Norwegian Fjords Silver Dawn Review

[ladrona]

We just got off our first SS cruise, the 10-day Copenhagen-to-Copenhagen Norwegian Fjords itinerary. It was an absolutely wonderful vacation and exceeded our expectations in every way. I loved combing through reviews in the months leading up to our trip so wanted to post here with our overwhelmingly positive experience. 

 

My husband and I (mid-30s) traveled with my in-laws. This was a very special and intentional trip for us as my mother-in-law, diagnosed with early onset dementia in her 50s, is now nearing a state where travel is very difficult and discombobulating. She and my father-in-law were wonderful enthusiastic world travelers before her diagnosis so this trip was conceived of as one final travel hurrah. This itinerary was extra meaningful as my MIL has Norwegian roots and took a really memorable trip here with her mother when my MIL was in her 20s. We knew there would be significant challenges with international travel but we were all up for the adventure and I am so, so glad we all had this time together.

 

Booking

We booked through a travel agent on an AMEX Platinum - I mention this because our TA was able to get $600 OBC and the AMEX booking provided an additional $300 OBC + a bottle of 2012 Dom Perignon. I didn’t know about this offer prior to this forum so hope it may be useful to some.

 

Copenhagen

We did P2P, not D2D, but stayed at the SS-designated hotel the Skt Petri. The location is perfection, in the heart of the pedestrian walkways of Copenhagen. We had a very easy 30-minute cab from the airport to the hotel, and on the day of embarkation, it was about a 12-minute taxi from the hotel to the Langelinie pier. While in Copenhagen we rented a GoBoat for one hour (~$80 USD) and this was a fabulous and peaceful way to see a bit of Copenhagen. 

 

Accessibility

One of our big fears pre-trip involved mobility issues. My MIL is very sight-limited and has some cognitive delay so is at high risk for falls. She requires assistance with walking and any terrain changes can be treacherous. I saw many guests utilizing wheelchairs, scooters, canes, etc and we did not feel out of place one bit. Everyone was so helpful and accommodating and multiple times fellow passengers would help with guiding or stabilizing our bunch (and my MIL has a convenient penchant for latching onto strapping Scandinavian gentlemen…one does have to wonder!). The dining crew was absolutely phenomenal and provided help with menu selection and never, ever made us feel rushed or like we were inconveniencing them. When it came to tendering, my MIL would hold her arms out in a “T” and an attendant on each arm would lift her into the tender boat. It was surprisingly successful and, frankly, a little glamorous.

 

 

Entertainment

We had the Voices of Silversea for our voyage. I had read mixed reviews going in but we really enjoyed the performances. If you have very cool original indie taste in music this might not be for you but if, like me, you are all about show tunes and power ballads I think you will find plenty to enjoy! The Les Mis medley on night 1 was -chef’s kiss-!

 

Casino

We loved our casino crew! This is a small room with two tables (Blackjack and Texas Hold ‘Em) as well as a few noiseless slot machines. Emma and Marco were excellent dealers and we loved the friends we made. We had a very solid squad of casual players who returned most nights to socialize at the tables. By my estimation, my partner and I combined made about $6 an hour for our efforts so we won’t be retiring off of our winnings anytime soon.

 

Food

Wonderful! Since it was our first SS cruise we didn’t feel the need to do any of the specialty dining. The breakfast buffet was phenomenal and I did my part to keep all of our cruise fares high by eating my weight in sashimi every day for lunch. We enjoyed SALT Kitchen immensely (and our wonderful waiters, Raphael and Colin), and found Atlantide (Atlanta-tude, as my FIL hilariously called it) delicious. My formal night dress fit much more snugly at the end of the voyage than at the beginning!

