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Norwegian Fjords August 2013


Jason12

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Hi there great board, I've done lots fo reading posts and blogs, we've booked a seven night cruise on the Adventure of the seas from Southampton visiting Alesund, Skjolden, Flam and Stavanger.

 

My wife is in a wheelchair can anyone help with what access is like in these ports, not too bothered with going off the beaten track just sightseeing in the local ports or towns.

 

Thanks Jason

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Hi there great board, I've done lots fo reading posts and blogs, we've booked a seven night cruise on the Adventure of the seas from Southampton visiting Alesund, Skjolden, Flam and Stavanger.

 

My wife is in a wheelchair can anyone help with what access is like in these ports, not too bothered with going off the beaten track just sightseeing in the local ports or towns.

 

Thanks Jason

 

i been to 3 of these towns.. thry are all very hilly and Stravanger the worse. Flam by the ship is flat compared to the other cities.. ony a couple stores there and a place to eat.. the railroad is the thing here. anyway yuo can get your wife on the train?/ or take it yourself and bring back pictures.. then take your wife out for lunch.

 

wish i could help more..

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i been to 3 of these towns.. thry are all very hilly and Stravanger the worse. Flam by the ship is flat compared to the other cities.. ony a couple stores there and a place to eat.. the railroad is the thing here. anyway yuo can get your wife on the train?/ or take it yourself and bring back pictures.. then take your wife out for lunch. wish i could help more..

 

Have not been to Stravanger, but agree that the Flam rail trip is super wonderful. Not to be missed. In Europe, lots of the pavements can be challenging and uneven.

 

Jason12 has read my live/blog and made some nice comments. Appreciate that interest. Here's more on Flam:

 

Flam, with a population of about 500, is nestled in a tributary of the world's longest and deepest fjord. It is 128 miles long and has a maximum depth of 4,291 feet. On the question of how deep are these fjords, local say: “A mermaid could swim all the way to China.” Our chief attraction here is the 66-year-old Flam Railway. It is widely known as one of the world's best railroad journeys. It includes twenty tunnels and eight stops as it goes up the mountain. This rail lines rises from Flam’s gingerbread rail station going up 2,835 feet to Myrdal and this "Roof of Norway" rail station. Railroad website: http://www.flaamsbana.no/eng.

 

From that website, I would get their e-mail address and write to them directly asking detailed questions on the railway access for those in wheelchairs, etc.. Lots to love in these areas. Will you visit Bergen? My blog has a good contact for that town.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 65,224 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

 

Arriving at Flam, the Captain is right there directing this docking process. You can see here some of the fjord mountains, waterfalls in the background. This town is fairly small with the rail trip being the main attraction and activity here.:

 

FjordsDockedFlam.jpg

 

 

Here are a few highlights from the Flam train ride, including where you stop in a stone tunnel to get out and then see this dramatic 305-foot-high Kjosfossen Waterfall half-way on this 12.4 mile trip. We then exit the train at the Vatnahalsen Hotel, to see the grounds, nearby mountains, etc. Lots of great views on this routing, up and down. :

 

FjordTrainWaterfall.jpg

 

 

FjordsTrainViews2.jpg

 

 

This is the dramatic overview of Alesund from the Aksla vantage point along the western coast of Norway. This spot allows a nearly 360-degree view of this setting for this island city and the surrounding mountains and islands. It is at a 597’ height overlooking the five islands making up the scenic town.:

 

AlesundHarbor.jpg

 

 

From Aksla, here is some of the charming architecture in Alesund. This includes a canal or waterway. :

 

AlesundHarbor2.jpg

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Thanks for the replies, we are really looking forward to this cruise the more we read about others experiences.

 

This is the reply from the Flam railway.

 

Dear Jason,

 

Thanks for contact us,

 

The Flåm Railway has wheel chair access and toilets in our trains. Please

ask to our *train staff for assistance. *

 

Unfortunately, we do not make reservations unless you are a group of more

than ten persons. I would advise you to get the tickets on board with the

cruise excursions otherwise you can also come as soon as possible to our

sales office the day of departure to ensure tickets for your preferred

departure time.

 

Med vennlig hilsen - Best regards

 

Fabiola Salmoran

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I agree with Terry - Flam railway is one of the highlights. As Norway is one of the countries with lots of help for people with mobility issues, you will get lots of help to get on the train.

