Is Geiranger a Must Do Norway Port?

I am trying to determine if Geiranger is a must-do Norway port. I was planning to book the Princess 14-day North Cape cruise scheduled to depart Southampton on 6/13/15. It originally included the following ports:

- Stavanger

- Flam

- Hellsylt & Geiranger

- Trondheim

- Honningsvag

- Tromso

- Gravdal, Lofoten Islands

- Alesund

- Bergen

I just discovered that this cruise has been changed to a 15-day itinerary departing on 6/12/15. I'm OK with the extra day, but they removed Hellsylt & Geiranger from the itinerary and added Olden and Andalsnes. I have read on CC that Geirangerfjord is one of the most beautiful fjords and should be on the ideal itinerary.

Should I look for another cruise? Is this actually a better itinerary than the original one? Can I get views of Geirangerfjord from one of the other ports? I have not had time to do extensive research yet on all these ports, and am hoping to get some good advice about whether to proceed with booking this cruise. I really would like to see the Lofoten Islands, which is not included on many of the fjords cruises.

I am trying to determine if Geiranger is a must-do Norway port. I was planning to book the Princess 14-day North Cape cruise scheduled to depart Southampton on 6/13/15. It originally included the following ports:

- Stavanger

- Flam

- Hellsylt & Geiranger

- Trondheim

- Honningsvag

- Tromso

- Gravdal, Lofoten Islands

- Alesund

- Bergen

I just discovered that this cruise has been changed to a 15-day itinerary departing on 6/12/15. I'm OK with the extra day, but they removed Hellsylt & Geiranger from the itinerary and added Olden and Andalsnes. I have read on CC that Geirangerfjord is one of the most beautiful fjords and should be on the ideal itinerary.

Should I look for another cruise? Is this actually a better itinerary than the original one? Can I get views of Geirangerfjord from one of the other ports? I have not had time to do extensive research yet on all these ports, and am hoping to get some good advice about whether to proceed with booking this cruise. I really would like to see the Lofoten Islands, which is not included on many of the fjords cruises.

Yes, Hellsylt & Geiranger can work very well and offer some great sights and experiences, especially if you go "up country" as we did during those two port stops. BUT, your list of other ports/stops in going up above the Arctic Circle is super good. As detailed in my live/blog below, we did stop in nine of these locations. You could look for another alternative, but maybe miss some other "super-stars". Trade-offs??

Lofoten Islands? That area is a totally wonderful. Would hate to miss that spectacular location. Below are are some added notes on the Lofoten Islands, plus a few picture samples. We have not been to Olden/Andalsnes, but I am sure there are some good options and sights around there.

Lofoten Island: This 70-miles long island archipelago has natural surroundings regarded to be among the most stunning in Norway, with mountains, peaks, cliffs and white sandy beaches. The remote southern islands of Vaeroy and Rost are rated as world-class bird sanctuaries having nesting places for millions of seabirds along its cliffs. There are 35,000 people living on all of the islands and they are 886 miles northeast of Bergen. In November 2007, National Geographic Traveler rated the Lofoten Islands of northern Norway the third most appealing islands in the world. The Gulf Stream contributes to its seasonal fishing success. In Leknes, the sun (midnight sun) is above the horizon from May 26 to July 17 and in winter the sun does not rise from December 9 to January 4.

Reactions? Other questions?

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 146,964 views. Nice to be hitting this high of a level for viewership. Appreciate the interest and follow-up questions/comments!!

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

Here is one of our first Lofoten Islands views from a stop early during our trip driving south as we headed towards “Å". We had a rental car that allowed us plenty of flexibility to explore this great area, stop where our interests took us, etc. There is only one main road up and down, making things easy to navigate and travel in this super scenic area. Good road conditions, etc.

