Norway has some of the most beautiful coastal scenery in the World. The rugged beauty of the fjords whilst good to look at, are the shorelines to an impassable landscape. The intrepid Norwegians needed to link up their communities and ensure adequate supplies to them, so in 1893 the D/S Vesterålen ... Read review
NH Hotels, the hotel chain leader in Europe, with more than 300 hotels in 20 countries in Europe, Latin America and Africa. Enter into our web site and find the best available tariff at all times
Advantages: A chance to view beautiful artic scenery Disadvantages: You could be very seasick
Norway has some of the most beautiful coastal scenery in the World. The rugged beauty of the fjords whilst good to look at, are the shorelines to an impassable landscape. The intrepid Norwegians needed to link up their communities and ensure adequate supplies to them, so in 1893 the D/S Vesterålen made the first sailing between Trondheim and Hammerfest. Then in 1908, longer voyages from Bergen to Kirkenes began.
Today there are eleven ... ...carrying supplies and post to the many communities along the route. All the boats take passengers so my family and I celebrated my fortieth birthday by taking a cruise on The Coastal Express or to use the Norwegian word, Hurtigruten. This was an experience of a lifetime that I would recommend to anyone.
There are three generations of ships; all of them are ... more
Norway has some of the most beautiful coastal scenery in the World. The rugged beauty of the fjords whilst good to look at, are the shorelines to an impassable landscape. The intrepid Norwegians needed to link up their communities and ensure adequate supplies to them, so in 1893 the D/S Vesterålen made the first sailing between Trondheim and Hammerfest. Then in 1908, longer voyages from Bergen to Kirkenes began.
Today there are eleven working vessels that sail both ways between Bergen and Kirkenes carrying supplies and post to the many communities along the route. All the boats take passengers so my family and I celebrated my fortieth birthday by taking a cruise on The Coastal Express or to use the Norwegian word, Hurtigruten. This was an experience of a lifetime that I would recommend to anyone.
There are three generations of ships; all of them are unique with their own special attractions. Some of them may not be suitable for everyone so it is important to pick the right one for you. If you have young children or limited mobility think carefully. On the older boats there is not a lot to do except read and look out of the window. There are some fairly long stopovers along the way, but in winter the weather may be so bad that you will not be able to do much more than walk along the quay.
Traditional Ships: These two ships are the oldest in the fleet and are not as luxurious as the modern ships nor do they offer the same facilities. However we travelled on the M/S Lofoton and found that its character and charm were enough for us. If you take this boat, you might want to spend a little more and not have a D deck birth like we did. These cabins get all the noise from the engine room and are not the place to be if there is a storm!!!
Mid Generation Ships: There are three more modern ships in this category which offer facilities for handicapped people. They have a restaurant; cafeteria, lounges and open air areas, as do all the Norwegian Coastal boats.
New ships: These six ships also feature facilities for handicapped people and offer attributes that are unique to them; a sauna and exercise room.
The Voyages ========== The classic round voyage takes thirteen days and goes from Bergen in the evening of the first day and arrives in Kirkenes in the early hours of the seventh day, before turning round to retrace its route. There are many interesting ports of call along the way where passengers can get off and look around, and in summer there are also some optional excursions on offer.
There are many other options to choose from, if you do not want to take the full round trip. You can go one way and fly or drive back to Bergen, or perhaps get on at Trondheim and take a short trip to Kirkenes. The Norwegians use these boats as transport between the various towns along the coast, so short hop journeys are easily arranged. There are boats that leave from both ends of the route every day of the year.
The Food =======
The food on board is Norwegian and there is a lot of it. Obviously meals are scheduled at set times although these can be changed if there is bad weather brewing up or if there has to be a time change to a scheduled stop. Scandinavia is famous for the price of its alcohol; you might want to take your own and drink it in your cabin or even carry a discreet hip flask with you!
Breakfast: This is a self-service buffet of cereals, breads, cold meat, fish, eggs and cheese.
Lunch: Also a self-service buffet consisting of meats, cheese, salads, breads, crackers and fruits. I never thought I could get sick of smoked salmon but after eating it every lunchtime for a week I did!
Dinner: This is a three-course meal served meal, reindeer featured on the menu during my time on board!! It is not expected that you dress for dinner, but most people did.
When To Go? ==========
Do you want to see the Midnight Sun or the Aurora Borealis? Snow covered fjords or wild flowers blooming? It’s up to you. I went in February, but one day I intend to return in summer.
Obviously the weather can be a problem in winter, and on the first night of my holiday there was a storm so bad that all the passengers and some of the crew were sick. The roll of the ship takes a bit of getting used to and it took a couple of days to find my sea legs. The weather was generally good although the odd storm caused alterations to the ship’s timetable.
