Need CC advice on which Norway itinerary

[mattduke1]

Hi experts!

 

My wife and I (early 40's) will be completing our 4th trip to Alaska this summer.  We just love Alaska and Holland America.  But we now want to plan a cruise to Norway for summer 2020 (14 days).  We've learned that Geiranger is not to be missed, but we'd also like to cruise above the Arctic Circle to the North Cape.  Unfortunately I can't find a cruise that incorporates both of those.

 

If you guys could be so kind, I've found 3 cruises that would work for our schedule that I'd like to have some input on.  Basically, which itinerary do you think is best for first time Norway cruisers.  Cruise 1 and 2 are on the Rotterdam and cruise 3 is on the Veendam.  Any advice offered would be greatly appreciated.

 

#1 - 14 Day North Cape (Rotterdam, Stavanger, Flam, Sognefjord, Molde, Trondheim, Trondheimsfjord, Hammerfest, Honningsvag, North Cape, Olden, Alesund, Rotterdam)

 

#2 - 14 Day Viking Sagas & Norse Legends (Rotterdam, Flam, Sognefjord, Stavanger, Kristiansand, Oslofjord, Oslo, Rotterdam, Eidfjord, Hardangerfjord, Alesund, Geiranger, Geirangerfjord, Rosendal, Rotterdam)

 

#3 - 14 Day North Cape & Gems of Norway Explorer (Amsterdam, Eidfjord, Hardangerfjord, Bergen, Tromso, North Cape, Honningsvag, Harstad, Leknes/Lofoten, Bronnoysund, Trondheim, Molde, Alesund, Amsterdam)

 

Thank you for your time.

[RuthC]

Any of them! All of them! Flip a coin---all of them are great itineraries, and you cannot go wrong here.
I am particularly charmed by Molde and Alesund. Lofoton has its own points of interest, and Trondheim is a fairly large city with things to see. Stavanger offers the opportunity to take a catamaran up Lysefjord, which your ship will likely do, too. The different perspective is striking. Oslo, of course, is a capital city, so has more attractions than can be seen in one visit.

There will be other opportunities to return, so it almost doesn't matter which one you choose this time. Just go.

[Charleston Lady]

Well, if you like Alaska, you will love Norway! We spent 3 weeks cruising the fjords on Prinsendam in in 2014 and even after 4 world cruises, it remains my favorite trip. Thus we are taking our family back for 14 days on Nieuw Statendam this June to celebrate our 50th anniversary.

I agree with RuthC that all the choices are wonderful so you can't go wrong. If I had to choose, I prefer the Rotterdam over Veendam,  but find Amsterdam more charming than Rotterdam in terms of port cities although both are interesting. Yes, Geiranger is breathtaking,  but so are most of the other fjords. 

We visited 12 Norwegian ports in 2014 and will see some of those and some new ones this year. Will be glad to share with you in more detail now and after we visit again if you wish. nannrick2007@gmail dot com

Oh, I think #1 would be the winner!

[OlsSalt]

Having been on multiple Norway cruises, I can't honestly say one particular fjord should not be missed - many/all of them are quite stunning and Norway has so many other charms at every port stop - their cities are wonderful - big and small, the low-lying scenery can be equally spectacular. And the weather can be so variable if you choose a route for one stop only, it may be fogged in and you can't see it anyway.  

 

Doesn't make your choice any easier now, does it. But agree with others, all of them are great choices - the more north you go the more unique the stops and fewer ships and tourism impacts - but only slightly.  This is one spectacular country on so many levels - the quiet pastoral charms on land are as engaging as her magestic fjords. Her cities are clean, shopping is great, museums are very worthy and the food is delicious ($$$). Enjoy. 

[mattduke1]

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond.  You guys are great.

 

Do any ports have excursions to Geiranger if I choose an itinerary that doesn't actually dock there?

[RuthC]

Not that I know of, although I believe you can take a succession of trains there out of Oslo. Don't know if you have time, though to get back.
In my opinion, Geiranger is no better (or worse) than any of the other small villages. Although the sail past the Seven Sisters waterfalls is spectacular.

