No. 2 - 2009

Norway - the ultimate natural cruise experience -  
 is rated as the safest country in the world 
by
Global Country Brand Index

In Cruise Norway News number 2 2009 you can read more about:

• Visit the Norwegian national pavilion at Seatrade Miami Booth 829
• Participating cruise destinations at Seatrade Miami
• News from Norwegian participants
• UK Market - Hold the date of this year`s Norwegian Workshop in London: June 11th.  Use the opportunity to meet our Guest speaker from the Norwegian Business Sector NOx Fund

Visit the Norwegian pavilion at Seatrade Miami - Booth 829 for a taste of Norway every day between 11:30 am and 2:30 pm

Find out more about following Norwegian cruise destinations participating in Miami:

From the Arctic and Northern Norway

North Cape
Alta
Tromsø
Lofoten Islands
Bodø
Brønnøysund

From Fjord Norway and Southern Norway

Molde & Åndalsnes
Ålesund
Geirangerfjord
Skjolden in Sognefjord
Flåm
Bergen
Hardangerfjord cruise ports Ulvik & Eidfjord
Stavanger
Kristiansand
Oslo

In addition to the cruise ports European Cruise Services will participate at the Norwegian pavilion.

News from Cruise Norway member ports

ALTA - CITY OF THE NORTHERN LIGHTS

The first international cruise to the Norwegian winter wonderland takes place in March. Saga's 18-day cruise "In Search of  the Northern lights" has the cruise destination Alta in the Arctic as its  northernmost stop.  The ship will spend the night in Alta and several cruise passengers will overnight at the Alta Igloo Hotel.

The Norwegian market extends a warm welcome to the first Winter cruise to Norway. We hope that other cruise lines will follow Saga in the years to come to experience exotic winter adventures in the safest country in the world

LOFOTEN  - THE MAGICAL ISLANDS IN THE ARCTIC

Starting in 2010, Svolvær harbor west will be able to receive cruise ships with an overall length of  200 m. Until then, the docking facility is available for vessels with a maximum length of 150 m and a draft of up to 10 m.

Harbor depth on approach: 12 m. (From 2010)

Shuttle Bus services to bring the passengers to town center. (1 km.)

• Good maneuvering space
• Calm weather conditions
• Good starting point for coach tours in the Lofoten and Vesterålen region

Svolvær harbor east can dock cruise ships up to 150 m long. With depth capabilities up to 6 m.
Harbor depth on approach: 12 m.
Distance from western harbor to town center: 1 km
Distance from eastern harbor to town center: 0 km

Lofoten representatives will be attending Seatrade Miami for the first time. Use the opportunity to meet with them.

BODØ  - A CRUISE DESTINATION LIKE NO OTHER

The complete natural experience above the Arctic Circle.

Bodø Cruise Port is a new  cruise port and new to Seatrade. This perfect port offers the widest range of options.

Right outside our door you can enjoy memorable Arctic experiences, magical nature and culinary delights, all here in the exotic North. We have the natural resources around us to help create unforgettable adventures.

Here you find some of Norway's most famous attractions, including Saltstraumen - the strongest tidal current and whirlpool in the world, and the famous Kjerringøy.

Or how about a helicopter flight to the Black Ice Glacier - Norway's second largest glacier, or a visit to a Sámi camp in the Arctic Circle were you will be introduced to the cultural background of the Sámi, the drums, the shamanistic uses of the drums, as well as the yoik, a unique form of cultural expression for the Sami people which can be understood as a metaphor for Sami traditional culture itself

If you are seeking the thrill of speed, then we recommend a RIB boat ride.

Do you have fantasies about THE BIG ONE biting on your hook? Here your dreams can come true!

MOLDE & ÅNDALSNES CRUISE DESTINATION. 2 HARBORS = 1 FEE

Rauma Line

Molde & Åndalsnes expects more then 75,000 cruise passengers in 2009, starting with Saga Rose's winter cruise in March, followed by the big ships with more then 3,500 passengers in the summer. We can provide large volume excursions such as the Trollstigen road and the Atlantic road - voted Norway's most fantastic scenic roads- and the Rauma line as well as many other attractions.

Molde harbor has "dug down deep" and dredged the seabed and we are now able to welcome ships with a draft of up to 8.5 m!

Trollstigen: the brand new and breathtaking viewpoint Stigrøra will already be open during parts of this season and will also give "repeaters" a new way to experience the famous and most visited tourist attraction in Norway. The Norwegian state has given 30 million kroner to rebuild the new Fjellstua cafeteria on top of the mountain. Traveling along this spectacular road will be a completely new experience.

