Is this a good itinerary for the Fjords?

[kruzseeka]

21 hours ago, Adawn47 said:

We have a Fjords cruise booked for  June 2021🤞. 12 nights with 7 ports  and cruising 3 fjords, which sounds fine to me then.

Avril

 

We love the 12 nighters Avril.   We're hopefully doing one again next year too - unfortunately not the one you're doing otherwise we could have said 'Hello'. 🙂

[Presto2]

On a different note, what is the weather like in late May, early June? Or is that a 'you have to see what happens' answers? Like I mentioned we were on Azura last Easter and the weather for the one week cruise was just incredible. We had sunshine every day of the cruise and it was just beautiful -- and very warm. Sunbathing weather in Norway - we had taken all of our cold weather gear and it was just perfect. 

[joeecco]

31 minutes ago, Presto2 said:

On a different note, what is the weather like in late May, early June? Or is that a 'you have to see what happens' answers? Like I mentioned we were on Azura last Easter and the weather for the one week cruise was just incredible. We had sunshine every day of the cruise and it was just beautiful -- and very warm. Sunbathing weather in Norway - we had taken all of our cold weather gear and it was just perfect. 

I haven’t cruised at this time of year to the Fjords yet but we are next year. We’ve done in the fjords in scorching heat and in torrential rain and we thought it was so much nicer in the rain! The waterfalls and the low mist are breathtaking! Arriving into Flam (not anymore sadly!) early morning with the low mist was something we will remember forever, the tiny port appearing at the last few seconds and being in awe of how close the ship gets. The 180 degree turn leaving was another moment we’ll remember forever, slowly passing the waterfalls in each side was just gorgeous! My point is that whatever the weather, Norway’s beauty will shine through!

[Presto2]

Thanks everyone for the help. The only issue we now have is the ship ---- we have been having a look and Iona really doesn't seem like she is the one for us. She just seems too big. We loved Britannia and similar sized ships to her on Celebrity but Iona just seems to be a monster.

[joeecco]

1 minute ago, Presto2 said:

Thanks everyone for the help. The only issue we now have is the ship ---- we have been having a look and Iona really doesn't seem like she is the one for us. She just seems too big. We loved Britannia and similar sized ships to her on Celebrity but Iona just seems to be a monster.

Everyone has their own opinion of course but it still may be worth trying her out? She is huge yes I agree but the prices seem very fair, we’ve had a good deal for next year. And with all of the new options for dining and entertainment onboard we’re excited. Also, the huge promenade and glass panelled atrium would be beautiful cruising the fjords! If you see a good price then it may be worth trying her, after all at least theres a midship staircase haha! 

[Presto2]

32 minutes ago, joeecco said:

Everyone has their own opinion of course but it still may be worth trying her out? She is huge yes I agree but the prices seem very fair, we’ve had a good deal for next year. And with all of the new options for dining and entertainment onboard we’re excited. Also, the huge promenade and glass panelled atrium would be beautiful cruising the fjords! If you see a good price then it may be worth trying her, after all at least theres a midship staircase haha! 

 

We tend to be pretty adventurous so will try most things. It just seems a lot of people and at the minute the thoughts of being with over 6000 people on that ship really doesn't appeal to us at all. Like I said though, we love Britannia ...... I just wish we had more photos to go on of what she is like. I am looking but can't find much at all. Will keep looking at her. 

 

What is so frustrating too is that a couple of other cruises we really fancy go the same day the schools break up so we can't go for obvious reasons. Just so annoying when they call it a 'school holiday cruise' and you'd have to call a 'sickie' to do it !!!!!!!

[joeecco]

1 minute ago, Presto2 said:

 

We tend to be pretty adventurous so will try most things. It just seems a lot of people and at the minute the thoughts of being with over 6000 people on that ship really doesn't appeal to us at all. Like I said though, we love Britannia ...... I just wish we had more photos to go on of what she is like. I am looking but can't find much at all. Will keep looking at her. 

 

What is so frustrating too is that a couple of other cruises we really fancy go the same day the schools break up so we can't go for obvious reasons. Just so annoying when they call it a 'school holiday cruise' and you'd have to call a 'sickie' to do it !!!!!!!

Oh that is so irritating yes! I say do it to the sickie haha! Holidays are just as important to kids as school, especially when it’s the last day and they’ll just be watching films haha!! 
 

