purchase of Oslo pass, and HOHO Boat in Stockholm

[gtmarcus1]

Planning to purchase the Oslo pass upon arrival in Oslo in the Tourist Information Center in Cruise Terminal. Has anyone experienced any problem with long line ups? If yes, any suggestions as to where else we can purchase this pass. (The Tourist Information at City Hall sells it, but we arrive at 7:00, and this doesn't open until 9:00, and would we like to get an early start to the day to make the most of the short time we have in this city)

 

Also planning to take the HOHO boat in Stockholm, which has a stop right by our ship (assuming the dock does not change). Apparently there is a small terminal which takes visa. Wondering whether there is a problem here with line ups, and whether we should take Swedish currency to purchase our ticket on board?

[GACRUISER456]

We purchased the tickets in Oslo this past May. We docked at 7 and got off the ship at 7:50. Turned out the office didn't open until 8a anyway. We happened to be the first in line, got our tickets and off we went. Not sure if the opening time is different now to accomodate the "tourist season". Others said they skipped getting the Oslo pass because the line was too long. I would suggest either being really early or wait for the rush and go later. There was only 1 girl working the desk, so I can see the line getting really long especially by the time people ask questions about how to get here and there.

[kaisatsu]

FYI - If it's after 9:00 am and there's still a crowd at the cruise terminal office, there's another tourism office by the Rådhus (city hall) a few minutes walk from the main cruise terminal.

http://www.visitoslo.com/en/tourist-information.49121.en.html

[westcoastmom]

We just came back from the Baltic. For Oslo, we bought a 24hr. transportation card for NOK60 and paid for the museums separately. We left the ship at 7:30AM and did not have time to see more than 2 paid venues so perhaps the Oslo card is not so much a bargain. Paid venues we visited were the Kon-Tiki museum and the Viking ship museum and admissions were NOK50 each. National Gallery and Vigeland Park were both free.

 

We puchased our transportation pass at the trolley station.

[TrojanTraveler]

Just got back yesterday from the Crown Princess Baltic Cruise.

 

In Olso, we were off the boat by 0715 and went directly to the infomation center right by the cruise ship. There was no line at all and purchased and all day transportation pass (which includes the ferry over to the museums). We did not purchase the Olso pass, as we felt we did not have enough time to take full use as the museums did not open till 0930).

 

In Stockholm, we used the HOHO boat. It was great. You pay for the boat when you get on and it did not appear that they took credit cards. They did take dollars and Euro. The dollar price was $18 per person.

[gtmarcus1]

Thanks for the information. So it seems that the Tourist Information was in fact open when you arrived!

[Corie]

Just got back yesterday from the Crown Princess Baltic Cruise.

 

In Olso, we were off the boat by 0715 and went directly to the infomation center right by the cruise ship. There was no line at all and purchased and all day transportation pass (which includes the ferry over to the museums). We did not purchase the Olso pass, as we felt we did not have enough time to take full use as the museums did not open till 0930).

 

In Stockholm, we used the HOHO boat. It was great. You pay for the boat when you get on and it did not appear that they took credit cards. They did take dollars and Euro. The dollar price was $18 per person.

 

We will be in Oslo on 7/15 from 8-3. Since the museums don't open until 9:30 - I suppose we will head over to the Vigeland Park first. Do you know how we can get there from the ship and then to the Viking Ship Museum? I assume we can take the ferry back. Do you think we should even purchase a transport card/pass? Thanks for any help.

[kaisatsu]

We will be in Oslo on 7/15 from 8-3. Since the museums don't open until 9:30 - I suppose we will head over to the Vigeland Park first. Do you know how we can get there from the ship and then to the Viking Ship Museum? I assume we can take the ferry back. Do you think we should even purchase a transport card/pass? Thanks for any help.

Since you said you'd be in Oslo from 8-3, I'm guessing you're on the Rotterdam? Unfortunately, it looks like the ship is going to dock at the Sørenga container terminal east of the Opera, instead of the more convenient cruise terminal. The most convenient route to Vigelands Park will depend on whether or not the cruiseline is offering a pier shuttle.

