Norwegian Fjord or N Europe cruise with X?

[kath00]

Hello,

 

We are looking into a cruise to Northern Europe that my parents would also enjoy. They typically don't get off the ship much (or at all) so I am looking into scenic itiniaries that are easy for them to deal with due to their age/mobility.

 

I just found the Norwegian Fjords cruise for June. Has anyone taken any of these cruises (either to Norway or the Northern Europe itiniary) who can comment on the most scenic cruises if they are to stay on the ship?

 

Are the ports ugly and industreal or scenic? Are the at sea days scenic? Are the seas calm or rough in the Summer time?

 

I would really appreciate any help and advice!

 

Katherine

[rebeccalouiseagain]

I did the Norwegian Fjord cruise on Equinox in 2009 and it was very scenic. You and your parents will love it. I can't speak to the Baltics by ship- I haven't done that one.

 

The only port on the Norwegian Fjord cruise that could be called "industrial" was Oslo- but it is still a pretty city. Not an eye sore.

[Syrreal]

DH and I took the Norwegian Fjords cruise last year. There were no industrial ports where we visited. The closest you got to industrial was Amsterdam.

 

I have some photos of the ports on my trip review here:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1671304

 

TLCOhio also has some pictures on this review:

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

[kath00]

Thank you so much for your review Syrreal. The 2nd review is "blocked" somehow by CC so I am not sure what that means but could just be a glitch. I will try to search for the screen name.

 

What month did you guys go? It looks freezing cold and wet! :o

 

I am thinking the key is to go in July or August?? Not that we expect 90 degrees but wow, it looked like our Winter in those pix!

[TLCOhio]

Hello, We are looking into a cruise to Northern Europe that my parents would also enjoy. They typically don't get off the ship much (or at all) so I am looking into scenic itiniaries that are easy for them to deal with due to their age/mobility. I just found the Norwegian Fjords cruise for June. Has anyone taken any of these cruises (either to Norway or the Northern Europe itiniary) who can comment on the most scenic cruises if they are to stay on the ship? Are the ports ugly and industreal or scenic? Are the at sea days scenic? Are the seas calm or rough in the Summer time? I would really appreciate any help and advice! Katherine

 

Hi, Katherine from San Diego! Lots to like, see and do along the Norway Coast. Your major choice is whether to do an option that focuses mainly on the southern part of this coast areas, hitting a couple of the key fjords, stopping in charming Bergen . . . or . . . doing a longer cruise that goes farther to the north including maybe the Lofoten Islands, towns like Tromso and Trondheim, the North Cape, etc.

 

Few ports that we visited are industrial and/or what I would call unpleasant, etc.

 

You can see from my live/blog connected below many pictures and details with the longer, farther north routing, along with the southern beauty of its fjords, etc. Are you flexible to consider some smaller, more luxury ships that might be able to provide more personal service? There are some private tour options in some locations that might allow them to see more in certain ports. How mobile might they be?

 

Reactions and questions?

 

As the seat of Norway’s medieval kingdom of Norway for six centuries, Bergen is a former Viking stronghold encircled by deep fjords, towering mountains, and sweeping glaciers. Today's Bergen has much of the medieval flavor remaining around Bergen's harbor. We explored the cobblestone streets, saw its pastel-color wooden houses, bargained in some of the many artisans' workshops and visited the famous and always-entertaining Fish Market. You can watch the locals haggling over today's catch and enjoy a quayside lunch of freshly caught salmon or fish and chips.

 

Rated by Frommers as more scenic than Oslo, Bergen was the base of the medieval Hanseatic merchants. Those historic timbered houses are set around Bryggen or The Wharf, a center for crafts and workshops. Its prime row is mostly reconstructed 14th-century structures, some of which were originally destroyed by fire. Det Hansseatiske Museum depicts commercial life on the wharf in the early 18th century and is highly rates with well-preserved wooden structure. Its art museums are highly-rated with religious icons, local art, etc.

 

In the afternoon, after some of the big crowds had lessened, we took the Floibanen funicular railway to the top of a 1050-foot high peak for scenic views. This cable car has been operating for over 80 years and was refurbished in 2002. The Funicular Lower Station is situated 150 meters from the Fish Market. At the top of the Mount Floyen, there are hiking trails and places for lunch or dinner. The trip takes seven minutes and both cars are on the same cable going up and down. Mariakirken or St. Mary’s Church is the most outstanding Romanesque church in Norway. Bergen is Norway’s largest port and has a population of 252,000. Scenic Bergen completed our voyage with its dramatic backdrop of seven rounded mountains and cobble-stoned streets. It entices you to take memories and photos cherishing the land of the Norsemen.

