Need help planning a trip to Norway

[angeleyes27]

[angeleyes27]

[angeleyes27]

[angeleyes27]

[TLCOhio]

As part of your cruise, do you sail Milford Sound? If not, it is worth doing out of Queenstown. We loved Tasmania and also did the Hobart stop. Wish we had more time in Tasmania.

At Dunedin, see if you can rent a car and drive out to the end of the penninsula. Well worth it for visit to albatross center and penguin site if you are interested in that sort of thing.

http://www.albatross.org.nz/

http://www.penguinplace.co.nz/

Or if you are into train rides, we also enjoyed the Taieri Gorge Railway trip

http://www.taieri.co.nz/

The Te Papa museum in Wellington is worth the visit. Welllington is a very walkable city and can easily be done on your own. We took the cable car up and walked down

http://www.wellingtonnz.com/sights-activities/wellington-cable-car

In Auckland, you might want to visit a museum or two. Auckland is also a very walkable city. However, if you have a few days, I would suggest renting a car and driving around the north island. A visit to Rotorua is well worth it. We found the volcanic activity fascinating.

 

angeleyes27: We were in Australia and New Zealand in 2011' date=' although we did it only on land. We flew to New Zealand where we spent 2 nights in the Roturua and Auckland area, seeing the geothermal areas and Maori culture. We went in thermal pools and went to a hangii, very interesting. They use the sulfur springs to cook. Then we spent 5 nights on the South Island. We drove to Mt. Cook as soon as we got there. The drive was beautiful and we saw the whole mountain out our hotel window. We drove from there to Dunedin where we stayed in Larnasch castle, had a castle banquet. We went to the albatross colony and the penguin colony as well as took a wildlife cruise. It is the largest albatross colony & you see the penguins very close up. From there we drove to Queenstown. We took a steamship across the lake to a sheep farm and took the gondola up the mountain. The next day we took an all day trip to Fiordland and saw the fjords from a boat. Very cool! We were there in September which is similar to our March so it was about 20 degrees when we went. From there we flew to Melbourne, Australia for 2 nights where we [b']drove the Great Ocean Road[/b]. That was my favorite part of Australia, Beautiful scenery and kangaroos and koalas in the wild, reasonable prices. Then we went to Sydney which is a nice city, where we toured the opera house, the harbor front & Sydney tower. From there we went to Cairns & the Great Barrier Reef. The first day, we took the skyride up to the top of the rainforest which was cool and then had dinner in Cairns. The next day we did a reef trip out to the Great Barrier Reef. The following day we went to Cape Jubilation on a rainforest tour and we had breakfast with the birds in Port Douglas before flying to Hawaii, where we rested for 3 nights before heading home.

 

Appreciate from Diane and angeleyes27 the wonderful tips, ideas, links, pictures, etc., from your adventures in NZ, Australia, etc. Will share your helpful info and insights on our busy and active roll call.

 

For Diane, we sail from Sydney and Hobart to Milford Sound. Then we get off of the ship, go by scenic land travel to Queenstown, do overnight there, then more South Island sights and join up with our ship in Dunedin. There are pro/con factors in missing some other fjordland options and as much time in Dunedin, but we think it will work well.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

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 143,782 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

[diane.in.ny]

For Diane, we sail from Sydney and Hobart to Milford Sound. Then we get off of the ship, go by scenic land travel to Queenstown, do overnight there, then more South Island sights and join up with our ship in Dunedin. There are pro/con factors in missing some other fjordland options and as much time in Dunedin, but we think it will work well.

 

 

Unfortunately, as much as we would all like to, we can't do it all. I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time doing and seeing what you can.

