Thoughts About This Itinerary (Norway)?

[stickey_mouse]

Please let me know your thoughts about this 9-night Norway itinerary (any duds or winners among the ports)?

 

Amsterdam

Flam

Sognefjord

Bergen

Molde

Geiranger

Geirangerfjord

Stavanger

Kristiansand

Oslo

Copenhagen 

 

I was immediately attracted to the itinerary because of the different start and end cities. I know Amsterdam is wonderful but don’t know much about Copenhagen or the things in between. 
 

Thanks in advance for your input!

 

 

Edited April 30, 2020 by stickey_mouse

[puppycanducruise]

Looks like a good itinerary.

I love Amsterdam, so much to do there.  And Copenhagen is interesting too.  Visit  Tivoli, do a canal tour, tour Rosenborg Castle and gardens.

Bergen is an interesting stop.  We took the funicular up Floibanen (sp?) and hiked down.  Also visited the fish market and walked along the harbour area.

Geirangerfjord is spectacular.  Lots of waterfalls.  Great scenery.

I don't know much about your other stops, but it sounds great.  When is the cruise?  What ship?

I hope you have a wonderful time.

[gnome12]

Please let me know your thoughts about this 9-night Norway itinerary (any duds or winners among the ports)?

 

Amsterdam

Flam

Sognefjord

Bergen

Molde

Geiranger

Geirangerfjord

Stavanger

Kristiansand

Oslo

Copenhagen 

 

I was immediately attracted to the itinerary because of the different start and end cities. I know Amsterdam is wonderful but don’t know much about Copenhagen or the things in between. 

 

Thanks in advance for your input!

 

 

This goes to both Flam and Geiranger which are considered the fjord highlights. What line is this? I might like to do it myself.

 

 

 

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[Coral]

Looks great to me! I like Stavanger and Geriangerfjord. I haven't been to Flam but really want to. I wish I had spent more time in Bergen.

 

Copenhagen is amazing. I would recommend spending 2 nights there.

 

What line, ship and date?

[stickey_mouse]

Nieuw Statendam, June 2021

[Coral]

16 hours ago, stickey_mouse said:

Nieuw Statendam, June 2021

The only thing I wish it had was North Cape but we can't have everything, right?

 

It is a great itinerary.

[gnome12]

The only thing I wish it had was North Cape but we can't have everything, right?
 
It is a great itinerary.

You need more time to go up to North Cape


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[Coral]

1 hour ago, gnome12 said:

You need more time to go up to North Cape


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Yep - I did a 14 night to Norway from Southampton.

[stickey_mouse]

How is Oslo? Anything special? 

[MAVIP]

Excellent program of the Nieuw Statendam  You will wish to go to the North Cape another year and visit Alesund, Trondheim, Tromso, Hammerfest and a few other ports (very nice to visit some of them for the second time). In addition to the suggestions above:

 

Molde: Travel like the locals: book a bus trip with them:  Molde-Atlantic Road - Molde

Stavanger: short walk through the street with the white houses next to the cruise terminal and do not forget to visit the canning museum somewhere in the middle at the right hand side of the street (do not forget to ask for the guide; he is very good!). Interesting story and display of the fishing industry.

Oslo: take the public bus nearby to the Museum Island and visit one or more of the musea over there. A must see for young and old IMO: Viking museum.  Enjoy your cruise.

 

[kaisatsu]

19 hours ago, stickey_mouse said:

How is Oslo? Anything special? 

Kristiansand and Oslo aren't really fjord ports, so they're a bit different from the rest of the ports in the itinerary. Kristiansand is more of a small coastal town, and Oslo is more like the other Baltic capitals than the fjord villages. Oslo does have a long fairly scenic sail-in and sail-out through the Oslofjord, but despite the name*, it's more of a coastal waterway with low hills on either side, rather than the dramatic steep scenery of the western fjords.

 

Oslo does have its highlights, but like the Baltic ports, it's more about cultural city sightseeing than dramatic nature. Ships typically dock in the city center, and there are several popular sights, depending on interests. Among them are the Viking ship museum, housing the archaeological remains of the Viking burial ships, the open-air Norsk Folkemuseum with historic buildings from around the country, including an iconic wooden stave church, and Vigelands sculpture park with hundreds of works by Gustav Vigeland celebrating the human form through all walks of life. Several people also find the Fram Museum to be a pleasant surprise. It houses the Fram polar exploration ship built by Nansen and used by Amundsen on his expedition to the South Pole, and in addition to some interesting displays about polar exploration, the ship is open for visitors to explore.

 

* Geologically, it's not actually a fjord as it was created through fault movement rather than glaciation.

[gnome12]

I really like this itinerary, but I already have 2 trips planned for 2021 (although I'm not sure about Africa in February). This is a new ship that can currently sail the heritage fjords. Are there any updated standards coming in the next few years that would make the Nieuw Statendam unable to sail the heritage fjords, and when would that happen?

