Norway Fjord Cruise Q&A - Keys to Successful Planning

[kaymoz]

On ‎1‎/‎1‎/‎2019 at 2:24 PM, Belgian fry said:

 but I'm completely stuck for ideas for Kristiansand. We want to be out and about doing something active and/or enjoying the scenery. Any suggestions would be most welcome. 

At Kristiansand last summer, we spent a delightful, extended morning wandering the grounds of an outdoor museum that helped visualize everyday history.  It's great to catch a tour there if possible -- the museum guides are great!  https://www.vestagdermuseet.no/welcome-to-vest-agder-museum/

We took a taxi out there and then caught a public bus back to town.

 

[Belgian fry]

Unfortunately, the outdoor museum opens the week after we visit.n

[kaymoz]

6 minutes ago, Belgian fry said:

Unfortunately, the outdoor museum opens the week after we visit.n

That is so frustrating when you miss something by a short bit of time....  But you never know.... it can't hurt to drop them a line and see what's up on the one day you can go.   I think sometimes if the premises would be open for a school visit or some other private tour on your day, then they might just go ahead and let you in too.  Seems like something happened like that for us; my memory is a little foggy since we have been to so many places since then, but I think we were there on a day when they were usually closed but they were "open" anyway because of private tours scheduled that day -- which turned out to be partly cruise ship tours!!  So they were happy to let us in, super accommodating.

 

 

[readingfast]

We are sailing in late August this year.  The route is Dover, Haugesund, Flam, Skjolden, Stavanger, Dover.

Has anyone any idea about what temperatures will be like in that area and what kind of clothes to take?

Any information would be very welcome. 

Thanks

[quandrea]

We booked celebrity for August 2019. We visit Bergen, Alesund, Flam and Stavanger. Don’t do Geiranger fjord or Olden. I’m wondering if this is a poor itinerary. The agent on the phone couldn’t tell me which fjords we will see. I’m concerned Geiranger is omitted. Should I cancel?

 

Disney is offering Olden, Stavanger, Geiranger and Alesund. Better option?

[naturelovergirl]

1 hour ago, quandrea said:

We booked celebrity for August 2019. We visit Bergen, Alesund, Flam and Stavanger. Don’t do Geiranger fjord or Olden. I’m wondering if this is a poor itinerary. The agent on the phone couldn’t tell me which fjords we will see. I’m concerned Geiranger is omitted. Should I cancel?

 

Disney is offering Olden, Stavanger, Geiranger and Alesund. Better option?

When you go to Flåm you are in the Sognefjord, and you can take an tourist excursion into the Nærøfjord from Flåm. Nærøyfjord is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Look up Sognefjord and Nærøfjord to see if you like those opportunities.

[quandrea]

56 minutes ago, naturelovergirl said:

When you go to Flåm you are in the Sognefjord, and you can take an tourist excursion into the Nærøfjord from Flåm. Nærøyfjord is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Look up Sognefjord and Nærøfjord to see if you like those opportunities.

Thank you. So it sounds like our itinerary is okay. 

[Belgian fry]

Thanks Kaymoz. It looks like the museum will be open in the morning.

[CruisingFox27]

We had hoped to experience the Rauma railway when we visited Andalsnes in June, however, the nsb website shows the morning journey to be unavailable to book. Our cruise company doesn't have this as an available excursion either. In fact, there is only one excursion for the port, a 3 hour panoramic tour of åndalsnes via troll wall. We are in port from 08.00 to 17.00 so this doesn't seem to utilise our time here very well.

 

Are there any tour operators with whom we could book? Trip Advisor doesn't suggest so.

 

Any other recommendations for our day here if the rail trip is not an option?

 

 

Edited April 12, 2019 by CruisingFox27

[hallasm]

47 minutes ago, CruisingFox27 said:

We had hoped to experience the Rauma railway when we visited Andalsnes in June, however, the nsb website shows the morning journey to be unavailable to book

Which date - the only day I found 09:30 am sold out is June 18 - however I couldn't see any cruise ships in port that day.

