Norwegian Fjords

[hallasm]

48 minutes ago, bongju said:

I would like to get opinions on the 12 May 2024 RCCL Anthem of the Seas itinerary

Bergen is a nice coastal city - take Fløybanan funicular railway to Mount Fløyen and walk back to the city.

In Olden take the Loen Skylift to the viewpoint - Olden is in a deep fjord.

Geiranger is located in the iconic deep UNESCO fjord - good viewpoints and hiking opportunities. May is early - some viewpoints might still be closed due to snow.

I have not much experience with Haugesund.

At least two deep fjords and Bergen - nice itinerary - still snow in the mountains and water in the rivers.

 

Edited December 18, 2023 by hallasm

[kaisatsu]

1 hour ago, bongju said:

Our goal is to sail through deep water fjords, hike to scenic overlooks, and experience natural scenery. I’m a little worried about the weather this time of year.

The west coast has variable and rainy weather year round. Expect slightly cooler temperatures than in peak summer, but it’s never guaranteed to be warm even in the peak of summer.

 

The real caveats of May are that some mountain roads (e.g. Mt.Dalsnibba in Geiranger) may still be closed for the season, and some tourist infrastructure doesn’t start until June.

 

On the flipside, you’ll have smaller tourist crowds (aside from your fellow passengers), and you’d be in Haugesund on the Norwegian national holiday, when many of the locals will be out celebrating in national dress.

Edited December 18, 2023 by kaisatsu

[bongju]

17 minutes ago, kaisatsu said:

The real caveats of May are that some mountain roads (e.g. Mt.Dalsnibba in Geiranger) may still be closed for the season, and some tourist infrastructure doesn’t start until June.

I found another itinerary on the same ship on 12 June. Would these ports give us a similar experience?
 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/cruises?search=departurePort:STH|destination:EUROP|startDate:2024-06-01~2024-06-30&itineraryPanel=AN07STH-1892375046&country=USA

 

Day 1 - Depart Southampton

Day 2 - Sea Day

Day 3 - Haugesund 7a - 3p

Day 4 - Flam 8a - 5p

Day 5 - Olden 8a - 5p

Day 6 - Stavanger 9a - 6p

Day 7 - Sea Day

Day 8 - Return Southampton

 

 

[hallasm]

Yes - Flåm is very similar to Geiranger - Flåm is also in a UNESCO fjord, the train and Stegastein viewpoint. 
Stavanger is also a nice coastal city.

[gnome12]

14 hours ago, bongju said:

I found another itinerary on the same ship on 12 June. Would these ports give us a similar experience?
 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/cruises?search=departurePort:STH|destination:EUROP|startDate:2024-06-01~2024-06-30&itineraryPanel=AN07STH-1892375046&country=USA

 

Day 1 - Depart Southampton

Day 2 - Sea Day

Day 3 - Haugesund 7a - 3p

Day 4 - Flam 8a - 5p

Day 5 - Olden 8a - 5p

Day 6 - Stavanger 9a - 6p

Day 7 - Sea Day

Day 8 - Return Southampton

 

 

 

4 hours ago, hallasm said:

Yes - Flåm is very similar to Geiranger - Flåm is also in a UNESCO fjord, the train and Stegastein viewpoint. 
Stavanger is also a nice coastal city.

But the second itinerary does skip Bergen.

[teony20]

On 10/2/2023 at 3:35 PM, ontheweb said:

We had those three ports and made each of them basically differently themed.

 

Geiranger was for scenery, both taking pictures during our sailin and then taking one of the onshore bus tours that stopped at various sites.

 

Bergen for us was about museums, though we also did go to the funicular for scenery.

 

In Alesund we took a ship's excursion that highlighted the art deco architecture of the city.

which cruise line did you use?

 

[hallasm]

33 minutes ago, teony20 said:

which cruise line did you use?

Note that most cruise lines continuously change itineraries on the Norwegian fjords and have alternating itineraries during the season.
Check your favorite cruise lines which ports they offer. Should include a couple of the deep fjords to (in order of priority) Geiranger, Flåm, Olden and Skjolden and coastal towns Bergen, Ålesund or Stavanger.
Note that most cruises do not include Geiranger and Flåm after 2025 due to restrictions on emission from ships in the UNESCO fjords.

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, teony20 said:

which cruise line did you use?

 

We were on the NCL Prima, London (Southampton to Reykjavik).

[Andi Land]

Hi!  I'm looking at Norway for 2025 since it may be the last time we can cruise the fjords on a cruise ship.  I have found two itineraries, and both are on Celebrity. One is a 12 night and one is a 14 night but the cost is $400 per person more for the 14 night.  I'm looking for help in making my decision between the two. 

