Norwegian Prima Q&A: Answering Questions from My Review of Cruising Iceland, Norway, Amsterdam, and London!

Since my review of my summer 2023 cruise on the Norwegian Prima is by far my travel diary with the most questions, I wanted to compile all the questions into a blog post in case anyone else has the same questions and is googling to find answers!

In Ålesund, Norway, with the Prima in the background

Visiting Steinsdalsfossen waterfall from Bergen, Norway

Note: This post contains affiliate links. That means that if you make a purchase after clicking on a link, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

So, some background information... I cruised on the Prima with my husband and several members of my family, from July 27 through August 6, starting in Reykjavík and ending in London. Overall, I had a wonderful time on the Prima.

The ship is beautiful, and while I understood some people's complaints about the layout, they didn't really affect my experience. For example, I never felt like I was unable to find an uncrowded space, and I never had to wait more than 15 minutes for a meal.

Plus, I loved the countries we visited. I'd been hoping to visit two of them (Iceland and Norway) for years. And there's nothing better than getting to see the world without having to pack and unpack and pack and unpack or spend time cooking and doing dishes!

After our trip, I shared my thoughts on the cruise, from the ship (including tips and thoughts about the layout and food), to the different ports (and what we did to fill the time), to anything else I thought might be helpful (such as my packing list)!

Click here to read my full travel diary of cruising the Norwegian Prima throughout Iceland, Norway, Amsterdam, and London!

I got so many posts on my Prima travel diary that I decided to pull them all into this post, to make it easier to find the answers in case anyone else had the same questions.

And if you have a question that's not answered here or in my Prima travel diary, please leave me a comment with your question!

Now let's get to the questions... starting with the ship itself and then onto specific ports and excursions!

"Which side of the ship would be the best to book a balcony stateroom? Did you like deck 11 for your room, which side was it on and were you forward, mid or aft?"

Since the ship docks on both sides, I don't know if I'd say there's a side that would be better. I would just watch out for staterooms marked "partially obstructed," since that could be an indicator of the water (or dry) slides.

I really liked being on Deck 11 because I thought it was very convenient for getting around the ship. I like stretching my legs on the ships (especially with so many big meals!), so I prefer to walk or take the stairs whenever possible, and Deck 11 felt smack dab in the middle of the ship.

The views from our cabin on Deck 11!

We were port side (the left side of the ship when you're facing the front, aka the bow, of the ship)

I've heard people sometimes complain about noise in rooms with balconies or near the elevator, but we never hear anything (despite occasionally sleeping with our balcony door open to hear the waves). We were farther from the elevators this time, but even on our cruises when we were right off the elevator lobby, we didn't hear anything.

My parents were on Deck 9, and my mom said that while she didn't hear any noise, she did wish they'd been a little higher up for better views.

Lastly, I've read that if you're prone to motion sickness, you should aim for a stateroom in the middle of the ship and on one of the lower decks and avoid higher decks and the bow (the front of the ship), which will feel the most movement from the waves.

View outside our cabin in Bergen, Norway

"We are wondering about the Vibe area on the ship. We have been told the weather may be too cool to enjoy it. Most of our traveling companions are doing the spa for a week. I like that the Vibe has its own private bar and hot tub. Do you think the weather will prevent us from using the Vibe?"

So this is a question where my answer has somewhat evolved in the time since we planned and took our cruise, to now.

While we were planning our cruise, my husband and I debated purchasing NCL's Vibe Beach Club passes but ultimately decided against it because not everyone in the rest of our group would have wanted to spend the funds.

However, I remember seeing the space — I can't remember from where, maybe from the stairs or decks above — and thinking it was a really beautiful space, with lots of room and a private bar.

And it was VERY empty the few times I took a peek, I don't remember seeing anyone in the space, just NCL staff chatting to each other as they set things up or cleaned the bar. Most people probably debated whether or not it was worth it and, likely based on weather expectations, appeared to have decided against it. So it seems as though you'd likely have it to yourselves!

On our itinerary, we definitely had a few days where we sat outside to relax and drink, and my husband went in the hot tub several times. If you're someone who doesn't like crowds, waiting for a lounger, or fighting for hot tub space, it seems it'd be worth it. I kind of wish we'd done it now!

