Is it ok/acceptable to negotiate day tour price in Norway?

No. Prices in Norway are generally not negotiable, except at flea markets.

Prices are high because the travel season is mostly limited to summer—just as in Alaska—and the cost of living is high.

The costs of living has little to nothing to do with tourism. Its just an expensive culture, but wages are also higher so it's tolerable for the locals, but tough on tourists.

“The costs of living has nothing to do with tourism.” Not true. It’s not caused by tourism but it certainly does impact tourism costs. The apparent high cost of the tour is because the person leading it lives in Norway and has to pay Norwegian living costs.

You could ask, but if the location is popular or during peak season, then the well reviewed tour operator has priced their offerings accordingly. They are unlikely to have interest in "negotiating" a lower price when they can easily fill the spots at the price they quoted you. On a trip to Norway you may have to prioritize which experiences you most want to fund - if this specific day tour is high on that list, then find other ways to economize on your trip costs (good luck - it's expensive!!)

If the quote from this operator is more than what you want to pay, look for another tour operator.

Prices are high because the travel season is mostly limited to
summer—just as in Alaska

We like to think we tourists are more important than we are. Tourism is 1.1% of the country's GDP

In 2023 we booked a day tour directly with a small tour company. The owner-driver-guide earned every bit of his tour price. No additional tipping required in Norway.

What type of tour and where are you looking. Maybe, we could offer suggestions.

Don't do it.

Theoretically it is OK to ask but it is not really a part of Norwegian culture. A few might get it the wrong way.

Do you have alternatives? If not there is not a real base. Do not try cheating. People know each other.

Nordic saying: Just earn against it.

Tourism is 1.1% of the country's GDP

Agree to this and Norway does not really need the income from GP. They let their invested money work - very successfully. See Norway's Government Pension Fund Global.

No! Haggling is not something you do in Scandinavia. Apart from flea markets. And if i had a tour company and someone started arguing about the price with me I'd probably consider blocking their phone number/email and simply ignore them.

But where are you going? You rarely need a tour operator to do a day trip in Norway.

You can always say something like, "Thank you, but unfortunately that doesn't quite fit our budget." If the tour operator comes back and asks what your budget is or offers a lower price, they certainly have that prerogative. But don't expect it or ask for it.

I am with Lane. Never hurts to be upfront and honest. And understanding if the operator doesnt come back with any ideas.

Thanks, all for your feedback! What I am thinking of doing is simply saying that we have read excellent reviews (for that tour company), but our budget is around $$$$, and we are trying to see if we can stretch it.

We dropped plans to rent a car because that won't make it easy to relax, especially because of jet lag and a very short stay.

Lane has a pretty good idea, just keep in mind that the tour operator might interpret it as "thank you for your time, but we are not interested", and book someone else instead.

You've also not mentioned what you're planning, and there might be cheaper options. There are other options than renting a car or hiring a tour operator.