Iceland w/Greenland or Norway?

[RachelG]

Norway and Scandinavia in general are just expensive. On a cruise ship, even Regent which is high end, is the most cost effective way to visit there. Same with Tahiti.

 

I don't know that it would be that much less expensive on Voyager. When you look at the per diem on voyager vs explorer, most times they are not that different after you get out of the maiden season.

[UUNetBill]

We booked the Norway to Copenhagen cruise in Aug of 2017. See you on board??????

 

Tnr, not sure which one you're referring to but we're looking at the Reykjavik-Copenhagen in August.

[poss]

Bill: Did you not wonder about Geiranger? Did you follow up on Freddie's earlier question about whether this itinerary includes plenty of fjords, or maybe you're not as interested in fjords as we are? (They're the main reason we're eager to do a Norway cruise-- not the only reason, but definitely the chief one.) When I looked at the port stops (including excursions) on the cruise you're talking about, there didn't seem to be a whole lot of fjords; in other words, I think that Freddie is probably correct. I hope you don't mind my jumping in on your post and asking some questions of my own. I was happy to see that you'd posted your query, since we've not been to those places and have long wanted to go.

 

Tc and Rachel: Thanks for responding to my earlier post. I know that Scandinavia is expensive, but I hadn't realized that Explorer might not be more expensive than the other ships. Do you have a clear sense of which category one would book that comes closest to the "low" categories on the other ships, e.g. category "G" on Mariner? I'm not sure we'd enjoy Explorer as much as Voyager and Mariner, since we're not into ultra-luxury, dazzling, or dramatic kinds of surroundings, but no doubt we could manage a stiff upper lip and swallow such things. Terrible task....

[Wendy The Wanderer]

If you want to see mostly fjords, consider the Hurtigruten. The stops are trivial, excursions scant; it's mainly about watching the scenery go by. I've not been yet, but to me, this would be the way to see the Norwegian fjords from the water. (I did Geiranger by car, btw, and it was lovely. Alesund is also very nice.)

[UUNetBill]

Bill: Did you not wonder about Geiranger? Did you follow up on Freddie's earlier question about whether this itinerary includes plenty of fjords, or maybe you're not as interested in fjords as we are? (They're the main reason we're eager to do a Norway cruise-- not the only reason, but definitely the chief one.) When I looked at the port stops (including excursions) on the cruise you're talking about, there didn't seem to be a whole lot of fjords; in other words, I think that Freddie is probably correct. I hope you don't mind my jumping in on your post and asking some questions of my own. I was happy to see that you'd posted your query, since we've not been to those places and have long wanted to go.

 

Tc and Rachel: Thanks for responding to my earlier post. I know that Scandinavia is expensive, but I hadn't realized that Explorer might not be more expensive than the other ships. Do you have a clear sense of which category one would book that comes closest to the "low" categories on the other ships, e.g. category "G" on Mariner? I'm not sure we'd enjoy Explorer as much as Voyager and Mariner, since we're not into ultra-luxury, dazzling, or dramatic kinds of surroundings, but no doubt we could manage a stiff upper lip and swallow such things. Terrible task....

 

Poss - we're not well versed about the fjords, but this one does have at least one port at the mouth of a fjord (Alesund) and an excursion that goes into Hjørundfjord. Just from looking at the map and Google, this doesn't see nearly as impressive as the sail into Geiranger, but to be honest, I'd never heard of Geiranger until we started looking into northern cruises. Also, there is a fjord tour in Bergen (Hardangerfjord) and one in Stavanger (Lysefjord). These probably aren't the best fjords to explore, but it's a start. And I like the rest of the itinerary so much, I'll enjoy any fjord. What's that they say, "any fjord in a storm?" :D

 

And to toss in my take on the cabins on Explorer, the G1 and G2 cabins on Explorer are almost the exact same size as the G's on Mariner. But for the minor upgrade cost, I think the F Superior Suites are a good deal - larger than the G's and the bed faces the sliding door - from the deck plans, I like the layout of the F cabins and they're not a big price jump from the G cabins. Just my opinion...

[tnr]

Tnr, not sure which one you're referring to but we're looking at the Reykjavik-Copenhagen in August.

 

This is the one we have booked.

[UUNetBill]

This is the one we have booked.

 

Well, if time, money, life, and chance all come together, we'll be on board with you. We're sailing on Navigator early next week, we're planning on sitting down with the cruise consultant to book on board. If things work out, it will be our second Explorer voyage, as we're already booked with my mother for the Med in April.

 

This looks to me like an amazing itinerary (fjord stinginess be damned! :D) It'll be a nice change from the Mediterranean heat if you ask me.

[landingsduffer]

First, anything you book onboard goes automatically to your TA on record (or another TA if you wish). In addition to having a price guarantee (in case prices go down - highly unlikely) you will receive a booking credit.

