norway excursions

[marcelknipscheer]

Hello,

 

We go on the cruise to Norway. We booked in Flam the flamsbana tour.

Now we are thinking in Ulvik the tour to the mountain plateau by bus.

Anyone experience with this tour? Is it worth the money.

In Stavanger we would like to hike up to "Pulpit rock" but i think it takes to much time.

So now i thought the boat tour through the fjord under pulpit rock.

I know it is expencive thes ships tour but is it worth the money?

[pmjnh]

Best to ask these questions in the Baltic/Northern Europe forum. You will find lots advice there

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=192

[Third]

Is a HAL-excursion worth the money?

 

No, you pays 3 times the Dutch price. So say, first part is the Dutch price. That doubled because you are in Norway thats an expensive country. And then you pay the HAL-factor for HAL profit and a kind of insurance. When you're too late back from a shore-excursion then it's up to HAL to solve the problem. So, the price is high.

 

Yes, they are wonderfull excursions. When you're back home you think many times with pleasure back to these shore excursions. They enhance your cruise experience.

 

Make a budget and take the shore excursions bij HAL. It is relaxed. Make a split in your mind between the costs and the experience. Later you remember the experience.

 

If you go to Kristiansand too, then take a look at the excursion to Lillesand.

Edited June 16, 2015 by Third

[Alphen]

Hello,

 

We go on the cruise to Norway. We booked in Flam the flamsbana tour.

Now we are thinking in Ulvik the tour to the mountain plateau by bus.

Anyone experience with this tour? Is it worth the money.

In Stavanger we would like to hike up to "Pulpit rock" but i think it takes to much time.

So now i thought the boat tour through the fjord under pulpit rock.

I know it is expencive thes ships tour but is it worth the money?

 

 

i cannot help you with Ulvik, but the boat tour to Pulpit Rock is definitely worth the money.

 

Flamsbanen we have done, but we organised a group through our roll-call on CC. More than half the price of what HAL offers, booking directly with Flamsbanen as a group, ensures you seats on the train with a group price!

[GeneBK]

Last year, I was on the Ryndam, in port in Stavanger from 8:00am to 5:00pm. I made the Pulpit Rock hike independently. Two others from the ship also did the hike. It was a beautiful day and a wonderful experience, the highlight of the cruise.

 

So, it is doable. It depends on the length of time in port and the specific times or arrival and departure, and how they coordinate with the ferry schedule.

 

It was discussed in length last year in roll call: July 19, 2014, Midnight Sun Cruise, Ryndam, which I'll try to link here:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1929056&highlight=pulpit+rock+hike&page=3

 

Note post #49 (this details the specific travel times and progress of my day) and post #74

Edited June 16, 2015 by GeneBK

[catl331]

Check on the advice from those who have made these excursions, decide your budget and then rank the excursions according to importance to you. Do it!

You may never come back to these ports and you will regret it.Sometimes due to weather or other circumstances (health) etc. you have to cancel but at least you tried. Most of all though, Enjoy!!:)

[RuthC]

Now we are thinking in Ulvik the tour to the mountain plateau by bus.

Anyone experience with this tour? Is it worth the money.

In Stavanger we would like to hike up to "Pulpit rock" but i think it takes to much time.

So now i thought the boat tour through the fjord under pulpit rock.

I know it is expencive thes ships tour but is it worth the money?

I can't help with Ulvik, as I've been there only once, and that wasn't the tour I took. It's a peaceful area, though. I can say that. Totally off the beaten path.

 

I have taken the catamaran ride up Lysefjord three times, and still love doing it. It gives an entirely different point of view than the ship scenic touring, which I had twice.

 

The weather has ranged from drizzle to light rain, so never grand (not the kind of weather I would want to hike in.) But different each time, and very pretty. You do go as far as Pulpit Rock, and get to look up at it before the boat turns around to head back.

There's a stop where you get off the boat for a snack of the ever-popular thin waffles w/jam. Another place the boat will pull over close to the rocks, and goats come down to meet you. Last time they almost climbed aboard! At a third place the boat pulls over to gather water from the waterfall, which you get a chance to sample.

 

I really like this tour, and find it peaceful and relaxing, while interesting.

[Third]

We've not done the excursion from Ulvik but from the other side. From Eidfjord. The bustour to the mountain plateau Hardangervidda was maybe the best excursion we've made (from 4). We were there at the end of May in 2012 and it was the first day the road was free of snow. But everywhere was much snow. It was very impressive. Also the waterfall was very impressive.

 

If I had money for just one excursion I took this one and skipped the train in Flam. That's a good excursion but you're going through 20 tunnels. In tunnels you see nothing. It is nice to do the train but IMHO you could be a little disappointed if you have seen Hardangervidda first.

[marcelknipscheer]

Thank you everybody for your good comments.

Today i booked the excursion to the mountain plateau in Ulvik and also the boattrip to pulpit rock in stavanger.

Now we have 3 excursions and i think that is enough.

I think you all are right. It is more expencive through HAL but when it worth the money it is an experience we will never forget.

Then it is good to spend a little more.

In Kristiansand i booked nothing we will see what we do there.

Tips are still welcome.

Now we hope for good weather. We sail 25 juli-1 aug.

[Third]

Kristiansand is a beautifull little town with white houses. A good place to relax and take pictures.

[RuthC]

In Kristiansand i booked nothing we will see what we do there.

Tips are still welcome.

Is a boat trip tour offered there?

 

I've taken a couple of different boat tours out of that port, and both were pretty good. One, which bused us a long way from the port, had us board a boat that took us all the way back. Some of the ride was on broad ocean, and it was wild & woolly! I had a blast on that one.

 

I hope your weather is good, too, but be prepared for it to be less than what you hope for. It can change very fast in Norway.