WHAT CURRENCY IS USED IN CROATIA?
On January 1st 2023, Croatia finally moved from the Croatian Kuna to the Euro.
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The Croatian Kuna has been the currency in use since 1994. Prior to then was the Croatian Dinar (only in use for just 3 years), which took over from several variations of the Yugoslavian Dinar introduced way back in 1918. As you can see, there's been a few changes in the past 100 years and with joining the EU in 2013 there was the expectations that there would be another change coming.
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Although being officially part of the EU zone, Croatia didn't need to rush into changing over their currency. The Kuna was one of the most stable currencies in Europe and maintained a consistent rate against the Euro for close to 20 years.
With that in mind, the timing is right for the European Union to give Croatia the green light to begin using the euro from next year and will join 19 other EU member states that use the currency.
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Converting your local money into Euro is a lot more favourable on the exchange if doing in Croatia rather than in your home country. Download the XE.com app for up to date rates so you can confidently make your comparisons at the exchange booth. If you can get close to the official rate, then you know you've done well!
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If you are not happy with the exchange, you can always exchange in a bank branch, or better still just leave the cash at home and retrieve it directly out of the ATM as many banks these days give very fair exchanges. It would be worth checking in with your local bank beforehand so you know of any hidden fees.
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The major towns in Croatia such as Split, Dubrovnik, Hvar, Korcula and Makarska will all have ATMs that are linked to international banking networks, however smaller towns may not even have ATM facilities at all.
These days credit cards showing the Visa or MasterCard symbol are recognised and accepted in most tourist areas, however if travelling off the beaten track, it wouldn't hurt to go old school and have some cash on hand.
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Please note that while onboard with us, any extra expenses such as excursions, bar tabs and tips etc will need to be paid in cash.
Your helpful Koda Sail rep will be able to point you in the right direction of where the closest ATM's are along the way so you're not always carrying a lot of cash around for no reason.
Check xe.com to see how the Euro fares against your home currency.
Budgeting for your tour
Depending on your taste, a sailing tour in Europe can be cheap once you are there and not too much money needs to be spent during the week if you didn’t want to.
Eating Out: Outside of the many included meals throughout the week, there are opportunities to eat out on the land. The restaurants we recommend are in the price range of €7-30 per meal.
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Going Out: If you decide to join the group on our nights out, our Koda Sail reps organise free entries to clubs and nightly drink specials, helping you to save money to be spent elsewhere.
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There is also a bar on board the boat that has a Happy Hour every night with different specials, allowing you to enjoy a cheaper drink if you wish. A bar tab is run on the boat for the week allowing you to pay in cash at the end. It is visible all week and you can keep track as you go.
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As a rough guide for your bar tab on board, €100-150 Euro for the week would get you a beer/wine at lunch and dinner, some drinks in the afternoon on the sun deck and then pre-drinks before heading out, for the 7 days while on the boat.
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Excursions: If you choose to do any extra excursions we have on offer, you will need to budget for these. To do everything, it generally is around €130-180 per person. These prices are just a guide as excursions change from season to season.
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Tipping: Tipping is not compulsory and it’s entirely up to you if you decide to give extra to your Koda Sail crew. It’s definitely not expected, but is very much appreciated.
You will see the Koda Sail team always goes above and beyond to ensure you have the best week of your life on our tours. It’s something we pride ourselves on.
You will have the opportunity to show your gratitude to your crew at the end of the tour.
The amount you tip is entirely a personal preference, however as a guideline we recommend;
€15 per WEEK, per crew member on board (€100-€115).
€5 per DAY for your Koda Sail tour manager (€35)