[RMLincoln]

I'm not going to be much help because I like the 3rd itinerary but I dislike Veendam and would not chose to cruise on her again.  We sailed the Norway coast on a Hurtigruten ship which is a different experience than HAL, and I would love to go on HAL for any of these itineraries.  If you have not been to Norway before, any of these would be wonder-filled.  I would try to fly in and out of Amsterdam and spend some time there - it's not difficult to take the train from Amsterdam to Rotterdam in the morning of embarkation.  Amsterdam is an easy place to visit and chock full of enjoyment.  

You will see more fjords in the south than above the arctic circle but although the scenery is different, there is more to visiting Norway than scenery - the Viking Norse history is deep, the more contemporary history impressive, and the people are welcoming; the towns are mostly small enough to get a good visit in a short time on foot.    

Happy planning, m--

[SeaTheW0rld]

Do you want to miss this?  I've cruised into many ports, but Geiringerfjord is in the top 3. How wonderful to have such problems.

 

Shipspotters will notice that's the Grand Princess before they chopped the handle off.

[sandyss]

My favorite port in Norway was Leknes.  From there we were able to take a tour to the Lafoten Islands - all the way to the last island - a colorful fishing village called "A".  It is a string of islands  - connected by tunnels and bridges, with mountains, colorful fishing villages, and stunning scenery.  Since none of the ship tours went all the way to "A", we arranged a private tour.  (We had gone with Celebrity on that cruise.)

[TiogaCruiser]

2 hours ago, SeaTheW0rld said:

Do you want to miss this?  I've cruised into many ports, but Geiringerfjord is in the top 3. How wonderful to have such problems.

 

Shipspotters will notice that's the Grand Princess before they chopped the handle off.

Where above Geiringerfiord was that taken?

[TiogaCruiser]

3 hours ago, RMLincoln said:

 I would try to fly in and out of Amsterdam and spend some time there - it's not difficult to take the train from Amsterdam to Rotterdam in the morning of embarkation.  Amsterdam is an easy place to visit and chock full of enjoyment.  

 

3 hours ago, RMLincoln said:

 

We are planning our first Norway trip on PDam this summer. We’ve never been to Europe. Any suggestions for what to do in Amsterdam for a day or 2?

[SeaTheW0rld]

1 hour ago, TiogaCruiser said:

Where above Geiringerfiord was that taken?

 

I just hiked up a ways from where the tenders let me off. 😂

 

It was one of the standard stopping photo-op shots on the bus tour. 

[puppycanducruise]

6 hours ago, TiogaCruiser said:

 

We are planning our first Norway trip on PDam this summer. We’ve never been to Europe. Any suggestions for what to do in Amsterdam for a day or 2?

 

There's lots to see and do in Amsterdam.

If you like art there's VanGogh museum and the Rijksmuseum.

Take a canal tour.  Try the Heineken experience.

Enjoy the flower market. 

See the red light district.

Visit the Anne Frank house.

Venture out of town to Zaanse Schanse (see windmills, clog making, etc)

Visit nearby towns - their trains system is good.

[Essiesmom]

Geiranger

 

 

 

 

We were there on QE2 in her last season.  EM

[sammiedawg]

We did Norway for the first time on ryndam . The ports were good but there no destination expert or guest lecturer on board. It was 14 days and we were totally turned off  by the lack of cultural enrichment. Not even a single lecture. Only the tour manager hawking ship excursions.  For this reason I do not recommend holland America for Norway.

The Ryndam was fine and was in good enough shape to attract a buyer.

However, neither Rotterdam or veendam works  for me, especially the Veendoom. I would rather stay home than be on that ship. 

 

I would highly recommend you check Viking.  I’m not a big fan of ship tours but they offer an included, basic tour in every port.  You will find everything in Norway is pricey so the included tour may be of value. 

You need to read trip reports and the Viking board to find out what the included tour is.   Or call Viking to ask. Sometimes they know but the included tour may be unknown when you book. 

 

Viking also has wonderful ships that are  new and nice. Better food, ambience, service with many more included items.   Less nickle  and diming. .  Great cultural education and immersion on this line. Multiple guest lecturers and historians. 

