Viking Homelands Ports - Excursion recommendations?

[SempreMare]

To previous Viking Homelands passengers (or others experienced with this itinerary,) 

were there any port excursions you found especially enjoyable or memorable?  Order of ports for our upcoming Viking Homelands is: 

 

01 Stockholm - Embarkation and overnight in Stockholm.  Royal Evening Cruise (embarkation day evening - only option)

02 Stockholm - 2:30pm Sailaway

03 Mariehamn, Åland Islands, Finland

04 Sea Day 

05 Gdańsk, Poland 

06 Bornholm (Rønne), Denmark 

07 Berlin, Germany  11:00pm Sailaway (yay!)

08 Copenhagen, Denmark 

09 Alborg / Skagen, Denmark 

10 Oslo, Norway 

12 Stavanger, Norway 

13 Eidfjord, Norway 

14 Bergen, Norway - Full day and overnight in port. 

15 Bergen, Norway - Disembarkation early early.  

 

Ports based on a October 2021 Guest Statement.   (noting the date since it just ports / timesmight have changed since...)

I've copied this to a Google Doc for reference on the trip.   
 

PS: 

Highlighted the Tender port because:

 

A surprise to me (a bad surprise) on the British Isles Explorer was how much time the need to "tender" deleted from the already small amount of time in any port.    My first cruise, Holland America, Seward --> Alaska, had zero tender ports. 

Am very relieved to see only 1 tender port on this itinerary.  

 

Edited February 7, 2023 by SempreMare

[SempreMare]

 

@CDR2001, which excursion did you take?  Did you hear of any you'd recommend for Bornholm? 

 

 

2 hours ago, CDR2001 said:

We sailed Homelands last August, and no ports were missed.  (Although of all on our itinerary, I would have gladly missed Bornholm as it wasn’t as interesting as the other ports.) 

 

[duquephart]

No brainers:

 

Vasa Museum in Stockholm - easily done on your own.

Roskilde out of Copenhagen.

Fjord cruise (Pulpit Rock) out of Stavanger - book Rodne for 1/3 of what Viking wants.

Flam RR out of Eidfjord.

 

These choices were all made based on much research here and elsewhere.

 

 

 

[loriva]

6 hours ago, duquephart said:

No brainers:

 

Vasa Museum in Stockholm - easily done on your own.

Roskilde out of Copenhagen.

Fjord cruise (Pulpit Rock) out of Stavanger - book Rodne for 1/3 of what Viking wants.

Flam RR out of Eidfjord.

 

These choices were all made based on much research here and elsewhere.

 

 

 

 

Thanks for your information, @duquephart.  We're also looking to do the Vasa Museum, probably on embarkation day as our flight to Stockholm arrives too late the previous day to visit it then.  DH has never been to Stockholm, so we are looking to take Viking's included tour the second day of the cruise.  (We're on the same cruise as @SempreMare.)  I've been trying to find a private option to the evening cruise in Stockholm our first night, but not finding any on the nights we are there.  One company will not post its schedule for 2023 until April, so maybe then.

 

I'd second the recommendations for Roskilde and the Flam RR.  Did both many decades ago when I lived in Copenhagen.  Roskilde gains in importance as the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo is closed for renovations (of course since we have lots of time there--an overnight--due to the change of itinerary stemming from Russia's invasion of Ukraine).  It's a little bit complex to get to Roskilde from the port using public transit--excellent and reliable in Denmark--but given the 12 hours we have there, doable on your own.  I may send DH on Viking's Flam excursion as he has not been.

 

Thanks for the recommendation for the Pulpit Rock cruise!

 

[CDR2001]

Iconic Berlin was a highlight for us, in spite of the 2.5 hour train ride. We had the best guide of the trip, and she told lots of family stories of life during the days of the wall, and she had grandparents who survived the *** camps.  We also liked Malborg castle in Gdańsk and the Gdańsk walking tour. Oslo and Copenhagen included tours were good too. I agree with all of Duquepharts suggestions. Due to port timing, we could not book a private Pulpit Rock tour. The small islands Viking visited were our least favorite walking tours, as they were all similar. We stayed in Stockholm pre cruise, and Bergen post, and we took some independent tours and cruises from there. We also enjoyed the Bergen trip to Mt Floien. We had some leftover OBC so did it with Viking, but it’s easily done independently. Bergen and the Historic area was great. 

[Nippy Sweetie]

We loved this cruise. An unexpected highlight was the evening jazz cruise in Copenhagen. I don't know if it's still on though.

[duquephart]

6 hours ago, loriva said:

 

Thanks for your information, @duquephart.  We're also looking to do the Vasa Museum, probably on embarkation day as our flight to Stockholm arrives too late the previous day to visit it then.  DH has never been to Stockholm, so we are looking to take Viking's included tour the second day of the cruise.  (We're on the same cruise as @SempreMare.)  I've been trying to find a private option to the evening cruise in Stockholm our first night, but not finding any on the nights we are there.  One company will not post its schedule for 2023 until April, so maybe then.

 

I'd second the recommendations for Roskilde and the Flam RR.  Did both many decades ago when I lived in Copenhagen.  Roskilde gains in importance as the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo is closed for renovations (of course since we have lots of time there--an overnight--due to the change of itinerary stemming from Russia's invasion of Ukraine).  It's a little bit complex to get to Roskilde from the port using public transit--excellent and reliable in Denmark--but given the 12 hours we have there, doable on your own.  I may send DH on Viking's Flam excursion as he has not been.

 

Thanks for the recommendation for the Pulpit Rock cruise!

 

 

The guide on the Roskilde had the driver take the "scenic route" through the countryside. We visited a small village with a beautiful little church and grounds. The quality of the guide is always a huge factor and can be hit/miss.

[duquephart]

5 hours ago, CDR2001 said:

Iconic Berlin was a highlight for us, in spite of the 2.5 hour train ride. We had the best guide of the trip, and she told lots of family stories of life during the days of the wall, and she had grandparents who survived the *** camps.  We also liked Malborg castle in Gdańsk and the Gdańsk walking tour. Oslo and Copenhagen included tours were good too. I agree with all of Duquepharts suggestions. Due to port timing, we could not book a private Pulpit Rock tour. The small islands Viking visited were our least favorite walking tours, as they were all similar. We stayed in Stockholm pre cruise, and Bergen post, and we took some independent tours and cruises from there. We also enjoyed the Bergen trip to Mt Floien. We had some leftover OBC so did it with Viking, but it’s easily done independently. Bergen and the Historic area was great. 

 

I probably should have included Malbork on my list.