Flyinby

Our trip was in February, so excursions may be a bit different for you. A majority of the excursions coincide with the longer stops the ship makes each day. The Geirangerfjord tour (when the ship doesn't go into the fjord) is long but the ship stays in Alesund for about 8 hours so it's no problem. Of the seven excursions we did, only one was a meet-the-ship-later, which was interesting. The tour was called "A taste of Vesteralen", and they coincided our bus crossing the bridge with the ship coming into Sortland. As they neared the bridge, many from the crew and a bunch of passengers were outside on front decks as they passed under the bridge, shouting and waving Norwegian flags as a "welcome". https://pbase.com/roberthouse/image/173488292 But any of the excursions they offer will either fit in with the stop, or meet up in another port, so it's all figured out. Also, even with the shorter stops of an hour, it's OK to get off the ship and look around or shop for whatever. The nightly talks will familiarize you with what's nearby on those stops, just keep an eye on the time if you do that. The excursion description will tell you if it's a meet up later tour.

I think you got exactly right...I've seen those posts, and have wondered why some folks book "no refunds" hotels and fares, and flights that arrive on the day of departure and then expect to get it all refunded when something goes wrong with the trip. Even with insurance, it can be iffy as to just how much gets covered.

@oakridgerI usually wouldn't go back to the same place so soon, but we had some unfinished things we hadn't had time for on the last visit, and I saw the six-month gap between a December river trip and a May large-family trip, and it just seemed to fit in nicely. Spur of the moment, but looking forward to (hopefully) another really enjoyable experience. After that and the family trip, new destinations await... A month in Norway sounds great, and I imagine the midnight sun was a great experience also.

Glad to hear you enjoyed your trip! The breakfast change sounds like a good idea, guess I'll see what other things they've changed in about six months on the next trip.

Probably not, usually I glance over those overly-long forms and read what concerns me...say the cancellation windows and such, but life is too short to waste reading the multitude of forms that barrage us each day. It also says "You agree and are responsible for ensuring that the insurance covers all your needs, including your existing medical conditions and expenses, cancellation fees and repatriation in the event of an accident or illness. // In the event that it is later discovered that you or anyone in your travel group has chosen to travel without adequate insurance or other equivalent cover, Havila Kystruten is not liable for any expenses and losses that may arise and that would otherwise have been covered by such insurance, including consequential loss associated with this. Contact any insurance company to find an insurance policy that suits you and your needs." Obviously, "you must have this to travel" and "In the event that you chose to travel without a policy that (in your own opinion) suits you and your needs, we're not responsible" etc. are somewhat contradictory. Since I know from experience they don't check or ask for any proof of insurance, I'll leave it as-is, since I never expected them to be responsible anyway, and can cover my own needs. We do have good medical insurance, but even if we didn't, I wouldn't have expected Havila to cover that. If the whole trip gets cancelled and they go out of business, I'm still eons ahead of what I'd have lost by paying all these years for travel insurance. Quite often, folks that never travel without travel insurance think it's a must-do for everyone, but it's not necessarily so. If my luggage is lost I'll buy the stuff I need, and probably the airline will cover it, but if not that's OK. If I get sick and need to cancel the rest of the trip, stay in a hotel, then pay for changing flights etc., I'll take care of it and not expect a refund from the cruise line. No criticism for those who always choose travel insurance, it's a good and wise option in many situations...but it's also basically a betting game between you and the insurance company. Anyway, they don't check, so use your own judgment.

Who is "they"? I never heard of such a thing. Whether to insure or not is your choice. Whether it's a good idea depends on your financial situation, your health and age, and the likelihood of something coming up that causes you to cancel beyond refund times. We did the round trip in 2023 and will be going again in February 2025...never had insurance other than our existing medical, and was never asked or inquired about. Perhaps you misunderstood...maybe whoever told you that meant that if you want trip insurance you have to buy it independently. Have fun on your trip, it's a great voyage!

The only one offered when we went was a bus tour with dinner (however we didn't go, it was a couple of friends who took that tour and reported it as nothing great, though they didn't say it was awful or any such thing.

