Home EuropeNorway 16 Norwegian Cruise Ports: What to Do in Port and the Best Excursions

16 Norwegian Cruise Ports: What to Do in Port and the Best Excursions

by Andy Vanr

Norway’s cruise ports span the entire length of the country, stretching from the historic capital in the south all the way to the high Arctic of Svalbard.

Having personally explored all 16 of these ports, we’re showcasing what we did and highlighting the shore excursions worth your time and money.

Because many of these coastal towns are remarkably compact, you can easily explore them on foot at your own pace, or opt for an excursion that matches your interests.

Norway’s Cruise Ports at a Glance 

From south to north, these are all sixteen ports we explored.  The larger ocean-going liners easily visit the mainland cities.  Nimble coastal vessels and specialized expedition ships allow you to visit narrow fjords and the remote north of Svalbard.

  1. Oslo – Capital, museums, and modern harbourside sights.
  2. Kristiansand – Walkable old town and harbour fortress.
  3. Stavanger – Cobbled lanes and Pulpit Rock hike.
  4. Bergen – UNESCO Hanseatic wharf and Gateway to the Fjords.
  5. Flåm – Nærøyfjord cruises and the Flåm Railway.
  6. Geiranger / Hellesylt – UNESCO Geirangerfjord and waterfalls.
  7. Sæbø – Quiet Hjørundfjord village under alpine peaks.
  8. Ålesund – Art Nouveau town and stairs to panoramic viewpoint.
  9. Åndalsnes – Gondola views and the Rauma Railway.
  10. Brønnøysund – Torghatten, the mountain with a hole through it.
  11. Svolvær – Lofoten peaks and fishing cabins.
  12. Stokmarknes – Birthplace of Hurtigruten, the Coastal Express.
  13. Torsken – Remote Senja fjord village.
  14. Honningsvåg – Gateway to North Cape.
  15. Longyearbyen – Colourful Arctic frontier town.
  16. Ny-Ålesund – World’s northernmost research settlement.

Reminder:  When you are booking excursions in Norway’s cruise ports, be aware of the amount of time you are spending in port.  In several of these ports, our ship spent only a couple hours making longer excursions impossible and a potentially pricey mistake, as some are non-refundable.

Map of Norway’s Cruise Ports 

To help get you oriented, this map shows the location of the 16 Norwegian ports we visited.

Map of Norway showing 14 cruise ports, including Bergen, Oslo, Stavanger, Torsken, Honningsvag, and others, marked by red dots with labeled names.
Click the map to open the full interactive version in Google My Maps

Oslo 

Oslo, Norway’s capital, is the usual southern gateway to the country.  Its compact centre sits at the head of the Oslofjord, is walkable and well served by trams and short ferries.  Modern waterfront landmarks, like the Opera House and MUNCH Museum, add to the 700-year-old Akershus Fortress, Vigeland Sculpture Park and the museum peninsula of Bygdøy, to satisfy everyone’s interests. The cruise berths are right on the central waterfront, directly below the historic fortress.

What We Did in Oslo

We visited Oslo for two days.  One of the highlights, and an easy option for cruise passengers, was walking up the sloping white marble roof of the Oslo Opera House.  It sits right at the water’s edge in the harbour and the view from the top was worth the climb.  We ended our first day on the roof catching the sunset.  Edvard Munch’s 1893 The Scream is on display at the nearby MUNCH Museum.

A short ferry ride took us to the Bygdøy Peninsula, known for its cluster of museums showcasing Norway’s most famous maritime and cultural history.  We boarded the original 19th-century Fram inside the Fram Museum, the polar ship that carried Nansen to the northern Arctic ice and Amundsen to the southern Antarctic ice.  At the KonTiki Museum we stood beside the actual balsa wood and reed vessels that Thor Heyerdahl used to cross thousands of miles of open ocean during his daring mid-century expeditions.  

The photo shows the Oslo Opera House, a modern angular building with a sloped roof, situated beside the water under a partly cloudy sky.
The stunning Oslo Opera House, a 21st-century Oslo waterfront landmark, is about 20 minutes from the cruise ship pier. It’s a must-do to walk up its sloping roof for an excellent view over the harbour. There are lots of restaurants nearby.

We walked among the 200-plus granite and bronze figures of Vigeland Sculpture Park including the famous Angry Boy statue.  Our two days filled up fast!  There are more museums, both on the peninsula and mainland, to easily add more options.

