From port infrastructure to local attractions and shore excursions, regional itineraries need to offer an enticing package to attract cruise line planners – and as our cover story on destination differentiation confirms, there are many crucial aspects that must be in place to satisfy operators.
Norway is a country famed for its natural beauty and with its long and photogenic coastline and access to spectacular fjords and glaciers, the west coast in particular has become a staple of many cruise itineraries. However, the relatively steep costs that cruise operators face when visiting the country mean that ports must cooperate with one another to provide a network of facilities for affordable, high-quality cruise calls.
Recognising this, Cruise Norway AS works tirelessly with local ports to help them develop their offerings. Regular familiarisation trips for itinerary planners are part of this process. Promoting Norway as ‘The Ultimate Natural Experience’, the organisation’s Fjord Norway fam. trip takes in the impressive coastline, visiting ports such as Bergen, Flåm, Skjolden, Olden and Florø, along with some of the most noteworthy fjords and glacial formations in this part of the country.
Providing easy access to the fjords, the picturesque Port of Bergen is in the process of developing its cruise potential with a 500m extension to its existing 240m jetty at Dokken West. The existing Fjord Line ferry terminal is being converted to serve cruise vessels exclusively. Visitors benefit from being able to walk off the ship and straight into the historic old town area, with its wooden houses dating back to the 11th century.
Attractions include the composer Edvard Grieg’s house – which presents more than 200 concerts for cruise visitors and public every summer – and a local museum of Bergen life dating back to the 1880s. There are also several venues that give art lovers the opportunity to study the life and work of Edvard Munch, who had strong connections with the city. Many of his important works are shown in the Rasmus Meyers Collection, which is part of the KODE Art Museum of Bergen.
The VilVite Bergen Science Center offers interactive experiences for all ages, including talkative robots, a G-force bike that visitors can ride, and musical instruments that demonstrate sound waves when played.
The Fløibanen Funicular railway is a quick and easy way for cruise visitors to get a bird’s-eye view of the port of Bergen and the Fløien Folkerestaurant at the top of the track is a destination eatery for many visitors. Bergen also has a cable car that takes visitors to the top of Mount Ulriken, where they can enjoy lunch at the sky:skraperen Restaurant.
Flåm is a small port with a 110m-long cruise pier, set in idyllic countryside deep in the heart of the Sognefjord north-east of Bergen. A stay at the rambling 19th century Fretheim Historic Hotel is a well-known tradition in the town. An important tourist attraction is the Flåmsbana (Flåm Railway), from which passengers can view several impressive local waterfalls. Local ales can be sampled at the Ægir Brewery, which offers tours and tasting sessions.
In 2013, Flåm Cruise Port announced several record-breaking events. For the first time in one season, the number of cruise passengers to the port exceeded 200,000. Other notable achievements included a visit from Independence of the Seas, the largest ship ever to call at Flåm; in addition, more than 170 calls took place in a single season for the first time.
Nearby items of interest include the Stalheim Hotel and viewpoint, as well as the dramatic Stalheim hairpin road. White anorthosite rock (similar to that found on the moon) creates a magical effect in the White Caves near Gudvangen, where tourists can walk along extensive passageways under the mountain and upon request, may sample local food and drinks.
From Gudvangen, it is possible to travel by small boat on the UNESCO-listed Nærøyfjord to Undredal (known for its cheeses). An important site to visit in this region is Undredal Stave Church, the smallest stave church in Scandinavia and one of many traditional wooden churches that have been preserved over the centuries throughout Norway. There is also the option of an excursion to Aurland, where a local shoemaker handcrafts the Aurland Shoe, whose design formed the basis for the distinctive American penny loafer style.
Located at the end of the Lustrafjord, another popular cruise stop is the port of Skjolden, which is located within easy reach of the scenic ‘Snow Road’ over the Aurland Mountains. Skjolden is becoming well known among cruise operators as the location of the world’s first SeaWalk, a fold-away cruise pier system which complements the existing cruise berth in the port and allows more ships to gain easy access to the town.
On the way up the fjord to Skjolden, cruise guests can enjoy dramatic views of the world`s longest and deepest fjord. Another outstanding feature of the landscape in this area is Sognefjellsveien, Northern Europe’s highest mountain pass. Day excursions to Jostedalen Glacier National Park Center are featured in many cruise itineraries.
Nordfjord Cruise Port at Olden markets itself as the ‘Gateway to the Glaciers’, with good reason. The busy port has attracted passenger ships for more than a hundred years and today it has plenty of room for the biggest cruise ships, while offering a wide selection of excursions. Many cruise line guests opt for a tour to Briksdal Glacier, which offers the chance to travel up to the glacier in golf carts known as ‘troll cars’. The carts take visitors to the entrance of the National Park, approximately 500 metres from the glacier lake.
Giving access to the Nordfjord on the west coast is the small port of Florø, which has plans to increase its cruise facilities substantially by 2015. The port welcomed eight cruise calls in 2013 and expects significant growth in numbers following investment in modern facilities, including new plate fenders, as well as improved waste disposal and sorting services.
The sea near Florø is dotted with charming small islands such as Kinn, home to a historic church built during the early Reformation years, and lighthouses that tell many evocative stories of seagoing life in the last few centuries. Kinn Pilegrim, a local premium bitter beer by Kinn Bryggeri, is distributed from the Kinn brewery in Florø. Dining experiences in this region include Kalvåg, a famous fish restaurant whose quirky bar is constructed around a fishing boat.
Shore excursions for those guests who wish to travel inland include rock paintings at Ausevik, some of which date back to 4,000 BC.
This article appeared in the Spring/Summer 2014 edition of International Cruise & Ferry Review. To read other articles, you can subscribe to the magazine in printed or digital formats.