 

The amount varies depending upon both the itinerary and your suite category. For the itinerary being discussed on this thread, you would receive a $400/person booking credit for the lowest two categories, $475/person for F1-F2 categories, $500/person for categories D-E, $600/person for A-C and it goes up to $2,000/person for the Regent Suite!

 

IMO, booking onboard is a nice benefit.

 

Do you know if, while on board, you can book a specific suite for a future cruise or just a suite category?

[poss]

Specific suite, definitely. In fact, that's a big reason why many people book early (or on board): They have a favorite suite and want to be sure that it's available for them.

[ellbon]

new to these boards. last regent cruise years ago.. going on one agian. Norway-will iithnk i been in parts at least 6 times and others once.. Loved Alesund. had a hot day and was overdressed. climbed the 400 steps then found a museum that i hiked uphill to it. lunch on the waterfront. gee, i can skip a port i seen 6 times. Bergen-stay in town. to much to see and do there. list is endless. hike, museums, lunch shop, Edward Greigs house. iceland yes to the Blue lagoon.also go to dinner at the Fishmarket-excellent. have fun

[beavergal]

From Bergen the tour "Norway in a Nutshell" is great fun. It is train, then small train though mountain, then boat on fjord, then bus,& train back to Bergen. Sounds like a lot, but all organized to enjoy the wonderful views.

[Portolan]

We have taken a couple of cruises with Regent to Norway (and one with A&K to Norway, Iceland & Greenland): on the Voyager in 2007 to the pack ice above Spitzbergen and back with every major fjord along the way (aka Captain Dag's homecoming) and again in 2012 from Iceland to Norway with a similar itinerary to the Explorer cruise being discussed. Similar, but with voyage up both the Geirangerfjorden and Sognefjorden (to Flam). I am surprised to see that Explorer isn't going up any of the fjords. They'd show up as port calls...these are each pretty much a full day by the time you sail up the fjord to Geiranger or Flam, have a relatively brief port call and return. The Explorer is 25% larger in tonnage than Voyager so perhaps too big?

 

The coastal port calls on the cruise are great stops (Alesund, Bergen, Stavenger), but if it were us we'd be disappointed to not revisit the fjords. The earlier port calls in Iceland, Torshavn and Lerwick were very interesting.

 

From Bergen the tour "Norway in a Nutshell" is great fun. It is train, then small train though mountain, then boat on fjord, then bus,& train back to Bergen. Sounds like a lot, but all organized to enjoy the wonderful views.

 

The excursion list for the Reykjavik-Copenhagen cruise doesn't show this tour from Bergen. While that sounds like it would provide a bit of fjord cruising experience, you'd miss Bergen which is probably the best port call on this cruise in our opinion.

[UUNetBill]

Do you know if, while on board, you can book a specific suite for a future cruise or just a suite category?

 

They'll have current availability for you to choose from. We just sailed last month and were already booked in a specific suite for our April '17 cruise, and we booked two more on board and got out cabin assignments for both. Bear in mind, though, that both of them were pretty far out - August '17 and January '18 to be precise. If you're booking something closer, you may not have as great a selection - but you can still pick from what's available.

[poss]

Since you know the area well, I'm hoping you will be kind enough to look at the two similar itineraries for next year beginning in Reykjavik. The one on Explorer, Aug. 9 and then on Navigator Sept 1. I'm much disappointed that the fjords you mention aren't on either itinerary (at least I don't think so)-- it's the main reason we want to visit that area of the world (more than for the towns). But I wonder if there's any significant difference between those two itineraries. (I may be too late to book Navigator, as the ship is already wait listed.)

 

Thank you.

[UUNetBill]

The coastal port calls on the cruise are great stops (Alesund, Bergen, Stavenger), but if it were us we'd be disappointed to not revisit the fjords. The earlier port calls in Iceland, Torshavn and Lerwick were very interesting.

 

Scott, each of those three ports you mentioned have excursions to the local fjords (Hjorundfjord, Hardanger, and Lysefjord, respectively). Are those not worth seeing, or should we just stay in the port cities and book a Silversea fjord trip down the road?

 

Thoughts, suggestions?

 

Thanks!

[Portolan]

Scott, each of those three ports you mentioned have excursions to the local fjords (Hjorundfjord, Hardanger, and Lysefjord, respectively). Are those not worth seeing, or should we just stay in the port cities and book a Silversea fjord trip down the road?

 

Thoughts, suggestions?

 

Thanks!

 

Bill,

 

If you haven't been up the fjords, then these might be worth doing. Note that the Bergen "Hardanger: Queen of the Fjords" excursion is by bus the way I read it (except for crossing a fjord by ferry). Hardanger is very scenic from above, but even more scenic from the water. In Bergen, we'd spend the time in the Hanseatic port and town.

 

To all: not trying to rain on your cruise...just noting that there were fjord transits in the past on Voyager which may be precluded by a longer and heavier ship. On the Captain Dag's Homecoming cruise I mentioned, he turned the Voyager sideways in the fjord with (probably) less than 100 feet clearance on each end though it seemed like 50'. At the same time probably explains both why he left Regent and why most of his passengers loved him.