Shore Excursions in Oslo

Oslo has plenty of excursions if you would rather book ahead:

Read Next: Our Ultimate Guide to Oslo: 2 Days in Oslo itinerary →

Kristiansand

Kristiansand is the main city of Norway’s sunny south coast.  It is an easy, walkable port, and the historic centre is a short stroll from the quay.  The street grid dates from the town’s founding in 1641.

What We Did in Kristiansand

We spent our time on foot beginning in the main square.  It’s anchored by the neo-Gothic Kristiansand Cathedral with its 70-metre spire and worth a quick look inside. 

We continued to Posebyen, the old town.  Its fourteen blocks of white timber houses survived the 1892 fire that levelled much of Kristiansand.  The streets still follow the original grid laid out in 1641.

Andy walks past a flower planter and water fountain in a plaza near Kristiansand Cathedral.
I’m in Kristiansand’s main square with the neo-Gothic Kristiansand Cathedral behind me. It’s just a short walk from the quay.

We finished at Christiansholm Fortress, a circular fort completed in 1672 with walls up to five metres thick.  Its ramparts make a good vantage point over the harbour.  The whole loop is an easy, relaxing half-day without leaving the centre.

Shore Excursions in Kristiansand

Kristiansand’s signature trips head just out of town:

Stavanger

Stavanger is the oil capital of Norway and one of its most walkable ports.  Cruise ships tie up right on Vågen harbour, in the heart of the city.  Above the harbour, find cobbled lanes of white timber houses and the country’s oldest cathedral.

What We Did in Stavanger

We walked straight from the harbour into Gamle Stavanger.  Over 170 white-painted wooden cottages from the 18th and early 19th centuries line the steep, winding cobblestone streets above the quay.  Flower boxes and small workshops fill the alleys off Øvre Strandgate.

Just south of Stavanger’s central waterfront square, we visited Stavanger Cathedral, constructed around 1125.  It is the oldest cathedral in continuous use in Norway, with round Romanesque arches inside.  A short walk north, on the east side of the harbour, brought us to the 19th-century Valberg Tower, the old lookout that rises over the city’s rooftops.

The cobblestone street of Stavanger's Old Town lined with white wooden houses on a rainy day, with three people walking under umbrellas in the distance.
Øvre Strandgate, old town’s main street, sits just above the cruise quay. Cobblestone walkways wind through small, white wooden cottages dating from the 18th and early 19th centuries.
Cobblestoned Øvre Holmegate lined with colourful wooden buildings, outdoor seating, hanging flower baskets, and strings of triangular flags overhead.
The Colourful Street, on the opposite side of the harbour, was repainted in bold rainbow colours in 2005. It’s now one of Stavanger’s major attractions.

We finished along Øvre Holmegate, the lane repainted in bright colours in 2005 that everyone now calls the Colourful Street. The whole circuit stays within easy walking distance of the cruise port.

Shore Excursions in Stavanger

Stavanger is the launch point for one of Norway’s famous hikes:

Bergen

Bergen is Norway’s second largest city and the Gateway to the Fjords.  Seven mountains ring its centre which is built around a working harbour.  The wharf and trading houses of Bryggen, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, line one side of the water, a reminder of its Hanseatic past.

Bergen has two main cruise docking areas.  If you are at Skoltegrunnskaien (Skolten), it’s an easy scenic 10-minute walk past the fortress walls straight to Bryggen.  If you berth at the more industrial Jekteviken (Dokken) terminal on the opposite side of the peninsula, the walk is a bit long, but cruise lines almost always provide frequent, complimentary shuttle buses straight to the city centre.  If you are stuck, UBER is an option, though expensive.

What We Did in Bergen

We began in Bryggen, the famous harbour-front row of 62 colourful wooden merchant houses.  This vibrant district preserves the exact footprint and architectural style of the houses of Hanseatic traders who first arrived here in the 1360s.  In the narrow alleyways behind the painted facades we found workshops, small galleries and eateries.

From there we walked to the Fisketorget, the fish market, known for its extensive variety of seafood.  We rode the funicular up Mount Fløyen, which climbs to a viewpoint 320 metres above the city.  The platform at the top looks straight down over Bergen’s cityscape, the fjords, and the North Sea beyond.