If your schedule allows it, and you aren't thrilled with worrying about any delay causing you to miss your ship, why not fly in a day early to Kirkenes? I know that at least Thon and Scandic have hotels there, along with the ice hotel. You could easily use up an afternoon, there's the ice hotel to visit, a museum, plus exploring around the town. The ship gets in around 9 or 9:30 AM if I remember right, so a good night's sleep and breakfast would probably put it at about the time you could board the ship. I think you could probably make it with your current schedule, but it would be close at best, especially if you have luggage to pick up, and I've always thought it more enjoyable to board relaxed and rested rather than rushed and 'hope-we-make-it' tired.

...or fly to Tromso, then just book the round trip boarding in Tromso, returning to Bergen. We had a couple on our trip last year that boarded the full RT in Tromso (though I think they got off in Tromso also). Plenty of options, depending on where you want to stay and how long. As @hallasm mentioned, there are some nice conventional cruise lines like Viking that offer northern lights trips, but I think the glitch may be if you wanted to stay at the Tromso ice hotel. As to Hurtigruten or Havila, look at the cabins they offer, and compare prices also. There's a significant difference for both of those factors between the two lines.

Have a look at the cabins...see if size, layout, window/balcony/etc. suits you. YouTube also will usually have some sort of cabin tour, though keep in mind that if they are old videos, it may have been pre-refurbishment. As Hallasm said, the Havila ships are all new, the Hurtigruten ships are older...in fact, my in-laws took one of the current coastal route vessels, the Nordkapp, in 2003. Here's a link to a walkthrough of the Havila Capella I don't have a similar link to the Nordkapp or other ship Hurtigruten uses for the coastal route, but perhaps again, a YouTube search might produce some. If you like a balcony or larger window, the Havila ships may be more to your liking, as they have more cabins with them. If your departure date is critical, check to see what dates are available. Since they share the coastal route on different days, that alone may determine your choice. I can't fairly compare the two, since I haven't done the route on Hurtigruten; I did the full round trip on the Havila Capella in February 2023, and we're going back on Havila in February 2025. The experience, ship, crew, and voyage were absolutely great, so I had no reason to switch. Good luck, whichever you choose...the coastal route is absolutely amazing and interesting!

We did 3 of your 4 excursions in February 2023...in Tromso we did the dogsled ride instead of the gondola. I wouldn't have cancelled any of them due to weather. The Geirangerfjord trip is on a ferryboat that's warm inside, and protected from rain, with plenty of seating, guided by some knowledgeable park rangers. It can be cold and exposed on the top deck but I spent a lot of time up there enjoying the great views. Great tour, I wouldn't miss it. North Cape...I wouldn't want to miss regardless of weather. The ride is on a comfortable bus through scenic and interesting territory, and at the cape the center is warm and comfortable, with food, drinks, souvenirs, and a short walk out to the cape itself. Easy to walk back if you get cold or the rain or snow starts. The Russian border was also one I wouldn't miss. It's a comfortable bus ride to the caves where you enter and residents hid during the war, and ours was guided by Ernst Sneve, who experienced it as a child. Then a ride through scenic country to the border, and a brief stop at a small shop right there at the border, and a return to the ship. I can't imagine the Tromso gondola being that much of a problem if weather isn't good. I tend to like to book in advance, and when we went in February some were full, some had space available, and at least one was cancelled due to not enough bookings. So that's another risk of waiting until the last minute...the tours are run by third parties and if there aren't enough bookings, they may cancel. If the weather is REALLY Miserable, they may get cancelled anyway, but Norwegians mostly just flow with the weather. I noticed when we walked around Oslo that when the icy winds, rain, snow, or whatever come up they don't miss a step. Also, be aware that the coastal journey is near the gulf stream, so even in February, temps ranged from -10 to +10C, with the -10 only once that I remember. Perhaps in April you'll get more rain than snow, but I don't think on the excursions you'll be exposed to it for long enough to ruin it. We have T-Mobile, and had no problems with cell or data...maps were always working, and I know voice worked in Oslo and Bergen, but didn't really have any use for it when were were at sea.

