Clear Customs in Oslo -- en route to Bergen??? And Hurtigruten Cruise???
 

For those who have been following my thread about Tallinn, Copenhagen, or ... for the last week of October.

I'm seriously considering doing the coastal cruise from Bergen to Kirkenes. It will probably be that or Copenhagen.

If I change planes in Oslo -- en route to Bergen -- do I need to clear customs and retrieve a bag (if I check one)? It would be ticketed as one trip (on Norwegian Airlines). I ask because one of the flight options only allows a little more than an hour to change planes in Oslo. The other options involve 4 - 6 hour layovers.)

I have some big cruise concerns, such as:

-- It will be FREEZING. (lows in the teens F., and we are from Hawaii) and the whole point would be to see the scenery and especially, the Northern Lights -- which means standing out on deck;

-- there will be less than 6 hours of daylight at the northern-most points

Any thoughts???

Another option requires an almost 5 hour layover in Oslo. If I need to retrieve bags and clear customs I would probably take that option.

Do you mean a flight from the States? If so your bags will be checked through to your final destination and you won't see them until Bergen. You will go through Immigration in Oslo, but Customs (which is usually a non-issue) would be at Bergen. But if it is on one ticket and you miss the connection they will put you on the next available flight.

Thanks, Janisj. Yes, I will be flying from the U.S. (either Hawaii or LAX)

I might only have carry-on. But with only one hour, I'd guess there's no way I'd be able to clear immigration with enough time to make the flight to Bergen.
I'd be boarding a cruise the next day, so I'll check and see when the next flights would be.

FYI, I've been to Bergen several times. I loved it, but I'd rather not spend the extra money to arrive earlier--although I won't rule that out.

Clearing immigration/customs is easy if you've got nothing to declare. But customs is always at the first city of the country of your destination, so customs IS in Oslo. I checked my bag and had to pick it up in Oslo and would have to recheck it at the check in counter, which I didn't bother, because I had barely enough time to go through security and run to my gate for the Bergen flight after waiting for my bag. This was just several weeks ago in September so take my words for it. Without a checked bag you should be okay. All my fights were on the same ticket, btw.

Thanks so much, Hnh6. That's great info.

I'm the master of carry-on. My crowning glory was doing a trip to Rome combined with a cruise to the Greek Isles with carry-on only. But it was summer. It might not be possible to pack for FREEZING weather with just a carry-on bag. But I'll test it out ;-).

>>But customs is always at the first city of the country of your destination, so customs IS in Oslo.<<

Sorry, but Hnh6 is INCORRECT. Immigration is always at the first entry into Schengen. Customs is at your final destination where you are reunited with your luggage.

Hnh6 would only have had to retrieve bags IF it was on separate tickets and they weren't checked through . . .

Please don't tell me I'm incorrect when I went through it personally. All my flights were from the same

Please don't tell me I'm incorrect when I went through it personally. I flew Atlanta to Frankfurt to Oslo to Bergen, all on the same ticket with Lufthansa, although Oslo to Bergen is operated by SAS, the ticket was issued by Lufthansa at the same time the other tickets were issued.

Immigration where they stamp my passport is in Frankfurt. But I had to pick up my luggage in Oslo before the domestic flight to Bergen. Either you're telling me I'm lying, or I can't be wrong.

This is the same as when you get back to the US and have a domestic layover. You do customs at your first touch down on US soil, not at your final destination. Definitely have to pick up your luggage and recheck it back in.

OSL airport uses an unusual process to transfer luggage between incoming international flights and to the domestic flights. It depends on which airlines you are using. Norwegian uses one system while Lufthansa uses another. https://avinor.no/en/airport/oslo-ai...estic-transfer

We flew EWR to Oslo, stopped two nights to see the city and then flew to Bergen a day or two later. Lots to see in Oslo. Loved Oslo. Then we took Hurtigruten from Bergen to Kirkenes. When are you going? We went late August and if I were to do it again, I would go earlier, June or July for more daylight. We wore ski hats, gloves and heavy fleece jackets, when out on the ship’s deck. It was a fabulous teip, great food on board. Passengers get on and off at various stops. Not li,e a cruise ahip, better. Most passengers, 90%, were Northern Europeans.

