Hello - we are planning a Norway trip in July, and (of course) must see the fjords. I have had some bad seasickness in the past, and am naturally worried about spending a boat cruise in the "toalett"..
1) Is the water pretty mellow, or is there some tossing, turning?
2) Being on a boat for 2 hours scares me. Are there some nice shorter cruises?
3) Do I have to get on a boat, or are there some good auto drives that I could get the scenery?
Thanks, Rick
There are many inlets that are called fjords, and they do have roads, but those aren't the ones that you want to see! The dramatic, beautiful ones that are so popular with tourists have steep sides where roads cannot and should not be built! Although you cannot really drive along many of them some have overlooks that can be reached by car. For example there is a very nice lookout spot overlooking the Geirangerfjord called Ornesvingen.
The water in the fjords is very calm and placid with no waves or barely even ripples from wind most of the time. The water is very calm and smooth. As for length, the Geirangerfjord ferry ride is about 90 minutes long. The fjord cruise from Bergen to Flam is about 5+ hours. Once you get on any ferry in a fjord you can enjoy the view from the top deck in the fresh air if you're worried about seasickness.
I have taken many ferries along the coastline of Norway and have never experienced one that tossed or turned at all during the summer months. If the weather is good it should be fine!
We spent a July week driving through fjord country. We saw many fjords from the roads and many from the decks of small ferries as we crossed them (RS calls them "mini-cruises"). Crossing times were 15-30 minutes They were a very nice break in driving. Without fail, the water was quite calm and being on the water very pleasant. Yes, there are plenty of water views from many roads, but being on the water gives you a whole different perspective on the scenery. Look at https://www.nasjonaleturistveger.no/en/ for ideas.
