Cruising to the Norwegian fjords is one of the best cruises I ever took, but there are a few things I wish I had done differently or changed.

Regardless of where you sail, every cruise has its own approach. Even if I avoid the common cruise mistakes that would create major problems, there are still things that I wish I had done otherwise.

Across my 7-night sailing on Independence of the Seas to Norway, I walked off the ship with a lessons learned and new tips I'd share with someone trying it for the first time.

Hopefully these experiences will benefit you before you head to Norway for an equally amazing cruise.

How impactful the midnight sun is on sleep

You can read all you want about how there's so much daylight in Norway, but it's jarring every time you get ready for sleep and it looks like 4pm.

Balcony and oceanview cabins have curtains, but they are not blackout curtains.

It's an adjustment for sure, but I dealt with it better than others in our group. Our brains are conditioned to expect certain conditions for sleep, and it can be difficult to fall asleep swiftly if it's not met.

I don't regret booking a balcony cabin for my Norway cruise, but if someone were a light sleeper when it comes to light, I'd recommend an inside cabin.

While it's a shame for missing out on the views, I'd argue there are plenty of viewing opportunities from around the ship's public decks.  And a good night's sleep is worth something.

Weather forecasts are almost useless

After the first or second day, I started ignoring the weather forecasts.

The first sign they weren't very useful was when we'd all look up the forecast for the next day and get high temperature and precipitation predictions that never agreed.

But when we went into port and the sun shined most of the day and never rained, I started seriously doubting them.

My advice for anyone cruising the Norwegian fjords is to plan for all weather.

I wore a t-shirt, and brought a fleece jacket with me. If the weather forecast called for more than 50% chance of rain, I might bring my rain jacket but I often took a gamble with not bringing it.

I found it could be chilly in the morning, especially in the shade. But being able to take off or put back on my fleece kept things comfortable.  Plus, we did a lot of walking so as soon as we walked for a bit, I'd warm up naturally.

Just like Alaska, the weather is unpredictable so don't write off a day or assume any weather.  Have a backup plan, but go ahead with your excursions or walking, and make the best of it.

You're going to need a small backpack

After one port, I knew we needed a backpack.

I didn't pack a backpack or day bag, but it came in so handy to have somewhere to put a bottle of water, rain jackets, and perhaps a snack.

I just mentioned how important being able to put on or remove a jacket is, and it's a lot easier if you have somewhere to store them.

You should bring a packable backpack that can be stuffed in your luggage, but used during the sailing.

Water and drinks are very expensive

I knew Norway was an expensive country, but what really surprised me is how expensive soft drinks are.

Maybe I'm used to prices in the USA, but I thought 3.5 Euros or more for a bottle of water or soda was quite excessive. That was the price at a convenience store or take-out restaurant.  Sit down restaurants would easily charge more.

Plus, there aren't really free refills at restaurants.

I'm guessing the higher prices are the result of taxes, tariffs, import fees or something else, but it changed how I otherwise go out.

Almost immediately we started bringing bottles of water with us off the ship, which were essentially free thanks to one of my favorite Crown and Anchor Society perks.

Booking independent shore excursions was so much better than in the Caribbean

There are pros and cons of booking shore excursions through the cruise line or on your own, but it seems to heavily favor independent tours in Norway.

I booked excursions through both Royal Caribbean and on my own, and overall, was happier with the independent tours.

The tours I did on my own or with a third party had far less waiting. 

My bus tour with Royal Caribbean had a report time of 12:10pm, but between waiting in the theater for the tour to start and the bus taking forever to load everyone, we didn't actually depart until 1pm.

On the other hand, the Loen Skylift in Olden that I booked through an independent company had ticket pickup at the pier and buses running every 10 minutes.  

Speaking of the Skylift, do it.  It's the best excursion we did during our cruise.

We not only wasted far less time getting going, but we beat the cruise line excursions that came later. That meant less time waiting for the cable car.

There are good reasons to book a tour with Royal Caribbean, but I think the third-party tours worked better.

Fjords are best seen from a tour

Your ship will sail in and out of fjords, but I think you're best off seeing them on a tour rather than trying to enjoy them from the ship.

With the exception of perhaps Geiranger, the best views of the fjords aren't where the ship docks for the day.  

In fact, most times our sail into the fjord occurred in the middle of the night. And if you thought, "I'll see it on the sail out", usually dinner or a show conflicted.

I'd recommend booking excursions that take you to scenic vantage points, such as by boat, bus, or hike.

The North Sea can be rough

I've been on enough cruises to know sea conditions are unpredictable, but the North Sea has a well-deserved reputation for being rough.

The likely worst part will be when your ship crosses the sea between the English Channel and closer to the coast of Norway.

Winds, waves, and rain move in and out quickly.  I never got seasick, but the crew distributed seasickness bags around the ship. That's usually a sign others weren't so lucky.

I wouldn't skip booking a fjords cruise because you have to sail through the North Sea, but I would be prepared for the worst, just in case.

Plan to shop and walk cities in the afternoon

Other than the tourist shops filled with souvenirs, most shops in any of the towns and cities we visited did not open until later in the morning.

