calculated on the actual ticket price (which worked out at £15.40 ish) and not calculated on the amount charged to our cards by ICE plc - which is a very nice situation, thankyou. We were very happy with our 'discovery' after making the first purchase in Norway, and it certainly encouraged us to be a little bolder with purchases - which made the cruise just a little bit nicer (if that was at all possible).

So, for us, it's ICE everytime. There aren't many places that won't take them - such as markets etc., but you can always use an ATM locally to get out a bit of cash.

Then of course, you get back to the UK, and instead of having annoying little amounts that get stuck in a drawer or larger amounts which cost you more conversion fees, just continue to use your ICE card until it's got a zero balance.

It won't suit everyone, but boy oh boy - it thoroughly suits us.

Em

[Felix2]

In Oslo we shared a sandwich and had a small beer and a coffee. The cost was £25. Expensive but enjoyable.

We paid £79 for a modest meal in Copenhagen.

[jacksparrow]

If you are in Oslo, the hard rock cafe take Euros…. if you walk up with the parliament buildings behind you, the palace is on the left and the hard rock cafe is across the road.