Can help with Ålesund & Norwegian Fjords:-)

[cruise_bunnies]

I-Cruiser,

 

Thank you so much for helping out in the planning. I just returned yesterday from our Nordic Fjords cruise. Driving the Path of Trolls was a breeze and lovely to do. We also did the waterfall walk in Geiranger after seeing the pictures in this thread. Was great.

 

I hope to write a review this week and then I'll post in a link in this thread. We had extremely sunny weather 28-30 degrees, so that was bit crazy, but we had a lot of fun.

 

Thanks again,

 

cruise_bunnies

[I-Cruiser]

I-Cruiser,

 

Thank you so much for helping out in the planning. I just returned yesterday from our Nordic Fjords cruise. Driving the Path of Trolls was a breeze and lovely to do. We also did the waterfall walk in Geiranger after seeing the pictures in this thread. Was great.

 

I hope to write a review this week and then I'll post in a link in this thread. We had extremely sunny weather 28-30 degrees, so that was bit crazy, but we had a lot of fun.

 

Thanks again,

 

cruise_bunnies

 

I am happy you had such a wonderful time in Norway. I am looking forward to your review:) I am also very interested to hear how the Rotterdam was.

 

The weather this summer has been unbelievable!! Not often we get temps up to 30C....But, I am not complaining :)

Edited July 27, 2014 by I-Cruiser

[garf1108]

Hi cruise_bunnies

We will be doing the same next June.

Was it easy to book the car rental - did you book in advance and did you pick it up at the the rental agency. Was it easy to drive the Path of Trolls?

Is the waterfall walk easy from the docking area?

 

Thanks

Garf

[sppunk]

If you are light packers I would make do with umbrellas though the best would be to pack rain gear.

I suppose you have considered the rain ponchos? They don't take up much space.

 

By general rules September is autumn and can be very windy and rainy. Be prepared for rain. You will have some (unfortunately)

We have done a Norway cruise in September and had lovely weather during most of the days (Bergen was pouring down) and we caught the first storm of the season between Geiranger/Ålesund and Bergen.

This year of course we have had the most beautiful summer in years so fingers crossed the autumn will be just as lovely.

 

Thanks. I think we'll bring our rain gear that doubles as a light coat. We don't need a coat unless it's 8 or so Celsius or below so should do well. We like rainy days so as long as the views are decent, let it rain. :)

 

Thanks!

[I-Cruiser]

Thanks. I think we'll bring our rain gear that doubles as a light coat. We don't need a coat unless it's 8 or so Celsius or below so should do well. We like rainy days so as long as the views are decent, let it rain. :)

 

Thanks!

 

Have fun (in the rain) on your cruise:)

[JimS4210]

Hi Lars,

Hope you can help with a quick question... We'll be in Alesund next May and we'd like to rent a car to drive the Path of the Trolls. It looks like there are two options for rentals. One is a Shell/7-11 and the other is at the Alesund Airport. The Shell/7-11 is showing no availability on our day, May 22. The airport seems to have plenty of cars.

 

Is the airport fairly close to the cruise dock so that a taxi ride would be feasible? Or would that cut into our day too much time wise? We'll be in port from 7AM-5PM.

 

Or is it too far out to book cars at the Shell/7-11?

 

Thanks!

 

Jim

[I-Cruiser]

Hi Lars,

Hope you can help with a quick question... We'll be in Alesund next May and we'd like to rent a car to drive the Path of the Trolls. It looks like there are two options for rentals. One is a Shell/7-11 and the other is at the Alesund Airport. The Shell/7-11 is showing no availability on our day, May 22. The airport seems to have plenty of cars.

 

Is the airport fairly close to the cruise dock so that a taxi ride would be feasible? Or would that cut into our day too much time wise? We'll be in port from 7AM-5PM.

 

Or is it too far out to book cars at the Shell/7-11?

 

Thanks!

 

Jim

 

Jim - The airport is 25 minutes from Ålesund. The car rental office at the Shell/7-11 is a 5 minute walk from the pier and has both Avis and Budget at the same location.

There is also another rental office by the stadium. You can best get there by taxi from the pier in a few minutes.

http://www.sydsidenbilutleie.no/site/

 

I find it strange that both Avis and Budget is "sold out" May 22 next year so maybe send them an email or wait a few months to book. I never had problems booking a car so far in advance.

[JimS4210]

I find it strange that both Avis and Budget is "sold out" May 22 next year so maybe send them an email or wait a few months to book. I never had problems booking a car so far in advance.

 

Thanks, Lars! I went on the Budget and Avis websites and they both have cars available for that day. I made the mistake of trying to book through an independent website, Sixt.com, and they were showing no cars available. I appreciate the quick response!

 

Jim

[I-Cruiser]

Thanks, Lars! I went on the Budget and Avis websites and they both have cars available for that day. I made the mistake of trying to book through an independent website, Sixt.com, and they were showing no cars available. I appreciate the quick response!

