We are planning to tour Scandinavia and include a cruise (we're told that Hurtigruten is a good cruise line in Norway???) sometime next year. We have also been told that Norway at least, charges very high taxes for alcoholic beverages and that we should bring our own within the allowable limits. I can't imagine that we would bring our own wine, but I'm told that beer can cost the equivalent of 9-10 USD. Does anyone have input in the regard?
Posted by
Honolulu/Seattle, HI/WA, USA
2788 posts
Have you gotten "RS Scandinavian Guide Book" or his "Snapshot: Norway Guide Book" yet? Lot of good information that we used when traveling thru the Scandinavian countries.
I can not speak knowledgeably about the liquor prices, but I can tell you that the prices in Bergen were VERY high compared to what I am use to in Hawaii. Beautiful country.
Posted by
OP
Ogden, Utah, USA
49 posts
No, I have not obtained his latest book, but plan to. Thanks for the reply.
Posted by
Copenhagen, Denmark
265 posts
Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland all have a system of government-owned alcohol sales outlets. These stores are the only places in the respective countries that are allowed to sell alcoholic beverages (except for weak beer that is available at supermarkets). Prices are high, in Norway extremely high, and stores are only located in larger cities. You can also get alcohol at restaurants and bars, though. The goverment-owned alcohol monopoly in Norway is called Vinmonopolet, www.vinmonopolet.no . On their homepage you can browse the selection and the prices. Being a monopoly, all outlets keep the same selection and the same prices, and yes, a can of beer IS around 10 USD! Before bringing in alcohol to Norway, check the limits, these are (obviously) quite low: http://www.toll.no/templates_TAD/Article.aspx?id=195294&epslanguage=EN#travelling to Norway You can bring in 1 litre of spirit and 1.5 litres of wine OR 3 litres of wine. In addition to this, you can bring in 2 litres of beer.
Posted by
Honolulu/Seattle, HI/WA, USA
2788 posts
As a followup to Chris from Denmark's post, we took a ferry from Helsinki to Tallinn, Estonia. As we waited to board the ferry that had just pulled in, we watched a large group of folks departing the ferry that had just arrived from Tallinn.
Almost all of them were carrying cardboard boxes, the kind that have handles and hold about 3 bottles. When we asked what it was all about, we were told that a lot of folks go over to Estonia to stock up on alcohol beverages because it is so cheap there compared with the other Scandinavia countries.
Posted by
Oak Park, Illinois
4535 posts
Bringing your own alcohol to Europe? That's a new one to me. I'd suggest either budget more or drink less. Yes, it is more expensive in Norway, Sweden and Finland, mostly due to taxes. And residents do stock up in Denmark, Estonia and on the overnight ferries.