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Independent Tour Options - Norway, Faroe Islands, Iceland

Liz Masterson

By Liz Masterson,
in Viking Ocean

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Peregrina651 "Live from...." Rare

Peregrina651

Posted
Posted
35 minutes ago, grimsbybud said:

Sorry to be a dummy but you mention "roll calls". No idea on this .

Help? Please!

 

For the purpose of Cruise Critic, a roll call is a single thread/topic of conversation for people who are on the same sailing. A roll call has two purposes: 1) to meet people you will be sailing with for the purpose of pre-cruise chit-chat and 2) for organizing shared independent/private tours (and is the only place on the Cruise Critic boards where it is permitted). 

 

I gave you the links to a number of roll calls in the other thread. You can "join" the roll call for your sail date simply by posting in the thread/topic -- or you may choose to simply follow it without actually participating (this is called 'lurking'). Typically, in a first post you introduce yourself (first names only and no other personally identifiable information as this is a very public forum). You should read the entire roll call before you post to it. If you have any further questions about roll calls, please ask in the roll call for your sailing, so that we don't hijack this thread (i.e., take the conversation away from its stated topic).

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retiredman

retiredman

Posted
Posted
6 hours ago, grimsbybud said:

Signed in to June 3 2020 Sky call, Bud

 

 

Grimsbybud, you asked me in a different forum about the cost of the "full day excursion to Voss" while in Flam. I tried going through my records but could not come up with the exact price but, I remember paying around $230pp. Hope that helps. I could not find any private tours that were like it.

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Peregrina651 "Live from...." Rare

Peregrina651

Posted
Posted (edited)
24 minutes ago, retiredman said:

 

Grimsbybud, you asked me in a different forum about the cost of the "full day excursion to Voss" while in Flam. I tried going through my records but could not come up with the exact price but, I remember paying around $230pp. Hope that helps. I could not find any private tours that were like it.

 

Bud, I think the answer you are looking for might be here - follow the link -- #16  -- photos of shorex price list (with departure times) for 2019.This info is accurate for this sailing only and may very well change on subsequent sailings.  .

Edited by Peregrina651
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Liz Masterson

Liz Masterson

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Yes we booked the pre extention trip through Viking:  Pre: The Best of Norway and Scenic Train - 4 Days and we are arriving an extra day early for that. Our first night we stay at the Thon Hotel Opera on our own. Then we move to where ever Viking wants us but when I booked they said it would be that hotel. I understand that can change. If if does so be it. Our first night off the plane is on our own and we will stay there. It looks to be very close to the train station, and we can take the express train from the airport to the main train station and then the hotel is next to that.  

 

We are traveling with our friends Gail and Phil from the west coast. I do think meeting up for a drink sounds like a good plan but lets talk again about that in May! 

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grimsbybud

grimsbybud

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That would be grand, Liz. Eva and I look forward to meeting you and your friends (in person!).

 

We are going in to Oslo two nights early to get clocks in order.

 

Having been to Oslo ( on a previous-self planned and visiting with family in Sweden, Estonia, Finland and Denmark, a ferry from Copenhagen to Oslo was a great extra) we really liked Oslo. Walking is great, not as up and downish as Stockholm. The sculpture garden of human figures is a marvel!

 

As you note, we are informed that the Hotel Opera is the one, but not etched in stone. One  e-mailing we have received from Viking noted the Hotel Bristol in the mix. other are 4+Star so I am sure comfort awaits.

 

On our River Cruises, we were able to find wine shops along the way and always had our own wine in the stateroom ( we are Wine, only, folks and with the free wines at lunch and dinner work with our wine to enjoy mid-afternoon so don't find the Silver Package worth while). So, we'll be stocking up in Bergen. I contacted the Hotel Tron Opera and found there are two very good shops nearby, as well. If we rattle, you'll know why!

 

Look forward to setting things up in May plans to book Ship Restos as soon as we can.

 

Note you're not on the Meet and Mingle list for our cruise.

B

 


 

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Peregrina651 "Live from...." Rare

Peregrina651

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With less than a hundred days to go, I hope to make some decisions this week for the independent tours that we will do.

 

With the stopover in Reykj on our way over and an 8pm flight home on disembarkation day, we have 3 and a half days to fill and I plan to fill them all with independent tours, except  the half day when we arrive which we will spend in wandering the city for a few hours and getting over jet-lag.

 

I have to figure out which tour is best for which day and find a company that is willing to pick us up at the ship and drop us at the bus station in time for us to catch a bus to the airport on the last day. I am thinking of putting all my eggs in one basket for those three days and using one company for all three days. Golden Circle and South Coast are givens but I am not sure what the third day should be. Whale Watch? We live in New England and have done them before; they can be hit or miss. 

 

So many decisions; so many decisions!

 

 

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janetcbl

janetcbl

Posted
Posted (edited)
26 minutes ago, Peregrina651 said:

With less than a hundred days to go, I hope to make some decisions this week for the independent tours that we will do.

 

With the stopover in Reykj on our way over and an 8pm flight home on disembarkation day, we have 3 and a half days to fill and I plan to fill them all with independent tours, except  the half day when we arrive which we will spend in wandering the city for a few hours and getting over jet-lag.

 

I have to figure out which tour is best for which day and find a company that is willing to pick us up at the ship and drop us at the bus station in time for us to catch a bus to the airport on the last day. I am thinking of putting all my eggs in one basket for those three days and using one company for all three days. Golden Circle and South Coast are givens but I am not sure what the third day should be. Whale Watch? We live in New England and have done them before; they can be hit or miss. 

 

So many decisions; so many decisions!

 

 

26 minutes ago, Peregrina651 said:

I recommend a blog to help you with your decisions.“ I❤️Reykjavík“ is written by a resident of Reykjavík who really knows what is available and has loads of great suggestions.

 

 

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old biddy

old biddy

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Peregrina651 said:

With less than a hundred days to go, I hope to make some decisions this week for the independent tours that we will do.

 

With the stopover in Reykj on our way over and an 8pm flight home on disembarkation day, we have 3 and a half days to fill and I plan to fill them all with independent tours, except  the half day when we arrive which we will spend in wandering the city for a few hours and getting over jet-lag.

 

I have to figure out which tour is best for which day and find a company that is willing to pick us up at the ship and drop us at the bus station in time for us to catch a bus to the airport on the last day. I am thinking of putting all my eggs in one basket for those three days and using one company for all three days. Golden Circle and South Coast are givens but I am not sure what the third day should be. Whale Watch? We live in New England and have done them before; they can be hit or miss. 

 

So many decisions; so many decisions!

 

 

We found Whale watching out of Rekjavik highly disappointing. Only 1 Humpback compared with a pod of approx 20 off Akureyri, which was amazing. I know it is an inexact science, but just our experience.

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Peregrina651 "Live from...." Rare

Peregrina651

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1 hour ago, old biddy said:

We found Whale watching out of Rekjavik highly disappointing. Only 1 Humpback compared with a pod of approx 20 off Akureyri, which was amazing. I know it is an inexact science, but just our experience.

 

You were very lucky. I have been on close to a dozen whale watches over the years, most of them to Stellwagen Bank, outside of Boston, MA, and maybe two of them have been amazing/memorable.  For sure, it is not an exact science; even on the same day,  the same boat with the same captain and spotters can have entirely different experiences from one sailing to the next, one time seeing dozens of whales and another just one or two.

 

Still, I love going on whale watches, but I go knowing that it will be the luck of the draw.

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