CRUISE TO LONGYEARBEYN 2020

[ORENSC]

We are about to sail on MSC PREZIOSA at August 4th 2020 from Hamburg to Norway including Longyearbeyn and Honingsvag. Does somebody have an idea what will be the beats side for scenery  starboard or port? 

Does somebody have a good idea for one day in Longyearbeyn. Crusing to Pyramide? Barentsburg? Ny-Alesund? other good idea for a 4 persons family 2 adults and 2 kids 10 and 4 years old?

Same question as the above regarding to one day trip in Honingsvag? Visiting the Nordcape?

 

Thanks a head for your time and answers.

 

Oren.

[kaisatsu]

The scenic cruising in Norway is through the fjords and the coastal waterways during sail-in and sail-out. That means that whatever scenery is on one side of the ship will be on the other side of the ship going the other direction. Both sides are equal. During dramatic fjord sailing like Geirangerfjord, it's best to be up on the top decks, because the fjord walls are too steep and close to be able to get the full scale from a cabin balcony.

 

With a 4-year-old, your options for activities in Longyearbyen may be a bit limited. Svalbard is very much an outdoor-activity destination, and a lot of daytrips are oriented hiking, kayaking, etc. Have you looked at the tours listed on the tourism website? https://en.visitsvalbard.com/

 

If you've never been to Longyearbyen before, I think it's worth spending half a day in town to visit the small Svalbard Museum and to explore the town itself. The way of life is quite unique given the isolation, the extreme shifts in daylight, the polar bear risks, and the unusual immigration rules.

 

Most of the boat trips to Barentsburg, Pyramiden, etc are scheduled for 10-11 hours, which is pretty long for a cruise port call. There are a few high-speed boat options that are only 6 hours. It's a matter of personal preference, but the abandoned town of Pyramiden is generally considered more interesting than the others unless you're especially interested in Barentsburg's Russian identity.

 

From Honningsvåg, the actual trip up to North Cape can be interesting, especially if your bus has a good guide. The barren scenery along the way and hearing a firsthand account of the unique and challenging lifestyle in the area was the highlight of our excursion. North Cape itself is topographically interesting and has a nice view in clear weather, but in spite of a very large visitor's center, there's not a lot there. I definitely wouldn't feel like you're missing out if there's something else that sounds more interesting for that day. (Especially since you'll be traveling much farther north to Svalbard!)

[ORENSC]

Thank you very much for your time and detailed response. Indeed it very helpfull

[Coral]

We went to North Cape from Honningsvag with Blue Puffin tours. Highly recommend them.

 

https://www.blue-puffin.com/en/  

 

There is not a lot to do in Honnginsvag so I do recommend going to North Cape. We had several stops on our tour and still had time to see Honningsvag.

Edited June 16, 2019 by Coral