I also searched Reddit to see if anyone had posted about this, and I found these comments on this post:

Comment
byu/jds2001 from discussion
inCruise

"Can you let me know if you booked a room in The Haven or if you booked a regular balcony or suite. Most of the better reviews I see online are those that booked in The Haven so I'd be happy to know that you booked outside The Haven and still had a wonderful experience."

We were not Haven passengers — and I think we had nearly all different kinds of rooms (2 of our cabins were balcony staterooms, one was an ocean view stateroom, and one was a studio).

Because we were traveling as such a large group, we did debate our decision endlessly, since there are multi-bedroom family villas in the Haven and it would have given my mom peace of mind to be able to easily find us in our cabins :) rather than us being spread out across the ship.

However, the trip costs were adding up (which is why we opted against the Haven as well as the entire group buying Vibe Beach Club passes).

Fortunately, it all worked out!

Our balcony room

The Studio Lounge, which is a private common area for passengers staying in the studios

"We are new to cruising so found this very helpful. One question is how dressy are the restaurants on the ship? We will try to minimize buffets and have 2 ala cart restaurants included in our package. Thank you!"

Oh, I hope you love cruising! We took our first cruise in 2021 and were immediately hooked.

To answer your question about the dress code, I feel as though people are pretty casual but put together (e.g., people will wear jeans, but not jeans with rips or holes).

There are no "formal nights" the way there are on other cruise lines, per my understanding, but you can dress up if you'd like... anything goes on vacation!

Eating dessert in one of the Main Dining Rooms (Hudson's)

For more specific guidance, I looked up what the NCL FAQ says about dress code:

"Dress cruise casual anytime during the day, in the buffet and in most specialty restaurants. For women, it includes summer and casual dresses, skirts, regular or capri pants, shorts, jeans and tops. Khakis, jeans, shorts and casual shirts are fine for men. Swimwear is acceptable at the buffet and outdoor restaurant, but a shirt or a cover-up and footwear are required. Be sure to pack a sweater — the air conditioning can be chilly. Kids 12 and under are welcome to wear shorts in all our restaurants.
Please Note: We want you to be comfortable, but tank tops for men, flip flops, baseball caps, visors and jeans that are overly faded, with holes or tears and worn below the hips are not permitted in main dining rooms or specialty restaurants. Dress smart casual in our more upscale specialty restaurants. For women, it includes slacks or jeans, dresses, skirts and tops. For men, it's jeans or slacks with a collared shirt and closed-toed shoes."

"I was wondering if you had any recommendations on dining times — we also are interested in attending the shows in the evenings. We are usually early risers so we do not want to be eating after the shows and I cannot find a schedule with times for the entertainment and don't want to miss out nor be eating too early or too late!"

It really depends, shows start anywhere from 6:30 to 9pm, so you’ll probably be safe in general if you aim for 5pm or so. And other activities (like trivia or karaoke) often run all throughout the day!

The ship's Freestyle Daily newsletters are helpful for planning out your days — your cabin attendant leave it at your door every evening, so you can use that to help map out what you want to do. I actually happened to save mine, so I just took a look:

Summer: The Donna Summer Musical started at 6:30pm with another show at 10pm.
The Price is Right started at 7pm with another show at 9pm.
Shane Hampsheir: Bublé & Friends started at 9pm.

Keep reading to the next question for an idea of what the Freestyle Daily newsletters look like!

"Do you by any chance have pictures of the Freestyle Daily for each day?"

This is a great question... and luckily, I do still have the Freestyle Daily newsletters (I'm very sentimental and like to hold on to keepsakes from our travels).

They're all 4 pages long (front cover, inside pages, and back cover), so please let me know if there's a certain day/port you want to see and I'll upload the Freestyle Daily.

Here is the newsletter for Day 2 (a Sea Day):

Cover page

Inside pages

Back cover

Here is the newsletter for Day 5 in Ålesund:

Cover page

Inside pages

Back cover

"Was the weather ever nice enough on the ship to lay out in the sun or was it always kinda too chilly for the outdoor pools?"

