Itinerary Choice??

[teacherman]

We have 2 choices. Ports are somewhat the same, with these differences:

 

Cruise 1 includes Flam, Alesund, Geiranger, Bergen

 

Cruise 2 is longer and includes Arctic Circle and Honningsvag, Tromso, Olden, Alesund, Geiranger, Bergen

 

Both cruises are on Vision of the Seas out of Copenhagen.. #1 is 7 nights leaving on June 1. #2 is 11 nights leaving on June 8.

 

#2 is currently about $800 pp more for the extra 4 nights and trip to the Arctic Circle.

 

May I please have your recommendations? Thank you.

[Globaliser]

#1 is 7 nights leaving on June 1. #2 is 11 nights leaving on June 8.

If you do the longer cruise and cross the Arctic Circle, it's pretty much the best time of the year for "midnight sun".

[TLCOhio]

We have 2 choices. Ports are somewhat the same, with these differences:

Cruise 1 includes Flam, Alesund, Geiranger, Bergen

Cruise 2 is longer and includes Arctic Circle and Honningsvag, Tromso, Olden, Alesund, Geiranger, Bergen

Both cruises are on Vision of the Seas out of Copenhagen.. #1 is 7 nights leaving on June 1. #2 is 11 nights leaving on June 8.

#2 is currently about $800 pp more for the extra 4 nights and trip to the Arctic Circle.

May I please have your recommendations? Thank you.

 

Globaliser: If you do the longer cruise and cross the Arctic Circle' date=' it's pretty much the best time of the year for "midnight sun". [/quote']

 

Yes, Globaliser is correct on the longer cruise providing some nice "magic" with being in the land of the "midnight sun". But, from our July 2010 experiences detailed below on my live/blog with lots of pictures, there is much, much more involved and potential if you go north above the Arctic Circle. Great that you would be sailing out of Copenhagen. Love that charming and historic city so, so much

 

It is much more a question about what YOU seek and like to do, see and experience. Tell us more about your personal interests and desires!! Are you interested in nature, birds, wildlife? Or, only so-so on those needs? As a few pictures show below, we super loved what we saw in going to a bird island near the North Cape. Tromso can be nice and interesting. We super loved Bergen that both cruises visit and provide. Flam and that rail trip is very nice there. It appears that your longer cruise option does not stop at the Lofoten Island. We had two stops there and really loved that location, its scenic drama, etc.

 

We visited the small fishing village of Gjesvaer, about 22 miles NW of Honningsvaag. We had a rental car for the four of us and we traveled a route that was sunny, very dramatic and rising through this stark, but beautiful landscape. There are no trees to be seen this far north. We had packed a picnic lunch with us. We got there early, but our bird rock charter was doing a photo tour with a Polish photographer with 26” lens. He took about 1000 different pictures while on his trip out there.

 

Before boarding, I asked our Captain if we would see any puffins. His reaction? “You’ll see 2.6 million there. There will be so many, it will seem like they are mosquitoes.” That sounded like hype, but it was true . . . and more! These pictures give you only a small sampling of what all we saw. It was birds, birds, birds!!!

 

With 63,500 people, Tromso is the seventh largest city in Norway and the largest in its northern area. Some call it the “Paris of the North”. It is 186 miles north of the Arctic Circle and is located on an island. The city center of Tromsø contains the highest number of old wooden houses in northern Norway, the oldest house dating from 1789. The Arctic Cathedral, a modern church from 1965, is probably the most famous landmark in Tromsø. Its east wall is composed entirely of stained glass. The Polar Museum is situated in a wharf house from 1837, presents Tromsø's past as a center for Arctic hunting and starting point for many major Arctic expeditions. You are standing on a forest-covered island in a narrow sound, hemmed in by soaring mountains. A cable car travels up to the top of Mt. Storsteinen at 1,260 feet for views of the town, islands, mountains and water. The Polaria Arctic Center has sea life displays, an aquarium of marine life and trained seals. Its main street is Storgata with the town square opening onto the harbor. There is a daily open-air market selling flowers and crafts.

 

Flam, with a population of about 500, is nestled in a tributary of the world's longest and deepest fjord. It is 128 miles long and has a maximum depth of 4,291 feet. On the question of how deep are these fjords, local say: “A mermaid could swim all the way to China.” The chief attraction here is the 66-year-old Flam Railway. It is widely known as one of the world's best railroad journeys. It includes twenty tunnels and eight stops as it goes up the mountain. This rail lines rises from Flam’s gingerbread rail station going up 2,835 feet to Myrdal and this "Roof of Norway" rail station. Railroad website: http://www.flaamsbana.no/eng.

 

Reactions and questions?? Happy to share more, answer added questions.

 

Both are excellent cruises!!

