Norwegian cruise... any advice / experience welcome

[letsplanaholiday]

DH and I are thinking of booking a Norwegian fjords cruise next summer.

Neither of us have done any cruises before. Please can anyone offer advice on what we should consider when booking.

For example, it's more money for a room with a window, is it worth paying the extra for that? I'm assuming don't spend that much time in the room.

Which company to use (not P&O on principle). I've been looking at Cunard, are they good?

Basically I'm a cruising novice who want to see the fjords! Please tell me everything 😁

I would add that we sailed on 31 August, weather on our sea days was great, not many kids on board (or not enough to have registered with me). We were warned the weather would be cooler in Norway so we did take plenty of jumpers and light raincoats for the days out.
We didn't pre book anything apart from a RIB speed boat trip around the fjords at Gerainger and I booked that independently of Royal Caribbean using trip advisor and a site called cruise critic.
Norway is very expensive (we were treating our three young adults plus one of their partners for our wedding anniversary) so we all agreed to have a big breakfast before disembarking (not difficult) and snacks about 4pm when back onboard.
I have to say that cruising down a fjord at 6am whilst having a coffee on the balcony was an amazing experience

They don’t seem to have balcony cabins though. I don’t want the entertainment. I want good food, a nice room with a balcony and no kids. Which is the best cruise line for that?
Also don’t most cruises expect tips?

The Baltic cruises are really good this year particularly if you’ve cruises s lot and visited a lot of the ports already as they’ve really mixed to the itinerary as St Pertersburg been removed. I’m going in a 10 day one with a stop each day and no days at sea.
I do think the one week Norway or Med cruise are a good safe introduction to cruises.

Some lines have adult only ships. Cunard sounds more like what you are looking for if you wanted less kids. Very few children on Cunard ships as they are very formal.

All cruise lines have tips, some are included in the fare some aren't. They are normally about £15 per person per day.

@JellyBellyNelly. They didn't complain about everyone getting off at the same time, just confirmed that everyone did. And that it wouldn't suit us. They've been on escorted tours previously and coped.

But the eating arrangements were a bit odd.

In the formal / fine dining restaurant you were allocated a specific table for the whole of the trip. Most tables were for 4 - 6 people so unless you had booked years in advance and requested that you be allocated a table for 2, you were put onto a bigger table, with another couple, also allocated to the same table for the duration of the journey. There was a set 'sitting' each night and you couldn't just turn up early and baggsy a table for two, you had to sit at 'your' table with Derek and Doreen.

It was a smaller ship with the only alternative being a self service cafeteria with less fancy food. Which they chose to do after the second night. Shame really because DF is a bit of a foodie.

DH and I had considered the Fjord cruise, despite the crowds, as the Fjords are probably best seen from the water. But we were completely unaware of the shared table business. It might not bother a lot of people in the slightest, but it would be a game changer for me.

If there are other unsociable people like me, they may want to know this before spending £££. I couldn't see it mentioned in their promotional literature.

Anyone been with Fred Olsen?

Most cruise lines now don't have the set seating times and you can dine at a time to suit you. Also you can get a table for 2 this way as well. Look for "dine your way" or various themes around that.

P&O
Royal Caribbean
Princess
MSC
Celebrity

All do dine your way.

We have only done one cruise when it was set dinner times and it was Cunard. I dont know if they have changed now to flexible dining.

It is very much an older clientele ship. So a lot more 60+ than other lines. If that doesn't worry you, I have heard good things about them. They are older ships so don't have all the facilities of the newer ships but also tend to be smaller.

I have done many cruises. I didn't mind the inside cabin until it was morning and I hated it. Was always unsure of the time , was it morning ? It's also nice having a window and opening your curtains and seeing a different destination each day
(So yes the window makes a big difference , to me anyway )

I've done Fred Olsen. The food was great. You can always tell because often as a cruise goes on, people gravitate from the evening restaurant to the self service restaurant. On Fred Olsen they stay in the dining room because the food's so good. The entertainment was very good too. But the trips were very expensive. Yelp.

Oh OP what have you done Thanks to you I've now started to google cruises and we are almost ready to book one I haven't considered going for one for various reasons but my head is now turned. We're looking at RCI's Odyssey of the seas as we have two early teens who'd get most out of it. And therefore making it more relaxed holiday for us...