(Action shot of my husband trying to get my zipper up at the end of the trip)

 

Misc

The emergency alarm sounded in error at 3am one night of our voyage. Having watched a lot of cruise ship disaster documentaries, my soul immediately left my body out of fright. A glance out the window showed we were still in port (for our Oslo overnight) and I felt somewhat confident I could at least float my body the 10 feet to dry land if the ship really were going down. Fortunately, the captain came on the loudspeaker to reassure us it was a false alarm and our cruise director did a fantastic job incorporating the minor mishap into jokes the next day.

 

Cruise Director

Speaking of cruise director, Bruno was absolutely fantastic. Does a more charismatic man exist? I will pose this question to the SS board away from my husband’s prying eyes ;). But truly, Bruno was wonderful and had a gentle quip for everything. He is perfect for his job.

 

Ports & Excursions

Bergen-Flam-Olden-Geiranger-Arendal-Oslo

Others have reviewed these much better than I could ever, but in the fjords each port was more beautiful than the last and Geirganger was a lifetime highlight. Going in we thought of Arendal as a filler port but found it to be a really lovely little seaside town. 

 

This board prepared me well for the weather! It was misty - rainy - sunny nearly every day and never in the same order. A rainjacket is a must (SS provides an umbrella) but we were never miserable. 

 

I am longwinded as ever, but suffice it to say I just loved this trip and everyone we met along the way. We are already looking forward to the next one but at $6 an hour, it will take many more hours in the blackjack coal mines to get there.

 

 

 

Edited August 17, 2023 by ladrona

[Catlover54]

Thank you for your review, which is not long-winded at all -- it is thorough.  I am glad you had a wonderful time.

One option to keep in mind for your next cruise, is trousers with an elastic waist, and a stylish tunic to cover them up.  There are some really nice ones out there (e.g., linen) and they will spare you the infamous end-of-cruise zipper agony.  🙂

 

(Mrs.)

[RLK33853]

Excellent review.  Thanks for sharing your adventure.

[Tudorcruisers]

Excellent review. We did the same trip back in June and had an amazing cruise.  Totally agree about Bruno, he is a brilliant CD.  I was blown away when he came to say Welcome back to me when he saw me as I had been on Silver Dawn June 2022 and he even remembered my name!!  

[gnome12]

I will be doing a similar (but not identical) itinerary next June. Can you talk about the excursions you took in Flåm and Geiranger. I am having difficulty choosing excursions for these 2 ports. Thanks.

[drkitkat123]

thanks,great review

Can you make a comment about what everyone was wearing or not on the different designated nights

[highplanesdrifters]

A most excellent review!  Thanks, and keep em coming.

[hencoll]

Great review.  I did this same cruise in July and loved every minute of it. 

[RICHARD@SEA]

lLadrona - 

 

Thank you for taking the time to share your experience.

 

One note - I had an Aunt that had early onset Alzheimer's - she was my Auntie Mame - took me on my first cruise and pretty much anywhere she went (she didn't have children) she was quite glamourous and worldly.

 

when it became apparent, she too would not be able to travel much anymore I booked a cruise to Bermuda w Auntie & my parents.  It was challenging but the week was great.  She came out of her shell - she loved dining, dancing & wearing her jewelry & beautiful clothes.

 

But the most wonderful gift of the week is the time & memories  I have and carry with me 25+ years later.(and will the rest of my life).

 

So I wish you the same - good for  you, your MIL, FIL & husband.

 

One funny note - we did hit a storm on the way to Bermuda - it was bad & lasted 24 hours - my Mother was scared stiff, my Dad was a WWII Navy so he was fine.  I was worried about Auntie ....

On leaving the ship the last day my Aunt suddenly said "We had such beautiful weather"  I just looked at Mom & Dad  and we laughed.

 

Hold your memories..

[ladrona]

6 hours ago, gnome12 said:

I will be doing a similar (but not identical) itinerary next June. Can you talk about the excursions you took in Flåm and Geiranger. I am having difficulty choosing excursions for these 2 ports. Thanks.