On Norwegian the transfers are very easy. There can be some walking in Oslo, but when I flew to Bergen via Oslo in July the entire process took 15 minutes. I also had 60 minutes between flights and had time to go to the duty free shop and get coffee. Here’s the thing I experienced: both my Norwegian flights were late by at least 30 minutes, which was typical of that day. Not sure if it’s typical of Norwegian. But Norwegian typically schedules tight connections, similar to Swiss in Zurich. I suspect they hold a lot of flights to get all passengers on, as Swiss does. But this is my sole experience with Norwegian.

Thank you SOOO much for this info.

FYI, my cruise (7 days, Bergen to Kirkenes) would leave October 26th. My big fear is that it will be too cold to sit out and enjoy the scenery.

At the moment I am going CRAZY trying to sort out flights. There are NO good options unless I pay $2400 or more one-way. Coming from Kauai, I am looking at staying overnight in an airport hotel AND very long layovers.

One of the best options uses 40k AA FF miles, but requires an overnight in L.A., 2.5 hours in Chicago and 4.5 hours in Helsinki. (This same itinerary would cost $2400, purchased as a 1-way ticket.)

I'm also looking at flying to Oakland, overnighting at an airport hotel then waiting until 4 pm to fly to Oslo, where I'd have a 2.5 hour layover.

I have probably spent ten hours on this! I've looked at flying into LAX, SEA, OAK, SFO, San Diego and Portland... and this is the best I've found so far. After the cruise, I have to fly to Oslo, where I will work for two days; then fly to Nashville (for work) and back to Kauai.

I know this is a wonderful problem to have, but at the moment, it feels like a stressful, full-time job!

I will revisit the itinerary that only allows one hour to change planes in Oslo. Thank you all for your help!

Just wrap up warm - the scenery is so worth it, and whilst you can view it from the viewing deck inside it isn't the same as being out there enjoying all of it. They sell hats and gloves and stuff on board. They sometimes (but not always) leave you a wooly hat in your cabin. You will have a good chance of the northern lights too. Have fun!
Which ship will you be on?

Actually it probably won't be that cold late October. I first went in February and it was cold for a European (-18C) up in the far north, but that didn't stop everyone being out on deck a lot of the time.

Thank you so much, hetismij2.
Presuming I can work out the flights, I will sail Oct. 26th till Nov. 1st on the Kong Harald.

Okay, now you're going to think this is nuts, and maybe it is. But just as a thought experiment, try this.

One way, Kauai to Tokyo, Delta, United or Hawaiian, $480, around 11 hours or a bit less, arrive in Tokyo in the afternoon. (If you want to stick with Oneworld, JAL is $630.)

Grab a hotel at Narita airport, around $80 or less for a four-star. Next morning, Fly to Helsinki on Finnair, then a 90 min. layover, and on to Bergen, arriving there in the afternoon. Tokyo to Bergen is 35K AA miles, availability throughout the days prior to your cruise. All the long flights will be in daylight, although of course the International Date Line messes up the calendar, so you'd have to plan for that.

Don't know if you've spent much time around Narita airport, but if you could free up an extra day, the Naritasan temple complex, a 5-minute cab ride (or 30 min. bus ride) from the airport is a world treasure. I have no idea how many thousands/millions of people pass through the airport annually oblivious to this amazing place just minutes away.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...1266a5bfbe.jpg

Edited to add - OMG, I just checked the flight miles on the two options.

LIH-LAX-ORD-HEL-BGO, 9472 miles.
LIH-HNL-NRT-HEL-BGO, 9474 miles.
Go figure.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c161364d96.png

Gardyloo, I was going to suggest the same thing. Look at flying west via Asia. Funny how Hawaii is pretty much halfway around the world from Oslo.

The nice thing about being on the boat is you can go in and get warm whenever it gets too cold for you.

OMG! Gardyloo & lofn, I LOVE this idea. I have not been to Tokyo. So I would stay two nights and spend an entire day doing a bus tour to get an overview.

In the morning, I'll compare flying west to the best option through LAX that I had been looking at. I have a feeling your suggestion is going to win. I'm excited!!! I never dreamed I would have an easy, almost-free way to get a taste of Tokyo.

Thank you SOOO much!!!

You'll like the Kong Harald. We went on it the third time we went. It is modern and comfortable without being too big. You can walk all the way round the deck on it too. We did that every evening before turning in, and enjoyed a spectacular northern lights display as a result, just us. No one else was out then and they didn't announce it so it was really wonderful.
That said the Vesteralen is still my favourite ship. :)