Need help re fjord cruising

[ging466]

Hi

I'm looking at the HAL cruise on Prinsendam, July next year. It stops at Bergen and Kristiansund and then Honnigsvag before going onto Longyearbyen and Iceland.

 

My question is whether Bergen and Kristiansund are sufficient to see the fjords or should I choose another cruise which makes more stops up the coast of Norway?

 

Any advice is much appreciated.

 

Cheers

Ging466

[ilovhywd]

I'm not familiar with Kristiansund, but I do know that two of the most scenic fjords are Geirangerfjord and the fjord that leads to Flam. If you are not likely to cruise Norway again, I would definitely choose a cruise that went down at least one of the most scenic fjords.

 

In addition, Flam has a train that goes past a storybook village and a beautiful waterfall.

 

Honnigsvag is a stark landscape with only a visitor's center at North Cape. I did an interesting bird watching boat ride in the morning and then went to the visitor's center in the afternoon. This area does not have a fjord.

 

I hope you find the right cruise!

 

Ilene

 

P.S. Are you from Sydney, Australia, or Sydney, Nova Scotia? We go to Sydney, NS on our upcoming Eurodam cruise.

[ging466]

Thankx for yr help.

 

I particularly wanted to go to Iceland and Spitzbergen which this HAL trip does...because of that I guess HAL isn't able to make too many stops up the coast of Norway. It doesn't go to Flam.:(

 

If I go to Bergen and Kristiansund, will I still see a fjord?

 

This will be my one and only trip to the area that's why I want to try to fit everything in....I'm from Australia:)

 

Cheers

Ging

[kruzseeka]

Bergen or Kristiansund are really on the coast. Perhaps you can do an excursion part way into a fjord from your ports of call - but the mountains get steeper and closer together the further you go. Bergen itself is surrounded by hills and islands - but this is not the same scenery as that around Geiranger for example.

 

Geiranger and Flam are at the ends of very long Fjords (about 100 miles I think) so part of the experience is the stately glide through the majestic scenery as you approach and leave these destinations. It's breath-taking! Steep, towering mountains surrounding you, waterfalls and an ever-changing view. It's a day's journey from say, Alesund (on the coast - also a lovely port of call) to visit Geiranger at the end of Geiranger Fjord.

 

As a previous post has said, the train ride from Flam is one of the highlights of a visit to Norway and the trip to Geiranger is fanastic.

 

Have you considered any other cruise companies? Perhaps you can find one which will allow you to see something more of the fjords i.e. by sailing IN the fjord as well as Iceland/Spitzbergen. I notice P&O have cruises next year that do Iceland and some good Fjord destinations - but not Spitzbergen also one for Spitzbergen and the Fjords but not Iceland. Perhaps not your choice of cruiseline/ship - but perhaps there are others out there which would give a closer match to your wish list.

 

You're coming a long way so you want to make the most of it - but I think you wouldn't really see the best of the fjords by visiting only Bergen and Kristiansund.

 

Good luck!

[ging466]

Thankx for the info Kruzseeka

 

It seems I just can't find a cruiseline that does exactly what I want so I'm thinking I will give up on Spitzbergen and look at Grand Princess for the fjords and Iceland.

 

Have you been to Spitzbergen and am I doing the right thing giving it up in order to see Bergen, Olden, Hellesylt, Geiranger & Aalesund?

 

Cheers

Ging466

[12B@C]

Ging466, we are thinking also to do the Prinsendam to Norway, etc. As you know the most northern part of the world for any cruise is Spitsbergen and that is certainly a unique spot to go to. The ship also goes to Iceland with several stops there.

Hence, the scenery is not 'fjords' but more of the remote, stark 'Mother Nature' type of grandure.

 

The only trouble I have with the Prinsendam is that they have those darn 'formal nights' and I hate to dress up in a monkey suit. For a nature oriented trip like this, the 'formal night' business should be abandoned.

[Globaliser]

... am I doing the right thing giving it up in order to see Bergen, Olden, Hellesylt, Geiranger & Aalesund?