 

A taxi directly to the park would probably cost 175-200 NOK. If you can find your way into town, the tram #12 stops right outside Vigelands Park. Or you can take the subway (T-bane) to Majorstuen (the park is a 5 minute walk SW of the station).

 

For getting between the park and the Viking Ship museum by public transit, your best bet is probably to take the bus #20 from outside the park to Olav Kyrres place (about 3 minutes' ride) and then transferring to the bus #30, which heads to Bygdøy peninsula and stops outside the Viking Ship museum. (FYI - A transit ticket in Oslo is good for one hour with unlimited transfers across bus/subway/tram/etc.)

 

Getting back from the Viking Ship museum will again depend on the presence of a pier shuttle bus. You can either take the ferry back across the harbor or the bus #30 back to the city center.

 

The one-day transit pass costs 60 NOK. Individual tickets cost 22 NOK if you buy them in advance (from a machine, subway station, etc) or 30 NOK on board. So if you expect to make more than two trips on public transit, you'll come out ahead buying the pass. If you do opt for the pass, you can get it at the tourism office as well as a few other places: machines (cash only) at subway stations and some tram stops, or more conveniently at convenience stores (most Deli de Luca, Narvesen, or 7-Eleven shops).

 

I put together a Google Map of the Oslo cruise ports that might be useful.

[gtmarcus1]

We will be in Oslo on 7/15 from 8-3. Since the museums don't open until 9:30 - I suppose we will head over to the Vigeland Park first. Do you know how we can get there from the ship and then to the Viking Ship Museum? I assume we can take the ferry back. Do you think we should even purchase a transport card/pass? Thanks for any help.

 

We are on the Crown Princess which docks at 7:00 on July 18th. It looks like we will be docking at the cruise terminal. Because the museums do not open until 9:30 or 10:00, our plan is to go the Vigeland Park by bus (trolley line 12) from town after purchasing the Oslo Pass. We will then bus back into town and take the ferry across to Bygdoy Peninsula to visit the Viking Museum. We hope to have time to see the movie in the Norwegian Maritime Museum, as well as the Holocaust Center. After walking through Gamla Stan, we hope to visit the Norwegian Resistance Museum before boarding the ship by 2:00. If we manage to cover all of this, the Oslo Pass will be well worth the cost of the pass. It will for sure save us time in lining up for purchase of museum tickets.

 

Does anyone know if the cruise terminal offers 20% discount on the Oslo Pass to cruise passengers? I have read this somewhere.

[MightyQuinn]

We are on the Crown Princess which docks at 7:00 on July 18th. It looks like we will be docking at the cruise terminal.

 

Does anyone know if the cruise terminal offers 20% discount on the Oslo Pass to cruise passengers? I have read this somewhere.

 

Yes the Oslo Pass is available at the Cruise Terminal for a 20% discount (NOK176 or US$35). We were in Oslo last Sunday from 9a-6p and we are very glad that we purchased the Oslo Pass, mostly because it gave us the ability to see stuff that we would have passed by if we were paying a la carte. Our first stop was Vigeland Sculpture Park (free) but the Oslo Pass entitled us to also visit the Vigeland Museum, which really added to our appreciation. On the Bygdoy Peninsula, our "must sees" were the Norske Folk Museum (fabulous Stave Church) and the Viking Ship Museum, but with the Oslo Pass we also popped into the Fram and Kon-Tiki Museums for a quick look. Of these, the Fram turned out to be our fave - who would have known? Another highlight that we may well have missed without the Oslo Pass was a tour of City Hall. This building may not be much from the outside (or so say the critics) but the inside is truly impressive. The Great Room where they award the Nobel Peace Prize is simply stunning. We also went to the National Gallery (free) to see Munch "The Scream" and if we had more time, we could have visited the Munch Museum. All in all, we loved Oslo (despite a very rainy day) and feel we got exceptional value from the Oslo Pass.

