crackers

I have been looking at cruises for coastal Norway. Interested in feedback for Holland America, Princess, and Celebrity. Interest in what you thought of the ports and what you did. Also, what was the weather like when you went.

losarbolitos

Just for fun, go to Bergen lines ( the ferries that run the coast). Don't be confused--some of these are big ships--but not like a cruise line. They run as transportation, but we had a seviceable and clean cabin. Meals are not exciting--but basic with little choice. The JOY is hitting all the tiny ports, and the wonderful cities. We actually did the round trip--late in March and early April--to avoid other Americans. It was light enough by then to have some real twilight--and the ports we hit in the middle of the night going north--we got to in the middle of the day going south.
We flew to Oslo for a few days--then to Bergen by train. We had wonderful weather, incredible scenery--and went into many a port where a cruise ship could not venture. There are shore excursions you can take--and many places to just walk to the village or even the town. My husband loved just watching the loading and unloading of supplies in each place. The ferries are the major north south means of transport--often people will get on in one town--and off in a few towns up the route. If you really want to see Norway and experience the people this is one way to do it.

crackers

I have been looking at doing it this way. When I decide I will check the prices between doing the ferry system and a cruise ship and decide from there. If I end up doing this alone I am afraid the ferry will be a little boring.

BudgetQueen

I am VERY interested in a trip like described by losarbolitos.

How much time did you have and can you give me further details?? Did you take the ferry stright through or did you stop and overnight at some??

Any northern lights?? Any rental cars?? language problems?? costs??

Thank a bunch!!

crackers

if you do a search on Hurtigruten you find out tons of info. That is what the NCV is known as in Norway.

crackers

bump

Julia_E

I would definitely recommend doing the Norwegian fjords with Norwegian Coastal Voyages. It is a small-ship, soft adventure cruise and not one of the large cruise lines. The destination and the ports are the entertainment - you stop in small towns, hamlets, villages along the way. You can do shore excursions or simply get off the ship and walk around town. You can travel northbound or southbound, or do the round-trip journey. If you do the round-trip, you visit some ports in the daylight on 1 way and see the same port at dusk/night on the return trip. The same port can look completely different in different light.

Clients are doing the round-trip for 12 days in late April for around $2200 per person. There are also independent and escorted land-based vacations to see Norway that can be combined with a cruise. But, of course, you can also do independent travel with hotel reservations, train tickets, etc. But, really consider doing a package because Norway and especially Oslo, are among the most expensive destinations in Europe.

Best Regards,
Julia

losarbolitos

Hi, Since you asked Budget Queen. I think we were gone 19 days. In Oslo we stayed in a Norwegian hotel, the name means "the people's hotel" and is escaping me. Wanted to travel like the locals. Caught the train over the snow covered mountains to Bergen and spent a night there before boarding the ferry. As Julia described we went northbound and then southbound. We stayed with the same ferry the whole time--much like on a cruise ship. There is no language problem, most everyone speaks English.( we Americans are the ones who have the limitations!) No rental cars--in some places there are few roads beyond local ones--the country needs the ferries to connect the villages and towns. If you contact Hurtigruten ( Bergen Lines in NYC) they will send you a DVD. Costs depend on the size of the ship, the age of the ship and the time of year. You can do this in the dead of winter ( dark all the time) or in mid-summer.
The late April-May time frame worked well for us. Note that it is less expensive in the "off season"--and to us that was much more fun.

BudgetQueen

Thank you for taking the time with this post. I'm planning for a Norway tour this fall or next spring.

crackers

Is there anyone on this forum that has done Norway cruising with the cruie lines.

crackers

Do you feel you have enough time a shore on the Norwegian Coastal Voyage? I am thinking of doing this end of May or end of August next year. Some of the ports seems like you would have very little time ashore.

EDH_Traveler

We are taking the northbound coastal voyage trip this June after some days in Oslo and Bergen. I can report back afterwards if people are interested.

crackers

EDH Traveler I am very interested in what experience you have on the Coastal Voyage. If you wouldn't mind email me directly, so I do not miss your view of the trip.

MarthaT

I would love to hear about this also so please let us know how it went.

clarasong

Several years ago DH and part of our family took the Princess Ryndam up the coast of Norway and had an amazing time...the ship was small enough not to feel swamped, the scenery and excursion exceptional, and weather just about what to expect...(take a good jacket). I don't know how it is now, but you have lots of options.