Norwegian Cruises

Make your dream come through ....

Cruiseship in Molde, Norway Photo: Geir Løvbugt

Norwegian Cruises have become extremely popular, and by 2012, Norway has 41 cruise ship harbours.

Totally there was 2.006 cruise ships visiting these harbours through 2012 (1.678 in 2011), bringing 2.573.335 passengers to Norwegian destinations (2.046.166 in 2011). The majority of cruise passengers visiting Norway are from Germany, UK and USA.

The Top Visited destination is Bergen Norway, with 446.900 passengers, which is a huge increase from 2011 when the number was 350.248.

The growth from 2011 was impressing 23%, and there are now only 2 months each year without visiting cruiseships.

We here bring you the Top 14 list of popular harbours:

1. Bergen 446.906 passengers

2. Geirangerfjord 312.136 pass.

3. Oslo 300.000 pass.

4. Stavanger 277.000 pass.

5. Flåm 199.875 pass.

6. Ålesund 143.201 pass.

7. Molde /Åndalsnes 123.840 pass.

Source: Cruise Norway

8. North Cape 121.054 passengers

9. Olden/Nordfjord 108.833 pass.

10. Tromsø 107.000 pass.

11. Hardangerfjord 107.721 pass.

12. Trondheim 68.959 pass.

13. Lofoten 68.591 pass.

14. Kristiansand 64.500 pass.

The number of cruiseships that will visit Norway through 2013 is higher than ever, and so far 2296 ships are reported coming, bringing more than 3.000.000 passengers.

Norway as a cruise destination has received several awards from both the Russian market as well as the British market for being the best cruise destination experience, according to Cruise Norway.

Trondheim had the largest increase in visiting cruise ships, with impressing 58% from 2011, and another winner is Ålesund with an increase of 53%. Tromsø is also a very popular goal for cruise tourists, and 107.000 visiting passengers in 2012 means an increase of 42%.

Not on the Top 10 list yet, but an upcoming destination is Kristiansand in Southern Norway.

Kristiansand had an increase in number of passengers on 18% in 2012 and impressing 71% (!) in 2011.

Cruiseships in Geiranger Photo: Tor Arne Grande

The Fjord of the Fjords, Geiranger, has more than 300.000 visiting passengers, which is quite impressing for a village with a population less than 500.

Stavanger has gone from 62.000 visiting cruiseship passengers in 2006 to 277.000 in 2012. That is just amazing.

Norway is still a summer destination, but more and more passengers have opened their eyes for Winter Cruises.

So far, the main interest for winter cruises is among British passengers seeking a memorable European cruise, and totally there are 10 winter cruises to Norwegian destinations during the first months of 2013.

Most selling are Northern Norway winter activities, that includes the possibility to experience the amazing Northern Lights, the Aurora Borealis.

More and more companies are now bringing their customers to Norway by air, entering their ship in a Norwegian harbours like Oslo and Bergen.

The main airports are Oslo Lufthavn Gardermoen and Bergen Lufthavn Flesland.

The Norwegian Cruises seems to be more and more popular, and the pure nature, beautiful fjords, with waterfalls right down from the surrounding mountains, is a lifetime experience to many people.

Last year Tromsø was awarded the best cruise harbour in the World by Frommer's, as a port with extraordinary possibilities, including the Aurora Borealis.

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