Norway Fjords with 1.5 year old?

[katie1023]

My husband and I are considering taking a Norway cruise next year and my son will be 1.5 years. Does anyone have experience with this cruise and taking a baby? We have been on a few Mediterranean cruises & the Baltics cruise and I don't think those would be the best to take a baby on. I'm doing research on Norway but it looks like a lot of the ports there are walkable or you can take a ferry/train to sightsee (as opposed to museums or having to take buses to the actual port - like in Rome). Any opinions/personal experiences would be great!

[TLCOhio]

My husband and I are considering taking a Norway cruise next year and my son will be 1.5 years. Does anyone have experience with this cruise and taking a baby? We have been on a few Mediterranean cruises & the Baltics cruise and I don't think those would be the best to take a baby on. I'm doing research on Norway but it looks like a lot of the ports there are walkable or you can take a ferry/train to sightsee (as opposed to museums or having to take buses to the actual port - like in Rome). Any opinions/personal experiences would be great!

 

Welcome to these Cruise Critic boards. Tell us more for what you are trying to "achieve" in taking your 18-month-old son. Is it that you do not want to be away from your young son? Or, do you think that a baby that young will gain something out of the trip? In going to Norway, are you most interested in the history, culture, landscapes, nature, wildlife, shopping, etc.?? Tell us more!

 

Personally as a grandfather with grandsons aged nearly three and five, I would worry that a child that young would be very much a distraction from being able to allow the two of you the needed time to enjoy so much that is in these great areas. As detailed below in my live/blog, it is much more than just sailing along scenic fjords in these varied areas. There's also Bergen with its great, charming character, architecture and history. Plus, other interesting towns and going "up country" to see much more of what makes Norway so amazing. Who do the two of you most want to experience??

 

How far up the Norway coast are you planning to go? KEY NORWAY COAST CHALLENGE/QUESTION: One major issue is whether to just focus on the lower Norway fjords, Bergen, etc. Nice and wonderful. BUT, there is the option of going up, UP farther north, above the Arctic Circle, seeing such great places as the Lofoten Islands, the North Cape, interesting cities such as Tromso and Trondheim, etc., in taking more time to go more north. Only doing the lower portion requires less time, has more sailing/ship options and costs less. That’s very good! BUT, if you can take the added time, seeing farther up this Norway coast can be very special and unique. Especially, if you really love/seek nature, great scenery, wildlife, etc. Your choice?

 

Look forward to learning more from you and answering any added questions.

 

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 177,685 views.

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

[nmg85]

Most Norwegian ports you can 'sightsee' yourself easily and this would be fine with a child of this age. Which ports are u possibly going to?

[katie1023]

We are trying to "achieve" a vacation. Leaving him is not an option we are interested in. I realize at this young age he won't remember the trip but I grew up traveling with my parents and intend to do the same with my son. I understand that it will be a different dynamic bringing him along. We took him to DisneyWorld at 3 months old and that trip was MUCH different than our previous Disney trips but we enjoyed experiencing it with him. I am just wondering if Norway would be a good trip with a little one or not.

 

We are looking at a 7/8 night that visits Bergen, Flaam, Geiranger, Alesund, Stavanger, Oslo. I would of course love to do a more in depth tour and see more of Norway but with vacation time and budget that's not in the cards this time.

 

Thanks!

[katie1023]

As for what we are hoping to do/see - we want to enjoy the beautiful scenery and explore on our own as much as possible. My parents would also be on the trip with us - and they have been to Norway and said it's the most beautiful place they have ever seen!

[TLCOhio]

As for what we are hoping to do/see - we want to enjoy the beautiful scenery and explore on our own as much as possible. My parents would also be on the trip with us - and they have been to Norway and said it's the most beautiful place they have ever seen!

 

katie1023: We are trying to "achieve" a vacation. Leaving him is not an option we are interested in. I realize at this young age he won't remember the trip but I grew up traveling with my parents and intend to do the same with my son. I understand that it will be a different dynamic bringing him along. We took him to DisneyWorld at 3 months old and that trip was MUCH different than our previous Disney trips but we enjoyed experiencing it with him. I am just wondering if Norway would be a good trip with a little one or not. We are looking at a 7/8 night that visits Bergen' date=' Flaam, Geiranger, Alesund, Stavanger, Oslo[/b']. I would of course love to do a more in depth tour and see more of Norway but with vacation time and budget that's not in the cards this time.

