Norway is a country filled with natural beauty....no doubt about it.....But it does not have the charming cafes or restaurants you will find in Italy or France. In fact, eateries are quite limited...not to mention very expensive...If you want to consider a trip to Norway I would recommend a cruise along the coast. The most popular cruise line for Norway is Hurtigruten which is an actual Norwegian cruise line that travels up & down the coast. Everyone, including Norwegians, raves about this cruise. Also, many of the major cruise lines have Norwegian fjord cruises. If you like cruises I believe this is an optimal way to view the most scenic part of Norway. You have already paid for your cruise, you don't have to search for (expensive) restaurants, or pay European prices for gas but you still experience a most beautiful part of the world.
Diane, thanks for offering us some of your advice for a visit to Norway. I've never cruised, but I believe this may be a good way to go in Norway, especially in light of the high prices for food and transportation. And of course, to see the beauty of the fjords.
If anyone hasn't read Diane's trip report yet, you can find it here.
I wanted to share a photo that Diane has shared with us, with her permission. It's a photo taken from the ferry trip she took along one of the fjords. Stunning, Diane!
The NY Times just published an article on 36 Hours in Oslo. They confirm Diane's report about how expensive everything is in Norway, but call the city "beguiling".
We spent two weeks in our motorhome in Norway this July. Yes it is very expensive, but you budget for it.
The cruise is good but we opted to drive through the western fjord country from Andalnes south to Stravanger. Literally breathtaking around every corner. We put up a few photos here.
I went on the Hurtigrute's northbound voyage and left it on the way back to see more of the Lofotens. My wife and I liked it very much. However, in spite of a certain ambiguity on the subject in the adverts (doubtless to appeal to both sides, it is made very clear at the first meeting on board that it is NOT a cruise. Having had to overcome our personal didtaste for the idea of cruising in order to get the scenery, we were of course delighted! However anybody who wants onboard entertainment and Captain's Table should be aware that this voyage provided none of that. The Captain said, 'here Nature is the entertainer.' Since it was belting with rain at the time and visibility was near zero, we did wonder what 'Nature' had in store for us but fortunately there was only part of one other day that was ruined by fog. Two tips: 1.In Bodø one of thase articulated vehicles that is meant to resemble a train meets the boat. It is not a Hurtigrute trip although they do announce it. It is WELL worth going - you get entrance to the new cathedral which is otherwise locked to visitors (at least in April).
2. In Tromsø on the north-bound voyage, don't go on the expensive Hurtigrute trip. Get a local bus to the funicular and go up it for fabulous views from the top - it will cost you much less and you will arouse the envy of those who have done the official trip round town.
Norwegian Coastal Voyage is advertised as a cruise but in fact all the ships are working vessels and carry people, cars and freight along the coast of Norway and are still an essential life line especially for the more remote settlements in the far north. This means that you dock in some very out of the way places at all hours. Time ashore can also be limited. Some places you may get 2-3 hours, in others it is just a few minutes. This can present problems and unsuspecting punters have been know to complain loud and long about stops in the middle of nowhere!
It is a fantastic voyage.
Choose your ship carefully as the experience does vary depending on whether you are travelling on one of the "traditional ships" or one of the new 'Millenium ships". These are HUGE with all mod cons (if you want that sort of thing). Personally we love the traditional boats. They are much smaller, you dine in the same dining room as the crew, you can stand on the bridge wings and watch what is happening on the bridge. A crane is still used to load cargo onto the ship (rather than fork lift through the side). The ships also sail a lot closer to the shore so you will see more scenery. You need to be OUTSIDE to really experience the cruise - even if it is raining, snowing and blowing a gale. It is not the same as seen through a glass screen.
One year we did go on one of the mid generation boats - but didn't enjoy the experience as much. It was a mistake. It was larger and felt a lot more impersonal. We have only been on the new generation and millenium boats when they have been docked but know they are not for us. People sit in the lounge and watch the video of the trip....