Crowds gather at outdoor tables in front of colorful wooden buildings with steep roofs in historic Bryggen's harbor area on a sunny day.
Crowds fill the outdoor seating along Bryggen’s harbourfront. The wharf’s wooden buildings once stored dried cod and grain for Hanseatic merchants and sleeping quarters for themselves and their assistants.
Val smiling, wearing sunglasses and a blue jacket stands in front of the scenic overlook Fløyen Panorama Terrace with a view of a coastal Bergen, harbor, and surrounding hills.
This wide-angle view over Bergen’s cityscape, harbour, and the North Sea islands is from the Panorama Terrace at the top of Mount Fløyen. Cruise ships are visible at both ports. (Check left and right edges of photo.)

Bryggen and Mount Fløyen make a full, easy day on foot, the ideal port day for most cruise passengers.  With a second day, you can explore the city centre at a slower pace, from its old churches to its art museums.

Shore Excursions in Bergen

Bergen has some of the best excursions on the coast:

Read Next: What to do with a second day: 2 Days in Bergen itinerary →

Flåm (Nærøyfjord)

Flåm is a tiny village at the head of the Aurlandsfjord, an arm of the vast Sognefjord, Norway’s longest and deepest fjord.  Ships sail far inland to reach it, threading between mountain walls.  It is the gateway to the UNESCO-listed Nærøyfjord and the start of one of the world’s great train rides.

Flåm has a single cruise pier right in the village centre. Because only one ship can dock at a time, additional ships must anchor in the fjord and tender passengers ashore. Fortunately, both options drop you off at the exact same waterfront spot, just a two-minute flat walk from the famous Flåm Railway station.

What We Did in Flåm

We enjoyed the two-hour electric boat tour from Flåm, out along the Aurlandsfjord and into the UNESCO-listed Nærøyfjord, which narrows to barely 250 metres between its walls.  A number of waterfalls are visible along the route.  We passed the tiny village of Undredal, famous for its brown goat cheese.

Andy and Val smile in front of Naeroyfjord with steep green mountains and partly cloudy skies in the background.
The Nærøyfjord cruise was a highlight of our visit to Flåm. The fjord is one of the narrowest fjords in the world.

The other highlight is the Flåm Railway, the Flåmsbana, which climbs 866 metres through twenty tunnels on one of the world’s most scenic rail journeys, with a stop at the 225-metre high Kjosfossen waterfall.  While we ran out of time to ride it, it is the trip most visitors come to Flåm to enjoy.

Doing Both from Bergen 

Both of Flåm’s headline trips, the railway and the Nærøyfjord cruise, can be booked together as a single round-trip from Bergen, the classic Norway in a Nutshell loop:

  • Norway in a Nutshell – Round-trip from Bergen that pairs the Nærøyfjord cruise with the Flåm Railway, plus a stop at a Viking village.

Geiranger / Hellesylt (Geirangerfjord)

Geiranger sits at the head of the Geirangerfjord, the most famous of the Norwegian fjords and a UNESCO World Heritage site.  Waterfalls tumble down its sheer cliffs which rise straight from the water.  Cruise ships sail the length of the fjord docking right at this tiny picturesque village.

What We Did in Geiranger

The fjord is the main attraction and the only way to see it is from the water.  We crossed it on the Geiranger to Hellesylt ferry, an hour-long ride beneath sheer cliffs and close to the waterfalls.  Cruise ships sail the same stretch on their way to the village but the ferry puts you right on the water.  The Seven Sisters waterfall drops about 250 metres in seven thin streams into the fjord.  The single fall called the Suitor faces it from across the water. 

In Hellesylt, we watched the village’s powerful waterfall pour straight through the middle of town beside the ferry dock.

Val stands on the viewing platform at Ornesvingen Viewpoint overlooking a Geirangerfjord surrounded by steep, green cliffs under a cloudy sky.
An aerial view of UNESCO-recognized Geirangerfjord and the steep cliffs. Cruise ships sail through this fjord to stop in Geiranger, the tiny village at the head of the fjord.

We enjoyed a brief walk through the village of Geiranger.  The main walking route is the Geiranger Waterfall Walk, a stairway of over 300 steps that climbs beside the tumbling river for views back down the fjord.

Sæbø (Hjørundfjord)

Some ships skip Geirangerfjord for the quieter Hjørundfjord just to the west.  The fjord is walled by the jagged Sunnmøre Alps.  The village of Sæbø sits deep inside the fjord with a handful of houses, a church, and a campsite. This is a tender port. Your ship’s tender will drop you right in the centre of the village.

