Help with Norwegian excursions please

[Zeery]

Hello!

Looking for some input on excursions:

 

Geiranger - we are debating between a kayaking excursion or the Panoramic Mt Dasnibba and Eagle Road? 
Flam - we are debating between Naerofjord  Cruise with Stegastein Viewpoint, or the famous Flam Railway?  I really wanted to do both excursions, but it’s not looking like there will be enough time.

 

We will appreciate any input you might have. I should mention that we have also booked the Lysefjord Cruise in Stavanger. Just want to make sure that our excursions are well rounded. 
 

Thanks 😊 

 

 

 

[hallasm]

You can experience kayaking in many places but panoramic Mt Dasnibba and Eagle Road are only in Geiranger. Definitely viewpoints.
I don't know your arrival/departure times in Flåm, but there should be time for both excursions.

However, the Nærøyfjord with Stegastein Viewpoint and the Flåm Railway are both good excursions. Cruising both Geiranger and Aurlandsfjord into Flåm as well as Lysefjord I would probably choose the railway.

Both for Geiranger and Flåm be at upper decks early morning to enjoy the scenic fjord cruising. Sailing into both ports through the deep fjords takes five hours.

Edited September 12, 2023 by hallasm

[Zeery]

Thank you Hallasm.  I was also leaning toward the views, but I didn't want to feel like I was missing out on a fabulous experience.

As far a Flam goes, it shows us in port from 9 - 6.  I realize that can change.  The first excursion begins at 9:00 and it states that it is 4 hours and 45 minutes.  The Flam excursion is stating that it is 3 hours and 30 minutes.  I figured that would be too tight to squeeze everything in.  And, of course I would have to wait for the schedule for the rail.  If there is time, I would LOVE to do both.  But, if not, definitely leaning toward the rail as there is nothing else like it.  

Either way, we will definitely be on the upper decks in the morning!

Thanks for your input!

[gnome12]

57 minutes ago, Zeery said:

Thank you Hallasm.  I was also leaning toward the views, but I didn't want to feel like I was missing out on a fabulous experience.

As far a Flam goes, it shows us in port from 9 - 6.  I realize that can change.  The first excursion begins at 9:00 and it states that it is 4 hours and 45 minutes.  The Flam excursion is stating that it is 3 hours and 30 minutes.  I figured that would be too tight to squeeze everything in.  And, of course I would have to wait for the schedule for the rail.  If there is time, I would LOVE to do both.  But, if not, definitely leaning toward the rail as there is nothing else like it.  

Either way, we will definitely be on the upper decks in the morning!

Thanks for your input!

The Flåm railway up and back is about 2h 15m. I am hoping to do a Næroyfjord cruise first thing in the morning, and, if the schedule for next summer is the same as this summer, catch probably the 13:20 train which returns at 15:26 (trains 1860 and 1861). The next train is the 14:35 which returns at 16:50 (1862 and 1863). These trains are from the schedule for June, July and August this year; I am watching to see when the schedule for 2024 comes out.

You don’t need an excursion to do the railway; you can book it yourself. 

[Zeery]

14 minutes ago, gnome12 said:

The Flåm railway up and back is about 2h 15m. I am hoping to do a Næroyfjord cruise first thing in the morning, and, if the schedule for next summer is the same as this summer, catch probably the 13:20 train which returns at 15:26 (trains 1860 and 1861). The next train is the 14:35 which returns at 16:50 (1862 and 1863). These trains are from the schedule for June, July and August this year; I am watching to see when the schedule for 2024 comes out.

You don’t need an excursion to do the railway; you can book it yourself. 

 

Thank you for that information!  It would be a tight squeeze for us as the first excursion would have us back at 1:45.  I don't know if they build extra time into the excursions and we would actually get back earlier.  We would have to get to the train for a 14:35 departure (if the schedule is similar to this year).  And I don't know how far away those 2 points would be.  But, like I said, I would LOVE to be able to do both.

I will keep my eye on the schedules too!

[gnome12]

8 minutes ago, Zeery said:

 

Thank you for that information!  It would be a tight squeeze for us as the first excursion would have us back at 1:45.  I don't know if they build extra time into the excursions and we would actually get back earlier.  We would have to get to the train for a 14:35 departure (if the schedule is similar to this year).  And I don't know how far away those 2 points would be.  But, like I said, I would LOVE to be able to do both.

I will keep my eye on the schedules too!

The train is RIGHT at the dock.

Edited September 13, 2023 by gnome12

[Zeery]

Oh Wow!!! That’s fantastic!!! Maybe it is possible to do both!!