As we walked through Molde and Haugesund, it became clear shops, restaurants, and stores opened mid-morning or later.

In fact, many bars and restaurants did not open until 2pm or later.

My advice is spend your morning seeing a historic site, going for a hike, or some other excursion and save the walking the streets for the afternoon when most things are open.

The opportunity to take my family on a Norwegian fjords cruise was too good to pass up, even if it's not the cheapest cruise fare.

I booked a 7-night Royal Caribbean cruise through Norway that cost $2,103.22 per person.

We were already coming to Europe for a Royal Caribbean Blog group cruise, but that sailing was going to cities in northern Europe.  Norway seemed like the perfect way to top the trip.

Not only would we get to see marvelous cities, but we could check off another must-see list item by going to the fjords too.

The seven-day cruise departed from Southampton, England.  It was particularly easy because I was doing a back-to-back cruise and was already on the ship.

It cost $4,206.44 for two people in connecting oceanview balcony rooms, including taxes, fees, and gratuities.

Here's what my cruise experience was like, and why I would do it again in a heartbeat.

My 199-square-foot balcony cabin had more than enough space for two people

My wife and I stayed in a balcony cabin on deck 8, and it served as our home base throughout this cruise and the one before it.

Cruise ship rooms get knocked for being tiny, but our 199-square-foot cabin with a 65-square-foot balcony felt spacious and suitable for two people.

It had a king size bed, plenty of storage space for everything we packed, a small safe, a seating area with a sofa, a hairdryer, a small refrigerator, and complimentary toiletries. 

It helped we booked connecting cabins so my kids had their own space, and we had ours.  It's a must-do family booking strategy, in my opinion.

There were 4 ports of call built into our nine-day itinerary, but one was cancelled

Before our cruise began, the plans had to change.

Due to an issue with one of the ship's generators, Independence of the Seas had to sail at a reduced speed and our itinerary was altered to drop a visit to Alesund.

We were disappointed with the change, but Royal Caribbean gave us $200 per cabin for the last-minute change.  Plus, we were scheduled to be there from 4pm-11pm, so it was a difficult day to plan around anyway.

I've cruised long enough to know that any itinerary is subject to change, and you have to roll with the punches. Being flexible when cruising is so important, and I wasn't going to let a port cancellation ruin my trip.

All of the ports — Hagesund, Molde, and Olden — were very different and offered one-of-a-kind experiences

Our cruise would take us to three very different Norwegian ports.

Our first port of call was Molde, a town near the Fannefjord and Moldefjord. Its picturesque harbor, public art, colorful streets, and surrounding hills made it a postcard-perfect introduction to the country. 

We attempted to hike up to Varden Molde Panorama, a picturesque vantage point overlooking the city.  The grade of the hike was too difficult for us, but we shared in a good laugh after how difficult it was.

Stop two brought us to Olden, a village so beautiful that it ended up being my favorite of all the stops.

I actually booked two different shore excursions, because I wanted to maximize our time.

We got off the ship early and took the LOEN Skylift up to the top of Mount Hoven, where we enjoyed amazing views 1,011 meters above the Nordfjord.

After lunch, we booked a panoramic bus tour of Nordfjord.  It wasn't exciting, but it did stop at a number of beautiful spots to enjoy the natural beauty of the area.

And Haugesund rounded out our visit. This is a proper city, and it was far more bustling than any of the other stops. We shopped, had lunch in the city, and even took a short walk to a Viking memorial.

It's worth noting we also visited the capital of the country, Oslo, on the previous sailing. The biggest city in Norway, it offered more history and culture than we could fit into our visit.

Because we cruised in summer, I didn't see the Northern Lights. But, I did experience Norway's midnight sun

A few people on my cruise ship asked if we'd be able to see the Northern Lights, but it's practically impossible in June or July (November through March are the months travelers are most likely to see them in Norway).

I did get to experience midnight sun, though. This is when the sun barely sets during the summer months, and it's still very much light out at midnight.

This is because of the earth's tilt, and how far north Norway is located.

During our cruise, the sun would start to set around 11pm, but it wouldn't get truly dark until closer to 1am.  And then the sun would rise again around 4am.

It made sleeping a challenge, as I'm used to relying on any natural light seeping into my room as a sign it's close to the time to wake up.

But it was very strange to have dinner or see a show on Independence and walk out of the venue to see sunshine at 10pm.

The weather was unpredictable, but we got very lucky overall

It seemed like everyday was a guessing game as to whether it would be sunny, cloudy, rainy, or windy.

In general, the weather forecasts were pretty useless.  When comparing forecasts across different sites, each had its own view, and there was never any consistency.

Luckily, we encountered very little rain and comfortable conditions overall.

It rained a little in Olden and Oslo, but in both cases it was short lived. Most of the time we were dry, and the sun was present much more than I expected.

Just like an Alaska cruise, you have to be flexible in your planning and employ the layering strategy for packing.

Most importantly, don't take the weather forecasts as the gospel truth.

Independence had lots of onboard activities to keep us entertained during days at sea

When we weren't in port, I kept myself busy on sea days with the various things to do onboard.

