Havila cruises

To get more help where are you going from and to and how many days do you want to do on the trip? I think with more information you can get more help :) Hubbing from where to where and what are your interests etc :)

We traveled the southbound coastal route several years ago with Hurtigruten from Kirkenes to Bergen. While the scenery along the coast is lovely, to get the most out of the coastal voyage, I would suggest you include a couple of select shore excursions to enhance the experience. Keep in mind that this is called a "coastal" voyage, not a fjord cruise.

With the exception of the Geirangerfjord, the fjords you will travel through on the coastal route are wide, grand fjords, for example Molde and Trondheim.

If you are wanting to see what I call the Viking Cruise commercial view of the fjords, you want to cruise the Geirangerfjord (which is included on the northbound cruise) and the Naeroyfjord (which you could include on the Norway in a Nutshell route between Oslo and Bergen.

But, you need to get above the fjords for the scenic views overlooking the fjords. For the Geirangerfjord, you could add the Trollstigen excursion. On the NIN route you could add the tour to Stegastein Viewpoint.

Don’t rule out traditional cruise lines when considering value on cruising the Norwegian Coast.

To get the most out of a Hurtigruten or Havila cruise (the cruises for those who don't do cruises) you need to do a round trip. On a one way trip (north or south) you only see half the scenery as what you pass one way by night you pass the other way by day, and vice versa.

One isn't "better value" than the other, just different value.

But, yes, Bergen (not uniquely, but especially) has several short fjord cruises which are every bit the equal of the Naeroyfjord on the Norway in a Nutshell. But they aren't UNESCO listed and haven't marketed themselves as heavily. The Norway in a Nutshell was originally developed and heavily marketed to ultimately save the Flamsbana (railway) from closure.

During the autumn Hurtigruten and Havila go into the Hjørundfjord, as opposed to the Geirangerfjord- just as good, if not better, as the Geirangerfjord, but way less well known. There is a day trip you can do daily from Alesund but again its the Geirangerfjord which is heavily promoted and UNESCO listed.

It always strikes me as strange that this forum barely mentions the Hardangerfjord in a Nutshell from Bergen- again the equal of the Naeroyfjord, but it takes significantly more effort to cover- not just train to bus to ferry to train.

A conventional cruise is equally as valid a way to see the fjords as the coastal voyage. And, in the case of the Geirangerfjord at least on a conventional cruise you get to go ashore and benefit the local economy, not just stay on the ship all day, or straight off onto a shore excursion.

Much is made of how big and brash a conventional cruise ship (from the big international lines) is. Well, no one forces you to use all the facilities.
Also not all cruise ships are made equal. I use Ambassador (a UK line, but open to international bookings)- they use 1,000 to 1,500 pax ships (so not hugely larger than Havila)- I've been on them (when they were called CMV) to places in Norway neither Havila/Hurtigruten or the international cruise lines get to.
The other famous cruise line for Norway is Fred Olsen (a Norwegian company, who also use smaller ships and get you to the lesser well known, but still stunning places.
Last night I got an e-mail from them about an upcoming short cruise from Newcastle (England) [already a win, not the ubiquitous Southampton] to Ulvik (Hardangerfjord), the Fureberg Waterfall in the Maurangerfjord and then the Lysefjord. A stunning out of the way itinerary. The Maurangerfjord is one of those great but less well known fjords (of which Norway has scores, if not hundreds) and the Furebergsfossen is a really dramatic waterfall straight into the fjord- possibly better than the ones in the Geraingerfjord, but fairly little known. The Lysefjord (Stavanger) is another dramatic fjord, but one which not many cruise ships visit. Hurtigruten do on their expedition cruises from Oslo.

So in summary you have a smorgasbord of choice. It is highly subjective which is "best value", and also depends how much work you want to put into the planning of your trip.

Probably the most spectacular fjord cruise I've done wasn't in Norway, but in Greenland- an all night passage far inland to Kangerlussuaq, at the time of the midnight sun on a small 700 passenger cruise ship.

That was a breathtaking night, as most of the ship slept the night away.

Whatever fripperies the ship had (not many) was lost, just in the simple rawness and beauty of nature.

I caught up on my sleep a few nights later on the passage back to Iceland.

Hi all and thanks you so much for the really insightful information on the Havila voyage. While they do appeal to us, (because they are small, affordable, up close, and we aren't real "cruisers"!) We are now looking at a just doing a Havila port to port option as part of our Norway itinerary. I was thinking Bergen to Trondheim or Tromso.

But on the front end, taking the NiN from Oslo to Bergen. Any opinions on Vods, Geilo, or another town along that little journey tonstay at for a couple nights and explore the area?

Where to stay along the Nutshell will depend on both the availability of lodging (Flåm can be difficult/$$$) and your interests.

We overnighted in Flåm so we could include the tour to Stegastein Viewpoint. They now offer a tour to Stegastein plus the Borgund Stave Church that would be interesting.

Here's a link to FjordTours of
things to do in Norway to give you an idea of activities. You can filter by location and season.