Atlantic road: The new Atlantic road tunnel that is planned between Kristiansund and Bremsnes will replace the ferry, providing even greater possibilities for this well established excursion and adding  even more excitement to one of the most attractive excursions along the Norwegian west coast. The Atlantic road is a source of fascination for tourists, whatever the weather.

Rauma Line: Last season's tourist research showed great acclaim for this very professionally arranged  new tourist product. Cruise passengers have discovered an amazing train ride on modern, comfortable trains, through the unique Romsdal valley with its crystal clear rivers and towering mountains. Train rides in general are very popular and the Rauma line is fastest growing tourist product in the country.

ÅLESUND - THE NORWEGIAN ART NOUVEAU GEM

Cruise Destination Ålesund was the winner of Seatrade Insider Cruise Awards 2008 for best Innovative Shorex, Discover the Yoogon Trolls of Ålesund. The photo was taken at Seatrade Venice.

GEIRANGERFJORD - UNTAMED NORWEGIAN NATURE - WORLD HERITAGE NATURAL SITE

Cruise ports: Geiranger - Hellesylt - Stranda

"Cruising into the Geirangerfjord is a magic moment"

To enable the Geirangerfjord cruise destination to be an even better host providing even better  services, new cruise facilities in the area are planned and will be operative from the 2010 season. This will be a new feature for the cruise industry in an area well known to the world. In the future we will focus on the flexible use of the facilities in our area and care will be taken to preserve the environment around the Geirangerfjord - Unesco World Heritage site. Use the opportunity to meet with the port director at Seatrade Miami

SKJOLDEN IN SOGNEFJORD OFFERS PERKS FOR USING NEW QUAY

Norway's Skjolden, which is building a large cruise quay due to become operational in 2010, has said it is prepared to offer discounts for ships that use the facility next year.

The first call in 2010 will be part of a grand opening celebration with entertainment and special offers, according to port director Iren Vatne. Details are forthcoming.

The port will also give a small gift to every visiting passenger next year, and bands will play at the pier every morning, says Vatne.

FLÅM - THE ULTIMATE CRUISE DESTINATION - WORLD HERITAGE NATURAL SITE

The world's steepest railway

The famous Flåm Railway, a side track of the Bergen Railway, is one of the world's most spectacular tourist attractions. This railway takes you from the fjord to the mountains, climbing almost 900 m, with a gradient of 1:18. The train journey provides a panoramic view of some of the wildest and most striking examples of Norwegian landscape. The Flåm Railway runs daily and all-year-round from Flåm by the fjord and up to Myrdal station on the Bergen Railway where it corresponds with the Oslo - Bergen Railway.

Kjosfossen winter experience

Travelers on the spectacular Flåm Railway will get a feeling of heightened sensibility at the Kjosfossen waterfall on the two last departures on the Flåm Railway from December to mid-March. They will se a gradual transformation as the waterfall becomes illuminated in hues of white, blue and green. The colors symbolizes different layers; white - reflecting the purity and cleanliness of nature, blue - depicting freshness, while green symbolizes hope and has a calming effect on the senses. A beautiful symphony of expressions which appeals to the traveler when the snow and frozen waterfall come to life.

EIDFJORD HARDANGERFJORD  - THE FJORD AND MOUNTAIN ADVENTURE - VERY SATISFIED WITH PASSENGER AND CREW SURVEY

G.P. Wild, UK carried out a passenger and crew survey last summer. A total of 18 European ports  participated in this project, among them the port of Eidfjord on the Hardangerfjord.

Eidfjord scored highest on the shore-side welcome and the overall impression on visiting the port. The visit also exceeded the expectations of the passengers and crews.

74% of the passengers went ashore at Eidfjord and 56% bought a shore excursion. They stayed ashore for an average of 4 hours and 30 minutes.

31% were extremely satisfied with their stay in Eidfjord, 27% were very satisfied and 23% were satisfied.

The crews were also very satisfied with their stay at Eidfjord.

"There is no doubt we are an attractive destination", points out project manager Helge Møller at Cruise Destination Hardangerfjord, "but we the ports of Hardangerfjord need to be developed further in order to be even better in the future! This winter, Cruise Destination Hardangerfjord has therefore developed a new range of offers for the cruise passengers, and from the ports of Eidfjord, Ulvik, Jondal, Rosendal and Bergen it is now possible to experience Hardanger's many attractions and activities as never before.

Cruise Norway will be present at Seatrade Miami

BOOTH 829

Remember to visit the Norwegian cruise destinations
and get "a Taste of Norway"
every day between 11:30 am and 2:30 pm

UK Market

Hold the date for this year`s Norwegian Workshop
in London: June 11th.

Use the opportunity to meet our guest speaker from the 
 Norwegian Business Sector NOx Fund
&
Cruise Norway will be present at the UK Cruise Convention
in Dover in June