NORWEGIAN FJORDS CRUISE ON THE NORWAY
HENRY NOWICKI 24 JULY 1999
NORWEGIAN FJORDS CRUISE ON THE NORWAY
HENRY NOWICKI 24 JULY 1999
After traveling aboard the Norway (Ref 1) in April of last year (Ref 2) and enjoying it immensely, it seemed only sensible to try it again, this time exploring Norway and its extensive fjords. The ship, even though almost 40-years old, still gets good reviews (Ref 3) (Ref 4).
I arrived in Southampton (Ref 5) three days early to enjoy the English queen maritime port and its nearby Isle of Wight resort. Its excellent maritime museum accentuates the close ties that the inhabitants had with the Titanic and one can find close to a dozen monuments around town commemorating the loss of engineers, crew, etc., many of which were from Southampton. The old walled city is a fine visit and a brand new national swimming center was unveiled while I was there and I can report it is a most impressive establishment. Maybe I just like to swim. The attractions in the city and immediate environs are many and anyone considering catching a ship out of Southampton might well consider spending a bit of time there in concert with the cruise.
Amsterdam (Ref 6) was the first port of call after an overnight crossing of the English Channel and entrance into the North Sea Canal locks at IJmuiden. An approximately 15-mile canal voyage eastward to Amsterdam takes about two hours. Because of the heavy rain and the fact that I have spent so much time in that particular city, I decided to enjoy the amenities of the ship and forego the shore excursion. A later visit there on quite another ship made up for the port holiday.
The next day was spent crossing the North Sea northwards to Oslo (Ref 7) which is situated at the head of the 60-mile-long broad Oslofjord replete with islands. Oslo is always a good visit with a variety of attractions in the immediate vicinity.
The next day at noon we entered Stavanger
(Ref 8) which is located on the fjorded west coast of Norway facing the North Sea where it merges with the Norwegian Sea of the Atlantic proper. This seaport services the offshore Norwegian oil fields and floating oil rigs are much in evidence as they are built and serviced in the area. Stavanger is a pleasant city and a good cruise stop between Oslo and Bergen.
The next day saw the ship entering Rosendal
(Ref 9) on the extensive Hardanger Fjord and another pleasant port visit in the Norwegian vein.
Overnight cruising through the Sognefjord, covering about 80 miles of the longest fjord in the country, brings the ship to a southern branch of the fjord system to Flam (Ref 10), terminus of the steepest non-cog railway in the world. The hour-long ride up to Myrdal is a lovely journey that features a stop at a wild waterfall that has "Huldra" , a mythic siren, appearing in person and singing songs for the passengers who all offload for a 10-minute photo opportunity. Tickets for the rail trip can be obtained at the train station which is located dockside. Incidentally, a new pier has been completed in May and is large enough to accommodate the 1,035ft world's longest ship. The entrance and exit from Flam is very scenic and is well worth a lot of rail time for cruisers in this part of the world.
The next day was another venture into fjordland, the Storfjorden in particular. The route to Geiranger (Ref 11) is world famous and the view from Flydalsjuvet, two miles uphill from the port area and featuring the overhanging cliff photo op, is equally impressive. A further expedition up to 5,000-ft Dalsnibba, a partially snow covered mountain top, is quite remarkable for its zigs and zags and its alpine tundra appearance complete with ice in its large lake at the summit.
Trondheim (Ref 12) is the third largest city in Norway and an excellent port stop.
The next day was devoted to Molde (Ref 13) and its sweeping view of the islands and mountains to the south and east.
Bergen (Ref 14) is the second largest city in Norway and is considered the fjord capital since its location serves as a regional transportation gateway. The old architecture is preserved and its maritime connections, such as the world heritage Bryggen section, are readily displayed. The cable car ride from the center of the city is one of the prime attractions of which there are many. Some of the best art museums are located near a lovely lake that warrants a few minutes of contemplation. Bergen is an excellent stop in every respect especially if the weather cooperates.
The cruise continued four more days back to Southampton but I jumped ship in Bergen to fly to Kirkenes and board a Finnish ship, the Kristina Regina, to tour the Arctic and Russia (Ref 15). This was the only cruise to visit this area of Murmansk and Archangelsk so I couldn't pass up the opportunity.
The Norway, as usual, lived up to expectations and provided a pleasant cruise experience. I heard from a Norwegian pilot later that the ship had experienced a hole in its hull, cause not explained, that required it to stay in Bergen an extra day and that caused cancellation of its Scotland visit but it did not delay passengers from debarking on schedule in Southampton. Another indication that one should not postpone vacationing on this ship as it might become history sooner than one might imagine.
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