Norway Norway and Denmark Luxury Cruise - Frequently Asked Questions
TIME Norway and Denmark are both six hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time (EST) in the United States. They follow Central European Time (CET) and observe daylight saving time, typically from late March to late October. During this period, clocks are set one hour forward in spring and one hour back in fall. While the U.S. also observes daylight saving time, the exact start and end dates may differ slightly. When it’s noon in Oslo or Copenhagen, it’s 6:00 a.m. in New York and 3:00 a.m. in San Francisco. |
NEW YORK CITY | OSLO |
PACKING There are many beautiful things to bring back with you from Norway and Denmark, so make sure you have space left in your suitcase. Since we'll be walking quite a bit during our land excursions, you should bring with you your most comfortable walking shoes with good traction. The weather in Norway and Denmark can vary during the day and you can encounter extremes, even in summer. To cater for these variations, we recommend a layered dress approach, so that you can easily adapt to changes in temperature, wind and precipitation conditions. You should bring along breathable rain and windproof clothing. If you forget something, don’t worry! There are shops that carry a range of high-quality knitwear, clothing and gift items, as well as the on-ship boutique. Here are some essential items to bring along with you: binoculars, camera and memory card, comfortable everyday shoes, wool sweater or fleece, sun protection, sunglasses, wind and waterproof jacket and trousers, mid layer jacket, and comfortable walking shoes with good grip. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS Visitors from the US, Canada and Australia need a valid passport to enter Denmark or Norway, but visas are not required for stays of less than 3 months. If you are a citizen of another E.U. country, you do not need a passport, only an identity card. Your passport must be valid for at least 3 months after the date you intend to leave Denmark. Before traveling abroad it's a good idea to make two photocopies of your passport, your driver's license and your credit cards. Leave one copy at home with a trusted person and put another in your suitcase. ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE INFORMATION The tour starts on Wednesday, July 15, 2026 in Copenhagen, Denmark. That means that you'll probably depart North America on Tuesday, July 14, 2026. On arrival in Copenhagen, you will book a car for your private transfer to the luxury Silver Dawn ship. This tour ends on Saturday, July 25, 2026 in Copenhagen, Denmark. Your departing flight will most likely depart sometime during the day on July 25, 2026. SINGLE SUPPLEMENT AND ROOMMATES To avoid paying the single supplement, we will try to find you a roommate, and we will try to match you with a roommate of similar age, however the roommate matching is not guaranteed on cruises. There are also single suites available on this cruise. THE TRAVEL GROUP The Norway and Denmark Luxury Cruise group is limited to a maximum of 16 women + the Tour Director. The minimum group size is 10 women + the Tour Director. In addition to the Tour Director, the tour guests will be assisted by the Silversea staff (almost 1 :1 ratio of staff to cruise passengers) and on-site guides. HEALTH Neither Norway nor Denmark presents major health risks to travelers, and both countries offer excellent medical care. Their hospitals and clinics are modern, well-equipped, and staffed by highly trained professionals. However, medical services in both countries are not free for foreign visitors, so it's important to have comprehensive international health insurance coverage before your trip. WATER Tap water is safe to drink throughout both Norway and Denmark, and it is among the cleanest and best-tasting in the world. There is no need to purchase bottled water, as tap water is freely available, environmentally friendly, and regularly tested to ensure its safety. However, while Norway’s natural landscapes may be tempting, you should avoid drinking from mountain streams, fjords, or rivers, no matter how clear they appear as they may contain harmful microorganisms. TOILETS Bars, restaurants, cafes, gas stations, airports, rail stations, and all hotels have facilities, and public toilets can be found near many of the major sights. Usually they're designated as WC (water closet) or Toilette (pronounced twah-leh-tah). All toilets in Norway are Western style. Please keep in mind that some public toilets may require payment, so you should always have some coins in the local currency with you to pay for them. SAFETY Overall, the security risk to travelers in Norway is low. Violent crime is rare, but it can occur, especially in larger cities or high-risk areas such as train stations. Most incidents of street crime consist of theft of unattended items and pickpocketing. Pickpockets and purse-snatchers often work in pairs or groups, with one distracting the victim while another grabs your valuables. Often they operate in or near major tourist attractions like in central Oslo, especially at restaurants, museums, bars, and on subway trains. Hotel breakfast rooms and lobbies attract professional, well-dressed thieves who blend in with guests and target purses and briefcases left unguarded by unsuspecting visitors and business travelers. You should report the loss or theft of your passport immediately to the local police and the nearest embassy or consulate. ACTIVITY LEVEL During the luxury Norway Summer Luxury Cruise, we'll be traveling by bus to our land excursions, and we'll be covering quite some distances on foot. To be able to enjoy the tour and participate in scheduled activities, you need to be able to walk, at a leisurely pace, up to 3 miles throughout the day, frequently on uneven and cobble-stoned streets. You need to be able to stand unassisted for up to 30 minutes, you need to be able to climb stairs, get in and out of vehicles without assistance and manage your own luggage without assistance. WOMEN TRAVELERS Travel in Norway and Denmark is as easy for women as it is for men. You may become the object of verbal admiration, but you’re probably physically safer there than you are at home. You should feel perfectly safe in Norway and Denmark, but you may encounter a flirtatious man who wants to be "helpful" to foreign ladies. Though most of the time they mean well, use your best judgment when dealing with complete strangers. Of course, it always pays to play it safe and stick to populated streets after dark. WEATHER Sharing the same latitude as Alaska, Greenland and