The Whole Trip Was Our Favourite!

Norway | Aug 31 - Sep 13, 2026

Amerikalinjen, the former headquarters of the Norwegian American Line, is a beautiful old hotel centrally located within walking distance of the train station and the pedestrian downtown. A delicious breakfast was served in the inviting Atlas Brasserie. We were pleasantly surprised to find that our room was ready in time for our early arrival. The staff was accommodating and friendly, and the room was comfortable and clean.

The small village of Aurland was a wonderful place to stay for a night. We stayed in one of eight delightful little cottages directly overlooking the water. The cottages were simple but clean, bright and inviting. The little deck was a wonderful place to enjoy a glass of wine and the incredible view. The breakfast was fabulous and served in a beautifully decorated traditional home. We enjoyed our walk through the little town and along the water. The hotel was conveniently located within a five minute walk of the ferry.

The location right next to the airport and train station is really convenient. It is what one would expect from a large hotel, where the location, cleanliness and convenience are more important than uniqueness and ambiance. The dining room served very good dinners and a nice buffet breakfast.

The accommodation on the MS Vesterålen Hurtigruten ship was a bit of a surprise. The room was smaller than expected and had bunk beds, which was challenging for us as older travelers because one had to climb a ladder. It would be helpful for future travelers to know about this setup in advance or to have an option for a room without a ladder.

The highlight of this hotel was the distinctive wood-panelled bar. The lobby area and breakfast rooms were equally reminiscent of classic hotels. The room was spacious, refurnished and comfortable. The location is within walking distance of the old Bryggen district, restaurants, pedestrian streets and the funicular. The hotel is directly across the road from the beautiful old train station.

This is a delightful hotel with a distinctive Norwegian flavour. The room had a comfortable small table and chairs with a sliding glass door that opened onto the canal below, giving us great views of the activities on the water. The highlight of the hotel is its spectacular lobby, with its high ceilings, beautiful stone fireplace, and comfortable seating. The breakfast buffet was beautifully laid out and served in a bright room with lovely Scandinavian décor. As we are senior travellers, we chose to take a taxi to the Geiranger Fjord Cruise terminal rather than walk. However, the distance isn’t far, and many travellers would find it walkable.

We had a lovely room with a beautiful view over the canal and the flower bridge. There’s something special about being right on the water. The hotel is in a great location, within walking distance of the train station and many of the repurposed old buildings and restaurants in the old town. The buffet breakfast was one of the best we’ve ever had. The variety of food was amazing. We enjoyed a fabulous dinner in the atmospheric, more formal restaurant. Our train left early in the morning, making breakfast a bit rushed. Had we let the front desk know the night before, we could have had a packed breakfast prepared for us. A good tip for other travellers with early departures.

Travelling by boat was an enjoyable experience. However, it was an overnight ferry with not many daylight hours during which to enjoy the view. We were disappointed with the size of the room and particularly with the fact that there were bunk beds. The upper bunk was accessible by a very uncomfortable ladder. We had late access to the cabin and had to vacate it before breakfast first thing in the morning, making it difficult to enjoy the cabin. The dining room was quite pleasant and the service was good. The buffet dinner and breakfast were fine but not special.

My favorite activity was the Full Day Geiranger Fjord Cruise. We were so lucky with the weather, and the experience was incredible and unique. The combination of the stunning geography, the visual experience, and the cultural aspects made it a well-balanced and memorable trip.

The Bergen Walking Tour with a Local Guide was excellent. Our guide, Tom, was personable and showed us the key sights while also giving great suggestions for lunch spots.

While relaxing onboard the Hurtigruten was generally enjoyable, there was a part of the trip where the ship stopped for a good part of the day without any clear options for excursions or activities. It was a bit of a surprise and felt like downtime without much to do, which could be improved by offering optional excursions or activities during such stops.

Christell was an enthusiastic and knowledgeable guide. We enjoyed the route she chose, which went past the Opera House, the Akershus Fortress, and the National Theatre. We stopped for coffee at a great little coffee shop enjoyed by locals, making us feel a bit less like tourists . One of the best stops was in front of the statue of Grieg in a beautiful little square. Christell amazed us with her beautiful singing voice when she sang for us a segment from Grieg’s Peer Gynt .

We really enjoyed this walking tour with Christell. She was engaging and knowledgeable and respected our walking pace. It was a beautiful and interesting tour of the historic district and included a stop at a delightful little coffee shop in the refurbished old part of the city. Trondheim is a beautiful city and well worth a visit.

This tour was a terrific start to our trip and a great introduction to Oslo. The old wooden boat took us past many of the important landmarks around the harbour, including the Opera House, floating saunas, the Harbour Promenade, and the Akershus Promenade. The view down the Oslo Fjord was spectacular.