[westcoastmom]

Since you were in Oslo from 9 AM - 6 PM, you were probably not on the Crown which only docked from 9AM-2PM and those passengers had much less time to take advantage of the Oslo Pass. I too would have liked to spend more time in Oslo.

[westcoastmom]

Oops, I mean the Crown docks from 7AM to 2 PM. Not a lot of time including wait times for ferries, buses and trolleys.

[TrojanTraveler]

The Crown leaves Olso at 2pm, so they want you back on the boat by 1:30.

 

There is really alot to see in Olso and not enough time.

[janines]

We are in Oslo July 31 from 9-6 on Constellation. What is the cost for the Oslo Pass and what does it cover? Is there transport to city from pier?

janines

[gtmarcus1]

Go to http://www.visitoslo.com/en/the-oslo-pass.49104.en.html for information about the Oslo Pass. It covers all transportation and entry to most museums. Regular price is kr 220 , but it has been reported in this thread that it is 20% off for cruise passengers at the Tourist Information Center at the pier.

It looks like it is walking distance from the Cruise Port (near the Akershus Castle), to the town center assuming that this is where you will be docking. You can check http://www.ohv.oslo.no/english/ to see where your ship will be docking.

[kaisatsu]

The 1-day Oslo Pass costs 220 NOK.

It primarily includes public transportation (trams, bus, subway, ferries), admission to pretty much every museum. It also includes discounts on some sightseeing and activities and at a few restaurants.

Oslo Pass Details

 

On 31 July, the Constellation is scheduled to dock at Akershuskaia, right near downtown at the base of the Akershus castle. You basically just have to walk the length of the quay (500 yd) to get downtown.

Map of Piers and Downtown Oslo

[MercedMike]

We took the HOHO boat in Stockholm. It was a nice tour.

 

BUT -- due to communications, organization, and security problems, I would NOT recommend it.

 

As soon as we exited the ship, we went to the Tourist Information Building and bought the boat tickets. The girl assured us they left every 20 minutes. We followed the signs to the end of the pier and found a security guard locking the gate. He told us the boats only came once an hour and the gate is only unlocked when there is a boat there. We pointed over his shoulder to the boat standing at the dock! He muttered but opened the gate. This should have been a warning to us.

 

When we got to the dock we found a young man selling tickets. We showed him the ones we had, and he told us there was no room on that boat, and because of all the people he had sold tix to waiting there probably would be no room for us on the next either. I made a fuss, and finally he promised to get us on the next one, which 20 minutes later her did.

 

The tour itself was very nice, went to all the major spots including passing the Vasa. We enjoyed the tour.

 

BUT -- when we arrived back at the dock, the gate was locked again!! Nobody on the boat would do anything, they just shrugged their shoulders. We finally had to walk the looooong way around to the main port gate, way over on the other side of the ship. We complained to the girl who sold us our tickets and she was polite, but told us they could do nothing about it because it was security.

 

So I have to say, unless you are prepared for frustrations, inconvenience, disorganization and lack of assistance, find something besides the HOHO boat in Stockholm.

[cruisinsusin]

We just returned from the Century Baltic cruise. We did the HOHO boat in Stockholm and found it to be excellent. When exiting the ship, we turned left and walked along the dock (following the blue line) and did come to a security gate which was opened for us. There were 2 HOHO boat companies and each sold tickets on the boat. We had brought Swedish kroner with us so it was smooth. The tour was good, and we found it to be an excellent way to get an overview of the city. When we returned, the gate was locked so we had to walk to the main gate- only a few minutes walk. We were very pleased with the HOHO and felt it was convenient in spite of the locked gate when we returned.

[Corie]

Since you said you'd be in Oslo from 8-3, I'm guessing you're on the Rotterdam? Unfortunately, it looks like the ship is going to dock at the Sørenga container terminal east of the Opera, instead of the more convenient cruise terminal. The most convenient route to Vigelands Park will depend on whether or not the cruiseline is offering a pier shuttle.

