Norwegian fjords

Hi All

Have been reading on norwegian fjords cruises but unable to decide which is the one for us

We a group of 20 friends= 10 couples plan to take it in august of 2018

We are all 50+

6 to 8 nights is perfect

Big and new ship please

Having travelled western Mediterranean cruise With the biggest ship in the world and brand new one - harmony of the seas -in 2016 in ocean facing balcony rooms ..we have been spoilt and are looking for similar or better ecperience

All your help is valuable..pl do revert

with best suggestions

Those new and great big ships may not be able to do well in the confines of the fjords of Norway.

We took the Celebrity Constellation out of Amsterdam up and down the west coast of Norway (all the way to North Point). It was one of our most favorite cruises (actually my personal favorite)! During our cruise, we only saw the small ships of other lines (Azamara, HAL, Windstar, to name a few other lines)

The Crossing of the Arctic Circle party was terrific.

look at which ships go when you want

for me the Fjords are the attraction not the ship

Maybe check ones sailing from UK or Norway port for a short cruise

The larger ships can get up a lot of the fjords, so you don't need to confine yourself to the smaller ships.

The larger ships can get up a lot of the fjords, so you don't need to confine yourself to the smaller ships.

Thnks..which one wd u recommend..i see serenade of the seas..but guess its an old lady..n reviews suggest maybe a bit tired..pl reply with suggestions..

Find a ship with plenty of indoor space which looks out to sea... because the weather can be wet at any time of the year, and you spend quite a lot of time cruising along the fjords, so need to be able to see even if it's raining. We had a disappointing cruise on a ship built for the Caribbean, where there were plenty of on deck activities, but everyone had to cram inside when it was wet.

Find a ship with plenty of indoor space which looks out to sea... because the weather can be wet at any time of the year, and you spend quite a lot of time cruising along the fjords, so need to be able to see even if it's raining. We had a disappointing cruise on a ship built for the Caribbean, where there were plenty of on deck activities, but everyone had to cram inside when it was wet.

That s an interesting take..never thought from this angle..which ships can we zero in pl..all big and new ships seem to sail Western Mediterranean..very few good snd new ones sailing the fjords..in my knowledge..i wd be Happy To be corrected on this pl

How new ? How big?

HAL -Koningsdam

MSC Preziosa

Costa Favolosa

When you say, new and biggest ships...we immediately think, you should just stick to the Caribbean. The monster ships (which do not even feel like a real cruise ship) are best accommodated at the already overcrowded Caribbean. I cannot even imagine a ship like the Harmony of the Seas in the Gerainger Fjord and would hope (and assume) that the Norwegian authorities would not allow it to happen. And I am trying to picture tendering over 5000 passengers ashore in the relatively small village.

So my message is simple. Yes, there is a very good market for the Mega ships....but when it comes to Europe the ports are very limited, Sure, they can go to large ports like Civitavecchia, Livorno, Marseille, etc. But there is no place for these vessels in the quiet and beautiful fjords.

Let me be clear...we have been cruising since the mid-70s and spent more then 1200 days on dozens of different ships. We obviously love cruising...and would even consider the Harmony of the Seas...as a typical 7 day cruise in the Caribbean (where cruise ships have already ruined many of the islands). We would likely stay aboard when in some of those ports (like the God awful St Thomas). But we have also seen cruise ships starting to ruin some wonderful parts of Europe (the most recent problem being Cinque Terre). Norway is a wonderful place to cruise (and visit)....but 6000 folks coming off a single vessel would simply overwhelm just about all the ports....especially the ones on gorgeous Fjords

Anyone who has been to Alaska has seen what happens. Get off a vessel in some gorgeous places in Alaska and you are greeted by a large "Diamonds International" sign (hopefully not in flashing Neon). Fortunately, we have not seen Diamonds International, Tanzanite International, etc. in Norway. But send in the Mega ships...and they will follow. ARGH.

