princess norwegian fjords cruise reviews

New Norwegian Fjords Cruise Review with Princess

A cruise to the Norwegian Fjords is guaranteed to offer breathtaking scenery with the chance to visit picturesque ports of call. In this post I share my Norwegian Fjords cruise review , including things to do in port and advice to help you make the most of a Norway cruise.

Norwegian Fjords Cruise Review on Sky Princess

We took a 7-night cruise on Sky Princess from Southampton in April. It wasn’t our first cruise on this ship, having taken a 4-night ‘seacation’ the previous year. It was good to sail on her again and spend more time enjoying the ship’s restaurants, venues and public areas.

Many major cruise lines offer ocean cruises to Norway so it’s worth checking the cruise itineraries and onboard facilities:

• P&O Cruises
• Royal Caribbean
• Celebrity Cruises
• Princess Cruises
• Viking Cruises

Which type of cabin should you book for a Norwegian Fjords cruise?

We opted for a balcony stateroom for this cruise trip because we wanted to ensure that we could take in the Fjords of Norway in the mornings as we sailed into the destinations. This was a really good decision as on most port days, the ship travelled up the Fjords early in the morning. As the Fjords were the main reason we booked this cruise it made sense to choose a balcony cabin.

We used our balcony in the mornings and evenings to make the most of the scenic cruising along the coast of Norway.

It was a bit chilly at times but Princess Cruises offered guests warm blankets we could use on the balcony and the top deck.

It’s definitely worth spending a little more for a balcony. In an inside cabin you must go to the outside decks to check the weather and to see the incredible views. As we cruised in April, outside of peak season, the price difference between an inside and balcony was minimal. For the best deals, I’d recommend looking at Norwegian Fjord cruises at the start or end of the peak season (April or September).

For unobstructed views, the ultimate room option would be a Sky Suite on Sky Princess . We were fortunate to stay in one on our previous cruise and enjoy the biggest balcony at sea. I’d recommend taking a look at my video tour and review to see if it’s for you.

What’s the best month to take a Norwegian Fjords cruise?

The main season for Norwegian Fjords cruises from the U.K. is April to September when the weather is the warmest. During this time of year you can expect more daylight hours and spectacular waterfalls as the snow and ice melts.

During the summer months of June, July and August you can expect to experience long days and a midnight sun.

You can cruise to Norway during the winter months with cruise lines such as Hurtigruten, which have smaller ships. During the colder months from October to February, you have a chance to see the Northern Lights . The best chance of seeing the Aurora Borealis is in September and March. The sun sets much earlier in the winter, so there are less daylight hours, especially if your cruise takes you to the Arctic Circle.

Norwegian Fjords Cruise Review – Itinerary

Our 7-night cruise itinerary included two sea days and four port days. This was a good balance and gave us time to relax and enjoy the ship as well as visit the ports of call.

Day 1: Embarkation in Southampton

Day 2: Sea day

Day 3: Bergen

Day 4: Skjolden

Day 5: Olden

Day 6: Stavanger

Day 7: Sea day

We were a bit nervous about the conditions in the North Sea but it was surprisingly calm. Before the cruise I’d heard it can be quite rough seas but we were very lucky. I always take Dramamine with me in case I feel seasick.

Our first port of call was Bergen. It’s a good idea to head up to the outside decks during the approach for the best views. We were woken in the morning by the ship’s fog horn but as we neared Bergen the skies cleared and we enjoyed good weather for the rest of the day.

Bergen is known as the capital of the Fjords and has a population of approximately 286,000. Despite this, it still has a small town feel and is easily walkable. It is said to rain in Bergen 300 days a year so we were particularly blessed with clear skies and sunshine.

In Bergen, we chose to take the Fløibanen funicular railway to the summit of Mount Fløyen so we could admire the view of the city. We booked our tickets in advance before the cruise via the Fløibanen website. This allowed us to skip the queue for tickets and get straight on the funicular.

Tickets were around £12 per person return and there was no need to arrive for a particular time slot. The funicular is a short walk of around 15 minutes from Bergen cruise port and is well signposted.

If you’re comfortable in booking trips and excursions independently, this is definitely the best way to do it. It’s easy to find and you’ll save so much money. Our friends booked a cruise excursion to the funicular that included a short coach tour, which came to $100 per person!

The funicular in Bergen can get quite busy, especially because it’s a popular thing to do with cruise passengers. I’d recommend going there first to avoid large queues.

On a clear day, the views of Bergen from Mount Fløyen are pretty special and you can easily spend an hour or two at the summit, admiring the scenery. There are a couple of cafes and a gift shop as well as a resident herd of goats. If you want to walk down the mountain on foot there is a path that takes you through the woods.

In the afternoon, we decided to take a walk through Bryggen , which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located about 3 minutes from the funicular railway.

Bryggen (the dock) is an area of wooden buildings originally built for Hanseatic League commercial purposes. It’s now used for shops, restaurants, cafes and bars. Sadly, Bryggen has suffered many fires over the years and so the buildings are not original but some still date back to the 1700s. You can wander the warren of tiny streets and imagine what life was like when Bergen was a major trading port.

On the dock front, there are plenty of places to stop for lunch and a drink and that’s exactly what we decided to do. The sunshine allowed us to dine outside at Madamfelle, also a live music venue, and it was a pleasant place to do a spot of people watching.

