MSC or P&O - Norway

[Bargaintools]

DS and I want to do a Norwegian Fjords cruise next June. We’ve sailed before, mainly Royal Caribbean with DS (he will be at home this time) and always in inside cabins. We’ve never felt the need for balconies before due to hot climate type cruises in the Med and Caribbean. We’ve always been more than happy in inside cabins.

This is Norway though. We have the budget for a balcony but I do wonder what we will actually see by booking one. Yes, it’s outside space but are we better placed up on deck in the Fjords? I am likely to book a balcony, just wondered what your thoughts were particularly as the cabins seem to have metal sides so it’s only straight ahead you see if that makes sense?

Next is our choice of cruise line. P&O is Iona. Cabins look good, Southampton is a nuisance from Scotland, not to mention expensive to fly to or get the train. Flights are roughly £325 each return from Edinburgh.

MSC from Copenhagen is also a possibility on Magnifica. This is an older ship. Smaller cabins and small balconies. Copenhagen easier and much cheaper to get to from Edinburgh with Ryanair. £50 odd return each but we’d need to add cases.

if anyone has any thoughts or suggestions, I’d be delighted to get your help.

I am just about to look at Fred Olsen. Know nothing about them but they go from Rosyth which is 20 minutes from home!

Thanks again.

Out of those choices I would do P&O. 100% a balcony for the fjords. It is so nice sitting out on the balcony, drink in hand watching the beautiful scenery as you sail by.

Some cruises you can get free coach fare to port with p&o. So that would save you the money.

Edited to add have you looked at Princess? We have sailed with them on the plus fare and they were a good price and a great cruise.

Thanks. I have found a brand new MSC ship that sails from Cooengahen a few weeks before we ideally want to go so I am waiting on a price for that. Southampton has been discounted. It’s 12 hours on the coach that some companies provide, flights are between £7/800 return and the train takes about 8 hours also. It’s just too difficult. We’d rather do Fred Olsen or Ambassadors from Dundee than Southampton I think.

Spent quite a lot of time on it yesterday so having a rest today. My brain is a bit friend looking at options.

I am going to look at Princess again though. I am sure I did yesterday but I think it’s Southampton and different ports. Thanks for the suggestion.

Of the options you’ve mentioned I would say P & O. I think Ambassador and Fred Olsen are an older vibe. Have sailed on P & O and liked them. Don’t like MSC at all. Have sailed on Celebrity and Royal Caribbean - both fab - do they have anything?
When we went to Norway we had an inside and it was okay, but I kept having to get up really early so I didn’t miss sailing up the fjords. A balcony is a good idea!

Hi Bargain, we’re sailed to the fjords a couple of times and once on Iona- it’s does have newer cabins etc but did not like how big it is so when you dock it’s so busy in port and sometimes the larger ships find it difficult to dock because of the high sides. We missed a port because of the weather and the itineraries are not as good- the smaller ships can sometimes go to better ports.

Our favourite ports are Stavanger for museums, Bergen for the hill walks and city life, Olden for the cable car or kayaking, Alesund for sightseeing and Gerainger for walks.

Susan Calman did a programme this week on Fred Olsen to the Fjorfs so try and find that and you can have a proper look at the ship. Also Emma cruises has been on Fred Olsen if you look that up on YouTube.

Not been on MSC but family have and it’s a bit mixed and again can be busy if a bigger ship.

The Susan Calman programme was on channel 5, called something like Cruises of a Lifetime

We enjoyed MSC, but you need to enjoy what’s there rather than expect things to be what you are used to.

The evening meals are multiple courses and you need to order lits of them. The meat isn’t served with sides, they are other courses if you see what I mean. Really varied food so a great opportunity to try something unusual knowing that it doesn’t matter if you don’t like it! There is plenty of other food!

We’ve never had a balcony, but we’ve always been happy to hang out in public areas reading and playing games. There is usually a great lounge with amazing views somewhere.

Go with Havila! Awesome trip with them up to Kirkenes and back, I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

I like MSc

We went on FO a couple of years ago, our first cruise so I can't make comparisons.

It was good, the ships are smaller than some of the other lines so they can go into some of the smaller fjords. Sailing from Rosyth is a definite plus - apart from travel to the port (we're in northern England) the sea crossing is shorter which we were glad of - the open sea is dull compared to the Norwegian fjords and coast, and we had a force 9 gale going there.

We had a balcony, which is nice if the more spectacular side happens to be that side, and we'd find an inside cabin too claustrophobic I think. But we preferred being out on deck either fore or aft as much as possible so we could see both sides. One of the plus points of the boat was that it has a nice wooden deck all the way round - we were rather amazed some ships don't.