We definitely spent time outside by the outdoor pools, mostly in normal clothing, but I did put on a swimsuit at least once. And my husband used the hot tubs throughout our cruise.

It was a little chilly and misty in Iceland, but even so, I got so hot on the glacier hike I took off my puffy coat, and I don't think I needed a beanie for Akureyri. The weather was much warmer in Norway and Amsterdam.

It was in Ålesund, Norway, where I put on a swimsuit to sit outside (though I think I kept a towel nearby for when the sun dipped behind clouds so the air felt colder).

Warm enough to get away with a swimsuit in Ålesund, Norway

Sunglasses: Illesteva | Swimsuit: Summersalt | Shorts: Old Navy | Lanyard: Amazon

"I really feel overwhelmed with trying to pick the right excursions, I just don’t want to miss out but also don’t want to be on a rushed schedule the ENTIRE time!"

I completely get it about the excursions.

If you can, I would have at least 1-2 cities where you don't have an excursion so you can just explore at your own pace.

There are also excursions that are much shorter/don't take up the whole time on land, so you can get those in while still being able to wander solo. (For example, my relatives did a canal tour first thing in Amsterdam that only lasted an hour or two, so they had plenty of time to explore the rest of the city after.)

We didn't do an excursion in Ålesund, Norway, but instead walked approximately 45 minutes to the aquarium Atlanterhavsparken, aka Atlantic Sea-Park, then bought tickets for a Hop-On Hop-Off bus that took us to the Aksla Viewpoint, pictured here. (We could have taken the bus to the aquarium from the ship, but we wanted to stretch our legs!)

Sunglasses: Illesteva | Sweater: Loft | Leggings: Amazon| Combat boots: Sam Edelman

"Is tipping a thing in the different countries? I heard they usually don’t tip in Iceland, but not sure if it was true. Do they take the U.S. Dollar if so? Thank you again!"

When it comes to tipping, it's my understanding that tipping in Iceland, Norway, Netherlands, and England is nowhere like it is in the U.S., though I do think American tourists are slowly starting to spread our tipping culture (or maybe that's just because tip touch screens are so easy to implement).

Per my understanding, you don't need to tip in Iceland (your bill may already include a service or gratuity charge), in Norway (which is already a pricey country), or in the Netherlands (where it's appreciated but not mandatory). However, I've read that it's becoming more common in England to tip 10% or round up a restaurant bill.

You should be able to use your credit card in most places (check if your credit card charges a foreign transaction fee, which is often 3%!), but if you're paying in cash you'll likely need to pay in the local currency. You may want to exchange currency at your bank in the U.S. — if you use an ATM while traveling internationally, your bank will usually charge an "out-of-network" ATM fee, and the bank of the ATM will usually charge an ATM fee, so check your bank in advance or you could wind up paying $10+ just in fees!

"I am cruising the opposite itinerary from yours and am hoping we cross the Arctic Circle north of Iceland… did you?"

I actually couldn't remember, so I asked my husband. He said yes but that as far as he could remember, the ship didn't acknowledge it in any way (e.g., he didn't remember there being an announcement that we were crossing the Arctic Circle in case anyone wanted to take a look).

So I'd recommend paying close attention and if possible confirming with a crew member when the ship is expected to cross.

"Will you post again your excursions you chose to do in each spot? Hoping the fjords dredging to be finished. Also wondering about the weather?"

We purchased 4 excursions total (though one was canceled) and opted against doing excursions at 3 ports.

Reykjavík: For our first day in Reykjavík, we purchased a Golden Circle + Blue Lagoon tour through a third party (Arctic Adventures).
Reykjavík: For our second day in Reykjavík, we purchased a private South Coast tour through a third party (Arctic Adventures).
Akureyri: We purchased a highlights sightseeing tour in Akureyri through a third party (Viator).
Ålesund: We did not do an excursion in Ålesund but visited the aquarium on our own and rode a Hop-On Hop-Off bus.
Olden: We did not do an excursion in Olden but hiked on our own. However, NCL did offer an excursion for this hike, and we crossed paths with that group toward the top.
Bergen: We purchased a waterfall tour in Bergen through a third party (Viator).
Amsterdam: We did not do an excursion in Amsterdam but visited the Anne Frank House and the Verzetsmuseum (Museum of Dutch WWII Resistance).

