My Turn :)

Just for price comparison, we paid a total of $8600 for 18 days in September of 2022. That even included a car rental with full coverage, travel insurance and parking at near MSP.

I would add a few days, but I think you can plan it on your own using the tentative itinerary you already have.

June 3–5: Hurtigruten southbound or northbound coastal segment (likely Bergen→Trondheim) or day day cruises from here? As I am not sure the best way to get back to Bergen but I would guess by plane?
• June 7–8: Fly back to Bergen for departure

Have you bought your transatlantic flights yet? If not, I’d figure out your Hurtigruten route first and then figure out what your flight options are from the place where your Hurtigruten route ends. For example, it might make more sense to fly to Oslo (or even a different city) if there are flights at better times or for less money.

I have never taken the Hurtigruten, but visiting the Lofoten Islands is on my bucket list. There isn’t a lot to do in Flam. If it were my trip, I’d reduce time in Flam to add the Lofoten islands into the trip.

I'm not familiar with Up Country Norway. What are they providing that you can't book on your own? Especially since you mention DIY Norway in a Nutshell and personal contacts in both Oslo and Bergen.

We traveled to Norway during a similar time frame in 2023. We flew directly into Kirkenes and took Hurtigruten southbound to Bergen, DIY Nutshell from Bergen to Oslo with an overnight in Flåm, and added a few days in Ålesund at the end. Our cost for 10 nights hotel plus the 6 day cruise and the Nutshell was just under $6000 for 2. We did take advantage of Hurtigruten's Black Friday sale.

On your Nutshell, you can break the journey in Flåm. Aurland, Gudvangen or Voss depending on the timing of your activities. Flåm will be the most expensive lodging. Aurland will require transportation from Flåm to your lodging.

If you do the Hurtigruten northbound segment you will cruise the Geirangerfjord if departure is June, the Hjørundfjord in May. The southbound segment does not include either of these fjords.

Where are you going when leaving Norway. You may be able to fly out of Trondheim without backtracking to Bergen?

June 3–5: Hurtigruten southbound or northbound coastal segment (likely Bergen→Trondheim) or day day cruises from here? As I am not sure the best way to get back to Bergen but I would guess by plane?

From Bergen only Northbound is possible.

I recommend ending in Oslo and taking the train finally from Trondheim to Oslo - maybe visit Røros and or Lillehammer on top.

Be aware of Russefeiring (a month-long celebration for graduating high school students) in university towns - the hotel prices go up then because families visit their students. Had this issue in Trondheim once.

If you are flexible in terms of travel dates I recommend to be in Oslo or Bergen the whole May 17 for the traditional constitution celebrations.

Thanks everyone!

So maybe we should fly into Trondheim and take a ferry to Bergen and then a couple of nights in Bergen do the DIY nutshell with a couple of stopovers and then end in Oslo on June 8th ish. Based on our dates which way round would you suggest? Starting in Oslo or Trondheim.

This might be a stupid question as I can see the boys stop at many ports and some only 10 mins how do you decide when to get off and do an activity? I am not sure that I want to spend 12 days on a boat which is why I was thinking just the short 3 day trip from Bergen to Trondheim or vice versa?

I do appreciate you taking the time to answer.

As regards the 'Hurtigruten' the general rule is that any port you pass by day in one direction you pass by night the other way, so the direction of travel doesn't much matter, as you'll see different scenery in either direction.
Purely personally Trondheim to Bergen I prefer southbound than northbound as I get to see the Bergen archipelago and also the last two ports at more or less dawn, depending on the season. Northbound I'm up at crazy o'clock to see those ports.
In fact you can change at the last ports for a faster catamaran to Bergen.
The drawback is you miss useable time in Alesund southbound. You can get off but it's a quick midnight trot round the town centre.
Any call under half an hour can be shortened further depending how many passengers are on or off, and on freight requirements. But at some of the short calls, on the full trip there are port to.port overland excursions. So the short calls generally you stay on board.
At the short calls it was much easier to do quick trips ashore on the old ships where you sometimes had under 100 passengers.
I've never managed to do it, but I would love to get off at Floro or Maloy (the last ports before Bergen at breakfast time) because apart from the fast cats to Bergen there are other interesting things to do which just aren't in most guidebooks.
That is true for a lot of the ports, including the only one served northbound only- Vadso (the last one before Kirkenes).

Thanks Ian. I see you post on many places all with good information.

My main concern is to organize the flights and then I can get into the details. So deciding if we should start in Trondheim or Oslo, I can't do all of Norway so hopefully this will give me a good overview. I think I will do private rooms at airbnbs for an experience to meet people which seems to have worked for me in the past.

Based on the input then I believe I can do it by myself and without a car. We will have done a lot of driving in other places so it might be a nice break.

Oslo to Bergen or Bergen to Oslo will make no difference in what you can see and do.

If you do Oslo- NIN - Bergen, then your northbound coastal ferry from Bergen to Trondheim will take you into a fjord as I mentioned in my earlier post and give you a glimpse of the art neuvo city of Ålesund. You could also add the Trollstigen shore excursion getting off the ship in Geiranger and reboarding in Molde.

If you choose to start in Trondheim with the southbound ferry, you will not cruise into these narrower fjords. However, you would have the option of taking a Hurtigruten shore excursion, such as the Atlantic Road excursion, that would starts in Kristiansand and returns to the ship in Molde.

