Seabourn in Norway in 2020

[buchhalm]

Greetings all.

I am (more or less) copying my message on a Seabourn Quest Roll Call that I just started, but it may be of interest for other cruise dates as well.

 

 

My wife and I will be in Norway in July, and I was looking (as most of you surely will) into the famous Flam Railway.

As of today, January 26, most departures are still available for the date we will be in Flam and most dates in July.

By booking direct with the local operator (www.visitflam.com), you will save a nice sum.

For the return train trip they charge NOK 1260.00, and there is an optional cancellation insurance of NOK 126.00 available.

The price is (relatively) good, however they will automatically allocate the return trip with every up-hill trip.

You will only have about 15 minutes at the top!

I actually called Flam and asked why this is, and they told me that from their experience 10 to 15 minutes on top are all that you will need, unless you want to visit the restaurant/hotel up there. The lady I spoke to was very helpful and said that the TRAIN RIDE is the attraction and there is not a lot of interest at the top station.

Theoretically you could book two separate one-way tickets, but this would nearly double the cost.

 

When booking, you will receive an email confirmation. This you need to take to Flam station and exchange for the actual ticket!

Just the booking confirmation will not let you board the train.

There will be plenty of staff at the station from 07.00 (or matching any scheduled ship arrivals), to help with this.

To the best knowledge of Flam tourist office, the Quest will be only ship in port on July 14!

 

Best regards (and Happy Chinese New Year of the Rat and Happy Australia Day)

 

[Derby Street]

What you state is pretty spot on from our experience - we did have a snack at the hotel. It is all about the train trip - we did a ship excursion (Azamara) and it was seamless

[jozi]

On 1/26/2020 at 4:31 AM, Derby Street said:

What you state is pretty spot on from our experience - we did have a snack at the hotel. It is all about the train trip - we did a ship excursion (Azamara) and it was seamless

I believe it's the Ovation that is going to Flam in July, not the Quest.

 

We did go last summer to Flam from the Quest but as the ship was at a port a distance away (Ulvik) we took the ship's excursion by bus to Flam, only taking the Flam train one way. (From Flam to another local train to a late lunch and bus back to port, which had changed to Eidfjord (across the Handanger suspension bridge) in the afternoon. 

[MightyQuinn]

On 1/25/2020 at 11:27 PM, buchhalm said:

By booking direct with the local operator (www.visitflam.com), you will save a nice sum.

For the return train trip they charge NOK 1260.00, and there is an optional cancellation insurance of NOK 126.00 available. The price is (relatively) good, however they will automatically allocate the return trip with every up-hill trip. You will only have about 15 minutes at the top!

 

Please consider buying their optional cancellation insurance.  We learned the hard way!

We were in Flåm in June '18 on Crystal.  We purchased tickets for the train in advance through Visit Flåm (Flåm AS) website.  We didn't buy their optional insurance.  Turned out our ship decided to leave port early that day for reasons unknown and with same-day notice.  As a result, we could no longer make our scheduled train reservation.  We immediately contacted Visit Flåm but since we didn't have their insurance, it was too bad, so sad. 

As an aside, we were able to select our outbound and return times for the train.  Nothing was pre-assigned.

[buchhalm]

In your case, Mighty Quinn, that insurance would not have helped either. 

From what I read the train ride can be cancelled up until midnight before departure.

🤷🏻‍♂️

[Tallante]

We are on the Ovation in June calling at Flam.  All morning trains  are showing as fully booked.  I’ve called the railway and apparently two cruise ships have booked all the seats.  Their advice is to go to the tourist on arrival and most probably there will be availability but not guaranteed.  Just our luck there is a mega ship in port same day as us.  They advised that the first available train will not return us in time.

 

its now a decision whether or not to pay Seabourn’s prices!

[Cru Doll]

We are also doing this cruise on the Ovation.  After evaluating the situation, we decided to do Seabourn’s excursion.  

[Videopark]

17 minutes ago, Cru Doll said:

We are also doing this cruise on the Ovation.  After evaluating the situation, we decided to do Seabourn’s excursion.  

Yes. Same here.

[Tallante]

We have decided to do this with Seabourn as well.  I did start a roll call for this cruise starting 6 June 2020 but so far nobody has joined.  We are a party of 4, 2 from the UK and 2 from Australia.

[Cru Doll]

We are on the three week June 27th sailing beginning in Stockholm.  

Does your cruise also include the Baltic?  I previously posted a question asking if someone knew if there would be a shuttle ride into Copenhagen from the Koge port on the turnover day for those of us who are continuing to Norway.  

Anyone out there who has previously taken this itinerary?

[Tallante]

I have been querying this port and from what I’ve been told it depends on how many ships are in Copenhagen port that day.  We disembark in Stockholm.  Seabourn may confirm nearer the time.

[Tallante]

Somewhere I’ve seen that Seabourn do put on a shuttle.

[Cru Doll]

That’s good to hear.  

Since we have previously spent a couple of days in Copenhagen, we would like to just make our own way instead of planning an excursion.  

[Videopark]

5 hours ago, Tallante said:

 I did start a roll call for this cruise starting 6 June 2020 but so far nobody has joined.

I can't seem to find that roll call that departs 6 June. Could you please send a link?

[Tallante]

I cannot work out how to send a link!  However it’s on the Seabourn Ovation Roll Call site.

[Videopark]

11 hours ago, Tallante said:

I cannot work out how to send a link!  However it’s on the Seabourn Ovation Roll Call site.

Is this the one?

Seabourn Ovation - June 6, 2020

[Tallante]

Yes.  I was beginning to think it was only us and our friends on this cruise.