Note: For our cruise, our stops in Isafjordur and Brussels were canceled, so we had an extra Sea Day in Iceland and an overnight in Amsterdam.

The other people in our party did 3 NCL excursions ("Land of the Trolls" in Ålesund, Norway; "Norway in a Nutshell" in Bergen, Norway; and "Waterways of Amsterdam" in Amsterdam, the Netherlands).

I thought the weather on our cruise (July 27 through August 6) was excellent. It was a little dreary and overcast on our stops in Iceland, but the weather in Norway was sunny and warm, as it was in Amsterdam.

Partially because of the weather and partially because of the waterfall mists, I think I always carried a light jacket or rain jacket with me, but there were plenty of times I didn't need either (as you can tell from the photos where I've taken them off!).

In front of Godafoss waterfall on our tour in Akureyri, Iceland. I probably would have been fine without the beanie!

"We scheduled the Golden Circle Tour, but my family wants me to change it to a South Coast Tour. I know you went on the South Coast tour. Did you happen to feel like it was a lot of time wasted because it took too long to get there by vehicle? I didn’t know if we only have one day in Reykjavik, if it’s worth the time. If so, do I need to pack anything specific for the glacier hike?"

I wouldn't say that I felt like it was a lot of time wasted, but it was a lot of time in the car.

Visiting Seljalandsfoss waterfall as part of our South Coast tour from Reykjavík, Iceland

However, that didn't bother us because my husband and I had just landed in Iceland from the U.S. the day before, so we were still adjusting to the time change, and the other 3 in our group landed that very morning (our tour picked 2 of them up at the airport) — so we all took advantage of the time in the car to nap!

We also felt like the South Coast tour allowed us to see all the variety offered by Iceland — from waterfalls, to glaciers, to black sand beaches and puffins!

You don't need to bring anything special for the hike. My husband and I brought our own hiking boots (because we knew we wanted to hike in Norway, too), but the others in our party rented hiking boots from the tour organizer (Arctic Adventures), which worked out fine for them. Honestly, my husband and I could have gotten away with sneakers on the hike in Norway, since it was mostly paved.

The glacier hike as part of our South Coast tour from Reykjavík, Iceland

Jacket: Old Navy | Leggings: Amazon | Socks: Darn Tough | Hiking boots: Merrell (also available here and here)

I find the Earth Trekkers blog to be enormously helpful when I'm trying to figure out whether a sight or activity is worth it on a trip, and they've done the Golden Circle tour — so you might be able to read through their different experiences to see which you would prefer!

"The Golden Circle tour is exactly what we want to do in Reykjavík, especially the dive between the tectonic plates. Can you share the name of the company you used? I also noticed you guys did a lot of independent tours (vs the ships). Were you ever concerned about not making it back on time and missing the ship departure time? Thank you!"

We booked both our Golden Circle and South Coast tours through Arctic Adventures.

I think for our Golden Circle tour, Arctic Adventures coordinated with another company to handle it (our final details were through BusTravel Iceland).

However, everything for our private South Coast tour said Arctic Adventures, and we had the BEST time — our guide Alvaro was lovely and knowledgeable and went above and beyond ensuring we had a positive experience.

Visiting Seljalandsfoss waterfall as part of our South Coast tour from Reykjavík, Iceland

When we were considering the Silfra Fissure, I read these blogs that I'm sharing now in case they're helpful for your planning!

