Intro
If you ask any avid cruiser or those considering a cruise for the first time, they will mention that the Norwegian Fjords are in their top 5 destinations to visit. Like them, I have been eager to do a cruise myself through the fjords and see the spectacular beauty that is to behold in that part of Norway.
I had the opportunity to sail on P&O’s Iona ship from Southampton to various ports in Norway in the school holidays May time. Yes you guessed it, very busy at full capacity but that did not take away from what you can experience and see on this cruise. It was also my first time sailing in an inside cabin so I will share that experience too. I also sailed on P&O’s newer ship Arvia in the Caribbean.
Sailing in the the fjords is an experience you must have so I will guide you through everything we did. This was the first time cruising with family so I had to plan everything with them all in mind and also experience views from one of their balcony cabins.
I will share my itinerary of this unforgettable 7-night Norwegian Fjords Cruise exploring the ports of Stavanger, Hellesylt, Olden and Haugesund.
Here is my 7-day Itinerary for anyone going on a Norwegian Fjords cruise.
Port Stop Locations
- Day 1: Southampton, UK
- Day 2: Cruising
- Day 3: Stavanger, Norway
- Day 4: Hellesylt, Norway
- Geirangerfjord (cruise-by)
- Sunnykvsfjorden (cruise-by)
- Storfjorden (cruise-by)
- Day 5: Olden, Norway
- Innvikfjorden (cruise-by)
- Nordfjord (cruise-by)
- Day 6: Haugesund, Norway
- Day 7: Cruising
- Day 8: Southampton, UK
Itinerary
Day 1: Travel Day
Travel Day - southampton
The departure for this cruise was from Southampton Ocean Terminal Gate 4 (46/47). The journey began by travelling down from Manchester the night before and staying in a nearby hotel which was Ibis Budget £45pp. Hotels near cruise port tend to be more expensive so it’s wise to book in advance and travel a day before departure to avoid any last-minute hiccups.
For parking in Southampton, the West Quay Shopping Centre Car park is a great option at £6 per day and a 20 minute walk to the terminal but we dropped our bags off first and then parked. This ends up being much cheaper than the CPS parking and other car parks in the area.
2 pm - Embarkation
Once at the terminal at our allocated time, it was easily marked where to drop off the suitcases. The numbers of where to drop off bags correspond to the deck number you are on. Shortly after we followed the signs into the terminal for security checks and embarkation which was very smooth onto Iona.
P&O Iona launched in 2020 and has 18 decks, 30 restaurants & bars, 10 entertainments venues and 4 pools. This ship also had a spa & salon, an adults only retreat and many other areas to explore. The ship can accommodate 5200 guests and on this particular sailing it was around very nearly full.
3 Pm - Muster Station & Familiarisation
Arriving on board and straight after scanning in we were directed to our muster station. This is great that P&O send you straight to the muster so it is the first priority to check in to the point of safety in the case of an emergency. Previous sailings I have been on you just get on the ship, find your cabin and then proceed to the muster station afterwards.
Once this was done, we of course went to check out our rooms for the week which was an Inside cabin on Deck 15 midship. This was surprisingly spacious and just right for us. Our luggage was pretty much there already outside the door which was impressively fast!
On the first day make sure to see as much of the ship and facilities as possible. They accommodate passengers for visiting purposes and staff are on hand to answer any questions etc. We visited the spa, the theatre, cinema, the main atrium, the ivory suite where you can get married and of course the horizon where we helped ourself to the first of many buffet meals.
With a hot drink in hand, we head to the back of the ship and set sail up the English Channel and into the North Sea.
7 Pm - Dinner & Entertainment
In the evening we dressed up and went for our first dinner at the Main Dining Room (MDR) – The Pearl Restaurant. On this ship, the MDR consists of four different locations; The Coral, The Pearl, Aqua and Opal. All serve the same menu in different venues. We enjoyed the 3-course menu followed by a show in the Headliner’s Theatre called Festival. After an excitable day we retired for bed.
Day 2: Sea Day
9 Am - Zumba
The first day at sea is always much appreciated and a time to ease into the cruise life, make the most of on board activities and plan for the week ahead. Starting off the day we head to the limelight lounge for some Zumba followed by line dancing. This was fun testing our co-ordination and sweating a whole lot. If you don’t fancy dancing there is a high tech gym on deck 5 with the latest equipment, a range of classes and also sports courts on the top deck.
The rest of the day we relaxed. We only came out from relaxing to have buffet food the horizon at lunchtime.
6 pm - Celebration Night
As celebration night is once every 7-days tonight was the night! We were all excited to dress up for prancing around the ship, taking pictures and dining at the chef’s table which is included. This sit down 3-course meal inspired by chef’s like Marco Pierre White was very tasty and rather fancy. We used our free drinks token in the Crow’s nest which is a chilled bar area on deck 17 followed by seeing the late sunset.
