Hellesylt Norway question

[Playtennis]

For those who have been to Hellesylt please help with a question we have for next year's trip there.

The scheduled stop at Hellesylt is from 9 to 11:30. Tenders are needed to get ashore. The ship then sails up the fjord to Geiranger and is there from 1 until 6.

The two and a half hours doesn't seem to be a lot of time to get a lot of passengers off and then back on the ship and still have everyone get back in time.

Can anyone shed light on why the ship stops there?

[RuthC]

That sounds as if it might be a service call to disembark passengers taking a shore excursion, and no one else is allowed to leave the ship.

It does seem a bit long for a service call, but if it is a tender port, and the ride in is long, it could be the explanation.

[The A Train]

There are several all day tours that leave Hellesylt and arrive Geiranger, including a hiking tour to a glacier. We've done it and it's a good experience.

[LHT28]

It is just a service call & only those with ship's excursions are allowed off

 

The time is probably due to the fact they have to anchor (sometimes) lower the tenders then when all ashore they have to raise the tenders

We have done this on another line

On our O cruise I believe we went to Gieranger 1st then picked up the passengers from the shore excursion in Hellslyt

 

Some line drop off in one port & pick up at the other just depending on the schedule

It is very narrow at the end of the fjord for too many ships ;)

[ronrick1943]

Better yet if your not touring you can sleep in and not have a nice breakfast with a lot less people around. Seat back and relax on your deck and enjoy the day. Sounds great to me.

Rick

[The A Train]

LHT28, Hellesylt is not just a service call for ship's tour pax.

 

We've been on the Hellesylt/Geiranger duo three times, on three different cruise lines, and, the two times we did not do a tour, we disembarked both times to walk around the area, to a nearby waterfall, and, one of those times was on Regatta.

[LHT28]

LHT28, Hellesylt is not just a service call for ship's tour pax.

 

We've been on the Hellesylt/Geiranger duo three times, on three different cruise lines, and, the two times we did not do a tour, we disembarked both times to walk around the area, to a nearby waterfall, and, one of those times was on Regatta.

 

Sorry my experience was different than yours then

 

The cruise line we were on did not allow non ship's tour passengers off in Hellesylt

On our O trip we picked up passengers that had disembarked in Gieranger and again no other passengers were let off the ship in Hellesylt

 

Clearly it differs by the cruise

 

Lyn

[rubysue]

For those who have been to Hellesylt please help with a question we have for next year's trip there.

The scheduled stop at Hellesylt is from 9 to 11:30. Tenders are needed to get ashore. The ship then sails up the fjord to Geiranger and is there from 1 until 6.

The two and a half hours doesn't seem to be a lot of time to get a lot of passengers off and then back on the ship and still have everyone get back in time.

Can anyone shed light on why the ship stops there?

 

We were there on Nautica in July. Only ship tours and passengers with advanced arrangements with the shore excursion desk were allowed on the single tender to Hellesylt, We did an all-day ship tour from Hellesylt to Geiranger that was quite pricy, but was definitely worth the cost (it was one of the only ship tours we did on that cruise and it was one of the better ship tours we have done). Some other folks made arrangements to ride the tender, got off, walked a short distance and got on the ferry to Geiranger to beat the crowd to the public transportation up Mt. Dalsnibba above Geiranger.

 

A very memorable day on a fantastic cruise!

[Mura]

We were on the cruise with Lyn (on Insignia, July 2010). The only passengers who could leave the ship in Hellsyt were on ship's tours. Once they were off the ship Insignia left for Geiranger. Maybe things have changed since then? But that is what happened a few years ago.

 

We didn't opt to climb over the mountain and hike to Geiranger (!) but we did leave the ship in Geiranger (also a tender port). We opted for the local fjord trip which I'd decided not to do (although we were already booked) because we'd sailed in ... but we ran into others we knew who were taking the trip so we did so also. It was really worth it because seeing the fjord from low down as opposed to a cruise ship really gave us a different perspective.

 

After we returned we walked through the town, which didn't take long!

 

But it's a beautiful area.

 

Mura

[Playtennis]

Thank you all for your replies!

k

[Paulchili]

LHT28, Hellesylt is not just a service call for ship's tour pax.