What We Did in Sæbø

Sæbø has almost no tourist infrastructure, which is the whole appeal.  We started with a short hike up the hillside above the village to Sæbø Utsiktspunkt, the viewpoint over the town and the fjord.  From the top, the Sunnmøre Alps surround the water on every side.

Hurtigruten's Trollfjord at anchor in the Hjørundfjord surrounded by steep mountains, with a small town, church, and cemetery in the foreground under a clear blue sky.
Sæbø sits deep in the Hjørundfjord, surrounded by the jagged Sunnmøre Alps. The wooden Hjørundfjord Church stands at the edge of the tiny village. Cruise ships dock in the fjord and tenders carry passengers to the village dock.

Back in the village, we stopped at the Hjørundfjord Church, the small wooden church at the edge of town.  We caught a live musical performance inside, an unexpected treat in such a tiny place.

We finished by walking the shoreline back to the tender pier.  It was the most relaxing stop of the lot, and an hour or two on foot covers everything here.

Ålesund

Ålesund spreads across a cluster of islands linked by bridges and tunnels.  It is home to Norway’s largest cod-fishing fleet.  After a 1904 fire destroyed the wooden town, it was rebuilt in the Art Nouveau style including turrets and ornate stonework.

Ålesund features two main cruise docks on opposite sides of its narrow peninsula: Storneskaia on the south side for larger mega-liners, and Skansekaia on the north side. Fortunately, both put you directly on the edge of the Art Nouveau town centre, only a 5-to-10-minute flat walk from main attractions regardless of mooring location.

What We Did in Ålesund

The architecture is the draw with Art Nouveau-styled buildings everywhere.  We walked along the Brosundet Waterway, the canal that cuts through the town centre.  The canal’s still water reflected the colourful building facades beautifully and kept us snapping photos as we walked for a good half hour.  At the north end is a monument honouring 320 people who died attempting the dangerous North Sea crossing to escape from Nazi-occupied Norway and the 3,300 others who safely reached Allied territory.

Colourful waterfront buildings are reflected in calm water of Brosundel Waterway Ålesund.
The picturesque Brosundet Waterway cuts through the city centre with colourful building facades reflected in its calm water.
Aerial view of coastal Ålesund with colourful buildings, a harbour with boats, surrounding hills, and water inlets.
Mount Aksla Viewpoint delivers the classic postcard panorama over Ålesund’s fishhook-shaped peninsula and surrounding islands. Our cruise ship is docked at Storneskaia in the upper right of the photo.

Last on the list was climbing the Ålesund Stairs, the 418-step stone staircase that starts in Byparken.  It heads up to the Fjellstua restaurant and viewpoint on Mount Aksla, about 190 metres above the town.  On our descent, we stopped at the Byrampen Viewpoint.  The view looks straight down the fishhook-shaped peninsula and out over the islands.

Shore Excursions in Ålesund

For more insight into the town’s history and sites:

Ålesund is the launch point for some of western Norway’s best scenic drives and fjord cruises. These are full-day trips inland and up the fjords, so they suit a longer port stay rather than a quick stop:

Åndalsnes

Åndalsnes sits at the head of the Romsdalsfjord, ringed by some of Norway’s most dramatic peaks.  The town bills itself as Norway’s mountaineering capital, with the sheer Trollveggen wall, the Trollstigen road and the emerald Rauma River close at hand.  For a small port, the scenery around it is outstanding.

Ships dock directly in the town centre at Tindekaia quay. This is incredibly convenient with all the major attractions within a 5-minute walk from the ship.

What We Did in Åndalsnes

We rode the Romsdalsgondolen, Norway’s longest gondola, straight up Mount Nesaksla, climbing around 700 metres in five minutes.  From the top the view runs the length of the Romsdalsfjord and across the surrounding peaks.

A view from the Romsdal Stairs trail overlooking Åndalsnes, with water, mountains, and clouds in the background.
We found these steep, stone steps built by Sherpa craftsmen from Nepal very well built. Going down them without hand rails was a bit uncomfortable for us.

We walked part of the way back down the Romsdalstrappa, the stone staircase below the summit, and out onto the Rampestreken viewpoint, a steel ramp that juts over the drop about 535 metres above the fjord.  

