Bergen Questions Answered

[StPete]

We will arrive on a cruise ship. Is there any opportunity to do a private tour to Flan or one of the fjords in a day. We arrive at 10 and leave at 5 pm. Thank you

[Dauntless]

I am coming to Bergen on 9/17 by cruise. 9/18 we disembark and would like to do the Norway In A Nutshell trip that starts somewhere around 8:00 that morning. If we clear our account with the ship the night before and walk off with our luggage that morning, do you know when the Customs Officers are on duty? I have emailed the port but received no response. We will be staying overnight on 9/18 at the Det Heseatic Hotel and I think we can drop our luggage there before we catch the train. If not, for whatever the reason--I'm thinking time issues--is there luggage storage at the terminal? We do not leave Bergen until the morning of 9/20 so we could do the Nutshell round trip on Monday so I'm trying to figure the best plan of action. We were going to use Monday as a catch up day before our flight home but we could exchange days if need be. If this happens, it means figuring out what to do with our luggage as we plan on staying at the Airport Clairion the night before our early morning departure on the 20th. Any thoughts on this situation

 

Thanks

[Vineyard View]

I personally would switch days. Norway in a nutshell is a long, but awesome day. The train schedules - as is common in Europe - do not leave one minute late, and the train station is a good 15-20 min walk from dock depending where your ship is. We were gone approx 13 hrs the day we did that adventure from ship back to ship time.

You might be able to pull it off....usually when there is an extra early flight your ship will be able to find a way to make that happen - but it could be a bit hectic.

Not sure about storage at train terminal as we were not in need of that.

But again, just my opinion. Either way, have a great time!

[jiminyC_fan]

I love the sound of Norway in a Nutshell. How would one go about booking it or is it cruise line specific? Thanks!

[Vineyard View]

Book it through their website before you leave. Make sure you can pick up your tickets the day before, and give yourself time at their visitors center (at least 90 min to 2 hrs) to purchase these tickets as your train will leave early in the morning and you will not have time to pick them up prior. I am not sure if there is any other option to obtain the tickets, but imagine you could ask them online.

We walked to the train station - a good 15-20 min brisk walk - by the time we returned to the ship it was a wonderful, but long 13 hr day.

[Dauntless]

Book it through their website before you leave. Make sure you can pick up your tickets the day before, and give yourself time at their visitors center (at least 90 min to 2 hrs) to purchase these tickets as your train will leave early in the morning and you will not have time to pick them up prior. I am not sure if there is any other option to obtain the tickets, but imagine you could ask them online.

We walked to the train station - a good 15-20 min brisk walk - by the time we returned to the ship it was a wonderful, but long 13 hr day.

90 minutes to 2 hours to purchase tickets? Had you purchased earlier? I just don't know how it could take that long to walk in, give them your name and them to give you the tickets? Even if you hadn't purchased earlier, it seems like a long time. Are you including your time there and back? Is this the Bergen visitors Center? Please help me understand what I'm reading.

 

Thanks

[Vineyard View]

We reserved the trip online prior to the trip. We had to pick up the actual tickets in person - it is entirely possible that they are now issuing online, however May 2015 they did not. So we walked to the visitor center, only maybe 10 min from the ship. When we walked in it was packed. We took a number and waited for it to be called. The inside process took about 90 min. So including walk back, approx 110 min. I have no idea if that is typical - you may want to go to the cruise port section on CC, log onto Bergen, and ask if you can get an update.

I will say that the pack of people were not all there for NiN, but for a multitude of excursions/tourism/day trips. It was extremely busy.

[Dauntless]

OK VV. Now I know. Since we get to port on Saturday, there might be some time after all the ships arrive when things have calmed down. I'll check their hours to see what the timeline is I'll start figuring our strategy. Thanks

[Vineyard View]

I would first go online to see if there is any way to print the tickets out now. It would be much easier and make so much more sense.all that said...totally worth it. Just FYI - you can take two directions....can't remember exact details, but we did the one where the bus to the fjord came first and I might recommend that. Due to the fact that the bus ride down into the valley was spectacular. Might be more scenic than going up out of the valley.

 

That said - convened the train ride out of Flam in that direction goes up into the mountain rather than down into the fjord,,,,and that might be more scenic.

 

No matter which you choose, it is spectacular.

[Dauntless]

I love the sound of Norway in a Nutshell. How would one go about booking it or is it cruise line specific? Thanks!

You've mentioned the Viking Homelands cruise and we're not really sure where you are going before Bergen. The website says on thing and your literature says another. Your alternate stop is on Hadangerfjord. There is also Hardaerfjord In A Nutshell and Sognefjord in a Nutshell, as well as NIAN. Depending on the final route, you might want to book any of these alternatives as a post cruise outing. A lot will depend on your budget and time away but at least you can look at your options, weigh your choices and decide what best suits you before you make your plane reservations. Just a thought.