The days got shorter as we went further North, in the Arctic Circle the sun was not coming up until after eleven to do a low sweep along the horizon before beginning to set at around three. The light was eerie but beautiful and was a good backdrop for the snow-covered fjords. We were assured that it was almost certain that we would see the Aurora Borealis once we were inside the Arctic Circle. There was a good display on several nights including my birthday when the Northern Lights to give them their more easily pronounceable name, put on a spectacular show that my drunken brain decided was just for me.
Do not underestimate the cold. Take plenty of warm clothing and sensible shoes if you want to disembark at ports. The temperature was –18C in Kirkenes and believe me this is freezing!!! The boat had to plough though frozen sea to get to the port. Fall in, and death would be almost instantaneous for a human, but the small brown seals that we frequently saw basking on ice floes did not seem to mind a bit. We weren’t lucky, but if you are you might see whales too.
The snow did mean limited mobility when the ship made stops. This and spending time sitting in the lounge looking at the fabulous scenery meant that I did not get enough exercise. Combine that with three huge meals a day and guess what happened to me despite a few bouts of seasickness? However, weight gain was a small price to pay for the privilege of seeing such beautiful Arctic scenery. If you ever get a chance you won’t regret taking this very different holiday.
Prices =====
At the time of writing the UK office of Norwegian Coastal Voyages is about to issue a new brochure. When I went in 1999 I took the cheapest option that I could. This cost £850 for the fourteen day Classic Round Voyage sharing a D-deck cabin on the M/S Lofoton. Go on a new ship now and have a cabin with all mod cons, and you will probably make a hole in your wallet which is more than double what I spent. There are discounts for people over seventy, children and groups and the usual single supplements. Obviously the time of year you go makes a difference to the price too.
Tipping is not encouraged or expected by Norwegians. However we did give some especially helpful staff a gratuity which did not seem to shock or offend them!
The amount of spending money to take is up to you. The excursions are booked on board, so if you go in summer when they are running you will obviously need to take enough. Also in summer local people and craftspeople will meet the boat to show and hopefully sell their work. I took £200 when I went and came back with most of it, as in February there was not an awful lot to spend it on.
Further information ==============
The first web address is of the UK division of Scandinavian Travel who I booked our trip with. They are very helpful and their product knowledge is excellent. The price I quoted included flights from Heathrow to Bergen, taxi transfers, and excellent hotel accommodation for the last night before our return to the UK.
The second web address is the Norwegian Hurtigruten site with pages available in English.
Advantages: Great nature and scenery, long summer days Disadvantages: Can be a bit expensive, weather can be unpredictable
I have a confession to make: I have not travelled to Stavanger in Norway...I live here. But I hope that I can contribute with information that will help you if you come to visit. Stavanger is located in the area Rogaland in the south-west coast of Norway. The people that live here are still debating wether we belong to the south of the country or if we can regard ourselves as true westeners. SO far we have not been able to reach a conclusion. The ... ...of Stavanger (Domkirken) dates back to 1125 if I’m not mistaken. The cathedral today is one of the sights in Stavanger. No, it is not as BIG as Notre Dame or other cathedrals in the big European cities. It is a small intimate cathedral and the most unique thing is that it is bulit in both roman and gothic style. The reason for this is of course that the church was exposed to fire and it took quite a long time to finish the project. But today it is ...
gard 26.06.2003
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of General: Norway
Advantages: amazing scenery Disadvantages: can be expensive
Last summer I was given the oppurtunity to visit Norway to attend an International Environmental Conference on the small island of Vega. Living in a rural part of England I am used to beautiful scenery, surrounded by mountains and valleys of lush greenery but nothing could prepare me for the breath taking scenery carved through the rocks by ancient glaciers leaving sheer drops, long lakes and spectacular landscapes.
Arriving in Oslo airport we were ... ...ourselves for Norway being a cold country but we were greeted by warm sunshine. During the few hours we spent in Oslo I found it to be a bustling friendly city with lots to see and do.
To get to our final location we had to spend a night on a sleeper train. This was an expereince in itself. To wake up in the early hours of the morning and look out of the window to see beautiful forests scattered with little wooden buildings that stood out in what ...
K 10.06.2001
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of General: Norway
Advantages: Breathtaking scenary, good train system, everyone speaks English if you need it Disadvantages: Locals a little unfriendly to young travellers, quite pricey
This summer I couldn't decide where to go on holiday. So, my boyfriend and I bought interrail passes, again, and just went.
Sadly, when we got to Geneva, he looked in an English newspaper, saw the footie scores and decided that he absolutely had to see his team#s next match. They had won a match, a rare occurance, and seen as it was the first week of the season, were top of the league.
This meant that our journey had to be severly edited. We had ... ...taking in the sights. WEl,, with the rush to get home, I insisted that we go up to the fjords, which I have always wanted to see.