 

In Alesund and Bergen you have fairly long port calls so there might be some independent options worth looking into, especially since the Regent fjord excursions are "Regent Choice," i.e., with a surcharge.

 

Since you know the area well, I'm hoping you will be kind enough to look at the two similar itineraries for next year beginning in Reykjavik. The one on Explorer, Aug. 9 and then on Navigator Sept 1

 

Poss, it looks to me like there is little or no difference between the two with respect to the port calls in Norway. Maybe because they only wanted to make one set of arrangements. So I think my analysis for the Explorer cruise holds for the Navigator.

Edited August 23, 2016 by Portolan

[ellbon]

Scott, each of those three ports you mentioned have excursions to the local fjords (Hjorundfjord, Hardanger, and Lysefjord, respectively). Are those not worth seeing, or should we just stay in the port cities and book a Silversea fjord trip down the road?

 

Thoughts, suggestions?

 

Thanks!

 

I would spent te time in town -at least on the first two.. you will run thru Bergen with so much to do with . Aelsund a great city with a lovely waterfront.. i am sorry you will miss some fjords but you need to see the town and then the water. wish you could find a cruise that does both. many out there to look at.

[TPAtravelfan]

We've done similar itineraries.

 

Two summers ago we did Oslo to Copenhagen on the Voyager which included Spitsbergen. It was one of our favorite trips on Regent ever, despite the midnight sun and 24 hour sun in more northern ports. This summer we did Dublin to ReykJavik, with three port calls in Greenland and three in Iceland, also on the Voyager and really enjoyed that trip as well. We have over 250 nights on Voyager.

 

If Spitsbergen were offered on the Norway itinerary, I would recommend that itinerary over Greenland/Iceland. That said, Greenland and it's Fjords are spectacular and unspoiled. You won't find much in the way of civilization, but it's still worth a trip to this unique and beautiful destination. If you like hiking and being outdoors, Iceland is worthy of several days of land touring after the cruise ends. It's a fascinating destination.

Edited August 23, 2016 by TPAtravelfan

[UUNetBill]

Thanks, everyone, for the input. This cruise will be a second cruise for us next year - with both of us still in the workforce, doing a second cruise has always been tough. We may not even be able to make it work, as much as we'd love to.

 

If we do go, we're going to be limited on time, so staying a few extra days in Iceland isn't going to work (especially since we embark in Reykjavik) but we're trying to squeeze in a day or two pre-cruise to check things out.

 

Keeping my fingers crossed...

[landingsduffer]

Thanks, everyone, for the input. This cruise will be a second cruise for us next year - with both of us still in the workforce, doing a second cruise has always been tough. We may not even be able to make it work, as much as we'd love to.

 

If we do go, we're going to be limited on time, so staying a few extra days in Iceland isn't going to work (especially since we embark in Reykjavik) but we're trying to squeeze in a day or two pre-cruise to check things out.

 

Keeping my fingers crossed...

 

Have you looked at the three day pre-cruise land program? Looks interesting to us and, if we book this cruise, we will probably do the land program as well.

[UUNetBill]

Have you looked at the three day pre-cruise land program? Looks interesting to us and, if we book this cruise, we will probably do the land program as well.

 

Yep, I think my wife was trying to factor that into our time away. This whole 'still having a job' thing really gets in the way of cruising...it's times like this I think being independently wealthy would be pretty cool.

[tnr]

Have you looked at the three day pre-cruise land program? Looks interesting to us and, if we book this cruise, we will probably do the land program as well.

 

I did look at the 3-day pre-cruise. But after finding a very highly touted tour company on TripAdvisor that basically does the same thing in two days of tours, I am going with them instead. Btw, the cost is much less even when factoring in a hotel.

[poss]

I wonder if it's allowed to name a tour company on CC. I know that it's not permitted to name travel agent.

[landingsduffer]

I did look at the 3-day pre-cruise. But after finding a very highly touted tour company on TripAdvisor that basically does the same thing in two days of tours, I am going with them instead. Btw, the cost is much less even when factoring in a hotel.

 

Would love to know the companies name if you are allowed to provide it.

[poss]

Yes, I'd like to know as well. I'm not even sure that we can manage this itinerary, but there's no way we could do the Regent land pre-cruise as well. And I like the idea of two days rather than three (though I imagine that we couldn't do very long days of touring, e.g. the Livorno to Florence days, or the St Petersburg to Moscow). I did look on CC's partner Trip Advisor, but didn't see what tnr was speaking of. Even if precise names aren't allowed (somehow I suspect they are), I'm hoping that tnr can give more details about what he's doing.

 

Have people chosen Reykjavik hotel yet? Nothing stands out for me. We're mainly looking for something that's quiet.

Edited August 25, 2016 by poss