Royal Caribbean is well-known for offering lots of fun things to do on any of its ships.

My daughters loved going to the free skate sessions in the ice skating rink, where Royal Caribbean provided all the equipment to try ice skating.

I gravitated towards the live entertainment onboard, particularly the Pub and band in Star Lounge.  "Rock-aroke" was a really fun take on karaoke, where the guests singing had a band performing instead of a recorded track.

Many of our friends were competitive in the different trivia events onboard too.

The ship's dining options were impressive as well

We mostly ate at the Main Dining Room on Independence of the Seas, but sprinkled in specialty dining too.

There are four specialty restaurants I ate at during my sailing:

• Chops Grille
• Izumi
• Giovanni's Italian
• Playmakers Sports Bar

I took advantage of a a 3-night dining package that I purchased before the cruise began to help augment our dining plans.

This allowed us to enjoy the fantastic service in the Main Dining Room, but change things up with specialty restaurants later without paying full price.

The Nordic voyage was the perfect trip for a family group seeking adventure

We ended our cruise in Southampton, making it convenient to get back to London and catch a flight home.

In retrospect, I'm grateful I had the opportunity to bring my wife and kids to Norway and explore it together. As my girls grow up, family vacations seemingly become more and more important.  Plus, I think even the jaded teenager found it a fun trip.

My kids were able to have time for themselves onboard and meet other teens their age, while my wife and I enjoyed the casino, entertainment, and chatting with friends.

Giving each person the freedom to fill their days as they desired — and spending quality time together at night — was essential to the trip's success.

Cruising to Alaska and Norway means your ship will sail through some of the world’s most spectacular landscapes, but the two destinations are not as similar as they might seem.

I recently took my first cruise to Norway, and I thought the experience would be somewhat parallel to an Alaska cruise. After all, both destinations have chilly weather, small towns, and majestic fjords.

Quickly, however, I realized the two destinations were much more different from each other than I expected. I found that Alaska offered excellent wildlife viewing opportunities while Norway’s villages were more charming and picturesque.

If you’re deciding between an Alaska and Norway cruise, you can’t go wrong with either. Both destinations should be on your must-see list—they are among the most beautiful cruise itineraries out there.

Here’s what you should know about the differences between cruising to Alaska and Norway to help select the best itinerary for your next cruise vacation.

Getting there

Until transporters from Star Trek are invented, getting to Norway or Alaska for your cruise may sway your decision considerably.

As an American, getting to Alaska for a cruise will always be easier and cheaper than Europe for a Norway cruise.

Flights to Seattle are plentiful across the United States, and while airfare prices are generally higher than ever, a domestic flight to Seattle will almost always cost less than a flight to the United Kingdom.

Even if you consider an Alaska cruise that begins in Vancouver, it will probably be cheaper than getting to Europe.

Of course, if you live in Europe (or closer to Europe than North America), then a Norway cruise could be quite affordable in terms of flying to where the ship departs from.

Airfare in Europe tends to be quite cheap, especially if you can take one of the various low-cost European carriers, such as EasyJet, Ryanair, Wizz Air, or Norwegian.

Similar to price, flights will be shorter depending on which embarkation port you live closer to. 

Many savvy travelers will save their credit card points for a European vacation to help take the sting out of airfare.  In fact, investing in a business class flight could also make sense with credit card points.

An Alaska cruise will take me about 5-6 hours to fly to, whereas a flight to London will come in at 8 or 9 hours from Florida.  If you live in the Northeast United States, flight times between New York and Seattle and New York and London aren't that far different.

Ultimately, unless you can drive to Seattle or Southampton, you're probably going to need to fly and it will be a multi-hour ordeal that adds a hefty cost too.

Advantage: Tie

Scenery

On the surface, Alaska and Norway seem to have similar topography and scenery, but I found that not necessarily to be the case.

Fjords can certainly look similar to a glacier inlet that you'd find in Alaska, but I found when you're not in a fjord, Norway isn't as majestic looking as Alaska.

No matter where you are in Alaska, you're going to be nearly surrounded by tall peaks and an open landscape. I was blown away by the beauty of Alaska from my first visit, and the scale of the mountains and countryside around you cannot be properly conveyed until you see it.

In Norway, cities like Haugesund or Bergen don't have those views or towering vistas.  

While the fjords of Gerainger and Olden did resemble the sort of vistas you'd find in Alaska, it was fleeting once your ship left.

That isn't to say Norway isn't beautiful or scenic, because the country is quite lovely and it's unspoiled in many areas. In fact, the Scandinavian architecture makes up for the otherwise bland building style of Alaska.

One might even argue the beauty of the fjords while you're in them makes up for whatever mountainous scenery Alaska has elsewhere. Certainly the sail-in for the fjord evoked very similar views that you'd find in a glacier sail-in. 

The difference for me was the impressive and soaring land around you in Alaska really stood out, and I wasn't quite as struck by the immense elevation of Norway compared to Alaska.

Advantage: Alaska

Culture

Where Norway really shines is the rich culture and history of the country.

You'll find small towns and big cities in Norway to visit during your cruise, and there are thousands of years of history you can explore along the way.

