1/2 way update:
The scenery is spectacular all along the coast! I had high expectations but these have been exceeded. A cruise seems like an ideal way to view coastal scenery and watch how the topography changes as one travels north. One trade off is minimal contacts with Norwegians themselves, but oh, the coastal scenery.
My favorite port stop so far has been the Lofoten Islands. We had the most interaction with locals here and the scenery is quite dramatic. Between the jagged mountains, sunshine, and white sand beaches one could easily picture themself in Hawaii. Well, there are a few palm trees missing from the picture here north of the Arctic Circle….
Shore excursions have been mixed from “I learned a lot “ to “why did I waste my money on that”. My favorites have been a walk to a lighthouse in Haugesund and touring the Lofoten Islands. Most disappointing was the folk museum in Trondheim, primarily because of lack of time at the venue.
I feel like port stops are a bit of a teaser since I find I would love to spend more time. I do feel like I am getting a brief introduction to Norway that I will want to follow up more on later.
The weather has been sunny and warm each day and I am quite thankful. I hope it keeps up through our next two port stops , Tromso and the North Cape.
Original post
I’m very much looking forward to the next two weeks exploring the Norwegian coast line. I’ll report back here periodically on the trip. There has been a great deal of “anti-cruise” discussion on the forum with concerns about the impact on communities, the environment, and non-cruise passengers wanting fewer tourists around. I acknowledge that those concerns are out there and are real. I am hoping to avoid those types of discussions on this thread. I just want to share my journey and what I learn along the way.
I’m a firm believer that there are multiple ways to travel and it is ok if we don’t all make the same choices. My choice was made when a location I been interested in for a long time (Norway) became available at a very reasonable price if I went on the cruise. I’ve added up my anticipated expenses for this 18 day trip and I don’t think that it could be done in a more economical way, particularly with a country that tends to be on the more expensive side. Food, lodging, entertainment, shore excursions, and transport (excluding airfare) work out to an average of $139 a day .
So, today I fly to Heathrow, spend tomorrow night at an airport hotel, and then transfer by National Express to Southampton to board my cruise. Then it’s off to Norway…….