13 day fjords and north cape

[nitmm01]

we are going from dover on the 20th may 2012. The cruise ship is the ryndam and we are on the13 day fjords and north cape. if any member can assist us on what to see and what to wear on the cruise.(last cruise Alaska summer) if would be great:)

[Krazy Kruizers]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

I looked and no one has started a Roll Call for your cruise. Why not start one on your own and ask questions there?

Here is the link to get you there:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=319&order=desc

[Bippie]

You'll have to take a variety of clothing. I took a similar cruise two years ago. There were some drizzly/cool days, some cold winds when shore excursions took us to mountain vistas for the views, breezy and lazy days cruizing down the fjords, and sunny/warm days. In fact, our visit to the North Cape was an unusual sunny and 74 degree day. The locals said they get about two of those days a year so you can't expect that. I did bring warm clothes for that day because typically it is quite cool but ended up not wearing them. Still, you'll have to plan for the vaious types of weather because any of them can happen.

 

As Krazy Kruizers said, start a roll call on CC for this cruise. I made arrangements for the Flaan railroad with a group of about 20 CCers on the cruise. We paid way less and had an uncrowded experience than shipmates who booked the shore excursion for the ship. This was very easy - the train station is right next to the ship and you're on the same train as the shore excursions so it would be almost impossible to miss the ship because of a late train. The views are amazing on this train ride.

 

The Flaan railroad folks made this very easy - a few emails for a reservation. At that time, they let us each pay separately when we arrived so I didn't have to collect money. We gave up an additional 10% discount because of this but overall we still saved a lot of money over the cruise ship's excursion and had a better experience.

 

I didn't look to see if your specific cruise ports in Flaan but I hope it does.

 

My cruise was on the Diamond Princess instead of HAL but I suspect the itineraries might be quite similar. The Princess cruise was roundtrip from Southhampton and only stopped at ports in Norway.

 

Enjoy!

[iceman93]

Bippie is correct--you'll need to pack for a variety of climates so layering will be a good idea. When I did this cruise a few years ago we spent a couple of days in London first--it was over 90°F--record-breaking heat for them. At the North Cape and a couple of the other ports, there was blustery precipitation where we were cold even in winter coats.

 

When you did Alaska, did you take a helicopter to a glacier? The climate difference was kind of like that--you can walk around Anchorage in shorts and a t-shirt, but then on the same cruise you'll feel like you're in the Arctic Circle. The only difference with the North Cape cruise is that you really WILL be north of the Arctic Circle!

[RuthC]

I've cruised up and down Norway more times than I can count, and been to North Cape three times.

Layering clothing is key. Bring gloves and a windbreaker, as well as a rain poncho. You will need sweatshirts and lighter clothing. All of this will then be mixed and matched. One time, in Honnesvag, I wore a sundress with the poncho! It was humid, drizzly, and with the poncho it was as if I were in a sauna.

Wind can be bitter sometimes, and I have seen it snow in the mountains. I have also enjoyed sunny, warm weather when the sundress alone was enough. There have been many of those days, too.

This is a beautiful land. Enjoy your cruise there.

[nitmm01]

the weather sounds something similar to the weather in Ireland, cold and windy and at times plenty of rain. thanks to all for all the info it should be great craic. what about formal wear on the ship are there many formal nights:):D

[janmcn]

When we were on much of this same trip this last year, we used everything…it was a "warm" day in Honnigsvag (Nordkapp) but if you look at our photos, we are wearing everything we brought! Jackets, fleece, turtleneck, gloves, and hat.

 

http://smu.gs/nPccwC

 

It's a fantastic cruise. Enjoy!

[RuthC]

what about formal wear on the ship are there many formal nights:):D

On a 13-night cruise there should be 3 or 4 formal nights, depending on how many sea days, or early departures, there are.

[RuthC]

When we were on much of this same trip this last year, we used everything…it was a "warm" day in Honnigsvag (Nordkapp) but if you look at our photos, we are wearing everything we brought! Jackets, fleece, turtleneck, gloves, and hat.

It's true there was a stiff breeze on the windward side of the ship that day, but the leeward side was delightfully pleasant.

It was only a matter of staying out of the wind when outdoors to have a beautiful day.

[Storylady]

When we did the Norway cruise to the North Cape on the Rotterdam, I was so worried that I wasn't going to be warm enough when we were at the North Cape that I purchased a Norwegian sweater in Tromso. Glad I did as the temperatures in late June got down into the 40's with a stiff wind. The sweater has made it to Alaska and also Antarctica. And I will be taking it on our cruise in the Med in November. One of the best tourist purchases that I have ever made.

[maysdot]

When we did the Norway cruise to the North Cape on the Rotterdam, I was so worried that I wasn't going to be warm enough when we were at the North Cape that I purchased a Norwegian sweater in Tromso. Glad I did as the temperatures in late June got down into the 40's with a stiff wind. The sweater has made it to Alaska and also Antarctica. And I will be taking it on our cruise in the Med in November. One of the best tourist purchases that I have ever made.

 

Thanks for this info, Sharon. I am in the process of making plans for a North Cape cruise next August on the Rotterdam. Considering booking an inside on this due to the 24 hr a day sunlight....what are your thoughts on this? Also, being from Canada I have no problem with having suitable clothing for this trip....but the idea of buying a Norwegian sweater really appeals to me. Could you please give me an idea of this cost...and would you suggest waiting until Tromso to buy one.

 

Thanks for any advice you could give me for getting the most out of this trip.

 

Jane

[Globaliser]

I am in the process of making plans for a North Cape cruise next August on the Rotterdam. Considering booking an inside on this due to the 24 hr a day sunlight ...

Funnily enough, I was looking at this cruise today for a family member.

 

I don't think you're likely to get 24-hour sun on this cruise. You're going to be north of the Arctic Circle only from 16-20 August. On 17 August, the Tromso day, the sun will rise at 3.56 am and set at 9.37 pm. Honningsvag is a little bit further north, but sunrise and sunset times won't be much different. The nights may not get completely dark, but there probably isn't going to be any "midnight sun".

 

A few years back, we did a two-week cruise (not HAL) up to the North Cape and beyond to Spitsbergen, in the middle of June when the nights are at their shortest. I think that we had about a week of continuous sun. We were in an outside room with relatively flimsy curtains, so we had to sleep with eyeshades on. But we would have missed having the view during "proper" daytime, and the proper day/night cycle once we got back below the Arctic Circle. So even in retrospect, we wouldn't choose an inside even if we did the same cruise again.