We skipped the dining room most evening and just ate in the buffet (which had plenty of choice) because we didn't want to be sitting indoors while the scenery slipped by outside longer than we had to.

Even in summer we needed hats and gloves at times but we were probably outside more than most people.

Look at The Chaotic Scot blog, Kay Guliespe ?spelling. She is a Scottish travel writer who only uses public transport but she just did a Havila trip from Bergen, Norway. The North and South trips so a 12 day round trip. I am now hooked on this idea!

@Bargaintools are you aware that Easyjet fly fro Glasgow to Southampton. Could this be an option? Admittedly i have been going up for a short break without hand luggage and not in school term times. Getting fares around £30/35 each way. Appreciate 3 of you and luggage may be another story.
Also a cruise fan, luckily not too far from Southampton. Until recently i always had an inside cabin, including an 80 day world cruise ( it was 20yrs ago mind). Been on a fjords cruise once and it is the only one where I would not go unless it was a balcony cabin. As I recall we did cruises into/further up the fjords once departing the port/after trips out. So peaceful just looking at the scenery. It was a while ago so a lot smaller ship, 2-3k passengers, not 6k like Iona, so had the wraparound promenade deck 7, plus space up on higher decks. I went to Med on Iona Nov 24 but found it too big for me. I am not the market/demographic they are aiming for on that ship, but is was lovely and impressive. I only know P&O so can't advise. I also recommend Emma Cruises blogs for descriptions of ships/cruises, very informative once you get used to how fast she is speaking/amount of infoshe is imparting. Good luck with your decision. Totally understand how overwhelming it can get weighing everything up. Bon voyage.
Edit, I read that as if your son was young,kid club age lol. Now i think he is older and 2 of you going. Southampton Airport Parkway train station is next to airport and 5 mins to Southampton Central train station. Depending if you travel light it would be 5minwalk to Premier Inn Cumberland Place or 10 min walk to West Quay P Inn, across car park of retail park and past Ikea.

Thank you everyone for all your help. I’ve made a typo in my OP. DS is not coming, it’s just me and DH. Fat fingers. Still mulling things over but lots to consider.

A Fjord cruise is lovely. I've done one in September with Fred Olsen from Southampton and we had a great time. (Not flying is important for me, so leaving from Rosyth sounds great too.) It's a VERY English experience, with no casino, pretty Anglo-centric food, older guests, and great enrichment lectures.

Completely different from MSC, which IME in the North Sea is more lively, Euro-centric, family oriented, better food. Whatever you choose, a balcony would be great if you can afford it.

However, the best Norwegian 'cruise' I've done is the classic Bergen to Kirkenes and back with Hurtigruten in early April. Do see what else they do. Brilliant company. Photos available on request.

I was going to suggest Hurtigruten too. A different type of experience but sounds amazing. Although appreciate you may not want to fly. (My favourite thing about cruising is not flying so on that basis go for the closest departing!)

Princess cruise to Norway and are fantastic.

Coach to Southampton from Scotland is totally fine and stress free - you sleep on the way down and luggage is all taken care of - its really easy

And definitely book a balcony for the fjords the scenery is out of this world

We have done a Fjords cruise from Rosyth with Fred Olsen (with a teen!) In summer they have a slightly younger vibe, but yes it’s still mostly retired folk onboard. I myself was rather a fan of the smaller very ship-y ship and the more old fashioned entertainment - although apparently this was more “modern” than their out of school holiday sailings. I have friends who have worked in entertainment on Fred and the standards are high, if as I say, aimed at an older crowd.
Overall, I would say we found Balmoral charming, soooo easy to go from close to home (boarding extremely quick and efficient) and liked that we weren’t on a ship with 4000 others. Just don’t expect to get anywhere fast onboard because the general walking pace is slow!
oh, and the sail away under the Forth Bridges was amazing…..

Ambassador do Norwegian cruises from Dundee. We did one last year and had a fab time, and it was so lovely to sail from a local port.

We were on the Balmoral too - re Just don’t expect to get anywhere fast onboard because the general walking pace is slow! just nip out onto the deck and walk the length outside
We also liked that it was 'smaller very ship-y ship'

After 14 cruises I would never go on P&O we went twice both times the ship was grubby, service poor, food ok sometimes, it's just not the quality of the others. Daughters been with MSC and said the ship was too crowded, no places to sit wanted extra for every little thing.
Stick with Celebrity, Holland America etc should be much better.