Of course! For Flam we had planned to do the Iconic Flam Railway as part of the 2nd group. Very unluckily for the first group a tree fell on the railway and left them stuck for several hours so of course our journey was canceled last minute. We ended up taking a shuttle service located right outside the cruise port to the Loen gondola and we found this spectacular. Some of the most amazing views I have ever seen.

For Geiranger the town itself is very small (about 200 people IIRC) but lovely. There's a gorgeous waterfall in town that requires a short walk from the ship and (I am guessing) about 30-40 stairs. We did the kayaking excursion that day and I will say it is much more strenuous than the Olden one we did the day prior - our guides told us we went about 10km total. They also called our double kayaks "little divorce machines" and with the amount of zigging I did while my beloved zagged I can certainly see how that moniker could stick :P. My in laws did the sightseeing bus tour and found it perfect for their needs. And truly, the Geiranger sail away is a once-in-a-lifetime cannot-miss event.

[ladrona]

5 hours ago, drkitkat123 said:

thanks,great review

Can you make a comment about what everyone was wearing or not on the different designated nights

Yes, we had much mental anguish picking outfits and way overpacked! In the end, I felt like there was decent variation among guests each night and I never felt out of place nor did I see others sticking out like sore thumbs. For casual nights I would wear nice sandals, dark jeans, and a sweater. The men wore nice button-downs but no jackets on casual nights

 

For informal my MIL and I would wear nice dress pants and a put together top, the men wore nice khaki or navy jackets with trousers.

 

On formal nights we saw it run the gamut - I opted for what is better called a cocktail or semi-formal gown (hitting mid-shin) and my MIL wore dress flats with a nice matching pantsuit. I know these are not strictly formal outfits but no one seemed bothered by our presence. The men wore dark suits, not tuxes - although we saw plenty and anyone who feels like puttin' on the ritz will be in good company!

 

One note I have is that if you are interested in La Terrazza, Silver Note, La Dame, etc I would make these reservations well in advance for a cold-weather cruise. As The Grill and other outdoor dining areas do not attract many people on these itinerearies I think the reservation-only places fill up even more than usual. Once we boarded we were hoping to secure a rezzie at La Terrazza early on but never had any luck.

[ladrona]

2 hours ago, RICHARD@SEA said:

lLadrona - 

 

Thank you for taking the time to share your experience.

 

One note - I had an Aunt that had early onset Alzheimer's - she was my Auntie Mame - took me on my first cruise and pretty much anywhere she went (she didn't have children) she was quite glamourous and worldly.

 

when it became apparent, she too would not be able to travel much anymore I booked a cruise to Bermuda w Auntie & my parents.  It was challenging but the week was great.  She came out of her shell - she loved dining, dancing & wearing her jewelry & beautiful clothes.

 

But the most wonderful gift of the week is the time & memories  I have and carry with me 25+ years later.(and will the rest of my life).

 

So I wish you the same - good for  you, your MIL, FIL & husband.

 

One funny note - we did hit a storm on the way to Bermuda - it was bad & lasted 24 hours - my Mother was scared stiff, my Dad was a WWII Navy so he was fine.  I was worried about Auntie ....

On leaving the ship the last day my Aunt suddenly said "We had such beautiful weather"  I just looked at Mom & Dad  and we laughed.

 

Hold your memories..

Thank you for sharing your story, too! The trip had its challenges but we feel very grateful for the memories and already my MIL thinks she may have one more cruise in her! Your auntie had just the type of selective memory I myself am going for as well 😄

[Port Power]

16 hours ago, ladrona said:

We just got off our first SS cruise, the 10-day Copenhagen-to-Copenhagen Norwegian Fjords itinerary. It was an absolutely wonderful vacation and exceeded our expectations in every way. I loved combing through reviews in the months leading up to our trip so wanted to post here with our overwhelmingly positive experience. 

