Geiranger Cruise: Best Cruises to Geiranger

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Geiranger Cruise Port Guide

A Geiranger cruise with Celebrity takes you the length of one of the most spectacular Norwegian fjords, so pristinely beautiful that it’s protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Sheer cliffs plunge into the deep blue water, while waterfalls cascade down rock faces and snow-capped mountains tower all around.

At the head of the Geirangerfjord, the sleepy village of Geiranger lies surrounded by lush meadows. This serene little spot is the gateway to some of the most thrilling highlights of Norway cruises: rugged mountain scenery, spectacular hikes, kayaking on the fjord, and a number of cultural attractions. Cruises to Geiranger are the perfect way to admire Norway’s natural attractions and learn more about the Norwegian way of life.

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Top Sights & Attractions on Cruises to Geiranger

Views From Eagle’s Bend Road

You won’t have to look far to find spectacular views amid all this pristine nature. Ornevegen (Eagle’s Bend Road), the steepest section of the road that connects Geiranger and Eidsdal, zigzags through 11 hair-raising switchbacks up a mountain face to 2,030 feet above the fjord. From here, you’ll have a jaw-dropping panoramic view of the Geirangerfjord, where your ship is reduced to a toy-sized speck, dwarfed by towering mountains and tumbling waterfalls.

Adventures on Two Wheels

Norwegians embrace the outdoors, and you’ll find the Geiranger area packed with opportunities for adventure. For a thrilling guided cycling tour, take a coach up to Djupvasshytta Lodge, high above the fjord. You’ll be kitted out with a bike and helmet and then set off to freewheel down the 4,000-foot descent. Breathe in the invigorating mountain air and take in the vistas of the fjord below as you make your way down at your own pace.

Geiranger Village & Storfossen

Tiny Geiranger village is a joy to explore. You’ll see old boathouses and a pretty wooden church dating back to 1842. Any tour of the village includes the nearby Storfossen waterfall, where some 300 shallow steps take you alongside the rushing river, with sweeping views down over the houses and pastures. Fjord guides explain the history and ecology of the area. In spring, when the river is powerful with meltwater, prepare to get wet in the spray.

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Top Things to Do in Geiranger

Hike to Storseterfossen Waterfall

Join a guided hike from the trailhead at Hole to the historic Westerås Farm, run as a sustainable tourism enterprise. The highlight of the hike, which takes you through lush meadows and past mountain streams, is Storsetrefossen, a waterfall that tumbles dramatically over an overhanging rock. You’ll stop at the historic farm where you can enjoy a much-deserved treat of coffee and waffles piled high with cream.

Visit the Norwegian Fjord Centre

If you want to learn more about the history of the Norwegian fjords, pay a visit to the Norwegian Fjord Centre, a low-rise stone and glass structure on the bank of a rushing river. Inside, there’s a clever series of exhibits explaining the geology and geography of the fjords, as well as an evocative film that immerses you in nature. Learn about the biodiversity of the fjords and how animal species have adapted to life here. There’s a welcoming café and a shop focusing on sustainable products.

Brave the Geiranger Skywalk

High up on Mt. Dalsnibba, the Geiranger Skywalk is a viewing platform that gives you the impression of being suspended between sky and fjord. A glass guard rail means there’s no visible barrier between you and the length of the Geirangerfjord, stretching out hundreds of feet below, while snowy mountains form a dramatic, jagged backdrop. There’s no better photo opportunity in Geiranger. Anybody less keen on sheer drop-offs can still enjoy sweeping fjord views from the cozy café.

Top Food & Drink in Geiranger

Norwegian cuisine is closely connected to the land and sea, and is fresh and seasonal. In summer, you’ll find an abundance of berries, including cloudberries, strawberries, raspberries, and lingonberries, adorning both sweet and savory dishes. Expect a lot of fish, including salt-cured versions, and embrace the chance to try reindeer and elk, both lean, nutritious meats. For a traditional snack, you’ll find plenty of cafés serving heart-shaped Norwegian waffles topped with jam and whipped cream. Some come with the distinctive caramel-flavored brunost cheese, considered by many visitors as an acquired taste.

Culture & History of Geiranger

Geiranger is a tiny little town; there are only around 250 permanent residents, although it’s a major tourism center for the fjords. Like the rest of the fjords, this is a landscape carved by glaciers thousands of years ago; the fjords are actually inlets that flooded with seawater when the ice retreated. Until the dawn of tourism, life revolved around farming the high pastures, and you can still see a couple of old farms seemingly hanging off the cliff edges.

Norwegians living in remote areas like this have a deep connection to nature and generally live a very healthy, outdoor life, hiking and cycling in summer and skiing in winter. Midsummer is celebrated for the nearly 24 hours of daylight, while in winter, a sense of koselig, or “coziness,” is invoked with blazing fires, candles, soft light, hot drinks, and comfort food.

Geiranger Cruise Port Facilities & Location

Since Geiranger is so small, there’s no cruise terminal right in town. Instead, your ship will dock next to a floating pier so you can walk ashore. If more than one ship is visiting, you may drop anchor and reach the dock by tender boat.

Transportation in Geiranger

There’s no public transportation in Geiranger to speak of; this is a small village, and while there is a local taxi company, you’d need to book a car in advance. You can also walk around the town. A convenient way to take in some of the best views is the Panorama Bus, a one-and-a-half hour bus ride that stops at Flydalsjuvet, for fantastic views down the fjord, and Eagle Bend, from where you can photograph the Seven Sisters waterfall. A second hop-on, hop-off bus departs the cruise terminal and stops at the Norwegian Fjord Centre, Westerås Farm, and Flydalsjuvet viewpoint.

Shopping Near the Geiranger Cruise Port

Since Geiranger is so small, it’s not hard to find the shops—just head to the main pedestrian street. Look out for local knitwear as well as troll figurines and pewter items. Cloudberry jam makes a great edible souvenir as you can’t find it in many places beyond Norway, as does the unusual brunost brown cheese. A great place to shop is Geiranger Sjokolade for homemade chocolate in unique flavors like cloudberry, as well as preserves in local berry flavors. For clothing, the shop at the Geiranger Skywalk has a good range of hats, gloves, scarves, and other knitwear.

Local Currency & Tipping Customs

Norway’s currency is the Norwegian krone. You’ll find an ATM dispensing Norwegian krone at the supermarket in town. There is also a place to exchange currency in the Fjordbuda souvenir shop.

Norway does not have much of a tipping culture. Guides do not expect to be tipped (although they won’t be insulted if you do tip) and nor do restaurant staff. You could leave a cash tip on the table for good service, but 5% to 10% is the norm.