MillbrookMom

Has anyone been to the West of the Moon Gallery? Just wondering if the prices are reasonable?  Would love to get some prints for our home as souveniers.  

On 1/18/2024 at 10:17 PM, SoloAlaska said:

We’ve used park and fly a few times over the last year without any issues. Will be using it again in March on my way to Germany. 

On 1/19/2024 at 6:50 AM, lx200gps said:

The remote Park 'N Fly lots just off the airport are definitely a good option to save money if you don't mind waiting for a shuttle bus to the terminal. I just checked the details of our trip in a few weeks, and the PnF lots are asking $189 for the 8 day duration of our trip, whereas we are paying $324 for the covered garage right next to the terminal.

We have decided to book a spot in the Park and fly, and can always cancel it if we decide to go a different route.  Got a code that helped lower the price some and we got a deal on our flights so will offset the cost of parking some.

14 minutes ago, lx200gps said:

No worries. In addition to monitoring the ADM Parking site for availability, I forgot to mention that they do occasionally offer discounts at certain times of the year. We usually park for 8 days in the big covered garage next to the Terminals. Normal rate is $C320, but a few times I've managed to get it for 20% off.  I got that discount on our trip last October, but for our trip in a few weeks, I had to pay full price.

 

As to traffic and accessing the airport in peak times, I would suggest you start to monitor Google Maps with traffic turned on. The red lines indicating traffic jams leading in to the airport late in the afternoon when all the big aircraft are coming and going to Europe can be very scary, often leading way out on to the two access highways, the 20 and 520. On particularly bad days, passengers have been known to abandon their taxis or Ubers and walk the remaining distance to the terminal. For our next trip, to LA in early Feb, we are stuck with a 17:45 flight, right in the bad period, so we will arrive at the airport before 2PM and sit in the lounge, rather than put up with the traffic. Best of luck.

Thank you.  I will do that, see what traffic is like for the same week day and time.  Then make our decisions based on that.  

15 hours ago, lx200gps said:

Montrealer here. Your neighbor is only partly correct. There are serious issues accessing the airport proper at certain times of the day, particularly in the afternoon up to dinner time, with sometimes kilometers long traffic jams to get near the terminal and parking lots, but parking is not typically a problem. Since you are flying to Europe, that probably means a late afternoon departure, which right now is the problem time. As to actually parking, there are no issues with getting parking spaces. The ADM website lets you see exactly what the status of each parking lot is at any given time and you will see that there will almost certainly be parking spots available. If you are OK with off-airport parking, then things are even easier.  Note also that the Montreal airport is about to open a massive new covered parking garage, to be called P4, not far from the Marriott hotel and it should greatly alleviate any parking problems once it opens in the next month or two.

 

https://www.admtl.com/en/access/parking

 Glad to hear it's not quite as bad as they made it out to be and thank you very much for the link. 

1 hour ago, bebe08 said:

We live in the Ottawa area and if we can't get direct flights from Ottawa we  fly from  Montreal.  We take the train to Montreal and there is a shuttle from the Via rail station to the airport - only 5 mins away.  That way we don't have the hassle of parking.  Figure what we spend on train tickets is less than what it would cost to park at the airport.  We either take a cab or get a ride to the train station in Ottawa.  Is that an option for you? 

 

Thank you for the tip.  We live just north of Renfrew, we do have friends in Kanata where we could park and then Uber to the train Station.  I will have to look into this option vs parking in Montreal.  But not sure if it would make sense for us.  Thank you for though.  

Has anyone flown from Montreal recently?  We are planning to fly to Europe in May and our neighbour said the airport, especially parking is a nightmare lately.  While we do plan to reserve our parking ahead of time, he indicated that we may still not get a spot.  Any info would be appreciated.  

Has anyone used North Cape Tours (which appears to be the public bus?) for a trip to North Cape from Honningsvag.  I know a lot use Blue Puffin, but with the number of things we want to do on this cruise and trying to mind our budget a little, I thought this may be a good alternative.  TIA

On 12/31/2023 at 5:51 AM, kaisatsu said:

Since you put “crowds” in quotes, I assume you mean “seeing other people more than once an hour on the trail.”

 

If you’re arriving on a weekend, you will likely not have any popular trail to yourself. Hiking is extremely popular for many (most?) Norwegians and is a common weekend activity. If the weather is nice, much more so, since there’s a passion to get out and enjoy it.

 

We did around an hour of hiking (roundtrip) from the cable car on a sunny week day, and we did see around a dozen other people. Since it’s above the treeline, you can easily see humans at a distance, so maybe not the wholly isolated experience you’re looking for.

So, we are arriving in Tromso on Monday June 3rd and by crowds, I  don't mind seeing others on the trail, I just know some spots do have an over abundance of people that take away from the natural beauty of a spot.  Thanks for the information.  I will look into the hike you suggested a little more.

7 hours ago, kaisatsu said:

Is there a particular reason to do Brosmetinden? It’s a long drive there and back, considering there are some great hikes closer to the city that wouldn’t require a car. For example, if you take the cable car up, you can hike further up the mountain for some gorgeous panoramic landscapes.