9:30 pm - Silent Disco
We changed into our flats and enjoyed the evening in the Skydome dancing and singing along to classic tunes. This is a great time to start that fitness watch to get your steps in. The only downside was that the headsets ran out very quickly so we had to queue in the line for returned headsets, but once we had them we enjoyed them to the end. What an enjoyable night that was.
Day 3: Stavanger
4:30 am - Sunrise into Stavanger
Being in an inside cabin but love seeing the outdoors, I set my alarm. I then switched on the TV to see the front of the ship. Wiping sleep from my eyes I layered on some jumpers, sweat pants and headed to the top deck to see the stunning views getting closer to Stavanger. If you go outside at this time you will see other early birds with hot drinks in their hands taking in the views too.
9:30 am - Arriving in Stavanger
Arrival in Stavanger, Norway will be around 9:30am where you can disembark the ship. After having a delightful and varied breakfast in the horizon, we wondered off the ship to explore Stavanger. Originally we had booked an excursion for 10am but it had been changed to 1pm without an explanation. This was okay but just meant it changed our plans of paddle-boarding in the afternoon.
Walking past the welcoming Stavanger wall art we took a few pictures before proceeding to the town, which is easy to access with a 15 mins walk. You can also visit the Old town which is opposite to where the ship docks. Once in the main town the streets are mostly cobbled and can be quite hilly.
Stavanger used to be a fishing port before becoming Norway’s oil and gas industry in the 1960’s. There are museums which you can visit to take you back in time.
09:45 am - Old Stavanger
Old Stavanger is a pretty sight to see filled with white wooden houses lined on quaint cobbled streets. The houses were built in the 18th and 19th century for seafarers and traders and since have been preserved well due to a large rehabilitation project. This location is stunning for those instagrammable pictures.
10:30 am - Sverd i fjell
I wanted to see the Sverd i fjell – swords in the rock monument located in the Hafrsfjord neighbourhood of Madia which meant taking the bus to it. Download the Kolumbus Billett app before your travels so it it easy to buy your tickets for boarding the bus. We took the number 16 bus from the Vaktapoteket stop which took 15 minutes to the location and cost 45kr each one way. From the bus stop it was a 4 minute walk. It was impressive to see the three 10-metre high swords in the rocks which are said to symbolise peace, unity and freedom. The area gets very busy with tourists so it is best to visit early. We then did the same journey in reverse to get back to the town.
12 pm - Stavanger Turtle & Øvre Holmegate
In the town we wondered through the streets which had a lot of shops, boutiques, cafes and restaurants to eat at. There is a market near the harbour which sells a lot of souvenirs to take back home. We then came across the infamous Stavanger Turtle before walking through Øvre Holmegate. This lovely street is bright and vibrant and one of the places I was excited to see! I am not surprised it is one of the most photographed streets in Stavanger. The street is named Fargegaten, which translates to ‘Colour Street’. It used to be quite dull until a local hairdresser wanted to transform it giving it a new lease of life and attract visitors. Therefore artist Craig Flannagan stepped in with his creativity, the street turned into pedestrians only and this was the product in 2005.
12:45 pm - Bak til Livet Bakery
We popped into this bakery for some sandwiches and a taste of the some Scandinavian sweet treats. My sister introduced me to the skoleboller (skolebrød) which is bread with custard in the middle and coconut around it. It was soooo good but she bought the last one! I knew I would be on a mission to find more in Norway.
1:15 pm - Lyseford Cruise & Pulpit Rock
The P&O excursion ‘Lyseford Cruise & Pulpit Rock’ was next on the agender and the meeting point is usually outside the cruise terminal. I would recommend this excursion if you do not manage to hike Preikestolen to the Pulpit Rock. The hike is an intense climb, a long-ish drive to the starting point and not so pretty when the weather is wet. This cruise tour was informative with a guide on board, we saw the Lysefjord bridge, stopped to eat Norwegian waffles at Lysefhordsenteret, cruised down the Lysefjords, saw the Hengjanefossen waterfall up close, saw the Pulpit rock from below and cruised by Fantahålå. We saw a lot more that I expected and the waffles just made the experience sweeter.
16:10 pm - Back on Ship
We got back to the ship after 4pm and set sail around 5pm. In the evening we showered got fresh and changed into white attire as we had our own ‘White Night’. This is something my mum and I loved from the Royal Caribbean cruise me did in the Greek Isles. We ate at The Beach House which is a speciality dining options with a slight up charge of £9.50pp. It was decent and we enjoyed the service and settings.