I ordered a Bergen fish soup for 119kr (approximately £10) as I wanted to try the local food but the restaurant also offered a wide range of other dishes including burgers, tacos, chicken wings and steaks. A word of warning, food and drink in Norway can be expensive and the beer in particular is very pricey. A small beer was £10 and a pint was £12.30!

After some time in Bryggen, we took a leisurely stroll back to the cruise ship.

Overall, I thought Bergen was a great port of call and I’d happily return to spend more time there. It was a very friendly city and so easy to explore independently.

Songnefjord and Skjolden

The next morning I decided to get up early to witness the journey through Sognefjord , the longest and deepest fjord in Norway. 5.00am seemed very early but it was the best time to view the sunrise over the fjord and I joined a small number of fellow passengers who had the same idea.

I decided the best place to see this scenic fjord was at the aft of the ship as I could see both port and starboard views on our approach. It was a magical time of day and definitely a bucket list moment.

I saw waterfalls, snow capped mountains and tiny wooden houses on the hillsides on our way to Skjolden. It was very cold at this time of day so I would definitely recommend grabbing a hot drink on your way to the top decks and wearing warm clothing.

If you don’t feel like getting up so early on your cruise, the good news is that you will do the same journey out of the fjord at the end of the day. The majority of passengers chose to do this as we left Skjolden.

Skjolden is a tiny village at the end of Songnefjord with a population of around 200 people. Most cruise passengers had shore excursions booked at this port and headed off on coach trips to see the mountains, glacier or take a walk with llamas. There were rib rides and standup paddle boards available to hire and we spotted these on our short walk to the village.

We had no plans in Skjolden as we’d attempted to pre-book some bikes in advance of the cruise but found most tourism businesses were closed until May. It’s worth knowing this if you are planning a Norwegian Fjords cruise in April.

We decided to take a short walk, which quickly turned into a long walk as we spotted a signpost to the Asafossen Waterfall . The walk was flat and took us past the Eidsvatnet Lake and through a footpath still thick with snow. The 180 metre waterfall is situated opposite a small campsite and ‘The Hand’.

The Hand is a wooden sculpture created in honour of a famous Austrian philosopher called Ludwig Wittgenstein , who chose to spend time in Skjolden for its peacefully environment whilst he took time to think and philosophise. He came from a rich family but decided to give away his inheritance and live a simple life to focus on philosophy.

He designed and built a small wooden cottage on a remote rock overlooking the Eidsvatnet Lake . After a wrong turn, we found ourselves at the foot of the path to his cottage so decided to go for a closer look. This walk is not for the faint-hearted and I was very glad of the ropes that were located toward the top of the climb. It was very steep and it took a few minutes to catch my breath when I reached the top.

I could definitely see why he’d chosen to build his cottage in this spot as the view over the lake was beautiful and the climb up ensured he was not bothered by visitors!

After that little adventure, we decided to head back towards the ship and grab a late lunch on the Lido Deck. Many cruisers were already back onboard enjoying the sunshine in the swimming pools and hot tubs. Some were even in their swimming costumes sunbathing!

For the sailaway we took position towards the aft and admired Songnefjord as we waved goodbye to the little village of Skjolden.

If we were to visit Skjolden again, I’d be inclined to book a shore excursion or hire a bike. Although it’s a nice place to explore on foot, there’s limited things to see and do beyond the walk we took.

Our third port of call was Olden , a small village with breathtaking scenery, even from the cruise port.

We had booked a morning excursion to the Briksdal Glacier , which involved a short coach journey to the starting point in the Jostedal Glacier National Park. We passed some stunningly glass-like lakes on the way and so I’d highly recommend sitting on the right side of the coach if you want to get the best views of them.

The Briksdal Glacier is the largest in mainland Europe and on this trip we were able to see one of the glacier arms.

I’d bought some walking boots in advance of this excursion but after listening to the onboard port talk, decided to wear my comfortable trainers as the walk seemed quite gentle. The steepest section of the walk was at the beginning but there were waterfalls we could stop and admire on the way.

Troll cars are available to hire for an extra charge for anyone who doesn’t want to walk. They didn’t seem to stop when going past the waterfalls. A ride in a troll car costs 250kr (£21.10) return or 150kr (12.66) one way and can be booked in advance or when you arrive depending on availability.

Along the trail to the glacier, there were information boards to show how environmental impacts have caused the glacier to retreat over time. Sadly, I fear that in years to come the glacier will continue to shrink. I’m just glad I was able to experience it now before it disappears out of sight.

I enjoyed this excursion as we were given free time. There was no guide we had to follow and we could simply go at our own pace without being herded. We had enough time at the glacier and once we’d returned to the starting point, coffee and cake had been arranged. We enjoyed a well-deserved rest before making our way back by coach to the cruise port.

Around the small cruise port in Olden there is little in the way of shops and cafes but it was a pleasant day to take a stroll. The natural scenery is Olden’s best asset and there is really no need for much more here.

Our sailaway from Olden was particularly memorable as the bar on the quay treated us to a musical send off with a playlist that included ‘Sailing’ by Rod Stewart, ‘Time to Say Goodbye’ by Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman and ‘Rocking All Over the World’ by Status Quo. Local people stood outside in their gardens and on their balconies waving goodbye. At this point we were treated to Princess Cruises’ iconic Love Boat horn , which made it even more special.