 

Their good and helpful Tourism Office can be accessed on the web at: http://www.visitbergen.com/en

 

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 95,170 views.

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

 

 

You go on these Norway Coast cruises for the spectacular fjords. From the journey to Flam, Gudvangen and Sognerfjord, here is one picture giving you a sampling of the skies and views for these beautiful internal coastlines of the fjords. Being up on the top of the boat can provide great view on BOTH sides as you sail up and down these various fjords.

 

 

 

As we departed Svolvaer in the Lofoten Islands of Norway on a perfect, sunny day, these are two of the green, tree-covered mountains rising up from the sea that we saw with the small out-islands in the foreground.:

 

 

 

After being tendered from Geiranger, we sailed out and passed by two super famous waterfalls. YES, yes, we saw lots and lots of waterfalls on this trip, but these two were among the “best of the best”. First is the “Seven Sisters”. Directly opposite in this narrow fjord, it is called several names, including “The Suitor”. The majesty for these feats of nature is pretty amazing.:

 

 

 

From the portside control area, here is the view as our ship sailed up this narrow 300’ wide passage in the Trollfjord as a part of the Lofoton Islands. :

 

 

 

Here's a nice farm view along this great Sognerfjord.:

 

 

 

From our ship as the sun is getting ready to set on July 14, here is the view of the Bergen harbor on our sail away at 11 pm.:

 

[TLCOhio]

Thank you so much for your review Syrreal. The 2nd review is "blocked" somehow by CC so I am not sure what that means but could just be a glitch. I will try to search for the screen name. I am thinking the key is to go in July or August?? Not that we expect 90 degrees but wow, it looked like our Winter in those pix!

 

Appreciate the nice mention/link from Syrreal. Try again on this link shown below. It seems to work via this linking. Yes, July is the best month for the Norway coasts, especially if you want to go farther north.

 

Don't be shy!! The only "dumb" question is the one you don't ask. Keep researching and planning. It will be very helpful for the actual trip and making that experience work well.

 

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 95,170 views.

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

[kath00]

Hi Terry,

 

I just read your WHOLE amazing, wonderful review!!! WOW!! Fabulous photography (LOL to the folks on the thread who keep asking what kind of camera you have -- as it is 99% the photographer and 1% the equipment). Great details! I am assuming you took the longer cruise that went further North? That is the one we would like to do since flying from CA all the way to Europe is no small feat. We'd like to enjoy it for as long as possible.

 

July is a great time for us since kids are out of school and it's HOT everywhere. I would like a cool weather cruise right around then! We are looking at larger ships because we will have generations on the cruise including my kids, my sister's kids, etc. I don't think they would do well on a small ship.

 

My parents are not wheelchair bound but they both have heart conditions so walking distancer or up hills is out. But they could do a bus type of tour as long as they don't have to get out.

 

Is it possible to rent cars in some of these ports? They have done that in the past and worked out well. When we went to Alaska, my DH would go get the car and then we would tour at our own pace. But while Alaska is wild, it is not a foreign country! LOL.

 

I see Cunard, X, and RCCL have some nice itiniaries. After reading your review, I am thinking Norway would be better than the larger cities of a Baltic/N European cruise.

 

For anyone who has done a larger ship to Norway in the summer, are there kids on board?

 

Thanks! Katherine

[Desertbelle]

Loved, loved, loved our Norwegian Fjords cruise in June a few years ago. The scenery was breathtaking, way more than I imagined.

[harz99]

Hello,

 

We are looking into a cruise to Northern Europe that my parents would also enjoy. They typically don't get off the ship much (or at all) so I am looking into scenic itiniaries that are easy for them to deal with due to their age/mobility.

 

I just found the Norwegian Fjords cruise for June. Has anyone taken any of these cruises (either to Norway or the Northern Europe itiniary) who can comment on the most scenic cruises if they are to stay on the ship?

 

Are the ports ugly and industreal or scenic? Are the at sea days scenic? Are the seas calm or rough in the Summer time?

 

I would really appreciate any help and advice!