 

Appreciate this added background/info. YES, having your parents along makes a HUGE difference in giving you more flexibility and time options to enjoy much of what makes Norway so spectacular. Plus, they are experienced having been there previously.

 

With your schedule doing Bergen, Flam, Geiranger, Alesund, Stavanger and Oslo, I have been to all of these locations except Stavanger. Have lots of ideas and suggestions!! Much added background, including many pictures, can be found on my live/blog that I noted previously. Given what you have shared, this trips sounds like it could work very well.

 

As an example, I would strongly encourage the famed rail trip at Flam. Plus, getting "UP COUNTRY" from a location such as at Geiranger. Lots to do in Oslo, depending on if you have interests in contemporary artists such as Munch and Vigeland. See more below for just a small sampling on these many great potentials. Is that of interest?

 

More on Vigeland/Oslo art: Gustav Vigeland's astonishing figures show the whole range of human life presented in stone and metal. There are nearly 200 sculptures, comprising 600 granite or bronze figures, in the park's large landscapes. All were designed by the Norwegian artist, whose museum, with over 1600 more statues (and his ashes) is just five minutes' walk away. Vigeland also designed the park's layout and setting. He was described as versatile, obsessive and abrasive. It took years of debate before Oslo Municipal Council, in 1922, approved plans for a sculpture park which would express the struggles and aspirations of humanity from birth to death as the artist desired. The result is astonishing in concept, amazing in execution and setting. Walk through the big iron gates and you're on a broad avenue leading to a bridge on whose parapets are mounted. The children shown are more conventional and appealing. Across the bridge rises a big fountain, in the middle of which a ring of giants supports a huge bronze bowl. Like everything else in the park, it's large in scale. From its center soars the monolith, a nearly 40'-high slab of Norwegian granite weighing 180 tons. The 121 writhing, creeping, struggling figures on its surface took three carvers 15 years to complete. There's no denying the drama here.

 

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 73-year-old Flam Railway. 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. In 2010, this railway was chosen as one of the top ten most beautiful train journeys in Europe by National Geographic Traveler Magazine. In 2012, there was a new passenger record of 635,368 riders carried. That is a big jump up in ridership from 475K in 2005 and 380K in 1994.

Railroad website with more history and technical details for its construction, operations: http://www.flaamsbana.no/eng.

 

Don't be shy!! What added questions/interests/needs do you have?

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Enjoyed a 14-day, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for more info and many pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 108,033 views for this posting.

 

 

You go on these Norway Coast cruises for the spectacular fjords. From the journey to Flam, Gudvangen and Sognerfjord, here is one picture giving you a sampling of the skies and views for these beautiful internal coastlines of the fjords. Being up on the top of the boat can provide great view on BOTH sides as you sail up and down these various fjords.

 

 

 

This is the dramatic overview of Alesund from the Aksla vantage point along the western coast of Norway. This spot allows a nearly 360-degree view of this setting for this island city and the surrounding mountains and islands. It is at a 597’ height overlooking the five islands making up the scenic town. The canal or waterway in the middle of the town is called "Brosundet" (or the Bridge sound). That means Ale sund (sloping sound). Or, reflecting that the sound slopes through town. This is how Alesund got its name.:

 

 

 

At Flam, you can see here some of the great fjord, dramatic mountains, waterfalls, etc. Below is just one picture and highlight from this day "riding the rails". Plus, you will be in the Sognerfjord that is rated as the best in all of Norway for these views, seeing the valleys, waterfalls, etc.:

 

 

 

This picture shows the main, historic Akershus Fortress/Castle next to where many cruise ships dock in Oslo. The fortress construction started around the late 1290’s. It successfully survived all sieges, primarily by Swedish forces. It surrendered without combat to Germans in 1940 when the Norwegian government evacuated the capital in the face of the German invasions of Denmark and Norway. The very interesting and moving Norwegian Resistance museum can be visited there. Norwegian Royalty have been buried in the Royal Mausoleum in the castle. A portion of this fortress was replicated at the Norway pavilion at Disney’s Epcot Center.:

 

 

 

Vigeland Park has a wide variety of outdoor sculptures in a super, wonderful setting that is a highlight for Oslo. There is a wide variety of art, water features, spectacular settings, etc. Its admission is free and the views and art are "priceless". It is open 24/7 so hours are not an issue.:

 

 

 

After being tendered from Geiranger, we sailed out and passed by two super famous waterfalls. YES, yes, we saw lots and lots of waterfalls on this trip, but these two were among the “best of the best”. First is the “Seven Sisters”. Directly opposite in this narrow fjord, it is called several names, including “The Suitor”. The majesty for these feats of nature is pretty amazing.:

 

[eandj]

Your little one will love all the trolls..."life size" as well as shops selling them as you are out and about. ;)

 

Your stops are pretty nice for this adventure. Take along a good stroller with wider wheels.

