Blog 12 - Fjords, Fun & First-Class Views: Our Dream Cruise on Sky Princess
After falling in love with Princess Cruises on a post-COVID staycation sailing, my husband and I couldn’t wait to get back onboard—this time heading to one of our bucket list destinations: the Norwegian Fjords aboard the beautiful Sky Princess.
Learning from My First Cruise
I’ll admit, my first cruise with Princess had a rocky start—literally. I suffered from pretty relentless seasickness, stubbornly trying every herbal remedy and wristband under the sun. But lesson learned: this time, I packed my trusted seasickness tablets and never looked back! Despite hearing horror stories about the North Sea being rough, we were lucky enough to have smooth sailing the entire trip.
Why We Love Sky Princess
Sky Princess is hands down our favourite ship. She’s elegant, spacious, and just the right mix of relaxed and refined. One of our little embarkation rituals is grabbing a glass of bubbly at the Good Spirits bar, perched perfectly above the atrium for some premium people-watching—it never disappoints!
We booked a balcony cabin, which was roomy and comfortable. I’ve always loved Princess’s clever layout with the open wardrobe area leading into the bathroom—it creates a great space to get ready away from the main room. That said, we stayed in a Mini Suite last time and did prefer the extra space, especially since I’m a lie-in kind of girl and my husband’s a night owl. The separate seating area just works better for us, so we’ll probably go back to that on our next cruise.
What’s Included: Princess Premium Package
We opted for the Princess Premium Package, which included:
All gratuities
Premium drinks
Two speciality dining experiences
Unlimited casual dining visits
Any many many more things to make the cruise experience exceptional!
It’s fantastic value and really takes the stress out of budgeting once onboard. We did joke that we wished the package covered Norway’s on-land prices too—let’s just say the local beers weren’t cheap!
Sea Days & Onboard Vibes
We had a couple of sea days and never once felt bored. Sky Princess isn’t packed with gimmicks like waterslides or go-karts—but if you're into amazing food, quality cocktails, excellent entertainment, and a more refined, relaxed vibe, it’s absolutely perfect.
We’re big fans of Princess Live! – during the day it hosts everything from quizzes and karaoke to live talks, and in the evening it transforms into a fun, social venue. We made a habit of dropping in for the afternoon music quizzes and post-show hangouts.
Port Stops & Shore Adventures
Bergen: Sunshine, Trolls & Moose Burgers
Our first stop was Bergen, where we stepped off the ship into glorious sunshine. The town’s charming marina is just a short walk from port, and we wandered the market stalls (note to self: hot days and fish markets are a strong combo!), explored the historical alleyways, and spotted quirky wooden trolls along the way.
We sampled some local beers—though at £18 for two halves, we limited ourselves to just one round! We had planned to ride the Fløibanen funicular, but I made the rookie mistake of not pre-booking and the queues were massive. Instead, we hopped on a Hop-On Hop-Off bus (a classic favourite of ours) to explore more of Bergen’s history.
Before heading back, we tried some local delicacies—a moose burger and a reindeer sausage. Surprisingly delicious!
Geiringer: A Dream Realised
Geiringer was the port I was most excited about—and it did not disappoint. It’s smaller than Bergen but jaw-droppingly beautiful. The view of the waterfalls cascading through the town is the stuff of postcards.
We booked a coach excursion to the viewing platform overlooking the fjords and the docked ships—highly recommended, but go early as it gets crowded quickly. On the way back down, we hopped off a few stops early to walk up to the waterfall for some extra adventure before returning to the ship.
Olden: Early Mornings & Epic Views
Olden was next, and the journey through the fjords getting there was honestly the star of the show. Even I, a proud lover of lie-ins, was up before 6am to take it all in—and that says everything!
We were first off the ship and onto the coach for the Loen Skylift, one of the steepest cable cars in the world. Being early birds meant we reached the summit before the crowds and got to enjoy those sweeping views in peace—Sky Princess looked like a toy ship in the port below.
Later, we hopped on the Olden land train, which took us around rivers feeding into the fjords. It was a lovely experience with some great historical insight and photo ops, though probably not something we’d do again.
Stavanger: Cocktails Over Cobblestones
By the time we reached Stavanger, we were well and truly worn out (fjord walking is no joke!). So we gave ourselves permission to skip the sightseeing and spent a blissful final day lounging on board with cocktails in hand—sometimes, that’s exactly what the end of a great cruise needs.
Final Thoughts: Will We Fjord Again?
The Norwegian Fjords are absolutely magical, and Princess Cruises delivered a smooth, elegant experience from start to finish. My husband and I usually avoid repeating destinations—we want to see as much of the world as possible—but for the first time ever, we both agreed:
We’ll be doing the fjords again.
Whether it’s your first cruise or your fiftieth, this itinerary is one for the books. Just remember your seasickness tablets and pre-book that funicular!