Olden cruise port, Norway
A village of a few hundred people at the head of Nordfjord, 100 km in from the open sea. Everyone comes for what is behind it: the Briksdal glacier, an arm of Jostedalsbreen, which is the largest ice cap on mainland Europe.
Worth knowing. The glacier has pulled back so far in thirty years that the old viewing point now looks at bare rock, and the walk to the ice keeps getting longer.
What to do in Olden for free
The walk along the fjord from the pier into the village takes about fifteen minutes and is flat the whole way. The old church at the end of it went up in 1759 and has box pews with families' initials on the doors, no electricity and no heating. Singerheimen, the house an American painter built here in 1921, is about the same distance, and it is a hotel now.
What costs money
The ship's own excursions usually cost more than booking the same trip yourself. Two things come with the price. The ship waits for its own excursions and does not wait for you. And if the port is missed, P&O refunds its own without you asking. A trip you booked yourself is a claim on your travel insurance, so check what your policy covers. The ship sells its own trips to all of these, and the desk is open on board if you would rather do it that way. That advice points at links I am paid for, so weigh it accordingly.
I get a small commission if you book through these links. It costs you nothing extra.
Loen Skylift. One of the steepest cable cars anywhere, and six kilometres from the pier, so you need a coach or a taxi to reach the bottom of it. It puts you on Mount Hoven at 1,011 metres in about five minutes. There are marked paths from the top, and walking one of them is the better half of the day.
Briksdal glacier. Twenty-two kilometres up the valley and far too far to walk. From the car park it is three kilometres of track up to the ice, or you ride most of it in one of the open troll cars, which stop about seven hundred metres short.
ATV in the valleys behind Olden. You drive it yourself rather than following a guide. They hand you a GPS with the route on it, so you set your own pace and you are away from everybody else off the ship. The tracks up there are country no coach goes into.
Which ship calls at Olden, and when
Every call here between 15 August and 28 November 2026, with the hours ashore P&O published. These times are a guide, not a promise: the captain gives the real ones the day before.
| Ship | Sails | Day | Ashore |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iona | 15 August 2026, 7 nights | Day 4 | 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 22 August 2026, 7 nights | Day 4 | 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 30 August 2026, 7 nights | Day 5 | 08:00 to 17:00 |
| Iona | 5 September 2026, 7 nights | Day 5 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 6 September 2026, 7 nights | Day 5 | 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 12 September 2026, 7 nights | Day 5 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 19 September 2026, 7 nights | Day 5 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 26 September 2026, 7 nights | Day 4 | 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 28 March 2027, 7 nights | Day 4 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 3 April 2027, 7 nights | Day 4 | 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 4 April 2027, 7 nights | Day 4 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 10 April 2027, 7 nights | Day 4 | 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 11 April 2027, 14 nights | Day 4 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 11 April 2027, 7 nights | Day 4 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 17 April 2027, 7 nights | Day 4 | 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 24 April 2027, 7 nights | Day 5 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 1 May 2027, 7 nights | Day 5 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 2 May 2027, 7 nights | Day 5 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 8 May 2027, 7 nights | Day 5 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 15 May 2027, 7 nights | Day 5 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 22 May 2027, 7 nights | Day 4 | 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 29 May 2027, 7 nights | Day 4 | 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 5 June 2027, 7 nights | Day 4 | 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 12 June 2027, 7 nights | Day 4 | 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 19 June 2027, 7 nights | Day 4 | 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 26 June 2027, 7 nights | Day 4 | 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 3 July 2027, 7 nights | Day 4 | 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 10 July 2027, 7 nights | Day 4 | 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 17 July 2027, 7 nights | Day 4 | 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 24 July 2027, 7 nights | Day 4 | 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 31 July 2027, 7 nights | Day 4 | 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 7 August 2027, 7 nights | Day 4 | 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 14 August 2027, 7 nights | Day 4 | 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 21 August 2027, 7 nights | Day 4 | 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 28 August 2027, 7 nights | Day 4 | 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 4 September 2027, 7 nights | Day 5 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 11 September 2027, 7 nights | Day 5 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 18 September 2027, 7 nights | Day 5 | 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 25 September 2027, 7 nights | Day 5 | 08:00 to 17:30 |
| Iona | 1 April 2028, 7 nights | Day 4 | 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 8 April 2028, 7 nights | Day 4 | 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 15 April 2028, 7 nights | Day 4 | 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 22 April 2028, 7 nights | Day 4 | 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 23 April 2028, 14 nights | Day 11 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 29 April 2028, 7 nights | Day 4 | 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 30 April 2028, 7 nights | Day 4 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 30 April 2028, 14 nights | Day 4 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 6 May 2028, 7 nights | Day 4 | 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 7 May 2028, 14 nights | Day 12 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 13 May 2028, 7 nights | Day 4 | 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 14 May 2028, 7 nights | Day 5 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 14 May 2028, 14 nights | Day 5 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 20 May 2028, 7 nights | Day 4 | 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 21 May 2028, 14 nights | Day 12 | 08:00 to 17:00 |