An historic seaport and cod fishing center is Nusfjord a few miles east of the main south-bound road in the Lofoten Islands. It is one of Norway’s oldest and best preserved fishing villages (fiskevaer). Here is one of its buildings and its harbor. There is also a cod processing building with various visuals to see for that historic era. The old Fish Oil Mill is used for exhibiting items from the Fish Buying Station or fiskemottak. They show a film called “The people and the fish”. The mill was built around 1910. Here fish oil was produced from fish liver. The fish was retrieved from the Buying Station then, transported by rowboat to the mill. Cod liver oil was a very attractive export product, used in industrial production and for medicinal purpose. We also got some great pictures of its birds perched on a large rock, etc. You can see more details from this website:

http://www.nusfjord.no/EN/nusfjord/index_new_eng.html:

We went to the end of the road in the Lofoten Islands along the scenic Norway Coast. This is a charming village called “Å”. In their alphabet, this “A” has a small “o” above the letter. Simple name for a charming fishing town! We had box lunches from the ship and dined on a picnic table on the wooden dock. This was our view with the busy and noisy birds. From Gravdal to the SW end of the E10 highway, it is about 38 miles. Not a long, long distance. Very good and interesting road conditions, bridges, tunnels, options for stopping, scenic drama, etc. Parts of this highway is known as King Olav's Road. Until the 1990's, Å was mainly a small fishing village, but recently tourism has become the main economic focus.:

Here is an example of the soaring rocks/mountains and dramatic scenery in the Lofoten Islands when we did our DIY drive south and then back on the Lofoten Islands. Nice? This includes one of the curved beaches about a mile and a half east of Ramberg.:

Here are some of the many wooden racks for fish drying on these islands that we checked out during our drive south in the Lofoten Islands.:

Near the main E10 roadway in the southern part of the Lofoten Island is this historic Flakstad Kirke church that was built in 1780. It has a Russian design/look as certain of its materials were donated by those from that country.:

Terry, thanks so much for posting the beautiful pictures and the information about the Lofoten Islands. I think I am going to stick with the Princess cruise, even though they deleted Geiranger, because of the opportunity to go to the North Cape and the Lofoten Islands. I appreciate your help, and I am sure I will have additional questions as I get more into planning for this trip. You are going to be a wonderful resource!

Terry, thanks so much for posting the beautiful pictures and the information about the Lofoten Islands. I think I am going to stick with the Princess cruise, even though they deleted Geiranger, because of the opportunity to go to the North Cape and the Lofoten Islands. I appreciate your help, and I am sure I will have additional questions as I get more into planning for this trip. You are going to be a wonderful resource!

Appreciate your kind comments, the follow-up and that you are now focused on your planned trip. On my live/blog, it outlines many great options for Trondheim, Honningsvag and the North Cape, Tromso, the Lofoten Islands, Alesund and charming/historic Bergen. Look through my details and feel free to ask any follow-up questions. Below are a few more sample pictures to help build the excitement for your trip.

Here is just one sample/preview on . . . : Trondheim is Norway's third largest municipality. It has a population of 152,800 with major university-science-medical research facilities. It is considered Norway’s historical, cultural and religious capital. Its history goes back 997 and King Olav Tryggvason, who later was made a Saint. Its Nidaros Cathedral was built from 1070 and is the most important Gothic monument in Norway. The Norway King is still crowned here. In a town noted for timbered architecture, this is Scandinavia’s largest medieval building with a 321-foot-high tower. It was Northern Europe's most important Christian pilgrimage site during the middle Ages and has organ recitals in the summer. The town was Norway’s capital until 1217. Famed actress Liv Ullmann grew up here.

For the record/background, Trondheim is 425 miles north of Bergen. For our July 5 when there, it was sunrise: 3:15 am, Sunset: 11:24 pm on this day. There was a free shuttle around the central business district that made the logistics easier. You will still need to check on logistics from the ship docking area to the main center of town. Not that far, but not quick or easy for some to do that walk.