[Janice621]

We will be arriving on the Pacific Princess. We are interested in taking a 3-1/2 hour catamaran trip through the fjords. The website states that tickets can be purchased at the Tourist Information Office by the Fish Market. How far is it to walk from the cruise terminal to the Fish Market and how long would it take?

 

Thanks.

 

Janice

[Dauntless]

How far is it to walk from the cruise terminal to the Fish Market and how long would it take?

 

Thanks.

 

Janice

About 4 posts up, VV says it is about 10 min from where the Viking Star docked. I assume it should be about the same amount of time. When you find out for sure, you can look it up on Rome2Rio.com. It will give you the route, ways of getting there, time it will take and approximate cost where applicable.

[jiminyC_fan]

Thanks again Dauntless. I didn't know of the other "in a nutshell" tours. I'm sure once I book they will be able to tell me the exact itinerary.

[Vineyard View]

Yes, it is about 10 minute walk. And an easy one. The visitors center and fish market are both in the same complex.

 

If you are on Viking and are going into Flam, the Norway in a Nutshell may not make so much sense as that is the destination - and the same fjord....that said, Bergen is a great town to spend time in! I would not hesitate to recommend enjoying some time there. We found it charming.

[jiminyC_fan]

Vineyard View, I have seen you around CC but I can't remember what cruise you were on. Were you on the Viking Homelands and if so, did you write a review or a blog that I could read?

[Grego]

Great thread. Thanks for doing this. We will be there in early September aboard the Regal Princess. Looking forward to your thoughts about thinks to do on our own while there.

[Vineyard View]

JimmyC - we were on the Viking Star on the maiden voyage last year - Barcelona to Stockholm, so half of that time we sailed the Baltics. It was amazing and we totally enjoyed that part of our world. I did not write a blog, but did write a a couple general reviews.

[Fairfield Nana]

Gotta say after being on these Viking Oceans threads for a couple of years in prep for our July 2016 Homelands cruise, the very best advice I have found has been posted by either Vineyard View (being from Napa area, I can really appreciate this name), id4elizabeth, or Roothy123. They also write very well and have tons of great info to share. Most of the rest of us just have 'tons of opinions"

[Vineyard View]

Hey thanks Fairfield Nana.....being from Sonoma area I understand your location!!

Elizabeth and we were on the same maiden voyage - she for the whole 50 days and we for 29 days. Roothy was a bit behind us in dates - her attention to detail and positive take is great reading.

So all that said, my DH and I look forward to future adventures that we would not hesitate to and look forward to Viking Oceans as well as rivers.

Enjoy your voyage. It will be amazing Fairfield Nana!!!

[supersecdd]

I read that everything in Bergen is closed on Sundays and we will be there on a Sunday from our cruise ship. Will the Fish Market, Hanseatic Museum and wharf area shops and galleries be open? Is there a name to the wharf area shops and art galleries?

[jiminyC_fan]

Vineyard View, thanks. I'll search out your reviews.

[Splinter]

I read that everything in Bergen is closed on Sundays and we will be there on a Sunday from our cruise ship. Will the Fish Market, Hanseatic Museum and wharf area shops and galleries be open? Is there a name to the wharf area shops and art galleries?

 

The Fish Market is open 7 days per week from 0700-2100 from May 1-Sept 30. The rest of the year it is only open on Saturdays.

 

You can find other attraction and museum open times at this site:

http://en.visitbergen.com/visitor-information/bergen-tourist-information

[Billybob62]

We have 2 full days in Bergen and aside from a morning city tour the second morning, the rest is free time. We would like to go to Mt Ulriken by public bus the first morning and then tour whatever is not covered in Bergen in our included tour that afternoon. If we do Mt Ulriken, is the view different from Mt Floyen? We can walk up which is probably fun in and of itself. Any suggestions for "out of the way" places in Bergen? Thanks for any advice.

[mhb1757]

We are flying into Oslo and "Nutshelling" it into Bergen a couple of days before our cruise departs. Looking for hotel suggestions in Bergen. Can't decide if it would be easier to stay close to the train station or take a cab to someplace in the Bryggen area. Anyone have suggestions?

[Dauntless]

We are flying into Oslo and "Nutshelling" it into Bergen a couple of days before our cruise departs. Looking for hotel suggestions in Bergen. Can't decide if it would be easier to stay close to the train station or take a cab to someplace in the Bryggen area. Anyone have suggestions?

The train for nutshell is not far from the Bryggen area so you're not talking a big difference in location. We are doing the nutshell RT from Bergen after the cruise and are staying at the Det Hensiatic Hotel close the Museum in Beryggen. A little rustic but it gives you the feel of the town without the US slant. In Stockholm we're at First Reisen Hotel and First does have a location not far from ours in Bergen. Again, another brand we're not use to but why go to the area to feel like you're in your standard American cookie cutter place. A suggestion for your consideration because I haven't stayed there yet.