Day 4: Olden, Innvikfjorden and Nordfjord
4:30 am - Innvikfjorden and Nordfjord
I woke up very early at 4am, snoozed a little and eventually rolled out of bed at 4:30am. I made my way up to the top deck with a hot drink in hand this time. I saw the beautiful scenery as we cruised by Innvikfjorden and then continued enjoying the views of Nordfjord from my mum’s balcony. If you miss these views in the morning, you can always enjoy them when sailing out of Olden in the evening.
8:50 am - hello Olden
Knowing that we wanted to explore independantly in Olden instead of P&O’s excursion, as soon as we got off the ship at 8:50am we went to the local tour centre, Olden Adventure, which is located a few steps from where the ship docks. They offer a range of tours but they also provide transfers to Briksdal glacier and Loen Skylift – two of the popular places that were on my list. However, the Loen Skylift times were rapidly selling out leaving afternoon times only and also the Briksdal Glacier transfers were selling out too with the next slot at 11am. Ideally my plan was to do the Skylift very early and have time for the Briksdal Glacier after.
We decided to book the 11am Briksdal Glacier shuttle for 11am (500NOK pp) and miss the Skylift for this trip. To make up time we admired the large ship from the front of where it was docked in super clear waters.
9:45am - Olden on foot
From where the ship docks you can do a flat walk south along the main road to Laukifossen Waterfall taking approx 40mins. On the way there you will pass Olden Old and New church. It was so amazing to be inbetween the mountains with the low-lying mist. We didn’t want to be late for our shuttle bus so we turned back early. However if you have time you can continue the walk to Floen lake.
11 am - Briksdal Glacier Shuttle Bus & 2hr Hike
The Briksdal Glacier shuttle bus was parked outside the tour office and held 8 people in it. Despite being the first people at the location with our yellow tickets, we were ushered in last which was a little disappointing. The 45 minute drive to the glacier was beautiful covering some of the walk we did earlier and beyond. This included the lakes Floen and Oldevatnet which honestly looked so peaceful.
Once we arrived at Jostedalsbreen National Park we were dropped off at the coach car park with 2hrs to explore and return. Straight away we saw the troll cars which can take you some of the way. Note that these sell out quick. It takes about 45 minutes to walk. The path consists of some flat, some steep inclines and steps but very do-able. Building up a sweat in the hot sun, I was happy to be sprayed by the Kleivafossen waterfall when walking past it. You can view the glacier through an opening near a meadow but if you walk further for 10 minutes you will reach the beautiful lake with the view of the glacier. If you are brave dip your toes in the freezing waters.
When back at the starting point, the cafe was kind enough to provide tea and cakes for the cruisers.
1pm - Loen Skylift
If you have time you should experience the steepest cable car in the world as the Leon skylift ascends 1,100 meters up Mount Hoven in 5 minutes. Sometimes the views can be obscured by clouds but on a clear day you will be rewarded with unforgettable views over looking Lake Lovatnet, Mt. Skåla, Olden, and Innvikfjorden.
14:15 pm - Olden Adventure E-Bike
Our group split up in the afternoon and some did the P&O excursion ‘Olden Adventure E-Bike’ tour. The weather was great for it. The guide was amazing giving great insight into life in Olden and the scenery you cycle past.
6 pm - Olden Sailaway
We set sail around 5pm after a very warm send off from those in Olden. The nearby pub blasted some well known tunes and cruisers on their balcony and crowds came out filling the whole side of the ship. It was great to see the happy faces before leaving for the next port.
7 pm - Evening
In the evening we dressed up and ate at one of the MDR ‘The Coral’ restaurant which again was lovely. Filling our evening with shows around the ship, we made sure to see the sunset which happened around 11pm. Having long days like this is amazing and makes me want to stay at the ports longer!
Day 5: Hellesylt
8 am - Hello Hellesylt
It is usually an earlier docking day in Hellesylt and early departure. This had to be my favourite stop of the trip and the weather was truly in our favour by being nice and hot!
8:30 am - Hellysylt Kayake Adventure
Some of the group did an independent Kayak Adventure which started very early. The advantage of this tour meant a smaller group and more attention to detail by the guide although it was not much cheaper. The P&O tour did sell out fast and I did notice the group was so big that it took a while to get everyone ready to go etc. This is a great way to kayak closer to see the Geiranger Fjords.
9:30 am - Opplev Hellesylt
The other 1/3 of the group went to pick up their Renault Twizzy cars from Opplev Hellesylt. The pick up point is right in front of the cruise port. This is a tour where you drive around Hellesylt in these little x2 seated cars. It cost approx 35pp for 1.5hrs. Note: It works out cheaper for the first tour of the day. We drove for a little while, through a long tunnel stopping at a great view point where you could see the Geiranger Fjord. The viewing platform is right at the intersection of the Geirangerfgord and the Main Fjord. After this me and hubby swapped drivers and we made our way back via ‘Stadheimfossen Camping and Cabins’. On the way back it got very busy on the road with cruisers from the ship who were super impressed with these cars. We felt like celebrities waving to the crowds.
