Norway Port - Geiranger

[phabric]

We will doing a 7 day Norwegian Interlude July 30 with 4 ports. The excursions have become available on Princess. We will be cruising Hellesylt (scenic cruising of Geiranger Fjord) for 2 hours before getting to Geiranger.

 

Princess lists only 5 excursions for Geiranger - Mount Daisnibba for 3 hours or Mount Daisnibba & Geiranger Fjord Center for 4 hours both for $129. Any opinions on these excursions.

 

On other cruises (Iceland/North Cape), Princess has listed Hellesylt with a tour going by coach to Geiranger. I am wondering why they don't offer this excursion on our cruise.

[TLCOhio]

We will doing a 7 day Norwegian Interlude July 30 with 4 ports. The excursions have become available on Princess. We will be cruising Hellesylt (scenic cruising of Geiranger Fjord) for 2 hours before getting to Geiranger. Princess lists only 5 excursions for Geiranger - Mount Daisnibba for 3 hours or Mount Daisnibba & Geiranger Fjord Center for 4 hours both for $129. Any opinions on these excursions. On other cruises (Iceland/North Cape), Princess has listed Hellesylt with a tour going by coach to Geiranger. I am wondering why they don't offer this excursion on our cruise.

 

We are getting ready for our first visit along the western Norway coast. Below are my notes that I have pull together for when we visit this area on July 13. Maybe this will help you in considering your options. If it's a nice weather day there, whatever you do will be super wonderful.

 

Geiranger is where Norwegians escape when they need a vacation. The most breathtaking attraction is the mighty Seven Sisters Waterfall, spilling hundreds of thousands of gallons of water from an incredible 5,000 feet. Sitting at the head of majestic Geiranger Fjord, the city is surrounded by towering snow-covered mountain peaks, lush, green vegetation and winding hiking trails often enjoyed by the ambitious vacationer. This location has been named the best travel destination in Scandinavia by Lonely Planet and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its fjord is ten miles long and 960-foot-deep. Population is approximately 300. Geiranger and Hellesylt were popular destinations from an early date. The first boatload of tourists from abroad arrived in 1896. Today the Geirangerfjord is the second most important cruise destination in Norway, with well over a hundred ships calling in the summer as well as the Coastal Steamer (Hurtigruten). The area is visited by approximately 1,000,000 summer tourists.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

[TLCOhio]

We will also be visiting nearby Helleysylt on July 13, from 8 am-10 am. We will be tendered. Here are my notes on this stop:

 

A small village with a population of about 600, Hellesylt lies at the head of the Sunnylvsfjord, which is a branch of the Storfjord (Great Fjord) and nearby to the famous Geirangerfjord. Mountains and valleys surround the village, the settings of Ibsen's play, Brand. Hellesylt is under constant threat from the mountain Åkerneset, which is about to erode into the Geirangerfjord. A collapse could cause a tsunami destroying most of downtown Hellesylt.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

[NVCLVR]

Phabric:

If you're on the Ocean P on 7/31, I did find the Hellesylt/Geiranger excursion offered, on Princess' website, under "excursions". Its listed under Hellesylt (cruising) as "Best of Geiranger Fjord District". You'll tender off the ship at Hellesylt and meet the ship, 8hrs later in Geiranger. I did take the Hellesylt/Geiranger trip (off the Grand P) a couple of years ago - it was an absolutely wonderful; albeit very long...all day trip. If they don't, in fact, offer the excursion, it will probably be due to the time-in-port factor. As I said, the excursion calls for tendering at Hellesylt and taking the motor coach inland around to Geiranger. You go through several different types of terrain...from small mountain villages, to farm areas, to lakes to mountains w/glaciers, past a ski area, up to Mt. Daisnibba and finally down into Geiranger where you tender back onto the ship. You do stop for lunch at a wonderful "chalet"-type restaurant in the middle of nowhere, overlooking a beautiful valley and glacier. You also stop for a snack: coffee/tea and cake, on the shore of a large lake. (our trip was the opposite..G to H w/ferry back to G..I think due to the scheduling of the motorcoach). If you do find it in your offerings, don't hesitate to take it..worth every penny and probably the best of any of the Norwegian excursions offered! By the way..it wasn't crowded at all. If you can't take this tour, I would probably opt for the 4hr trip. Scenery is amazing and the trip up to Mt.D is spectacular. My DD took the kayak excursion..kayak'd to the seven waterfalls and still raves about it. You'll love your trip...even if you never ventured off the ship, you'd still be in awe with the scenery!:)