If you do need a car, Avis & Budget have a location downtown at Strandskillet 5, and Hertz has a self-service point near the Hurtigruten ferry terminal.

 

We were looking at this as we enjoy more natural surroundings and smaller "crowds".  Plus this hike looked like it had some lovely views, but without an overly strenuous hike.  

Has anyone done a car rental in Tromso before?  I am trying to research it as we would like to do the Brosmetinden Hike and it appears the only option is to rent one at the airport.  If anyone has done this or has more info, hoping you can help.  Thanks in advance 

2 hours ago, H2OH! said:

 

 

This is a great itinerary- which cruise line are you sailing with? 

We are sailing on Royal Caribbean's Jewel of the Seas and yes, we are in love with this itinerary. 

4 hours ago, kaisatsu said:

Excellent beer made by a brewmaster from upstate New York!

 

Mack is a Norwegian macrobrewery based in Tromsø, but they are affiliated with the Ølhallen pub in downtown Tromsø, next door to their former brewery. It’s a fantastic little place and carries several of Mack’s microbatch beers. One of my favorite beer bars in Norway, and if you saw my Untappd history, you’d know that‘s saying something! 😂 

Recommended breweries by port:

Geiranger - Geiranger Bryggeri

Tromsø - Mack

Flåm - Ægir, Voss (technically not in port, but close by and one of my favorites)

Bergen - 7 Fjell (and an honorable mention to Hansa if you’re after a bog standard pils)

 

I’d love to hear if anyone tries Olden Bryggeri, Tapp & Kork in Molde, or amplo Brew in Ålesund. None of them have made it to the beer festivals in Oslo, so I haven’t had a chance to try them.

My husband will be all over this, thanks for the detailed info

17 minutes ago, dronnygirl said:

In Flam look out for the Aegir brewery, you can't miss it as Flam is small.  It's a lovely traditional building that serves local beers and food.

Thanks so much 🥰

31 minutes ago, kaisatsu said:

A lot of typical Norwegian dishes are seasonal and only available in the fall or at Christmastime.

 

Fårikål, a lamb and cabbage stew, is typically a cold-weather dish served often in the autumn, but you may find some restaurants that serve it all year.

 

Here are some other year-round options:

 

Fiskesuppe - Creamy fish soup is a popular choice on the west coast, especially around Bergen.

 

Lapskaus - A stew made from meat, potatoes, and root vegetables.

 

Kjøttboller/kjøttkaker - Meat balls/patties are pretty common and often come served with brown sauce and lingonberries.

 

Rømmegrøt - sour cream porridge

 

Sursild - pickled herring

 

Lefse - typical flat bread. For a sweet snack, groceries sell a packaged version with butter and cinnamon sugar

 

Multe - Cloudberries find their way into jam or other sweet treats

 

Vafler - you can have your waffle with brown cheese or top it with sour cream and jam.

 

 

Thank you very much 🥰

Hello, one of the things we really enjoy when travelling to new countries is trying some of their local cuisine.  I have tried researching to see what specific foods would meet that bill for Norway, but other than Brunost and reindeer meat, I am not having much luck. If anyone has any suggestions, that would be appreciated.  Or even restaurant suggestions, our itinerary is Geiranger, Molde, Honningsvag, Tromso, Flam, Alesund, Olden, Bergen.  TIA

On 3/15/2023 at 6:41 PM, Cruising_Addict said:

 

Greetings!  My husband and I are doing our first Norwegian Fjords cruise the first week of July this year.  I have all of our excursions planned out and purchased except for the port of Alesund.  Just for an idea of what we are already doing, details of our plans by port are as follows:

 

Bergen: No excursion, as we want one port of just walking around and exploring on our own.  From everything I have read, this is the best port for that.

Molde: Bergtatt Marble Caves excursion via the cruise line. I am a huge fan of caves and book cave tours whenever I have a chance.  

Olden: Briksdal glacier tour w/ troll cars via an outside vendor.  For no other reason than lack of anything else that I can really book.  Would love to do the helicopter flightseeing excursion, but I can't get my husband on a helicopter.  

Skjolden: Nature walk excursion via the cruise line.  Almost did the llama walk, but not a huge fan of llamas so being able to take pictures instead of leading an animal around appeals to me.

Haugesund: Nothing planned, but this is the last port and we might be too tired to do anything by that day.  No excursions released by the cruise line for this port, at least not yet.  If anyone has any suggestions, though, I would love them!  I really can't find my info on this port.

 

The two excursions I am considering for Alesund are as follows:

Option #1: Trollstigen & Valldal tour via the cruise line for $299/person.  The price is extremely high, but I am all about splurging IF something is worth the money.  I know that Troll Road is extremely popular for Norway, but just not sure if it's such a "must do" that it justifies the cost.  This is an all day excursion that is mostly spent on a bus with brief stops along the way.