Our final port of call was Stavanger , a small city located in Southern Norway. It’s well-known for its Canning Factory Museum and Petroleum Museum but as none of these appealed to us we chose to explore the local area on foot. I’d stood on our balcony when we’d arrived and thought today was the day I didn’t need to wear a coat but unfortunately, after 15 minutes of being on land it started to rain!

We headed to Øvre Holmegate , a colourful street filled with bars and cafes, to get a hot drink and some shelter. This whole neighbourhood is very cheerful with its brightly decorated buildings and when the rain had passed it was a nice place to while away some time.

Unless you have booked an excursion in Stavanger or want to visit the museums, it’s difficult to spend a full day in port.

One thing that is interesting to look out for is the street art that is dotted around the city. You can also spend some time in the Old Town ( Gamle Stavanger ) that is right next to the cruise port. It’s an area of white wooden houses and cobbled streets dating back to the 18th Century that have been perfectly preserved.

What currency do you need for a Norwegian Fjords cruise?

Norway doesn’t accept Euros and so you should consider taking Norwegian Krone (plural Kroner) and a credit card that is suitable to use abroad. We use a Halifax Clarity credit card because it allows us to pay in foreign currency with no exchange fee and use ATMs with no additional fees.

Everywhere we visited accepted card payments so it’s one of the easiest ways to pay when in Norway.

Because Princess Cruises operates in U.S. Dollars we also took a small amount to tip staff.

Norwegian Fjords Cruise Review – Onboard Experience

Having cruised on Sky Princess previously, we were looking forward to spending more time onboard. We decided to pay for Princess Plus , which includes the drinks package, Wi-Fi and crew incentives (gratuities) so there was little else to worry about once we were onboard.

Medallion app

The introduction of the OceanMedallion and MedallionNet had the promise of being able to order food and drink via an app from anywhere on the ship and the ‘best Wi-Fi at sea’ but this seemed to become almost non-existent from our first sea day onwards.

On the first sea day, the weather meant that most cruise passengers were attempting to find places inside to sit and order drinks but this compounded the issue as the reduced crew tried to cope with the huge number of orders coming in.

After a 25-minute queue at the International Cafe and several failed attempts to order via the app we resided ourselves to the fact that we wouldn’t be making much use of the drinks package that day. Even ordering from the stateroom TV didn’t help matters.

It’s also important to point out in this Norwegian Fjords cruise review that this was the first cruise with Princess where we’d experienced people queuing for everything.

The Medallion app continued to be unresponsive for the remainder of the cruise until the last day, when a crew member on Guest Services changed some of the settings on my iPhone. It was a disappointment as the technology worked so well the last time we were onboard.

After enquiring at the Internet Cafe and Guest Services it appeared to be an issue that Princess Cruises was fully aware of. We were told it was in communication with the software company to try to rectify the problems.

One loophole that we noticed during our cruise was when ordering drinks with the crew. The Medallion was not used at all and we were just asked for our cabin number. This meant that you could give any cabin number you liked when ordering a drink and there was no failsafe. On one occasion, we accidentally gave the wrong room number and were told it didn’t matter because that room had the drinks package too!

Regardless of the Medallion app issues you are unlikely to get good use of the MedallionNet Wi-Fi due to the geographical location of a Norwegian Fjords cruise. Coverage is lower in this region but if you know in advance not to expect much, anything you do get is a bonus.

The Wi-Fi on land is excellent so as soon as your ship docks you can access 4G if your phone contract allows. Three Mobile seems to provide the best coverage in its roaming package and therefore there are no additional charges.

Princess Crew

I couldn’t write this Norwegian Fjords cruise review without mentioning the staff onboard our ship. The Princess Cruises’ staff members were, as always, so friendly and helpful despite greater work pressures during our cruise. They all worked so hard with the additional restrictions of KN95 face masks that they wore at all times, even in port in their own time.

It’s understandable that Princess Cruises is doing everything possible to minimise the spread of infections and we felt completely safe at all times throughout the cruise.

Our cabin stewards were so helpful and it was a shame that we didn’t get to see our first steward at the end of the cruise after he was sent on ‘training’. We did wonder if this was a code word for something else…

Food and Restaurants on Sky Princess

The food onboard was good quality and my new favourite place to grab lunch is the Salty Dog Grill on the Lido Deck. It offers, burgers, hot dogs, loaded fries and tacos all freshly cooked to order.

For breakfast, we ate in the buffet, the Main Dining Room and ordered room service. The breakfast in the Dining Room was particularly pleasant and such a nice way to start the day. You definitely had to pick your times in the buffet in the mornings as quite a few people headed there. Especially if they couldn’t get into the dining room.

Room service on Princess cruise ships is complimentary and it arrived during the time we’d requested, which was fantastic. You may wish to consider ordering breakfast to your cabin on mornings when you want to save time or enjoy the views from your balcony.

Dinner in the Main Dining Room was good and our favourite meal was enjoyed on the second formal night. We particularly enjoyed the lobster tails and one of Princess Cruises’ classics – creme brûlée.

