6 9 North Cape Honningsvåg Hammerfest Lakslev (North Cape turnaround port) Alta Tromsø Harstad Sortland Sandnessjøen Narvik Svolvær Leknes Bodø Mo i Rana Brønnøysund Trondheim Hitra Smøla Kristiansund Molde Ålesund Frøya Kristiansand Nordfjordeid Bergen Haugesund Stavanger Egersund Farsund Lyngdal Arendal Sandefjord Fredrikstad OSLO Eidfjord Rosendal Ulvik Flåm Vik Skjolden Geiranger Hellesynt Åndalsnes Eresfjord Norwegian cruise ports of Skjolden makes a great base for outdoor exploration due to its proximity to the Jotunheimen, Breheimen and Jostedalsbreen national parks. Popular outdoor excursions from Skjolden include guided hikes on the Jostedal and Nigardsbreen glaciers, walking with llamas, kayaking on the fjord and glacier lakes, canyoning, rafting, a rigid inflatable boat tour on Lustrafjord (the innermost branch of Sognefjord), and hiking, skiing and climbing in the Breheimen National Park and Mørkrid Valley. A bus tour is available along Sognefjellet Mountain Pass or visitors can head to Breheimsenteret national park centre, Sengaberget viewpoint, the open-air Sogn Folk Museum, Sogn Fjord Museum or the cottage of late Austrian philopher Ludwig Wittgenstein. Other nearby attractions include the village of Lom, the Unesco World Heritage site of Urnes Stave Church, and Fjordstova Visitor Centre, which has a new excursion for 2023 that will combine a cultural walk with an exhibition about Viking ship Maria Suden and a food tasting session. Cruise ships of up to 400 metres can berth at Skjolden’s 127.5-metre pier and the port authority aims to build shore power facilities in the future in cooperation with Norwegian firm Plug Shore Power. The port will join the Environmental Performance Index in 2023 and is collaborating with Luster Municipality to increase cruise traffic and strengthen its case for shore power. Cultural and culinary adventures in Kristiansund Famous for both clipfish (dried and salted cod) and opera, the small town of Kristiansund next to the Atlantic Ocean at the top of Fjord Norway is spread across four main islands with a central harbour. Ships of up to 300 metres can berth at two cruise quays in the town centre and within easy reach of attractions, restaurants, cafes and shops. Pre-pandemic, the port received 20-30 calls annually but is set to break records in 2022, with 36 calls scheduled by the end of the season. Although it does occasionally host ships with 4,000 guests, the port typically has one ship with up to 2,500 passengers in one day, so they can explore the town’s attractions without the crowds. Popular excursions include the Kristiansund Opera house, the 1950s-style Patrick Volckmar café and coffee roaster, The Norwegian Clipfish (Bacalhau) Museum on Goma island, Mellemværftet Shipbuilding museum, Varden viewing tower, Kirkelandet church, Kvernes stave church, the island of Innlandet, Averøya island (reached via an undersea tunnel), and eco experiences at Tingvoll Eco Park. Cruise visitors can also join a RIB adventure in the Atlantic, take a seal safari, go diving, or board a boat tour in Kristiansund harbour or to the island of Grip on the historic Sundbåten vessel, which transported locals between the islands since 1876. The main attraction is the Atlantic Ocean Road, named as one of the world’s most scenic drives and voted as the Norwegian Engineering Feat of the Century in 2005. Stretching from Kristiansund to Bud, the road includes eight bridges spanning a series of small islands and islets, and offers a series of designated viewing spots, such as the suspended walkway at Eldhusøya. Mold, Åndalsnes and Ersfjord – one region, three unique ports The Atlantic Ocean Road is also easily reachable from the Port of Molde, one of three cruise destinations on Romsdalsfjord (the others being Åndalsnes and Ersfjord). Cruise ships can berth at the 300-metre-long Storkaia Quay in the town centre or the nearby 130-metre-long Moldegård Quay. Almost 80 cruise calls are expected in 2023. Molde’s attractions include the Bergtatt Marble Caves, Romsdal Cruise lines can visit a vast array of ports across Norway
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