 

Thanks Kaisatsu - we are on the Sea Princess - do you know where it will dock? Can we get tram #12 from this dock? And if it's the "right" dock, do we need transportation from where the ferry #91 leaves us off back to our ship? Also, is there a convenience store near the dock or should we just stand in line at the tourism office?

[kaisatsu]

We are on the Sea Princess - do you know where it will dock? Can we get tram #12 from this dock? And if it's the "right" dock, do we need transportation from where the ferry #91 leaves us off back to our ship? Also, is there a convenience store near the dock or should we just stand in line at the tourism office?

According to the port schedule, Sea Princess is docking at Akershuskaia, which is the central cruise terminal. It's a short walk to the tram #12 and ferry pier from there.

 

The Aker Brygge tram stop has a ticket machine that would sell day passes, but you'd need cash (there's a DnB Nor bank near the main entrance to the Aker Brygge area). Regarding shops that sell tickets, I'm pulling the following locations from the list published on the Trafikantent website (the addresses should work if you search on Google Maps):

• Smokers Corner (Stranden 1) at the edge of the Aker Brygge complex, only a few hundred feet from the tram stop and ferry pier.
  (9a-8p M-F, 10a-6p Sat)
  
• Narvesen (Bryggegata 16) in the back of the Aker Brygge shopping complex, near the Peppe's Pizza and ICA grocery.
  (7:30a-9:30p M-F, 9:30a-9:30p Sat, 11a-9:30p Sun)
  
• Vippetangen Kiosk (Akershusstranda 1) near the Vippetangen cruise terminal, but that would be back-tracking a bit from Akershuskaia.
  (7a-7p M-F, 10a-6p Sat, 11a-5p Sun)

[Note that the above locations sell transit tickets but not the Oslo Pass]

[MercedMike]

We just returned from the Century Baltic cruise. We did the HOHO boat in Stockholm and found it to be excellent. When exiting the ship, we turned left and walked along the dock (following the blue line) and did come to a security gate which was opened for us. There were 2 HOHO boat companies and each sold tickets on the boat. We had brought Swedish kroner with us so it was smooth. The tour was good, and we found it to be an excellent way to get an overview of the city. When we returned, the gate was locked so we had to walk to the main gate- only a few minutes walk. We were very pleased with the HOHO and felt it was convenient in spite of the locked gate when we returned.

 

A "few minutes walk" for young healthy people is torture for an old man with a cane! Personally, I thought it was inexcusable. We choose the boat tour because they assured us it was right at the end of the pier. If they can't get it straightened out with security, they need to warn people in advance how far they will have to walk.

[emptyK]

Just back from a Baltic cruise. We did the HO/HO ferry in Stockholm and enjoyed it. Boats don't begin until 10 a.m. and we arrived earlier, so we walked to old town and did the Rick Steves' walking tour before getting on the boat. It's less than a mile from the cruise docks--about 20 min. walking time. At the main HO/HO boat terminal kiosk near old town, they accept credit cards.

 

A word of caution: the last boats of the day become very crowded, especially if a couple of cruise ships are in town. Several people could not get on the boat when we returned and it made them late for the cruise departure time.

[CGinMTL]

Just got back yesterday from the Crown Princess Baltic Cruise.

 

 

In Stockholm, we used the HOHO boat. It was great. You pay for the boat when you get on and it did not appear that they took credit cards. They did take dollars and Euro. The dollar price was $18 per person.

.

I noticed from the web site that they have HoHo Boat , Bus or Combo.

Is the boat alone ok or do you recommend the Combo ?

[janines]

Thanks for all the info about HOHO boat. Did anyone go to the Ice Bar in Stockholm or Copenhagen? Did you do a shorex or on your own? Was it worthwhile?

janines

[Jujuju2]

Kaisatsu, I am reading here trying to decide whether to buy an Oslo Pass or a one day tourist ticket for transportation and then individual entries to museums. I am finding your comments extremely valuable.

 

I think I have decided to buy an Oslo Pass (discounted 20% at the ship pier TI office only?), but if the line is too long, to simply go to the trolley stop and buy (with cash) a one day tourist ticket.

 

Thanks again, Kaisatsu.