I'm usually not into ship excursions, but I would strongly suggest to book your tickets for the train onboard. They are quickly sold out, especially if there are two or more cruiseships, and to buy them at the railway counter is cheaper but a hassle with literally a hundred or more of people crowding in front of the few counters to snag one of the few tickets left. We were lucky last year and able to get some as we left the ship early, but dozens were left without tickets.

Stavanger is nice but part of the streets are cobbled and a bit hilly. It's flat around the harbour, and there's a very interesting museum quite near ( the oil museum - don't mind the name!) which is wheelchair-accessible.

Alesund's main attraction ( in my opinion) is the cable car to the top of Mount Aksla. The views are breathtaking but on top it's rather steep - sorry can't remember if it's possible to walk there much for somebody with mobility issues. There were some paths but as far as I remember they were rather narrow.

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I agree with Terry - Flam railway is one of the highlights. As Norway is one of the countries with lots of help for people with mobility issues, you will get lots of help to get on the train.

I'm usually not into ship excursions, but I would strongly suggest to book your tickets for the train onboard. They are quickly sold out, especially if there are two or more cruiseships, and to buy them at the railway counter is cheaper but a hassle with literally a hundred or more of people crowding in front of the few counters to snag one of the few tickets left. We were lucky last year and able to get some as we left the ship early, but dozens were left without tickets.

Stavanger is nice but part of the streets are cobbled and a bit hilly. It's flat around the harbour, and there's a very interesting museum quite near ( the oil museum - don't mind the name!) which is wheelchair-accessible.

Alesund's main attraction ( in my opinion) is the cable car to the top of Mount Aksla. The views are breathtaking but on top it's rather steep - sorry can't remember if it's possible to walk there much for somebody with mobility issues. There were some paths but as far as I remember they were rather narrow.

 

Thank you very much..I will buy railway tickets as soon as they are released for online booking through my RCI account.

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Thank you very much..I will buy railway tickets as soon as they are released for online booking through my RCI account.

 

grayjay: I agree with Terry - Flam railway is one of the highlights. As Norway is one of the countries with lots of help for people with mobility issues' date=' you will get lots of help to get on the train. I'm usually not into ship excursions, but I would strongly suggest to book your tickets for the train onboard. [b']Alesund's main attraction ( in my opinion) is the cable car to the top of Mount Aksla.[/b] The views are breathtaking but on top it's rather steep - sorry can't remember if it's possible to walk there much for somebody with mobility issues. There were some paths but as far as I remember they were rather narrow.

 

Glad to hear, Jason, that you've made great progress in getting your direction set and the added info from the Flam rail folks. I found the people in Norway to be very responsive and helpful in responding to e-mail questions. Getting your rail trip booked through the ship costs a little more, but it saves some worry and risk.

 

Not sure, with all due respect, for grayjay's suggestion on the cable car for Alesund. Don't remember any such feature there. See one of my pictures below. In Tromso, there is a wonderful cable car going up there for a spectacular overview. Below are a couple more pictures from Alesund, Flam railway, etc., to help build the excitement for your upcoming travels there.

 

Keep those good questions rolling along. That advance planning and research makes a big difference.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 65,335 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 74,006 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

 

From the Aksla viewpoint in Alesund, here is another angle with the spectacular view that shows distance islands, landscapes and mountains. Second is a picture from the downtown waterfront area looking up to this structure at the top of the Aksla viewpoint.:

 

AlesundMtnViewAnotherDirection.jpg

 

 

AlesundWater2OverviewPoint.jpg

 

 

From our early July 2010 visit to the highly-rated Sognerfjord, here are some added details and sights from Flam, riding the railroad there, etc. This includes showing the interior of the passenger cars and a view from the train going up and back.::

 

FlamTrainInterior.jpg

 

 

FlamTrain2Tunnel.jpg

 

 

Here's a nice farm view along this great fjord and another Flam train view.:

 

FjordFarmView.jpg

 

 

FjordsTrainViews.jpg

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Thanks Terry great info and photos as usual.

No need for google images when CC has Terry from Ohio..:D

 

Appreciate the nice and kind comments. Just trying to save the Google website from getting too overloaded. Plus, a few times, the labeling with Google images can be a little limited. I try to give a little added info and background from having been there.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 65,335 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

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