I think only you can really answer this question. But my personal view is this: I wouldn't give up Spitsbergen to see the other places. Spitsbergen is somewhere that you really might never have the chance to get back to, because it is becoming progressively more difficult. But the other places are much easier to reach, and will always be accessible.

[Globaliser]

The only trouble I have with the Prinsendam is that they have those darn 'formal nights' and I hate to dress up in a monkey suit. For a nature oriented trip like this, the 'formal night' business should be abandoned.

But it is a cruise. And wherever it's going, it will still first and foremost be a cruise! So it's never going to be a hands-on adventure.

 

If you want a real nature-oriented trip to Spitsbergen, there are plenty of land-based trips there, which would really show you what the place is like.

[12B@C]

But it is a cruise. And wherever it's going, it will still first and foremost be a cruise!

 

I don't understand what you are talking about. All I am saying is that I hate to get dressed up in a monkey suit when I am supposed to be having fun. Perhaps you are not familiar with the trend in informal cruising. Perhaps you should take a look at the following thread and what other have to say about the Prinsendam.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=780766

 

Now if you want to get all decked out during your holidays, go ahead, suit yourself, but it should be a 'as you prefer' type of situation, as far as I am concerned.

BTW your suggestion of doing a land-based tour of Spitsbergen is really clever!!

[ging466]

But it is a cruise. And wherever it's going, it will still first and foremost be a cruise! So it's never going to be a hands-on adventure. If you want a real nature-oriented trip to Spitsbergen, there are plenty of land-based trips there, which would really show you what the place is like.

 

Hi Globaliser

Yes I agree with u that it is only a cruise and stopping at certain places can whet your appetitie to go back and explore.

 

The decision for me is so darn difficult because I want to try to do the right thing and see everything that I can because coming from Australia it's soooooo expensive and that part of the world is not a place that I can keep returning to.

 

Do you actually go to Spitsbergen and North Cape just for the desolation experience or do you actually see wildlife? Is the king crab safari something worth doing?

 

Another issue too is with Prinsendam there are only 700 or so passengers, with Princess there are 3000 and I've never been on a big ship like that before.

 

With regard to the other post about formal nights, that doesn't factor in....if there's formal nights I take extra dresses and decide on the night whether I want to participate or not.

 

It's really good to get everyone's input so pls keep up with the advice.:)

 

Cheers

Ging466

[lauralou2]

go with Princess bid is best !!! and the Fjords are fantastic if your looking for spectacular scenery . J

[Globaliser]

Do you actually go to Spitsbergen and North Cape just for the desolation experience or do you actually see wildlife?

I wanted to go to Spitsbergen because it may well be the furthest north that I will ever get to in my life (just shy of 80° north). It also afforded the chance to have a sea day getting there and a sea day getting back. We were lucky to have had a spectacularly beautiful morning in Magdalenafjord, and then the chance to explore a little around Ny Alesund on foot. It has some of the desolation of Antarctica, which I also loved (although we did not get nearly as far south - not quite to the Antarctic Circle). And that was really what was in it for me: an extraordinarily memorable day in a remote and inaccessible place of outstanding beauty.

 

North Cape is in civilisation, so it's just another cruise destination; it's not nearly as interesting as it's hyped up to be. We opted to explore the nooks and crannies of Honningsvag instead.

 

I won't normally do ship's excursions, so unfortunately can't report on the king crab safari.

[ging466]

I wanted to go to Spitsbergen because it may well be the furthest north that I will ever get to in my life (just shy of 80° north). It also afforded the chance to have a sea day getting there and a sea day getting back. We were lucky to have had a spectacularly beautiful morning in Magdalenafjord, and then the chance to explore a little around Ny Alesund on foot. It has some of the desolation of Antarctica, which I also loved (although we did not get nearly as far south - not quite to the Antarctic Circle). And that was really what was in it for me: an extraordinarily memorable day in a remote and inaccessible place of outstanding beauty.

 

North Cape is in civilisation, so it's just another cruise destination; it's not nearly as interesting as it's hyped up to be. We opted to explore the nooks and crannies of Honningsvag instead.

 

I won't normally do ship's excursions, so unfortunately can't report on the king crab safari.

 

Thankx very much Globaliser for your advice....much appreciated.