 

12 Night:

Southampton

Bruges

Flam

Tromso

Honningsvag

Geiranger

Alesund

Haugesund

Southampton

 

14 Night

Southampton

Stavenger

Olden

Molde

Trondheim

Honningsvag

Tromso

Geiranger

Flam

Rotterdam

Southampton

 

Lastly, there is a 7-day option that is much more affordable than the other 2.  It is Flam, Geiranger, Bergen, Bruges. 

 

Any and all insight is appreciated.  We haven't been to Europe before.  Timing wise, the 12 night is in June and the 14 night and 7 nights are in August.  We have plenty of vacation time to cover the amount of time needed.  The 14-day trip is really costly though (approx. $7200 for an inside room).  So, I'm really trying to get the right trip at the right price.  

 

Thanks!

 

Edited December 29, 2023 by Andi Land

[hallasm]

45 minutes ago, Andi Land said:

Any and all insight is appreciated.  We haven't been to Europe before.  Timing wise, the 12 night is in June and the 14 night and 7 nights are in August.  We have plenty of vacation time to cover the amount of time needed.  The 14-day trip is really costly though (approx. $7200 for an inside room).  So, I'm really trying to get the right trip at the right price.  

All three are good itineraries with deep fjords (Geiranger, Flåm and Olden) and good coastal towns (Bergen, Ålesund)  The two longer cruises are Arctic cruises to Honningsvåg (North Cape) and Tromsø - the cruise in June is definitely the best as it has midnight sun in June - August is too late for midnight sun.
The short cruise is a classic Norwegian fjord with two iconic deep fjords and one coastal city.

The 12 or 7 nights are two good options - personally I would choose the 12 nights - does include Arctic Circle crossing and midnight sun.

[Andi Land]

On 12/29/2023 at 2:44 PM, hallasm said:

All three are good itineraries with deep fjords (Geiranger, Flåm and Olden) and good coastal towns (Bergen, Ålesund)  The two longer cruises are Arctic cruises to Honningsvåg (North Cape) and Tromsø - the cruise in June is definitely the best as it has midnight sun in June - August is too late for midnight sun.
The short cruise is a classic Norwegian fjord with two iconic deep fjords and one coastal city.

The 12 or 7 nights are two good options - personally I would choose the 12 nights - does include Arctic Circle crossing and midnight sun.

Thank you! As far as the itinerary goes, do you see any reason to go with the 14 day over the 12 day? Are the port stops equally as good? 

[hallasm]

10 hours ago, Andi Land said:

Thank you! As far as the itinerary goes, do you see any reason to go with the 14 day over the 12 day? Are the port stops equally as good? 

If you compare ports for the 12 and 14 nights the 14 nights is better. It has three deep fjords, also Olden - and Stavanger is a nice coastal city.

Molde and Haugesund are very similar.

 

 

[farodeluzgirl]

I am looking to book a Norwegian Fjord cruise for 2024. We have never being in Northern Europe. I am still undecided on which itinerary to do and which cruise line. I have being studying this thread carefully and I know that I will to visit Geiranger, Flam and Olden.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

[hallasm]

On 1/13/2024 at 5:25 AM, farodeluzgirl said:

I am looking to book a Norwegian Fjord cruise for 2024. We have never being in Northern Europe. I am still undecided on which itinerary to do and which cruise line. I have being studying this thread carefully and I know that I will to visit Geiranger, Flam and Olden.

I can't comment on which cruise lines have good itineraries - and they constantly change itineraries.
There are not many that include all three deep fjords to Geiranger, Flam or Olden. Two of the deep fjords are fine - fine coastal towns are Bergen, Stavanger and Ålesund.

[kaisatsu]

On 1/12/2024 at 11:25 PM, farodeluzgirl said:

I am looking to book a Norwegian Fjord cruise for 2024. We have never being in Northern Europe. I am still undecided on which itinerary to do and which cruise line. I have being studying this thread carefully and I know that I will to visit Geiranger, Flam and Olden.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Norwegian fjord itineraries tend to fall into two categories: those that only visit the southern coast to focus on the fjord region, and longer cruises that continue up to the northern coast and the Arctic Norwegian port cities. Either of these will serve your needs, but avoid the Arctic-only itineraries that only visit the north coast (often paired with Iceland, Scotland, etc). I’d also skip itineraries that squeeze in Oslo, as it fits better into a Baltic cruise and wastes a lot of time sailing around the southern tip of the country.

 

I would aim for a trip with two of your three fjord ports plus Bergen. And while it’s not a dealbreaker, I give preference to Geiranger if possible, because the sail-in/out is just stunning.

[Schooner4]

My husband and I are looking forward to our first Norwegian fjords cruise on July 12, 2024 on board the Anthem of the Seas from Southampton.  We really want to see it all, but I'm not sure if we can realistically cram everything into our port visits.  We port in Stavanger (7-5), Flam (8-5), Alesund (8-6) and Bergen (7-2).  I would really appreciate any advice regarding our plans for the ports:

 

1. Stavanger - We have booked a RIB boat cruise to Lysefjord and to see Pulpit Rock.  How rough would that ride typically be in July?  We are in reasonably good shape and could likely manage the hike to Pulpit Rock but I am worried that the weather would be poor and we wouldn't have a view so we've opted for the boat (for now).