 

BTW, if interested, I have just started posting a thread about our Aranui 3 cruise. You can find it using the link below. I hope to have another post up by the end of the day

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1925627

[TLCOhio]

Unfortunately, as much as we would all like to, we can't do it all. I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time doing and seeing what you can. BTW, if interested, I have just started posting a thread about our Aranui 3 cruise. You can find it using the link below. I hope to have another post up by the end of the day

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1925627

 

Appreciate, Diane, your posting and sharing on your Tahiti, etc., adventures, link. This early 2014 trip to Aust-NZ will be our first for this part of the world, but we hope to do more in SE Asia, certain South Pacific islands, etc.

 

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 119,812 views.

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

[diane.in.ny]

Terry, Would you suggest packing for a Norway cruise the same way I would pack for an Alaskan cruise?

 

Diane

[TLCOhio]

Terry, Would you suggest packing for a Norway cruise the same way I would pack for an Alaskan cruise? Diane

 

Excellent follow-up question. I have not done Alaska, yet, but a key factor will be the exactly schedule for your cruise. Tell me more on those dates, your exact schedule of stops, etc. In general, July is your best month for weather in Norway, especially as you go up to the Honningsvag and the North Cape.

 

You can go to

http://www.wunderground.com

and check for the very specific weather history on many of the key towns in the world for their past temperatures in that specific area for a date in the past. Just look lower left in the page for weather history area, put in your exact dates and the year prior. You will then see what last year was like, along with recent highs and lows for that date there.

 

As an example for May 6, you will find this data for Bergen in the heart of this great area: a high of 48 °F last year with a low of 38 °F, with an average high on this date of 54 °F with an average low of 42 °F. During recent history, the high has been 69 °F (2006) and a low of 35 °F (1997) on this date in Bergen. There was no rain on this date last year.

 

As an example for June 29, you will find this data for Bergen in the heart of this great area: a high of 64 °F last year with a low of 52 °F, with an average high on this date of 61 °F with an average low of 51°F. During recent history, the high has been 68 °F (2003) and a low of 44 °F (2007) on this date in Bergen. There was no rain on this date last year.

 

Before doing our cruises, I always look up the weather history for each port on that day when we will be there with lots of details, including sunrise and sunset times, etc.

 

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 119,927 views.

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

[diane.in.ny]

Tell me more on those dates, your exact schedule of stops, etc.

 

We'll be going in June and up to the North Cape. Based on the info you provided, guess we'll bring some fleece. We also have long underwear from previous cold weather trips that take up almost no space in the suitcase.

[TLCOhio]

We'll be going in June and up to the North Cape. Based on the info you provided, guess we'll bring some fleece. We also have long underwear from previous cold weather trips that take up almost no space in the suitcase.

 

Yes, June will be better than May. BUT, preparing with layering will be important. It will be cooler in the mornings and early evening. Be flexible to adjust up and down. Then, you'll be fine. Let me know any other questions. Which ports will you visit, where sailing from?

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Celebrity Solstice Visual Highlights? From our June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in France, Italy, Kotor and Dubrovnik, I have pull together a number of wonderful visuals of the Solstice, its features, food, entertainment, options, etc. We are now at 10,863 views for this shorter version of my larger full review of that cruise and all of the port pictures/details. Check these postings and added info at:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1803477

[diane.in.ny]

Which ports will you visit, where sailing from?

 

 

Sailing RT Rotterdam

 

Visiting Flam, cruising Sognefjord, Alesund, Trondhein, cruising Trondhemsfjord, Tromso, Honnigsvag, cruising Noth Cape, Mole, Geiranger, cruising Geirangerfjord, Bergen

[TLCOhio]

Sailing RT Rotterdam. Visiting Flam, cruising Sognefjord, Alesund, Trondhein, cruising Trondhemsfjord, Tromso, Honnigsvag, cruising Noth Cape, Mole, Geiranger, cruising Geirangerfjord, Bergen

 

Great ports!! Except for your stop in Mole, we did all of the rest of these. Keep planning and researching. Let me know any added questions.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

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 143,923 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

[diane.in.ny]

Great ports!! Except for your stop in Mole, we did all of the rest of these. Keep planning and researching. Let me know any added questions.

 

 

Thanks!