Norway's Viking legacy brings all sorts of opportunities to learn and explore, and it's something that extends even to today. Continuing forward to the last couple hundred of years, you'll find art, history, and a culinary tradition that has made Europe appealing for so long as a destination.

Alaska has a long-standing Native American culture that is fascinating to explore, but that's about where Alaska's cultural appeal ends. The Alaska cruise ports tend to be centered around cheesy tourist spots or shopping. 

I didn't find Alaskan cultural appeal to be nearly as strong as Norway.  Its cities are small, and the entire state is sparsely populated.  Don't expect to find high-end restaurants, evocative museums, or a cosmopolitan feel.

This may be one of the appeals of Alaska, that it relies so heavily on its natural beauty as a reason to cruise there, whereas Norway has its natural wonders, along with population centers you can explore in-depth.

Advantage: Norway

Wildlife

This is probably the most simple comparison of the list, because Norway has little to no wildlife you'd be excited to see.

Alaska is known for the amazing animals you can see there: whales, bears, moose, eagles, seals.  There's more than that, but a major highlight of any Alaska cruise are the wildlife spotting opportunities.

Alaska is home to more bears than any other state. There are an estimated 100,000 bald eagles in the world, with around 30,000 calling Alaska home.  The salmon runs are known around the world for how impressive they are.

Norway, however, doesn't have these sort of animal spotting opportunities. The most exotic animals you'll see on a Norway cruise are sheep and goats. 

Advantage: Alaska

Cost

Neither Alaska nor Norway cruises are going to be the cheapest cruise you can find, but both have shoulder seasons when you can find a deal.

The Alaska cruise season runs from May through September, with the months of June through August representing the peak of the season and the highest prices too.

If you take an Alaska cruise in May or September, you can find bargain basement prices for a cruise, especially the sailings from Vancouver.

Read more: The Best Time to Cruise Alaska Month by Month

Likewise, Norway's cruise season also runs from May through September and its shoulder season will have better prices if you can sail then.

Both Alaska and Norway aren't cheap once you get there.

Food prices especially are much higher than most travelers might expect. Norway is notorious for expensive food, while an Alaska shore excursion is going to be much more expensive than a Caribbean tour.

Advantage: Tie

Which should you choose: Alaska or Norway cruise?

You should really experience both an Alaska cruise and a Norway cruise because while they both have colder temperatures than the Caribbean or Mediterranean, the each are different enough to warrant separate trips.

Of course, it's not as simple as that for everyone to make happen, given the time and costs associated with both cruises.

In reflecting on my Alaska and Norway cruises, I found the natural beauty and wildlife superior in Alaska, while preferring the cities and history that Norway has to offer.

I found myself more impressed with Alaska's looks, but enamored with the old world appeal of Norway (and Europe, in general).

You won't find a shortage of natural beauty in either cruise, and more than likely a hefty price tag to get to either.  But I can all but promise you the journey will be worth it when you get to experience it all yourself.

I had a great first European cruise that took me to the Norway, and much of the week-long cruise exceeded my expectations.

But like all things, hindsight is always 20/20, and if I were to do it all over again, I would have made a few changes to what I did on my first Royal Caribbean cruise to Norway.

With any cruise I take, I like to reflect on the decisions I made for how I could improve the experience going forward.  I certainly hope this is not my last cruise to Norway, so the next time I head there, I can apply these lessons.

Some of these mistakes and good choices are also more universal to other types of cruises, whether in Europe or the Caribbean.  So there may be opportunities for everyone to have a better future cruise experience.

The mistakes

Booked The Key

If you've read this site for any length of time, you know I'm not a fan of Royal Caribbean's VIP program, known as The Key.

In short, I think the benefits sound better than they actually are, and you're better off saving your money. 

However, I feel it important to re-visit certain programs, like The Key, because lots of things change with Royal Caribbean. Plus, I thought perhaps it might be a better purchase in Europe than the Caribbean.

Suffice to say, I came away with the exact same conclusion as before because the program is heavily front-loaded, meaning the bulk of the benefits are for the first day of the cruise.  Plus, the benefits that work for the rest of the cruise left me disappointed.

I could spend this entire article writing about my experience with The Key, but I'll sum it up as follows: many benefits you can achieve on your own without paying for The Key every day of your cruise (i.e. anyone can get early check-in if they plan ahead, you can book a Chops Grille lunch on embarkation day on your own, WiFi packages are cheaper on their own, etc) and the exclusive reserved times at popular attractions are always at inopportune times (either dinner time or too early in the morning).

The only reason I'd recommend The Key is if your cruise had a tender port, in which case being able to get priority for tenders could be really helpful.  On this cruise, we docked at each of our ports.

Not booking the electric car tour

I had a great time in Geiranger and found the scenery stunning.  In fact, it was the first port that I was really impressed with the landscape to the point I thought, "this is something I've never seen before".  

I booked a boat tour of the fjord, but I really wish I had booked one of the electric cars instead.

In Geiranger, you can rent a two-person tiny electric car that has a GPS system built in that offers tours of the surrounding area.  They look funny, but it's a super easy way to get around Geiranger.

There's two reasons why I was better off doing something on land, like a car rental.