Are you planning a round trip from Åndalsnes to Dombås?

[CruisingFox27]

28 minutes ago, hallasm said:

Which date - the only day I found 09:30 am sold out is June 18 - however I couldn't see any cruise ships in port that day.

Are you planning a round trip from Åndalsnes to Dombås?

 

We are looking at June 2nd and yes, we'd like to do the round trip Åndalsnes to Dombås.

 

I was looking at booking a return ticket. If I select one way Åndalsnes to Dombås, it offers me a 9.30am train. However, when trying to book one way for the return journey, the 12.05pm is sold out. The next train offered is too late at 6pm.

Edited April 12, 2019 by CruisingFox27

[hallasm]

Try to contact  office@molde-romsdalhavn.no   and ask for possible excursions - also try if you can book at https://shop.scandinavianrail.com/#/ptp/point___to_point_tickets/

 make sure to use correct spelling: Åndalsnes and Dombås

[CruisingFox27]

14 minutes ago, hallasm said:

Try to contact  office@molde-romsdalhavn.no   and ask for possible excursions - also try if you can book at https://shop.scandinavianrail.com/#/ptp/point___to_point_tickets/

 make sure to use correct spelling: Åndalsnes and Dombås

 

Many thanks.

Sadly, no tickets available to return from Dombas until 18:15.

I will enquire about excursions to the above email address.

 

There are no other ships in port on our date, so I have no idea who is has all of the return tickets booked 🤔

[hallasm]

5 minutes ago, CruisingFox27 said:

will enquire about excursions to the above email address.

Maybe they know the reason - no ship excursions that day. You might want to check back again - tickets might suddenly be available.

[naturelovergirl]

We booked our Rauma Line tickets directly with NSB two years ago...

Did you look on their website

[CruisingFox27]

It was the NSB website that showed the tickets to be unavailable. 

[kaymoz]

My recent experience was that the rail tickets I wanted for one of our portstops in Norway in June were showing unavailable week after week.  I finally picked up the phone and called the rail line (since we have a calling plan!).   I learned that they expect alot of track work to be done during the summer, so while they are planning when & where that work will happen, they are not going to sell the journeys that might be affected.  Once the work schedule is settled, then they can go ahead and release the tickets.   

 

In my case, it was just this week that I could finally book the tickets for 25 June, tho for our port the train is actually operated by the Swedish rail.  Perhaps the NSB has similar practices, so this might be the situation you are experiencing.

Edited April 12, 2019 by kaymoz
typo

[CruisingFox27]

Thank you. I'll keep looking. There are tickets for that journey and route on the day we wish to travel but unfortunately only one way, no return tickets available for the afternoon. 

[TiogaCruiser]

This will be our first time in Europe..... Our ship (Prinsendam) will be in Flaam (9:00a to 7:00p) and currently we have booked the train out and back to Mydral Station leaving at noon. I am considering replacing that trip with another more comprehensive tour entitled "Best of Flaam".  I copied the description of the tour below. 

 

The current shorex leaves some time for us to do something else in the afternoon, and not much, if anytime, prior. (It is supposed to be a tender port, but some on the rollcall are questioning that. We do not have priority tendering status, so we will likely be getting out closer to the end of tendering....) 

 

I am looking for feedback about 1) the Best of Flaam as opposed to just the out-and-back we are currently booked on, and 2) if we keep the current trip, what other things we could fit in. We like the outdoors. I like culture. 

 

Thanks!

****************************************************************

This tour covers the highlights of the Aurlandsfjord region. Leave the idyllic village of Flåm at the head of Aurlandsfjord bytrain on one of the most spectacular railroad journeys in Norway. The line is only 12 miles long; however, the journey lasts around 50 minutes because it climbs from 15 feet above sea level to 2,844 feet at Myrdal Station, situated on the main line between Oslo and Bergen. The train proceeds very slowly at the most scenic parts. At the Kjosfoss Waterfall you can leave the train for a few minutes to take photographs.