The Blonde Abroad on snorkeling the Silfra Fissure in Iceland: "The Silfra Fissure is one of the most incredible dive destinations on earth, so it was an absolute MUST when I went to Iceland."
The Blonde Abroad has also dived the Silfra Fissure: "The Silfra Fissure in Iceland is one of the most incredible dive sites you will ever see! I was so impressed with snorkeling the Silfra Fissure on my first trip to Iceland back in 2014 that I knew I had to get a bit deeper."
One Girl, Whole World, on snorkeling the Silfra Fissure between continents: "Snorkeling in Silfra was such a unique experience and I am SO glad that I did it! It completely lived up to my expectations. I’d actually love to go again once I get my PADI certification, and experience the fissure and some of the caves and other things that way."
Our Escape Clause with 15 tips and FAQ for snorkeling Silfra: "There are two facts that sum up our experience snorkeling between tectonic plates in Iceland: It was extremely beautiful and unique, and it was fairly physically uncomfortable."

And to answer your second question: While I would never want to state that it's 100% safe to book excursions outside the ship (because running late IS always a risk when booking excursions through external vendors), we personally weren't worried.

Booking through NCL offers more peace of mind in case anything goes wrong, but the trade-off is that NCL's are usually more expensive than ones offered by third parties. However, we've never had a situation where we worried we wouldn't get back in time.

The way we look at it, most of these companies have been coordinating their schedules with the cruise ships weekly or even daily for years and their businesses wouldn't survive if they didn't get you back in time. They don't want any reputational damage or for their businesses to suffer. And there were always at least a few other people from our ship, which also gave me comfort/peace of mind.

But if you're going to book excursions through third parties, look for reputable companies that have stellar reviews and that give you enough of a buffer to ensure you have plenty of time to get back to the ship.

Visiting Steinsdalsfossen waterfall on our "chasing waterfalls" tour in Bergen, Norway

Sunglasses: Illesteva | Rain jacket: L.L. Bean | Fleece: L.L. Bean 3-in-1 | Tank top: Amazon

"We have booked our air through NCL, adding on the two extra days allowed on each end. However, they will not tell us our flight schedule until approximately 30 days before travel. I noticed you did the South Coast and were also planning the Golden Circle Tour. They both seem to be full days. Did you have enough time once arriving in Reykjavík?"

We arrived at KEF in Reykjavík at 9am, so we used Arctic Adventures to pick a Golden Circle afternoon tour that departed at 12noon (the other option was 8am) and lasted for 6 hours. This tour was unfortunately canceled (I'm not sure why), but we felt we had enough time to make it from the airport.

Our South Coast tour the next day was a private tour (also booked through Arctic Adventures), so we were able to customize the pick-up more than if it'd been a regular group tour.

The guide picked us up in Reykjavík at 8:30am, then went to KEF to pick up our remaining guests, who landed at 9am. This was a long day in the car, but we all used it to catch up on sleep in between stops (although our driver did a great job of sharing Icelandic history with us and pointing out some sights as he drove).

We were VERY lucky in both cases that neither flight was delayed!

Behind the Seljalandsfoss waterfall as part of our South Coast tour from Reykjavík, Iceland

"I forgot to ask if you might share where you stayed in Reykjavík? Thank you!"

We stayed at the Fosshotel Reykjavík.

I forget why we picked this hotel, but we had no complaints! Room and bathroom were both fairly spacious, and the lobby was really nice — lots of sitting room — with a restaurant and beer garden attached.

The only potential negative is that it's not in the main area but in the business district.

However, it was still walking distance to the main area (around a 25-minute walk), and we love to walk (especially when the sun is still out at 10pm!). And I'm sure we picked it because it was cheaper than staying in the main area.

"Have a few questions for you regarding Norway excursions at all 3 stops:

In Alesund, we were thinking about booking the Hjorund Fjord Cruise offered through NCL. Heard it's the prettiest of all the fjords? Any feedback here?
In Geiranger, we are debating between visiting the Herdal Farm Tour vs doing the RIB Boat Tour on the Geiranger Fjord. Any feedback from these tours from other guests on your cruise?
In Bergen, we cannot decide if we should do Norway in a Nutshell or finding a RIB boat tour of the fjords. So hard to decide where to do boat tours vs on-land tours. Although your chasing waterfalls tour sounds great, we are worried we will be sick of waterfalls after spending 4 days in South Iceland before the cruise."

Ålesund: I'm unfortunately not familiar with the NCL Hjorund Fjord Cruise BUT I did some digging and found this post by Journeys with Steve, who toured Bergen, Ålesund, and Geiranger on the Prima and did this tour (with photos included)!

