Sharon

Hello,<BR>Does anyone know if it is possible to cruise from Rotterdam or Amsterdam to the Norway coast? I've tried searching on the web but haven't found anything. Any suggestions on where to look? thanks!

Art

I would suggest that you contact the cruise lines. I know that there are various cruises but don't know if there is one like you requested.<BR>Good Luck<BR>Art<BR>

pat

We had a eurail pass, and went on the train which drove onto a ferry from Copenhagen to Oslo. We stayed in an overnight sleeper on the train, on the ferry, but we could get off the train. That might not be what you want to do, but it`s a thought.

Ben Haines

<BR> <BR>The reference library of city near you may have the Thomas Cook European Timetable. The map on page 516 shows that you can take ship from Ijmuiden (by Amsterdam) to Newcastle, from Newcastle to Bergen, and from Bergen up the coast.<BR><BR>From Ijmuiden (by Amsterdam) to Newcastle. DFDS Seaways. Victoria Hotel Amsterdam 1630, bus, Ijmuiden 1800, Newcastle International ferry terminal 0900. Detail on http://www.dfdsseaways.co.uk/.<BR><BR>From Newcastle to Bergen. Fjord Line. Not daily Newcastle railway station 1600, bus, Newcastle International ferry terminal 1830, Stavanger 1430, Haugesund 1700, Bergen 2115. For detail you should e-mail [email protected], as their website in English isn't working, http://www.fjordline.com/<BR><BR>From Bergen up the coast. Hurtigruten. Bergen first day 2000 (in winter 2230), Kirkenes seventh day 1030. Detail on http://www.hurtigruten.com/uk/produkt.html<BR>The site http://www.willassen.no/guide/generelt/inorge.en.html says that a full cruise Bergen-Kirkenes-Bergen will cost about 11000 Norwegian Crowns.<BR><BR>I like the idea of a train ferry from Copenhagen to Oslo, but alas the ferry used to run just from Helssingor over the straits to Helsingborg, and now a fine bridge to Malmo has replaced that boat. The long train ferry trip from Sassnitz in Germany to Trelleborg in Sweden seems to be cancelled for winter, but you can till take short trips by train ferry in Denmark and Italy.<BR><BR>Please write if I can help further.<BR><BR>Ben Haines, London<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>

Sharon

Thanks everyone.<BR><BR>I'm still trying to go directly from Amsterdam/Rotterdam to Norway. I may try the train to Copenhagen then to Oslo and Bergen and so on. I'm just trying to eliminate another flight.<BR><BR>I'm still open to more suggestions!<BR><BR>Ben, Thanks for all of your research. I feel like going to Newcastle would be backtracking. Perhaps when I look closely at the timetables I'll see that it makes more sense than the train trip. Thanks for all of your info!

Ben Haines

Yes, though not so much at the timetables as at a map. You'll see that the trip via Newcastle is a dog's leg, but it does give you the whole trip by sea, and Newcastle has easily enough to see to fill a day.<BR><BR>Amsterdam to Copenhagen by train involves a chantge of tra8innby night, and two changes of train by day, and is more of a dog-leg than via Newcastle.<BR><BR>Ben Haines<BR><BR>Ben haines

bjorn

I agree with Ben. Going CPH-OSLO to get to the fjords seems akward. Either make it via Newcastle and Fjord line, or consider a direct flight to Bergen. Maybe an open jaw Amsterdam-Bergen and returnal Oslo-Amsterdam?<BR><BR>Every now and then there are regular sailings between Amsterdam an Kristiansand. Not for some years, though. Try and locate the major compaies. They will tell if such plans are around.<BR><BR>Scandinavian Seaways<BR>Fjord Line<BR>Stena Line<BR>Color line<BR><BR>Best of luck<BR>Bjorn, Oslo

Geoff

It would have helped in the beginning to have seen that you're only trying to avoid another plane ride. There's a big difference between the "cruises" available and just trying to basically find a ferry.<BR><BR>Sharon, you're nuts to avoid the flight. There are loads of cheap flights inside Europe and you'll spend 1/4 of the time or less. Fly.

Sharon

Geoff - In an ideal world I would like to take a real cruise from AMS to Bergen and the fjords and not a ferry. I never mentioned a ferry - the other posters did. Of course, we could always fly to Bergen, but we thought another mode of transportation would make our trip more interesting and we eventually have to get on a boat to see the Norwegian coast.<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>

anna

The ships that ply those waters are mostly ferries, but they are HUGE. They have onboard entertainment, restaurants, and shopping. I think some may have swimming pools. We sailed the Dana Anglia from Esbjerg, Denmark to Harwich, England and back a few years ago.<BR>The timetable at DFDS says they will be sailing the Princess of Scandinavia from Newcastle to Kristiansand and Gothenburg in Norway starting in January 2002, but only on Mondays and Fridays. It appears to be a 26-hour trip, according to the timetable. We enjoyed our trip on the ferry. The kids keep asking to go again.