Thanks Nancy, no doubt you're getting pretty excited by now. Not only the midnight sun, but Norway should be really nice that time of year. Up by the North Cape or Kirkenes, or I imagine anywhere in the Arctic circle the midnight sun should be amazing. I'll watch for the pictures...we already have intentions to return there in late spring or early summer for the midnight sun and Norway at its spring best, but no definite time yet. You'll have a great time. Norway's an amazing place, the people are great, the coast route is beautiful and Havila's ships and crew are so nice that it's hard to imagine anything but a great time. Even in February, getting off at the end of the voyage, I'd have gladly hopped back on for another round trip.

ABM Parking Services 80 Francisco Street, San Francisco, CA 94133 Office: (415) 398-4162 | Cell: (415) 417-9412 Call them ahead of time and tell them you're cruising out on Princess and give them the info. You can prepay and print out your authorization, which will save you a lot over the price if you just drive in. An easy walk to the pier, especially if you drop off your luggage with passenger at the pier, then park and walk the short distance back.

We booked 2 nights in Oslo, but really only had one full day (midday arrival and the train to Bergen departs early, about 8:20). I wished we'd had at least another day there. If you stay in the central area, there's plenty to fill up a couple of full days at least. We did book a 2-hour bus/walking tour in advance, and it was well worth it since it took us to areas we'd have a hard time getting to on our own with limited time. So you might want to consider more than two nights unless you really don't see much in Oslo that interests you. We're going back Next February and I'm booking 3 nights to make up for the places we didn't have time for. Art galleries, museums, the opera house, library, besides life and the general aura around central Oslo make it really worthwhile if those things are interesting to you. There's a porter service (porterservice.no) that will take your bag(s) from Oslo to Bergen (or back) for a reasonable fee, in case you don't want to deal with your larger luggage for the train or ferry. Excellent service, they were reliable and reasonable. The train ride is exceptional... you can get your tickets in advance at vy.no if you know your dates and times. We did the Oslo-Myrdal-Flam-Myrdal-Bergen route on the train with a night in Flam, rather than the legit "nutshell" tour; it was mid-winter and Flam was pretty quiet. Very much worthwhile visiting but one night was adequate. We also booked 2 prior nights in Bergen (in Bryggen) and it was a bit better timewise, as the Havila ship doesn't board until late afternoon, so we basically had 2 full days in Bergen. Again, the central area is best, and there are some 1-2 hour guided walking tours that are really worthwhile and not expensive. You learn your way around, and some interesting history etc. There's a funicular railway from the central area, and it's very interesting to walk around on your own and enjoy. More days would have been OK, but having nearly 2 full days made it not seem so short as Oslo, with its early train departure. You might be able to see some fall color in the fjords...I asked the ranger in geirangerfjord about when that would be, but he wasn't very specific...I suppose it varies like everywhere, but he did suggest maybe October. Have fun on your trip! I did have some pics from our Feb. 2023 trip at https://pbase.com/roberthouse/norway23, if you want an idea of the scenery you're in for.

I've had the same experience, either side was used for docking. With my first Havila trip, I contacted them before booking to see if there was a specific side they docked on, and it is the port side. The cargo door is aft on the port side, the passenger gangway is midship on the port side, and I don't think there are either on the starboard side so there may not be much choice. I was glad I checked, as I really enjoyed seeing the port activity, passengers boarding, etc., very different than normal cruise ships.

Laundry is free, even the soap is automatically dispensed. There were no gratuities charged, which I assume hasn't changed since last February. There was a crew appreciation donation box in a corner, but I don't believe it was ever even mentioned, so strictly voluntary (if you notice the box there at all). There were no surprise or added-on expenses in our case, so if you stick with what's offered for meals and don't use the cafe, you should avoid that if so inclined. Water, coffee, and tea comes with meals and also juices or milk with breakfast. With an inside cabin, be sure to turn on your cabin announcements if you're interested in northern lights. The crew is very good at announcing them any time they're sighted, but you can miss it or sleep through it without the announcements if in your cabin. A good phone app for northern lights can help too, since you can get advance info as to the likelihood of lights and the cloud cover situation.