Having eaten in all three specialty restaurants on our previous cruise we decided to go back to our favourite – Sabatini’s . This is the Italian restaurant onboard with a $25 cover charge. We managed to get a table next to a window to enjoy the sea views and couldn’t fault the food and service. It was the quietest specialty restaurant on our cruise, which surprised me as the meal was exceptional.

I’d recommend reading my blog posts about the other specialty restaurants ( Crown Grill and Bistro Sur La Mer ). I’d definitely recommend booking these in advance to avoid disappointment.

Take a look at my useful guide to specialty dining on Sky Princess .

You should not miss a meal in Alfredo’s , the complimentary pizza restaurant that also offers salads, soup and pasta. It’s a popular choice for lunch but quieter during the evenings when most people eat in the Main Dining Rooms. The pizza is made to order in an open kitchen complete with pizza oven and the food was excellent.

On this cruise we finally decided to make the effort to go to Afternoon Tea in the Estrella Dining Room. This is complimentary and includes small sandwiches, cake, scones and tea. In all honesty is was OK and we’d probably not rush back but at least we gave it a try.

Norwegian Fjords Cruise Review – Entertainment

On our cruise, there was plenty of entertainment in the main venues of Sky Princess throughout the day and evening. We particularly enjoyed a violin duo who played in various places including the Piazza .

Generally, we prefer a bit of background music so we can sit and chat but we did enjoy a couple of different bands that played in the Piazza and Vista Lounge .

A new venue we spent some time in was Take Five , which is a jazz-themed lounge that replaced Crooners. Crooners was a favourite venue amongst Princess cruisers but to honest we much preferred this venue. Seating was limited so it was rare that we found a spot but it was a nice place to spend some time when we could.

Being a colder cruise, Movies Under the Stars still screened films but we didn’t brave the evening temperatures. The Bridge Cam was shown on the big screen so people could sit on their sunbeds and watch the sailaway (although we much preferred to see it ourselves on Deck 17 and 18).

Although we never spent any time in Princess Live! we noticed that there was always something going on there and seemed to be a vary versatile venue. There was ballroom dancing, quizzes, games, beauty demonstrations and art auctions. We preferred the Crown Grill bar that had comfy seats and a nice drinks menu.

The Princess Theater hosted nightly shows and I can highly recommend Rock Opera , which is my favourite show on Princess Cruises. There was a comedian who we’d enjoyed on our previous cruise and he certainly made the audience laugh. 5 Skies is the other big show currently on Sky Princess.

What to wear on a Norwegian Fjords cruise

Choosing what to wear for this type of cruise can be tricky as you need to pack for all weathers. During the day we wore jeans, t-shirts, jumpers and coats. In the evenings, we wore smart casual outfits and two formal outfits.

The level of formal wear was quite diverse on this cruise. People wore dinner jackets and sequinned long dresses to colourful dresses, smart trousers and a shirt. You can find the formal dress code for Princess Cruises here .

Some people chose not to dress up on formal night, which is totally fine to dine in the casual restaurants. It’s your cruise holiday and you can dress up as much or as little as you feel comfortable.

Norwegian Fjords Cruise Review – Final Thoughts

This was our first cruise to Norway and after hearing so much about the Norwegian Fjords, the destinations still surpassed my expectations.

Getting up early to experience the Fjords at sunrise was very special and I’d urge you to do it if you can.

I’ve tried to be as honest as possible in this Norwegian Fjords cruise review in order to share a true reflection of our cruise. The cruise was by no means perfect but we still enjoyed our time away and the stunning scenery we were treated to.

Having taken a river cruise a few years ago, this fjords cruise does have some similarities. If you enjoy the scenic cruising and smaller destinations a Norwegian Fjords cruise offers, I’d suggest considering river cruises.

Our favourite things from this cruise were:

• Being able to walk off the ship into the villages, towns and cities (another similarity to river cruises)
• Waking up to see the fjords from our balcony
• The warm welcome from local people in Norway
• The stunning scenery in the cruise ports
• The weather in April was surprisingly good
• The variety of entertainment venues on the cruise ship
• The friendly and helpful crew on Sky Princess
• Our meal at Sabatini’s specialty restaurant
• Breakfast in the Main Dining Room
• The Princess Cruises cocktail menu offered so much choice
• The Salty Dog Grill for quick lunches

I hope you’ve found my Norwegian Fjords cruise review useful. If you have any questions about the cruise, destinations or ship, feel free to pop them in the comments section.

Laura is a UK cruise blogger based in Cornwall, UK. She founded Cruise Lifestyle in 2016 to share useful advice about cruising, destinations and food. Last port visited: Bridgetown, Barbados Next port of call: unknown, but she can’t wait for cruising to resume safely!

Find me on: Twitter

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Thank you for your review, we are due to go this weekend and this was my first chance to do some research and I found your blog and that pretty much answered all my questions. I just hope we get a smooth sailing, fingers crossed 😉

Yes, hope so, we were very fortunate for a calm North Sea. I have just written some tips in another post for the fjords if that may be useful too https://cruiselifestyle.co.uk/2022/05/31/tips-for-a-norwegian-fjords-cruise/

Thank you for the in-depth review. I have been looking into cruises recently and your blog has so many helpful information!

thank you for reading!

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Britannia cruise : Bergen, Flam, Olden and Haugesund

Iona cruise : Stavanger, Olden, Geiranger, Hellesylt and Haugesund

Britannia is edging for us slightly for the Flam railway but we have heard Iona is a much never, bigger (better?) ship and Geiranger is suppose to be the most beautiful fjord.