[phabric]

Princess shows 4 excursions under Find a Cruise then Excursions for the Norwegian Interlude cruise and in the Princess book it shows a service call for Hellesylt. When I go into My Princess for my cruise since the Shore Excursions are now available, it does not list any excursions for Hellesylt only 2 hours cruising the Fjord. I have called Princess 4 times and they each say no excursions. I have asked to talk to the Excursion Dept and one of them said there is no department for Excursions.

[as19111]

We are on the 7/29 Crown "Iceland/Norway" sailing. Our excursions are open, and there are offerings for both Hellesylt and Geiranger with a tender in both ports.

 

NVCLVR, you answered one of my questions that the Hellesylt offerings are correct. You've also provided a good description of what we might see on a Hellesylt excursion. Now, do you know what we might miss in "scenic" cruising to Geiranger if we took a Hellesylt excursion? Might we see it on departure from Geiranger? I was hoping to just chill for a couple of hours and take it all in from the ship...but now, I'm not so sure.

 

So much to see and so little time!

 

Thanks for your help!

[NancyIL]

We are on the 7/29 Crown "Iceland/Norway" sailing. Our excursions are open, and there are offerings for both Hellesylt and Geiranger with a tender in both ports.

 

NVCLVR, you answered one of my questions that the Hellesylt offerings are correct. You've also provided a good description of what we might see on a Hellesylt excursion. Now, do you know what we might miss in "scenic" cruising to Geiranger if we took a Hellesylt excursion? Might we see it on departure from Geiranger? I was hoping to just chill for a couple of hours and take it all in from the ship...but now, I'm not so sure.

 

So much to see and so little time!

 

Thanks for your help!

 

This is what I'm wondering as well. Someone on another thread mentioned that there is narration as the ship slowly sails from Hellesylt to Geiranger, and I'd hate to miss that. On the other hand, I'm really interested in one of the all-day excursions from Hellesylt.

[SeaTheWorldBySea]

Phabric:

If you're on the Ocean P on 7/31, I did find the Hellesylt/Geiranger excursion offered, on Princess' website, under "excursions". Its listed under Hellesylt (cruising) as "Best of Geiranger Fjord District". You'll tender off the ship at Hellesylt and meet the ship, 8hrs later in Geiranger. I did take the Hellesylt/Geiranger trip (off the Grand P) a couple of years ago - it was an absolutely wonderful; albeit very long...all day trip. If they don't, in fact, offer the excursion, it will probably be due to the time-in-port factor. As I said, the excursion calls for tendering at Hellesylt and taking the motor coach inland around to Geiranger. You go through several different types of terrain...from small mountain villages, to farm areas, to lakes to mountains w/glaciers, past a ski area, up to Mt. Daisnibba and finally down into Geiranger where you tender back onto the ship. You do stop for lunch at a wonderful "chalet"-type restaurant in the middle of nowhere, overlooking a beautiful valley and glacier. You also stop for a snack: coffee/tea and cake, on the shore of a large lake. (our trip was the opposite..G to H w/ferry back to G..I think due to the scheduling of the motorcoach). If you do find it in your offerings, don't hesitate to take it..worth every penny and probably the best of any of the Norwegian excursions offered! By the way..it wasn't crowded at all. If you can't take this tour, I would probably opt for the 4hr trip. Scenery is amazing and the trip up to Mt.D is spectacular. My DD took the kayak excursion..kayak'd to the seven waterfalls and still raves about it. You'll love your trip...even if you never ventured off the ship, you'd still be in awe with the scenery!:)

 

We're taking this excursion Hellesylt to Geiranger (Princess' "Best of Geiranger Fjord District"). May be a silly question - but I'll ask anyway. Does one side of the motor coach offer better views than the other?