So, it was a series of overnight trains up through Holland, Denmark and Sweden to get to Norway. Sadly, one of the overnight trains was cancelled and instead the Swedish railway thoughtfully laid on a "special bus" to take us to our destination. Clearly, the only thing that was special about it was the it was totally ...
fam6 02.10.2001
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of General: Norway
Norway is a wonderful place to visit. It has a huge feel to it, an immense landscape, space and light. This is no prissy little English countryside, all cordoned and divided, this is God' stomping ground, this is Viking World. A place you can really relax and breath. The weather is wonderful, snow and ice for four months solid and then a mad blossoming of spring and summer when the whole place comes alive to long sunny days and fits a whole years ... ...fantastic. In summer there are the immense, ubiquitous forests, clear lakes to swim in, hundreds of colours of wildflowers by the roadsides, fields of corn and awesome walking scenery up in the North where it gets more rugged. In winter the place is also spectacular, but more austere. The sun does come out - this isn't Iceland - and when it does the whole world is white. The lakes freeze, and the sheltered/small ones are safe to walk on, skate on, ...
Gervase 19.07.2000
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of General: Norway
Advantages: Beautiful scenery, friendly people, lots of daylight (in summer) Disadvantages: Food, Lots of driving, lots of darkness(in winter)
After travelling to Bergen on the ferry from Newcastle - nice calm crossing, Important to someone who gets travel sick - my family and I planned to drive north along the west coast of Norway in our motorhome until we reached Nordkapp. This is the most northerly point in Europe and somewhere my husband had always wanted to go. I was rather less enthusiastic, I do like the sun! but was pleasantly surprised. Once out of rainy Bergen, (is it true it ... ...fjords. The scenery was absolutely stunning and after the rather wet start the sun appeared and it was HOT! I must admit the temperature did drop whilst driving through the mountains. We have some great pictures of our children in the snow covered peaks in July, but it soon warmed up again when returning to sea level.
The scenery continued like this for most of the way north. We passed through a weird moon like landscape as we passed into the Arctic ...
muppet88 29.10.2004
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of General: Norway
Value for Money
Sightseeing
Shopping
Nightlife
Ease of getting around
Similar reviews »
Reviews which might be of interest for "General: Norway"
Advantages: Very central location, ideal for public transport and exploring the city Disadvantages: Can be noisy as it is so near the main station
of the train station, cross the tram tracks and the hotel is on your left as you enter Europaraadets Plass. As it happened, I arrived in Oslo during the celebrations for midsummer, so the square outside the station was full of people heading to and from various celebrations, with the attendant police presence, so once I had negotiated my way past the police horses, I was relieved to see the hotel was so close. The disadvantage of this was that the area around the station was pretty noisy until the early hours of the morning (and the sun was still shining of course) but that's going to be the exception rather than the rule as Oslo, and Norway in general, seems to be a fairly sedate and calm place to visit.
The website for the Rica Hotels chain states that it is corporate policy to 'to welcome our hotel guests in the same manner as we would a dear ...
Advantages: Cosmopolitan, Lively, Compact, heaps of Museums and Parks Disadvantages: Expensive
worth the extra.
Eating and Drinking
------------------------
Probably best avoided altogether if you can! The price of drink in Norway is shockingly expensive. Generally speaking a .4l glass of draft local beer would set you back around 60kr or £5.00. This is definitely not a place to go for a stag or hen night. More popular beers and spirits were even more expensive; something like an Irish coffee would be nearly at the £10 mark; a bottle of very ordinary Australian Chardonnay that would cost about £4 in a supermarket here was about £35 in one restaurant, and as for champagne, even a Moet would be up around the £80 mark.
Soft drinks do not fare much better either with a coke in a restaurant coming in around the £3 mark.
The Aker Brygge is a lively area at night and the waterfront is lined with restaurants of all varieties ...
helencbradshaw 04.07.2004
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Oslo (Norway)
Advantages: Cheap way to visit the Fjords Disadvantages: V expensive when you get there!
prepared and brought sandwiches, biscuits & cakes and also cans of pop, beer and a bottle of wine which we later devoured back in the cabin. There was plenty of entertainment to keep you amused, cabaret, disco and a live band as well as a 'casino' (ie one man and a pack of cards) and cinema (the same price as going to the cinema at home). There's also a large duty free shop on board which sells everything you could possibly need.
The crossing that evening was pretty rough and we were woken a couple of times by the waves crashing on the front of the boat, but I can't say I experienced the distress other reviewers have referred to...... I guess it depends on how bad the crossing is.
We spent the whole of the next day wandering about on deck, reading, chatting and generally having a relaxing time, and by late afternoon we were nearing Norway ...
richardsonjones 02.04.2004
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Fjordline
