Hoi-+hangt ervan af waar je gaat.

depends on WHERE you go-IN the EU all countries have 1 common banking system and your normal BankCard (Maestro is somewhere on it) will do payment (not just in €, also CzK, PLN etc.) at all places or you can withdraw local money from local ATMs. This will also work in NO and CH-the other non-EU countries: maybe, often yes, but not always. This is the ´SEPA system.

BUT IF you want to make many online advance bookings, then a cr-cd is nearly indispensible. BUT tehre are also what is called pre-paid cr-cds-you put money on it (some of these are just ´virtual´=without the plastic card, or you can load it on some types of smartfone) and can pay like a cr-cd untill this amount is used-you can reload or simply stop using then.

Note that for online bookings made @ home before travel-you do not have to use an own card, the one of pa/ma can do, IF they are willing to cooperate-due to the socalled 2-step verification

A credit card is quite useful for online booking indeed. You could look into Revolut. A basic account is free and you can get a physical card for a one-time fee. Exchange rates for foreign currencies are very low (0% on working days, 1% on other days, also for a limited amount of cash).

I was on the interrail for two months in October - December. At the start of the trip, the ATM took my MC credit card and I never got it back.

Luckily, I also had an MC debit card with which I booked and paid for accommodations, ferries, excursions, seat tickets, restaurant bills etc in ten different countries without any problems.

If i get a physical card via Revolut can I use that to book hostels etc. that require a credit card? Thank you!

For booking online, I think you don't even need a physical card, but you should be able to use a virtual card. But I haven't used that feature, since I ordered a physical card and use that one.