Change trains at Myrdal Station and continue on the main line, passing through the Gravhalsen Tunnel and down the Raundalen Valley to Voss. Voss is a well-known resort town, in both summer and winter, with an attractive setting near Vangs Lake. Here you will have some free time to explore the village.

After lunch, served locally, your journey continues by coach, stopping at the Tvinde Waterfall cascading down the mountainside.

Pass Oppheim Lake and reach the Stalheim Hotel, which perches on a cliff overlooking the Nærøy Valley far below. Brace yourself for the serpentine bends of the Stalheimskleivane -- the steepest road in Norway -- skirting the Sivle and the Stalheim Waterfalls.

Reaching the valley floor, you will follow the Nærøy River to Gudvangen on Nærøyfjord. From here it is a relatively short drive back to Flåm, although most of the route will be inside the mountain. There are two tunnels -- the first is 6.8 miles long; the second approximately three miles long. Soon you will see Aurlandsfjord ahead, where your ship awaits you.

[kaisatsu]

7 hours ago, TiogaCruiser said:

Our ship (Prinsendam) will be in Flaam (9:00a to 7:00p) and currently we have booked the train out and back to Mydral Station leaving at noon. I am considering replacing that trip with another more comprehensive tour entitled "Best of Flaam".  I copied the description of the tour below. 

 

The current shorex leaves some time for us to do something else in the afternoon, and not much, if anytime, prior. (It is supposed to be a tender port, but some on the rollcall are questioning that. We do not have priority tendering status, so we will likely be getting out closer to the end of tendering....) 

 

I am looking for feedback about 1) the Best of Flaam as opposed to just the out-and-back we are currently booked on, and 2) if we keep the current trip, what other things we could fit in. We like the outdoors. I like culture. 

 

Thanks!

I'm not sure the Best of Flåm adds a lot to the trip, and it's a weird name, since it doesn't spend much time at all around Flåm. Dropping all of the colorful excursion-sales language, it adds the rail trip between Myrdal and Voss, includes free time and lunch in Voss, and then buses you back to Flåm, stopping at the Stalheim hotel overlook on the way. The view from the Stalheim is nice, but I definitely wouldn't say it's worth giving up the rest of your day for it. Traditionally, it's a quick stop on the way to/from Gudvangen to meet the ferry through the UNESCO-listed Nærøyfjord, but this tour returns to Flåm via the mountain tunnel, so after Gudvangen, there's literally not much to see.

 

Personally, I would rather wander around Flåm than Voss, so I would probably stick to the Flåmsbana and try to plan ahead to do something else after. Maybe the Stegastein viewpoint or a cruise on the Nærøyfjord if timings work out. If you're looking for something more active you can hire cycles in Myrdal and ride back down to Flåm. There are also a few trails around town or some easy walks around the village.

[sddsddean]

We are doing a Northern Lights cruise up to Tromso in Nov/Dec this year. I know it will be cold, but wonder what is the best thing(s) to wear? Top half is not a problem (layers and jackets etc), but what about trousers and footwear? Any ideas?

 

Thanks

 

Simon

[hallasm]

Proper clothing is very important - I did spend several hours in the bow and at upper deck during night.

I did use wind and water resistant trousers and fleece pants from ‘66 North Clothing’ - North Face has similar clothing.

As foot ware I have waterproof Loewe Hiking boots and two pair of socks. I did wear the boots when flying to Norway

http://northernlightscruise.blogspot.com/p/dress-for-cold.html

[greenlaker]

Looking for suggestions on what to do or see in Hammerfest.

Edited April 29, 2019 by greenlaker
Typo

[lynsy]

Hello. Any recommendations for tours in Haugesund?

[Redheadindixie]

Thanks for this thread. My husband and I are sailing on Princess in June 2020 to Norways west coast. My question is has anyone taken a helicopter ride to Pulpit Rock? If so, is it worth the expense?