THE BEAUTY OF NORWAY FROM A CRUISE SHIP
Travellers who take G Adventures can select from three new itineraries
One of my most memorable cruise experiences took place about seven years ago, when I sailed through Norway’s spectacular Geirangerfjord. Stretching for more than 15 kilometres, the fjord is bordered by impossibly high cliff faces, near-vertical waterfalls, and concludes with the storybook village of Geiranger, nestled among the mountains and rolling green hills.
To reach Norway, I travelled from England on a ship that held more than 3,000 passengers. It was a great experience, but not necessarily a personable one. Toronto-based G Adventures (gadventures.com) has a solution for that: The touring company recently introduced three new small-ship itineraries in Norway just in time for the 2017 cruise season.
“Norway is stunningly beautiful and made for expedition cruising,” said Denise Harper, G Adventure’s Canadian director of sales. “Travellers have the benefit of seeing the fjords from the comfort of the G Expedition, and G Adventures’ team of expert expedition guides is on board to make sure they have greater understanding of the nature and wildlife in the area.”
Travellers can pick from one of three new itineraries, all of which are operated aboard the red-hulled, 134-guest Expedition. Rugged and handsome, this is a true explorer’s expedition ship, complete with plenty of open deck space, an on-board ‘mud room’ for changing out of wet and dirty expedition gear, complimentary rubber boots for the duration of the journey, and a raised observation platform.
But the Expedition is also a comfortable and pleasant ship. Bright windows let in natural light and great views from every turn (important in Norway) and a variety of public rooms and lounges ensure things never get crowded. Staterooms are more on the basic side, but that’s what you’d expect from an expedition ship — particularly one like this that comes at an affordable price point.
The shortest of these new Norwegian itineraries is the eight-day Cruise the Norwegian Fjords — Tromsø to Bergen sailing that only operates on May 24, 2017. Starting in the quaint city of Tromsø (with its amazing Polar Museum filled with artifacts from famous expeditions), guests sail aboard the Expedition bound for the historic city of Bergen.
Along the way, Expedition calls on plenty of Norwegian ports that I’m guessing you’ve never heard of: Lofoten, Svolvaer, Svartisen, Vega, Torghatten and, of course, the famous Geiranger. This one starts for about $2,999 (all prices subject to change) for a Category 1A stateroom.
If you’ve got more time, I’d recommend the 15-day Norwegian Fjords and Spitsbergen Discovery which sails on May 31, 2017 from Bergen to Longyearbyen, in arctic Svalbard. This cruise is particularly neat: not only do you get to visit three different places in the High Arctic, but you’re also treated to additional ports on the Norwegian mainland that include Olden and Flam, both of which are nestled at the end of picturesque fjords. The latter is particularly interesting, thanks to the steep Flamsbana, or Flam Railway, rated by National Geographic Traveler as one of the 10 best rail journeys in Europe. Prices start at $6,299.
The final new itinerary sets sail on May 11, 2017, on a 14-day expedition cruise through Scotland and Norway. Departing from Edinburgh, the Expedition and her guests get to spend some time in the Orkney and Shetland Islands before heading through Norway, right up to the most northerly point in the country: the Nordkapp, or North Cape, nestled in Norway’s Finnmark region. The cost for this voyage starts at $5,199 per person.
On G Adventures’ expedition cruises, you don’t need to worry about buying expensive gear: guests are provided with mud boots on-board and a complimentary parka. The Expedition features a library stocked with Lonely Planet books, and the onboard expedition team delivers enrichment lectures on-board that further guests’ knowledge of the places they’re seeing. Zodiac tours ashore are included in the price of the trip, as are all meals on-board. Drinks and gratuities are, as with most cruises, extracost items.
If Norway doesn’t float your boat, G Adventures also operates expedition-style voyages to the Arctic and Antarctic, small-ship sailing adventures around the world, and river cruises through the Amazon, India, Cambodia and Vietnam, and France’s Burgundy region.
Happy cruising. Visit portsandbows.com, sponsored by Expedia CruiseShipCenters, 1-800-707-7327, cruiseshipcenters. com, for daily updates on the latest cruise news, best deals and behindthe-scenes stories from the industry. You can also sign up for an email newsletter on the site for even more cruise information. Aaron Saunders may be contacted directly at portsandbowsaaron@gmail.com