Help With Norwegian Fjord Itinerary

[stickey_mouse]

Good day,

 

I’m hoping to book a cruise on a future Celebrity sailing of the Norwegian fjords, but I’m just not sure which stops/ports are the best. Can you help? Which of the following are highlights, and which can be skipped? The various port options include the following:

 

Alesund

Bergen

Flam

Geiranger

Haugesund

Kristainsand

Molde

Nordfjordeid

Olden

Stavanger

 

Thanks!

 

[hallasm]

What are highlights and what can be skipped is subjective, but here is my assessment.

 

Highlights are:

Deep fjords  (prioritized):

Geiranger

Flåm

Olden

From 2026 majority of cruise ships cannot sail to Geiranger and Flåm

 

Coastal  cities (prioritized):

Bergen

Stavanger

Ålesund

 

Can be skipped:

Haugesund

Kristainsand

Molde

Nordfjordeid

 

Edited November 17, 2023 by hallasm

[doingourthing]

If we do the Havila roundtrip cruise is it still worth going to Flam from Bergen.  We have three days after the cruise before we fly out.  Choice would be to see more of Bergen or take a train etc to Flam and back in 2 days.

Thoughts?  Thanks?

[hallasm]

12 minutes ago, doingourthing said:

If we do the Havila roundtrip cruise is it still worth going to Flam from Bergen.  We have three days after the cruise before we fly out.  Choice would be to see more of Bergen or take a train etc to Flam and back in 2 days.

Are you flying out from Oslo or Bergen? 
Even after a trip with Havila, I would recommend a two-day trip to Flåm. Actually the coastal voyage from Bergen to Kirkenes only sails into one deep fjord to Geiranger (not in winter) - After a day in Bergen it will be fine going to Flåm.

highlights in Flåm are the Flåm railway to Myrdal, the Stegastein Viewpoint and the boat trip from Flåm to Gudevangen through the deep fjords.
Find a hotel in Flåm, Myrdal or Gudevangen. Transport to/from Bergen to Flåm/Gudevangen by train or bus. Possible via Voss.

if flying out of Oslo Train from Flåm to Oslo.

 

 

Edited November 27, 2023 by hallasm

[doingourthing]

Wow fast response. Thanks!

I was looking at Norway in a nutshell and staying over in Flam. Thought it might be too much of the same (as the cruise). Sounds like it’s worth it. 
We fly in and out of Bergen. And we are doing a May cruise so booked the winter excursion to Geiranger. Hope May wasn’t a mistake. Airfares are crazy so opted for half the price in May. 

[hallasm]

14 minutes ago, doingourthing said:

was looking at Norway in a nutshell and staying over in Flam. Thought it might be too much of the same (as the cruise). Sounds like it’s worth it.

Yes, I would think it is worth the trip to Flåm. It is easy to order the individual elements in Norway in a Nutshell. Transportation in Norway is very reliable.
May is a fine time - still a lot of snow in the mountains and water in the rivers.

And May is still considered winter in Norway and the coastal route does not sail to Geiranger. I suppose it will be possible to visit the viewpoints in Geiranger on the excursion from Ålesund if they are not closed due to snow. 

[doingourthing]

Thanks again. Not knowing anything about disembarking from the shop would it be crazy to try to get a train the afternoon ie 15:30 to Flam?  Saves us a three day stint of one night stands in different hotels 

[hallasm]

42 minutes ago, doingourthing said:

Not knowing anything about disembarking from the shop would it be crazy to try to get a train the afternoon ie 15:30 to Flam?

The coastal ships arrive in Bergen at 14:45 - disembarking can easily take an hour.

A Train/bus at 15:30 is too optimistic.  
 

[doingourthing]

Good to know!  Many thanks for all your help hallasm

[kitkat343]

Our cruise began on May 16th.  If you are doing private excursions (highly recommended) give extra time to find operators.  Our trip to the goat farm took a really long time to arrange since it isn't normally run there and they had to visit the goats at their winter farm, which they don't normally do. 

 

Please note that the road to Dalsnibba is a seasonal one, which can't open until after a large avalanche, usually mid may to early June.  We missed it by just one day (we had a 2 year old, needed to sail Cunard for kids club and they only had one cruise all year that went to both Flam and Geiranger).  We were there 2 days before it opened unfortunately but we were able to see all the other beautiful scenic points, plus a really nice lake my kids like skipping stones into.  Aside from that, I don't think we missed much by being there early. 

[doingourthing]

I am now thinking about the Norled ferry from Bergen to Flam, seeing that area and then taking the train to Oslo. over 2 days.  We'd have the afternoon in Flam to do the Naeroyfjord and viewpoint I think.

We will have just gotten off a roundtrip Havila cruise.

Does this make sense and do you have any comments about the Norled ferry

Thanks again!

[hallasm]

48 minutes ago, doingourthing said:

I am now thinking about the Norled ferry from Bergen to Flam, seeing that area and then taking the train to Oslo. over 2 days.

I have no experience with the Norled ferry, but it definitely sounds like a good option from Bergen to Flåm.

On the other hand, I think it will be too much with both Cruise on the Nærøyfjorden and Stegastein viewpoint - I also think it will be difficult to get the times to fit in the afternoon, but maybe the cruise from Gudevangen to Flåm in the evening. There is a shuttle bus from Flåm to Gudevangen.

 

Edited November 30, 2023 by hallasm

[doingourthing]

Ah so true. I forgot about the time schedules of those two in Flam. Hard to fully decide when the schedules aren’t out yet for May. Thanks for the insight 

[hallasm]

What schedules for May aren’t out yet? Immediately most schedules are available now.

[doingourthing]

Hi- I haven’t looked lately but when I was trying to decide the schedules for the fjord tour and the train schedules weren’t available. I have a general idea though now and after your input I changed our plans a little so thank you. 

[hallasm]

30 minutes ago, doingourthing said:

Hi- I haven’t looked lately but when I was trying to decide the schedules for the fjord tour and the train schedules weren’t available. I have a general idea though now and after your input I changed our plans a little so thank you

You can only  book trains 120 days in advance at Vy - but in general train schedules are available by now.

Edited January 5 by hallasm