Any insight into a preferable ship or route from anyone who has done it would be greatly appreciated!

I have done the fjords and personally thought Flam was the highlight and would only do it again if Flam was on the itinerary.

It totally depends which means more to you, a newer ship or better itinerary. There is more to Flam than the railway but it was a highlight.

I was on Iona a month ago to the same ports of call that you list.

Strong winds meant we could not dock at Stavanger and the call at Geiranger was cancelled before we even set foot on the ship for undisclosed "operational'' reasons.

The ship is huge and attractive internally but for me it is too large. To get anywhere involves a route march. Anyone who is elderly or disabled should take that into consideration.

I was also disappointed by the cost-cutting. Gone is the evening bed turn-down and the leaving of a chocolate on your pillow. The food in the buffet was uninspiring in the evenings - I had the distinct impression that P&O were trying to 'encourage' passengers to pay extra to dine in one of the speciality restaurants. The entertainment was also rather poor in my view. These criticisms may well apply to P&O as a whole.

Enchanted Princess, like P&O, part of the Carnival group, is also sailing to the fjords this summer from Southampton. However, drinks are included on Princess and wi-fi. A drinks package on P&O is £40 per day (everyone of age sailing together must take it). Wi-fi on ships is slow and given the mountains in the fjords will be unavailable for long periods, as with the TV signal.

Those on P&O are predominately Brits but Princess is likely to be more cosmopolitan.

I assume you mean book for June 2023. I booked in October 2021 but paid £100 more for the same cabin grade as I would have done had I booked a few months later. Given the number of ships sailing to the fjords and the looming economic problems of individuals, I would wait to see what happens regarding prices. They surely cannot increase and the chances are there will be some good deals on offer next year.

Would I go with P&O again? Only if the deal was good. In my view they have deteriorated.

This post has been removed at the author's request.

Yes, there is a lot of choice out there. It often comes down to personal taste. I didn't much like Ventura but I liked Aurora very much. The sailaway parties on both ships were not to my liking, but most of the food I found to be very good, especially breakfast in the dining room.

I haven't sailed on Iona or Britannia so I cannot comment on them but I'd happily give them a try.

This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity.

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Sky Princess Cruise Vlogs - Norwegian Fjords

In our Sky Princess Cruise Vlogs – Norwegian Fjords series, we show you around this beautiful part of the world and what cruising on the Sky Princess is really like!

We cruised on the Sky Princess in June 2022 from Southampton to Bergen, Olden, Skjolden and Stavanger in Norway.

You can find more information about cruising with Princess here  or follow the links at the end of the post.

Episode 1 Sky Princess Cruise Vlogs - Norwegian Fjords

In episode 1 we embark Princess cruises Sky Princess and find our Mini Suite – full review of this cabin can be found here.

We have a very entertaining sail away from Southampton, sample the Princess food and discuss the first nights entertainment on board this ship.

View more video blogs on YouTube > > >

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Episode 2 Sky Princess Cruise Vlogs - Day at Sea

In episode 2 we have a fun day at sea, it is the first Dress to Impress night, we test out the Ocean Medallion App and arrive in our first port Bergen.

Episode 3 Sky Princess Cruise Vlogs - Bergen

Join us in episode 3 of our Sky Princess Norwegian Cruise Vlogs as we explore Bergen, show you more dining options and sample some strange cocktails. We also see a new Princess show and again are in awe of the beautiful Norwegian Fjords.

Episode 4 Sky Princess Cruise Vlogs - Skjolden

In episode 4 of our Sky Princess Norwegian Fjords Vlog Series we arrive in Skjolden, a beautiful destination deep in the Fjords.

We show you around this beautiful place, see how much shopping costs, and on board we show you around the sun decks, more dining, and another evenings entertainment.

We also have a separate Skjolden Cruise Port Guide here .

Episode 5 Sky Princess Cruise Vlogs - Olden

In episode 5 of our Sky Princess Norwegian Fjords Cruise Vlogs we explore one the most beautiful cruise ports in the world Olden, test the Princess Ocean Medallion App, have the best sail away and celebrate our 20th Wedding Anniversary!

In our last episode of our Sky Princess Norwegian Fjords Cruise Vlogs we arrive in our last port of Stavanger and it’s Gala night. We experience more frustrations with the app and we put the Princess tech to the test again with an England v USA App Off!

Relevant reading –

Princess Spa Prices

Princess Cruises Laundry Prices

Sky Princess Cabins

Princess Plus Package

Ocean Medallion – What should it do?

Regal Princess Cruise Ship review – Seacation Vlog

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Review Of Grand Princess Norwegian Fjords & North Cape 16-28th July 2007

By suron , August 2, 2007 in Princess Cruises

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For anyone planning to visit the Norwegian Fjords and North Cape in 2008 I have posted a review of our trip on Grand Princess 16th-28th July. This can be found at

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=31110

Hope this will give you some useful tips for this itinerary. There is a lot of information on the Roll Call for this sailing also. Good Luck with your plans.

Regards Suron

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Thanks for the review. Norway is at the top of my list!:)

Thanks for the review. I also would like to visit Norway someday. Again thanks for sharing.

