Question for RuthC re: Flam,Norway

[hallpau]

Hi Ruth,

 

First I want to thank you for all the great advice you share with us fellow cruisers on these boards.

 

We're doing a 21day Midnight Sun and Norwegian Fjords in August (15 Aug - 5 Sept) on the Ryndam. One of our stops is Flam and there is a group of us that want to do the "Norway in a Nutshell" tour based on Rick Steves recommendations.

 

HAL's website shows our stop in Flam as a "tender" but when I check "Whatsinport" for Norway, the Flam cruise ship arrival schedule shows us at pier but the schedule shows "Aurland Harbour" at the top (instead of Flam).

 

I've been communicating with FJORD TOURS and my last email with them states: "Are you sure you can start the trip in Flam since it seems to me that your ship will go to Aurland? You can of course take a taxi from Aurland to Flam, it takes approx. 10 min."

 

My question is....in your past Norwegian cruises, how did you arrive in Flam? Should I trust HAL's web site that we are tendering into Flam or should I trust the cruise ship arrival schedule for Flam that shows us at the pier but possibly at Aurland Harbour instead of Flam.

 

Thank you again for all your help,

 

Pauline

[RuthC]

My question is....in your past Norwegian cruises, how did you arrive in Flam? Should I trust HAL's web site that we are tendering into Flam or should I trust the cruise ship arrival schedule for Flam that shows us at the pier but possibly at Aurland Harbour instead of Flam.

 

Thank you again for all your help,

 

Pauline

First, thank you for the kind words. I appreciate them.

 

When I've been to Flam, we've been right there in the little town. I can't recall if we were docked or tendered the first time, but my memory is that we were docked. I remember well that we were docked last time.

 

Frankly, I don't know where Aurland Harbour is! It must be a village a little way down the fjord, and I have been to some places along in there, but dock there? Never heard of it.

Sorry that I'm not really helping here!

 

I hope your weather there is a good as it was for me the last time. It was a crystal clear, sunny, warm day. Just perfect. The kind of day, and the ride on the fjord, one wished would never end.

[Vict0riann]

Sorry to butt in, but I just wanted to say when we were on the Ryndam in August, 2013, we docked right in Flam, near the train station. But possibly there will be other ships there the day you are there. If you check a website called cruisett (cruise timetables) you might be able to check the Norway ports and see if other ships are listed.

 

 

In the photo the railway station is just off on the right.

[btoohill]

We were on the Prinsendam in August 2014 and we anchored in the Fjord and tendered into the town of Flam. There were several other cruise ships that arrived and tendered in as well.

[Ine]

I am almost sure Auerland port is the name of the port of Flam. Check this website: http://aurlandhavn.no/cruise-2/ship-arrivals-2015/

To be sure why not send an email to the contact mentioned on this website.

Last summer ms Rotterdam tendered during our stay, there were 2 more ships in port.

Edited March 3, 2015 by Ine

[Louise sail]

We did the same 21 day trip as you on Ryndam in June 2014 our paper work showed us tendering to Flam but the day before the captain told us we would dock in Flam.We docked right beside the train station another ship tendered it's passengers, so decisions can be made right up to the last minute.

 

We enjoyed every minute of our cruise,hope you do too.

[hallpau]

The link you referenced (http://aurlandhavn.no/cruise-2/ship-arrivals-2015/) is the same one I got my information from before questioning the person I've been emailing with from FjordTours.....this is what I'm confused about and why I'm asking this question. I'm going to assume we're going into Flam (either tendering -per HAL's web site or docking at the pier since we're the only ship listed on the 2 web sites I checked - cruisett and aurlandhavn).

 

I'm sure we'll have a great time, but I want to pre-purchase the tickets and make sure we can meet our tour start time (which is one hour after we are scheduled to arrive).

 

Thanks to everyone for your help....CC members are GREAT!!!

[Norwegianprincess]

Hi Pauline

Aurland is the name of the region/commune where the small city/village of Flåm (Flam) is situated, And it is also the name of a small village in that region. The only port for cruise ships in this region is in Flam/Flåm, no big ships in the Aurland village. Hope this helps 😊 and hope you will have a wonderful cruise in Norway.

 

Kirsti

Norway

[hallpau]

Hi Pauline

Aurland is the name of the region/commune where the small city/village of Flåm (Flam) is situated, And it is also the name of a small village in that region. The only port for cruise ships in this region is in Flam/Flåm, no big ships in the Aurland village. Hope this helps 😊 and hope you will have a wonderful cruise in Norway.

 

Kirsti

Norway

 

Thank you Kristi for this information from a "local." This makes me feel much better that I'm making the correct assumption and should have no problem making our 9 AM tour with an 8 AM dock/tender (whichever it may be).

 

Pauline