Biggest Differences Between Norway Cruise and American Cruise
In a Nutshell:
Comparing a Norway Cruise to my experience with an American Cruise in the Caribbean.
I have never thought of myself as the cruising type. When I travel, I don’t like to stick to a schedule and could easily spend all my time just wandering around a city from sun up to sun down. And with a cruise, I always assumed I’d be hustling back to the ship before it’s time to depart to the next port without seeing everything I was hoping to. But after a Caribbean cruise aboard Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of The Seas, I learned that I should give cruises more credit. Some of the pros for me are that you only have to unpack once per trip and can see several different cities, and sometimes even countries, over the course of a week or more. Plus, unlike cramped coach airplane travel, you can sleep in a proper bed during the commute and wake up in a totally different spot.
So with this new frame of mind, I couldn’t wait to compare my North American experience to a European cruise line. I decided to try out a ship in a completely different climate than I’d done before, and went as far as deciding on an Arctic location that would be the polar opposite (no pun intended) of my last trip to the Caribbean. On this adventure, I would be exploring the coast of Norway with Hurtigruten. Some of the major appeals of this choice included a good chance of seeing the Northern Lights, guarantees to catch views of ever changing landscapes of fjords, inlets and islands and exploring charming villages and towns along Norway’s coast.
And I am so glad I did! This cruise not only matched the standards I’d been pleasantly surprised to experience on the Caribbean trip, it topped them. After cruising for four nights, (starting in Bodo, departing in Tromso) I found the some of the gripes I had with some U.S. ships didn’t even exist here. Here are five reasons comparisons and contrasts:
1. Food On Board:
Oasis of the Seas: On my last cruise, the biggest complaint from travelers across the board was how horrible the food was. Inedible was the most common description. And easy to see why when you are served powdered eggs and instant mashed potatoes that taste the same as a microwave dinner.
Hurtigruten: On board our ship, it was easy to eat local and healthy. Dinners, which are seated if you opt for the Coastal Kitchen, were three courses (with smart sized portions) and could be paired with wine. Each day, the chef buys fresh fish from port towns, and you can definitely tell in the quality and taste. My favorite meal: Creamed carrot soup, char from Sigerfjord (a Norwegian village) and cloudberries ( a sweet berry only found in Norway). Breakfast and lunch are served buffet style with plenty of Norwegian options including reindeer and smoked salmon.
2. Up-Selling
Oasis of the Seas: I felt like there was an up charge for everything: from paying a daily rate for Wi-Fi to paying for drink packages. It was hard to tell after a while if there was genuineness in staff or if they were trying to come away with a bigger tip.
Hurtigruten: While there are upgrades available, they don’t feel pushed. You can pay extra for a wine package, or bottled water, for instance, but won’t feel nickel and dimed. Plus, Wi-Fi, which worked great most of the time, is free for all guests. Also, while welcome, tips are not expected, as they were with the American cruise.
3. Size of Ships:
Oasis of The Seas: This ship holds about 6,000 passengers plus more than 2,000 crew members, which offered a great energy but also felt like a zoo at certain times. The worst was getting back on board the ship, which could take 20-30 minutes by the time long lines were passed through security. The wait at the Guest Relations desk was usually a wait of about 20 to 30 minutes as well.
Hurtigruten: Our ship, the Nordnorge, had a capacity that was 90 percent less than the Caribbean cruise with only 623 passengers on board you never feel like you are fighting crowds, whether in line for breakfast or lunch, or getting off and the boat at port towns. There are also plenty of spots to find peace and quiet. My favorite was on Deck 7 where a room is filled with lounge style chairs at the back of the boat. I loved sitting here to catch up on work or best of all, relax with a book as we passed by Norwegian cities and towns.
4. On Board Activities
Oasis of The Seas: The entertainment on board is definitely one of the strongest points of this trip. Everything from comedy, a hilarious vaudeville show, a synchronized diving show and even the Broadway show, Cats, were something to look forward to everyday. Plus, pools, a basketball court, incredible fitness center, running track and my favorite- the Flow Rider- didn’t leave much idle time.
Hurtigruten: On this cruise line, the on board activities couldn’t have been more polar opposite but were still engaging. Each day, there is a lecture covering different topics related to the culture and history of the area. They aren’t for everyone, but I am constantly pulling up Wikipedia to better familiarize myself in certain areas. The lectures though, were a better source than the Internet to learn about topics including the history of witchcraft in Vardø, a port town we stopped at and about the indigenous Sami people. There are also films and other opportunities on board to get to know the culture, my favorite- learning Norwegian folk dances.
5. Excursions:
Oasis of the Seas: I wasn’t crazy about the organized excursions offered by Oasis of the Seas. One day, we took a ferry to an island to lie in lawn chairs for three hours. For some, this is the perfect kind of entertainment, but I need something more active to participate in. Many also felt, too commercialized, and frankly cruel, like swimming with captured stingrays in an enclosed environment.
Hurtigruten: The excursions on board are authentic and ones that are authentic to Norway. Take dog sledding in Tromsø, an area billed as the Arctic Capital, where we went dog sledding at night, when there is the best chance to see the Northern Lights. Another favorite was visiting the North Cape, one of the northernmost inhabited areas of the world.
Related:
Video: Review: Traveling to the Arctic in Winter with Hurtigruten