 

Jim

 

Glad you managed to book a car.

let me know if you have other touring questions:)

[I-Cruiser]

Autumn is here and its almost the end of the summer season.

[sppunk]

Autumn is here and its almost the end of the summer season.

Our cruise leaves on Sept 6 so I've added Bergen, Alesund, Eidfjord and Geiranger to my iPhone's weather. It seems like, aside from Eidfjord, summer abruptly ended last week and temps are steadily now in the 10c - 18c (max there) range. Yay!

 

I love temps around 8c, it's IMO perfect.

[I-Cruiser]

Monday the stairs up to Mt. Aksla will close for refurbishment.

The stairs are not to open before next year but before the start of the 2015 season.

 

Link to an article in the local newspaper. Its in Norwegian only but I guess everyone understand the 4 pictures:D

 

The last picture is a map of an alternative route up to the viewpoint.

Second last pictures shows how the stairs will be after the refurbishment.

 

http://www.smp.no/nyheter/alesundogomland/article10016321.ece#1

[I-Cruiser]

The link shows all ships visiting Geiranger and Hellesylt the summer season 2015.

It also shows which ship uses the Seawalk (SW) or floating pier in Geiranger instead of tendering.

 

Its also shows which ship are docking and not tendering in Hellesylt.

 

 

http://www.stranda-hamnevesen.no/GeirangerfjordenCPGD2015

 

Of course this list is always subject to change and I am sure it will change as I already now see ships booked in that will not be calling at Geiranger.

Edited August 17, 2014 by I-Cruiser

[I-Cruiser]

Our cruise leaves on Sept 6 so I've added Bergen, Alesund, Eidfjord and Geiranger to my iPhone's weather. It seems like, aside from Eidfjord, summer abruptly ended last week and temps are steadily now in the 10c - 18c (max there) range. Yay!

 

I love temps around 8c, it's IMO perfect.

 

:) I am happy to hear this. It will be perfect for you.

Temps are now in the 60Fs (12C) and I suspect it will keep like this until September/October when the temps swings in the high 50Fs (9C-12C region) during the day.

Already at this point it gets dark around 10:30 pm.

[ptsaint]

Hi Lars

thank you for all your help and advice

our cruise is over -but WOW in a word - beautiful, breath taking!!

so enjoyed all our ports during our 21 day voyage

if you find you way to S America - please look us up :)

many thanks!!

Patrice & Dave

[I-Cruiser]

Hi Lars

thank you for all your help and advice

our cruise is over -but WOW in a word - beautiful, breath taking!!

so enjoyed all our ports during our 21 day voyage

if you find you way to S America - please look us up :)

many thanks!!

Patrice & Dave

 

Patrice and Dave - Thank you so much for your kind words. I am really thrilled you had such a lovely time.

You never know - S America is on the bucket list;)

[MacBraces]

Hi,

 

Not sure I want to bring my laptop computer with me, and no I don't have anything smaller. :(

 

Would you know if there are internet cafes, if they're are still called that, in the towns?? Or are there libraries?

 

Will be doing 14 day up & down hitting Oslo, Kristiansand, Stavanger, Flam, Bergen, Geiranger, Alesund, Eidfjord & Rotterdam.

 

Thanks for any help you can provide.

 

MacBraces

[I-Cruiser]

Hi,

 

Not sure I want to bring my laptop computer with me, and no I don't have anything smaller. :(

 

Would you know if there are internet cafes, if they're are still called that, in the towns?? Or are there libraries?

 

Will be doing 14 day up & down hitting Oslo, Kristiansand, Stavanger, Flam, Bergen, Geiranger, Alesund, Eidfjord & Rotterdam.

 

Thanks for any help you can provide.

 

MacBraces

 

All the major towns have libraries but not sure if they provide internet. Also, not sure if there are any internet cafes in any of the places you visit. I thought those places were obsolete.

I hope someone who has traveled to these ports this year can update us.

Most cafe etc will have free WiFi.

[MacBraces]

Wow, do you just sit on that computer to answer all our questions so quickly?

 

You're faster than a phone call.

 

Thank you so much for your response. Maybe I will bring it and use it in the cafes..

 

Mac

[maz1838]

Just returned from Norway on the Ryndam. Found free wi-fi at tbe Tourist Offices in Bergen, Geiranger, Stavanger, Trondheim and Tromso. The password is generally on a sign on the wall. In Stavanger the password was passed out on slips of paper. Managed to check emails, load pictures onto Flickr and download a newspaper from home.

[I-Cruiser]

Wow, do you just sit on that computer to answer all our questions so quickly?

 

You're faster than a phone call.

 

Thank you so much for your response. Maybe I will bring it and use it in the cafes..

 

Mac

 

:D well, its pouring down...and I mean pouring down outside like I never seen it before so whats better than checking out CC.:D

I usually only bring my phone and maybe pad even thought I try to stay unplugged while on a cruise.