2. Flam -  We are doing the Flam railway followed by the boat cruise to Gudvanger with shuttle bus return to Flam.  We likely have enough time to take the bus to the Stegastien viewpoint unless there is a chance that the buses are so popular that there is no room to return to Flam on the 3:30 pm bus in July?  Is the cramming too much into one day?  We are the only ship scheduled to be in port so I hope that we won't need to tender.

3. Alesund - We port in Alesund but not Geiranger.  We currently have the "From Fjords to Trolls" trip booked, but would we be missing out if we didn't have a chance to sail along the Geirangerfjord?  We port from 8am - 6pm.  Would that be enough time to rent a car downtown Alesund, drive to Hellesylt, ferry to Geiranger, then return to Alesund?  Since this loop involves 3 ferries, I feel that timing is everything! 

4.  Bergen - we are doing a segway tour at 10:00 a.m.  We are scheduled to dock at 7:00 a.m.  If the weather is good and we get off the boat as early as possible, would we have enough time to do the funicular prior to segway tour?  I believe that it begins running at 7:30.  Do you need to buy tickets in advance?  Is the lineup typically very long on an early morning in July?  The only other cruise ship scheduled to be in port with us is a much smaller ship that arrives at 9:30 a.m.

 

I would really appreciate and advice and tips that anyone has.  Thank you!

[milolii]

On 1/12/2024 at 2:25 PM, farodeluzgirl said:

I am looking to book a Norwegian Fjord cruise for 2024. We have never being in Northern Europe. I am still undecided on which itinerary to do and which cruise line. I have being studying this thread carefully and I know that I will to visit Geiranger, Flam and Olden.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Look at the Sky Princess, May 24 out of Southampton. Bergen, Ålesund, Geiranger, Olden, & Stavanger.  So two of the three and excellent coastal cities. 

[dickinson]

@hallasm I have a question.  You have said previously in this thread that in Olden one should get up before sunrise to view the sail in through the fjord.  You said it takes 4-5 hours.  What do you do if you are scheduled to be there at 7am?  The date we are going, August 7, has a sunrise at 5:17 am so it seems that we will miss a few hours of sailing in the fjord.  We leave at 4 pm so the daylight then we would see the same scenery we saw earlier in the morning.  I assume to see what we missed then we would have to  miss dinner or eat early and miss evening activities.  I guess it is probably a choice to make.  Do I understand correctly?

[hallasm]

6 hours ago, dickinson said:

Do I understand correctly?

Yes, correctly understood. It is the same landscape in and out morning and evening, but often many activities in the evening.

[DrJamba]

On 1/14/2024 at 11:05 PM, Schooner4 said:

1. Stavanger - We have booked a RIB boat cruise to Lysefjord and to see Pulpit Rock.  How rough would that ride typically be in July?  We are in reasonably good shape and could likely manage the hike to Pulpit Rock but I am worried that the weather would be poor and we wouldn't have a view so we've opted for the boat (for now).
 

 

Hi!  A few days ago you posted the above.  Would you share the source for your RIB boat tour?  Unless it's through your cruise line.  I'm just wondering if there are any 3rd party tour companies doing this.

 

Thanks!

[Schooner4]

@DrJamba I booked the rib boat in Stavanger through Get Your Guide, but it’s operated by “Stavanger Rib”. I found 2 companies that seemed to offer very similar tours at the exact same price with equally good reviews. Cheaper than through the cruise line. 

[DrJamba]

@Schooner4 thank you!

[BuckeyeMark]

On 1/17/2024 at 9:31 PM, DrJamba said:

 

Hi!  A few days ago you posted the above.  Would you share the source for your RIB boat tour?  Unless it's through your cruise line.  I'm just wondering if there are any 3rd party tour companies doing this.

 

Thanks!

Do some searching here, but I'm reasonably certain someone posted that seeing Pulpit Rock from the water below was not very impressive. To be clear, I haven't been there, so I don't know, but when doing some research, I think someone even posted pics of Pulpit Rock as seen from below, and it really didn't look like much. Just looked like the rest of the fjord.  So you might want to check on that a little...

 

[DrJamba]

@BuckeyeMark thank you for the suggestion.  we're in the beginning stages of putting our trip together so we're open to any and all ideas.

[Peteymil]

On 1/17/2024 at 9:31 PM, DrJamba said:

 

Hi!  A few days ago you posted the above.  Would you share the source for your RIB boat tour?  Unless it's through your cruise line.  I'm just wondering if there are any 3rd party tour companies doing this.

 

Thanks!

I've seen this same tour on Viator.