In regards to Iona, I totally get that. And I agree about lack of photos! P&O always seem to think understated and quiet is the best way to handle PR as opposed to the American lines that shout everything from the rooftops. I think a full video tour now she’s been handed over would be brilliant. Gives us some sort of cruising normality too which we all need aha. 

[Presto2]

3 minutes ago, joeecco said:

Oh that is so irritating yes! I say do it to the sickie haha! Holidays are just as important to kids as school, especially when it’s the last day and they’ll just be watching films haha!! 
 

In regards to Iona, I totally get that. And I agree about lack of photos! P&O always seem to think understated and quiet is the best way to handle PR as opposed to the American lines that shout everything from the rooftops. I think a full video tour now she’s been handed over would be brilliant. Gives us some sort of cruising normality too which we all need aha. 

 

Better not do the sickie - probably get the sack 😉

 

Have to say when we have sailed on Celebrity when Silhouette and Edge were new we had see every inch of her before we got there ! (And we were on Silhouette's 2nd cruise I think). They really knew how to show images and photos ! 

[joeecco]

Just now, Presto2 said:

 

Better not do the sickie - probably get the sack 😉

 

Have to say when we have sailed on Celebrity when Silhouette and Edge were new we had see every inch of her before we got there ! (And we were on Silhouette's 2nd cruise I think). They really knew how to show images and photos ! 

Yeah I can imagine! Royal Caribbean would shout about changing the toilet roll holder If that’s all they’d done! It’s the same with Azura, she’s currently in Southampton having public areas reworked but not a peep about the details of it or any images! 

[terrierjohn]

39 minutes ago, Presto2 said:

 

We tend to be pretty adventurous so will try most things. It just seems a lot of people and at the minute the thoughts of being with over 6000 people on that ship really doesn't appeal to us at all. Like I said though, we love Britannia ...... I just wish we had more photos to go on of what she is like. I am looking but can't find much at all. Will keep looking at her. 

 

What is so frustrating too is that a couple of other cruises we really fancy go the same day the schools break up so we can't go for obvious reasons. Just so annoying when they call it a 'school holiday cruise' and you'd have to call a 'sickie' to do it !!!!!!!

Britannia has a lower space ratio than Azura/Ventura but still feels much less crowded than them, so hopefully Iona will have made the optimum use of her space and could also end up feeling spacious.

[Presto2]

11 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

Britannia has a lower space ratio than Azura/Ventura but still feels much less crowded than them, so hopefully Iona will have made the optimum use of her space and could also end up feeling spacious.

It is worth thinking about but I wish we had more images to go on --- I normally do far more research re new ships and the cabins etc etc so if we book her it will not be for a while. The problem is I am guessing that there may be a lot of people who may want to move 2021 cruises to 2022 over the coming months.

[kruzseeka]

We once went to the Fjords in early May - and they'd just had a snowfall!   It meant for quite a chill when the wind blew down the Fjord over the snow capped mountains en route - but it was beautiful!  Very scenic and photogenic  We had warm clothing but remember taking off jackets to tie round our middle when on walks as it really wasn't too chilly and apart from some rain in Bergen (not unusual) we had decent weather.

[Presto2]

1 minute ago, kruzseeka said:

We once went to the Fjords in early May - and they'd just had a snowfall!   It meant for quite a chill when the wind blew down the Fjord over the snow capped mountains en route - but it was beautiful!  Very scenic and photogenic  We had warm clothing but remember taking off jackets to tie round our middle when on walks as it really wasn't too chilly and apart from some rain in Bergen (not unusual) we had decent weather.

 

We had a wonderful excursion to the top of a mountain in the April. It was a glorious sunny day and there was snow everywhere. Just loved it  - it made up for us not having a snow holiday that year 🙂

[Selbourne]

56 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

Britannia has a lower space ratio than Azura/Ventura but still feels much less crowded than them, so hopefully Iona will have made the optimum use of her space and could also end up feeling spacious.

I would agree with this. We have always felt that Britannia feels less crowded than Ventura and Azura. Although our best cruises have been on Aurora (we prefer her passenger profile and more interesting itineraries), we miss the facilities of Britannia and the extra space to wander around. Our next P&O cruise will most likely be on Iona, as she seems to have addressed Britannia’s shortcomings. A 7 night fjord cruise appeals as we can work around all the select dining restaurants, but we might splash out on a suite to have a spacious bolt hole should things become too much for us 😂 

[Dermotsgirl]

3 hours ago, Presto2 said:

On a different note, what is the weather like in late May, early June? Or is that a 'you have to see what happens' answers? Like I mentioned we were on Azura last Easter and the weather for the one week cruise was just incredible. We had sunshine every day of the cruise and it was just beautiful -- and very warm. Sunbathing weather in Norway - we had taken all of our cold weather gear and it was just perfect. 

