Does norway in a nutshell view the fjords?

[justrfun2]

JANUARY 10, 2016

I'm hoping someone can clear things up for me, as I am so confused in regards to the Norway in a nutshell excursion, leaving out of Bergen.

Can someone take me through the tour and how it progresses from leaving Bergen and then back to Bergen. Does this tour involve bus rides and ferry

rides along with the flam railway. Mainly I would like to know if we get to see any fjords on this particular excursion? We so wanted to see fjords on this cruise to Norway/Iceland, but now I'm concerned we will be missing seeing any.

Appreciate all the help we can get! Thank you!

[casofilia]

JANUARY 10, 2016

I'm hoping someone can clear things up for me, as I am so confused in regards to the Norway in a nutshell excursion, leaving out of Bergen.

Can someone take me through the tour and how it progresses from leaving Bergen and then back to Bergen. Does this tour involve bus rides and ferry

rides along with the flam railway. Mainly I would like to know if we get to see any fjords on this particular excursion? We so wanted to see fjords on this cruise to Norway/Iceland, but now I'm concerned we will be missing seeing any.

Appreciate all the help we can get! Thank you!

 

I presume that you are on the Sep 14th Star cruise.

 

If so you will not see fjords at Aalesund as it is on the coast.

 

I presume you have seen:

On this exclusive tour, you’ll see some of the most beautiful sights of Norway. Drive past Bryggen and the Hanseatic quarters before heading to the village of Voss. Here, you’ll board a train that will take you through picturesque agricultural areas and an upward journey towards the mountains. At Myrdal station, you’ll change trains and board the Flam Line that takes you down the mountain to the tiny village of Flam.

After a short break, you’ll board your coach and drive to the little village of Gudvangen From here, the road takes you up the Naeroydalen (Narrow Valley). After maneuvering the many hairpin bends of Stalheim Canyon, you’ll reach the Stalheim Hotel where a fantastic view of the valley and a delicious lunch await. After lunch, the tour continues along Opheim Lake and further on to Tvinde Waterfalls, where a stop will be made. The drive is through Voss village and via Dale back to Bergen.

 

Reading this and looking on a map I doubt if you will see a lot of fjords. Not like on the Norwegian Fjord cruise we took last year and where we spent a lot of time cruising up and down fjords in daylight.

 

Use Google Maps to find the places named.

 

Mike

[jd1966]

Flam is actually at the end of Aurlandsfjord.

[casofilia]

Flam is actually at the end of Aurlandsfjord.

 

But you wouldn't "see" anything of the fjord, just the end of it; similarly at Gudvangen as you travel between them by bus.

 

Mike

[justrfun2]

Thanks for all that replied. Guess we're not going to get to see the fjords, just some truly amazing scenery!

[4774Papa]

Is that excursion still $299 pp? NCL's excursion prices can get pricey.

[TrumpyNor]

Just a little note from a native Norwegian:

The excursion is called "Norway in a nutshell" for a reason, because you will indeed see all the typical Norwegian landscape on this tour:

fjords/steep mountains/hairpin roads/deep valleys/inland/coast. This particular tour is actually one of the most popular tours in Norway, and it is that for a reason; it is simply a breathtaking landscape you will be passing through - and YES, it includes some fjord landscape as well..!

 

Here are some facts about the tour (it actually includes a 2 hours cruise on the Aurlandsfjord):

http://www.norwaynutshell.com/en/explore-the-fjords/norway-in-a-nutshell/#facts

 

Here is a photo from the Aurlandsfjord:

 

And here is another photo:

[casofilia]

Is that excursion still $299 pp? NCL's excursion prices can get pricey.

 

No; USD349.

 

Can't "get"; "are"

 

Mike

[TrumpyNor]

But you wouldn't "see" anything of the fjord, just the end of it; similarly at Gudvangen as you travel between them by bus.

 

Mike

 

The distance between Flåm and Gudvangen is actually done by boat on the Aurlandsfjord (2 hours).

Edited January 10, 2016 by TrumpyNor

[casofilia]

Here are some facts about the tour (it actually includes a 2 hours cruise on the Aurlandsfjord):

http://www.norwaynutshell.com/en/explore-the-fjords/norway-in-a-nutshell/#facts

 

I am very surprised that NCL does not include that fact in their "advertising" as it would be, to me, a very big selling point.

 

Mike

[casofilia]

The distance between Flåm and Gudvangen is actually done by boat on the Aurlandsfjord (2 hours).

 

NCL's own advertising states

At Myrdal station, you’ll change trains and board the Flam Line that takes you down the mountain to the tiny village of Flam.

After a short break, you’ll board your coach and drive to the little village of Gudvangen

 

No mention of a Fjord cruise.

Maybe the tour being sold in Norway cruises as you say but my reading of the NCL website does not include this.

 

Mike

[justrfun2]

Now as you can see from these last few posts, no wonder I am very confused about seeing the fjords or not, as the description does not mention this, and someone just mentioned a 2 hour boat cruise on the Aurlandsfjord?? So is that what will be happening on the Norway in a nutshell excursion for us??

