Norwegian Fjord Cruises

With miles and miles of fjords and coastlines, Norway offers ideal conditions for exploring the scenery from the water. In Norway you can experience the fjords and coastline on action-packed RIB boat tours, travel in comfort on modern electric catamarans or perhaps at a slower pace on a sailboat. 

With so many choices, it might be a good idea to narrow down your search and find out what you want to focus on? We have tried to categorize the different types of fjord sightseeing experiences by dividing them into a couple of categories for you.  

Nature & Wildlife

If nature and wildlife is your thing, you will have no problem with finding a Norwegian fjord cruise that suits you. You could say that all fjord cruises are nature-based, and you would be right, but certain fjord cruises have a lot more focus on the nature experience than others. Good examples of nature fjord cruises are the ones in the Nærøyfjord and the Aurlandsfjord. You can see all the things to do in these fjords on these pages: Aurlandsfjord | Nærøyfjord.  

Some fjord cruises focus on animal wildlife, as for example  The Arctic Fjord cruise in Tromsø or the or the Silent Whale Watching Cruise. 

Electric Sightseeing

Exploring the serene beauty of the Norwegian fjords is a really special experience when it is done in complete silence. And that is exactly what you get when you travel electric. The fjord cruise from Gudvangen to Flåm, which is included on a lot of our tours, including the Norway in a Nutshell tour®, is done by a hyper-modern electric vessel. During this tour, you get to experience both the Nærøyfjord and the Aurlandsfjord on a stunning new boat focused on sustainable travel.

There are also other options for electric sightseeing in Norway, especially further north. Here you can go on a Silent Whale Watching Cruise in Tromsø or on a Silent Trollfjord Cruise in Lofoten. On both cruises you travel on the silent hybrid electric ship, providing a 360-degree panorama.

City Cruises & Island Hopping

If you are staying mainly in one of our beautiful cities, a city cruise is a great option! The Fjord cruise in Oslo is quite popular as well as the Norwegian evening on the Oslofjord.

In Bergen you can join in on an exclusive tour and experience Bergen and the surroundings on the a Sailboat Cruise. Another popular cruise in Bergen is the Fjord Cruise to Mostraumen, where you experience fjords, mountains and stunning waterfalls by traveling to Mostraumen. This is a very good option if you prefer a shorter and convenient fjord cruise from Bergen. 

Action

If you are looking for some fast-paced action, a RIB-boat tour is definitely your best option. A RIB boat (rigid inflatable boat) is a lightweight boat with high-performance and high-capacity. The RIB-boats are smaller and faster than other vessels, so you can get a lot of sightseeing done in a short amount of time. RIB-boat tours are available all over the country and you can see all available options here.

Note that RIB boats travel at high speeds, so it can get a bit windy and cold. On most tours, an insulating bodysuit is included, but a good tip, either way, is to dress warmly and bundle up!

Northern Lights & Midnight Sun Cruises

There is something truly special about both the Northern Lights and the Midnight Sun. Experiencing these natural phenomenons on a cruise is absolutely spectacular. On the Midnight Sun Adventure in Tromsø you take a RIB-boat trip by night to see the Midnight Sun and surrounding nature in all its glory. The tour includes a stop at an uninhabited and idyllic island with white coral sand and a beautiful little church.

On the Northern Lights Cuisine Cruise in Tromsø you take in the atmospheric Arctic night onboard a silent electric ship. In warmth and comfort, you cruise through icy waters and as the darkness of the ocean reflects the stars and moon above, you hope for the magical Northern Lights to appear. An Arctic Tapas dinner made by a local award-winning restaurant will be served during the cruise!

Food Cruises

Food Cruises are a great way of combining a succulent meal with an exciting experience! On the Norwegian Evening on the Fjord Cruise in Oslo you can enjoy the scenery whilst savoring the fresh flavor of local shrimps. On the Heritage fjord safari & Viking Dinner in Flåm you get close to nature on the Aurlandsfjord and the Nærøyfjord, followed by a delicious dinner at Ægir Brewpub in Flåm. The Fjord Safari in Flåm and Undredal mainly focuses on Norwegian cheese as you travel from Flåm to Undredal to sample the famous goat cheese.

While in Bergen, check out the Fjordcruise to Mostraumen and shellfish platter where you can enjoy a delicious seafood platter after experience the city of Bergen the surrounding fjords. If you are interested in food tours in general, check out our Norwegian Food Tours.

We hope that this quick guide to different types of fjord cruises showed you the diverse selection of what's on offer in Norway! Perhaps you found a fjord cruise that's perfect for you? 

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