gaelsail

Remember you battery usage will increase with the cold. Keep a spare battery in your pocket, ready to use.

Svartisen is at the end of a fjord near to the Arctic Circle. As you sail in, glimpse the glacier over the top of the mountains. The ship turns slowly at the head of the fjord to give a view of the glacier before starting to sail out.

The view differs in different seasons and with weather conditions. I usually spend a long time on deck (maybe 2-3 hours in total) and take warm clothing including mitts & hat, plus sunglasses and a thermal mug for a hot drink.

You'll have noticed there are several different sizes of ships- it might be useful to book one of the modern ships, also choose a cabin in the middle of the ship with less movement that you can retreat to if you're Husband feels the need.

Not walkable but you are beside the Royal Yacht. In front of the shopping centre it is attached to there are busses direct to the centre of Edinburgh. These are very regular.

Newhaven is not next to the Royal Yacht & Ocean Terminal shopping centre, that is Leith, approx. 15 minutes walk away. However, there are buses that leave from Newhaven and go into the city centre. https://lothianbuses.co.uk/getting-around/journey-planner

It's worth looking at the tourist information website for Åndalsnes.

We've visited in all weathers- from a blizzard of snow through to warm sunshine. The town's people are friendly and there are a variety of shops. A nice port to visit and walk in/around.

Sounds great to me! I was thinking of doing that at first but later think I should at least bring some just in case. Did you do any excursions? Were they bought with the cruise or pre-arranged independently online? No tipping? No washroom trips on land? No little snacks at stores? Sorry just want to get enough details to gauge. Thanks! :)

You need 10Kr coins for toilets- unless it costs more this year :rolleyes:

In prior posts from Tartanexile81, there is a city bus #16, #10 , HOHO, and taxi that can be used to get into Edinburgh, near the Royal Mile.

 

From your post, if ship larger than a yacht, calls in Newhaven, it is to be tendered definitely.

I've taken both a taxi and a bus into Edinburgh from the hotel at Newhaven. I've never been there during a cruise ship call so can't comment on the best way, or times, to travel.

3.Is there a website to look up the bus schedule?

Hope this helps, I'm sure someone else will be able to give more detail.

Question on docking or tendering in Newhaven. Norwegian Jade is there this spring (may?). is the Jade small enough to dock?

Newhaven is a tender port unless you're in a yacht or small boat.

Just posted this recommendation to a similar question...

http://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/showpost.php?p=51772902&postcount=15

We've sailed from Tilbury several times, arriving at London Euston by train.

We've booked at private transfer from 'Adelphi Executive Hire' 07900 330966 and they've coped with the train arriving at different times and different stations from those booked, still collecting and transporting us to either a hotel or the cruise terminal.

Hard to answer. Two days is enough to see the highlights. It's a pleasant enough city so sure you would enjoy a third day also.

I agree that a third day is good for Oslo, allows you to explore at a leisurely pace and to spend more time in some of the attractions. We have bought the Oslo pass for discounted entry during our visits. Some of the attractions involve travelling time and the buses/trams/metro are good.

Oh...I see. So it appears this is more of a ferry trip (I've got to get from point A to point B) vs. a cruise. I guess that should be expected for such a short duration.

You are on the same ship as does the 12-day coastal voyage, just disembarking early. It is a working ship but the experience is of a cruise ship where the entertainment is the scenery and ports.

The ships can be found here- varying from the historic to the modern.

https://www.hurtigruten.co.uk/our-ships/#destinations=1583&sort=header&asc=true

How can you say that Hurtigruten does not "really do the fjords"... ...Many people take the 6 day from Bergen to Kirkenes and then fly back to Oslo or Bergen from there.

the question was....

As part of our time in Norway I'd like to get an up-close look at some fjords for several days on a cruise. Are there any that you'd recommend for such a short duration? I'm thinking 2 nights/3 days.

 

We'll be in the south end of Norway, possibly flying in/out of Oslo. So the cruise would need to be somewhat accessible from there. Maybe out of Bergen?

This year September has been a far better month weather wise than May was.

Depending on where you live- it was the opposite here in NW :(.

That said, I'd choose May/June for delightfully long days.

But as pointed out by other posters, none of us can give you much in the way of prediction for the weather. That's how it is here

Agreed

A good option might be:

Train from Oslo to Bergen

Hurtigruten to Trondheim

Train from Trondheim back to Oslo

Both train journeys are very scenic and would complement seeing the coast from the ship? https://www.nsb.no/en/frontpage

Why then would this ship, well past shakedown fail with the bow thruster going out of service into the 6th of a 13 day cruise on July 13, 2016?

Has your car ever broken down?

Ponant Cruise Passengers Rescued After Excursion Boat Sinks off Greenland

The excursion boat was Greenlandic, it had Ponant passengers onboard.

We always travel by train to Southampton - so easy and part of our holiday

I agree, we also always take the train but overnight. The children we meet on the train see it as an adventure.

What is ur fave cruise line, ships and ports in Europe?

A very open question. Can you give more details about the countries you'd like to visit and your interests?

You don't know the name of the ship on which you were going to sail? That's a little unusual...

I agree, do we have a date then, to see it on the schedule?

but would like to comment that it was only the Americans who tipped - the Europeans and other nationalities didn't. (Not a judgment call, simply an observation.) .

When we first went to Norway, a tip was not expected. It's only recently that it has seems to have become regular.

I was concerned about needing change for pay toilets, but never ran into that either.

Many toilets cost 10 kroner, the coin put in a slot before the door will open. If you're dining in restaurants, you may have to ask for the code for the door.

Out of interest, do you accept kroner for tips in the US?

The Augustin is a smaller more boutique size hotel and not a large impersonal chain hotel serving large tour groups. We would choose this hotel again.

I agree, we found the Augustin very good, also its sister-hotel the Grand Terminus which is near the railway station.

My only concern is schlepping our luggage around from train to hotel, to boat to bus to train, etc, etc.

I've never used this luggage service, it might be worth looking at?

Porterservice

'We can offer a safe and secure transportation of your customer's luggage using train between Oslo and Bergen and also Bergen - Oslo. '

Is this the ship?

http://www.silversea.com/ships/silver-discoverer/

We will be spending time in Copenhagen and Oslo before our cruise which leaves from Hamburg. It would be nice to board the ship with all clean laundry so to have some laundry done on the ship would be minimal. We are staying at Oslo Thon Hotel Opera in Oslo. Can anybody recommend a laundry mat and how we would get there?

Some Norwegian hotels have onsite laundry rooms, I can't see any mention of them for your hotel but it might be worth checking with them?