 

My husband and I (mid-30s) traveled with my in-laws. This was a very special and intentional trip for us as my mother-in-law, diagnosed with early onset dementia in her 50s, is now nearing a state where travel is very difficult and discombobulating. She and my father-in-law were wonderful enthusiastic world travelers before her diagnosis so this trip was conceived of as one final travel hurrah. This itinerary was extra meaningful as my MIL has Norwegian roots and took a really memorable trip here with her mother when my MIL was in her 20s. We knew there would be significant challenges with international travel but we were all up for the adventure and I am so, so glad we all had this time together.

 

Booking

We booked through a travel agent on an AMEX Platinum - I mention this because our TA was able to get $600 OBC and the AMEX booking provided an additional $300 OBC + a bottle of 2012 Dom Perignon. I didn’t know about this offer prior to this forum so hope it may be useful to some.

 

Copenhagen

We did P2P, not D2D, but stayed at the SS-designated hotel the Skt Petri. The location is perfection, in the heart of the pedestrian walkways of Copenhagen. We had a very easy 30-minute cab from the airport to the hotel, and on the day of embarkation, it was about a 12-minute taxi from the hotel to the Langelinie pier. While in Copenhagen we rented a GoBoat for one hour (~$80 USD) and this was a fabulous and peaceful way to see a bit of Copenhagen. 

 

Accessibility

One of our big fears pre-trip involved mobility issues. My MIL is very sight-limited and has some cognitive delay so is at high risk for falls. She requires assistance with walking and any terrain changes can be treacherous. I saw many guests utilizing wheelchairs, scooters, canes, etc and we did not feel out of place one bit. Everyone was so helpful and accommodating and multiple times fellow passengers would help with guiding or stabilizing our bunch (and my MIL has a convenient penchant for latching onto strapping Scandinavian gentlemen…one does have to wonder!). The dining crew was absolutely phenomenal and provided help with menu selection and never, ever made us feel rushed or like we were inconveniencing them. When it came to tendering, my MIL would hold her arms out in a “T” and an attendant on each arm would lift her into the tender boat. It was surprisingly successful and, frankly, a little glamorous.

 

 

Entertainment

We had the Voices of Silversea for our voyage. I had read mixed reviews going in but we really enjoyed the performances. If you have very cool original indie taste in music this might not be for you but if, like me, you are all about show tunes and power ballads I think you will find plenty to enjoy! The Les Mis medley on night 1 was -chef’s kiss-!

 

Casino

We loved our casino crew! This is a small room with two tables (Blackjack and Texas Hold ‘Em) as well as a few noiseless slot machines. Emma and Marco were excellent dealers and we loved the friends we made. We had a very solid squad of casual players who returned most nights to socialize at the tables. By my estimation, my partner and I combined made about $6 an hour for our efforts so we won’t be retiring off of our winnings anytime soon.

 

Food

Wonderful! Since it was our first SS cruise we didn’t feel the need to do any of the specialty dining. The breakfast buffet was phenomenal and I did my part to keep all of our cruise fares high by eating my weight in sashimi every day for lunch. We enjoyed SALT Kitchen immensely (and our wonderful waiters, Raphael and Colin), and found Atlantide (Atlanta-tude, as my FIL hilariously called it) delicious. My formal night dress fit much more snugly at the end of the voyage than at the beginning!

(Action shot of my husband trying to get my zipper up at the end of the trip)

 

Misc

The emergency alarm sounded in error at 3am one night of our voyage. Having watched a lot of cruise ship disaster documentaries, my soul immediately left my body out of fright. A glance out the window showed we were still in port (for our Oslo overnight) and I felt somewhat confident I could at least float my body the 10 feet to dry land if the ship really were going down. Fortunately, the captain came on the loudspeaker to reassure us it was a false alarm and our cruise director did a fantastic job incorporating the minor mishap into jokes the next day.

 

Cruise Director

Speaking of cruise director, Bruno was absolutely fantastic. Does a more charismatic man exist? I will pose this question to the SS board away from my husband’s prying eyes ;). But truly, Bruno was wonderful and had a gentle quip for everything. He is perfect for his job.