Shore Excursions in Åndalsnes

Most cruise lines have excellent excursions from Åndalsnes to Trollstigen, the Norwegian scenic route up a near-vertical mountainside through eleven unforgettable hairpin bends or on the Rauma Railway.  If you arrive on a Hurtigruten coastal ship, the line runs a couple of standout trips here:

  • The Golden Train – Ride the historic Rauma Railway through Romsdalen, past the Trollveggen wall and the looping Kylling Bridge, on one of Europe’s most scenic lines.
  • Town Walk & Romsdalen Gondola – Guided stroll through Åndalsnes, then the gondola up Mount Nesaksla for the view over the fjord and peaks.

Brønnøysund

Brønnøysund sits near the geographic centre of Norway.  It is a tidy coastal town with a marina and a church.  Most visitors come to hike the mountain just to the south.  Hurtigruten is one of the few cruise lines that visit Brønnøysund.  Ships dock at the Hurtigrutenkai Brønnøysund quay beside the main harbour, just a 5-minute walk from the tiny town centre and local shops.

What We Did in Brønnøysund

We booked a cruise excursion here for one of Norway’s most unusual hikes, Torghatten Mountain.  The mountain is famous for the massive, natural tunnel running straight through its centre.  While local legend claims the hole was made by an arrow piercing a troll’s hat, it was actually carved by furious wave action during the last Ice Age.  The hole, a sea cave, was then lifted high above the ocean as the land rebounded from the weight of the melting glaciers.

The trail up is a set of well-built stone steps, steep but short.  The hole at the top is the payoff, around 160 metres long and 35 metres high.  It is huge and easy to walk right through the mountain.

Andy and Val in rain jackets stand on wet rocky ground near the hole in Torghatten Mountain, with more people visible in the background.
We took a cruise ship excursion and walked through the hole in Torghatten Mountain. The passage through the mountain is about 160 metres long and 35 metres high. Amazing!

Walking out the far side, over the island-dotted archipelago below, was a highlight of the trip.

More Shore Excursions in Brønnøysund

If you would rather stay on the water than hike, your Hurtigruten ship offers another option:

Svolvær (Lofoten Islands)

Svolvær is the main town of the Lofoten Islands.  Granite peaks rise straight out of the sea around it.  Watch for the red rorbuer, traditional fisherman’s cabins built on stilts over the water, as your ship glides north into the harbour to dock right at the town centre.

What We Did in Svolvær

Svolvær is one of the most photogenic towns on the coast, so we skipped the paid tours and walked the town.  We started along the harbour, enjoying its mix of yachts and wooden fishing boats.

Wooden fish drying racks stand on a rocky shoreline in Svolvær with trees and hills in the background under a cloudy sky.
The Fiskehjeller are wooden racks where Atlantic cod is hung to dry into stockfish.
Lofoten War Memorial Museum display featuring mannequins in vintage military uniforms and gear, surrounded by historical equipment, maps, and informational signs.
Inside the Lofoten War Memorial Museum, home to a remarkably dense and world-class collection of rare WWII uniforms, artifacts, and military memorabilia.

By walking across the small bridges by the town centre, we reached the fiskehjeller, the towering wooden racks used to air-dry Atlantic cod into traditional stockfish.  If you would rather not make the long walk out, the Lofoten War Memorial Museum and its nearby sculpture park are a closer alternative and worth a look. 

Shore Excursions in Svolvær

As a major hub, Svolvær has some of the best trips on the route:

Sailing the Trollfjord

While not a port, the Trollfjord is one of the most memorable places of the whole coastal voyage.  The Trollfjord is a hidden side-arm off the Raftsund, the channel between Lofoten and Vesterålen.  Its entrance is so narrow, barely 100 metres wide, that you do not see it until the ship is almost on top of it.

Smaller coastal and expedition ships nose right in and turn around inside, sheer rock rising over a thousand metres on either side, with white-tailed sea eagles often circling overhead.  If your ship makes the detour, be out on deck for it.  It was one of the highlights of our voyage.

People on cruise ship take photos of tall waterfalls cascading down a rocky, green cliff into the Trollfjord on a misty day.
Standing on deck as the ship makes its famous, impossibly tight turn surrounded by towering, waterfall-laced cliffs in the legendary Trollfjord. Its entrance is barely 100 metres wide, with sheer rock rising over a thousand metres on either side.

If you are on a larger liner that cannot make the turn, or you just want to get closer to the water, you can book a dedicated trip from nearby Svolvær:

  • Trollfjord Silent Cruise – Take an electric ship into the Trollfjord, barely 100 metres wide between sheer walls. Watch for the sea eagles.

