I am chasing my tail here trying to find out about ferries from the UK to Norway. The DFDS service is cancelled, as we know. Does the Fjordline service out of Newcastle still operate? I cant get any answer from their number.

It seems otherwise that the only alternative is DFDS Harwich-Esbjerg-Copenhagen-Oslo - is that right?

Answers much appreciated!

Runner

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There are now no direct ferries from the UK to Norway. DFDS shut down the Newcastle-Bergen route on 1st September and now Smyril Lines have suspended the Scrabster service.

So yes, it's the long way round, either UK-Denmark-Norway by ferry or the even longer drive through northern Europe.

BTW - spoke to the Bergen Tourist Office recently. 200,000 tourists per annum were using the N'castle Bergen route. DFDS reckoned that they couldn't make it pay.

Jojo

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Anyone fancy starting a ferry company ? :-)

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The ferries were always busy, even in jan/feb. However the bulk of the people on it were Norgies, using 1 quid each way style tickets, on shopping trips to Newcastle. I had to pay almost £400 return with the bike, due to cabin suppliments.
They made there money on food/drink. even at £3 a pint, the Norwegian youngsters were trying to drink the boat dry.

The boat was expensive, but the only sensible way to get to Norway in a sensible timescale

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Dont forget you can get ferries from Hirstals in Denmark to Kristiansand in Norway, about 4 sailings a day if I remember correctly.

Using the Ebjbergs route and then a quick drive upto Hirstals is probably the quickets way to Norway from the UK.

We used the ferry this year. Keep trying the company because I am sure that they are still operating a service but only with ordinary cargo type feries.

If this fails then its Harwick to Denmark then across Denmark to get the fer from their to Sweden.

Hope everything works out

The Foggster

TOR lines, (the freight arm of DFDS) operate a service from Immingham to South Norway.

However, they won't accept advance bookings until a month before sailing so forward planning isn't easy. There are only 12 cabins which are allocated on a first come, first served basis. Sailing and arrival times are in the early hours. It's a 36 hour crossing (2 nights on the boat) and it's £200 more than the old N'cle-Bergen route!

The food's great, though!

Jojo

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Tours to Morocco, Iceland, Arctic Circle, Portugal, Alps, Pyrenees, Eastern Europe, Corsica, and UK weekend tours.

Hi-im new so be gentle. Just though id chime in that whilst ive never been on this route with DFDS, i have travellled on their ferries from Newcastle to Amsterdam with my bike a few times and never had any problems. Shame theres no direct ferry to Norway now - its a spectacualr place..........

Should be read as: it's more profitable taking Newcastle chavs on the dope run to Amsterdam.

This is correct and it is a nice ride up the west coast of Denmark. For those who have never ridden here. Do not think the traffic is the same as the UK, it is not. In 6 years I have been held up in tailbacks for about an hour.....in total.

Steve

I was having a discussion with a friend who's ex-husband works as engineer in Norway. Apparently, he seems to think that one of the ferry companies may be restarting the Newcastle-Norway service on a limited basis. May or may not be DFDS. Has anyone heard anything similar?

Alternatively, has anyone done it this way.

http://www.dfdstorline.com/DfdsTorLi.../NorBridge.htm

That really makes cross channel fares look high considering the distances. I just had to pay £35 Dieppe to Newhaven, just turning up, for a bike. Linzi.

I will just add a word of warning about this method of travel which the company has also added on their letter.

They also do a trip from Immingham to Esjberg in Denmark where I live.

I booked a return journey from denmark to immingham with a small box van. At the time the "Warning" was not added to their stationary and I thought my bookings were solid, confirmed bookings.

The outward trip to Immingham was great and if that was what it was like all the time I would reccomend it.

However, when I turned up for the return journey I was told they had been trying to contact me to tell me that my place on the boat had been put back because a larger freight vehicle had been booked on.

After some searching i found the new driver and he was happy to share his cabin with me but the shipping company would not allow it. There was masses of room for the box van all the company had to say was "Yes".

I sat on Immingham docks for 3 days before I got on the boat back to Denmark.

I found out that they had been trying to call me on my home number in denmark to tell me my position on the boat had been put back. They knew I was in the UK so why they were ringing me in denmark is anyones guess.

The boat was great, DFDS were worse than useless.

If you travel like this make sure you have a few spare days at both ends of your trip in case you get put back. Ensure they have home numbers, e-mails, mobile numbers etc etc, so they can get hold of you.

Remember this is primarily a freight service and the bigger trucks will jump the queue and they will not just put anyone in the bunks. There are very few bunks on their ships.

The other side to this are that the prices are per person so it is also very expensive.

Steve

Immingham to Brevik.
.
100 miles to Oslo from Brevik.

http://www.dfdstorline.com/DfdsTorLi...hSea/index.htm