First, your ship sails into the Geirangerfjord all morning and you don't get to the town of Geiranger until around noon. So as long as you can wake up and look outside before lunch, you'll see the same scenes the boat tours offer.  

The highlight of the fjord is the Seven Sisters waterfall, but it's so close to the town that you can sleep in and still catch it as your ship passes by the waterfall in the final hour of the sail-in.

Even if you do sleep through the entire sail-in and miss the fjord and waterfall, you can see it on the way out after your ship departs Geiranger!

The other reason I wish I had booked the electric car tour is the photo opportunities.

Depending on which length you book, you can drive up the mountain to Flydalsjuvet or Ørnesvingen view points.  These are the photos everyone wants on their Norway cruise.

To be clear, you could rent one of these vehicles on the spot without a reservation, which is what I ended up doing later in the day, but the problem is everyone wants to rent one in the morning and the lines can be long.

When I stumbled upon the rental, it was too late and there were two lines: one for people with reservations and one for people without.  I gave up on the line in the morning because people with reservations got priority.

I came back later in the day (around 4pm) and managed to get 1-hour rental, but I wish I could have done the extended tour to see more.

Booking Olden hike through the cruise line

I'm not a hiker, but I really enjoyed taking a hike to Briksdalsbreen glacier because it was challenging without being too advanced for a novice.

However, I really could have done this tour on my own without a formal tour.

Being my first Norway cruise and European cruise, I was a bit apprehensive about what to expect on my tours, and I relied heavily on Royal Caribbean's shore excursions.  I think a lot of cruisers feel this way when they aren't totally sure about what to do.

I'm fine skipping tours in cities when I know I can easily get around on my own, such as my day in Bergen.  But I wasn't totally confident in getting around Olden on my own, and booking a Royal Caribbean tour is easy.  

The glacier is located in a national park, and it's perhaps a half hour drive from where cruise ships dock in Olden.

Being such a popular activity and within close proximity to the port, there were a lot of transportation options to get there.  

While booking my excursion to Briksdalsbreen was quite easy with Royal Caribbean, I could have probably saved money by booking an independent tour to get me to and from the park.  

Not doing the sky walk excursion

The one time I had serious FOMO (fear of missing out) in terms of things to do on my Norwegian fjords cruise was when I saw photos from the people that did the Loen Skylift.

As I said, I really enjoyed my hike to the Briksdal glacier, but I think I would have rather done the Loen Skylift.

The Loen Skylift is located only 6 kilometers from the Port of Olden and takes you from the fjord to the top of Mt. Hoven (1011 meters) in only five minutes. 

At the top, there are amazing views of Mt. Skåla and Lake Lovatnet in the east, Jostedalsbreen Glacier and Olden in the south, and the Nordfjord in the west.

I could have seen the glacier, plus a lot more.

Relied on local food for lunch

I love being able to explore the places I visit on a cruise, especially the local cuisine.

In fact, whenever possible, I'll eat a meal in the place I'm visiting over back on my ship.  While the food is included back on my Royal Caribbean cruise ship, I like to immerse myself in the local culture if possible,

In the towns of Olden and Geiranger, the food choices were quite limited and I regret planning my lunches there.

If you're visiting a city, there's lots of choices, but some ports are quite small towns and don't have a ton of variety.

Of the food available in both Geiranger and Olden, it was primarily pizza, burgers, and pastries.  There's nothing wrong with those foods, but it's too similar to what I can get back on the ship.

In Olden, I found a cafe serving pomme frites, which I thought would be the same kind of Belgian fries I love eating at home. However, these were just microwaved french fries.

The next time I visit these towns, I'll plan to return to the ship for my meals.

Thinking I needed any cash

If you read my pre-cruise post about what I think I need to do on my European cruise to properly plan, I thought I needed to convert my U.S. dollars to local currency.  Not only was I wrong, but there's absolutely no need for any cash in Norway.

Every single vendor takes credit cards, and cash is almost non-existent.

Many Royal Caribbean Blog readers warned me that changing currency was a waste, so I didn't do it and I'm glad I didn't because I would have come home with foreign currency at a loss from the service fees associated with them.

Whether I was in England or Norway, there was no need for cash. Street vendors, gas stations, and restaurants all took credit cards.

Just make sure your credit card has zero foreign transaction fees.

Picking this particular itinerary

Don't get me wrong, I had a great cruise and visited some amazing places.  But in the grand scheme of Norway cruises, I think there are superior itineraries out there.

If you're looking through itineraries, I would point you towards one that visits places such as Flam or Stavanger instead of Haugesund or even Bergen.

My issue with Bergen was we were there from 7:30am to 2pm.  I hate these morning-only visits because so much is closed in the city before 9am, which means a lot of wasted time. Plus, the best (and warmest) weather arrives in the afternoon when it is time to leave.

Similar to how you can't see all of Alaska in one cruise, I suspect Norway may require at least two cruises to see it all.  But I also found in my planning some of the most notable spots were in ports we didn't visit.

Given the timing, this was the only itinerary I could pick that worked with my travel times.  And as I said, I really enjoyed this cruise and the places I visited.