Option #2:Wildlife Sea Safari via an outside vendor for $185/person.  This is a 3.5 hour RIB boat tour that would take us to Runde Island to see the puffins (though no stopping on the island).  I am a HUGE birder, so seeing puffins in the wild is drawing me in.  Not 100% keen on a high speed boat, but I don't get sea sick and we have been on one before, so we know what to expect.  Bonus with this one is that since it is short, it gives us time to explore the port area.

 

Bottom line is that I am just really curious if Troll Road is something we absolutely should not miss out on.  Or if anyone knows of any longer excursions to Runde Island (where you would actually get off on the island) that they can recommend.  If we go with option 2, I wouldn't mind a longer version of it.  The RIB boat tour seems more of a thrill ride excursion vs a sightseeing tour.

 

Thanks in advance!

I am assuming you have completed your cruise now, hoping you would share your thoughts on the Bergtatt caves as we are thinking about this for next year.  TIA.

42 minutes ago, kitkat343 said:

You are visiting 3 of my favorite ports in Norway.

 

In Geiranger, you can get a panaramic bus that will take you to all the viewpoints.  By July, all the roads should be open.  Other travelers should note that some roads are seasonal and might not be open in the shoulder season (late May/early June).  

 

In Olden, if your port stop is long, you can visit both the Loen Skylift and Briskdal Glacier.  The Loen Skylift is spectacular but expensive.   On a really cloudy day it might be a bit harder to appreciate.  Olden Adventures runs busses to both sites.  The Briskdal glacier has been hit hard by global warming, but the 40 minute drive there is quite scenic and lovely, and you have a beautiful hike (you can rent a troll car - a little golf cart- most of the way on the hike if needed) to what remains of the glacier.  

 

In Flam, there is the amazing flam railway (you need to book this early because it will book up).  There's also a nearby viewpoint you can do or you can visit a local goat farm or take a RIB boat.  

 

There's more information on those three ports in my signature line.  WE also visited Bergen but the weather was unusually terrible that day, plus the cabs in Norway aren't allowed to transport children without car seats so we were kind of stranded so I can't help you much there, but other people who visited Bergen all seemed to love it. Alesund (which I also haven't visited) also seems very beloved on these forums.  It looks like you chose a really good cruise, and I hope you have a really good time!

Thanks so much for all that info.  We are in Olden from 7am - 5pm, so nice to know we should have time to do both, if the weather is nice enough for the Loen Skylift.  We are hoping in Flam to do both the railway and the Stegastein viewing platform  (I had done a little research already on a few ports) we are there from 8am - 6pm.

42 minutes ago, NightOne said:

I see Cruise Critic continues to live up to its reputation 😞

 

I have the Rick Steves Scandinavian & Northern European Cruise Ports and it covers:

 

Oslo, Stavanger, Bergen, Flam, and Geirangerfjord. It teaches you all about Norway in a Nutshell in Flam. I recommend it.

 

It looks like there a couple of Amazon that could be interesting. They include:

 

THE MAGIC OF CRUISING NORWAY 2022-23: Including a Russian Arctic Supplement

and

Cruising the Norwegian Fjords, from Amsterdam to Southampton : Abbreviated Guide for Cruise Ship Passengers

 

I just bought these two guides a minute ago as they were $7 and $4. (Kindle versions) Samples looked ok but can tell you more about these two later.

 

 

Thank you, I do have the Amsterdam to Southampton one and while it wasn't bad, I was hoping for one that is a little more in depth and has more info on Norway itself.  I will take a look at the others you suggested, plus Fodors Norway next time I am at the book store.  Thank you.

9 hours ago, gnome12 said:

Search each of the ports on your list individually. They are all covered. No guidebook will have as recent experience as what you will find here. (I am travelling to Norway in 2024, and have seen the latest of the guidebooks; they are all out of date, even if they ostensibly have been published only recently.)

Thanks, I will do that.  

14 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

Have you looked around this board for the gazillion threads and info?

I did do a search for guidebooks and it came up with nothing.  

Hello all,

We are doing a Norwegian Fjords cruise next summer and I have started research to figure out what we want to do on this once in a lifetime trip.  I haven't been able to find a good guidebook, so looking for suggestions on one, or suggestions for any of the ports we are going to, which are; Geiranger, Molde, Honninsvag, Tromso, Flam Alesund, Olden, Bergen. 

Thanks in advance

I see most 1 way cruises run in April or October and wondering which month is best?  

1 minute ago, poocher said:

If your reservations are linked, you can get check in times for everyone in the app without any other information.  App only.

Thank you, I will have to get someone else in our party to try this as this morning my check in on my app wouldn't let me check in myself and I had to do in on my computer.  sigh......

Does anyone know if there is a way to check in the other couple in our party so they get the same check in time as us without their passports? 

13 minutes ago, startedwithamouse said:

Hi!  Welcome to Princess!

 

 

Thank you for the welcome and all the information.  I think based on all your info and the other comments, that we will still try Princess and maybe look at something port intensive.  That way we have lots to keep us busy each day on and off the ship.  Thanks so much for a different perspective.