Sounds like you had a good cruise, thanks for posting the review. I did a 14 day cruise on the NCL Norway to Norway back in 1999 and enjoyed it.

I sail in about a month on the Grand for the Transtlantic and have stops in Bergen and Gerainger before heading out to Greenland and Iceland. Was the free shuttle in Bergen provided by Princess or Bergen? I had planned on just wandering around town myself.

Glad to hear the Grand is holding up, can't wait to sail soon.

I was on this cruise too. Suzanne has posted a note on our roll call saying her mum has died, so if you need any help regarding Bergen and Gerainger, let me know. My review is on here too with some photos if you want to have a look.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=599461

We also did the Funicular in Bergen and then went to the Aquarium. The Patter said the free shuttle was due to the heavy traffic and cranes in the port, so maybe Bergen Port and Princess had a compromise.

The views coming in and out of Gerainger are fantastic.

Enjoy your cruise.

Just read your review also Michelle. Actually I spent 2 1/2 days in Bergen while sailing on the Norway, the ship had mechanical problems and they flew in parts & technicians to repair the problem. Bergen just happened to be the Captains home town, funny how we got stuck there instead of some other port :) Looking to buy another large troll figure for my desk at work this trip.

I enjoyed walking around and did take the tram to the top of the mountain last time. May do it again if weather is nice. Really enjoyed visiting Norway, we had lots of port stops but didn't get up to the North Cape.

I'm flying in a couple of days early and heading out to Southampton, then plan on day triips to Portsmouth and Winchester pre cruise

Thanks Doug. Nice of the Captain to arrange a visit to his home town:D

Those trolls get everywhere!

Just read your review also Michelle. Actually I spent 2 1/2 days in Bergen while sailing on the Norway, the ship had mechanical problems and they flew in parts & technicians to repair the problem. Bergen just happened to be the Captains home town, funny how we got stuck there instead of some other port :) Looking to buy another large troll figure for my desk at work this trip.   I enjoyed walking around and did take the tram to the top of the mountain last time. May do it again if weather is nice. Really enjoyed visiting Norway, we had lots of port stops but didn't get up to the North Cape.   I'm flying in a couple of days early and heading out to Southampton, then plan on day triips to Portsmouth and Winchester pre cruise

Glad you liked the review. As ShelleyH has said we arrived home and five days later my Mum died. Am trying to keep busy and thought I would just check the CC boards and found your postings. Thanks Michelle for helping out with the replies.

If you plan to be in Southampton for a few days prior to sailing then you might be interested in the Bed & Breakfast accommodation which someone on our Roll Call used and highly recommends. It is

www.hunterslodgehotel.net

Apparently the owners are charming people, nothing is too much trouble and the rate is £70 a room (not per person) per night with FULL English breakfast included. Some of the motel chains charge a lot more, do not include breakfast and car parking is often not free either (it is at Hunters Lodge).

Do look up the link - I am sure you will be impressed and good luck with your plans.

Thanks for the tip on the B&B Suron. I've sent them an email asking for details and availability. I'm traveling alone so price may be even more attractive, I've had a reservation at the Ibis and this may be 1/3 cheaper. Not quite as centrally located but close to the train and bus stations for exploring the countryside.

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

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• Norwegian fjords cruise excursions: are they worth the money?

When I was planning our first cruise earlier this year, one of the thoughts that kept entering my head was whether we should be booking Norwegian fjords shore experiences with P&O Cruises or exploring ports independently. Within the shore experiences section (cruise excursions) of the company’s ‘My Holiday’ site there were many different suggestions of things to do in port, but unfortunately very few of the activities met our budget.

With limited excursions available for less than £40 per person, you can imagine my dilemma at what to do next. Do I book the most exciting excursions and take a hit to our overall trip budget? Do we board the boat without any bookings and play things by ear? Today I will show you how we navigated the many Norwegian cruise excursions on a tight budget, in the hope that it can help other first time visitors to the fjords. If you are unsure whether the excursions are worth the money, independent exploration is usually the cheaper and more flexible option, but you might miss out on once-in-a-lifetime trips further away from the port.

Before embarkation

I can only provide details for P&O Cruises, but purchases of shore experiences on this cruise line are completely refundable before you embark the ship. This gives you a great level of flexibility as you don’t have to be 100% certain that you want to go ahead with an excursion upfront. The policy was really helpful for us as we were one of the first sailings for 2022 and the return to ‘normal’ holidays.

Eleven months before our embarkation date, cruise policy stated that you needed to be on a guided trip to disembark. Initially I made bookings for all four ports: Stavanger, Olden, Alesund and Haugesund, expecting to cancel a few of them if policy changed. A month before we were due to travel I checked the guidance again and indeed things had changed; we were now able to disembark without an excursion. I cancelled the walking tours for Stavanger and Alesund, getting almost half of our excursion money back and started some research for our own separate plans.

Types of excursions available

In every port there were walking and coach tours available. There were also several water-based experiences such as boat rides to Pulpit Rock (Stavanger), kayaking on Lake Olden and a day cruise on Lake Stryn (Olden). For hikers, you could walk up Alesund’s Sugarlump Mountain or take part in various other mountain-based activities. With Norway’s rich history, there were Viking tours in both Stavanger and Haugesund and an open-air folk museum at Sunnmøre (Alesund). The most popular attraction was the Briksdal Glacier by foot and there were multiple coaches lined up to take people to the natural wonder when the ship arrived in Olden.