[hallasm]

5 hours ago, gnome12 said:

Are there any updated standards coming in the next few years that would make the Nieuw Statendam unable to sail the heritage fjords, and when would that happen?

Yes, The Norwegian Parliament has adopted a resolution to halt emissions from cruise ships and ferries in the Norwegian world heritage fjords as soon as technically possible and no later than 2026.

This will mean that only ships with electric propulsion can sail in the heritage fjords.  from January 1, 2026.

[stickey_mouse]

Thank you for the opinions. I’m inching closer to booking it! 

[travelingla]

On 4/30/2020 at 8:28 PM, stickey_mouse said:

Nieuw Statendam, June 2021

We rescheduled to this itinerary since our June, 2020 14 night (to North Cape) was cancelled.   I actually like this 9-nighter better although it really IS port intensive!  Surely hope 2021 finds us in Norway!

[Sallyandtex]

10 hours ago, travelingla said:

We rescheduled to this itinerary since our June, 2020 14 night (to North Cape) was cancelled.   I actually like this 9-nighter better although it really IS port intensive!  Surely hope 2021 finds us in Norway!

So you decided to book that's great.

I was on the same as you such a great itinerary to North Cape. There really isnt anything else to compare. Thinking about this one but so much wanted the Cape!

The only thing I am struggling with if choosing this is HAL havent given me any correspondence regarding our refund, and no answers to my emails saying I would transfer my pending credit. The only correspondence was that I would lose my deposit if I cancelled. Leaves a bad taste in my mouth wanting not to cruise with them. But are all the cruise companies this bad with customer support?

[stickey_mouse]

6 hours ago, Sallyandtex said:

So you decided to book that's great.

I was on the same as you such a great itinerary to North Cape. There really isnt anything else to compare. Thinking about this one but so much wanted the Cape!

The only thing I am struggling with if choosing this is HAL havent given me any correspondence regarding our refund, and no answers to my emails saying I would transfer my pending credit. The only correspondence was that I would lose my deposit if I cancelled. Leaves a bad taste in my mouth wanting not to cruise with them. But are all the cruise companies this bad with customer support?

I generally find them to have good customer support. I would try calling, not emailing.

[stickey_mouse]

Question: when it says cruising the Sognefjord and Geirangerfjord on the cruise itinerary the same day as the ship's in port, when does it actually do the scenic cruising? Before? After? I suppose it's worth an early rise on those days? 

[hallasm]

3 hours ago, stickey_mouse said:

Question: when it says cruising the Sognefjord and Geirangerfjord on the cruise itinerary the same day as the ship's in port, when does it actually do the scenic cruising? Before? After? I suppose it's worth an early rise on those days? 

It is both when entering the fjord - usually early morning and in the evening when leaving.

It takes 4 hours - so yes, early rise - sunrise is at 4 am and sunset 11 pm (depending on time of year.)

I do prefer morning - very quiet and no interference with dinner.

You'll get an idea from this video

 

[Lagerta]

Always dreamt of seeing fjords, I hope one day we'll go there!

[ontheweb]

Our Norwegian fjords cruise for this summer was cancelled first by us and then by the cruise line, so I cannot comment on those ports. We have, however, been to Oslo on a Baltic cruise and truly enjoyed the port. There is another thread with much of what to do there. The one thing that I would add that is not on that thread that we went to see and thoroughly enjoyed in the Munch Museum.

 

Also when it comes to getting around, Oslo is very convenient. At each bus stop it tells you approximately how long it will be until each bus is expected.

[Nitemare]

21 hours ago, Lagerta said:

Always dreamt of seeing fjords, I hope one day we'll go there!

 

There are fjords in Alaska and Washington State.  And in Maine.

[puppycanducruise]

21 hours ago, Lagerta said:

Always dreamt of seeing fjords, I hope one day we'll go there!

I hope you get to go.  The scenery is amazing. 

[Kate P.C]

Great itinerary and a lot more to do than Alaska 🙂

Amsterdam- Is such a beautiful city , you need to get there at least two days prior sailing as there is a lot to explore.

Flam

Sognefjord

Bergen- we walked around the beautiful medieval centre houses and had salmon and salad at the open food market downtown.(The most expensive lunch I've ever had, and in a food market, on wooden benches) 🙂

Molde

Geiranger

Geirangerfjord-breathtaking landscape

Stavanger-has lots of museums

Kristiansand

Oslo-Hop on Hop off bus/Viking museum

Copenhagen-  We spent most of the day in Tivoli Gardens, and took a ride to the Little Mermaid

 

 

 

 

[hallasm]

19 hours ago, Nitemare said:

There are fjords in Alaska and Washington State.  And in Maine.

Fjords In Norway are very different- and also the light. 
Nothing like sailing through the Norwegian fjords early morning or late evening. 
Sailed many fjords - my favorite is Trollfjord at 11pm - unfortunately only small ships cruise ships can enter Trollfjord.