 

Katherine

 

Hi Katherine; I strongly recommend the extended 12 day itinerary Constellation does from Amsterdam to Norway. If you look at the Connie roll calls, the one for June 25th this year contains a short review from last years cruise which I was on and not in a good state mobility wise!

 

Unrivalled scenery is a given, the only variable is the weather which cannot be guaranteed to be rain free - however rain equals spectacular waterfalls along the Fjords, so not all bad.

 

HTH

Doug.

[Liz]

Norway is incredible and the seas are calm when you are in the fjords. However - we had some very rough seas on our sea day between departure in Amsterdam and arriving in Alesund. The North Sea can be brutal at times. The seas were not quite as bad when we returned from Bergen to Amsterdam but you still had to take care when walking.

Sailing in the fjords was so peaceful, the water was like glass. I got up early every morning to enjoy the views and take photos. I think the most beautiful port was Geiranger - but some of the ships are too big to visit that port.

Departing from Amsterdam was a highlight, too, since the ship seems like it is too wide to pass through the locks!

This itinerary is one of the few that I will definitely do again!

 

Liz

[villauk]

We have cruised both The Baltics and Norway and would do both again.

 

For scenery and your mobility issues, perhaps the Norwegian Fjords would be the better option. Geiranger is stunning. In fact the thing we liked about the Norway cruise was the difference in all the ports, we had expected one port to be similar to the next as we were still in Norway - wrong - each had it's own special appeal :).

 

There are not so many kids on these cruises, even sailing during the summer months i.e. June to September.

 

 

[shoreham01]

We love the Norway Fjords cruises. The scenery is fantastic all the way, apart from the short distance from Southampton to the Norway coast. As you can see we travelled from Southampton. The only port which was a huge disappointment was Zeebrugges which is indeed industrial. The other port which is not good is Le Havre. I am not sure which of these if any the cruise goes to.

 

If you can manage to go to North Cape too then go for it as the ever changing scenery is amazing. We went all the way up to Svalbard but not with X as I don't think they did it from Southampton.

 

There are hardly any children on these cruises if you stick to term times. Families tend to head south.

 

The Baltic cruise is amazing too, wonderful ports but you really do need to get off the ship to appreciate them. For city sightseeing I would say Baltics (to St.Petersburg) but for gentle relaxing scenery Norway wins hands down.

 

You asked about weather and rough seas. June is a wonderful time to cruise. Not too hot and not too cold. Yes it can rain, but that is a risk you take. It can rain anytime these days. You are not on the open sea for too long either on these cruises, unlike some of the Med cruises.

[TLCOhio]

Hi Terry, I just read your WHOLE amazing, wonderful review!!! WOW!! Fabulous photography (LOL to the folks on the thread who keep asking what kind of camera you have -- as it is 99% the photographer and 1% the equipment). Great details! I am assuming you took the longer cruise that went further North? That is the one we would like to do since flying from CA all the way to Europe is no small feat. We'd like to enjoy it for as long as possible. July is a great time for us since kids are out of school and it's HOT everywhere. I would like a cool weather cruise right around then! We are looking at larger ships because we will have generations on the cruise including my kids, my sister's kids, etc. I don't think they would do well on a small ship. My parents are not wheelchair bound but they both have heart conditions so walking distancer or up hills is out. But they could do a bus type of tour as long as they don't have to get out. Is it possible to rent cars in some of these ports? They have done that in the past and worked out well. When we went to Alaska, my DH would go get the car and then we would tour at our own pace. But while Alaska is wild, it is not a foreign country! LOL. I see Cunard, X, and RCCL have some nice itiniaries. After reading your review, I am thinking Norway would be better than the larger cities of a Baltic/N European cruise. For anyone who has done a larger ship to Norway in the summer, are there kids on board? Thanks! Katherine

 

Hi, again, Katherine from San Diego! Appreciate so much your follow-up and kind comments. Made my day!! Glad to know you're a person of such high class, great taste and wonderful judgment to make these generous comments.

 

You have received some other great comments and help from villauk, etc. Lots of wonderful ideas and people are here on these boards and they are happy to help.

 

Yes, there is the June 13 Celebrity Constellation cruise that departs from Amsterdam and gets you to Leknes/Lofoten Island, Longyearbyen, Honningsvag, Molde, and Bergen before returning to Amsterdam. Going to Longyearbyen is nice, but this one appears fairly limited in your options for much depth for the fjords, etc. Plus, all of the sailing time getting to Longyearbyen and back. The Infinity has options more focused on the southern fjords, etc.