You will pay more for Viking but well worth the money compared to the oldie ships you are considering. 

 

Oceania also has great Norway experiences.  

 

[RMLincoln]

 

 

We are planning our first Norway trip on PDam this summer. We’ve never been to Europe. Any suggestions for what to do in Amsterdam for a day or 2?

 

 

 

There's lots to see and do in Amsterdam.

If you like art there's VanGogh museum and the Rijksmuseum.

Take a canal tour.  Try the Heineken experience.

Enjoy the flower market. 

See the red light district.

Visit the Anne Frank house.

Venture out of town to Zaanse Schanse (see windmills, clog making, etc)

Visit nearby towns - their trains system is good.

Yes, all of these!  We bought multi-day canal passes and had a hotel room (Avenue Hotel - simple but plenty adequate and good location) near the train station hub which is also near the canal boats, trams, and the touristy Red Light District.  We used the canal boats for most of our transportation, trams later at night - all very easy;  we enjoyed the commentary on the boats.  We were only there 2 and a half days but found a lot to do.  We had tickets for a symphony concert in the Opera House, a very beautiful venue, a highlight of our visit.  I recommend getting the Rick Steves Amsterdam book well ahead of time and making what reservations you can in advance, especially if you want to go to the Anne Frank museum.  I'd love to go back, there is so much to enjoy there. 

Amsterdam is built on 3 rings of canals so the boats get to most all parts of the city. Even when it was raining we had a good time on the canal boat; there are 3 routes IIRC so you can see a lot of Amsterdam and gain good understanding of the history and culture.  

Bicycles are much more prevalent than cars; the train station has a huge parking garage structure for bicycles only.  I looked into staying on a house boat on a canal but most needed more nights than we had.  

Happy planning!  m--

[OlsSalt]

58 minutes ago, sammiedawg said:

We did Norway for the first time on ryndam . The ports were good but there no destination expert or guest lecturer on board. It was 14 days and we were totally turned off  by the lack of cultural enrichment. Not even a single lecture. Only the tour manager hawking ship excursions.  For this reason I do not recommend holland America for Norway.

The Ryndam was fine and was in good enough shape to attract a buyer.

However, neither Rotterdam or veendam works  for me, especially the Veendoom. I would rather stay home than be on that ship. 

 

I would highly recommend you check Viking.  I’m not a big fan of ship tours but they offer an included, basic tour in every port.  You will find everything in Norway is pricey so the included tour may be of value. 

You need to read trip reports and the Viking board to find out what the included tour is.   Or call Viking to ask. Sometimes they know but the included tour may be unknown when you book. 

 

Viking also has wonderful ships that are  new and nice. Better food, ambience, service with many more included items.   Less nickle  and diming. .  Great cultural education and immersion on this line. Multiple guest lecturers and historians. 

You will pay more for Viking but well worth the money compared to the oldie ships you are considering. 

 

Oceania also has great Norway experiences.  

 

 

Ryndam went out of service how many years ago?   Times have changed. I have never been on a HAL ship that even comes close to your consistently bleak reports, nor has our many days on the Veendam ever earned your out of hand dismissal. In the future, how about putting dates of your HAL disaster cruises reports. Helps to view your posts with a better perspective. 

Edited January 22, 2019 by OlsSalt

[drowelf]

6 hours ago, puppycanducruise said:

 

There's lots to see and do in Amsterdam.

If you like art there's VanGogh museum and the Rijksmuseum.

Take a canal tour.  Try the Heineken experience.

Enjoy the flower market. 

See the red light district.

Visit the Anne Frank house.

Venture out of town to Zaanse Schanse (see windmills, clog making, etc)

Visit nearby towns - their trains system is good.

All this and much more. One of our favorites is the Hermitage Annex. They have an arrangement with the Hermitage in St. Petersburg and generally host 2 exhibitions of works on loan from there. Each stays about 6 months and we never miss it when ever we are in Amsterdam. 

 

But if your going to the Anne Frank House, be sure to get reservations online, way in advance, its become a major attraction and the line for day of tickets is often very, very long. 

