Bergen: is there a shuttle provided from Jektevik to central Bergen (by HAL or otherwise)?

[Turtles06]

We'll be calling at Bergen, Norway, on July 12 aboard the Rotterdam.  It appears from the port web site that we'll be docking at the industrial pier in Jektevik, rather than at the docks near the (tourist) center of the city.   Jektevik also seems to be the docking location for the earlier port calls to Bergen this season by the Rotterdam and the Nieuw Statendam.  

 

For anyone who has called at Bergen already in May on HAL (May 4), or will be doing so later this month or in June, I would appreciate knowing if there was any shuttle or other bus provided from Jektevik to central Bergen.   

 

And if anyone has any information from the 2022 cruising season, that would be great as well.

 

Thanks in advance for any info!

[RMLincoln]

Check and post also on the Ports of Call forum. I was in Bergen but not on HAL so my experience was different for my Hurtigruten cruise.  M—

[dfish]

Last summer there was only a shuttle for handicapped.  Otherwise, you walked.  Even those who were picked up for excursions were left in the city center and had to walk back.  It was not a good situation.

[The-Inside-Cabin]

3 hours ago, Turtles06 said:

We'll be calling at Bergen, Norway, on July 12 aboard the Rotterdam.  It appears from the port web site that we'll be docking at the industrial pier in Jektevik, rather than at the docks near the (tourist) center of the city.   Jektevik also seems to be the docking location for the earlier port calls to Bergen this season by the Rotterdam and the Nieuw Statendam.  

 

For anyone who has called at Bergen already in May on HAL (May 4), or will be doing so later this month or in June, I would appreciate knowing if there was any shuttle or other bus provided from Jektevik to central Bergen.   

 

And if anyone has any information from the 2022 cruising season, that would be great as well.

 

Thanks in advance for any info!

Here is my post from Bergen from April 26th - There wasn't any shuttle.   Uber was available - 

 

 

As @dfish noted above, a shuttle was available for mobility people only - and maybe others if you were walking by and the bus was ready to leave.

 

Here is another post from @WriterOnDeck   Check out the other World Cruise blogs for additional info

 

Here is the post from @WCB on Bergen  

 

Edited May 18, 2023 by The-Inside-Cabin

[Turtles06]

1 hour ago, dfish said:

Last summer there was only a shuttle for handicapped.  Otherwise, you walked.  Even those who were picked up for excursions were left in the city center and had to walk back.  It was not a good situation.

 

Thanks for that information, much appreciated.

[Turtles06]

1 hour ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

Here is my post from Bergen from April 26th - There wasn't any shuttle.   Uber was available -

 

Thanks for taking the time not only to respond but also to find and post those very helpful links.  Glad you had another great WC!

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

2 hours ago, dfish said:

Last summer there was only a shuttle for handicapped.  Otherwise, you walked.  Even those who were picked up for excursions were left in the city center and had to walk back.  It was not a good situation.

It is the same way this year.

[Turtles06]

43 minutes ago, Gail & Marty sailing away said:

It is the same way this year.

Thanks. Have you been there this year?  (That was certainly the case in April during the World Cruise, per the links above.) 

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

31 minutes ago, Turtles06 said:

Thanks. Have you been there this year?  (That was certainly the case in April during the World Cruise, per the links above.) 

Yes on the 2023 World Cruise. It was raining hard that day.

[Turtles06]

11 minutes ago, Gail & Marty sailing away said:

Yes on the 2023 World Cruise. It was raining hard that day.

 

Thank you for the reply.  Yes, I read the other links, and it sounded like quite the weather day!    Of course, Bergen is known for its rain.  🙂   (We'll be prepared!) 

[dfish]

The problem with this is that many people were not aware of the handicapped bus.  We only found out because our friend was using a walker.  Some people who were left in town to get back on their own did have some issues and the walk was quite difficult for them.  They also weren't tech savvy and didn't know or couldn't call an Uber.  HAL should at least let people know what the situation is in Bergen.  I also question the wisdom of letting people loose to roam through an industrial port.

[Horizon chaser 1957]

On the GWV, as others have mentioned, there was a shuttle onlyfor those with mobility aids. The port talk was geared for the other terminal, and no assistance or tourist info available. There was a sign at the first intersection indicating the direction to downtown. There was nothing after that, and it was not a straight line walk. A lot of people were not happy.

However, there is a Hop On Hop Off stop about a block from the port on cruise days. The map on their brochure is very useful. 