But if I had the choice, I'd definitely consider other Norwegian fjord itineraries to be able to visit ports further north.

Things I did right

Booking a balcony cabin

It seems like the eternal debate of Interior vs Balcony staterooms won't be settled anytime soon, but I think spending extra for a balcony cabin on my Norwegian fjords cruise was worth the extra cost.

Since I was solo on this cruise, I would have usually skipped a balcony room and gone for an inside room because it wouldn't be necessary in terms of space.  However, being able to see the beautiful scenery from the comfort of my room was such a nice treat.

Given that the high temperatures each day was barely in the 50 degree range, many times I enjoyed sitting on my couch inside my room with a view outside via the glass balcony door.

When something caught my attention, or I simply wanted to peek outside, it was so convenient to go out and get a view from my balcony.

On the Geirangerfjord sail-in, I started out on the pool deck to see everything, but it was quite cold so I went back to my cabin.  Here, I could still get great views from inside my room. Plus, when we came to Seven Sisters waterfall, the ship spun around to ensure everyone got a view.

There's no doubt I could have saved some money by booking an interior cabin, but it also helped I was sailing in the shoulder season and the cost to upgrade wasn't much more to get a balcony.

Haugesund fjord tour

Our first port stop was in Haugesund, and I thought I made a mistake booking a fjord tour that was about 2 hours away by bus from the ship.  It turned out to be a great choice.

I booked the Åkrafjord and Langfoss waterfall excursion through Royal Caribbean, and it took us to Åkrafjord by boat.  With the sun shining, it was absolutely stunning to see.

The boat took us slowly around the fjord and right up to Langfoss waterfall.  We got so close the captain actually extended a bucket to get water from the waterfall for everyone to drink.

It was a picture perfect day, and that could have been enough for a great tour but then we had lunch.

I have to admit, I've found every single shore excursion lunch to be pretty terrible.  Usually it's disappointing, mass produced food that leaves you hungry until you get back to the ship.

On this tour, however, the food was really good.

We had lunch at a farm that was right at the shores of the fjord, and the family that owned this farm for centuries prepared all sorts of locally sourced food that was excellent.

We had salmon, goat cheese, breads, stews, and lots of other great eats. The matriarch of the family explained where each came from, and I was impressed.  

I then took my food to a table on the porch outside with a view of the fjord and I wish I could have brought back some food with me.

Bought European sim card

Being the geek that I am, I wanted to stay in contact even when not on a cruise ship, so I bought a sim card for my phone to use and it proved to be extremely helpful during my trip.

I purchased a e-sim from Orange Travel, which is a sim card provide that covers Europe. It worked in England, Norway, Finland, and many more countries too.

Because it was an e-sim, there was no physical card to use. Just pay for it, scan a QR code, and your phone is ready to go.  It comes with a local phone number and plenty of data to use.

The reason why this sim card was so helpful was when you were in port, you had great coverage to manage your day. Whether it was plugging in directions via Google Maps, messaging friends, or checking social media during some downtime, it was worth every penny.

Unlike Alaska, Norway has incredible cell coverage and it worked really well almost everywhere I went.  There was even cell coverage in the fjords!

Your thoughts

What do you think about the mistakes and successes from my first Norwegian fjords cruise? If you have cruised to or visited Norway, what mistakes do you feel you made? Any questions for those taking or considering a Norway cruise? Hearing feedback about your experiences is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!

Taking a Norway cruise means taking in the natural wonders that surround you, and you can experience both fjords and glaciers.

When I booked my first cruise to Norway, I knew my top priority was seeing fjords, glaciers, and the beautiful aspects of nature that come with that, including waterfalls, mountains, and even some ice.

When you visit some of the smaller towns, such as Geiranger and Olden, there really isn't much else to do other than explore nature.  There are a few shops and even fewer restaurants, but these aren't cities.  They are outposts that these days serve as a hub for tourist activity in the area.

On my Royal Caribbean cruise to Norway, we stopped at both Geiranger and Olden, and that gave me a chance to experience the very best of Norway's alluring scenery.

Geirangerfjord

Perhaps one of the most well-known (at least visually) fjords in Norway is in Geiranger.

The Geirangerfjord is a 20km-long UNESCO-listed fjord, with the town of Geiranger nestled at the end of it.

Your cruise ship sails into the fjord, similar to how an Alaska cruise might sail to see a glacier in Alaska. The start of the sailing takes place in the early morning hours, and culminates with seeing the Seven Sisters waterfall before reaching town.

The Seven Sisters waterfall is a series of waterfalls that start at a height of 410 meters and includes a freefall of up to 250 meters.

On our visit, there were only 5 waterfalls visible, but it's still incredible.

You'll get a chance to also see the fjord as your ship departs, but usually the ships take a different course than on the way in, so the best viewing is in the morning.

The sail in is quite close to the cliffs that make up the fjord, so it makes for easy viewing of the mountains and natural formations. 

Unlike Alaska, there are small villages and towns along the way.  There's even cellular phone coverage nearly the entire transit!

Once you get to Geiranger, there are a few ways to take in more views of the fjord.