Hank

Don't rule out the Serenade of the Seas. Yes, she's older and maybe a little worn about the edges, but she's beautifully designed, a nice medium size, with one major advantage - she has those wonderful indoor spaces with lots of glass for viewing from inside if the weather is bad. The Schooner Bar, forward-facing Viking Crown Lounge, Zanzibar Lounge & Congo Bar all have big windows. The two story dining room and the massive atrium are wonderful spaces. She and her sister Radiance Class ships are among our favorites. Sailing her would be a different experience than the newer, massive ships but considering the scenery and the fun of sailing with your group of friends it could be a great time.

Don't rule out the Serenade of the Seas. Yes, she's older and maybe a little worn about the edges, but she's beautifully designed, a nice medium size, with one major advantage - she has those wonderful indoor spaces with lots of glass for viewing from inside if the weather is bad. The Schooner Bar, forward-facing Viking Crown Lounge, Zanzibar Lounge & Congo Bar all have big windows. The two story dining room and the massive atrium are wonderful spaces. She and her sister Radiance Class ships are among our favorites. Sailing her would be a different experience than the newer, massive ships but considering the scenery and the fun of sailing with your group of friends it could be a great time.

We did the 7 night Norwegian Fjords aboard the Serenade last year and found it the perfect ship , size wise as well as lots of glass in case of weather problems.

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We did a 7 night Norwegian cruise this past May.

We sailed on the HAL ship the Rotterdam, roundtrip from Rotterdam. We had 4 stops in Norway - Eidfjord, Alesund, Gerainger and Bergen.

This is a medium sized ship (approx. 1350 passengers.)

A similar itinerary is offered on the newer, bigger Konigsdam, but it sails from Amsterdam.

My husband and I are in our 50s and enjoy sailing with HAL. We really enjoyed the cruise, but wish we could have done 14 days and gone further north in Norway. We spent several days in Amsterdam before the cruise (which we loved) then took the train to Rotterdam for embarkation.

Do not always equate new and big with being best. Some of us much prefer small to medium ships where we get the services we desire without the overwhelming crowds. I know many of the larger ships are well designed for their passenger loads but as Hank so ably points out, little towns remain little towns. I always look to see what ships and how many passengers are scheduled in port with us. Also when the ships are due to arrive and depart. Think of places like Santorini when too many big ships come together and how it affects your experience.

We have yet to do the fjords, although we incorporated a short Hurtigruton trip into our land visit. I cannot imagine landing with 6000 of my best friends in some of those coastal villages.

I have done the fjords and right up into the Arctic Circle on Emerald Princess, which holds over 3,000 passengers.

That s an interesting take..never thought from this angle..which ships can we zero in pl..all big and new ships seem to sail Western Mediterranean..very few good snd new ones sailing the fjords..in my knowledge..i wd be Happy To be corrected on this pl

Google which ships are sailing into Norwegian ports such as Bergen, Stavanger Flam, at the time you wish to sail. There are ships sailing from the UK every few days, of several lines.

I think Serenade OTS sounds good; check Celebrity, because they have an indoor pool, which probably has a glassed area where you can sit and see out. I think they're sailing from Dublin next year, which might make a shorter flight for you.

We're going to the fjords again soon, but this time we'll be on a very old ship, sailing from the north of England. Usually there's a sea day at the beginning and end of the cruise, but the rest of the time you're either going on shore or cruising the fjords, so all the activities/entertainment of a vast ship are wasted.

We did the Norwegian Fjords on the Celebrity Eclipse at the beginning of May 2017. It was a magnificent 8 day cruise making 5 stops: Bergen, Gerainger, Flam, Stavager and Alesund. We were fortunate to have dry weather with temperatures from the high 40s to low 60s. What beautiful places...and we had done the fjords in New Zealand and Alaska previously.

Go and enjoy!

New and bigger does not = best.

Crystal Symphony built in 1995, only 900 passengers = one of the best

JK