[waiting2retire]

I was there on May 4 this year on the Rotterdam and can confirm that the only shuttle was for those with mobility issues. Since we didn’t use it, I cannot say what the criteria were or whether there was a cost. It may be worth the cost of the Hop On Hop Off bus since it came very close to the ship.  I’m not good at judging distances, but maybe 2 or 3 blocks?  Also, the walk through the port area was blocked from traffic and very well marked. The only place traffic crossed was policed by port staff to ensure the traffic stopped for passengers and vice-versa. 
 

I have peripheral neuropathy and walk quite slowly but the city attractions are within a relatively small and mostly flat area. I managed the walk to the Floibanen and Bryggen and back without too much trouble. 

 

 

[Tigrou]

The information for Bergen on HAL's website states, “Step off the ship into the medieval Bryggen Wharf”.  Which is extremely misleading, and gives the impression that all cruises moor at Skolten/Bontelabo/Festningskaien whereas in reality most seem to use Jekteviken, the industrial port.

 

Jekteviken is roughly a mile walk to Bryggen Wharf.  That's if you check it out on Google first and know where you need to walk, it isn't signposted clearly once you're there, if at all.

 

The Port of Bergen website states, "Dokken and Jekteviken are industrial piers, and for safety reasons the Port of Bergen provides FOC shuttle buses for passengers and crew. Shuttle buses are parked near the gangway and stops just outside the ISPS area at Nøstet. At the Nøstet stop, tourist maps are available and it is only approx 700 meters walk to Torgalmenningen main square." 

 

However, on my Rotterdam cruise in September 2022 there were no shuttle buses and I saw several fellow passengers struggling with just the walk through the port out onto the main road.  There was a HOHO bus out on the main road and I'm sure they made good money that day because most people seemed to head to it, possibly not knowing what else to do.  HAL provided no information about Bergen, no indication that we could not simply "Step off the ship into the medieval Bryggen Wharf" as advertised.

 

Similarly for the port call in "Stavanger" we were in fact moored at another industrial port, Mekjavik, about 6 miles away.  Shuttle buses were provided this time but not in enough quantity, and long queues formed with people standing outside waiting in the cold.

 

I understand that if there are several ships in port at the same time, not all can have the best berths.  But HAL really should be more honest about this, tell passengers exactly where they will be moored, provide relevant information and, ideally, shuttle buses if the distance to main attractions is further than advertised.

 

 

[Turtles06]

3 hours ago, Tigrou said:

I understand that if there are several ships in port at the same time, not all can have the best berths.  But HAL really should be more honest about this, tell passengers exactly where they will be moored, provide relevant information and, ideally, shuttle buses if the distance to main attractions is further than advertised.

 

 

Thank you for your information about your experience in Bergen.  I totally agree with you about the need for HAL to be transparent about what is going on in a particular port and to provide passengers with accurate and helpful information.  Shuttle buses from "remote" piers would be great if they can be arranged.

 

I was disappointed this Spring with HAL's lack of transparency about our scheduled upcoming port call to Stavanger in July on the Rotterdam.  Months ago, those of us on our Roll Call learned from the Stavanger port's official web site and its mooring plans and other information on line that we would not be docked at Stavanger at all, but in Sandnes, about 16km away and a drive of some 20 minutes or so.  One person even got a notice from HAL that their HAL shorex out of Stavanger had been cancelled due to an itinerary change to Sandnes, but no official itinerary change by HAL was given to any of us. 

 

When folks called HAL to ask about this, we were told that there was no change, and we would be docking in Stavanger.  I even spoke with a Supervisor who was quite unpleasant to me and pretty much said I shouldn't believe a port's web site or anything I read on social media -- HAL's own email canceling a Stavanger shorex because of an itinerary change to Sandnes!  (She pretty much questioned the credibility of the Roll Call member's screen shot of the HAL email!) 

 

Rather than passively accept HAL's denials, several of us on our Roll Call proactively arranged transportation from Sandnes to Stavanger so that we could still take a private shorex we had scheduled out of Stavanger.  And then, well over a month later, big surprise -- HAL sent out emails notifying everyone of an itinerary change from Stavanger to Sandnes!  

 

I was extremely disappointed by HAL's customer service and the lack of transparency with guests over where the ship was going to dock.  And now that the change is official, there is no indication that HAL will provide any transportation to Stavanger from Sandnes, nor any information about how to get to Stavanger for those who may need it.  I hope people are not surprised about how far away it is. 

[cruisemom42]

@Turtles06  I will be in Bergen in about a month on HAL Rotterdam. I was hoping you could tell me whether you noticed taxis available at the Jektevik cruise terminal. I plan on going to the home of Grieg and have a ticket for their mid-day concert. Seems it's about 16 minutes by taxi and the Hurtigruten site says there is a taxi stand. 

 

Any info you could add would be most appreciated. I could reserve one in advance but it will cost more....