The perks include the Havila Gold package, which covers drinks and food from the Cafe, along with two nights' dining at the Hildring (very nice) and breakfast at the Hildring, also very nice. You can order additional entrees/desserts from the main dining room without extra charges. I'm not sure of the limits on drinks since I don't drink alcohol, but it was nice just being able to order what you want...food, drinks, sparkling waters etc., coffees... without having to deal with extra costs. You get a bottle of champagne and flowers also. Room service if you're so inclined, and a minibar with an assortment. The extra space is nice, a somewhat separate room to get up early or stay up late if one likes, without disturbing the other. I think it would be a great 60th anniversary trip. We enjoyed our trip (February 2023) so much I've booked another next February, in fact the same Junior Suite. If you like the idea of seeing the port activity on the short stops, book the port side cabins, if you want it a little quieter, maybe less chance of glaring port lights late at night, the right side might be a bit quieter. I loved watching the port activity, and the balcony got a lot of use even in February.

A lot of this could have been avoided if your schedule hadn't been so tight...all sorts of things can go wrong if you schedule flights so tight that any problem becomes a major issue. First thing I'd have done is call the airline and see if they could change the flight. If so, problem solved. I don't see anything wrong with them using a travel agent to book, what does it matter? Did Havila book and arrange your flights, or did you? If you booked air travel through Havila, they should have taken care of any issues, but if you booked yourself, you chose your options. If i book a hotel at the cheapest rate and a flight is cancelled and rebooked the next morning, the airline isn't going to pay me for the room I couldn't use because I chose that non-refundable price. Mechanical issues, unless from lack of maintenance, as well as weather, are inevitable. If you've ever had airline flights cancelled or delayed, you probably know they'll help you out somewhat...try to rebook, maybe put you up in a hotel of their choosing...but they're not going to pay for the cruise you missed because you were supposed to fly in the morning it began, or your special demands to be made "whole". Likewise, if any travel company wants to stay in business, they have to keep things reasonable and not just start handing out money to whoever asks for whatever they think they are owed. We don't know "both sides of the story" here, and maybe they do owe you and didn't handle it well, but from the description, it could be you're expecting more than is reasonable. Travel insurance might be a good option in your case; they too will only reimburse you within reason and the limitations they specify. Or use a travel agent, and contact them if anything goes wrong. Or, use a cruise line that offers to book your flights for you, then let them handle it if such issues come up.

I guess it depends on your view of the purpose of "packages". We've always bought a couple of the coffee cards/packages, and they were a good deal for the consumer if you used them...free brewed coffee, and 15 specialty coffees for around $35-40. That was a good deal for us, and I assume OK for Princess since they're the ones who set the price. Maybe it wasn't a good-enough deal for Princess, since they've discontinued those. Then there are the 12-packs of bottled water for $7. Much better than having to track down water or get glared at if you fill your water bottle. That's a benefit to the purchaser, and probably OK for Princess since bottled water is so cheap. Plus, (opinion) encouraging people to drink water is healthy and beneficial to them, maybe not so much for alcohol or soda. Hopefully they won't discontinue that like they did the coffee. But let's say they figure their drinks are worth, say, $12 on average, since that's about what they charge. Those who claim to hardly drink generally say they have maybe 2-3 a day, so if Princess subtracts what those 3 per day are worth (after all, it's what they charge), and they take off the $36 per day, it then becomes $24 per day for gratuities and wi-fi. They can keep the fitness classes and other stuff, and just offer the alcohol-free plus for a good deal for the purchaser, and should be a good deal for Princess. Unless of course their drinks aren't worth what they charge... Of course if you manage to consume the full 15 per day with plus, That (at $12) would be $180, so they're actually losing $120 a day on those folks, plus the grats and wifi, so that alcohol-free package at $24 would be a bargain for Princess. But back to the original subject, a package should be a benefit to the purchaser, and they should not have to drink a lot to benefit from it...why not some other options for the rest of us?