Warning, the shore excursions are pricey!

Thanks everyone as always for spending your time answering my post.

So what I’ve decided based on your input is to do everything by myself. After doing more research, I find it very feasible.

So thinking of spending three nights in Oslo then doing Norway in a nutshell, but doing it with two nights instead of just one day. Does everybody think that’s a good idea and would you recommend staying in the same town for two nights or doing two different towns? Then going onto Bergen for two nights and taking the ferry north for 3 to 4 days up to Trondheim spend two days there and then fly back to San Diego. Does that sound better or would you tweak that itinerary? ?

If you are leaving Bergen on 3 June that turns out to be a Havila day, not a Hurtigruten day. Same voyage, but different company.

I realised that when looking at a possible tweak, to continue another day north to Svolvaer in the Lofotens. Svolvaer has an airport as well.

My feeling is you can tweak this for ever and a day, there are literally hundreds of ways to do so. This one is a classic, even evergreen version. Last week I was having enormous fun looking again at all sorts of exciting tweaks in the far north, which have been on my wish list for it feels like ever.

But it works, and is familiar forum ground for Norway, so leave as is IMO.
And it suits you personally with contacts in Bergen and Oslo. And that's what matters.

If you were coming south then yes the Atlantic road is totally worth it.

And yes the excursion costs are, ouch!!

I would do two nights in Flam or Aurland. There is more than enough there to fill that time. The bus from Aurland to Flam means it doesn't much matter which.

That sounds great. I was not sure if I were asking for advice or validation. I think I got both! 😊

I booked two nights in Flam but if you say it’s not that difficult to get to Aurland without a car maybe we will do that. I do appreciate your great feedback.

I would only spend 2 nights along the Nutshell route if you have enough specific activities you want to do. Will you be hiking or kayaking in addition to going to Stegastein Viewpoint?

Here's the link for FjordTours
Things to do in Norway to get an idea of what type of activities are available in the different destinations.

I am just dropping by to give you a shopping tip. My disclaimer is that I am not really a shopper, but my sister had told me about Fretex stores in advance and told me I really needed to visit one if I could. I was quite glad that I did. You can look up their locations online.

Fretex is the The Salvation Army thrift stores in Norway. You can often find those beautiful Norwegian Sweaters for a fraction of the cost of the other stores. Sometimes there are great textiles and home decoration pieces.

Thanks ladies. When I saw shopping I went I don’t shop, BUT then I saw what you meant I thought that is perfect. Great tip!

On the subject of excursion costs I did the Atlantic Road off a little cruise ship when we berthed at Kristiansund (Kristiansand is a port in the south of Norway, not on the Hurtigruten route). I paid less than half of what Hurtigruten was then charging, and we had more time to do it (being in port all day). I was being lazy (for me) as I could have equally well done it on public transit, but I would have missed another chance to use the famous Sundbaten- the harbour ferry in Kristiansund. It is said to be the world's oldest public transit system. I'm sceptical of that claim, but still a must do for me.

Ok Thanks to Stuart and everyone. I think this might work. I am not really worried about the details just about getting accommodation. Also, a checking that the ferries do run on the dates and that I can do port to port. I do apprecatite you all :)

We are slow travelers so 3 nights in Bergen and Trondheim might be a lot but it gives us some downtime, I think..

Norway Itinerary – Summary of Nights (May 24–June 9)

Oslo: 4 nights (arrive late May 24, explore May 25–27)

Flam: 2 nights (May 28–29)

Bergen: 3 nights (May 30–June 1)

Ferry & Ålesund: 2 nights in Ålesund (June 3–4), 1 night onboard ferry (June 2 or June 5 depending on sailing)

Trondheim: 3 nights (June 6–8), fly out June 9

Total nights: 16

Have PM'd you.

Hi, nicolatwig, part of your itinerary looks like a lot. It looks similar to what my daughter and I are doing in July when we head to Norway. We're spending several days in Oslo then driving to Morgedal, then Voss for two nights, then on to Bergen where we will take the overnight ferry to Ålesund and spend two nights there then head back to Bergen. I'm getting very excited about the trip.

I've answered your pm.

It's my understanding port-to-port ferry ticket availability depends on how many full-distance bookings have been made. Don't wait too long to pin things down and make your reservation.

Apparently, according to the company, I can make reservations port to port at about six months out. I should be able to do it now.

Yes you can, I've done trial bookings for you on both sailings several days ago.

I personally doubt that capacity issue as they make far more money from port to port bookings than from through cruise passengers, and the whole point of a real ferry service is that locals can book at short notice, as needed.
In fact, subject to overall ship capacity, you can do any port to port sailing as a deck class passenger (no berth) and no meals. So you could in theory book Bergen to Kirkenes port to port, no berth and no meals (bring own food and drink on/buy picnics at every port, or just buying the odd meal on board). You'd be mad as a hatter to do so, but it is possible.

Try booking a succession of port to port hops and you'll see how much more they make from you.

So when you do book, like on a budget airline, ensure you've chosen all the available options, like a cabin and meals.

Great tip. That is what I’m gonna be checking today. I think from what I found it was about €180 per person for the cabin with food and a cabin per leg. Thank you.