Norwegian Fjords on QM2: What to Expect
June 2026
Debbie Belcher
Marketing Manager
Norwegian Fjords on QM2: What Three Ports Actually Look Like
There are destinations that look beautiful in photographs and then turn out to be even better in person. The Norwegian Fjords are in this category. I sailed Queen Mary 2 on a roundtrip from Southampton in May 2026, visiting Stavanger, Skjolden, and Olden over seven nights. What follows is an account of what each port was actually like, and why Norway keeps pulling people back for more.Getting there: Southampton to Norway without a flight
One of the most underappreciated things about a Norwegian Fjords sailing from Southampton is that it requires no airport. You board QM2 in Southampton, and the ship does the rest. By the time Norway appears on the horizon, you have already slept well in a proper cabin, had breakfast at the Carinthia Lounge or the Veranda, and watched the English Channel give way to the North Sea. The first fjord arrives while you are still fresh.
Stavanger: Norway Day, a parade, and the Lysefjord
We arrived in Stavanger on Norway’s National Day, which turned out to be one of those pieces of happy timing that you could not plan for. The town was alive with celebration: a brass band parade through the streets, everyone in national dress, flags everywhere, and an atmosphere closer to a festival than a port call. Stavanger itself is a pretty, compact town with colourful wooden buildings, cafes, shops, and a small lake at its centre. Clean, welcoming, and entirely walkable from the pier in a short stroll.
In the afternoon, I booked a shore excursion: a cruise tour of the Lysefjord and Pulpit Rock. The boat departed from the pier directly beneath QM2, which is one of the more surreal views in cruising, and spent several hours navigating the fjord with its towering walls and waterfalls dropping straight into the water. There was a stop for coffee and waffles before the boat positioned at the base of Pulpit Rock, the flat-topped cliff 604 metres above the water that Tom Cruise made famous in Mission: Impossible. The weather was perfect. The scenery was extraordinary.
The weather was beautiful and bright and the scenery stunning. I had no idea Norway would do this to me.
Skjolden: a RIB ride, a hike, and llamas
The approach to Skjolden is worth waking up early for. The mountains grow taller as the ship moves deeper into the fjord system, snow still on the peaks in mid-May, and the water turns green in the shallower reaches. I was on deck at sunrise, which is one of those mornings you do not forget.
Skjolden is a small village at the innermost point of the Sognefjord, Norway’s longest and deepest fjord. The ship docked directly at the pier, and the excursion I had booked departed from there on foot. A RIB boat tour of the fjord followed: speed, spray, waterfalls rushing down the cliff faces on either side, and a silence between the engine bursts that felt genuinely remote. Skjolden sits at the end of a fjord that fewer visitors reach, and you feel that in the landscape around it.
In the afternoon, I hiked around the village and found more waterfalls. A colleague, who had chosen a different excursion, came back having hiked with llamas. Skjolden is that kind of place.
A beautiful little part of Norway which is relatively untouched. For the moment.
Olden: a cable car, a glacier view, and a tourist train
Olden sits on the Nordfjord and is the most developed of the three ports in terms of visitor infrastructure, without having lost the quality of the scenery. I woke again to fjord views from my balcony with breakfast delivered to my stateroom, which is the correct way to experience this part of the world.
The Loen Skylift is the headline excursion from Olden: a cable car that rises from near sea level to the summit of Mount Hoven in around five minutes. The summit was still snow-covered in May. The views from the top, looking down over the fjord and out across mountain ranges in every direction, are genuinely one of those moments where a photograph fails to do justice. A group of us hiked the snowy paths at the top, which were more slippery than they looked and considerably more fun than expected, followed by hot chocolate in the summit cafe.
In the afternoon, the little tourist train around Olden took us through country lanes, past waterfalls and streams, with the glacier visible in the distance. It is an unhurried, charming way to see the valley. With more time, Olden rewards walking and hiking considerably.
If you had more time here, you would fill it easily. I am already planning when to come back.
The ship as a base for Norway
One of the things that became clear across the three ports is how well QM2 works as a base for Norwegian Fjords cruising. The sheltered balcony cabin, which I initially worried might feel limiting, turned out to be ideal for the weather and the long approach sails into each fjord port. Standing up to watch the mountains arrive is one of the defining experiences of the sailing, and the sheltered balcony is better suited to it than an exposed veranda in North Atlantic conditions.
The itinerary works well at seven nights, though the honest reaction at the end is wanting more. Queen Anne operates a strong Norwegian Fjords programme from Southampton in 2026 and 2027 as an alternative to QM2 on this route, and may suit guests who want a more contemporary ship experience alongside the destination.
Practical tips for a Norwegian Fjords sailing on QM2
Pack layers. May in Norway is genuinely variable. Bright sunshine and cold mornings can arrive on the same day in the same port. Waterproofs are worth having for excursions regardless of the forecast.
Book excursions early. The Loen Skylift and the Lysefjord cruise both fill quickly. Booking through the ship before departure is advisable for the most popular options, particularly if you are sailing at peak season.
Wake up for the fjord approaches. The scenery as QM2 moves into the deeper fjord systems in the early morning is worth an early alarm. It does not last long and it does not repeat itself.
Ready to sail to Norway?
Ready to sail to Norway? Browse Cunard cruise deals for current Norwegian Fjords sailings, or get in touch with our Voyage Consultants to find the right itinerary. You might also enjoy my Queen Mary 2 Norwegian Fjords review, our Cunard cruises from Southampton guide, and our Queen Anne review for more on the Cunard fleet.