Siberia, Norway has a pleasant climate compared to those places. Due to the Gulf Stream and warm air currents, Norway has a friendlier climate than the latitude would indicate, and the coldest areas in the winter are often inland or far to the north. In summer, the most popular time to visit Norway, the weather is pleasant in the south, in the upper 50s (F). The average June temperature in Bergen is 64°F high/53°F low; and in Oslo it is 73°F high/56°F low. Denmark has a temperate coastal climate, influenced by its location between the North and Baltic Seas. While it does not experience extreme temperatures, the weather can be quite changeable, with a mix of sunshine, clouds, and occasional rain throughout the year. Summers are mild and pleasant, making it an ideal time to visit. In June, average temperatures in Copenhagen range from a high of 68°F to a low of 52°F. Winters are relatively chilly, especially from December to February, with temperatures hovering just above freezing, though heavy snowfall is uncommon. CELL PHONES AND INTERNET Both Norway and Denmark offer excellent telecommunications infrastructure, making it easy for travelers to stay connected. In cities throughout Norway and Denmark, high-speed internet is widely available in hotels, cafés, restaurants, and most public spaces, including airports and train stations. While internet cafés still exist in Norway, they are increasingly rare in Denmark due to the widespread use of mobile devices and personal laptops. All guests onboard Silversea Dawn will be granted free, unlimited standard Wi-Fi for 1 device at the time. Standard Wi-Fi is provided at regular satellite speed, ideal for emailing, web surfing, chat or similar, but not suitable for video, audio calls, or streaming. Premium WI-FI access is available at an additional charge and is suitable for all kinds of applications, including video and audio call and streaming. Telecommunications via satellite is a significantly different experience compared to high-speed connections on shore. The signal travels in a similar manner to radio waves but at much greater distances. That is why onboard Internet access is inconsistent and cannot be guaranteed at all times. Satellite communications are also affected by weather and the ship’s location. On board, guests may make and receive phone calls, text messages and other select data services on their own cell phone. Guests will be billed by their home cell phone provider and calls or messages will appear as roaming charges on their bill. Before leaving home, you should contact your provider to confirm that a roaming agreement with Silversea has been established. Silver Dawn is also equipped with a phone system that allows guests to make direct-dial calls from their suite whilst at sea. Calls will be billed to the guest’s onboard account. ELECTRICITY Both 110-volt (U.S. current) and 220- volt (European current) outlets are provided in all suites, accommodating small appliances without the use of adapters or electric converters. A hairdryer is provided in each suite. LANGUAGE Norwegians are taught English since elementary school, so most people speak English very well. There are two official versions of Norwegian itself, one called Bokmål, spoken by about 85% of the population, the lesser known called Nynorsk. Nynorsk is identified as "new Norwegian," but it actually isn't. The language is a form of older dialects spoken in rural parts of the country. In the north, the Sami or Lapps have their own language, which is a distant cousin of Finnish. Danish is the official language of Denmark and is spoken by the vast majority of the population. It is a North Germanic language, closely related to Norwegian and Swedish. While Danish pronunciation can be challenging for learners, most Danes speak English exceptionally well. English is taught from an early age in schools and is widely spoken, especially in cities, tourist areas, and among younger generations. In addition to English, many Danes also have a basic understanding of German or French, reflecting the country’s strong emphasis on multilingual education and international communication. MONEY While onboard the Silversea Dawn, cash, credit cards and travelers checks can be used. Upon embarkation, you will be asked to register your credit card number and expiration date, which must be valid through the final day of the voyage. All charges for services provided and products purchased onboard must be settled in cash (U.S. dollars), by travellers cheques in U.S. dollars, or the registered credit card before final disembarkation from the ship. A 2% transaction fee will be charged for all cash advances. Foreign transaction fees are possible Authorization holds may be made on credit card purchases. The Norwegian currency is the krone (plural: kroner), abbreviated to NOK. American dollars are not accepted. It is easiest to obtain cash from local ATMs: PLUS, Cirrus, and other networks connecting automated teller machines (ATMs) operate throughout Norway. However, credit cards, Visa, American Express, MasterCard and Diners Card are widely accepted. The official currency of Denmark is the Krone (plural: kroner), abbreviated as DKK. Like in Norway, U.S. dollars and other foreign currencies are not accepted. Travelers can easily withdraw Danish kroner from ATMs, which are widely available and connected to international networks such as PLUS and Cirrus. Credit and debit cards, especially Visa and Master cards are widely used and accepted throughout Denmark, including in restaurants, hotels, shops, and even many taxis. American Express and Dinners club are accepted at some locations, though less commonly than in Norway. Contactless payments and mobile pay apps are also popular and widely supported. TIPPING All gratuities are included in the cost of the Silversea Norway and Denmark Luxury Cruise. At the conclusion of the tour, it is customary to offer your Tour Director a gratuity. We recommend $15 per person per day if you feel that her services enhanced your experience of visiting Norway and Denmark. SHOPPING Here are some suggestions on what to bring back from Norway: lucky trolls, Viking related gifts, pewter decorations, Christmas ornaments, Norwegian knifes, Norwegian sweaters and knitwear, chocolate and lakris, salmon and rakfisk, cod liver oil, brown cheese and a cheese slicer. Denmark is known for its timeless design, cozy traditions, and culinary delights making it a great place to pick up meaningful souvenirs. Popular items include Scandinavian design homewares such as candles, ceramics, and textiles. For something sweet, consider Danish Butter cookies, which Danes adore. |