Celebrity Fjords Intinerary Help!

[gretnagirl]

Hi there,

 

My family and I are wanting to do a cruise to the Norwegian fjords in August of 2025.  We are loyal to Celebrity and have found two itineraries that we're hemming and hawing between.  However, having never been to this part of Europe, I'm hoping those of you with more experience can help guide us one way or the other.

 

The two itineraries are as follows:

 

Option 1: Southampton, Zeebrugge, Alesund, Flam, Tromso, Honningsvag, Trondheim, Southampton (12 days)

 

Option 2: Southampton, Stavanger, Olden, Molde, Trondheim, Honningsvag, Tromso, Geiranger, Flam, Rotterdam, Southampton (14 days)

 

We obviously want to see the fjords themselves so that would lead me to choose option 2, but I'm wondering if the beauty of the fjords comes from seeing them from above more so than from the water.  We've cruised the Prince Christian Sound in Greenland which was THE most amazing bit of scenery we've ever seen, and that was entirely from the water, so that makes me think that we would enjoy the process of sailing through the fjords as much as seeing them from elevation but I do want the fullest experience possible.

 

I am open to any and all advice/suggestions that this collective brain can give me as we more closer to choosing our cruise.  I would also be open to comments about the other ports as this cruise is about more than just the fjords, like passing the Arctic Circle as that is also a priority for us.  There are lots of duplicates between the two itineraries but maybe there's something about one of the ports that I don't know about that can help us make our decision.

 

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

Jessica

[gnome12]

1 hour ago, gretnagirl said:

Hi there,

 

My family and I are wanting to do a cruise to the Norwegian fjords in August of 2025.  We are loyal to Celebrity and have found two itineraries that we're hemming and hawing between.  However, having never been to this part of Europe, I'm hoping those of you with more experience can help guide us one way or the other.

 

The two itineraries are as follows:

 

Option 1: Southampton, Zeebrugge, Alesund, Flam, Tromso, Honningsvag, Trondheim, Southampton (12 days)

 

Option 2: Southampton, Stavanger, Olden, Molde, Trondheim, Honningsvag, Tromso, Geiranger, Flam, Rotterdam, Southampton (14 days)

 

We obviously want to see the fjords themselves so that would lead me to choose option 2, but I'm wondering if the beauty of the fjords comes from seeing them from above more so than from the water.  We've cruised the Prince Christian Sound in Greenland which was THE most amazing bit of scenery we've ever seen, and that was entirely from the water, so that makes me think that we would enjoy the process of sailing through the fjords as much as seeing them from elevation but I do want the fullest experience possible.

 

I am open to any and all advice/suggestions that this collective brain can give me as we more closer to choosing our cruise.  I would also be open to comments about the other ports as this cruise is about more than just the fjords, like passing the Arctic Circle as that is also a priority for us.  There are lots of duplicates between the two itineraries but maybe there's something about one of the ports that I don't know about that can help us make our decision.

 

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

Jessica

Option 1 has only one deep fjord - Flåm. Option 2 has 3 deep fjords - Olden, Geiranger and Flåm. After 2025 most ships will no longer be allowed to sail to Geiranger and Flåm, so you might as well do them both. Neither go to Bergen, although option 1 does go to Ålesund, which is an interesting coastal city, but for nature and views I would have to say option 2.

[hallasm]

I second gnome12  - option 2. As it is an Arctic cruise to Honningsvåg og Tromsø, the dates also has significance for the midnight sun.
Sailing through the fjords is breathtaking - be on the upper deck in the deep fjords already at sunrise. But I would also recommend a visit to viewpoints in Geiranger, Flåm or Loen (Olden).

[kitkat343]

Option 2 visits the 3 fjords that were the highlight of my 7 day cruise.  Please bear in mind that the fjords are weather dependent, so if you only have one stop if the weather isn't clear it's going to be harder to appreciate the great beauty of the fjords.  In Geiranger, you go around to see beautiful viewpoints (bearing in mind the road to the northernmost viewpoints is seasonal and doesn't open until after the big annual avalanche, usually late May/early June.).  In Olden, Olden Adventures can take you to both the Loen Skylift and Briskdal Glacier (the glacier has been hit hard by global warming but the ride there and experience at it is quite lovely if you know to expect a reduced glacier.  Book a troll car if you would have difficulty hiking to the glacier).  In Flam, book tickets early to the Flam railroad.  And if you have a normal port day, you'll have time for another activity in flam in the afternoon.

Edited January 10 by kitkat343

[kaisatsu]

On 1/9/2024 at 3:06 AM, gretnagirl said:

I'm wondering if the beauty of the fjords comes from seeing them from above more so than from the water.

The UNESCO-listed fjords are dramatic from both perspectives. From the water, the fjord walls are towering above you on either side. From the hills, you have the broader panorama.

 

In Flåm, you'd need to head somewhere like the Stegastein viewpoint to get the view from above, because the valley curves behind a hill, and the fjord itself is only visible from the closest part of town.

 

In Geiranger, the town spreads up the hill, so the farther up hill you go, the farther you can see. Until you reach the clouds, if it's an overcast day. Although Mt. Dalsnibba has limited seasonal opening and frequent cloud cover, there are several popular viewing points that are low enough to provide a great view even when the clouds are low. Flydalsjuvet is a popular lower choice, and there are a few overlooks that you can hike to if you're willing to spend an hour on a steady uphill trail.

 

I've done an expedition cruise to the fjords in northeast Greenland, and I wouldn't compare the fjord sailing there to that of Norway. Greenland is known for having the world's largest fjord (Scoresbysund), but sailing through that area is very different from the Norwegian coast. Some of the big draws of the Greenland fjord system are the reduced vegetation, which makes the phenomenal geology easily observable, and the incredible icebergs that calve from the glaciers. Norwegian fjords by contrast are much greener and more vegetated, and since the glaciers that created them are long gone, the tongues of the fjords end in small towns instead, built in the valleys that were left behind. While the larger fjords, like the outer parts of Sognefjord, are pretty enough, they're more similar to fjord landscapes found elsewhere, and the most dramatic and unique scenery comes from the narrow fjords like Nærøyfjord (literally narrow fjord) and Geirangerfjord.

[orangedec10]

Option 2! Olden is not to be missed!

[Thejuggler]

Option 2 for Fjords,  option 1 is more of a coastal trip.

 

The trip to do in Flam is Norway in a Nutshell.  A full day, coach to Voss, then two trains back to Flam or the trip in reverse with trains first the  the bus back. Brilliant day out.