[NVCLVR]

Phabric: Interesting, because I did find it on the website for the Ocean Princess "Interlude" cruise :confused:. If the excursions are open to book, now, I would keep my options open and keep checking back w/"My Princess". As soon as you get on board, check again w/the excursion desk to see if they add it at the last minute. Such a shame if they don't offer it...but, as I said, maybe they have less time in port planned for Geiranger.

 

as19111: Yes, you will definitely see the same scenery on the way out. Its a fairly narrow fjord & only one way in and one way out! Won't have the narration, though. We were on you same itinerary, on the Grand & spent each sailaway up in Skywalkers..looking off aft. Breathtaking views for picture-taking & "chilling" & you can see both sides. The not-to-miss features are the waterfalls..spectacular! Our excursion, as I mentioned, was from Geiranger to Hellesylt and they put us on a ferry to travel back up to Geiranger...so we did see the same scenery in & out. I know you're going to love this itinerary - we did and want to repeat it!

 

NancyIL: We did sail all the way into Geiranger (because my excursion was reversed) and neither DD nor I recall if there was any narration. If there was, it was probably in the common areas and on the TV. We were too busy gawking off our balcony...in awe! Again the super attraction is the 7 waterfalls (7 Brides, or 7-sisters, or 7-something) & you will see that coming and going. I wouldn't miss that excursion..just because you get a taste of inland Norway. If I get a chance to repeat that itinerary, I plan to take that same excursion a 2nd time.

 

SeatheWorldBySea: Not silly question at all. I don't think it makes much of a difference which side to sit on. I sat on the right side (facing forward) of the bus, but there were enough empty seats to switch sides to look out the other side, if I wanted. Scenery is equally fabulous, either side. The bus stops at many many places for photo-ops. Oh, yes...if you do have lunch at the Chalet-type restaurant..one side of the room is all glass...try to sit up near or against the window for an incredible view way down the valley & toward the glacier. There's a rushing stream that runs by the place and time to wander the pathways after the meal (we had Norwegian salmon..was terrrific!). The bus sometimes has to stop on narrow roadways...until the goats get off the road (even tho its a different country, one expects Heidi to come running by!). There are plenty of (free) restroom stops,too. Can't rave enough about this trip!

 

Ah...all this is making me quite pensive...think I'll watch out for the 2011 bookings..might just book a return trip :rolleyes:!

K

[NancyIL]

 

as19111: Yes, you will definitely see the same scenery on the way out. Its a fairly narrow fjord & only one way in and one way out! Won't have the narration, though. We were on you same itinerary, on the Grand & spent each sailaway up in Skywalkers..looking off aft. Breathtaking views for picture-taking & "chilling" & you can see both sides. The not-to-miss features are the waterfalls..spectacular! Our excursion, as I mentioned, was from Geiranger to Hellesylt and they put us on a ferry to travel back up to Geiranger...so we did see the same scenery in & out. I know you're going to love this itinerary - we did and want to repeat it!

 

NancyIL: We did sail all the way into Geiranger (because my excursion was reversed) and neither DD nor I recall if there was any narration. If there was, it was probably in the common areas and on the TV. We were too busy gawking off our balcony...in awe! Again the super attraction is the 7 waterfalls (7 Brides, or 7-sisters, or 7-something) & you will see that coming and going. I wouldn't miss that excursion..just because you get a taste of inland Norway. If I get a chance to repeat that itinerary, I plan to take that same excursion a 2nd time.

 

SeatheWorldBySea: Not silly question at all. I don't think it makes much of a difference which side to sit on. I sat on the right side (facing forward) of the bus, but there were enough empty seats to switch sides to look out the other side, if I wanted. Scenery is equally fabulous, either side. The bus stops at many many places for photo-ops. Oh, yes...if you do have lunch at the Chalet-type restaurant..one side of the room is all glass...try to sit up near or against the window for an incredible view way down the valley & toward the glacier. There's a rushing stream that runs by the place and time to wander the pathways after the meal (we had Norwegian salmon..was terrrific!). The bus sometimes has to stop on narrow roadways...until the goats get off the road (even tho its a different country, one expects Heidi to come running by!). There are plenty of (free) restroom stops,too. Can't rave enough about this trip!