We're also looking to book an adjoining balcony rooms as I have some claustrophobia issues, will cost a lot though but yolo and all that. Can anyone shed a light how to get a morning coffee in the cabin if there's no coffee making facilities (On RCI's website I can't see it mentioned in the room description)? Is it going to cost a bomb through room service?

We're also looking to book an adjoining balcony
that is what we do, on some of the ships Allow you to have the balcony divider opened so you end up with one big balcony. My family have many happy memories of sail aways with a cocktail or mocktail on the balcony.
You can order a continental breakfast with coffee for free (with RC and some of the other cruise lines) and then have that on the balcony.

Whiterosetedrose, have to say that was the one thing that concerned us, the communal eating. When we did the Hurtigruten you couldn't reserve tables until you were actually on board. With great good luck we nabbed a table for two which was ours for dinner for the duration of the cruise (other meals were buffet and you chose where to sit - as breakfast and lunch were over two hours the dining room was never overly busy).

I think, because the Hurtigruten ships are so much smaller than the cruise ships they don't have the option of open seating arrangements.

If the only option was sharing with other people, we would have been put off too. In fact we've looked at some of the river cruises and been put off for this exact reason.

@OompaLoompaa That’s great info, thank you!

One of the reasons we decided on two connecting rooms is the luxury of having two loos and two showers. And no-one needs to sleep on a sofabed either. I would have loved the perks that come with a suite but it would have been 3k more and still with a sofabed and one loo & shower between four people.

One of the reasons we decided on two connecting rooms is the luxury of having two loos and two showers. And no-one needs to sleep on a sofabed either. I would have loved the perks that come with a suite but it would have been 3k more and still with a sofabed and one loo & shower between four people
The two cabins options is a really good one, you get loads of space, two bathrooms and two wardrobes etc works really well.
Its just DH and I that cruise now so we’ve started booking the suites for two people.

My parents have done loads of Norwegian cruises. They love it. Think they've done P&O and Fred Olsen.

I’ve been interested in a fjords cruise also and for me it will be between P and Os Iona ship due to price and the fact it is a new ship, or Royal Caribbeans Anthem of the Seas due to the fact we’ve sailed with them before and they are top quality but probably a bit more pricier when it comes to extras like internet excursions and drink packages.

this lady Emma does quite a lot of useful cruise videos on you tube

The only downside of Norway cruises is that the 2 sea days going there and back can make people sea sick.

I didn't bother with a balcony, I preferred being up in deck on sail ins do found see both sides and not just a fairly restricted view of one bit.

Been on a p&o cruise to Norway and it was one of the best holidays ever. Must have a balcony room - essential. Sitting there watching the world go by was amazing. Highly recommend it. Weather was unseasonably great when we went. Slept well. Book it!

P&O's ship Iona doesn't have set dining. It's completely freedom dining.

You can book a table in advance or join the virtual queue when you are nearly ready to eat using the app.

You pick your table size and don't have to share tables at all.

You have a menu that you place outside your door and can request all manner of breakfast items - or just coffee if you wish. It's a while since I cruised RCI so the method may be different eg updated.