"The initial part of the journey took us along the waterfront residential areas of Ålesund, followed by quaint and colorful farms and villages. The further we traveled inland, the mountains became more dramatic, reminding me of the Swiss Alps, with occasional waterfalls cascading down the mountains. My only disappointment with our excursion is the size of the boat and the number of people on the tour. It felt like there were too many people booked for the size of the boat, and many of the people had to sit inside on the lower level away from the windows. We were lucky that we could grab a spot on the open deck to witness the beauty."

I'll add that no matter which tour you end up booking, I hope you have time for the Aksla Viewpoint in town... I could not get enough of that view!

Geiranger: While I don't have any firsthand knowledge here, either, Journeys with Steve also reviewed an RIB Boat Tour in Geiranger (though it sounds as though he booked through Viator, not NCL):

"RIB Boat tour – A great way to experience the fjord is to take a Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB) tour. A RIB boat is a lightweight, open-air high-performance boat that has inflated side air tubes to provide resilience at high speeds. The tours allow passengers to get close to the mountainsides and see the fjords and surrounding scenery from right on the water. The tours can range from one to two hours. Our group had an amazing time taking the 90-minute tour, listening to our guide tell the facts and stories of the fjord and history of the area."

Bergen: Completely understand about the waterfall concern! My family did the "Norway in a Nutshell" tour in Bergen, and they really liked it (and did see at least one waterfall, keep reading to the question below for some more information and photos!).

My mom said: "Yes, I definitely would recommend it! I remember it being a little scary for me, I think the train had some sheer drop-offs, but the views were amazing."

Fossen Bratte as part of our "chasing waterfalls" tour from Bergen, Norway

"Have you heard any feedback on these 2 Iceland excursions through NCL? Dynjandi Waterfall & Local Village in Isafjordur, Iceland AND Jewels of the North in Akureyri, Iceland."

Isafjordur: I tried to find some firsthand experience about this and found this comment about the Dynjandi Waterfall & Local Village tour on Reddit:

Comment
byu/kitty-and-doge from discussion
inCruise

And I found this comment on a Cruise Critic review:

"The Northwest is where even Icelanders consider remote and unbearable. It’s colder and geologically older, and in many ways it resembles Norway because of the many fjords. The star attraction in the northwest is Dynjandi, the crown jewel of Iceland's countless waterfalls because of its extraordinary scale and unique layered drops. Though it's only a short 40-minute ride from the port, it appeared that it did not get the attention it deserves among fellow passengers. Isafjordur is more an expedition and adventure hub than a leisure destination, so if you are not interested in Dynjandi, there aren't an awful lot of things to do other than mountain hikes and bird-watching trips. Parts of the mudslide dams close to the town centre also serve as an observation deck to offer a better view of the town."

Akureyri: I looked up the NCL Jewels of the North excursion and it sounds as though it features many of the same spots we toured (the waterfall Godafoss, the craters of Skútustaðir and Lake Mývatn, the lava formations at Dimmuborgir, and the hot springs at Namaskard).

So while I don't have feedback on that specific tour, I absolutely think all of the locations are worth visiting! I only wished we'd had longer at each stop, but I was glad we got to see all of them.

Speaking of Lake Mývatn, find out if midges (gnat-like bugs) will be in season at the time of your cruise. They were AWFUL, just constant swarms around our head.

If they are in season (I believe May/early June and then late July/August, but I'm not sure), I HIGHLY recommend a mosquito net hat! (I think the gift shop at the lake sells netting, too.)

"We sail this same itinerary on Sept 22 (but Geiranger instead of Olden). We are staying 3 nights in Reykjavík prior and staying 3 nights in London after cruise. Your review has given me so many ideas as to what we want to see. We are looking for tours that do not require a lot of walking as my in-laws will also be on this trip. I am also looking for waterfalls for my mother-in-law to see. Our main reason for this trip is to chase the Northern Lights (my mother-in-laws dream is to see them)."