 

Ports & Excursions

Bergen-Flam-Olden-Geiranger-Arendal-Oslo

Others have reviewed these much better than I could ever, but in the fjords each port was more beautiful than the last and Geirganger was a lifetime highlight. Going in we thought of Arendal as a filler port but found it to be a really lovely little seaside town. 

 

This board prepared me well for the weather! It was misty - rainy - sunny nearly every day and never in the same order. A rainjacket is a must (SS provides an umbrella) but we were never miserable. 

 

I am longwinded as ever, but suffice it to say I just loved this trip and everyone we met along the way. We are already looking forward to the next one but at $6 an hour, it will take many more hours in the blackjack coal mines to get there.

 

 

 

I was on the same cruise, @ladrona, and concur with everything you said.  It was my first S/S classic cruise and ai thoroughly enjoyed it.  There were very few people your age aboard, so I think I remember seeing you around the ship.

I particularly liked the ease of stepping off the ship onto the tender. No stairs to navigate at all.  After more than 40 cruises, Silver Dawn’s accessibility was a revelation.

 

It is such a pity The Voices of Silversea are being disbanded.  I enjoyed all their shows and performances.  This group finish in two months’ time.  Although I like watching dancers, I really cannot visualise how having just two singers with work out.  What if one is sick?  I suggested to Bruno that his assistant cruise directors might have to fill in!

 

On your next cruise, think about joining the ship’s roll call.  You had a self sufficient group already, but it is really nice having the occasional chat with people you have “met” on Cruise Critic.

 

This was my second Norwegian fjords cruise, but I could gladly do it again as there is so much to see.

 

I am really glad to hear your in-laws had a good time as well. What a wonderful last hurrah family trip for you all.

[Port Power]

7 hours ago, gnome12 said:

I will be doing a similar (but not identical) itinerary next June. Can you talk about the excursions you took in Flåm and Geiranger. I am having difficulty choosing excursions for these 2 ports. Thanks.

If you don’t mind, I’ll add my excursion. The train is iconic if you have never done it before, but ship tours only do half the distance then get out at a restaurant.  As I had done the train before (independent booking directly with Flåm Rail), this time I chose the 2-hour cruise and combined bus sightseeing.  It was wonderful!  The relaxing cruise (inside out of the rain) took us past literally hundreds of waterfalls, plus remote farms still only accessible by water.  Commentary was good.  At the end we transferred onto a bus, through a large town we had seen from the boat, and up a steep switchback road to a magnificent view point high above the water.  “It’s like standing right over the water” we were told.  A marvellous piece of engineering, and the drive was really interesting.  However, we only had a view of the clouds below us! 😢  It was a really good excursion.

 

The Geiranger morning bus excursion was really good too. We headed way up to the highest point, a long drive but superb views everywhere. An excellent guide too.

[Lonedaddy]

8 hours ago, gnome12 said:

I will be doing a similar (but not identical) itinerary next June. Can you talk about the excursions you took in Flåm and Geiranger. I am having difficulty choosing excursions for these 2 ports. Thanks.

we did the dawn in early June this past summer. Southhampton to Copenhagen.   We stopped at both ports and were very fortunate we didn't get any rain and was mostly sunny.  In gerainger we did that later tour" PANORAMIC MT. DALSNIBBA & EAGLE ROAD"  a bus ride with several scenic stops and time at the top of the mountain to shop and see the beautiful scenery.   There was still 3-6 ft deep snow fields and frozen lakes up high.    Some of the hairpin turns were a little scary in the big bus but the driver has done it so many times I suppose he could almost do it in his sleep.

 

We did the Flam railway, and it was equally spectacular.  At myrdal they have a stop at the waterfall a ballet company that performed to music the myth of the sirens there.  On the way up I was so mesmerized by the waterfall itself that I didn't see the performers.  On the stop on the way down I did and it was very well down.  