 

 

[Turtles06]

3 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

@Turtles06  I will be in Bergen in about a month on HAL Rotterdam. I was hoping you could tell me whether you noticed taxis available at the Jektevik cruise terminal. I plan on going to the home of Grieg and have a ticket for their mid-day concert. Seems it's about 16 minutes by taxi and the Hurtigruten site says there is a taxi stand. 

 

Any info you could add would be most appreciated. I could reserve one in advance but it will cost more....

 

 

 

Alas, I wish I could help you, but we had to cancel that cruise because of a medical problem days before we were to leave for Europe ...  I am still depressed about missing it.  (Thank goodness for travel insurance.)

 

I hope you can get the info you're looking for.   Have a great trip!

[MAVIP]

On 5/18/2023 at 7:28 PM, dfish said:

Last summer there was only a shuttle for handicapped.  Otherwise, you walked.  Even those who were picked up for excursions were left in the city center and had to walk back.  It was not a good situation.

We used that shuttle bus for the handicapped during a few cruises and never had that problem. Always the same driver and we were always transported back from the tourist office in the center.

[Fouremco]

3 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

@Turtles06  I will be in Bergen in about a month on HAL Rotterdam. I was hoping you could tell me whether you noticed taxis available at the Jektevik cruise terminal. I plan on going to the home of Grieg and have a ticket for their mid-day concert. Seems it's about 16 minutes by taxi and the Hurtigruten site says there is a taxi stand. 

 

Any info you could add would be most appreciated. I could reserve one in advance but it will cost more....

 

 

We were last in Bergen in June, 2019, and at that time there was no taxi stand when exiting Jekteviken. That has possibly changed during the ensuing five years.

 

Have you considered Uber? That might be a cheaper and more flexible alternative.  https://www.uber.com/global/en/r/cities/bergen-vestland-no/

[oakridger]

8 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

@Turtles06  I will be in Bergen in about a month on HAL Rotterdam. I was hoping you could tell me whether you noticed taxis available at the Jektevik cruise terminal. I plan on going to the home of Grieg and have a ticket for their mid-day concert. Seems it's about 16 minutes by taxi and the Hurtigruten site says there is a taxi stand. 

 

Any info you could add would be most appreciated. I could reserve one in advance but it will cost more....

 

 

 

I was in Bergen for the entire month of June 2024.  Be aware that taxis were a minimum of 375 NOK for the flag down.  I arrived at the Bergen train station and had to pay the approximate $34 for a 5 minute taxi to the Clarion Admiral hotel.  The taxi driver warned me about the minimum, but it was raining, and I was very tired, so I took it anyway.  Expensive lesson! Uber was about half the cost of taxis I later discovered!  I can't answer about the Jektevik terminal though.  I went on Havila and there were taxis at that (Hurtigruten) terminal when I debarked back in Bergen.

[Hlitner]

Cruisemom, the last time we were in Bergen (just prior to COVID) we did dock at that terminal and taxis were very scarce.  We walked into town (and later back to the port) but I do realize that is not a good solution to going to Grieg's House.   This might be a case where Uber is your best friend.  Otherwise, if no taxis at the port you would have little choice but to walk towards the center of town and hope to spot a taxi.

 

Hope all is well and good to see you are still on the move :).

 

Hank

[cruisemom42]

16 hours ago, Hlitner said:

Cruisemom, the last time we were in Bergen (just prior to COVID) we did dock at that terminal and taxis were very scarce.  We walked into town (and later back to the port) but I do realize that is not a good solution to going to Grieg's House.   This might be a case where Uber is your best friend.  Otherwise, if no taxis at the port you would have little choice but to walk towards the center of town and hope to spot a taxi.

 

Hope all is well and good to see you are still on the move :).

 

Hank

 

Hi Hank -- yeah, sounds like Uber is the way to go. 😉 

 

I'm sure you'll appreciate this: I had signed up for a HAL excursion to do this, trying to use up my shorex credit for HIA package. Now HAL has canceled that excursion, no reason given. 🤬

[Hlitner]

16 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

Hi Hank -- yeah, sounds like Uber is the way to go. 😉 

 

I'm sure you'll appreciate this: I had signed up for a HAL excursion to do this, trying to use up my shorex credit for HIA package. Now HAL has canceled that excursion, no reason given. 🤬

Argh!  We have both seen too much of that kind of thing which does seem to be a problem with the various shore-based tour providers scattered all over the world.  I have no doubt you will get to Grieg's home...somehow.  But I really do feel sorry for the many cruisers who are uncomfortable doing anything on their own.  Depending on cruise line excursions has really become a gamblers game.