[hallasm]

5 hours ago, Zeery said:

Oh Wow!!! That’s fantastic!!! Maybe it is possible to do both!!

You’ll have time for both. 

[Zeery]

3 hours ago, hallasm said:

You’ll have time for both. 

😊

[kitkat343]

21 hours ago, Zeery said:

Hello!

Looking for some input on excursions:

 

Geiranger - we are debating between a kayaking excursion or the Panoramic Mt Dasnibba and Eagle Road? 
Flam - we are debating between Naerofjord  Cruise with Stegastein Viewpoint, or the famous Flam Railway?  I really wanted to do both excursions, but it’s not looking like there will be enough time.

 

We will appreciate any input you might have. I should mention that we have also booked the Lysefjord Cruise in Stavanger. Just want to make sure that our excursions are well rounded. 
 

Thanks 😊 

 

 

 

I also believe you should have time for both in Flam, but it would be best to email the private tour operators that run these tours to get their opinion so you know how much time you'll have.  We did the railway in the morning, and had time for another full tour in the afternoon (we visited a charming village and went to goat farms and ate a local meal with our kids). Geirangerfjordservice runs the panoramic buses that go to the major highlights.  In Flam you can contact whoever is running the cruise and ask them about the timing for the railway because I'm sure lots of people combine the two.  You just want to ensure you have enough time to get to the train station without being rushed (it's an incredibly close walk, but you want to get there. a little early so you get good seats on the railway.)

  

[Zeery]

3 hours ago, kitkat343 said:

I also believe you should have time for both in Flam, but it would be best to email the private tour operators that run these tours to get their opinion so you know how much time you'll have.  

  

Thanks for the tips!  
The morning tour is through the cruise ship, but we would be doing the rail on our own. 

[Zeery]

Update:  

looking for some additional advice, please!

The cruise line has cancelled the original original tour we booked in Flåm,  which included a Naerofjord cruise and Stegastein Viewpoint. 
We have the Flåm Rail booked in the afternoon, but now have to decide to either do the Cruise OR the viewpoint in the morning. Any advice??

[gnome12]

54 minutes ago, Zeery said:

Update:  

looking for some additional advice, please!

The cruise line has cancelled the original original tour we booked in Flåm,  which included a Naerofjord cruise and Stegastein Viewpoint. 
We have the Flåm Rail booked in the afternoon, but now have to decide to either do the Cruise OR the viewpoint in the morning. Any advice??

I would choose the cruise. In fact, my morning included excursion (which was to include both the cruise and Stegastein Viewpoint) has been cancelled, and replaced with the cruise and a visit to the Viking Village at Gudvagen but not the viewpoint. And it is now an extra cost excursion, but I’m sticking with it. 

[kaisatsu]

7 hours ago, Zeery said:

Update:  

looking for some additional advice, please!

The cruise line has cancelled the original original tour we booked in Flåm,  which included a Naerofjord cruise and Stegastein Viewpoint. 
We have the Flåm Rail booked in the afternoon, but now have to decide to either do the Cruise OR the viewpoint in the morning. Any advice??

Do you have any other ports where you will be visiting a scenic fjord overlook?

 

If so, I think I would also choose the cruise, because Nærøyfjord is noticeably narrower than the other fjords you will sail, and it’s quite dramatic how steep the sides are.

 

However, if you aren’t visiting an overlook anywhere else, I think it’s worth getting the view from above at least once. These are the perspective you usually see in photos, and it’s a very different view from what you see closer to water level.

[Zeery]

2 hours ago, kaisatsu said:

Do you have any other ports where you will be visiting a scenic fjord overlook?

 

If so, I think I would also choose the cruise, because Nærøyfjord is noticeably narrower than the other fjords

Yes - We are doing Mt Dasnibba and Eagle Road in Geiranger. 
So, perhaps we will stick with the cruise like @gnome12 is. I’m not thrilled with the Viking Village though. Doesn’t really interest me. 

[gnome12]

1 hour ago, Zeery said:

Yes - We are doing Mt Dasnibba and Eagle Road in Geiranger. 
So, perhaps we will stick with the cruise like @gnome12 is. I’m not thrilled with the Viking Village though. Doesn’t really interest me. 

It sounds like we are on the same cruise. I agree with you about the Viking Village, but the excursion should get me back in time to do the 2:55 Flåm Railway which I have already booked. (I was worried about that one because of the timing, but Silversea has a Flåm Railway excursion that is on this trip, so I think that I will be OK.)