Stokmarknes

Stokmarknes, in the Vesterålen islands, is where Hurtigruten was born.  In 1893 shipping pioneer Richard With launched the original Coastal Express mail ship from this harbour.  The town sits among green islands below the Vesterålen Alps. Ships dock at the central quay, located literally steps from the iconic Hurtigruten Museum and just a 5-minute walk from the heart of town.

What We Did in Stokmarknes

We headed straight for the waterfront Hurtigruten Museum, a striking glass-and-steel building that completely encloses a full-sized 1956 coastal liner.  This massive “ship-in-a-bottle” exhibit allows you to step directly aboard the MS Finnmarken to wander through its beautifully intact mid-century dining rooms, lounges, and open decks.

Val stands next to a vintage white Ford car on the wooden deck of the MS Finnmarken at the Hurtigruten Museum.
Checking out the deck cargo on the MS Finnmarken. These hard-working coastal express ships carried everything from passengers and mail to vintage cars! Hurtigruten mail ships do the same job today. Tourists can travel from port to port on them as well.
Val in a rain jacket stands on grass near shore, with red wooden cabins on stilts on Børøya Island and hills partially covered by clouds in the background.
We walked to Børøya island across the bridge from town for photos of the beautiful red buildings behind Val.

We spent a couple of hours in the museum and on the vintage ship.  The 1950s fittings are a sharp contrast to a modern cruise ship.

After, we crossed the short bridge to Børøya island for photos of the picturesque houses.

Torsken (Senja Island) 

Senja is often called Norway in Miniature, packing jagged peaks and white-sand beaches onto one island.  Ships dock in the centre of Torsken, a fishing village of a couple of hundred people.  It sits deep in a fjord, with mountains dropping almost vertically into the water.

What We Did in Torsken

Unfortunately, the weather gods gave us a torrential downpour during this stop, so we stayed on the ship.  If the weather works for you, here is the best way to spend your time.

Torsken is a walk-off-and-wander port.  Stroll the single-lane village roads past traditional wooden houses, with the fjord walls rising straight up on either side.

The one landmark is Torsken Church, a red wooden church from the 1700s.  It sits on a rise above the harbour.  Without the crowds of the bigger ports, this is the slow pace of rural coastal Norway, and an hour or two on foot covers it.

Shore Excursions in Torsken

If you arrive on a Hurtigruten coastal ship, the line offers its own Senja excursions, such as:

  • Senja Scenic Route by Bus – Bus along Senja’s National Tourist Route, past the island’s jagged peaks, beaches, and fishing villages.
  • RIB Fjord Adventure – Fast RIB ride into the fjord beneath Senja’s near-vertical mountain walls, watching for sea eagles and other wildlife.

Honningsvåg

Honningsvåg is a small fishing settlement on the island of Magerøya and the gateway to the North Cape. The Honningsvåg harbour is full of fishing trawlers, and the landscape around it is treeless tundra.  The undisputed highlight of this stop is seeing the spectacular cliffs of the North Cape (Nordkapp), Europe’s northernmost point accessible by car. Cruise ships tie up on the west side of the harbour immediately adjacent to the town centre.

What We Did in Honningsvåg

We split the day in two.  In the morning, we enjoyed the excursion by bus to the North Cape, a 45-minute drive through barren hills.  At the cape, we took our selfie with the famous globe monument and walked the edge of the small plateau with its 300-metre drop into the Barents Sea.  We finished our visit wandering through the exhibits in the visitor centre.

Val stands in front of the North Cape globe monument on a cloudy day. Several other people are visible in the background.
The iconic North Cape Globe was erected in 1978. It is a symbol of the cape as a global meeting place. Many of us “met” on the platform trying to get our photos. It is very busy so pack your patience.
Andy in puffer jacket and backpack stands on rocky outcrop overlooking Honningsvag with colorful buildings and boats.
We stopped often along the Nordkapptrappa staircase to take in the sweeping view over Honningsvåg’s colourful houses and harbour. We could see our cruise ship in the harbour way below us.

In the afternoon, we walked a bit of town past the church to reach the beginning of the Nordkapptrappa.  This Sherpa-built stone staircase is the beginning of a 3.5-kilometre-long loop hike up the mountain from the edge of town.  We did not finish the hike, but we climbed high enough for a clear and beautiful view over the harbour and our ship in the bay.