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 88,918 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Celebrity Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 112,787 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

 

In the small fishing village of Gjesvaer near the North Cape, here was the harbor scene as we had our picnic at an open table before going on our charter boat to the bird rock areas. That tree trunk/limbs shown didn't actually grow there. It was brought in and placed there. This far north, nothing major grows and the land areas are very much a type of tundra. Extremely interesting and beautiful area!:

 

 

 

Sailing from the small fishing village of Gjesvaer near the North Cape, this is the first of many puffin visuals, showing their bright orange feet, plus their cute and unique beaks.:

 

 

 

After getting our rental car in Honningvag, the store clerk mentioned in passing a warning of “Watch out of the reindeer.” Just casually saying it. Sure. Maybe, we’ll see some in the distance. Two or three, maybe!? On the way to Gjesvaer near the North Cape, here was a small part of the large herd of reindeer we discovered on the way to our boat charter. They believed that all of this territory, including the road, belong to them. The young baby reindeer were especially cute!:

 

 

 

Here is one view of the North Cape as we approached and the clouds started to clear and the sun broke through showing a great blue sky.:

 

 

 

This is the super scenic view from immediately above Geiranger that shows the Silver Cloud and Costa ships tendered. A little before this picture, we were to go to Mt. Dalsnibba as a photo stop from this 4,920-foot vantage for the snow-covered surrounding mountains, icy glaciers, crystalline lakes and Geirangerfjord far below. Here is this view, at a lower level, that provided a wonderful vista.:

 

 

 

Taking the cable car up to the top of Mt. Storsteinen at 1,260 feet provides great views of the town of Tromso, nearby islands, mountains and water. With our mid-day weather so sunny, it really helped enjoy this city in such a great setting. The Arctic Cathedral is shown bottom right in this picture.:

 

[teacherman]

We like to visit places that afford us different types of experiences. Not big into animals, but would be delighted to see reindeer while driving along a road. North of Arctic Circle would be a once in a lifetime thing. Most people talk about how nice Flam is, but cruise 2 does not go there. I guess real question is whether, or not, an extra $800 pp is worth it to go above the Circle for 2 days? We probably will take cruise #2.

[TLCOhio]

We like to visit places that afford us different types of experiences. Not big into animals, but would be delighted to see reindeer while driving along a road. North of Arctic Circle would be a once in a lifetime thing. Most people talk about how nice Flam is, but cruise 2 does not go there. I guess real question is whether, or not, an extra $800 pp is worth it to go above the Circle for 2 days? We probably will take cruise #2.

 

Appreciate your follow-up and the added info on your interest. YES!! We too like " different types of experiences". That's good and important. We got it on your going all of the way up to the North Cape and back. Understand cruise two doesn't go to Flam, but it offers a number of other options for seeing various fjord stars and superstars.

 

When you go above the Arctic Circle, you don't really "see" it and say we are above that line on the globe. It's a slow, but interesting series of changes and views as you move north. Let me know any other questions or interests.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 88,918 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

[alexandra cruiser]

and thanks Terry for pics.Always helps to SEE area.

Now if you just had some for Vietnam,,we leave in 4 days for river cruise there.

Teacherman.....Terry helped ME to decide on Norway cruise too.:D

[teacherman]

Maybe he is secretly working for the Norway Travel Bureau. Good luck with Vietnam.

[TLCOhio]

Maybe he is secretly working for the Norway Travel Bureau. Good luck with Vietnam.

 

alexandra cruiser: Worth every extra penny and thanks Terry for pics. Always helps to SEE area. Now if you just had some for Vietnam' date=' we leave in 4 days for river cruise there. Teacherman.....Terry helped ME to decide on Norway cruise too. [/quote']

 

Appreciate the nice comments. Wish I was on their payroll and getting regular checks from the Norway people. No such luck!!! That would help fund more future cruising. Yes, look forward to doing Vietnam and SE Asia in the future. I hope you share more info from Vietname when you get back.

 

Australia and New Zealand are next on our major trip list, early January 2014. Getting closer to that exciting adventure!! Long, long flights getting to those parts of the world.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 88,918 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

[Hlitner]

We agree with Terry's recommendations and also have enjoyed a couple of cruises to the North Cape. Geiranger would be our favorite fjyord and happy to see that both itineraries include those ports. Norway is also home to the $50 pizza and $30 hamburger (these are normal prices) so its one place we think it makes more sense to cruise then spend time on a land trip :)

 

Hank

[Keith1010]

If your budget allows I would go with the North Cape cruise.

 

Keith

[blonde1981]

We like to visit places that afford us different types of experiences. Not big into animals, but would be delighted to see reindeer while driving along a road. North of Arctic Circle would be a once in a lifetime thing. Most people talk about how nice Flam is, but cruise 2 does not go there. I guess real question is whether, or not, an extra $800 pp is worth it to go above the Circle for 2 days? We probably will take cruise #2.

 

I've never done a Norway tour but I feel that if you are already spending thousands of dollars to get over there and take a cruise you might as well (if you can afford it) just pay the extra and do cruise #2 to spend the extra time and see more of the area.

[dsrdsrdsr]

If $800 per person is proportionate (or less) to the rest of the holiday cost, then it's worth it IMO.