The iconic photo everyone wants is from Flydalsjuvet, which is a few miles above the village. It's a walkable distance, but as you might imagine, up hill.

You could also rent small electric cars that can set two people for about $95 for an hour. 

I rented one to be able to get up to Flydalsjuvet after a day of walking.

There's also Dalsnibba viewpoint, which is even further up.  Many tour buses go here, or you could get an extended rental for your car to make it up to the 1,500 meter high vantage point.

Once you reach the top, you'll have an incredible view.  The photos look amazing, but to see it in person is something completely different. It's stunning, and I wish I could pull up a comfortable chair to sit there for a while.

If you go early in the season like I did, you might even find snow!

While Flydalsjuvet gives you an overview of the fjord, you'll want to see more of the waterfalls and the walls of the fjord up close.

A Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB) boat offers a fast way to see it all, both in speed and duration.

A bit more than an hour long, you'll put on a windproof suit and straddle your seat as you are taken into the fjord to get up close to the Seven Sisters water fall.

Along the way, you'll get the perfect viewing point to on the water.

Royal Caribbean sells RIB boat tours, but if you search for the Geiranger RIB boat tours, it's going to be the same company that offers it and might be cheaper!

Seeing the fjord from above and at the water line really gives a sense of the scale and beauty that Geirangerfjord is known for. It's a must-see on any Norway cruise.

Briksdalsbreen

When your cruise ship visits Olden, you can take in a glacier at Briksdalsbreen.

One arm of the Jostedalsbreen glacier is viewable at Briksdalsbreen. Unlike some of the glaciers in Alaska, it's difficult to see much of the glacier due to how much it has retreated.

Before you make it to the national park to see the glacier, you'll drive through Norway's Nordfjord. 

The combination of the lakes and peaks that surround the glacier while you're in the park are incredible.

The glacier descends from a height of 1,200 meters into a scenic valley, where you'll also find waterfalls along the way.

To get as close as you can go to the glacier, you'll need to hike 3km.  It takes about 45 minutes to walk/hike to the glacier, and some parts of the trail are quite steep.

I am not a hiker, but I was able to make it.  The paths are well defined, and the steep parts have rails and rock steps to assist.  You certainly don't have to be a hiker to make it there.

Alternatively, there are "troll cars" that have a fee, but can take you about 90% of the way there.  

Once you make it to the glacier, you're greeted with a beautiful pond, with the glacier above it.

I found a large rock to sit on and took some time to enjoy the views.

The walk back down is quicker, and I found taking the troll car path was more direct and less steep.

Glacier vs Fjord: Which did I like better?

I'm grateful to have been able to see both natural wonders while in Norway, and with the added bonus of precipitation-free weather.

The view from Flydalsjuvet  of Geirangerfjord was incredible, and I think if I could magically transport myself to one spot in Norway, it would be there. 

Being that high up with the sweeping views below is surreal. I can only imagine how much better the view would be if it was a sunny day.

I enjoyed my hike to Briksdal, but the glaciers in Alaska are certainly larger. This may be partly due to how much Briksdalsbreen has retreated in recent years.

If your Norway cruise brings you to Geiranger and Olden, be sure to prioritize seeing both the glacier and fjord because how lovely they are to see in person.  Photos and video just don't do it justice.

If there's one aspect of a Norway cruise that draws almost everyone, it's the opportunity to see the fjords.

Norway is well-known for these amazing natural wonders, and it's certainly why I wanted to take a cruise to this part of the world to be able to see the fjords up-close.

Similar in the breathtaking nature of an Alaska cruise, fjords offer scenic views that surround you, and it's the kind of experience that photos simply don't do it justice.

The first stop on my Anthem of the Seas cruise brought me to Haugesund, Norway, and it was my first chance to see a fjord.  

Royal Caribbean offers a boat tour, in which you sail through the Åkrafjord and right up to Langfoss waterfall.

Langfoss Waterfall

The ride to Åkrafjord is about 90 minutes by coach bus, but the drive is worth it when you emerge from the final tunnel with Langfoss waterfall in view.

Langfoss is a massive waterfall that is almost 2,000 feet tall.  It splashes right into Åkrafjord, and it's quite impressive.

Visiting Norway in May meant the winter snow was melting in full force, and that meant the water pressure was at its height.  Certainly no trickle of water here.  In fact, if you got close enough, you'd feel the mist of the water.

The nice thing about Langfoss is it's right against the road that brings you into the area, so it's an easy walk to see all angles of the lower section of the waterfall.

We'd see more of the waterfall later in the tour.

Åkrafjord

The best way to see the fjord and waterfall is by boat, which gives you the perfect perspective to see the entirety of the area along with the waterfall.

We boarded a small ferry that took us on a grand circle tour of the fjord, bringing us right up to the sides of the mountain that form the fjord.

In case you're wondering, a fjord is defined as a long, narrow inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created by a glacier.

We slowly made our way around Åkrafjord, with ample time to see it all.

The highlight is when the ferry approaches Langfoss, and the ferry actually comes right up to the waterfall.  

At this point, you have the best view possible of the waterfall without actually getting wet.

The captain even extended a bucket into the falls to get water from it for everyone to sample.

