Princess or NCL Prima to Norway/Iceland?

[soonergirl8]

Hi all.

 

I could definitely use your advice on planning our family trip next summer. This cruise will be to celebrate my daughter's college graduation and son's high school graduation. We were looking at the NCL Prima that departs on July 13 from Southampton and arrives in Reykjavik on July 24 or the Princess Sky Princess which is roundtrip to Norway from Southampton July 12-19 and then flying to spend 6 days in Iceland. My husband and I sailed the NCL Epic on a Mediterranean cruise in 2018, and we went on a Princess cruise a lot longer ago to the Caribbean. Our two kids have been on a 4 day Disney cruise. 

 

Things I like about NCL are the varied activities and ports. However, all the ports changing after final payment is a red flag. Last summer, the Prima didn't stop in Brussels or in Isafjordur. I also like that this cruise ends in Iceland vs. us having to fly there. The stops are Geiranger, Bergen, and Alesund in Norway.

 

Things I like about Princess is a shorter cruise and 4 stops in Norway that look like they have more activities geared to our family. We like to ride bikes, explore, hike, and we don't want to just get on a bus and then get out to take pictures at spots. The stops are Haugesund, Olden, Skjolden and Stavanger.

 

For a little bit more, we can do the Princess cruise and then go on a land trip in Iceland. However, I'm not sure if NCL will have more activities for our 18 and 21 year-olds. I do not like the idea of losing ports. 

 

For those of you that have been to Iceland and/or Norway. What do you suggest?

 

Thank you!

Whitney

[Coral]

I have been to Norway but not Iceland. My Norway trip was 14 nights up to North Cape and back.

 

I can tell you I loved Gerianger (absolute favorite port) and also loved Bergen and Stavanger. The sail into Skjolden is beautiful but Skjolden is an awful port excursion wise (highlight is a Stave church and a National Park where we saw skiers but didn't do anything). I have not been to Haugesund or Olden. I liked Alesund.

 

Not sure if this helps.

[riansgrammy]

I would do the stops on the NCL cruise. We did those stops on a Norway cruise in 2019. So much to see and do. The twizzy in Geiranger is a must as well as the funicular in Bergen. 

The Princess stops in Norway are very underwhelming with very little to do. We were just there in June. Very disappointing. Also, those ports were part of an itinerary that included 4 stops in Iceland. Frankly, IMHO, if you want to see Iceland just go to Iceland. Take a smaller vessel or just find a land tour. 
 

Vicki 

[Treasure Hunter]

We did both trips with Princess.both with grandkids younger than your kids. I thought the Norway cruise was boring . Everyone loved the Iceland cruise. The excursions were amazing. NCL has far more bells and whistles for your kids but I’ve never done NCL in Europe just Alaska ( not impressed by them) and Caribbean ( enjoyed) while Princess always does a great job

[elaine5]

Have you considered the July 17 on emerald princess that goes both to Norway and Iceland? 

[riansgrammy]

2 hours ago, elaine5 said:

Have you considered the July 17 on emerald princess that goes both to Norway and Iceland? 

That’s the cruise we just did. Very little to do in the Norway ports and it didn’t help that we docked in Loen instead of Olden. Iceland is amazing even though we missed Reykjavik. 

 

[Coral]

In defense of Norway - there are some amazing ports there and plenty to do in certain ports (I am only familiar with the ports I went to). It is one of my favorite cruises of all times. Though my trip was 14 days up to North Cape and back. I heard from many on my cruise it was also their favorite cruise.

 

Though I also understand when people say there was little to do as we were bored in Skjolden. It is all about which ports. Other ports - there was so much to do I had to pick one of several things I wanted to do.

 

There is a Northern European board here that can also assist: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/116-northern-europe-baltic-sea/ 

Edited Thursday at 01:17 AM by Coral

[Arizona Wildcat]

12 hours ago, Coral said:

I have been to Norway but not Iceland. My Norway trip was 14 nights up to North Cape and back.

 

I can tell you I loved Gerianger (absolute favorite port) and also loved Bergen and Stavanger. The sail into Skjolden is beautiful but Skjolden is an awful port excursion wise (highlight is a Stave church and a National Park where we saw skiers but didn't do anything). I have not been to Haugesund or Olden. I liked Alesund.

 

Not sure if this helps.

Find the same 14 day round trip Norway cruise.  Anything less is simply mostly days at sea.  

The do a fly drive in Iceland.  Several travel agencies have excellent packages and that way you can really see Iceland.  With a cruise you.often miss Isdofjouder as it is weather dependent and big ships only do 3 ports.

We did private excursions in most Norway ports. Lots to do if you get out of town.  Both Norway and Iceland are for the culture, history and scenery 

Edited Thursday at 06:51 AM by Arizona Wildcat

[elaine5]

13 hours ago, riansgrammy said:

Very little to do in the Norway ports and it didn’t help that we docked in Loen instead of Olden. I

Was Loen the original port, or switched (and for what reason)? We really enjoyed Olden previously. 

[riansgrammy]

52 minutes ago, elaine5 said:

Was Loen the original port, or switched (and for what reason)? We really enjoyed Olden previously. 

It was switched to Loen. No notices. Olden was the original port. We enjoyed it to on a diff cruise. 