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Celebrity Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of nice visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 176,271 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

Trondheim’s top and most historic attraction is their Cathedral. Nidaros Cathedral was built from 1070 and is the most important Gothic monument in Norway. The Norway King is still crowned here. This is the front of Trondheim’s Cathedral. This is Scandinavia’s largest medieval building and has a central, 321-foot-high tower.:

This is inside the museum for the Trondheim Cathedral. It features many architectural items from over the nearly 1000-year history of this structure. In this area is also a museum with the various Royal crowns, chairs, etc.:

Stiftsgården is the royal residence in Trondheim, originally constructed in 1774 with 144 rooms constituting 43,000 sq. ft. It is the largest wooden building in Northern Europe, has buttercup-yellow coloring, a Rococo style with Baroque details, is open 10 am-5 pm and has been used by royals and their guests since 1800.:

This is the dramatic overview of Alesund from the Aksla vantage point along the western coast of Norway. This spot allows a nearly 360-degree view of this setting for this island city and the surrounding mountains and islands. It is at a 597’ height overlooking the five islands making up the scenic town. The canal or waterway in the middle of the town is called "Brosundet" (or the Bridge sound). That means Ale sund (sloping sound). Or, reflecting that the sound slopes through town. This is how Alesund got its name.:

As we departed Svolvaer in the Lofoten Islands of Norway on a perfect, sunny day, these are two of the green, tree-covered mountains rising up from the sea that we saw with the small out-islands in the foreground.:

Here’s a close look at these historic Bergen Hanseatic merchant warehouse building fronts, people taking pictures, etc. Super loved the charm, character, history and beauty in Bergen.:

Thanks again Terry, I actually did start reading your blog last night. Got up to about page 9 and will continue reading the rest of it soon. It is absolutely wonderful, and so inspiring. Your pictures and descriptions definitely make me know this is a trip I must take. I haven't booked it yet, but will start planning in earnest right away. I will definitely have more questions for you as I get more into it. I spent a little time a few months ago pulling info off CC as I began thinking about a Norway cruise, but I need to spend a lot more time digging into the details and figuring out what we will do in each port. Your blog will be invaluable in helping me plan, and I appreciate so much that you put the blog out there and are willing to help people like me!

Happy 4th of July... talk more soon! :)

Cheryl

Sailing through Geiranger Fjord is amazing - Geiranger as port is not that great -

Here you have two videos from the fjords and Geiranger port.

Storfjord and Geiranger Fjord, Norwegian Fjords Cruise

[YOUTUBE]JII3U8eJbCQ[/YOUTUBE]

Geiranger, Norvegian Fjords Cruise June 2013

[YOUTUBE]JII3U8eJbCQ[/YOUTUBE]

Sailing through Geiranger Fjord is amazing - Geiranger as port is not that great -

Here you have two videos from the fjords and Geiranger port.

 

Wow, that really was beautiful! Thanks for sharing the videos!

Sailing through Geiranger Fjord is amazing - Geiranger as port is not that great -

Here you have two videos from the fjords and Geiranger port.

 

Watching your videos, I saw what appears to be the seven sisters waterfalls. From your sail-in & out of Geiranger, do you feel that you saw much of the scenery that a cruise on the M.S. Geirangerfjord would provide?

I am leaning toward a private driving tour that takes in both Dalsnibba & Eagles Nest viewpoints vs. a bus/boat tour. We are in port from 7am-3pm which will be lessened in actuality due to tendering.

Hallasm & others- any input will be much appreciated!

Watching your videos, I saw what appears to be the seven sisters waterfalls. From your sail-in & out of Geiranger, do you feel that you saw much of the scenery that a cruise on the M.S. Geirangerfjord would provide?

 

I am leaning toward a private driving tour that takes in both Dalsnibba & Eagles Nest viewpoints vs. a bus/boat tour. We are in port from 7am-3pm which will be lessened in actuality due to tendering.

 

Hallasm & others- any input will be much appreciated!