 

Ah...all this is making me quite pensive...think I'll watch out for the 2011 bookings..might just book a return trip :rolleyes:!

K

 

Thank you for elaborating, as you've convinced me to change my excursion booking to the Best of Geiranger Fjord!

 

**One question: the description says there's a photo opportunity at Tystig Glacier. Did you get out of the bus to see it or just drive by?

[as19111]

Thanks, NVCLVR! There is still time to join our cruise, too!

 

I'll really look at this excursion. I wasn't sure how this day works, but it sounds like a really good one, coming and going.:)

 

Although it was a great excursion for you, what part did you enjoy the most?

[SeaTheWorldBySea]

THANK YOU NVCLVR!

I have really been looking forward to this itinerary and you have made me even more anxious for July 5 to get here! I know we'll love our day from Hellesylt to Geiranger. We are also doing a full day from Flaam that I think will be terrific.

Julie

[LauraBK]

We are getting ready for our first visit along the western Norway coast.

 

Hi Terry!

 

I've seen a few of your posts about Norway and the information you provide is wonderful. We just booked our first cruise and it is pretty much the same cruise you are doing (but we're going in 2011 on Silver Whisper)

 

I can't wait to hear how it is and how Silversea works - I would love to pick your brain when you get back :)

 

Thanks for all the great info.

 

Laura

[phabric]

I checked the excursions today and they have added excursions for Hellesylt instead of just cruising the Fjord. I have taken the Best of Geiranger Fjord District excursion. I am looking for to it.

[NVCLVR]

Yea! to all of you!! (& Phabric: so glad they added it to your cruise!). I hope you all get a terrific guide..we had a young lady who was sooo informative, not only of what we were seeing, but of the culture, lore (trolls!), superstitions, tales of some of the infamous people of the area, local jokes and she even taught us some songs - made us sing them. I think her mom or dad owned the guide/excursion service.

Nancy: I really dont recall which one was Tystig Glacier..we did stop at many places, including a glacier lake, top of Mt.Daisnibba and the ski area - may have been at one of those places..yes, there was snow up there in the middle of summer! Also, it could have been the one we viewed from the restaurant. I'll have to look at my photos and cheat notes.

AS1911: Are you asking which part of your itinerary I liked the most or which part of the excursion. Hard to nail it down. That excursion was the absolute best for me. I loved Bergen and both DD and I loved Alesund (you dock right in town and can walk everywhere). Both, of course, are cities. Geiranger, Hellesylt and Olesund (sp?) are beautiful, but are small villages. Had been to Iceland previously, so didn't really stand out for us; we did enjoy our stop in Belfast, too.

I am soooo envious of all of you! Am looking at returning 2011 (for our 3rd Baltic trip and 2nd Norwegian trip!). This year is at the opposite side of the world for us..Christmas in French Polynesia on the Royal P!

[Crusin-Suzan]

Who was the private tour with in Geiranger?? Thanks

[NancyIL]

Who was the private tour with in Geiranger?? Thanks

It's the "Best of Geirangerfjord District" on Princess.

 

Just wanted to add - you can't get off the ship in Hellesylt where the ship tenders for two hours unless you are on one of the Princess excursions. Your HAL cruise probably has similar excursions.

[Chips401]

Thanks for all the wonderful information. It was a hard choice to decided to stay on the ship or get off. We do have the shore excursion booked. We were wondering since we are travelling with an older couple. Does the bus itself have restrooms on board?

 

Thanks

[TLCOhio]

Hi Terry! I've seen a few of your posts about Norway and the information you provide is wonderful. We just booked our first cruise and it is pretty much the same cruise you are doing (but we're going in 2011 on Silver Whisper) I can't wait to hear how it is and how Silversea works - I would love to pick your brain when you get back. Thanks for all the great info. Laura

 

THANKS, Laura! You were following along on our just completed cruise. For others, here's a few notes and pictures on the Geirangerfjord tour that we did. Clearly, weather, no pun intended . . . can be the big unknown. We just rolled with it and it worked out fine.

