Bergen

[gerrimom]

I find myself overwhelmed by what to do and when to do it! Can I leap off the boat and dash on foot (70 years old and overweight) to funicular? Do I then catch HOHO Sing everything before catching the 12 o’ clock walking tour in English? I also want to visit the UNESCO site excavations. Is it doable for 4 older women? How did you schedule the sights?

In advance, thanks for your thoughts.

[Capt_BJ]

my opinion is you plan to do too much before noon!

 

from the cruise pier in Bergen (most used) is approx .7 miles by foot and right up the main tourist area.  In other words lots to stop and see (slow you down).  And you seem to assume you'll walk right on the funicular which might be the case - was once for us.  And other times we've waited over 30 minutes to board both on the way up, and to come back down due to crowds ... and that after a queue just to get the ticket

 

The Fløibanen funicular is open from 07:30 AM to 23:00 PM on weekdays, from 08:00 AM to 23:00 PM on weekends (Saturday and Sunday)

Fløibanen runs on the hour and half-hour in the morning, and every 15 minutes from 10:00 to 19:00. Between 19:00 and 23:00 departures are again on the hour and half-hour. There are extra departures at times of high demand.

There is no need to make a reservation on Fløibanen, although buying a ticket in advance will save you time as you won’t have to queue for the ticket office, only the funicular itself. 

 

taken from the top, looking to the cruise terminals. this was a busy July day .... off season we've gone in the evening and I don't think there were 10 people up here with us and we were alone on the ride down.

 

 

Edited January 26, 2019 by Capt_BJ

[hallasm]

Short and easy walk to all the sights - first the UNESCO Bryggen wharf, then Fløy Banan (funicular) to mount Fløyen, the Fish market and the center of Bergen.

[fabnfortysomething]

6 hours ago, gerrimom said:

I find myself overwhelmed by what to do and when to do it! Can I leap off the boat and dash on foot (70 years old and overweight) to funicular? Do I then catch HOHO Sing everything before catching the 12 o’ clock walking tour in English? I also want to visit the UNESCO site excavations. Is it doable for 4 older women? How did you schedule the sights?

In advance, thanks for your thoughts.

hiya friend

 

our Norwegian fjiords cruise we actually stayed on board Bergen because wasn't sure how much walking Ian could cope with

However looking back and talking to cruisemates doing funicular up to top for the sights would have been an easy day

[MeHeartCruising]

Several years ago (so it may no longer be this way), we did not dock within what I would call walking distance of the core Bergen sites.  We were still in central Bergen, but at a dock that was further away from the tourist area.  A shuttle bus was provided that drove us a few minutes to closer-in location where we could then access the tourist sites on foot.  I was one of the first off the ship and quickly walked from the drop off location to the funicular. It was still several minutes of walking to reach the site. Only a few people were in line in front of me (less than 20).  By the time I visited the top and rode the funicular back down, the line to ride it up was very long.   

 

There were other ships in port that day docked at the piers closer to the tourist area.  So hopefully that is where the OP will be.  But I just wanted to let people know that not all ships dock there unless things have changed.

Edited January 26, 2019 by MeHeartCruising

[Cruise4Sunshine]

Hello Fellow Cruiser,

 

Last summer after my early a.m. shore excursion to Edvard Greig's home (with a classical piano concert), there was still time in port. I walked out to the pier and talked with a taxi driver. He wanted to do a 3 hour tour, I talked him down to 1 hour for $70USD, we filled the car, went up to the market, top of the funicular by road, through neighborhoods, past the dockyard, saw the back side of the city, a lovely tour for just a short time.  Negotiate and you may be able to see and do it on your own without a lot of walking or waiting.

[hallasm]

14 hours ago, MeHeartCruising said:

Several years ago (so it may no longer be this way), we did not dock within what I would call walking distance of the core Bergen sites.

Most cruise ships does dock at Bergen Cruise Terminal  or  Festningskaien which is close to the city centre. If many ships in port or  larger ships,  also Jekteviken is used - a bit further away - if OP want to know location just post ship name and date.

[SoccerMom#3]

Our flight gets into Bergen at 10:00 AM.  My plan is to get to the ship, drop our stuff off (it's Viking so they will let us do that) , and then walk to the Floibanen Funicular.  Is that doable?  Ship doesn't leave till the next day.

[hallasm]

3 hours ago, SoccerMom#3 said:

Our flight gets into Bergen at 10:00 AM.  My plan is to get to the ship, drop our stuff off (it's Viking so they will let us do that) , and then walk to the Floibanen Funicular.  Is that doable?  Ship doesn't leave till the next day.

Is round 30 minutes from airport to the terminal by taxi. Assuming The Cruise terminal it’s a 0.7 miles walk to Fløy banan - 15 minutes - from the terminal. plenty of time.

Edited January 27, 2019 by hallasm