Yes - seven sisters waterfalls - cruise ship is passing vary close - so i will recommend Dalsnibba & Eagles Nest rather than a boat tour.

By mistake I added the same video twice in my previous post - her is the Storfjord and Geiranger Fjord, Norwegian Fjords Cruise video:

[YOUTUBE]lj27w5PLG9o[/YOUTUBE]

Watching your videos, I saw what appears to be the seven sisters waterfalls. From your sail-in & out of Geiranger, do you feel that you saw much of the scenery that a cruise on the M.S. Geirangerfjord would provide?

 

I am leaning toward a private driving tour that takes in both Dalsnibba & Eagles Nest viewpoints vs. a bus/boat tour. We are in port from 7am-3pm which will be lessened in actuality due to tendering.

 

Hallasm & others- any input will be much appreciated!

The sail-in and sail-out are great, and you'll see the same scenery you would see on a boat ride. The only difference would be how far you are from the water.

The view of the fjord from above is dramatically different and equally spectacular, so I always recommend finding some way to get up into the hills to visit one of the scenic viewpoints.

If the bus/boat tour does includes some of the overlooks, then it's not an absolute call, but since you will have plenty of scenic cruising of the fjord on your way in and out, I'd probably skip the boat ride during the port call in favor of something else.

Yes, Hellsylt & Geiranger can work very well and offer some great sights and experiences, especially if you go "up country" as we did during those two port stops. BUT, your list of other ports/stops in going up above the Arctic Circle is super good. As detailed in my live/blog below, we did stop in nine of these locations. You could look for another alternative, but maybe miss some other "super-stars". Trade-offs??

 

Lofoten Islands? That area is a totally wonderful. Would hate to miss that spectacular location. Below are are some added notes on the Lofoten Islands, plus a few picture samples. We have not been to Olden/Andalsnes, but I am sure there are some good options and sights around there."

 

We are trying to book a Norway cruise for summer 2016. My dream was to go to Lofoten. Now we have it narrowed down to 2 sailings. Please help! July 17 the brand new ms Konnigsdam on Holland. This sailing does NOT go to Lofoten but is out of Amsterdam (we have wanted to go) and says it does 4 scenic cruisings: Hardangerfjord, Trondheimsfjord, Geirangerfjord, and Sognefjord. Ports are : Eidfjord, Alesund, Trondheim, Honnigsvag, Geirianger, Flam, Stavenger. The other itinerary is Emerald Princess Aug. 6th out of London which does go to Lofoten, but does not mention any scenic cruising. The ports are Stavenger, Flam, Olden, Trondheim, Honnigsbag, Tromso, Gravdal, Alesund, and Bergen.

 

Please help us! We have never cruised here and I don't want to mess this one up!!

 

We are trying to book a Norway cruise for summer 2016. My dream was to go to Lofoten. Now we have it narrowed down to 2 sailings. Please help! July 17 the brand new ms Konnigsdam on Holland.

 

This sailing does NOT go to Lofoten but is out of Amsterdam (we have wanted to go) and says it does 4 scenic cruisings: Hardangerfjord, Trondheimsfjord, Geirangerfjord, and Sognefjord. Ports are : Eidfjord, Alesund, Trondheim, Honnigsvag, Geirianger, Flam, Stavenger.

 

The other itinerary is Emerald Princess Aug. 6th out of London which does go to Lofoten, but does not mention any scenic cruising. The ports are Stavenger, Flam, Olden, Trondheim, Honnigsbag, Tromso, Gravdal, Alesund, and Bergen.

 

Please help us! We have never cruised here and I don't want to mess this one up!!

 

You will have lots of scenic cruising on both the itineraries but the first itinerary is the best with 4 fjords opposed to only 2 on the Princess itinerary.

 

Lofoten is a nice place but not a must. There are so many other wonderful places to visit like the HAL itinerary.

IMO the fjords are more important and stunning then the northern part of Norway.

Eidsfjord is almost as stunning as the Geirangerfjord.