 

Wander around the town, sample the cheese!

[TiogaCruiser]

1 hour ago, drowelf said:

All this and much more. One of our favorites is the Hermitage Annex. They have an arrangement with the Hermitage in St. Petersburg and generally host 2 exhibitions of works on loan from there. Each stays about 6 months and we never miss it when ever we are in Amsterdam. 

 

But if your going to the Anne Frank House, be sure to get reservations online, way in advance, its become a major attraction and the line for day of tickets is often very, very long. 

 

Wander around the town, sample the cheese!

Cheese. Yum.

 

Are there some other foods to check out also?

[OlsSalt]

7 minutes ago, TiogaCruiser said:

Cheese. Yum.

 

Are there some other foods to check out also?

 

Short train trip to Gouda - go for the aged Gouda in this charming small town.  One of Holland's finest contributions to the culinary world.   https://wanderlustmarriage.com/gouda-day-trip-amsterdam/

Edited January 22, 2019 by OlsSalt

[mattduke1]

Thanks everyone for your expertise and advice.  This information is fantastic.

 

If we stick with Holland America for this trip, I think we're leaning towards #1.

[OlsSalt]

25 minutes ago, mattduke1 said:

Thanks everyone for your expertise and advice.  This information is fantastic.

 

If we stick with Holland America for this trip, I think we're leaning towards #1.

 

PS - looking at them again -- I think I would actually choose #3, but also continue to say any of them will be wonderful.   Pick one out of a hat. And you win regardless. 

[dfish]

2 hours ago, mattduke1 said:

Thanks everyone for your expertise and advice.  This information is fantastic.

 

If we stick with Holland America for this trip, I think we're leaning towards #1.

That would be my choice.  Enjoy your cruise to Norway.  Any of the choices is a winner.

[songfool]

On 1/20/2019 at 9:44 PM, Charleston Lady said:

Well, if you like Alaska, you will love Norway! We spent 3 weeks cruising the fjords on Prinsendam in in 2014 and even after 4 world cruises, it remains my favorite trip. Thus we are taking our family back for 14 days on Nieuw Statendam this June to celebrate our 50th anniversary.

I agree with RuthC that all the choices are wonderful so you can't go wrong. If I had to choose, I prefer the Rotterdam over Veendam,  but find Amsterdam more charming than Rotterdam in terms of port cities although both are interesting. Yes, Geiranger is breathtaking,  but so are most of the other fjords. 

We visited 12 Norwegian ports in 2014 and will see some of those and some new ones this year. Will be glad to share with you in more detail now and after we visit again if you wish. nannrick2007@gmail dot com

Oh, I think #1 would be the winner!

We are on the May 30th 14-Day Cruise. Great to hear you preferred the Rotterdam, as we prefer the smaller ships, especially for the fjords. I’m interested in hearing what you liked about Amsterdam over Rotterdam (as a port). We are staying over in Amsterdam post-cruise and looking at various excursions. Do you have any recommendations? 
 

Saw your mention of the Heineken Experience, which we loved in 

Ireland, so hoping for something in wildlife, architecture, or culture. 
 

We were hoping to see gardens in bloom, but nothing I’ve read indicates public gardens in Amsterdam. 
Thank you!

Edited February 16, 2020 by songfool

[sofietucker]

We ADORE Norway!  All 3 itineraries are interesting,  but a key is whether you like more city or more rural stops.

Highly, highly endorse the Honningsvag, etc. stops if the latter. And DO take Blue Puffin to the Nordkapp, not a tour bus! See reviews in Trip Advisor.

We also liked Trondheim. The university museum has a big exhibit on the Sami people. And there's a nice arctic display gardens.

But Flam and Geiranger proper are similar in terms of a pretty town at the end of a fjord...in either one, get out of town!

The Flam/Voss train is fascinating and a must if you take that itinerary. If you do go to Geiranger, go to the top of the mountain! Trollstigen, Eagles Pass, etc.

For cities, Stavanger, Bergen, Oslo have a lot to do. Bergen is especially pretty. Hike to the top of the hill!