Olden excursion

Olden was the most remote port, located in the Jostedalsbreen National Park. The nearby Briksdal Glacier was on our must-see list so we were very pleased to secure this experience as an excursion (£59 per person). Our tickets included transport to and from the glacier and a dessert buffet at the visitor centre. This day out was the highlight of the week for me and if you are interested in the trip details, I created a whole separate article on the glacier experience .

Skudeneshavn excursion

Haugesund was the last port of our trip and we visited the city on a bank holiday. Everything shuts in Norway over Easter week and the whole of Haugesund city centre was closed. Fortunately, we were booked onto an excursion to the historic town of Skudeneshavn for the morning (£48 per person) so we weren’t going to be stuck without things to do.

Forty five minutes away by coach, Skudeneshavn or ‘Skudenes’ as it is known by locals is a preserved fishing town on the island of Karmøy. It is known country-wide for its 19th-century wooden houses and the town is a popular cruise excursion destination. Organised by P&O, the trip lasted for approximately four hours and covered the Karmøy Fisherman’s Memorial, Skudenes Museum and some free time in the town centre. The museum showcases a merchant family home in the 1800s and the exhibits were absolutely fascinating. Visitors are able to learn about family life and industry in old Norway, as well as picture life on the fjords during a bygone era. It was a great half day out on the island of Karmøy.

Were the excursions worth the money?

The Briksdal Glacier and Skudeneshavn were located miles away from the Stavanger and Haugesund ports and the included coach transportation was a huge help in getting us to the attractions. The addition of the complimentary refreshments at the glacier visitor centre and the museum entrance fee in Skudenes expanded the shore experience offerings, but not enough to fully justify the high prices. I am not sure if it would have been possible to get to either place without a pre-booked tour so logistically P&O Cruises’ tours were the best option for us, but the prices were not cheap considering how many people could fit on a coach. Briksdal’s remote location and the novelty of the experience made the £59 more reasonable, but even so this was quite a lot for two coach journeys, some tea and cake.

Even though we cancelled our P&O-organised walking tours, we saw a few groups out and about in central Stavanger . In this city and Alesund you moor up footsteps from the tourist areas. Unless you are a real history fan and interested in the commentary, I would not pay for a walking tour in either of these places. Instead, I would head straight to the tourist information building, ask the concierge for recommendations and explore using the free city map. You will save approximately £20-30 per person, be able to devise your own walking route and stroll at your chosen pace. We definitely made the right choice exploring these cities independently.

Final thoughts

Shore experiences around the Norwegian fjords are fantastic if there is an attraction you really want to see. Transport and entrance fees are completely covered for you, taking the hassle out of your trip and when you disembark the boat, all you need to do is find your tour guide. This convenience comes at a price though as the touring and cruise companies need to make some money from the day out offerings and the customer ends up paying quite a bit of money for half or full day trips.

If you are also travelling with P&O, I recommend booking excursions for each day upfront and then utilising the free cancellation policy if you change your mind. In the lead up to your holiday, why not spend some time working out how you would get to the attraction and how much the independent transport would cost. You can then decide if you are comfortable with exploring on your own and find out if you are being charged above the odds for transport and attraction fees.

Are you heading to the Norwegian fjords soon? Have you booked any excursions?

Thanks for reading my blog today.

Love Kat xxxx

Hi is it possible to send me the list of shore excursions that p&o offered for Norway with prices. we are trying to work out if we can afford it, but can’t find this info anywhere before you book. it will give us at least a ball park figure to go on. thanks

Hi Barbara,

Thanks for getting in touch. Unfortunately I don’t have access to this list anymore, as it was accessible through their booking portal. Have you tried asking in one of the P&O Cruises Facebook groups? Somebody might be able to help you there.

Have a lovely day. Kat

thank you , this was just what we were looking for as first time cruisers on this actual cruise with P and O in May. My concerns about taking the excursions are whether the number of people spoil the experiences, I would rather do them independently but it sounds as though that would be impossible and could even be more expensive I guess.

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10 Reasons Why Cruising Is The Best Way To See The Norwegian Fjords

V isiting the Norwegian fjords is the penultimate thing for any traveler to have on their bucket list. The stunning vistas and rolling green grass hills dotted with small Norwegian fishing towns are sites that are unique to the coastal inlets of this part of Scandinavia. However, reaching these small towns to see breathtaking cliffs and snowcapped peaks is not an easy feat; though scenic, it takes hours of driving through small winding roads from the "gateway" of the fjords (aka the city of Bergen), to reach even some of the most southernmost mountains. And to see the most breathtaking of these glacial valleys, travelers would have to drive further and further into remote Norway.

Want an easier, more comfortable way to see these amazing sites? Try cruising! And more specifically expedition cruising. Expedition cruising and river cruising—both kinds of cruises use smaller, often more luxurious boats than larger, more commercial cruise lines—offer a hassle-free way to visit the fjords and see them up close and personal all from comfortable quarters on the ship.

Cruise companies like Swan Hellenic and Hurtigruten Group Norway , are crafting a whole new industry of expedition cruising with sights on Norway. And even though many travelers are not "cruise people," cruising the Norwegian fjords is truly the best way to see these sites—here's why!