Once again, it's hard to convey in photos just how majestic the entire fjord looked.  Given how cooperative the weather was, we had a picture perfect day enjoying time in the fjord.

Lunch at the fjord

What's better than seeing a fjord? How about eating local food with the fjord in view!

Located steps from where we boarded the ferry and within full view of Langfoss is a small family-owned farm that opens its doors for meals.

We were greeted by the matriarch of the family, who set up a smorgasbord of local food. 

Goat cheese, cured meats, potatoes, salmon, and fresh baked bread were set up for our enjoyment.

We also had samples of brunost, which is a Norwegian brown cheese.

All the food was sourced from providers in the area, no more than 50 km or so away, with the exception of fruit they bought that came from Spain.

I took my food out to the porch, and enjoyed my meal with Langfoss and the Åkrafjord in sight.  I wish I could have my lunch every day with a view like tis!

Booking the Åkrafjord and Langfoss Waterfall tour

I booked the Åkrafjord and Langfoss Waterfall shore excursion through Royal Caribbean on the cruise planner website.

The cost was $299.00 per person, and included a roundtrip bus ride, guided narration, and the lunch.

The tour lasted 7 hours, and we made one additional stop at a monument the honors Norway's first king, Harald Fairhair.

While the time required to commute back and forth to the fjord is not short, it's well worth the trip given how beautiful the views were of the area. Add onto that the lunch that was provided, and I was quite satisfied with the cost and duration of the trip.

Norway has many appealing traits, but certainly the fjords have to be at the top of anyone's list for a Norwegian cruise.  As such, it's quite important to prioritize a fjord visit, and I started off my Norway cruise with a wonderful shore excursion.

About Haugesund

Haugesund is a vibrant and historic town dating back to Viking times. This is where, a thousand years ago, King Harald Fairhair united Norway into a single kingdom. It was from this area that the Viking Kings ruled Norway for more than 500 years.

The region has laid claim to the title of Norway's Birthplace - the Homeland of the Viking Kings.

The cruise port in Haugesund is located on the small island of Risøy that is attached to the mainland and downtown Haugesund by the Risoy Bridge.

The city center is a comfortable 10-15 minute walk. Limited shuttle buses are also available for a charge of approximately 7 Euros.

Haraldsgata is the popular pedestrian street in Haugesund where you can find the main tourist information center and a variety of shops.

Next year, Royal Caribbean will offer cruises out of the capital of Norway, Oslo, once again with 4 stops planned on Legend of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean CEO Adam Goldstein commented on why Royal Caribbean is returning, "Norway is a wonderful country and an amazing destination, as people from all over the world want to visit. We have offered cruises often to Oslo in the past, and look forward to being here again."

Goldstein also pointed out cruises out of Oslo have the ability to sail to other ports in Norway, Sweden, Estonia, St. Petersburg and so on. In addition, ord are very special.

Royal Caribbean cruises from Norway will also have stops in Stavanger, Geiranger and Aalesund. There will be a 14-night transatlantic cruise that ends up in the United States

Part of the reason why Royal Caribbean may be offering Northern European cruises once more is because of the Euro crisis in Southern Europe.  In addition, Norway's popularity among tourists is on the rise from 1.9 million in 2011 to 2.5 million last year. This year it is expected that there will be 3 million passengers, according Visit Norway.

Photo by Vegard Elias Antonsen

Due to a maritime pilot strike in Oslo, Norway, Royal Caribbean has been forced to adjust Vision of the Seas' itinerary slightly.

Vision of the Seas will call at Geiranger, Norway, today as planned, then spend Friday at sea and conclude its sailing in Gothenburg, Sweden, on Saturday.  Vision was originally scheduled to end its cruise in Oslo but passengers will instead transported by  bus to Oslo.

Brilliance of the Seas will call on Bergen, Norway, today as scheduled, spend Friday at sea and conclude its sailing in Amsterdam, Netherlands, on Saturday as scheduled.

The strike impacts cruise ships because pilots boats are not able to go out and meet ships, and thus ships that require a compulsory pilot to navigate within local waters cannot sail into the Norwegian ports.

Royal Caribbean has said that Vision of the Seas will dock in Bergen, Norway and Brilliance of the Seas will dock in Flam, Norway this morning as planned, despite a strike by pilot boat skippers in Oslo.

The strike is expected to spread across Norway by Thursday.

Royal Caribbean spokeswoman Cynthia Martinez issued a statement regarding the situation, "Both ships are expected to depart their ports of call today as scheduled. However, we are currently preparing contingency plans in the event the strike continues and either ship is unable to make their next scheduled port of calls in Norway."

The strike comes at the peak of the Norwegian fjord sailing season and threatens to disrupt the tourists coming to see them.

Vision of the Seas is scheduled to call to Geiranger, Norway, on Thursday, May 31, then spend Friday, June 1, at sea and conclude its sailing in Oslo, Norway, on Saturday, June 2.

Brilliance of the Seas is scheduled to call to Bergen, Norway, on Thursday, May 31, spend Friday, June 1, at sea and conclude its sailing in Amsterdam, Netherlands, on Saturday, June 2.