[MagnoliaBlossom]

We loved our cruise to Iceland.  Beautiful rugged country filled with waterfalls and geothermal sites.   The Prima is a beautiful ship and was christened in Reykjavik 2 years ago.  It is a warm weather ship which for some inexplicable reason they use for cold weather cruises so if it’s inclement it can get crowded feeling inside.   Great eating venues, some very different.  NCLs youth program cuts off at 18.  We did the British Isles in June and our 18 yr old GD had no group (which suited her just find) but gregarious 15 yr old GS loved the group his age.  The became an inseparable pack.

 

You may find the free at sea package to your liking.  Similar to Princess Plus but no gratuities, and with a few other differences.  I think the two experiences, shipwise, will be very similar, as for ports only you can decide.  But if you’re u embark/disembark in Reykjavik, do a few days pre or post cruise to do private tours.   We used Nice Travels and highly recommend them.  You also get a discount if you book multiple days.

 

Best wishes.

Edited Friday at 07:57 PM by MagnoliaBlossom

[90scruzer]

On 9/25/2024 at 10:32 AM, soonergirl8 said:

For those of you that have been to Iceland and/or Norway. What do you suggest?

 

So, I have been to Norway three times (2x by land) and Iceland by land only.  I cannot comment on Princess specifics as we took pullmantur (which was surprisingly good - I had been worried it would be too RyanAir-ish).   I would definitely do Iceland by land.  If you have the time, I would wholeheartedly recommend a ring road trip.   If time is shorter, the standard fare is to do the Circle route and then a route along the southern side of the island.   You will not go wrong if by land.   If necessary, sea can indeed pick up some of the sights - but the issue is the port times are usually too limiting, or at least I find them so.    <cannot enter CR, so inline>.  As for Norway -- a good sea tour is phenomenal.   You do want to see the Fjords.    We all enjoyed our port days - our only complaints being they were too short.   I will caution:   if you hike to Preacher's Pulpit and there is any hint of rain, bring full garb!    We abandoned our hike probably about 1km from the pulpit, because even with rain jackets and umbrellas, we were thoroughly soaked and thus miserable.   It was a disappointment, but even turning back then feet were already overly wet, and should have turned around earlier.   I personally love the towns in Norway, but if it's either-or ... take Iceland by land and Norway by sea. 

[trvlwrld]

IMO - Norway and Iceland are for those of us that are old…more scenery oriented…we’ve been all over the world and if I were taking my grandkids  (college / high school) I would opt for an African Safari or the Med

[Coral]

41 minutes ago, trvlwrld said:

IMO - Norway and Iceland are for those of us that are old…more scenery oriented…we’ve been all over the world and if I were taking my grandkids  (college / high school) I would opt for an African Safari or the Med

I disagree. There are things to do if you are older but plenty of things to do if you are young.

[cr8tiv1]

I would do the Norway cruise and then fly to Iceland for 6 days.  Be prepared for sticker shock though, Iceland IS expensive.  I "heard" that Icelandic Air allows for stop overs when flying TransAtlantic.  Not sure if they only allow you a day or if you could extend it to 6.  

 

Best of both worlds.

[krazy4kruisin]

WE did the Prima end of April. I would highly recommend it. We do like Princess however. We had such an outstanding experience on the Prima, would do it all over again.

[Coral]

1 hour ago, cr8tiv1 said:

I would do the Norway cruise and then fly to Iceland for 6 days.  Be prepared for sticker shock though, Iceland IS expensive.  I "heard" that Icelandic Air allows for stop overs when flying TransAtlantic.  Not sure if they only allow you a day or if you could extend it to 6.  

 

Best of both worlds.

I thought Norway was expensive.......

 

I believe with Icelandair you can stay up to a week for a "layover".

[90scruzer]

5 hours ago, trvlwrld said:

IMO - Norway and Iceland are for those of us that are old…more scenery oriented…we’ve been all over the world and if I were taking my grandkids  (college / high school) I would opt for an African Safari or the Med

I think you would find lots of arguments over this.   In fact, majority of my friends and coworkers who have been to Iceland at the time fit into the "young" category (20s).  I can assure you that there are plenty of young people who appreciate the scenery and hiking in both Norway and Iceland.   In fact, one of them did their honeymoon in Iceland and yes they did make it out into nature with some spectacular photos to remember it by.

36 minutes ago, Coral said:

I thought Norway was expensive.......

 

I believe with Icelandair you can stay up to a week for a "layover".

Indeed.  Iceland I found to be even more so - and that was in Winter!   Haven't had the opportunity to avail myself of the layover, but it's on my post-retirement list.   Unfortunately July is peak season in both locations, and post Covid I imagine prices are even worse now.   Nevertheless, as long as you are not bankrupting yourself -- both are spectacular!     

[cr8tiv1]

I enjoyed Iceland on a bus tour.  But my nephews (50's) enjoyed the adventurous nature.  Lots of hiking and exploring.  They are also foodies.  Something for everyone.

[ontheweb]

12 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

I would do the Norway cruise and then fly to Iceland for 6 days.  Be prepared for sticker shock though, Iceland IS expensive.  I "heard" that Icelandic Air allows for stop overs when flying TransAtlantic.  Not sure if they only allow you a day or if you could extend it to 6.  

 

Best of both worlds.

They also have deals (or at least used to) using hotels they own combined with your Iceland Air fare.

[NMTraveller]

I would say Princess,  but I just learned that Princess allows vaping in the cabins?  Does NCL allow vaping in the cabins?