Did you Cruise to Norway this year- tour help needed

[DisneyWishes14]

In Stavanger, we hired GuideCompaniet for a private tour but it really isn't necessary. If you just want to tour the town, it's very walkable and I would recommend seeing the Canning Museum, Maritime Museum and the Petroleum Museum. I wish we had done the fjord cruise. Just a reason to go back I suppose! We had lunch at Fisketorget which was fantastic!

In Geiranger, we booked the limo tour and rib boat tour through Geiranger Fjord. Both were great! If you do the limo, be prepared, it's an old limo! Our tour guide was wonderful. The rub boat was super fun! Bring gloves and a hat! The chocolate cafe is amazing!

In Alesund, I could not find a private tour company, so we did the DCL Alesund Highlights tour which was very nice. We had lunch at Cafe Lyspunket and it was delicious.

In Bergen, we hired Bergen Guide Service and our guide was wonderful. We only did this because we wanted to get Mt. Floyen, Bryggen AND Fantoft in in the morning so I could take my son to Oevre Eide Farm in the afternoon. It was a bit rushed though and we didn't eat at the market unfortunately - again a reason to go back! I would suggest, whatever you do go to Mt. Floyen first thing as the crowds really build as the morning goes on.

Enjoy your cruise! Norway is absolutely beautiful!

 

[kmitchel]

We are sailing the Magic to Norway from Dover next May and want to look at doing some independent tours so we are looking for recommendations for tours/tour companies that you have used, enjoyed and would tour with again.

our ports of call are Alesund, Gerainger, Bergen and Stavanger.

hope someone has some good recommendations, I have always wanted to see the beauty of Norway and despite living in the UK and Norway being close enough, we have never done so. What better way to see it than on a beautiful ship.

I did the Norway cruise in June. For Stavanger, I did Pulpit Rock. It was an INTENSE hike. My poor knees actually took months to heal. If you're in great shape, I can highly recommend!

In Alesund, I had the Kayaking tour booked, but I cancelled it before we boarded the ship because the weather leading up to the cruise had Alesund very cold and very wet. I was glad I cancelled because it was the day after Pulpit Rock and I was too sore to really want to do anything! The day also turned out to be in the 40s and overcast, so I was happy to spend the day just relaxing.

In Bergen, I hiked Mount Floien. It was really nice as well. The hike was nothing like Pulpit Rock, but still had great views. You took a funicular part of the way where they had a gift shop and ice cream/coffee available. It was a great tour and I enjoyed it (even though I was still recovering from Pulpit Rock!

In Geiranger, I had booked the "Sky to Fjord", but that was another one I cancelled due to weather. I have to say that Geiranger was the most beautiful port and I enjoyed walking around the little town. It is just breathtaking - everywhere you look seems like a postcard!

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[DahliaRW]

In Bergen, we hired Bergen Guide Service and our guide was wonderful. We only did this because we wanted to get Mt. Floyen, Bryggen AND Fantoft in in the morning so I could take my son to Oevre Eide Farm in the afternoon. It was a bit rushed though and we didn't eat at the market unfortunately - again a reason to go back! I would suggest, whatever you do go to Mt. Floyen first thing as the crowds really build as the morning goes on.

Enjoy your cruise! Norway is absolutely beautiful!

Ovre Eide was our favorite DCL excursion of the cruise, which surprised us. We felt like we were family visiting a relatives farm! It was a nice, relaxing, beautiful, fun, and educational tour.

 

[Momof2inCT]

In Stavanger, we hired GuideCompaniet for a private tour but it really isn't necessary. If you just want to tour the town, it's very walkable and I would recommend seeing the Canning Museum, Maritime Museum and the Petroleum Museum. I wish we had done the fjord cruise. Just a reason to go back I suppose! We had lunch at Fisketorget which was fantastic!

In Geiranger, we booked the limo tour and rib boat tour through Geiranger Fjord. Both were great! If you do the limo, be prepared, it's an old limo! Our tour guide was wonderful. The rub boat was super fun! Bring gloves and a hat! The chocolate cafe is amazing!