In Stavanger you can visit the dramatic Lysefjord.

In Flåm you can make a tour to the Nærøyfjord.

Of course the most beautiful of the all - the Geirangefjord is on itinerary 1 but not the other. No trip to Norway is complete without a visit to Geiranger.

I strongly believe you get more nature or a better experiance doing the first itinerary.

 

Last but not least - The Koningsdam is a brand new ship next year. The Princess ship has been around for a while.

 

You will also find that July is the hight of the season and therefore a better month to visit then August.

We did Holland America last year (only because we got an offer we couldn't refuse).

The highlight IMO is being above the Arctic Circle and the North Cape. While the scenic cruising was nice, I've just returned from Alaska and scenic cruising of Hubbard Glacier and Glacier Bay National Park .... both of which are FAR superior, IMO, scenic cruising than any scenic cruising we did in Norway.

We did Holland America last year (only because we got an offer we couldn't refuse).

 

The highlight IMO is being above the Arctic Circle and the North Cape. While the scenic cruising was nice, I've just returned from Alaska and scenic cruising of Hubbard Glacier and Glacier Bay National Park .... both of which are FAR superior, IMO, scenic cruising than any scenic cruising we did in Norway.

IMO You cant really compare Norway and Alaska. If you want to compare you have to compare the Norwegian fjords with the New Zealand or the Chilian Fjords as they are more alike.

Alaska is more rugged and wild then the Norwegian Fjords. Also, Norway does not have a Glacier bay type place unless you count the Black Ice glacier in Northern Norway.

IMO You cant really compare Norway and Alaska. If you want to compare you have to compare the Norwegian fjords with the New Zealand or the Chilian Fjords as they are more alike. Alaska is more rugged and wild then the Norwegian Fjords. Also, Norway does not have a Glacier bay type place unless you count the Black Ice glacier in Northern Norway.

Appreciate the excellent above summary points by I-Cruiser. There is no one "perfect" answer. Lots of options and trade-offs to consider!! Much depends on your personal interests, time available to travel, budget flexibility, etc.

KEY NORWAY COAST CHALLENGE/QUESTION: Your major issue is whether to just focus on the lower Norway fjords, Bergen, etc. Nice and wonderful. BUT, there is the option of going up, UP farther north, above the Arctic Circle, seeing such great places as the Lofoten Islands, the North Cape, interesting cities such as Tromso and Trondheim, etc., in taking more time to go more north. Only doing the lower portion requires less time, has more sailing/ship options and costs less. That’s very good! BUT, if you can take the added time, seeing farther up this Norway coast can be very special and unique. Especially, if you really love/seek nature, great scenery, wildlife, etc. Your choice?

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 178,920 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

Thank you- this is very, very helpful. I feel pretty confident booking the HAL cruise from this advise because it does go to the North Cape, but also has scenic cruising on 4 fjords that I was looking for. My only fear was missing out on Lofoten. But it adds Geiranger and Eidfjord. Now, one last thing- on another thread, several people recommend taking the Hurtigruten line. I wasn't very thrilled about this idea because I do tend to enjoy "Americanized" cruising.... I go for the itinerary, but enjoy the ship and the voyage as well. I wonder if I would be disappointed then on this line. Thoughts? Is it worth the extra ports/offerings to miss out on the daily comforts?

Thank you- this is very, very helpful. I feel pretty confident booking the HAL cruise from this advise because it does go to the North Cape, but also has scenic cruising on 4 fjords that I was looking for. My only fear was missing out on Lofoten. But it adds Geiranger and Eidfjord. Now, one last thing- on another thread, several people recommend taking the Hurtigruten line. I wasn't very thrilled about this idea because I do tend to enjoy "Americanized" cruising.... I go for the itinerary, but enjoy the ship and the voyage as well. I wonder if I would be disappointed then on this line. Thoughts? Is it worth the extra ports/offerings to miss out on the daily comforts?

