hallasm

Loen Skylift There is a shuttle or you can purchase transfer and Skylift from Olden Cruise

As a starting point, you do not need cash. You can use credit card everywhere. However, I would recommend a contactless card - alternative chip. Magnetic stripe only works in a few machines in hotels and restaurants. ApplePay on mobile phone will also be a good solution. Best is MasterCard or Visa. Amex is not that widespread. I have not used cash for several years in Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Also note that tips and VAT are in all cases included in prices - also in restaurants.

July is a holiday month in Norway and Iceland - clearly fewer tourists in June.

You’ll check in at Filipstadkaia.

Yes, I recommend contactless credit cards or ApplePay. Chip will work in many places. Problems can arise with magnetic strips, especially at smaller merchants and vending machines.

As a general rule, you do not have to show ID when purchasing with a credit card in Norway. It is possible that you must show ID when purchasing where a VAT Refund is requested if stores offer 'tax-free shopping'.

For all eastbound RCL cruises I have done change was at noon.

My TA’s so far have been Royal Caribbean. Not yet had a Celebrity TA - but my next TA is Apex from Fort Lauderdale to Barcelona in 2025.

I have sailed from Florida to Spain in early March several times in very fine summer weather - the last few days in the Mediterranean have been chilly.

The biggest difference is more sea days and more activities on the ship. On an eastbound cruise you 'lose' five / six hours - clocks are usually set forward one hour at noon and the days get a little shorter - on westbound cruises the clocks are set back one hour at 2 am - nights with longer sleep. In both cases, you cross the Atlantic without jet lag.

Skagen is a dock port. It’s an industriel harbor - there is a shuttle from pier to the town. Just note - Skagen is a small fishing town - do some research in advance - some Skagen topics in this forum.

And it will take at least an hour by car from Kiel to Hamburg.

There is a map here showing which sections are closed due to snow - the southern part is expected to open May 20 and the northern part 30 May. Many mountain roads in Norway are closed until the end of May.

Immediately I think that Cunard has the best Itinerary. Cunard has two scenic deep fjords to Geiranger and Olden, while HAL has one to Flåm (Sognefjorden and Auerlandsfjorden) and not so interesting to Eidfjord (Hardangerfjorden). Bergen is more interesting than Stavanger. Both Haugesund and Eidfjord are less interesting ports. If you want to see Geiranger Fjord, Cunard is the best bet - It is not possible with excursions to Geiranger from HAL ports.

Yes. But the further north the brighter the nights. The possibilities of seeing the Northern Lights here in 2024 are optimal now that the Solar Cycle is at its maximum with the strongest Northern Lights.