I agree with the last couple of messages...You really don't need to be "allegiant" to any cruise line. Most have their strong and weak points and offer different experiences. While it's nice getting elevated to some "special" ranking by being faithful, that's really just a sales incentive to benefit them. And you can tell by reading these forums that it works. Besides the different cruise lines that offer similar journeys, there are river cruises, ferries, land tours on buses, trains, mixed, and they all offer things that others don't. When I see folks that know all the ships on one cruise line, know the captains and crews by first-name, know the ship classes and dining room details for all of them and what port they're currently in (OK, some exaggeration...8^), and their posts consist mostly of acronyms, I wonder if they just really love that cruise line or if they got caught in a rut. Which is OK if they're happy with it, but not for me. There are lots of great experiences out there, on ships and by other means, and finding something new is exciting.

I think you should give it some time rather than canceling your other cruise. Sounds like you're (understandably) a bit sensitive to things that normally people would just shrug off. I read your post several times, and it really sounds like such a minor incident that it's not worth getting bothered over. The rep certainly had a right to ask the reason for canceling if that's their normal procedure, and though she may not have reacted in the way you expected, demanding a supervisor sounds a little extreme, considering how customer service in general is these days. But sure, try some other cruise lines or travel options...you may enjoy it, and besides there's no reason you have to remain "faithful" to one. There are so many cruise and other travel options, try some others, but keep your booked Princess cruise unless you have decided you don't want to do it for other reasons, besides a customer service agent that wasn't up to standard. Don't waste your time, enjoy yourself!

Click to see the breakdown of costs...even when 3-4 are free, there are taxes and port fees.

That's too bad about the Russian border tour, I don't think the descriptions (at least when we booked it), do it justice. We probably only had about a dozen, maybe 20 when we went. Our guide was Ernst Sneve, who lived there in the war years, and had some childhood experience in the underground caves where the citizens hid, so he had some very interesting stories up to the current day. We toured the caves, then had a very nice and scenic bus ride through the countryside, through towns, past lakes, etc. on the way to the border...very scenic in winter. At the border, there's a small shop that sells his book, some souvenirs etc., and being at the border in the current situation was a bit eerie, but not bad, and I was glad we chose that tour. Some friends of ours did the Saltstraumen tour on the southbound leg, and they agreed with what you say, nothing great. I suppose if you hit it at just the right time and tides it would be exciting to see, but other times it's not all that great, apparently.

There are most always some glitches with new ships, good to hear things are going OK. That's great about northern lights already! I'm still deciding on the winter trip, been on the verge of booking it a few times. We have a Costa Rica trip in December, and a Zurich to Paris river trip in April-May, so would have to squeeze it in early February (I like having time to 'normalize' between trips). Most likely will book it soon, using the 'flex' so it can be changed if necessary, but I don't expect I would change it. I must really like Norway...I also want to do a 'midnight sun' version, but probably not a single round trip...maybe halfway, stop for a few nights up in the arctic circle, then return, possibly part way by train. Will wait to hear your upcoming trip report, since there's no way to fit that one in until at least 2025.

We did seven excursions, Geirangerfjord (only in winter), Tromso dog sled, North Cape from Honnigsvag, Russian border in Kirkenes, taste of Vesteralen, plus the bus/city tours in Trondheim and Hammerfest. We enjoyed all the tours...city tours we could have optionally walked but in winter and being unfamiliar with things the tours were a nice familiarization, and took you to places too far to walk. We got out at some of the other stops and walked around, best if they're a couple of hours or near that, but some went out on shorter ones. The daily talks in the evening help a lot in finding out what's feasible during the shorter stops. The ship (at least on our trip) was generally pretty quiet but not like "library quiet", just relaxing and peaceful...no noisy groups like you see on some cruise ships. Being winter and dark at 5:30 or thereabouts, we didn't spend a lot of late nights upstairs in the panoramic lounge except when going in to warm up during northern lights, but even then it was just pleasantly friendly chat, not rowdy or crowded. Of course, as Oakridger said, during midnight sun times, one would most likely want to be up and about, and the lounge would be great for that.