First of all Hurtigruten is not a cruise line/ships in the classical sense. Thought, in the last years they are marketed as cruise ships.

They are working ship taking goods and people from Bergen to Kirkenes.

The Hurtigruten makes a huge amount of stops. Some of the stops are in the middle of the night and some of the stops might only be for as little as 30 minutes. One thing for sure; you will get to see lots of the country:-)

The ships visits almost only the coast towns/cities/villages. In the summer it cruises in/out the Geirangerfjord and the Trollfjord (all the way north):

The food is buffet breakfast and lunch and a set 3 course meal during dinner.

There are hardly any entertainment and its all about enjoying the tranquility and the scenery.

I would love to do the Hurtigruten myself but not for 12 days.

We have talked about it but we would prefer a cruise ship as Hurtigruten is more costly and you get less variety of food options, smaller cabins, shorter stops on.

Having said that - If you are looking for a completely different experience, out of the ordinary, you should give Hurtigruten a try.

I guess Hurtigruten is far away from "Americanized" cruising.

I would love to do the Hurtigruten myself. We have talked about it but we would prefer a cruise ship as Hurtigruten is costly and you get less variety of food options, smaller cabins, shorter stops on Hurtigruten. Having said that - If you are looking for a completely different experience, out of the ordinary you should give Hurtigruten a try.

rurgrl26.2: Thank you- this is very' date=' very helpful. I feel pretty confident booking the HAL cruise from this advise because it does go to the North Cape, but also has scenic cruising on 4 fjords that I was looking for. My only fear was missing out on Lofoten. But it adds Geiranger and Eidfjord. Now, one last thing- on another thread, several people recommend [b']taking the Hurtigruten line[/b]. I wasn't very thrilled about this idea because I do tend to enjoy "Americanized" cruising.... I go for the itinerary, but enjoy the ship and the voyage as well. I wonder if I would be disappointed then on this line. Thoughts? Is it worth the extra ports/offerings to miss out on the daily comforts?

Appreciate these excellent and added follow-ups from I-Cruiser and rurgrl26.2. Very good info about the various "trade-offs" with Hurtigruten, etc. With the main cruise lines, it is partly about their "daily comforts". Plus, long stays in the key ports you want to explore. BUT, there are other factor, too, to consider. HAL does a good job in these areas and getting up, UP, UP to the North Cape has its wonderful rewards. My view is that seeing BOTH the great fjords, plus farther north, is best, IF you can work out the time and budget.

Keep up your good planning, asking smart questions, etc.

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

From our Jan. 25-Feb. 20, 2015, Amazon River-Caribbean combo sailing over 26 days that started in Barbados, here is the link below to that live/blog. Lots of great visuals from this amazing Brazil river and these various Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, etc.) that we experienced. Check it out at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696

Now at 23,986 views for these postings.

First of all Hurtigruten is not a cruise line/ships in the classical sense. Thought, in the last years they are marketed as cruise ships.

They are working ship taking goods and people from Bergen to Kirkenes.

The Hurtigruten makes a huge amount of stops. Some of the stops are in the middle of the night and some of the stops might only be for as little as 30 minutes. One thing for sure; you will get to see lots of the country:-)

The ships visits almost only the coast towns/cities/villages. In the summer it cruises in/out the Geirangerfjord and the Trollfjord (all the way north):

The food is buffet breakfast and lunch and a set 3 course meal during dinner.

There are hardly any entertainment and its all about enjoying the tranquility and the scenery.

I would love to do the Hurtigruten myself but not for 12 days.

We have talked about it but we would prefer a cruise ship as Hurtigruten is more costly and you get less variety of food options, smaller cabins, shorter stops on.

Having said that - If you are looking for a completely different experience, out of the ordinary, you should give Hurtigruten a try.

I guess Hurtigruten is far away from "Americanized" cruising.

