Which is the best month to visit Norway?

[soc1965]

I'd very much appreciate some advice from seasoned Norway/North Cape travellers. I dearly want to visit Norway next year on any one of the 3 Queens (love them all for their different things!) but need advice on which month will be best - so far looking at May June or July.

I want to soak up as much of the scenery & atmosphere as possible en route to stops from balcony or deck & make the most of my time there during the port stops.

Any advice, therefore, on best time to go, clothing to take for time off the ship (I'm thinking layers?) & any must do tours, will be gratefully received. Thank you!:)

[capnpugwash]

I'd very much appreciate some advice from seasoned Norway/North Cape travellers. I dearly want to visit Norway next year on any one of the 3 Queens (love them all for their different things!) but need advice on which month will be best - so far looking at May June or July.

I want to soak up as much of the scenery & atmosphere as possible en route to stops from balcony or deck & make the most of my time there during the port stops.

Any advice, therefore, on best time to go, clothing to take for time off the ship (I'm thinking layers?) & any must do tours, will be gratefully received. Thank you!:)

 

June/July for the midnight sun, layers are a great idea. Take plenty of cash as it is very expensive ashore. Try to include Olden, Flaam and Gerainger as they are all beautiful.

[radiomike]

June/July for the midnight sun, layers are a great idea. Take plenty of cash as it is very expensive ashore. Try to include Olden, Flaam and Gerainger as they are all beautiful.

 

I'll second that, we did QV in July this year, plenty of water still gushing down most waterfalls and snow on the mountain tops. The train at Flamm and the glacier at Olden are a must-do.

 

The North Cape is also at its best in July, the summer there is very short. Be prepared to be confused by the 24hr daylight!

[soc1965]

June/July for the midnight sun, layers are a great idea. Take plenty of cash as it is very expensive ashore. Try to include Olden, Flaam and Gerainger as they are all beautiful.

 

Thanks for reply - I followed the link to your blog & will pick up a wealth of information there - I'd better get saving now for all the trips I want to do!

[soc1965]

I'll second that, we did QV in July this year, plenty of water still gushing down most waterfalls and snow on the mountain tops. The train at Flamm and the glacier at Olden are a must-do.

 

The North Cape is also at its best in July, the summer there is very short. Be prepared to be confused by the 24hr daylight!

 

Thanks - you paint a great picture of what I hope will be a good trip - another box ticked, now if only I could sell that world cruise to my husband for 2014, it will be all my boxes ticked at once!

[Dajo5601]

Can add nothing other than to agree with Capnpugwash, he's listed some great ports (we've been twice to each in the past year and are looking to go again), take his advice - take plenty of money - it's expensive, but hey, well worth it. Enjoy the cruise.......

[simonpjd]

Just to say we went there end April/start May. The railway at Flam (a must) stops at a waterfall half way up and it was still part frozen and the snow was still there at the top. Fantastic.

But then we went to Spitzbergen 2 years ago and we were in T shirts sailing into the Arctic Circle in July.

Lets face it Norway is just such a great trip. You will have a great time whenever.

[Chunky2219]

We did it last year and again this year in May for 14 days all the way up to North Cape. You get midnight sun at the top all the way from early May onwards. There's a website you can look at to find the precise dates at any given latitude or any town in Norway. Just google "midnight sun Norway".

 

May is good, the snow is gone but you get to see a bit of it remaining and possibly a frozen lake or two if you take a tour up in the mountains. Both years we have had all 4 seasons on the cruise, including having a snowball fight at North Cape but an hour later it had all melted and we were in bright sunshine.

 

Gerainger and Flaam are the outstanding stops, as previously mentioned. Andelsnas is also pretty. You can do the Flaam railway for less than half the price of the official trip, just by walking 200 yards from the ship to the railway ticket office. However, check if there are any other ships there at the same time. QV and QE were both there one day this summer with only room to dock one. If you are on the ship which is tendering the queue for tickets might be long by the time you get ashore.

 

I wasn't such a great fan of Olden as some others are. You really need to be on a tour or doing some serious walking otherwise there's a strong chance you'll be back on board in time for lunch. However, there were two guys on the dock offering helicopter rides over the galcier and next time we go back that's definately what I'll be doing. You can book it in advance over the internet.

 

Stavanger is a frequent stop. Again, you might decide to eschew the official tours, walk 150 yards from the ship and hop on the fjord ferry to see Pulpit Rock, etc.

 

Most voyages stop in Bergen. If you decide to do the funicular railway it is well worth the trip for the view from the top. But go early because after about maybe 9:30-10:00am the queue at the bottom gets lengthy and it's difficult to get a good photo at the top because of all the bodies in the way.