After the tour I went into the nearby souvenir shop to buy some fridge magnets and walked out with a Norway hoodie. The quality is 100%!
1:30 pm - Scenic Geirangerfjord Cruise
The last 1/3 of the group went on the Scenic P&O excursion boat cruise through the Geirangerfjord which they enjoyed. This was another excursion which P&O had changed the time from 9:30 to 1:30 with no notification at all. I just found it strange as it was not on the excursion list in the morning. After visiting the excursion desk I was told it is now 1:30pm.
1:30 pm - RIB Hellesylt
Those not on the scenic cruise went on the independently booked RIB tour (588.39NOK pp). The meeting point was near the front of where the ship was docked at the camp site. I was most excited for this activity. Once in our cool RIB water suites, we were ready to go! This tour gave us a very close view of Iona on our way out to the Geiranger Fjords. We were told some history about the farmers who used to live by the waters edge and wait until summer to hike up the mountain. We got close to the Bridal Veil waterfall and The Seven Sisters. This natural and iconic masterpiece was mesmerising. I had to take it in quick and the ride back sped up at that point. All in all I would recommend that RIB ride as it is something you must experience in Norway.
4:30 pm - Sailaway
We departed around and watched the ship pull away from the deck. We went to dine at the Keel and Cow which specialises in steak. We also caught a performance in the atrium next to us as we dined. It was wonderful the food and the entertainment.
Later that evening we took part in silent disco part 2 which, wasn’t as good as the first night but we still had fun moving. We watched the sunset at 11pm before, passing by the midnight buffet and then calling it a night.
Day 6: Haugesund
08:30 am - The Rising tides
As we sail into Mykonos, set your alarm for 6 am to catch the stunning sunrise views! Fuel up for the day with a delicious breakfast at the buffet before heading off the ship. We’re grabbing a water taxi from Mykonos’ old town to the new town for just €6 each (round trip)! The journey takes about 20 minutes, and the booth is conveniently located right in front of the taxi rank. While walking is an option, many people recommend the water taxi due to limited sidewalks for pedestrian safety.
18:00 pm - Sailaway & Dinner
Watch the sailaway from Mykonos, finish your evening at the MDR and a top it off with an evening show in the theatre.
Day 7: At Sea
A day at sea aboard the Odyssey of the Seas allowed us to indulge in the ship’s amenities. From the FlowRider surf simulator to gourmet dining experiences, the ship offered a world of entertainment. Evenings were spent enjoying Broadway-style shows and fine dining under the stars.
10 am - Fitness & Spa Day
The last day as sea is always a good day to enjoy the onboard facilities. In our case we made this our spa day. First up was Zumba at 9am and then we all met up for the spa. This is usually £49pp for 2hrs using all the facilities.
15:15 pm - Afternoon Tea
After the spa we relaxed until it was Afternoon tea in the Epicurean restaurant. This was a lovely treat at £15:50pp. The tables were already set up decadently when we arrived. The thing is that they had put all sorts of meats in the sandwiches and tarts but most of us are pescatarians. I didn’t realise I had to tell them in person, surely there should be an option for dietary requirements when booking. However the head chef dealt with it well and brought out some alternatives which was more than enough. We were sat right next to the window which was great but made a few people in the room need their anti-sickness tablets.
Afternoon tea is a nice touch if ever celebrating something special.
Day 8: Southampton
We got back to Southampton very early the next day and with instructions of where to go to for the disembarking process was easy to do. It was sad to end another cruise but the sun welcomed us back in Southampton so that was great.
The drivers went to pick up the cars from the West Quay shopping centre and picked us up with the bags from the terminal. We were then on our way back home.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The itinerary was amazing and although the weather can cause missed ports, we managed to see everything we wanted to. We were just unable to do the Loen Skylift in Olden but more reasons to visit again! There is so much to see and do in Olden.
Experiencing the inside cabin was something we wanted to do. The pro’s are that it is a cheaper option, you can sleep for days in your room, you can always watch outside from the bow camera on the TV and go to the top deck for sunrise/sunset which is what I did. The cons would be, no balcony to sit on whilst cruising. Would I do it again? Yes if I wanted to save on rooms and spend more of excursions.
It was also a little stressful organising bookings and itineraries for a big group of 8, but it was amazing making memories with a family.
This 7-night Norwegian Fjords Cruise itinerary is sure to give you some guidance for when you embark on this travel experience yourself.
YOU WILL LOVE SEEING THE NATURAL BEAUTY THE THAT NORWAY HAS TO OFFER ON THIS P&O CRUISE.
You can see my itinerary for my first ever transatlantic cruise here.