[MacBraces]

Thank you so much for the info. Guess I'll bring her along, of course unless I can get an early X-mas present. ;)

 

Mac

[imbelle]

Hi, your thread has a lot of good information and I'm hoping you can give me some advice. We're booked on a Norway cruise out of Copenhagen in June 2015 but two things we want to see, Borgund Stave Church and the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo, are not on the intinerary (stops are in Bergen, Alesund, Stavenger, and Geiranger). I can only get a few extra days off work (arrival day, 1 full day, next day get to Copenhagen) so I am trying to devise a plan to see both before the cruise. We'd rather not drive ourselves but will if it is our only option. My original plan was to fly into Oslo early enough to see the museum before it closes, then take the Norway in a Nutshell tour to Flam, stay the night in Flam, see Borgund church the next day , then fly to Copenhagen that day or the next. But the Norway in a Nutshell office said they don't have a schedule for June 2015 yet so I don't know if their schedule will accommodate this plan.

So then we considered trying to do Borgund Stave church first by flying to the closest international airport (Vigra in Alesund?) but I'm getting conflicting information on how far of a drive it would be to the Borgund Stave Church from the airport. Is a trip to Borgund Stave Church doable? Are there any companies offering tours to Borgund Stave church from Alesund? Sorry if this is an ignorant question but I'm not familiar with Norway and researching this has been confusing. Thanks for any help you can render.

[I-Cruiser]

Hi, your thread has a lot of good information and I'm hoping you can give me some advice. We're booked on a Norway cruise out of Copenhagen in June 2015 but two things we want to see, Borgund Stave Church and the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo, are not on the intinerary (stops are in Bergen, Alesund, Stavenger, and Geiranger). I can only get a few extra days off work (arrival day, 1 full day, next day get to Copenhagen) so I am trying to devise a plan to see both before the cruise. We'd rather not drive ourselves but will if it is our only option. My original plan was to fly into Oslo early enough to see the museum before it closes, then take the Norway in a Nutshell tour to Flam, stay the night in Flam, see Borgund church the next day , then fly to Copenhagen that day or the next. But the Norway in a Nutshell office said they don't have a schedule for June 2015 yet so I don't know if their schedule will accommodate this plan.

So then we considered trying to do Borgund Stave church first by flying to the closest international airport (Vigra in Alesund?) but I'm getting conflicting information on how far of a drive it would be to the Borgund Stave Church from the airport. Is a trip to Borgund Stave Church doable? Are there any companies offering tours to Borgund Stave church from Alesund? Sorry if this is an ignorant question but I'm not familiar with Norway and researching this has been confusing. Thanks for any help you can render.

 

There are no ignorant questions here :) When I travel to a new place I ask all sorts of questions and luckily learn lots in the process.

 

The distance from Ålesund to Borgund (village) where the church is located is a 6 hours drive one way.

You can also drive from Bergen (Norways second largest city) in 3.5 hours one way.

Of course the easiest would be to rent a car from Flam and drive the 50 minutes to Borgund.

 

However, you said you were going to Oslo to visit the Viking Ship Museum. From Oslo its only a 4 hours drive to Borgund one way. You could do this trip in a very long day. 8 hours driving and spend a few ours at the church.

A more relaxed way would be to do the Viking Museum day 1 in the morning. In the afternoon drive to Borgund and drive back to Oslo day 2.

 

Regarding flights; have you concidered Iceland air from the US to Oslo via Reykavik? They are supposed to be very good and provide a hassle free connection in Iceland.

 

There are no organized tours from Ålesund to Borgund Stav Church.

 

You can take a bus from Oslo to Lærdal (close to Borgund) but it will take between 7-8 hours.

 

Another option is to fly from Oslo (OSL - Gardermoen) to Sogndal with http://www.wideroe.no/en Its a small plane airline. Their schedule for next June is not out yet but they do have flights from Oslo to Sogndal (town) .

The airline operates some flights per day to/from Oslo/Sogndal.

From Sogndal to Borgund you would have to rent a car and the journey take approx 1.5 hours each way.

 

If you are pushed for time maybe it would be an idea to switch to a cruise that includes a stop in Flam since that port is the closest.

 

To drive in Norway is really easy so you will do just fine if you decide to rent a car.

 

You could probably do what you planned in the time frame you have but it would be even better if you could add on 1 day.

 

Flights from Oslo to Copenhagen departs almost every hour and only takes 1 hour both with the airlines SAS and Norwegian.

 

Please ask if you have more questions.

Edited August 21, 2014 by I-Cruiser

[imbelle]

Thanks so much, this is just the kind of information I was looking for! We are doing this trip using our United frequent flier miles which is why I'm trying to work our the details so far in advance and get our arrival airport determined. Looks like driving is going to be involved so I appreciate your assurance that driving in Norway is easy. Thanks again!