 

Regardless of when you go, dress for all 4 seasons. Bergen gets about 330 days of rain a year but it has been brilliant sunshine for our two visits.

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[matdark]

Been to North Cape on QM2 last july, weather was dreadful, no midnight sun but 24hours grey and rain, which turned out to be a nuisance rather than anything else... 2m visibility at North Cape, huge frustration indeed. Great weather the year before, also on QM2 but not that far north (Geiranger only). That's the problem with Norway, you can never be sure. As for me I'm done with it!

[soc1965]

Thank you so much for your replies. It never ceases to amaze me that people give so freely of their time to answer questions on here. I'll do plenty of research on the various trips on offer both via Cunard & the internet so I can make the most of everyday as it's unlikely we'll do this trip again as I've got so many more places I want to see.

Wherever you are all going next, go in safety & have a wonderful time. Thanks again!

[bepsf]

We did Norway in 2008 during the month of July and we LOVED it!

Of course it did rain when we were in Oslo, but it was bright and sunny in Alesund, Flam and Stavanger....

...and I didn't find Norway that expensive - I felt it was rather reasonable in contrast w/ Copenhagen, Rotterdam and Amsterdam (Of course things do change)

I would have no qualms with returning to Norway in Late June/July.

[cruiseluvva]

We have been to the fjords in June, July and August and for us late June was best.

 

I do agree that Flaam, Geranger and Olden are the most scenic, but regarding Stavanger, if you like gardens, I can't recommend the trip to the tropical gardens of Flor& Fjaere highly enough. It is absolutely stunning there. About 20 minutes on a ferry and for us a must see every time.

[radiomike]

We have been to the fjords in June, July and August and for us late June was best.

 

I do agree that Flaam, Geranger and Olden are the most scenic, but regarding Stavanger, if you like gardens, I can't recommend the trip to the tropical gardens of Flor& Fjaere highly enough. It is absolutely stunning there. About 20 minutes on a ferry and for us a must see every time.

 

Oh yes, that was brilliant! Strangely only about 30 of us took this tour but it was well worth it with great hospitality from the owners.

 

The cable car ride at Bergen was also a must do but as a DIY, take the bus out of town for about 5 miles and get there as it opens at 09.00 well ahead of the tours.

[simonpjd]

I know this is the Cunard forum but I will throw this into the mix - specifically for Norway.

The big ships (all Cunard and the bigger P&O) all go outside and steam up the coast. If you go with Fred Olsen 1) their ships are smaller and 2) they have Norwaegian masters. So they stay inside all the way up so you get the most amazing views of this unique coastline all the way. By inside I mean the inside passage where you are within a stones throw of the coast all the way.

So while we were in Tromso the Arcadia (P&O) was outside and couldnt get in because of the rough weather.

Genuine advice - if you want the best of Norway go with Fred if the views and trip is more important than the luxury.

[Kynance]

Alesund was a late substitute for Stavanger on a trip a couple of years ago and I must say I was very happy with the substitution. I certainly enjoyed it more than I would have done, had we visited Stavanger a second time. Alesund suffered a catastrophic fire at the turn of the 20th century and was completely rebuilt in the German Art Noveau style. There is a terrific view point which can be reached on foot or by coach and we had a wonderful view of the harbour. Flam is an absolute must though and my top port in Norway. Bergen is a close second (and again has an excellent viewpoint, this time reached by cable car).

[LongTimeTvlr]

You have plenty of good answers but just to add my two cents.

We did the North Cape trip this year on QV and it was fantastic.

 

When we got to the Cape they said it was the clearest it had been in years. We could see forever.

 

And while many say the Flaam railway is great they are right, but we actually like the rail trip from Andelsnes better. On that trip you take the train one way and the bus the other. Both were amazing. We took the bus up and the train down. I would recommend that because you get to the rest room first, and I mean rest room. Just one for literaly hundreds of people.

 

Agree with all the other comments. Loved Olden, Bergen, Honigsvag, Tomso, Flaam, Trondheim, Alesund and Stavenger, though it was our second time there. We did not go to Geringer on this trip and I heard many good things about it.

 

Just a fantastic voyage.

[Mike11]

If you really want to see Norway, and not just hit a couple of major ports, have you considered Hurtigruten. My wife and I did an 11-day Bergen to Bergen cruise on Hurtigruten last February; we wanted to see the Northern Lights, and we did. In addition, we saw every port from Bergen to Kirkenes and back and enjoyed every minute of it. The summer is supposed to be equally beautiful. Small ship, no formal nights or casino, or much entertainment for that matter. Cabin was small but acceptable. Food was excellent. For us, one of the experiences of our lifetime. Definitely a bucket-list item IMHO. And a little less expensive than Cunard. Try it; you might like it!