[TrumpyNor]

NCL's own advertising states

At Myrdal station, you’ll change trains and board the Flam Line that takes you down the mountain to the tiny village of Flam.

After a short break, you’ll board your coach and drive to the little village of Gudvangen

 

No mention of a Fjord cruise.

Maybe the tour being sold in Norway cruises as you say but my reading of the NCL website does not include this.

 

Mike

 

This tour ("Norway in a nutshell") is a "protected trademark tour" with a very specific "route", and it even has its own webpage and brochures that you can find in all tourist information offices all over Norway, and I would be very surprised if NCL was allowed to sell it any differently. Only reason I can think about, is that maybe they (NCL) have asked to "eliminate" the cruising part to save time (reducing the total duration time of the excursion).

 

CORRECTION: I think you can add special parts to the tour, that would include the 2 hours fjord cruise - but that it is not included in the "original package deal". Sorry about the misunderstanding and confusion (you will still see some fjord landscape from the coach though)!

Edited January 10, 2016 by TrumpyNor

[polySeraph]

I was on the NCL version of "Norway in a Nutshell" in 2008. The 2-hour cruise was not included. At Flam we boarded buses for a scenic drive which included a very long tunnel (which my husband the engineer found very interesting).

 

Of course, things could have changed since 2008.

[casofilia]

I was on the NCL version of "Norway in a Nutshell" in 2008. The 2-hour cruise was not included. At Flam we boarded buses for a scenic drive which included a very long tunnel (which my husband the engineer found very interesting). Of course, things could have changed since 2008.

 

My reading of their advertising is that is what still happens.

 

Mike

[polySeraph]

My reading of their advertising is that is what still happens.

 

 

 

Mike

 

 

I suspect you're right. This excursion was a cash cow for them so I'm inclined to think that they most likely will not mess with success.

 

On our cruise in 2008 the excursion sold out. Consequently, we spent the day in the company of several hundred of our shipmates. We were part of a convoy of tour buses for much of the day. Every seat on every bus was filled; every seat on the train was filled. I was bumped in the head by camera bags as people leaned past me to take the perfect photo (mostly of blurred foliage) from the moving train.

 

All in all, the excursion's itinerary matched up with NCL's tour description, but I would caution anyone considering this excursion to realize that (after paying lots of $$$) they will not have quite the same experience described by Rick Steves in his episode on western Norway and should adjust their expectations accordingly.

[casofilia]

On our cruise in 2008 the excursion sold out. Consequently, we spent the day in the company of several hundred of our shipmates. We were part of a convoy of tour buses for much of the day. Every seat on every bus was filled; every seat on the train was filled. I was bumped in the head by camera bags as people leaned past me to take the perfect photo (mostly of blurred foliage) from the moving train.

 

All in all, the excursion's itinerary matched up with NCL's tour description, but I would caution anyone considering this excursion to realize that (after paying lots of $$$) they will not have quite the same experience described by Rick Steves in his episode on western Norway and should adjust their expectations accordingly.

 

Having been up and down on the Flam train I would concur about the number of people and how full it was.

[Froggitt]

On our cruise in 2008 the excursion sold out. Consequently, we spent the day in the company of several hundred of our shipmates. We were part of a convoy of tour buses for much of the day. Every seat on every bus was filled; every seat on the train was filled. I was bumped in the head by camera bags as people leaned past me to take the perfect photo (mostly of blurred foliage) from the moving train.

 

Sounds horrible. If you're doing Flam independently, book tickets in advance to avoid an hour plus of queuing, with the back of the queue not getting a ticket at all.

 

To the OP.......even if youre asleep when the ship arrives in port, all the departures are in daylight and you get to see the fjords from your balcony with a nice glass of wine in hand.

[casofilia]

Sounds horrible. If you're doing Flam independently, book tickets in advance to avoid an hour plus of queuing, with the back of the queue not getting a ticket at all.

 

To the OP.......even if youre asleep when the ship arrives in port, all the departures are in daylight and you get to see the fjords from your balcony with a nice glass of wine in hand.

 

This is true for the "Norway Fjords" cruise but the OP is only visiting Bergen and Aalesund in Norway on a different cruise.

[Froggitt]

Evening departure

[Froggitt]

Halfway up the Flam railway

[Minerva]

You can still do the classic Norway in a Nutshell trip that TrumpyNor describes, on your own and for substantially less than NCL charges. The drawback is, it would take up most of your time in port and not leave much room for error if you are delayed.

[casofilia]

You can still do the classic Norway in a Nutshell trip that TrumpyNor describes, on your own and for substantially less than NCL charges. The drawback is, it would take up most of your time in port and not leave much room for error if you are delayed.

 

I would agree totally with this post, it would be cheaper but the disadvantage is as stated, if there is any problem and your tour is held up the ship does not have to wait, and almost certainly wouldn't.

 

Both my sayings apply, "caveat emptor" and "you pays your money and you takes your chance".

 

Mike

Edited January 12, 2016 by casofilia
Forgot signature!!