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Ive gotten so much help here for my northern lights cruise. Thank you all. Now, I am thinking of taking my 95 year old mother for a Norway coastal cruise next May or September.. god willing she stays healthy. She is vision impaired, and uses a walker, but otherwise quite healthy. My question is, do you think Hurtigruten would be a good choice for her, or should I stick with mainstream, like Holland America. I'm thinking Norway would be perfect as the most she would be doing is looking at scenery. I doubt she'd get off in the ports, unless we did something very special and which involves little if any walking (Flam railroad??). Hurtigruten, being more casual would be a plus. I wouldn't have to run out and buy her a new wardrobe. And certainly she would be lost on a mainstream cruise ship with 2000 passengers. With her macular degeneration, if the scenery is too far away, she won't be able to distinguish it. Most likely she will sit somewhere looking at the scenery or reading her kindle. What do you think? Would there be enough for her to see? Would she enjoy Hurtigruten?

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My question is, do you think Hurtigruten would be a good choice for her

I think Hurtigruten would be a very good choice for several reasons-

 

  • You board most ships via ramps with steps, not conventional gangways. (some have wheelchair lifts too)
  • The ships are well designed with lots of seating areas (to rest) and lifts.
  • The observation lounges at the front of the ships give excellent viewing.
  • There are accessible cabins available on most ships.
  • Some ships have push button doors to the outer decks.
  • There is a relaxed atmosphere onboard with no formal nights.
  • The crew know the route very well and are able to give sensible informed information about going ashore/excursions.

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My only concern in taking an elderly Mum on Hurtigruten would be the state of the seas over which there is no control. We have just been to the top of Norway on Midnatsol and the seas were flat due to little wind and being in sheltered areas between islands. However, when in 'open seas' with slight seas we experienced quite a bit of movement which made me feel quite sick and much care was needed moving around the ship. A smaller ship doesn't handle swells like a larger ship. A cabin on lower decks mid-ships is obviously better and in my experience towards the back is preferable to nearer the front if you can't get mid-ship.

 

We have been on 59 cruises and I haven't felt nauseated before - the ships have been much bigger. I suffer no problems in Force 12 gales crossing the Atlantic, for example.

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My only concern in taking an elderly Mum on Hurtigruten would be the state of the seas over which there is no control. We have just been to the top of Norway on Midnatsol and the seas were flat due to little wind and being in sheltered areas between islands. However, when in 'open seas' with slight seas we experienced quite a bit of movement which made me feel quite sick and much care was needed moving around the ship. A smaller ship doesn't handle swells like a larger ship. A cabin on lower decks mid-ships is obviously better and in my experience towards the back is preferable to nearer the front if you can't get mid-ship.

 

 

 

We have been on 59 cruises and I haven't felt nauseated before - the ships have been much bigger. I suffer no problems in Force 12 gales crossing the Atlantic, for example.

 

 

Thanks rj. Have you done a Northcape on a mainstream cruise? Which provides better scenery? HAL has a nice 14 day itinerary which does scenic cruising of 5 fjords. Which do you think would be better..???

 

 

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Thanks Mimi! I had found that thread earlier! No, she doesn't wear the real dark glasses, in fact, that would make her sight worse. Hard to gauge just what she can and cannot see. Literally changes all the time. I did consider a wheelchair, but she seems to feel better with just the walker... I was considering a 14 day north cape on the Rotterdam may 2016, or maybe a 12 Hurtigruten. 7 days seems to short considering the flight from the states...the

V

 

 

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Thanks rj. Have you done a Northcape on a mainstream cruise? Which provides better scenery? HAL has a nice 14 day itinerary which does scenic cruising of 5 fjords. Which do you think would be better

 

Yes, twice. The first time was on a P&O from Southampton to Norway returning to Southampton at the end of July some years ago. We went up to Hammerfest, I think, and took a tour to the North Cape. Unfortunately it was very foggy and we didn't see anything. Apparently that happens at that time of the year. Some hours later we sailed past the Cape and it was still foggy and didn't see it. The rest of the cruise was fine with some great fjord views. What was spectacular was the midnight sun. At night the sun would come down and touch the horizon before climbing back up again. An amazing sight.

 

The second time we took another P&O on a round trip from Southampton but this time went to the Shetland Islands, Faroe Islands, around Iceland and across to Alesund in Norway plus some fjords, Bergen and Kristiansand. That was another great trip.

 

We love the fjords of Norway but I have to say I prefer Alaska. The mountains, I believe, are larger and more spectacular. Similarly, the huge glaciers. We went to Alaska twice, both 7 days Vancouver to Vancouver in August. The first time on Princess and the weather was superb so two year's later we thought we would do it again on RCCL. The weather was lousy.

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On Midnatsol we had steps to climb to board and disembark the ship, about 8 or 10 steps. We remarked that the ship would not be easy for someone with mobility issues. Otherwise the ship was what I'd call walker-friendly, 2 lifts in the center and one near the dining room entrance.