 

If your budget is more flexible, you might consider Seabourn on one of their nice-sized, newer ships that sails July 30, 2013 from super charming Copenhagen and does Flam and the great Sognefjord, Alesund, Leknes and Lofoten Island, Trollfjord, Tromso, Honningsvag/North Cape, Olden, Nordfjord, Hjelterfjord, Bergen and Stavanger before back to Copenhagen. 14 days. Not cheap. Sorry.

 

There are many other options to consider. Part of the "bottom line" is that no one cruise will be totally "perfect" in hitting just the best ports you want, timing fitting exactly, having ideal pricing and ship size/offerings, etc. You will have to weigh various trade-offs and factors to find what best fits the biggest range of your needs and interests. Keep researching and planning.

 

Glad to know that your "parents are not wheelchair bound". That helps!!! In Norway, you will find the land costs high and some tour options more limited. BUT, as our trip demonstrates, it can be put together, etc. Rental cars are possible, plus some smaller tour options. The first challenge, however, is to focus on which cruise and line works best for you. Then, you can work on the various options and potentials for what you do and how in the various ports.

 

Added questions and needs??

 

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 95,376 views.

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

[grayjay]

We'll be doing the Fjords cruise on "Constellation" this June for the second time in 3 years - I think this shows our fascination with this cruise and country. Most of the time the seas were calm, we just had some hours of a swell during the crossing from Amsterdam to our first port in Norway when crossing the North Sea ( and going back, of course). Getting out of Amsterdam is interesting because you go along a canal with a lock at it's end. The fjords themselves are stunningly beautiful even if there is a chance of rain , as usual in Northern Europe. You'll have more waterfalls to admire, then.;)

Norway is perfect for people with mobility issues - one is cared for very well in that country.

I'm usually no friend of ship's excursions but can recommend Celebrity's "Easy excursions" because they are specially recommended for people with mobility issues and I saw quite a lot of wheelchairs and scooters going on this kind of excursions.

I liked the second ( earlier) cruise Celebrity is doing to the North Cape and Svalbard ( Spitsbergen) very much, too, but I wouldn't recommend them if you get seasick easily - there are more sea days, more chances of rough seas and less possibilities for an easy coach excursion or a short walk.

In these 3 cruises we didn't encounter many children - just a handful even if it is summer time/ holiday time. I think the Mediterranean cruises attract families more.

[Syrreal]

We sailed June 25th to July 7th of last year. The weather actually ranged between needing a jacket and being warm in a t-shirt and jeans. Most of the times just a jacket was fine. We had some rain in Molde but it wasn't a very cold rain.

 

The glacier was the only place that I saw any ice or snow and I was warm in a dri-fit long sleeve shirt and jeans.

 

As for the seas, we had no rough seas at all on the entire 12 nights. The closest we got to feeling like we weren't just sitting still was when we would sometimes go parallel to the waves some nights so you could feel a swaying but had no issues walking. My DH is extremely susceptible to sea sickness and didn't feel sick at all.

 

We're planning on taking the arctic circle cruise next year with the whole family.

[WesternTrader]

We've not done the fjords on Celebrity, but have been on Cunard. Our ports were Olden, Stavanger, Flåm and Bergen

 

Olden (for Briksdal Glacier) was peaceful and very picturesque; we were moored to a jetty with nothing of significance in the locality. If your parents have mobility issues they would not manage the hike to see the glacier, though there are small Troll Cars (golf carts really) that will take you within c500 metres.

Stavanger was a pleasant harbour with some pleasure boat activity and from the ship you could see bits of the town.

Flåm was situated at the end of a fjord and was charming - though, again, there wasn't a great deal there apart from the Flåm railway c500 metres from the pier. This will take you up into the mountains forma very scenic ride and it's proximity to the boat might make it suitable for your parents.

Bergen was a bit industrial (the bigger the ship the more likely you are to be in the "working port" area; but that's good also because there's always something to look at!

 

As far as the weather was concerned it wasn't hot (as the Mediterranean) and it did rain in Bergen - but then I think it rains there 320+ days a year (or similar) - check it out!!

 

Hope this helps - wherever you go, you'll have a great time!