Nordic Cruise Advice?

June 18, 2019 12:09 PM

Looking to do a Nordic cruise destination next year, 2 adults and 2 kids (5 & 1.5). 7-12 days. Any specific suggestions or tips?

Looks like it’s travel season here on metafilter so I’ll add my question to the mix! I’m looking at various tours, either standard capital cities tour, or up the fjords, or some mix. I want there to be some nature and to feel cozy and geographically isolated at times. Cruise locations can be as far as Amsterdam to St. Petersburg (my namesake - ha!) but focusing on Nordic countries overall. I wouldn’t want to be all in one country though.

Coming from North America so ideally flying to a big city eg Amsterdam, have a couple days to get situated and then get to the port city. Doesn’t have to start and stop at the same port.

I’ve never been on a cruise before so I don’t know the cruise lines, which are great and which to avoid like the seven deadly sins. Have you done a Nordic cruise lately and did you like it?

posted by St. Peepsburg to Travel & Transportation around Oslo, Norway (5 answers total)

The old-school classic is Hurtigruten. I want to try it once in my life, but I haven't yet.
posted by mumimor at 1:08 PM on June 18, 2019

I have *only* done the Hurtigruten, and I wouldn't advise it as a family journey, really, unless you're ready to spend a *lot* on all the various extra tours off-boat they give. It's a relaxing trek, and it's gorgeous for sure, but it's very expensive and pretty mellow for a cruise if you don't do any of the trips off the boat.
posted by RedEmma at 1:16 PM on June 18, 2019

A friend spent a lot of time Alesund, Norway (there's an accent missing there over the A) and it was stunningly beautiful. Real valley of the giants type landscape. Even the bridges are scenic. If I ever go on a Nordic cruise, it will be to Alesund.
posted by wnissen at 1:57 PM on June 18, 2019

I did this with Princess a few years ago, spending a few days in Copenhagen first (stayed near Tivoli, which was a good location). It was great and I didn't take any of their excursions, but did book some of my own (definitely in Russia and Germany I did this and can recommend if you MeMail me). Ports were Stockholm, Helskini, St. Petersburg, Tallinn, Warnemünde, and Lübeck. I wish we'd gone to Norway, but it was a great trip. I just took a ferry out to one of the islands in Stockholm, wandered around and saw the Wasa, and did much the same in Helsinki and Tallinn (the museum of the occupation was great there). Totally doable with kiddos I think, with the most challenge in St. Petersburg.
posted by OneSmartMonkey at 2:08 PM on June 18, 2019

Oh, and if you have younger kids and a ton of money, Disney cruises are the best. I see they have an itinerary in a month from Dover to Copenhagen that visits Iceland, Norway, and Sweden over 11 days. $6400 per adult for double occupancy in an oceanview. We no longer feel like we can afford them, but they do a great job with both giving kids things to do in the clubs and at mealtimes, and providing spaces where you can be without kids. You'd have to pay for babysitting for your younger one, but we were very happy with the service.
posted by wnissen at 2:19 PM on June 18, 2019