Geirangerfjord Ferry On Board: What to Expect and What to Bring

• Top choice Geirangerfjord round trip from US$202 Duration8.5 to 9.5 hours^[1]Rating4.75 from 758 reviews^[1]Audio guideAudio guide included^[1]Recommended forA full day on the water Check availability
• Winter fjord cruise from US$325 Duration9 hours^[4]Rating4.76 from 105 reviews^[4]Audio guideAudio guide and live guide^[4]Recommended forQuieter sailing in winter See this tour
• Boat out, bus back from US$210 Duration10.5 hours^[5]Rating4.60 from 140 reviews^[5]Audio guideHost or greeter in English^[5]Recommended forSeeing Geiranger by land too See this tour

Seating and Deck Access

The round trip lasts 8.5 to 9.5 hours, which is long enough that your seat becomes part of the day.^[1] On a boat like this the cabin is your base and the deck is the reason you came. Move between them: sit inside for the stretches between highlights, then step out when the cliffs close in. People drift in and out constantly, and the light on the water changes all afternoon, so the view from the same rail never looks the same twice.

The sailing follows Storfjorden and Sunnylvsfjorden into Geirangerfjord, passes the Seven Sisters waterfall and Friaren, then calls at Geiranger before turning for home.^[1] Seven Sisters is 410 meters tall in total, and the highest of the seven streams has a free fall of 250 meters, so it is worth being outside rather than behind glass when it comes into view.^[3] Ask the crew which side the waterfalls sit on, and be at the rail a few minutes before you think you need to be.

For scale, the road distance from Ålesund to Geiranger is 67 miles (108 km), and the boat takes its own slow line through the fjord rather than following the road.^[7] Wind on deck is stronger than it looks from the cabin. A light scarf, a hat you can tie down and a jacket that stops the breeze will keep you outside far longer than a T-shirt will.

Food and Drink On Board

Pack as if there is nothing to buy, and you will never be caught out. It is a long day on the water, and hunger is a small problem that is easy to solve in advance: a filled water bottle, something salty, something with slow energy, and a little chocolate for the cold. Fill the bottle before you leave Ålesund and keep it in your bag rather than on a table where it can slide.

The cruise dock sits right in town, literally a 2 minute walk from the cruise port into the city, so you can buy supplies in Ålesund minutes before you board.^[2] Bakeries, kiosks and small shops are within that short walk, which makes a last minute picnic completely realistic. If you would rather eat ashore, the round trip calls at Geiranger partway through, and you can build a meal around the time you are given on the day.^[1]

A few habits make the day easier. Eat before the most scenic stretch rather than during it, so your hands are free for the camera. And bring a thermos or an insulated bottle if you like hot drinks. It stays warm for hours, and a warm drink on deck is one of the small pleasures of a fjord day.

Deck views on the way to Geiranger: cliffs, waterfalls and wide fjord water.

On Board Facilities and What to Bring

Sort out toilet stops before you board rather than halfway through the morning. Ålesund's cruise dock is a 2 minute walk from the city centre, so you pass cafes, shops and public facilities on the way to the boat.^[2] Once the round trip begins you are on the water for most of the day, with a call at Geiranger in the middle.^[1]

Families travelling with babies should bring their own changing mat, wipes and a sealable bag for used nappies. That way you can change a baby on any flat, private surface and carry everything away with you. It is also worth asking the crew when you board where they would send you if you need a quiet space, rather than waiting until you need one.

For what to bring, think in layers and in spares. Ålesund's average temperature is 2.8 °C in the coldest month (February) and 14.8 °C in the warmest month (August), so a windproof shell, a hat and gloves earn their place in any season.^[6] Add a refillable bottle, snacks, a power bank and your own headphones for the audio guide.^[1]

Audio Guide, Headphones and Offline Access

An audio guide is included with the round trip, in Danish, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian and Spanish.^[1] That is a lot of narration to lean on, and it is the easiest way to learn what you are looking at without squinting at a screen in the wind. Start it early, while the boat is still in the harbour, so the landmarks are in your head before the big scenery arrives.

Bring your own wired or wireless headphones. Shared earpieces are rarely comfortable for a full day, and your own pair will fit properly and block some of the wind noise from the deck around you. Charge them the night before and keep them in a zipped pocket rather than a loose bag, where they can slide under a seat.

Download whatever you want offline before you leave your hotel or cabin. Signal comes and goes between steep fjord walls, and a downloaded map plus a downloaded audio set mean you can keep following along in the places where nothing loads. It also saves battery, which matters on a long day on the water.^[1]

Accessibility and Strollers

This listing is marked wheelchair accessible.^[1] If you use a wheelchair, ask the operator directly about ramps, door widths and where you can sit for the full sailing before you book, so there are no surprises at the quay on the day.

The walk from the ship to the boat is short. Cruise ships dock right in the town of Ålesund, literally a 2 minute walk from the cruise port into the city, so there is no long transfer to manage on foot.^[2] Surfaces near the harbour mix pavement and cobbles, so allow a little extra time if you are pushing a wheelchair or a pram.

Strollers are a mixed blessing on a boat day. They are handy for naps on the way out and awkward on a crowded deck. Take a compact one if you can, park it where the crew suggests, and carry a sling as a backup for the deck, where a pram is really not practical.

Phone Charging and Power Availability

Do not assume there will be a socket. Bring a generous power bank and a spare cable, and start the day with everything full. The round trip runs 8.5 to 9.5 hours, which is plenty of time for maps, photos and video to drain a phone battery.^[1]

Cold is the quiet battery killer. Keep the power bank and the phone in an inside pocket rather than an outer one, and avoid leaving them on a bench in the wind. If you shoot a lot of video, switching to airplane mode between shots will stretch the day considerably.

Think about what else needs charging: cameras, headphones for the audio guide, a watch, a child's tablet. One pouch for cables and plugs keeps everything in a single place. A small dry bag costs little and keeps electronics safe from spray if you like standing near the rail.

Seasickness and Comfort Considerations

Fjord water is usually calm and sheltered, but the route crosses the more open water of Storfjorden before the narrow fjords begin.^[1] If you know you are prone to motion sickness, take the same precautions you would on any boat: sit where you can see the horizon, step outside if you start to feel off, and keep something plain and dry to nibble on.

Dress for the air temperature rather than for the sun. Ålesund's average temperature is 2.8 °C in the coldest month (February) and 14.8 °C in the warmest month (August), so even high summer on deck is jacket weather once the boat is moving.^[6] Layers, a windproof outer shell, gloves for early and late season and shoes with grip are the things people most often forget.

Bring sunglasses, lip balm and sun cream. Glare off the water is strong even under cloud. And if you are in Ålesund in the darker half of the year, keep an eye on the sky: the northern lights can be seen here during moderate to strong geomagnetic activity, with the best viewing season running from late September through late March.^[8]

Your day, step by step

1. Board in Ålesund

   The cruise dock is a 2 minute walk from the city centre, so you can walk straight from ship to boat.^[2]

2. Pick your base

   Decide where you will sit and where you will stand, then leave a bag at your seat before the boat fills up.

3. Start the audio guide

   The audio guide is included, so set it going early and learn the landmarks before the big scenery arrives.^[1]

4. Watch for Seven Sisters

   The waterfall is 410 meters tall in total and the highest stream falls 250 meters, so be on deck in good time.^[3]

5. Step ashore in Geiranger

   The round trip calls at Geiranger before turning back through Geirangerfjord, Sunnylvsfjorden and Storfjorden.^[1]

6. Settle in for the return

   Keep a warm layer and a drink handy for the run home, and find a seat on the sheltered side of the boat.

Answers before you go