Norway is 6 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time in the United States. Like most European countries, Norway has daylight savings time which lasts from April to September. It moves its clocks ahead an hour in late spring and an hour back in the fall, corresponding roughly to daylight savings time in the United States, but the exact dates vary. When it's noon in Oslo, it's 6 a.m. in New York and 3 a.m. in San Francisco.

OSLO

There are many beautiful things to bring back with you from Norway, so make sure you have space left in your suitcase. For the flight to Copenhagen and from Oslo, most airlines restrict the checked-in luggage to the maximum weight of 50 lbs., plus the carry-on luggage up to 17 lbs., and we enforce the same guidelines. We are not visiting any venues that require formal dress, however, some people do dress up when we dine at the high-end restaurants on the ship, but this is optional. Please make sure that you have comfortable walking shoes. 

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 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 in Norway 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.

Visitors from the US, Canada and Australia need a valid passport to enter 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 Norway. 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.

The tour starts on Wednesday, June 5, 2024 in Copenhagen, Denmark. That means that you'll probably depart North America on Tuesday, June 4, 2024. The Silversea's executive private transfer service will pick you up from your doorstep and transfer you to your home airport. Your international flight to Copenhagen, Denmark is included in the tour's price (major airports only, otherwise an air credit and economy class only). On arrival in Copenhagen, you will be met by a uniformed chauffeur for your private transfer to the luxury Silver Dawn ship.

This tour ends on Saturday, June 15, 2024 in Oslo, Norway. Your departing flight will most likely depart sometime during the day on June 15, 2024, and you will have a private airport transfer in accordance with your departing flight's time.

To avoid paying the single supplement, we offer guaranteed roommate matching, and we will try to match you with a roommate of similar age. Otherwise, there are some single suites available on this tour, but since the price is almost double that of a shared space, we expect that most of our travelers will be matched with a roommate.

The Norway Summer tour group is limited to a maximum of 16 women + the Tour Director. The minimum group size is 11 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 expedition guides.

Norway does not pose any major health hazards, and should a need arise, Norwegian medical facilities are among the best in the world. Medical and hospital services aren’t free, so be sure that you have appropriate foreign medical insurance coverage before you travel. Pack prescription medications in your carry-on luggage and carry them in their original containers, with pharmacy labels, otherwise they might not make it through airport security. Carry the generic name of prescription medicines, in case a local pharmacist is unfamiliar with the brand name.

Tap water is generally safe to drink throughout Norway, but never drink from a mountain stream, fjord, or river, regardless of how clean it might appear. Tap water is universally drinkable in Norway, and tastes great, and there is no need to buy bottled water.

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.

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.

During the luxury Norway Summer cruise, we'll be traveling by bus to our land excursions, and we'll be covering quite a lot of ground by 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 4 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.

Travel in Norway 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, 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.

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. 

Norway's cities have Internet access available in internet cafes, hotel lobbies and in most public places. Cellular phone coverage is generally very good in Norwegian cities, although expect limited coverage in remote or mountainous areas. 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.

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.

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.

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.

All gratuities are included in the cost of the Silversea Norway cruise. When you are on your own for the pre-cruise night, a 10% tip is customary. 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.

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.

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