There are still bargains to be had on this summer’s cruises to the Norwegian fjords – but they are not all equal. Take two 14-night voyages from Southampton to North Cape which have been put on special offer by NoFlyCruising.com.
Queen Victoria’s departure on August 3 and Oriana’s cruise beginning two days later have almost identical itineraries. There’s £100 per person difference in fares for inside cabins and ocean-view accommodation.
On the P&O ship, they start at £699; for Cunard it’s £799. If you are looking for a balcony stateroom, however – highly recommended for making the most of the scenery – then the difference is substantial. The better deal is on Queen Victoria, where they start from £999, little more than half the price of £1,899 on Oriana.
What would you get for your money?
Both ships will enjoy the midnight sun as they head north and visit Stavanger, Flam, Alesund, Trondheim, North Cape, Tromso and Bergen. Oriana squeezes in an extra port, the spectacular UNESCO-listed Geirangerfjord.
Launched in 2007, Queen Victoria is newer and bigger than Oriana which was built in 1995 and refurbished in 2011. QV has a bigger theatre and more entertainment options, but the adult-only Oriana has one more speciality restaurant; choose from Marc-Pierre White’s Ocean Grill and the Italian Sorrento.
If I was making the decision, I would go for a balcony cabin against the inside room. And with Queen Victoria £72 per night against £136 for Oriana, the choice seems obvious.
Bear in mind that on-board charges aboard P&O are in sterling, while the currency on Cunard is the US dollar. Passengers on P&O will find £3.50 per day (£49 for the two weeks) added to their account for gratuities to cabin attendants and restaurant waiters. The expected daily rate for tips on Cunard is about £7.50 (£105).
You pays your money and takes your choice.
PICTURE shows Cunard’s Queen Victoria berthed in Stavanger
This is really helpful stuff. Who would have thought that a balcony cabin on the bigger newer and supposedly classier ship would be half the price of the older one. Just shows it pays to shop around and look beyond the led-in offer prices. Thankyou for sharing this captain