 

Cheers

Ging466

[Lair Bear]

The Prinsendam cruise next year does stop at one of the fjords of Norway. Although this one is not as spectacular as those further north, at least the Lysefjord is one before the ship goes to Bergen and the rest of Norway.

 

[Globaliser]

This is the image that Lair Bear was trying to post (the site obviously doesn't allow hotlinking):-

 

[12B@C]

This is the image that Lair Bear was trying to post (the site obviously doesn't allow hotlinking):-

 

I don't see anything wrong with the picture Lair Bear posted. Perhaps you need a new computer or at least a better server. Besides, if the picture did not come through on your system, how would you know what the picture looks like?

[Globaliser]

Well, it doesn't show up on the web page that I'm looking at - which is the same problem as for images from many other sites which don't allow hotlinking. But you can still get the URL from the placeholder.

 

However, my profuse apologies if I have offended by trying to help any other CC members who might be reading this thread but encountering the same problem with me.

[12B@C]

However, my profuse apologies if I have offended by trying to help any other CC members who might be reading this thread but encountering the same problem with me.

 

Apologies accepted.

If the picture does not show, all you have to do is right-click on the x and the 'show picture' on the menu that follows.

[ging466]

Well, it doesn't show up on the web page that I'm looking at - which is the same problem as for images from many other sites which don't allow hotlinking. But you can still get the URL from the placeholder.

 

However, my profuse apologies if I have offended by trying to help any other CC members who might be reading this thread but encountering the same problem with me.

 

Hi Globaliser

You have no need to apologise. Like you, I could only see an x and no matter what I did, couldn't get anything until I read your post today.

 

I'm sure most CCers who had the same problem appreciate that you took the time to post the picture for us.

 

Cheers

Ging466:)

[Globaliser]

Apologies accepted.

If the picture does not show, all you have to do is right-click on the x and the 'show picture' on the menu that follows.

I tried that: doesn't work. Same with any other image on a site that doesn't allow hotlinking.

 

I'm glad that ging466 has found it helpful - I hope it may have helped others, too.

[kaisatsu]

We just got back a few days ago from a cruise up to Spitsbergen! It was absolutely fantastic! We were on the QE2, so we only spent one day at Longyearbyen, but it was brilliant! We didn't have much time to get far from the town, so I arranged to do a kayaking excursion with a local company. We saw more history (abandoned mining village, scraps of a German WWII plane, etc) than wildlife (birds, a few Arctic wildflowers, and a seal), but the scenery was just spectacular. And it is farther north than anywhere else we're ever likely to go! We're already considering going back for a longer Svalbard-only trip!

 

However, you said you wanted to see the fjords as well! We were really lucky in our itinerary because we hit Geirangerfjord and the Lofoten Islands as well - two other beautiful bits of Norway we wanted to see. We didn't mind missing Flaam, because we'd been before. And honestly, I think Geirangerfjord was prettier than Sogneford and Naeroeyfjord near Flaam.

 

While Cunard will probably offer a similar itinerary next year, if Spitsbergen is definitely a place you want to visit, I'd recommend looking for a cruise that spends a little more time there. I actually just looked up listings for a friend who wants to do something similar but wouldn't like the formality of Cunard. I've seen some trips that include up to 3 days in Spitsbergen offered by Costa and Fred Olsen. Both websites will even let you search cruises that include Spitsbergen or Longyearbyen as a the destination.

 

Additionally, one of the Svalbard cruise companies offers sailings that begin in Bergen and hit Flaam and Geiranger on the way up north:

http://www.spitsbergentravel.no/eng/goxpage00000291.html

[ging466]

We just got back a few days ago from a cruise up to Spitsbergen! It was absolutely fantastic! We were on the QE2, so we only spent one day at Longyearbyen, but it was brilliant! We didn't have much time to get far from the town, so I arranged to do a kayaking excursion with a local company. We saw more history (abandoned mining village, scraps of a German WWII plane, etc) than wildlife (birds, a few Arctic wildflowers, and a seal), but the scenery was just spectacular. And it is farther north than anywhere else we're ever likely to go! We're already considering going back for a longer Svalbard-only trip!