So I love Hop-On Hop-Off buses — they pretty much guarantee you'll see all the "must see" spots (without having to figure out the navigation on your own), the ticket is affordable, and you can listen to the audio to learn about the city you're visiting — and it's an opportunity to rest your legs! I think a Hop-On Hop-Off bus would be great for your mother-in-law.

You can also search NCL excursions on the NCL website by activity level (on the left-hand column). They're ranked 1, 2, or 3 in terms of difficulty, and each excursion should say what to expect in terms of the terrain, amount of walking, etc. You may also be able to search third-party excursions by difficulty level.

My family did several tours through NCL, and their "Norway in a Nutshell" tour in Bergen included a train ride as well as at least one waterfall! The link above says it's ranked a 1 for "Easy: Tours with this activity level involve walking over relatively level terrain, possibly some cobblestone, gravel, or a few steps. Comfortable shoes are recommended." It also includes the following note: "Guests who suffer from vertigo should not participate. Participants must manage 2 to 3 high steps to enter train and gaps between train and platform."

My mom and dad in front of a waterfall

My parents with my sister in front of a scenic view, outside their train!

You might also be able to rent scooters on the ship (we tried to look into it for my aunt after we boarded, but they'd all been reserved by then), although I'm not sure you can take them off of the ship.

I have heard great things about Geiranger! I think 3 nights in Reykjavík is a great amount of time, I wish we'd had one more day. Also, if you need London ideas, I've written about our trips here:

Highly recommend Churchill War Rooms, we've gone on both our trips to London! And if anyone in your group is a Harry Potter fan, the Warner Bros. Harry Potter Studio Tour is worth it, although it's outside of London and requires some travel.

I hope you see the Northern Lights, that is one of my dreams as well!! Some day!

"Wondering what we should budget for the extra excursions. We are Canadian so with the exchange this is already a very pricey trip!"

I feel your pain, there were a lot of things we wanted to do on this cruise that we opted against because of the additional costs (like booking Haven staterooms or purchasing the NCL Vibe Beach Club pass).

Here's the approximate costs for our tours and activities:

Reykjavík: Our Golden Circle + Blue Lagoon admission in Reykjavík was 28,900 ISK each (before it was canceled and refunded).
Reykjavík: Our private South Coast tour in Reykjavík was 237,450 ISK total for 5 people, which included our glacier hike as well as gear, including hiking boots for 3 people. (I think it was 170,000 ISK for 5 people without the glacier hike.)
Akureyri: Our Akureyri tour (booked through Viator) was probably 150ish USD each.
Ålesund: We did not do an excursion in Ålesund but paid for our aquarium tickets and the Hop-On Hop-Off bus.
Olden: We did not do an excursion in Olden but hiked on our own. However, NCL did offer an excursion for this hike, and we crossed paths with the group toward the top (they'd gotten an earlier start than us). But we were glad we didn't pay.
Bergen: Our Bergen tour (booked through Viator) was probably 150ish USD each.
Amsterdam: We did not do an excursion in Amsterdam but paid for the Anne Frank House and the Verzetsmuseum (Museum of Dutch WWII Resistance).

Walking around Ålesund, Norway

Sunglasses: Illesteva | Sweater: Loft | Leggings: Amazon | Combat boots: Sam Edelman

Meals in the countries on the itinerary (particularly Iceland and Norway) can be pricey, but if you're looking to save money, you can at least eat breakfast and dinner on the ship. And in at least one port (Olden), I think we could have easily gotten back on the ship in time for lunch and then disembarked again.

View from our hike in Olden, looking down at the Prima

And one more photo to really get a sense of the mountains!

That's all the questions I've received for now, but please feel free to leave any questions in the comments and I'll reply there! :)

love from

shop my packing list from the cruise!

Comments

AnonymousJune 22, 2024 at 10:08 PM
Hi there! Do you have any clothing tips for this cruise. We are going 7/25/24. Do we need sweaters and boots on the boat? It is warm enough to walk around the boat in a dress for dinners? Any clothings tips for the boat and excursions? Thanks!

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Norwegian Prima Q&A: Answering Questions from My Review of Cruising Iceland, Norway, Amsterdam, and London!

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