 

I've been on HAL many times and would say that they are very well equipped to make it comfortable for a person with a walker but the ships are larger, even the older one which I prefer with 1100 passengers.

 

HAL has reduced the number of formal nights (our last cruise had 1 per week) and they aren't all that formal, and only for the main dining room. Women who can wear anything that's basically nice looking. And HAL would be very respectful and helpful with an elderly mom and would not dare to turn her away from the dining room door. She'd be fine with wearing black slacks or skirt with a blouse or sweater; a scarf to dress it up a bit or even a pashmina wrap would be pretty but not necessary.

 

You on the other hand would need a jacket and tie to meet the recommendations for formal night, although a black cardigan has worked by my husband lately (shhh don't tell anyone; but we had to cut down on luggage to make room for cold weather clothes for the Hurtigruten cruise followed by a river cruise across northern Europe in November, then followed by HAL transatlantic going home.)

 

And there is always the option of eating in the buffet which will serve mostly the same foods, or even to order room service off the same menu as the main dining room, no extra charge.

 

In many ways I'd consider the HAL cruise as they will offer you a lot of flexibility and better service plus they are very used to and very helpful with working with older folks.

 

Either way I hope you have a grand time. m--

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On Midnatsol we had steps to climb to board and disembark the ship, about 8 or 10 steps. We remarked that the ship would not be easy for someone with mobility issues.

But still easier than the gangway on some cruise ships.

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[quote name=RMLincoln;45848707[You on the other hand would need a jacket and tie to meet the recommendations for formal night' date=' although a black cardigan has worked by my husband lately (shhh don't tell anyone; but we had to cut down on luggage to make room for cold weather clothes for the Hurtigruten cruise followed by a river cruise across northern Europe in November, then followed by HAL transatlantic going home.)

 

 

 

Either way I hope you have a grand time. m--[/quote]

 

 

Ha... RLM... I'm Bobbi short for Barbara...no jacket and tie required. :-)

 

 

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Thanks all for the feedback. Guess I'll just let mom decide which she thinks she'd like better. Personally I think hurtigruten would be more interesting for her, continually moving from port to port... Constant change of scenery, but HAL would probably be better service wise for a person of her age. I'll post when / if we book.

 

 

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We have taken a few HAL cruises over the years and have noticed a clear decline in service over the last two or three. HAL appear to be cutting costs by reducing the number of crew.

 

There have been cuts on all lines, too true. But with HAL you will have a pair of room stewards who will be there twice a day to take care of you, not just to change the towels in whatever section of the ship they are assigned that day.... And a pair of dining room stewards to take care of your personal needs and not to just hand you a meal while they are making the rounds. For what we paid on Hurtigruten compared to what we paid for a similar room on HAL I think there is no comparison in the service, the flexibility and the options. Just my opinion. Hurtigruten is a unique experience for sure and I enjoyed it but not for the service.

 

Ha... RLM... I'm Bobbi short for Barbara...no jacket and tie required. :-)

GOT me! :o So no jacket and tie required! Ladies can wear anything from a nightgown to an evening gown. I usually have a skirt and shell top with a pashmina (very flat and easy to pack) or a burnout (very light) overshirt. I have a pair of bronze flat sandals, also small to pack and goes with everything. Your mom would want to wear what's most comfortable for her and be just fine. m--

 

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The cabin stewards on our most recent HAL trips were good but overworked in comparison to those on earlier trips and attention to detail suffered as a result.

 

The dining room experience had suffered much, much more with orders being slow to be taken, food being slow to arrive and often being cool when it finally did. Talking to the stewards and the dining room manager confirmed that staffing had been reduced considerably and they were struggling to cope.

 

Elsewhere on the ships we found that staff were very much less 'interested' than they used to be and simple requests often had to be repeated.

 

Add to the above the constant 'car boot sales' in the public areas and the overpriced 'tat' in the shops and you have a previously wonderful cruise line in decline.

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The cabin stewards on our most recent HAL trips were good but overworked in comparison to those on earlier trips and attention to detail suffered as a result.

 

The dining room experience had suffered much, much more with orders being slow to be taken, food being slow to arrive and often being cool when it finally did. Talking to the stewards and the dining room manager confirmed that staffing had been reduced considerably and they were struggling to cope.

 

Elsewhere on the ships we found that staff were very much less 'interested' than they used to be and simple requests often had to be repeated.

 

Add to the above the constant 'car boot sales' in the public areas and the overpriced 'tat' in the shops and you have a previously wonderful cruise line in decline.

 

 

Definitely not the HAL I remember...they need to go back to the old format... No tipping, higher fares, better service. That's why it was considered a step above the others. And now a new ship with 2500 passengers...guess they are trying to compete with princess...

 

 

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Having done both types of cruises to Norway (Hurtigruten, P&O, Cunard and Fred Olsen), I would say that a traditional cruise ship would be a better bet for someone elderly who needs walking assistance. My Dad is 94 and I can say for certain that if he had been with us on our Hurtigruten trip, he would have fallen over numerous times without someone supporting him. The bigger ships are better at coping with bigger seas and generally go deep into the fjords where it's calmer anyway. The bigger ships are also better for finding your own space, especially if you've got a balcony cabin (definitely worthwhile for Norway). My dad couldn't have coped at all with the hustle and bustle of the Hurtigruten restaurant at open seating times.