[drkitkat123]

2 hours ago, ladrona said:

Yes, we had much mental anguish picking outfits and way overpacked! In the end, I felt like there was decent variation among guests each night and I never felt out of place nor did I see others sticking out like sore thumbs. For casual nights I would wear nice sandals, dark jeans, and a sweater. The men wore nice button-downs but no jackets on casual nights

 

For informal my MIL and I would wear nice dress pants and a put together top, the men wore nice khaki or navy jackets with trousers.

 

On formal nights we saw it run the gamut - I opted for what is better called a cocktail or semi-formal gown (hitting mid-shin) and my MIL wore dress flats with a nice matching pantsuit. I know these are not strictly formal outfits but no one seemed bothered by our presence. The men wore dark suits, not tuxes - although we saw plenty and anyone who feels like puttin' on the ritz will be in good company!

 

One note I have is that if you are interested in La Terrazza, Silver Note, La Dame, etc I would make these reservations well in advance for a cold-weather cruise. As The Grill and other outdoor dining areas do not attract many people on these itinerearies I think the reservation-only places fill up even more than usual. Once we boarded we were hoping to secure a rezzie at La Terrazza early on but never had any luck.

thank you

[gnome12]

4 hours ago, Port Power said:

If you don’t mind, I’ll add my excursion. The train is iconic if you have never done it before, but ship tours only do half the distance then get out at a restaurant.  As I had done the train before (independent booking directly with Flåm Rail), this time I chose the 2-hour cruise and combined bus sightseeing.  It was wonderful!  The relaxing cruise (inside out of the rain) took us past literally hundreds of waterfalls, plus remote farms still only accessible by water.  Commentary was good.  At the end we transferred onto a bus, through a large town we had seen from the boat, and up a steep switchback road to a magnificent view point high above the water.  “It’s like standing right over the water” we were told.  A marvellous piece of engineering, and the drive was really interesting.  However, we only had a view of the clouds below us! 😢  It was a really good excursion.

 

The Geiranger morning bus excursion was really good too. We headed way up to the highest point, a long drive but superb views everywhere. An excellent guide too.

Since you have done both the Flåm railway and the Næroyfjord cruise, could you answer a few questions. What time did you get back from your cruise/tour? I was thinking if I did that I might be able to do the railway on my own later. But I have been reading lots of posts about Silversea shortening port times, so I worry. I am also looking at the extra cost tour that does one way on the railway, then does part of the Oslo-Bergen railway line before returning by bus from Voss I think. Do you have a recommendation between the 2, having done therailway as well as the cruise? Thanks for your help. 

[Port Power]

5 hours ago, gnome12 said:

Since you have done both the Flåm railway and the Næroyfjord cruise, could you answer a few questions. What time did you get back from your cruise/tour? I was thinking if I did that I might be able to do the railway on my own later. But I have been reading lots of posts about Silversea shortening port times, so I worry. I am also looking at the extra cost tour that does one way on the railway, then does part of the Oslo-Bergen railway line before returning by bus from Voss I think. Do you have a recommendation between the 2, having done the railway as well as the cruise? Thanks for your help. 

 

The fjord cruise and scenic drive took 4 hours in all. It was wonderful.  I think we started at 8:30am.  Allowing a bit of leeway, return would be by 1:00pm.  I actually thought the fjord cruise tour was more scenic and interesting than the Flåm train alone.

 

If you book the train trip yourself directly with Flåm Rail, it is not expensive at all.  You can probably cancel within a reasonable time frame too.  Be warned, book VERY soon if you want an afternoon departure.  Like this week!  They sell out extremely quickly.  Remember it will be summer and school holidays.  There were so many campervans in the caravan (trailer) parks!  Going independently, the carriage is not crowded and you can move from side to side to look out the windows. You do not get off at the restaurant, but continue on with the train, then return to Flåm.

 

The tender only takes 10 minutes at most.  The walk to the train station takes only two minutes.