Hi OP, I commented on here prior to our trip to Norway on 23rd July so just thought I would come back and update on our trip!
This was our first cruise and first holiday in over 7 years, I was 40 whilst we were away and used my recently deceased nans inheritance to pay for the holiday as I am on a tight budget! I could also only afford to take 2 of my children with me.
The boat was amazing! unbelievably huge, it took my breath away! Embarkation is so simple and fast, there are loads of staff checking you in and the process is very simple with no waiting around.
Our room was ok although small, however we had the cheapest option available, with 2 single beds and a sofa bed. We were only ever in the room to sleep so it functioned well for this purpose. If I had more funds, I would definitely go for at least a window but preferably a balcony (although check the layout as some balconies are situated where guests can walk along outside and peer in).
The food was very very plentiful and consistently served in the buffet area. It was of a good quality and there was a wide variety to choose from. If you want to dine in the restaurants for a special occasion I would book as soon as you get on board, especially in light of what happened to us midway through our holiday (see below). The entertainment was fabulous. The staff are amazing, very attentive, tables were cleaned instantly, food replenished quickly, and the housekeeping were wonderful.
We booked excursions including pulpit rock (monday day 1) and via de ferrata (tuesday day 2). Although both were listed as high intensity, the via de ferrata was on another level of intensity....1,100m above sea level, climbing up sheer rock faces for 5 hours, in wind and rain. It was an achievement to reach the top but blimey it was hard work.
Unfortunately, this is where it started to go wrong for us. On Wednesday we had white water rafting booked. Due to the lift taking ages to arrive we disembarked 4 minutes (literally.....there is a clock by the exit) late to find the coach had gone without us. This was even more frustrating because on Monday we had waited 10 minutes for other guests who were running late! The port was small and there was not a lot else to do so 80% of the day was spent back on the boat.
That evening (Wednesday) the Captain announced that, due to a mechanical fault we had to leave and make our way home!! Disappointed was an understatement as we missed our final port and final trip, which was my actual 40th and effectively spent more days at sea than on land. We were 'compensated' with £100 per cabin in on board credit.
Consequently, due to there being 5,000 people on board, the pools were packed, the chairs and sun loungers were packed, the restaurants were full, and it was all a bit of a nightmare.
Suffice to say we were very disappointed with this turn of events. I have complained to P&O since our return and they have not been prepared to compensate any further than the £100 on board credit that was given at the time, despite the fact that, for us, it was a long awaited, special birthday holiday, paid for with inheritance. They say everyone receives the same 'compensation' no matter the circumstances.
Hopefully this helps give you some recent feedback on this cruise. Personally, I would be very hesitant to travel with P&O again due to how they deal with things when they go wrong.

@KingsArmy - Sorry to hear things weren't 100% with it all. I'm not sure if you are/were aware but some travel insurances cover for missed ports and you can claim compensation. It usually involves a letter from the reception desk to claim. But it may be worth looking into?

I’ve cruised with P&O, wasn’t impressed, we have had about 6 cruises with Celebrity, love them, food fantastic, especially the buffet, room service also excellent. Entertainment is great and there’s something for everyone.Wouldn’t go on a cruise without a balcony, it’s lovely to sit out with a nice drink and meal star gazing, especially as the skies are amazing in that area of the world in the artic circle.
We have done a fjord cruise, it’s good to book a room without an obstructed view, we tend not to close the balcony door when in bed.
Excursions can be expensive so we booked ours independently with local tour operators, much better value for money but you will need to research each stop first as you’ll probably not need an excursion on every stop. Our favourite one was Flor & Fjaere, once off the ship a boat takes you to a privately owned island which has been lovingly developed into an island of flowers, each area is a different type of garden, all beautiful, one of the owners gives you a guided tour and you also have some free time to wander on your own followed by coffee and cake.
We luckily had fabulous weather when there so didn’t need to wear most of the warm clothes that we packed.
Our favourite cruise with them was the Baltic, including St. Petersburg, would love to go back but I don’t think that will happier because of the current situation.

I took my gown up Dd and my two younger ds's (13 and 9 ) on Iona to the Fjords at the beginning of June.

It was our first ever cruise and we booked a balcony room.

I wouldn't go on a cruise again with p and o - we missed two ports due to bad weather and consequently only had two stops instead of 4 - I declined to get off at the first stop as I just didn't fancy a mooch around Stavanger so I only got off the boat once that week!

The food was ok, not amazing - the Indian restaurant was really good but pricey. I kind of thought it was like a big floating Wetherspoons, that's the best way I could describe it.

The crowds in the better weather on the way home put me off the pools and sunbathing, the evening entertainment is ok if you like 'dancing with the stars' type of thing. I didn't.

I suppose it's what you make it and the Fjords really were lovely for the two days we were in them. I did the Loen sky lift and that was beautiful ( until the cloud came then you couldn't see anything 🤣🤷‍♀️).

It's true wrt the weather. One day there in June it was down to 9 degrees and bloody freezing, wet too so visibility was poor sadly.

All in all I probably won't cruise again. I think you have to enjoy certain activities and it felt quite crowded to me - I was ready to go home by day 5.

Maybe if we hadn't missed ports and the weather had been better i might have felt a little differently. Perhaps I should have used another cruise line I'm not sure - my DC's enjoyed themselves though!