Shore Excursions in Honningsvåg

The North Cape is the trip everyone comes for, and there is more than one way to do it:

  • North Cape Guided Tour – Bus across the tundra to the North Cape plateau, globe monument, and visitor centre, with entry included.  You can also book this same trip through your cruise line.
  • North Cape, King Crab & Sami Camp – A fuller day than the tour above: it pairs the North Cape with a king crab feast and a stop at a Sami reindeer camp.

Read Next: Our full day in Honningsvåg: Honningsvåg & North Cape guide →

Longyearbyen (Svalbard)

Longyearbyen, the world’s northernmost town, is 1,300 kilometres from the North Pole.  Glaciers and bare grey mountains ring the settlement.  Its colourful buildings sit on pilings driven into the permanently frozen ground.

The cruise pier (Bykaia) is a 20-minute, often windy, walk (1.5 km) from the town centre. Regular shuttle buses run whenever ships are in port; expect to pay a small fee, unless your cruise line covers it. Most tours launch from the cruise pier or the tourist pier right beside it.

What We Did in Longyearbyen

Most cruise passengers get only one day here.  A full day trip is the best way to spend it.  We took the 6-hour wildlife and glacier catamaran cruise north into Billefjorden.  The highlight was Nordenskiöldbreen, a tidewater glacier that calves straight into the fjord.  Along the way, we saw several walruses lounging in the water.

A group of people in hooded winter jackets look over the calm water of Billefjorden, observing the large Nordenskiöldbreen glacier.
The tidewater glacier Nordenskiöldbreen sits at the head of Billefjorden, which is roughly 30 kilometres long and 5 to 8 kilometres wide. This was the highlight of our catamaran cruise which leaves from Longyearbyen’s port.

Back in town, we walked Longyearbyen’s pedestrian-only “Main Street”, browsing the northernmost shops and warming up over coffee.  The cruise and the town walk make a full and easy port day.

With an extra day or two, you can add the town’s three museums and walk out to the polar-bear warning sign at the edge of town.

More Shore Excursions in Longyearbyen

Longyearbyen is the base for some bucket-list trips:

The next two options are full-day boat trips, best suited to travellers staying longer in Longyearbyen:

Read Next: Discover museums, excellent restaurants and quirky local rules: Longyearbyen travel guide →

Ny-Ålesund

Ny-Ålesund is the world’s northernmost civilian settlement in the world, further north than Longyearbyen.  Once a coal-mining town, it is now an international Arctic research base.

What We Did in Ny-Ålesund

Ny-Ålesund is small enough to cover on foot, and most of it is a free self-guided loop beginning right at the cruise ship dock.  We started in the Ny-Ålesund Museum, the world’s northernmost, which tells the settlement’s coal-mining and polar-airship history.

The highlight was the Amundsen Tower, the 35-metre iron mast where the airship Norge launched for the North Pole in 1926.  It sits in polar-bear territory so, for your safety, a local guide and an armed escort walk with you to the tower.

Val in outdoor clothing walks on a boardwalk through Ny-Alesund with red and blue buildings, mountains in the background, and several people visible in the distance.
The building behind Val is Nordpolhotellet, the world’s northernmost hotel, reserved for visiting scientists and official guests in Ny-Ålesund. Our ship is in the distance.

We mailed a postcard from the world’s northernmost post office, earning its Arctic postmark.

Before heading back to the ship, Andy took the polar plunge into Kongsfjorden.  At around 4°C even in summer, it is cold enough to steal your breath in seconds.

Read Next: More on the world’s northernmost settlement: Ny-Ålesund settlement guide →

Explore All of our Norway Travel Guides

Discover our complete series of detailed Norway guides to help you plan your perfect adventure from Oslo to the Arctic.

Main Article:  Norway 14-Day Road Trip

Part 1:  Oslo – Capital city, harbourfront museums, and Viking history
Part 2:  Bergen – Bryggen wharf, fish market, and fjord gateway
Part 3:  Longyearbyen – Svalbard’s capital with tours, museums and midnight sun
Part 4:  Ny-Alesund – Northernmost civilian settlement and Arctic research base
Part 5:  Honningsvag – North Cape gateway and northernmost edge of mainland Europe
Part 6:  Norway Cruise Ports – Norway’s most popular cruise stops (You’re reading this guide now!)


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Andy is the co-founder of Avrex Travel, where he shares his many travel experiences. Andy enjoys videography and creating great Road Trips for his readers.