 

However, you said you wanted to see the fjords as well! We were really lucky in our itinerary because we hit Geirangerfjord and the Lofoten Islands as well - two other beautiful bits of Norway we wanted to see. We didn't mind missing Flaam, because we'd been before. And honestly, I think Geirangerfjord was prettier than Sogneford and Naeroeyfjord near Flaam.

 

While Cunard will probably offer a similar itinerary next year, if Spitsbergen is definitely a place you want to visit, I'd recommend looking for a cruise that spends a little more time there. I actually just looked up listings for a friend who wants to do something similar but wouldn't like the formality of Cunard. I've seen some trips that include up to 3 days in Spitsbergen offered by Costa and Fred Olsen. Both websites will even let you search cruises that include Spitsbergen or Longyearbyen as a the destination.

 

Additionally, one of the Svalbard cruise companies offers sailings that begin in Bergen and hit Flaam and Geiranger on the way up north:

http://www.spitsbergentravel.no/eng/goxpage00000291.html

 

Glad to hear you had a good trip. I finally decided to book the Tahitian Princess next June, it goes all the way up the coast of Norway to North Cape then across to Magdalena Fjord and NY Alesund. Hope I have made the right decision.

 

Thankx to all for their input.

 

Regards

Ging466

[kaisatsu]

Wow! I hadn't seen the Princess sailings, and that's an amazing itinerary! The two best fjords, North Cape, Spitsbergen, Lofoten Islands... And you'll even be sailing over the summer solstice! Expect a lot of sun, because you'll probably have at least 9 nights where it doesn't set at all!

 

I'm secretly hoping that this one doesn't sell very well, because I know a lot of people here in Norway who would love to do that sailing if the price dropped a little! ;)

[ging466]

Wow! I hadn't seen the Princess sailings, and that's an amazing itinerary! The two best fjords, North Cape, Spitsbergen, Lofoten Islands... And you'll even be sailing over the summer solstice! Expect a lot of sun, because you'll probably have at least 9 nights where it doesn't set at all!

 

I'm secretly hoping that this one doesn't sell very well, because I know a lot of people here in Norway who would love to do that sailing if the price dropped a little! ;)

 

Yes I'm very happy with the itinerary even if I am missing Iceland...I'll just have to go there another time. I'd forgotten about the summer solstice so I'm very excited at the prospect of seeing non stop daylight.

 

What was the weather like during your recent cruise there? Did it get very cold there even though it's summer? I'm from Sydney Australia and our winters don't get very cold. For example today the sun is shining and it's around 19C!!

 

Cheers

Ging466

[kaisatsu]

We had truly unbelievable weather on our trip! Typical weather on the coast would have been scattered rain and clouds with temperatures between 10° and 20° (excluding Svalbard).

 

What we actually had was sun almost everywhere (Stavanger and Gravdal were cloudy in the morning) and mountain fog with light showers in Geiranger. The temperature in Bergen soared to 24º and in Trondheim it was 26°! It was incredibly warm, and I didn't pack enough summer clothes to handle those temperatures. When we got back and told everyone, they couldn't believe how lucky we were. The Norwegian coast (esp. Bergen and Stavanger) are known for their rain, so we were astonished at our good fortune.

 

Some friends who did the trip last year had very bad luck, since last summer was one of the coldest and wettest in recent years. They had cooler temperatures and lots of fog, which made it hard to enjoy the scenery.

 

As for Svalbard/Spitsbergen, we had 2° temperatures and more sun. Be sure to pack a good jacket, because winds brought the temperature down to as low as -10° even in the sun. The weather in Longyearbyen never reaches above 5°, so it's bound to be chilly. On the way back to the mainland, we cruised past Bjørnøya (Bear Island), but it was foggy, and we couldn't see much. According to the ship's lecturer, he's sailed past Bjørnøya 11 times, and he's only really seen it twice.

 

Since it's roughly the same time of year right now, you might want to take a look at the Norwegian weather report. The forecasts are never that accurate (there are too many variables to get good predictions), but you can get an idea of the current weather, which has gone back to a bit more normal!

 

-Meg

 

PS - Here are a few photos from our trip and the astonishing weather!