I went on a fjords cruise in early May, and we had some lovely weather.  We still needed a jacket, but in a sheltered spot, with the sun shining, it was t shirt weather.  I think it can be the luck of the draw though.

 

We are still waiting patiently for our March 2021 cruise on Iona to be cancelled, but if P&O don't cancel it before our balance due date, we may consider switching it to a 7 night Iona fjords cruise for April 2022, just to make sure that we don't lose our balance. We're not too worried about the weather, it would just be an opportunity to see the ship and try the dining experiences. 

[AndyMichelle]

10 minutes ago, Dermotsgirl said:

I went on a fjords cruise in early May, and we had some lovely weather.  We still needed a jacket, but in a sheltered spot, with the sun shining, it was t shirt weather.  I think it can be the luck of the draw though.

 

We are still waiting patiently for our March 2021 cruise on Iona to be cancelled, but if P&O don't cancel it before our balance due date, we may consider switching it to a 7 night Iona fjords cruise for April 2022, just to make sure that we don't lose our balance. We're not too worried about the weather, it would just be an opportunity to see the ship and try the dining experiences. 

May 2018 on Brittania, we had beautiful weather. 

I was sunbathing by the pool sailing out of Bergen in jeans as I never took any shorts.. 

Layers is the way to go. 

Andy 

[SarahHben]

My daughter & son-in-law went to Norway on Britannia last week of May 2018 for their honeymoon and had lovely weather. They said they were in shorts most days.

[P&O SUE]

We went to Norway late April going into May and it was very very cold. Lots of blue skies though!

[Francisdrake]

I've been on two Fjords cruises so far &  the weather on the one in May was a lot better than the one in August.

 

I'm looking at the 12 night Norway cruises for October 2022 but not sure which would be best.

 

First one is on Arcadia at the beginning of October and calls at Andalsnes sails through Romsdalsfjord up to Tromso then to Narvik for an overnight & last call is Stavanger before going back to Southampton.

 

2nd one is on Aurora at the end of October and is the same itinerary as above but substitutes in an Alta overnight for Narvik.

 

I'm leaning towards the end of October/early November one as I'm thinking that it'll be dark for longer than the one at the beginning of October so give me more chance of seeing the Northern Lights.     Also looked at the 2021 itinerary & there's a Norway cruise in November so half thinking about waiting until November 2022 cruises go on sale.

 

 

 

 

[Presto2]

Just booked it - thank you everyone for your advice 🙂 

[P&O SUE]

1 hour ago, Presto2 said:

Just booked it - thank you everyone for your advice 🙂 

I have been considering Iona to Norway for 2022 but I can’t decide as if my Med one doesn’t sail next year I might want to go that direction! It’s so hard to know what to do! We have been to Norway before but everything was frozen so wanted to go again with the waterfalls flowing.

[Presto2]

Just now, P&O SUE said:

I have been considering Iona to Norway for 2022 but I can’t decide as if my Med one doesn’t sail next year I might want to go that direction! It’s so hard to know what to do! We have been to Norway before but everything was frozen so wanted to go again with the waterfalls flowing.

 

We've spent the whole day looking at all that we can do and kept coming back to this one. Gut reaction and though we are still not 100% sure about the ship we have an aft cabin and a lovely itinerary. 

 

Come and join us 😉

[P&O SUE]

2 minutes ago, Presto2 said:

 

We've spent the whole day looking at all that we can do and kept coming back to this one. Gut reaction and though we are still not 100% sure about the ship we have an aft cabin and a lovely itinerary. 

 

Come and join us 😉

I am tempted 😊

[Presto2]

13 minutes ago, P&O SUE said:

I am tempted 😊

 

🙂 🙂 🙂 

 

Or the person who goes first can pass on tips to the other 🙂

[AndyMichelle]

33 minutes ago, Presto2 said:

 

We've spent the whole day looking at all that we can do and kept coming back to this one. Gut reaction and though we are still not 100% sure about the ship we have an aft cabin and a lovely itinerary. 

 

Come and join us 😉

Stop worrying about the ship, you will be in a stunning region on a brand new ship with great service and good food. 

Although we have preferred some ships to others, we have always managed to make the most of it. 

You will have a great time I'm sure. 

Andy