In Alesund, I could not find a private tour company, so we did the DCL Alesund Highlights tour which was very nice. We had lunch at Cafe Lyspunket and it was delicious.

In Bergen, we hired Bergen Guide Service and our guide was wonderful. We only did this because we wanted to get Mt. Floyen, Bryggen AND Fantoft in in the morning so I could take my son to Oevre Eide Farm in the afternoon. It was a bit rushed though and we didn't eat at the market unfortunately - again a reason to go back! I would suggest, whatever you do go to Mt. Floyen first thing as the crowds really build as the morning goes on.

Enjoy your cruise! Norway is absolutely beautiful!

We are torn between the farm visit or Mount Floyen as well - would you say Mount Floyen is a do not miss vs. the farm visit? Thanks!

 

[disneyfaninaz]

We are torn between the farm visit or Mount Floyen as well - would you say Mount Floyen is a do not miss vs. the farm visit? Thanks!

You might be able to do both. Mt. Floyen is very easy to do on your own and not far from the ship. Our neighbors took the farm tour in the afternoon, but went into Bergen and did Mt. Floyen in the morning before returning to the ship to meet their excursion.

 

[DahliaRW]

You might be able to do both. Mt. Floyen is very easy to do on your own and not far from the ship. Our neighbors took the farm tour in the afternoon, but went into Bergen and did Mt. Floyen in the morning before returning to the ship to meet their excursion.

You can totally do both if the farm excursion is in the afternoon again. I would leave the ship as soon as you can and walk to Floyen. The lines to ride the funicular get longer by mid-morning. I would not pay for the DCL excursion to Floyen. It's really cheap and easy on your own.

 

[Saamh]

We stopped in Stavanger on the May 2015 EBTA (wasn't originally planned but due to icebergs we had to skip St. John's Newfoundland and Iceland and instead stopped in Halifax and Stavanger). We absolutely loved Stavanger. With little time to research and plan we took a recommendation from someone in our cruise group and booked the Lyseford cruise direct with Rodne.No It was amazing. We got to see pulpit rock from below and several waterfalls. The scenery was beautiful. You can see their boats when you get off the ship so it's easy to walk right over there. We had some time afterward to explore the town as well. Everything was very walkable.

 

[DallasToDis]

Didn't do a cruise, but we drove from Alesund to Bergen last summer (with various overnight stops along the way).

Alesund is a charming town to walk around. If you are able to go up to the top of Aksla hill definitely do that. Incredible views - feels like you are on top of the world. It's 400+ steps up, but not too tough. There is a road to the top too and we actually got driven to the top and dropped off then walked the steps down. There is a pretty park at the bottom.

Geirangerfjord is so beautiful! We did a kayak tour - very peaceful and a great way to take in everything, including waterfalls galore (one of the few benefits of the cold, wet summer Norway experienced last year). Not too stressful even for my youngest who was 8 at the time. If you have some way to get up there, if you take the road up on the north side of town/fjord there is a stunning overlook which would include a great view of the Magic. There really isn't much to the "town", but as someone else said the chocolate shop is a don't miss! Might want to pop into Moods of Norway clothing store as well. In Norway they have this soft serve ice cream everywhere called softis (pronounced soft ice) that they dip in all sorts of toppings and this is a good place to get it - make sure you take your picture with the enormous troll As others have said, the walk up the stairs along the waterfall to the Hotel Union and the Fjord Center is definitely worth doing.

I think others have filled you in on Bergen pretty well. It gets VERY crowded around the harbor area, especially days that cruise ships are in town. And yes, the funicular up to Mt. Floyen gets crazy crowded too (although things move fairly quickly) so check your personal space issues at the door. Just walking through all the nooks and back crannies of the Bryggen area (definite highlight) and over to the fisketorget (fish market) is very pleasant. If you have a way to get over to Fantoft stave church (about a 15 minute drive) you might think about that. It is a replica as sadly the original was burned by an arsonist, but an extremely good one. And you really haven't been to Norway if you don't see at least one stave church

 

[linetbo]

We are going next June to Norway cruise, I want to do private tour but can't find anything. Which Disney tour did you like the best, my mom can't walkeep fast or climb. Thank you.