| Iona | 27 May 2028, 7 nights | Day 4 | 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 28 May 2028, 7 nights | Day 5 | 08:00 to 17:00 |
| Arvia | 28 May 2028, 14 nights | Day 5 | 08:00 to 17:00 |
| Iona | 3 June 2028, 7 nights | Day 4 | 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 10 June 2028, 7 nights | Day 4 | 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 17 June 2028, 7 nights | Day 4 | 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 18 June 2028, 14 nights | Day 12 | 08:00 to 17:00 |
| Iona | 24 June 2028, 7 nights | Day 4 | 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 25 June 2028, 7 nights | Day 5 | 08:00 to 17:00 |
| Arvia | 25 June 2028, 14 nights | Day 5 | 08:00 to 17:00 |
| Iona | 1 July 2028, 7 nights | Day 4 | 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 2 July 2028, 14 nights | Day 12 | 08:00 to 17:00 |
| Iona | 8 July 2028, 7 nights | Day 4 | 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 9 July 2028, 7 nights | Day 5 | 08:00 to 17:00 |
| Arvia | 9 July 2028, 14 nights | Day 5 | 08:00 to 17:00 |
| Iona | 15 July 2028, 7 nights | Day 4 | 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 16 July 2028, 14 nights | Day 11 | 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 22 July 2028, 7 nights | Day 4 | 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 23 July 2028, 7 nights | Day 4 | 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 23 July 2028, 14 nights | Day 4 | 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 29 July 2028, 7 nights | Day 4 | 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 30 July 2028, 14 nights | Day 11 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 5 August 2028, 7 nights | Day 4 | 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 6 August 2028, 7 nights | Day 4 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 6 August 2028, 14 nights | Day 4 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 12 August 2028, 7 nights | Day 4 | 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 13 August 2028, 14 nights | Day 12 | 08:00 to 17:00 |
| Iona | 19 August 2028, 7 nights | Day 4 | 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 20 August 2028, 7 nights | Day 5 | 08:00 to 17:00 |
| Arvia | 20 August 2028, 14 nights | Day 5 | 08:00 to 17:00 |
| Iona | 26 August 2028, 7 nights | Day 4 | 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 27 August 2028, 14 nights | Day 11 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 2 September 2028, 7 nights | Day 4 | 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 3 September 2028, 7 nights | Day 4 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 3 September 2028, 14 nights | Day 4 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Iona | 9 September 2028, 7 nights | Day 4 | 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 10 September 2028, 14 nights | Day 11 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 17 September 2028, 7 nights | Day 4 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
| Arvia | 17 September 2028, 14 nights | Day 4 | 08:00 to 18:00 |
How long you get ashore in Olden
The published times give you between about 9 and 10 hours alongside, depending on the sailing. Take off the time it takes a few thousand people to get off, and the time you need to be back on board before the ship leaves, and that is your day. P&O give the real hours the day before, and the all-aboard time is earlier than the departure time.
The other stops on these cruises
Every one of these is on at least one of the sailings that calls at Olden.
- AlesundThe whole town burned down in one night in January 1904 and was rebuilt at speed in Art Nouveau, with materials Kaiser Wilhelm II sent by ship.
- CherbourgTitanic's last call on mainland Europe, on the evening of 10 April 1912, and she never came alongside: tenders carried the passengers out to her.
- Cobh (tours to Cork)Titanic's last port of call, on 11 April 1912, when the town was called Queenstown.
- FlamA hamlet at the end of Aurlandsfjord with a railway out of all proportion to it.
- Getxo (tours to Bilbao)Basque country, at the mouth of the river up to Bilbao.
- HaugesundNorway calls this its birthplace: Harald Fairhair, who pulled the country into one kingdom in the 870s, had his seat at Avaldsnes, just down the coast.
- HellesyltA waterfall runs straight through the middle of the village and into the fjord.
- KristiansandLaid out as a grid in 1641 by Christian IV of Denmark-Norway, who wanted a fortress town guarding the entrance to the Skagerrak and had one built on the sand at the river mouth.
- La CorunaThe Spanish Armada sailed from this harbour in 1588, and it is still guarded by the Tower of Hercules, a Roman lighthouse from about the year 100 which has never stopped working: the oldest one on earth still doing its job.
- La RochelleThree medieval towers stand at the mouth of the old harbour, and a chain was slung between two of them to shut the port at night.
- Le HavreFour fifths of the town was destroyed in September 1944 and Auguste Perret rebuilt the centre in reinforced concrete on a grid, which is now a World Heritage site, listed for the planning rather than for anything old.
- Le Verdon (for Bordeaux)The mouth of the Gironde, where the estuary meets the Atlantic, and a deep water quay built for cargo rather than for a town.
- SkjoldenThe innermost point of the Sognefjord, about 200 kilometres from open water.
- StavangerA herring and sardine-canning town that struck North Sea oil in 1969 and became Norway's richest city.
- VigoEurope's biggest fishing port by weight landed, and it smells honestly of it near the market.
- Zeebrugge (for Bruges)The port is entirely man-made, pushed out into the sea from 1895 because Bruges had lost its own access to it: the Zwin channel silted up in the 1400s and the city simply stopped, which is precisely why it is still medieval.
Money and language in Norway
Norwegian krone (NOK, kr). Norway is close to cashless. A card works everywhere, including small kiosks and buses, and you can sail without touching a krone. Onboard is always charged in sterling, so this only matters ashore.
Almost everyone speaks excellent English, so these are a courtesy rather than a need.
| English | Norwegian | Say it |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | Hei | hey |
| Goodbye | Ha det | hah deh |
| How much? | Hvor mye koster det? | voor MEE-uh KOSS-ter deh |
| Thank you | Takk | tahk |
| Please | Vær så snill | vair soh snil |
Free, and it works with no internet. Give it the dates you sail and it works out your own stops and saves the street map for each one. It shows you round the ship too.
All the ports written up so far, the things to do before you sail, or the ship pages for Iona and Arvia.