This is interesting. I was one of those who originally recommended looking at Hurtigurten because I had researched them to go to Antarctica. It sounds like a very different experience than what I was seeing for that cruise.

This is interesting. I was one of those who originally recommended looking at Hurtigurten because I had researched them to go to Antarctica. It sounds like a very different experience than what I was seeing for that cruise.

I suppose their expedition cruises to Antarctica/Greenland etc are different their routes up/down the Norwegian coast.

I have not done the 6 or 12 days trips but only 2 days port to port with Hurtigruten.

Hurtigruten has 11 ships and one dedicated expedition ship (the Fram)

As the ships where built 1964-1993-1994-1996-1997 to 2002 and 2003 you can imagine they offer different amenities.

The 3 newest are the on more like to a trad. cruise ship.

The ships aim to serve local food from the various ports it visits.

During a classic 12 days voyage the ships visits 34 ports.

I suppose their expedition cruises to Antarctica/Greenland etc are different their routes up/down the Norwegian coast.

 

I have not done the 6 or 12 days trips but only 2 days port to port with Hurtigruten.

 

Hurtigruten has 11 ships and one dedicated expedition ship (the Fram)

 

As the ships where built 1964-1993-1994-1996-1997 to 2002 and 2003 you can imagine they offer different amenities.

The 3 newest are the on more like to a trad. cruise ship.

 

The ships aim to serve local food from the various ports it visits.

 

During a classic 12 days voyage the ships visits 34 ports.

Gotcha! The Fram was the ship I was looked at. It never dawned on me that their other ships were that dramatically different. I never really researched them as I was mostly interested in the Fram.

We did Antarctic on the Nordnorge, sister ship to the Fram. And when we sailed both of them were sailing ... I didn't know the Nordnorge wasn't doing Antarctica anymore.

Anyway, the expedition sailing is more like a true cruise experience. We had lecturer's and full day ports of call.

As mentioned, in Norway, they are working ships and the stops and length at each stop depends upon what is being delivered/picked up, etc.

Thanks everyone for all the great discussion and posts today!! We are booked on the new HAL ship that includes the 8 ports, 4 days of scenic cruising on fjords, and goes to the North Cape as well. :-) I am happy with our choice and appreciate all the input!! RSLeesburg- we just moved to Ashburn last weekend!! I imagine you are not too far from us!! I had considered Hurtigruten for some time, but read about cargo aspects of the ships in Norway and the heavy seafood offerings for meals. I am not a seafood lover myself, so I am just not brave enough to give it a try, but I am sure it would provide the best cultural experience!!

Thanks everyone for all the great discussion and posts today!! We are booked on the new HAL ship that includes the 8 ports, 4 days of scenic cruising on fjords, and goes to the North Cape as well. :-) I am happy with our choice and appreciate all the input!! RSLeesburg- we just moved to Ashburn last weekend!! I imagine you are not too far from us!! I had considered Hurtigruten for some time, but read about cargo aspects of the ships in Norway and the heavy seafood offerings for meals. I am not a seafood lover myself, so I am just not brave enough to give it a try, but I am sure it would provide the best cultural experience!!

He, he... Welcome to the area, and sounds like you made a great choice on HAL! I did not realize that the Hurtigurten ships in Norway were not the same as those that go to Antartica (Fram). I saw a few of the videos and it looks like an amazing cruise!

Thanks everyone for all the great discussion and posts today!! We are booked on the new HAL ship that includes the 8 ports, 4 days of scenic cruising on fjords, and goes to the North Cape as well. :-) I am happy with our choice and appreciate all the input!! RSLeesburg- we just moved to Ashburn last weekend!! I imagine you are not too far from us!! I had considered Hurtigruten for some time, but read about cargo aspects of the ships in Norway and the heavy seafood offerings for meals. I am not a seafood lover myself, so I am just not brave enough to give it a try, but I am sure it would provide the best cultural experience!!

Of you need some help planning the ports head over to my thread. Link in siggy.[emoji4]