Princess or NCL Prima to Norway/Iceland?

[soonergirl8]

Hi all.

 

I could definitely use your advice on planning our family trip next summer. This cruise will be to celebrate my daughter's college graduation and son's high school graduation. We were looking at the NCL Prima that departs on July 13 from Southampton and arrives in Reykjavik on July 24 or the Princess Sky Princess which is roundtrip to Norway from Southampton July 12-19 and then flying to spend 6 days in Iceland. My husband and I sailed the NCL Epic on a Mediterranean cruise in 2018, and we went on a Princess cruise a lot longer ago to the Caribbean. Our two kids have been on a 4 day Disney cruise. 

 

Things I like about NCL are the varied activities and ports. However, all the ports changing after final payment is a red flag. Last summer, the Prima didn't stop in Brussels or in Isafjordur. I also like that this cruise ends in Iceland vs. us having to fly there. The stops are Geiranger, Bergen, and Alesund in Norway.

 

Things I like about Princess is a shorter cruise and 4 stops in Norway that look like they have more activities geared to our family. We like to ride bikes, explore, hike, and we don't want to just get on a bus and then get out to take pictures at spots. The stops are Haugesund, Olden, Skjolden and Stavanger.

 

For a little bit more, we can do the Princess cruise and then go on a land trip in Iceland. However, I'm not sure if NCL will have more activities for our 18 and 21 year-olds. I do not like the idea of losing ports. 

 

For those of you that have been to Iceland and/or Norway. What do you suggest?

 

Thank you!

Whitney

[Coral]

I have been to Norway but not Iceland. My Norway trip was 14 nights up to North Cape and back.

 

I can tell you I loved Gerianger (absolute favorite port) and also loved Bergen and Stavanger. The sail into Skjolden is beautiful but Skjolden is an awful port excursion wise (highlight is a Stave church and a National Park where we saw skiers but didn't do anything). I have not been to Haugesund or Olden. I liked Alesund.

 

Not sure if this helps.

[riansgrammy]

I would do the stops on the NCL cruise. We did those stops on a Norway cruise in 2019. So much to see and do. The twizzy in Geiranger is a must as well as the funicular in Bergen. 

The Princess stops in Norway are very underwhelming with very little to do. We were just there in June. Very disappointing. Also, those ports were part of an itinerary that included 4 stops in Iceland. Frankly, IMHO, if you want to see Iceland just go to Iceland. Take a smaller vessel or just find a land tour. 
 

Vicki 

[Treasure Hunter]

We did both trips with Princess.both with grandkids younger than your kids. I thought the Norway cruise was boring . Everyone loved the Iceland cruise. The excursions were amazing. NCL has far more bells and whistles for your kids but I’ve never done NCL in Europe just Alaska ( not impressed by them) and Caribbean ( enjoyed) while Princess always does a great job

[elaine5]

Have you considered the July 17 on emerald princess that goes both to Norway and Iceland? 

[riansgrammy]

2 hours ago, elaine5 said:

Have you considered the July 17 on emerald princess that goes both to Norway and Iceland? 

That’s the cruise we just did. Very little to do in the Norway ports and it didn’t help that we docked in Loen instead of Olden. Iceland is amazing even though we missed Reykjavik. 

 

[Coral]

In defense of Norway - there are some amazing ports there and plenty to do in certain ports (I am only familiar with the ports I went to). It is one of my favorite cruises of all times. Though my trip was 14 days up to North Cape and back. I heard from many on my cruise it was also their favorite cruise.

 

Though I also understand when people say there was little to do as we were bored in Skjolden. It is all about which ports. Other ports - there was so much to do I had to pick one of several things I wanted to do.

 

There is a Northern European board here that can also assist: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/116-northern-europe-baltic-sea/ 

Edited 21 hours ago by Coral

[Arizona Wildcat]

12 hours ago, Coral said:

I have been to Norway but not Iceland. My Norway trip was 14 nights up to North Cape and back.

 

I can tell you I loved Gerianger (absolute favorite port) and also loved Bergen and Stavanger. The sail into Skjolden is beautiful but Skjolden is an awful port excursion wise (highlight is a Stave church and a National Park where we saw skiers but didn't do anything). I have not been to Haugesund or Olden. I liked Alesund.

 

Not sure if this helps.

Find the same 14 day round trip Norway cruise.  Anything less is simply mostly days at sea.  

The do a fly drive in Iceland.  Several travel agencies have excellent packages and that way you can really see Iceland.  With a cruise you.often miss Isdofjouder as it is weather dependent and big ships only do 3 ports.

We did private excursions in most Norway ports. Lots to do if you get out of town.  Both Norway and Iceland are for the culture, history and scenery 

Edited 16 hours ago by Arizona Wildcat

[elaine5]

13 hours ago, riansgrammy said:

Very little to do in the Norway ports and it didn’t help that we docked in Loen instead of Olden. I

Was Loen the original port, or switched (and for what reason)? We really enjoyed Olden previously. 

[riansgrammy]

52 minutes ago, elaine5 said:

Was Loen the original port, or switched (and for what reason)? We really enjoyed Olden previously. 

It was switched to Loen. No notices. Olden was the original port. We enjoyed it to on a diff cruise.