Related: 10 Stunning Fjords Tucked Away In New Zealand's Largest National Park

Small Ships Can Access Towns That Bigger Cruises And Cars Can't

Dotted along the inlets where the fjords give way to grassy, agricultural oasis, lie dozens of cozy, under-explored towns eager to welcome visitors to share their handicrafts and town culture.

Sometimes though, it's difficult to access these towns by bigger cruise ships due to the lack of deeper water ports or by driving given the cliffy roads and weather conditions. Often, expedition cruising is the only way visitors can come ashore to these scintillating small towns.

• Best Towns To Visit: Mandal, Ulvik, Tromsø, and Trollfjorden
• Best Cruise Lines to Try For This: Swan Hellenic and Seabourn

Curated Experiences Onshore Takes The Hassle Out Of Planning

Cruising is a comfortable way of seeing any locale (especially if travelers abide by expert cruiser tips and tricks ) and one of the most convenient things about cruising in general are the curated expeditions that voyagers can choose from once at port.

Expeditions take the guesswork out of visiting a new location since everything is already planned—just show up and the guide will take it away!

• Best Expeditions To Take: Glacier Walks, Zodiac Boat Tours, and History/Cultural Walking Tours
• Best Cruise Lines to Try For This: National Geographic and Waterproof Cruises & Expeditions

No Need To Pack And Unpack Between Towns

When road-tripping, travelers often move from town to town and hotel to hotel from day to day. This means lots of packing and unpacking of suitcases. Nothing is less appealing than driving a winding mountain road for hours and then having to unpack and get sorted.

Being on a cruise ship to the fjords means travelers get to enjoy the majestic mountains all from a space that travelers can call their own for the week or two they are on board. Some cruise lines have better storage than others, so be sure to book a room that makes sense!

• Best Cruise Lines Accomodation: Swan Hellenic's SH Diana

The Perspective From The Water Is Unreal

There really is something surreal about being right in the middle of two mountains rising vertically above everyone's heads. It's a feeling of being enveloped that really can't be appreciated unless completely in the middle of it all.

And, getting to see the glittering water stretched out in front of the boat is a completely unique experience while in the fjords. Ships like the SH Diana, SH Minerva, and SH Vega of Swan Hellenic's fleet feature mostly balcony rooms which come in handy when seeking out these stunning views.

• Best Cruise Lines to Try For This: Swan Hellenic and Viking Cruises

Cruise Food Steps It Up On Expedition Cruises

Smaller format cruising means there is space and time for culinary staff to really cater to the tastes of its clientele. No mass buffets with ready-made pizzas or stale cookies; rather, think of an elegant menu featuring local Scandinavian tastes and ingredients all carefully crafted by world-renowned chefs.

• Best Cruise Lines to Try For This: Hurtigruten Expeditions , Seabourn, and Swan Hellenic

Related: 10 Scenic Towns in Norway To Spark Wanderlust

Use Travel Time For Fun, Not Wasting Away Behind The Wheel

Rather than spending hours and hours driving to reach a destination, cruising allows for travel time to become exploration time or fun time! Want to dance the night away while in-between ports? How about sipping a mimosa while mountain-watching? Or getting a luxurious array of spa treatments from Balinese massages to a fab mani/pedi?

On a cruise, all of that is possible in the time it gets to travel from town to town.

• Best Cruise Lines to Try For This: Seabourn and Swan Hellenic

All-Inclusive Pricing Allows Travelers To Plan

A hallmark of many cruises, the all-inclusive price model allows travelers to plan their finances for a trip and takes the sometimes nerve-wracking variable out of the holiday.

When cruising, travelers don't have to worry about keeping money on hand for necessities like food, beverage, and housing; no matter how much a traveler eats or drinks, the price is all the same. So instead, voyagers can set a more sure budget for other things!

• Best Cruise Lines to Try For This: Viking Cruises and Seabourn

Lecturers Onboard Give Cultural Experiences Between Ports

Norway's fjords cruises, especially expedition cruises, often feature scientists, historians, and lecturers on staff that provide cultural classes on board for guests to enjoy between ports.

These cruises really want their travelers to be immersed in the nature and culture of their destinations and providing these educational outlets really elevates the learning experience.

• Best Cruise Lines to Try For This: Swan Hellenic, Waterproof Cruises & Expeditions, Hurtigruten, and National Geographic

Fjord Spot From The Hot Tub

How else can an avid traveler roll through the vistas of the Norwegian Fjords from the warmth and luxury of a hot top or swimming pool? This unique experience is singular to cruising through the fjords; some ships (like the SH Diana from Swan Hellenic) have outdoor hot tubs and panorama saunas to experience this extremely special way of viewing the landscape.

Expedition Cruises Are Sustainable For Conscious Travelers

The cruise industry is notorious for being wasteful in their mass production of things, but expedition cruising-- especially itineraries through the fjords and parts of the Arctic and Antarctic, aims to make their ships as sustainable and undetectable as possible.

CEO of Hurtigruten Norway, Hedda Felin , has led the charge in her company to reduce waste by 80% on ships; the company's first zero-emission vessel is set to sale by 2030. Rest assured, expedition cruising through the fjords means minimal environmental impact.

• Best Cruise Lines to Try For This: Hurtigruten, National Geographic , and Swan Hellenic