Total Cruising Newbies on Secrets of Norway 29th August

[Jules.]

Hi everyone

This forum has come highly recommended to me from 'Penguinmad', a lady who has cruised many times & who I know through a forum for our mutual love of keeping chickens!

I've been spending some time reading up on the FO reviews & am pleased that for my very first cruise I have chosen this company to cruise with. Our first choice was the Grand Princess cruise which leaves on the same date which we left too late to book, & for which I'm glad now as maybe that type of ship is not for us.

I will be travelling with my mum who will turn 65 on the cruise :) & I am in my (late :mad:) 30's! We are into the quiet life, & so the cruise looks like it will suit us down to the ground. We are very excited at seeing Norway, & would like to ask

 

1 How easy is it to get about on our own at the ports if we choose not to go on the organised excursions? however, we would really like to go on the Flam railway.

 

2 Is anyone else going on this cruise, or been on a similar one, & what would their tips be to us newbies?

 

Thanks!

[Kez100]

Hiya,

 

You don't say which ship or what the ports are but our trip to the North Cape is covered a bit on this thread....

 

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1012051

 

We were 39 and 41 when we went on our first FO and we took children not a 65 year old! We went on Balmoral and it was a lovely ship. We like the quiet life and it suited us down to the ground and we are going again this summer with the out-laws. In the holidays there will be children on board which helps lower the average age a bit but there will probably not be very many. About 40 under 18's on our 1200 passenger cruise last August.

[MrsTW]

What are your ports of call? :D Most in Norway are simple to DIY. I went in June and didn't do any ship's excursions.

 

Flam is simple to do on our own. The station is just minutes away from where the ship docks. I would suggest you take an early train as the trip is very popular. Cost 330 Krone return ( about £33) opposed to £63 Fred Olsen charged. The only difference being coffee and cake at a hotel!

 

Sit on the right hand side in the carriage for the most spectacular views! There's also a short stop at the Kjossfossen waterfall where eerie music is played and dancers appear in the spray! ;) If you like walking I'd suggest you get off at Lunden station on the way back for a nice gentle walk back to the ship! :)

 

Fred Olsen is my favourite cruise line.................there's something special about the crew and ships.............I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time! :)

[clazz8]

I agree with every word of MrsTW's post and would strongly emphasise the need to get to the Flam railway as soon as possible after arrival.

 

We got to the booking office before it opened and there was already a queue. We were able to buy tickets for the first train of the day which was relatively uncrowded and perfectly comfortable but we were told that later trains completely sold out. On the day we were there there were two cruise ships in and a number of coach parties and the trains I saw certainly appeared to be filled to capacity.

 

If the weather is fine the scenery is wonderful and well worth the trip.

 

J.

[bossmum1]

Having just returned from Norway on the Black Prince, you are in for a real treat if the weather holds it will be fantastic. The trips can be done on your own we booked taxis worked out cheaper, Honningsvag we just walked as its so small. also cold here. i have added a couple of pic as a taster. We have booked to Norway on Boudicca next May. this one we get to go to Flam.

 

1st pic is in Alesund

2nd pic was taken 2.30am stunning and warm even at that time of morning.

3rd taken from aboard ship.

Enjoy your cruise Chrissy.

[Jules.]

Thank you for your replies :)

 

Unfortunately we have been advised that the Flam railway stop will only be 3 hours long now, & we are unable to go on the railway as it's not running that day. This was to be a highlight of the cruise for us. Ah, well.

[Floppydog]

Hi

We're also foing on this cruise to Norway with Fred Olsen. I've cruised the last couple of years with my mum (in her 70s, I'm early 40's) and we've found it a perfect holiday for the two of us, particularly on the Fred Olsen ships. The staff will make a big fuss of your mum when she has her birthday! Mum and I travelled to Norway last year, to many of the same stops (with a different company), and it was quite spectacular.

 

As this cruise falls in the school holidays I'm going with my husband and 10 year old son this time. It will be the first cruise for them both. I'm not expecting there to be many other children on board though. Look out for us - we'll probably be quite easy to spot!

 

We're not planning to do the excursions, instead we're planning a bit of hiking (there are easy walks in Eidfjord and a very helpful tourist information centre in the village). Stavanger is also quite compact and easy to walk round. I remember there being a very good fish market with lots of live fish. Definately worth a look. It is a shame that the stop in Flam is so short as I would have loved to take the family on the railway there.

 

It's apparently quite easy to get to Bruges too from Zebrugge. There are direct trains, and as it's only about 8 miles away a shared taxi is also a good option.

 

So enjoy your cruise and we may well see you on board!

[Jules.]

thank you all :)

[Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines]

Hi

We're also foing on this cruise to Norway with Fred Olsen. I've cruised the last couple of years with my mum (in her 70s, I'm early 40's) and we've found it a perfect holiday for the two of us, particularly on the Fred Olsen ships. The staff will make a big fuss of your mum when she has her birthday! Mum and I travelled to Norway last year, to many of the same stops (with a different company), and it was quite spectacular.

 

As this cruise falls in the school holidays I'm going with my husband and 10 year old son this time. It will be the first cruise for them both. I'm not expecting there to be many other children on board though. Look out for us - we'll probably be quite easy to spot!

 

We're not planning to do the excursions, instead we're planning a bit of hiking (there are easy walks in Eidfjord and a very helpful tourist information centre in the village). Stavanger is also quite compact and easy to walk round. I remember there being a very good fish market with lots of live fish. Definately worth a look. It is a shame that the stop in Flam is so short as I would have loved to take the family on the railway there.

 

It's apparently quite easy to get to Bruges too from Zebrugge. There are direct trains, and as it's only about 8 miles away a shared taxi is also a good option.

 

So enjoy your cruise and we may well see you on board!

 

Currently to date we have 10 children due to be on board this cruise between the ages of 2 - 16 as this cruise takes place during the school summer break.

 

Regards Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, Ipswich

[ricki]

I don't know which ports you have on your cruise, but I'm hoping Oslo is one of them. I did the Baltics with my mother when she was about 75 and it was a perfect mother-daughter cruise. We sailed on Crystal Symphony, and I have never been on a Fred Olsen ship, but I am sure you will enjoy it.

 

You can definitely do Oslo on your own. We took a tram from nearby the ship to Frogner Park to see the Vigeland Sculptures. They were so magnificent and definitely one of the highlights of not this cruise, but all our cruises (and my husband and I have done over 30, including South America and Antarctica). That's how spectacular the sculptures are!

 

Other sites that are easy to navigate without a guide are:

 

The Kon Tiki Museum

Munchmuseet--the largest collection of Edvard Munch's works

Fram Museum--the polar ship Fram

 

I hope you enjoy your cruise! (I don't know why the type has changed???)

 

Ricki

[ricki]

http://travel.nytimes.com/2009/08/23/travel/23hour.html?8dpc

 

This article, appearing today in the New York Times, may give you some suggestions for Oslo.

 

Ricki

[Jules.]

Thank you for your suggestions for Oslo, but unfortunately that wasn't one of our ports of call.

 

You might be interested to read my new thread aboutm my suitcase & the sea, though...

 

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=21132069#post21132069