 

We've been on the Hellesylt/Geiranger duo three times, on three different cruise lines, and, the two times we did not do a tour, we disembarked both times to walk around the area, to a nearby waterfall, and, one of those times was on Regatta.

 

That might have been your experience but it surely will not be the case for OP.

The 2 1/2 hr stop is enough only disembark those passengers that are on a tour to be picked up in Geiranger. This is not enough time to disembark (tender) all passengers to walk around and sightsee.

We have been there twice and each time this was the case.

[Mura]

Lyn,

 

I think you are misremembering -- or I am! Because I clearly remember that we dropped off passengers in Hellesylt first and then went to Geiranger. The ship's tour passengers rejoined the ship in Geiranger. I seem to recall there were only two ship's tours -- the hiking one and a bus trip.

 

We did not stay as long in Hellesylt as the itinerary indicated we would. As soon as the tour people were off the ship we left for Geiranger.

 

Mura

[LHT28]

Lyn,

 

I think you are misremembering -- or I am! Because I clearly remember that we dropped off passengers in Hellesylt first and then went to Geiranger. The ship's tour passengers rejoined the ship in Geiranger. I seem to recall there were only two ship's tours -- the hiking one and a bus trip.

 

We did not stay as long in Hellesylt as the itinerary indicated we would. As soon as the tour people were off the ship we left for Geiranger.

 

Mura

 

Yes it was the other ship we were on that did the opposite route :o

 

but the outcome was the same ...non tour people were not allowed off in Hellesylt

[Mura]

Whew, that's a relief! My computer ate my entire trip file for the July '10 trip and so I was going on memory alone!

 

I was disappointed not to be able to see a bit of Hellesylt but if it's anything like Geiranger, there wouldn't have been much!

 

Mura

[AWED23]

We can highly recommend the coach tour. We have been there 4 times and 3 times we took the coach tour to Geiranger. Spectacular scenery and the tour is a family operation with first class coaches and drivers. Not to be missed as you will still have the sail out on which to view the fyord from ships' level. The view down to Geiranger from up high is the one you most often see in brochures.

[Playtennis]

That might have been your experience but it surely will not be the case for OP.

The 2 1/2 hr stop is enough only disembark those passengers that are on a tour to be picked up in Geiranger. This is not enough time to disembark (tender) all passengers to walk around and sightsee.

We have been there twice and each time this was the case.

 

Well, to get an "official" determination I emailed Oceania. Here is their response:

I wanted to let you know I forwarded your questions to our Director of Port & Itinerary Services and he did verify that all passengers are allowed to get off the ship in Hellesylt for 2 hours on their own, and there will not be any restrictions

It looks like things have changed...stay tuned. We will let you know AFTER our stop.

[Paulchili]

I wouldn't count on it :D

This would not be the first time an incorrect information was provided by O ground staff :)

2 1/2 hours is simply not enough for ALL passengers to get off the ship for 2 hours (with tendering, which you must do here) and also have time to return.

Unless they extend your stay there.

[Playtennis]

I wouldn't count on it :D

This would not be the first time an incorrect information was provided by O ground staff :)

2 1/2 hours is simply not enough for ALL passengers to get off the ship for 2 hours (with tendering, which you must do here) and also have time to return.

Unless they extend your stay there.

 

I agree. 684 passengers getting off would take some time even using 2 tenders. The last group would disembark, breath in the cool, fresh Norwegian air and get ready to fight the other returners getting back on the tender.

Like I said - stay tuned.

[sitraveler]

We were there this summer on Nautica.

 

All those on excursions, O or private, were permitted to depart.

Once they were gone and the tender returned we left.

[Paulchili]

We were there this summer on Nautica.

 

All those on excursions, O or private, were permitted to depart.

Once they were gone and the tender returned we left.

 

I agree that this is their SOP for that port of call.

[Playtennis]

We were there this summer on Nautica.

 

All those on excursions, O or private, were permitted to depart.

Once they were gone and the tender returned we left.

 

Not sure if this means that you were allowed to debark even though you did not have definitive plans or not. Please clarify.

[sitraveler]

Excursions are plans