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Having done both types of cruises to Norway (Hurtigruten, P&O, Cunard and Fred Olsen), I would say that a traditional cruise ship would be a better bet for someone elderly who needs walking assistance. My Dad is 94 and I can say for certain that if he had been with us on our Hurtigruten trip, he would have fallen over numerous times without someone supporting him. The bigger ships are better at coping with bigger seas and generally go deep into the fjords where it's calmer anyway. The bigger ships are also better for finding your own space, especially if you've got a balcony cabin (definitely worthwhile for Norway). My dad couldn't have coped at all with the hustle and bustle of the Hurtigruten restaurant at open seating times.

 

 

BR, Just the info I was looking for! After checking prices, hurtigruten is extremely high in the summer. Balcony would be nice, but cost restrictive unless we share, which I'm not prepared to do. Do you think you dad would have enjoyed it? I'm having doubts...mom worries so much about falling, and vision so bad, not sure if she would enjoy her time. I would think she'd be glad just to get away, but that may not be the case.

 

 

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I've been on the Hurtigruten in all seasons (2 round trips and many port to port sections). If you are concerned about rough seas, I'd go in May (late). I have observed people in wheel chairs who do just fine on the newer ships, especially if the ship personnel have been told in advance. With so many ports, the ship sails closer to land, and there is more to see than on the other lines. Hopefully you won't need it, but medical care in Norway is excellent. Go, enjoy!

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BR, Just the info I was looking for! After checking prices, hurtigruten is extremely high in the summer. Balcony would be nice, but cost restrictive unless we share, which I'm not prepared to do. Do you think you dad would have enjoyed it? I'm having doubts...mom worries so much about falling, and vision so bad, not sure if she would enjoy her time. I would think she'd be glad just to get away, but that may not be the case.

 

 

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Yes, my Dad would enjoy either experience, but he's 94 years old and apart from being unsteady on his feet, he has advanced macular degeneration and can only see a small amount out of one eye only. He only uses a wheelchair when someone is available to push him for longer distances, but needs someone to hold his arm when walking anywhere as he can and does trip over very slight changes in level. Certainly he would fall over with any degree of motion of a ship. The other thing that would concern me is that there's much less room on a Hurtigruten ship for moving around and my father needs someone alongside him when walking and somewhere like the restaurant can be a bit chaotic with passengers wandering around looking for tables and going to and from the food bars. My dad does live and manage by himself at home (his choice), but he has lived there for 65 years and knows where everything is. Apart from that, the house isn't going to start moving.

Personally, I wouldn't risk my dad being on a Hurtigruten ship. One trip or stumble in the wrong place could be his last. The large cruise ships have bigger (much) cabins and there's so much more room to move around everywhere without being knocked or tripped up.

The point you make about just getting away is very valid, my dad loves doing something different, even a day out in the car is a change from just sitting in the house for days on end, so he gets lots of days out rather than a potentially difficult cruise.

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Yes, my Dad would enjoy either experience, but he's 94 years old and apart from being unsteady on his feet, he has advanced macular degeneration and can only see a small amount out of one eye only. He only uses a wheelchair when someone is available to push him for longer distances, but needs someone to hold his arm when walking anywhere as he can and does trip over very slight changes in level. Certainly he would fall over with any degree of motion of a ship. The other thing that would concern me is that there's much less room on a Hurtigruten ship for moving around and my father needs someone alongside him when walking and somewhere like the restaurant can be a bit chaotic with passengers wandering around looking for tables and going to and from the food bars. My dad does live and manage by himself at home (his choice), but he has lived there for 65 years and knows where everything is. Apart from that, the house isn't going to start moving.

Personally, I wouldn't risk my dad being on a Hurtigruten ship. One trip or stumble in the wrong place could be his last. The large cruise ships have bigger (much) cabins and there's so much more room to move around everywhere without being knocked or tripped up.

The point you make about just getting away is very valid, my dad loves doing something different, even a day out in the car is a change from just sitting in the house for days on end, so he gets lots of days out rather than a potentially difficult cruise.

 

Your dad's condition is IDENTICAL to my

moms condition. I pretty much forced her to move in with after she took a fall taking her garbage out. Unfortunately, her legs get too stiff, so long drives and road trips are out. Her days are usually consist of dr appointments. I think she would be fine on the right cruise. If she is willing...

 

 

 

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Hurtigruten Coastal Voyage was the best cruise we ever did for just sitting in the panoramic lounge taking in the spectacular scenery, often on both sides of the ship. We met the most interesting group of passengers, both locals and visitors to Norway. We went at the end of May, a beautiful time of year with long days of sunshine.

 

Hurtigruten has different size ships and levels of comfort/luxury, so you could enquire which ship would best meet the needs of elderly passengers.

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