 

@Lonedaddy gave the correct name to the Geiranger tour I also took: Panoramic Mt Dalsnibba and Eagle Road.   It included a stop just after departure to look back down over the town to the ship.

[gnome12]

6 hours ago, Port Power said:

If you book the train trip yourself directly with Flåm Rail, it is not expensive at all.  You can probably cancel within a reasonable time frame too.  Be warned, book VERY soon if you want an afternoon departure.  Like this week!  They sell out extremely quickly.  Remember it will be summer and school holidays.

Thanks for the information. I think I will try for the cruise with Silversea and the train on my own. I checked both vy.no and Norway’s Best. Neither is booking anywhere near next June yet so I’ll have to check for it. Someone in the Northern Europe forum mentioned being able to book tickets for August (I don’t know what year) in December but both sites say my date is more than 120 days away. 

[Port Power]

1 hour ago, gnome12 said:

Thanks for the information. I think I will try for the cruise with Silversea and the train on my own. I checked both vy.no and Norway’s Best. Neither is booking anywhere near next June yet so I’ll have to check for it. Someone in the Northern Europe forum mentioned being able to book tickets for August (I don’t know what year) in December but both sites say my date is more than 120 days away. 

Good choice.  Keep checking regularly until bookings open. Perhaps available to book in September/October?  😀

[gnome12]

5 hours ago, Port Power said:

Good choice.  Keep checking regularly until bookings open. Perhaps available to book in September/October?  😀

Thanks for your assistance. The current schedule runs to Dec 9 (with different frequencies by season). I will keep an eye on when the new schedule comes out. Do you know if there are snacks available on board the train? It looks like (on the current summer schedule) I would have to catch the 13:20 train to Myrdal which returns to Flåm at 15:26. The next train is at 14:35 which doesn’t return to Flåm until 16:50 which might be cutting it a bit fine. Current departure says 18:00. The 13:20 wouldn’t give me any time to eat, I don’t think. 

[Port Power]

1 hour ago, gnome12 said:

Thanks for your assistance. The current schedule runs to Dec 9 (with different frequencies by season). I will keep an eye on when the new schedule comes out. Do you know if there are snacks available on board the train? It looks like (on the current summer schedule) I would have to catch the 13:20 train to Myrdal which returns to Flåm at 15:26. The next train is at 14:35 which doesn’t return to Flåm until 16:50 which might be cutting it a bit fine. Current departure says 18:00. The 13:20 wouldn’t give me any time to eat, I don’t think. 

There is a snack bar in one carriage.  I know some of my group bought Pringles and coffee.  Whether they sell sandwiches, I don’t know. Perhaps bring some muesli bars with you from home.

[bobolz]

I’m glad to hear Raphael was still there. He stood out over all others staff( they were all great, he just stood out, always remembered our names and always greeted us with a big smile. It would be great if he stays on for our May cruise. Glad you had a wonderful trip with your in-laws . I hope your MIL gets at least one more cruise out of her, if not more. Thanks for sharing your experience with us all

[Mocamps]

We also did the Southampton to Copenhagen cruise and absolutely loved it. Excursions were  mostly great. We went kayaking in Geiranger and Olden plus one other port (can’t remember which) and lots of hikes. We thoroughly enjoyed the Flam railway. Our least favourite was the Aarhus coach excursion where our guide was particularly long-winded and chatted constantly about nothing in particular! But the other bus said their guide was fine so I guess that’s just the luck of the draw! And we did enjoy the walk at the other end of the bus ride!!

[Lois R]

To the OP, thanks for the excellent review. I will be staying at the same hotel on my upcoming cruise (post cruise 1 night in Copenhagen). So glad to read you were happy with the property😀I think I will look at a Canal Cruise. I know the net shows many different companies. I will see if the hotel has a Concierge and speak with them about it.

Oh, I should have said I think you have a wonderful family and glad your MIL had a good trip.