 

For our Hellesylt to Geiranger bus tour, there were 67 from the ship (out of 268 total) who took this eight-hour tour. Even with the various weather challenges, it was still very fascinating to see all that we did. It gave us a better feel some of the rugged areas that are farther back from the coast than what we would normally experience while on the cruise. With the added rain that morning, it made the waterfalls even more interesting and flowing.

 

Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For more details on our July 1-16 Norway Coast/Fjords Silver Cloud experiences:

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

 

 

Hellesylt is not a large village, but it was a starting point for our overland tour. In most cases, you don’t take the tender into this port unless you have a tour departing from this point. Its options as a village are very limited. As this picture shows, it was raining. Bummer, but in the overall cruise, this is really the only place where weather had any negative impact. And, by mid-day, much of the rain has lifted. :

 

 

 

These are two trolls at the Raftevold Hotel, overlooking the Hornindals-Vannet Lake. At approximately 1,700 feet, this crystal-clear lake is as deep as Lake Tahoe and is the deepest lake in Europe.:

 

 

 

On the eight-hour “Overland from Hellesylt to Geiranger” bus tour, we stopped at the Jostedalsbreen National Park with these great views, even on a cloudy and foggy day. The rains had stopped by this point in the tour. These visuals include a nearby village scene, the grass on the top of a small building and this Aussie couple on our cruise checking out the interesting display of various stones from all over Norway.:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the afternoon of this overland tour, this was the scene as the Silversea excursion supervisor snapped a picture showing so much snow still on these mountains as their high locations, even in the middle of July.:

 

[TLCOhio]

Here’s the next group from that long, but very interesting fjords day.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

 

At the Videseter Hotel, we had lunch with a wonderful son and his mother from Russia. He spoke perfect English, studied at Stanford, had former Sec. of State Condi Rice as a teacher. Interesting lunch discussion. I showed them some of pictures from our 2008 visit to St. Petersburg that we loved so much. Before lunch, we saw this spectacular waterfall up close and personal. This is also where we saw one of these cute sheep at his high mountain elevation.:

 

 

 

 

 

This is the super scenic view from immediately above Geiranger that shows the Silver Cloud and Costa ships tendered. A little before this picture, we were to go to Mt. Dalsnibba as a photo stop from this 4,920-foot vantage for the snow-covered surrounding mountains, icy glaciers, crystalline lakes and Geirangerfjord far below. We went there, but it was totally “socked in”. It was so thick, you could barely find your bus on this day on top of the big mountain crowded with lots of buses from the Costa ship.:

 

 

 

 

After being tendered from Geiranger, we sailed out and passed by two super famous waterfalls. YES, yes, we saw lots and lots of waterfalls on this trip, but these two were among the “best of the best”. First is the “Seven Sisters”. Next shown is directly opposite in this narrow fjord and is called several names, including “The Suitor”. The majesty for these feats of nature is pretty amazing.:

 

 

 

[NancyIL]

Beautiful photos. Terry! I was briefly booked on the Crown Princess's July 5-17 Norway cruise following our British Isles cruise, but decided to postpone it for another year.

[phabric]

We are doing this tour through Princess. I was wondering what you had for lunch on the tour.

 

Your pictures are great, we are looking forward to this tour.

[TLCOhio]

Beautiful photos. Terry! I was briefly booked on the Crown Princess's July 5-17 Norway cruise following our British Isles cruise, but decided to postpone it for another year.

 

We are doing this tour through Princess. I was wondering what you had for lunch on the tour. Your pictures are great, we are looking forward to this tour.

 

THANKS for the nice comments on the pictures! It's a wonderful and highly enjoyable area in Norway. Loved it!

 

On the lunch at that hotel when doing the "Roof of Norway" tour, there was a small shrimp salad item as the initial course and then the main dish was salmon. Plus, dessert. Worked well for lunch and as a stop on a long and interesting day. Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For more details, visuals, etc., on our July 1-16 Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle Silver Cloud experiences:

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