Help With Questions About Norway

[danny8826]

 

We are looking at booking the MSC Euribia for Norway in October, but we have some questions and hopefully someone can help.

The ports are Flaam, Alesund, Hellesylt and Kiel

 

1.  How is the weather like in Norway during October?

2.  Would it be dark enough to see the northern lights?

 

 

Thank you so much

[Essiesmom]

Have you asked on the Ports of Call board for Norway?  EM

[kaisatsu]

October is a bit hit or miss weather-wise, but it’s not uncommon to have more days of sun compared to dreary November. The temperatures will be cooler but above freezing, so potential for rain rather than snow. If you take the Flåmsbana up to Myrdal, there’s a possibility of some flurries as the temperature are much colder up on the plateau.

 

Expect most of the seasonal tourist infrastructure to be long closed. If you’re looking for independent tours, start early as options will be very limited.

 

the equinox is at the end of September, so nights will be starting to get longer. Plenty of darkness, but if you’re not heading north of Ålesund, you’ll need a particularly strong display to spot them that far south in Norway.

[danny8826]

3 hours ago, kaisatsu said:

October is a bit hit or miss weather-wise, but it’s not uncommon to have more days of sun compared to dreary November. The temperatures will be cooler but above freezing, so potential for rain rather than snow. If you take the Flåmsbana up to Myrdal, there’s a possibility of some flurries as the temperature are much colder up on the plateau.

 

Expect most of the seasonal tourist infrastructure to be long closed. If you’re looking for independent tours, start early as options will be very limited.

 

the equinox is at the end of September, so nights will be starting to get longer. Plenty of darkness, but if you’re not heading north of Ålesund, you’ll need a particularly strong display to spot them that far south in Norway.

 

We were looking at either Sept 28th or Oct 6th, but we might consider postpone this trip until next October.  It still will be the same dates.  

Thank you.  It looks like the farthest according to the itinerary would be Hellesylt.  

 

Thank you,

Danny

[hallasm]

Ålesund is further north than Hellesylt, but that probably has no bearing on whether you see the Northern Lights.
Normally, there is the greatest chance of seeing the Northern Lights north of the Arctic Circle, but absolutely possible if it is a strong light.

[danny8826]

1 hour ago, hallasm said:

Ålesund is further north than Hellesylt, but that probably has no bearing on whether you see the Northern Lights.
Normally, there is the greatest chance of seeing the Northern Lights north of the Arctic Circle, but absolutely possible if it is a strong light.

 

 

Thank you.  We decide on this cruise because we know the fjords will be close after 2025.

There are 2 itineraries that we are looking at.

Either this one.  

 

https://www.icruise.com/itineraries/7-night-northern-europe-cruise_msc-euribia_9-28-2025.html?refPage=src

 

Or this one

 

https://www.icruise.com/itineraries/6-night-northern-europe-cruise_msc-euribia_10-5-2025.html?refPage=src

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 22 by danny8826
add links

[hallasm]

20 minutes ago, danny8826 said:

We decide on this cruise because we know the fjords will be close after 2025.

Some fjords, but not all fjords and not for all ships.

The Heritage fjords to Flåm and Geiranger will be ‘zero emission’ zones . It will  still be possible to visit Hellesylt (and Olden) by most Cruise ships.

In addition it is expected that LNG powered ship can visit Flåm and Geiranger in a transition period. A final decision and wording are expected by the end of Q1 in 2024.
MSC Euribia is LNG powered and she will likely be able to visit Flåm and Geiranger also after 2025.

 

Edited January 22 by hallasm

[oakridger]

Or, if your main priority is to see Northern Lights, you could look at doing a coastal ferry trip with Hurtigruten or Havila which goes all the way north to Kirkenes.  It's not a traditional cruise though so be sure to read about what they offer.  They don't go to Geirangerfjord in the winter though (Only June 1st through August 31st)

 

~Nancy

[danny8826]

13 hours ago, hallasm said:

Some fjords, but not all fjords and not for all ships.

The Heritage fjords to Flåm and Geiranger will be ‘zero emission’ zones . It will  still be possible to visit Hellesylt (and Olden) by most Cruise ships.

In addition it is expected that LNG powered ship can visit Flåm and Geiranger in a transition period. A final decision and wording are expected by the end of Q1 in 2024.
MSC Euribia is LNG powered and she will likely be able to visit Flåm and Geiranger also after 2025.

 

 

That's good news.  I don't have to worry about not being able to see Flåm and Geiranger. 

10 hours ago, oakridger said:

Or, if your main priority is to see Northern Lights, you could look at doing a coastal ferry trip with Hurtigruten or Havila which goes all the way north to Kirkenes.  It's not a traditional cruise though so be sure to read about what they offer.  They don't go to Geirangerfjord in the winter though (Only June 1st through August 31st)

 

~Nancy

 

Thank you Nancy. Yeah, I heard about Hurtigruten.  I will discuss more with my travel companion.

 

 

[Hezu]

17 hours ago, hallasm said:

Ålesund is further north than Hellesylt, but that probably has no bearing on whether you see the Northern Lights.
Normally, there is the greatest chance of seeing the Northern Lights north of the Arctic Circle, but absolutely possible if it is a strong light.

With suitable geomagnetic storm conditions it is sure possible to see Northern Lights  surprisingly southern latitudes, although further south you go less common this gets. But predicting this in well in advance is perhaps even harder than forecasting regular weather, so you know only day or two before if there might be a possibility that there could be auroras.

And even with suitable space weather it is always possible that A) auroras occur during the daylight hours and thus are not visible, although midwinter in the polar regions have the advantage here as there is minimal amount of daylight, B) regular weather is such that there is a thick cloud cover and it is impossible to see any sky. And for most people there is also C) auroras light the sky in the middle of night when you are sleeping.

[hallasm]

8 hours ago, danny8826 said:

I don't have to worry about not being able to see Flåm and Geiranger. 

Please note. “A final decision and wording are expected by the end of Q1 in 2024.”

For Northern Lights consider an itinerary above Arctic Circle.

[biggerbearmom]

8 hours ago, danny8826 said:

 

That's good news.  I don't have to worry about not being able to see Flåm and Geiranger. 

 

Thank you Nancy. Yeah, I heard about Hurtigruten.  I will discuss more with my travel companion.

 

 

Give Hurtigruten strong consideration. Our first trip to Norway was June 2013 on a two week Fjord cruise with Celebrity. We feel in love with Norway and have returned numerous times since. In December 2019 I did a Hurtigruten Coastal cruise from Bergen to Kirkenes with my daughter. It was a fabulous experience, the Northern Lights showed up, the stops at the small villages were so interesting, the scenery was spectacular, and the excursions were great. Very different than a traditional cruise but we felt like we got more of the essence of the Norwegian culture. We just booked the southbound Kirkenes to Bergen for September. Norway is my happy place. ❤️

Edited January 23 by biggerbearmom

[oakridger]

To those considering a Hurtigruten coastal voyage, be sure to also look at the newest coastal company which shares the same route as Hurtigruten.  Havila Kystruten.  I am booked on Havila for this June and chose it because the price was considerably lower than Hurtigruten at the time of booking.  Havila offers a large/nice/new cabin.  I have traveled on Hurtigruten and absolutely loved the trip but chose Havila this time for the reasons mentioned. I'm so excited to be going back to Norway!

 

  Havila homepage - Havila Voyages

 

~Nancy