Edited May 15, 2015 by eandj

[TLCOhio]

Your little one will love all the trolls..."life size" as well as shops selling them as you are out and about. ;) Your stops are pretty nice for this adventure. Take along a good stroller with wider wheels.

 

Great ideas/suggestions above from eandj. Below is an example of a "real" troll where we had a fun encounter in Geiranger. This troll stood very still, did not move one bit while I was taking this picture. Well-behaved troll!!

 

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 177,685 views.

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

 

 

At the end of our visit to Geiranger, here was this cute troll to whom our friend Sharon decided to give a little hug and big chin tickle.:

 

[katie1023]

Thanks for all of the great information - I look forward to researching this more! And those pictures are beautiful!!

[kitkat343]

My son remembers his first cruise to the Panama Canal at the age of 24 months. He is 4.5 now, and still sometimes talks about the bells in Cartagena he liked at a monastery, and when I was looking at a travel brochure a few months ago he saw a picture of a street in Cartagena and told me the picture was of Cartagena (I don't think we'd been on that actual street, but the city has a certain beautiful character to it).

 

Are you considering either Disney or RCL for your trip to Norway? The Disney ships and newer/upgraded RCL ships will have nurseries for children your son's age, which would make a huge difference in terms of your being able to relax while you are on the boat after taking a child on excursions.

 

My son liked exploring things and running around at 24 months, and surprisingly made it through the whole private tour of Cartagena because he enjoyed walking around and seeing all the new things. We always booked private tours in case we needed to take our son back to the ship (thankfully this hasn't happened on 3 cruises) or need to modify the activities to give him a break (this was more necessary in St. Petersburg where he got understandably overwhelmed at the Hermitage after an hour and needed to go to the restaurant on the ground floor to eat and take a break from the paintings). In Norway, you may be exploring on your own so private tours might be less necessary.

 

When you are looking at itineraries, I think my son would love the train in Flam.

 

 

Also, it was really helpful to have a bag with toys and breakfast cereals/snacks in it. Whenever he would get bored/cranky I'd let him pick a new cereal and he would be happy again. The ship should have a lot of cereal and yoghurt you at breakfast you can store in the room so you will always have food available. Also, room service on the ships we sailed were able to bring us warm milk at night so he could drink some before sleep.

[Elmartellama]

I would totally go for it. Don't have children, but the pace of a Norway cruise seems to be very relaxed. It's expensive, since you have to pay for many excursions and can't easily DIY, but that makes it easier as well.

 

As for the Med, I would go there when children are old enough to remember something.

[TLCOhio]

I look forward to researching this more! And those pictures are beautiful!!

 

kitkat343: I think my son would love the train in Flam.

 

Appreciate the nice comments on my visuals from our Texas friend. Keep doing your good research and planning. For the mention about the love for the train in Flam' date=' YES, it is fun and interesting. Below are some more visuals from that location.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio[/font']

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Dozens of nice visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc. We are now at 199,151 views for this live/blog re-cap, including much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

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

 

 

From our early July 2010 visit to the highly-rated Sognerfjord, here are some added details and sights from Flam, riding the railroad there, etc. This includes showing the interior of the passenger cars, several views from the train going up and back, the view at the hotel deck of the nearby mountains and passengers re-boarding to return to Flam and our ship.:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the Flam railroad car with information on its twenty tunnels.:

 

[I-Cruiser]

My husband and I are considering taking a Norway cruise next year and my son will be 1.5 years. Does anyone have experience with this cruise and taking a baby? We have been on a few Mediterranean cruises & the Baltics cruise and I don't think those would be the best to take a baby on. I'm doing research on Norway but it looks like a lot of the ports there are walkable or you can take a ferry/train to sightsee (as opposed to museums or having to take buses to the actual port - like in Rome). Any opinions/personal experiences would be great!

 

Most of the ports are easily done on your own.

In some ports there is a fun "choo choo train" for sightseeing.

 

This link is to the "train" in Ålesund.

http://www.bytoget.no/home.html

 

Also some ports have museums with multimedia shows. The Jugend museum in Ålesund the the Fjord center in Geiranger to mention a few.

 

Have you got an itinerary in mind?