phone advice

Sounds like you have it pretty well figured out. That said, I am curious why you would think Norway does not have good wifi. Norway has among the best coverage in Europe for wifi and most public places have free wifi available. It also ranks very high in terms of mobile speed; typically 4G and 5G. I don't think you need to worry about that.

Having said that, depending on where you are, of course you may not always have wifi available, so if you don't want to use Verizon's pricey international plan, then yes, you definitely need an e-SIM. I've used Airalo before, and it worked fine for me. And yes, you would install it at home, and then activate it once you get to your destination. With regards to driving, if you use Google Maps, you can download their maps to your phone and use them for turn-by-turn directions while driving. That cuts down on your use of data.

It also sounds like you've got communication with your family back home settled, and you're correct in that you can certainly use WhatsApp or FaceTime to connect with them. I usually use FaceTime to connect to my family in the states because they all have iPhones, but not all of them have WhatsApp, and it is easier.

Kathy - what a fantastic trip you have ahead as your first one. I am sure you and family will have a great time.

As for advice, Mardee was spot on. I also download Google map offline maps when traveling. If for any reason my eSim doesn't have cellular network or wifi around, I can still figure out where to go.
Your plan seems solid. I have xfinity mobile home and when abroad with eSim (I use Nomad), I also enable “voice over wifi”. So when on wifi, I get calls and can make calls using my local home number.

For eSim, your iPhone must be unlocked. Just check with your cellular provider that you can add eSim to it.

The problem with wifi is that it is limited to fixed locations - buildings, hotels, and restaurants. So you'll have to connect from one network to another. And do you trust these unknown networks? Are they secure?

With mobile data, whether an eSIM (the way to go) or your own data provider, you can access t'internet on the go -often when you need it most.

Just a note since you're first-timers. The time difference between the US and Europe means that the family back home may not get your calls and messages at convenient times. We've gotten by many days with only using wifi and What's App or FaceTime when back at our hotels.

For eSim, your iPhone must be unlocked. Just check with your cellular provider that you can add eSim to it.

That is true, but you don't need to check with your cellular provider. Just go to your iPhone settings, click on "Cellular," then scroll down until you see "SIMs", and if there is something there that says "Add eSIM," you are good to go.

If it's not there, you may need to call Verizon and ask them to unlock it. They might not be inclined to do that if you owe money on the phone. But if you don't, they should unlock it. And most carriers have gotten a lot better about unlocking the phones as soon as you've paid off any money owed on the phone. And that's a good thing, since the newer ones, from 14 on, no longer have physical SIM ports.

That is true, but you don't need to check with your cellular provider. Just go to your iPhone settings, click on "Cellular," then scroll down until you see "SIMs", and if there is something there that says "Add eSIM," you are good to go.

I didn’t know about this trick, Mardee! Thanks for sharing.

What a lovely trip & and amazing advance planning! I distinctly recall the Bergen to Oslo train having wifi most of the way, because we played it by ear and only booked our Oslo hotel while on the train. (2017, no biggie, wouldn't do it now.)

One tip is to be sure your phones are all in airplane mode when you take off from the US, that way your domestic carrier won't be charging you when you land, while trying to connect to the e-sim. (You can usually use Whatsapp for free on flights, just be sure you have your password for the app, except over Greenland!). Another thought - since 3 of you are using iPhones, I would suggest purchasing Air tags for each of you. ($100 plus small case to put on key ring.) I put them in my carryon, on my keys and hubby & I have given each other access. Once i was on a quick trip to a wedding & he figured out my hotel just looking at the Air Tag! Yes, you can also give access to each other's iPhones, but Air Tags has come in handy, specifically when I dropped my keys at home in a dark garage. Hope you have an amazing trip, we LOVED Norway!!