MOSTRAUMEN FJORD CRUISE FROM BERGEN: IS IT WORTH IT? (HONEST REVIEW)

WONDERING WHETHER THE MOSTRAUMEN FJORD CRUISE FROM BERGEN IS WORTH BOOKING?

You’ve just to the right place! We did this popular half-day fjord cruise during our recent trip to Bergen, as well as another full-day fjord tour, so we were able to compare the two properly.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through exactly what to expect, what it’s like on board and whether it’s worth your time.

Short on time? Here’s the quick tour summary:
⏱️ Duration: 4 hours
💰 Price: From £66 GBP / $90 USD
📅 Books up fast: This tour is typically booked around 1 month in advance.
🚐 Includes: Fjord cruise through Osterfjord & Mostraumen strait.
⭐ Best for: Short on time travellers wanting an easy fjord trip from Bergen.

Check availability for the Mostraumen Fjord cruise ↗

Another very popular and convenient fjord cruise you can do directly from Bergen and add to your Bergen itinerary is the Mostraumen Fjord Cruise, taking you into the idyllic Osterfjord and back in just under 4 hours total. — Pictured: The most scenic part of the whole Mostraumen Fjord Cruise, right at the very end of the fjord just before turning back around. Photograph taken by Jordie.

YES, THE MOSTRAUMEN FJORD CRUISE IS WORTH IT – BUT THERE’S A CAVEAT

In short, yes it is, but with a slight caveat.

If you’re short on time or want an easy, half-day fjord experience directly from Bergen, the Mostraumen fjord cruise is a great option.

However, if you do have the time and budget, we personally found the full-day Nærøyfjord tour far more impressive and memorable.

That said, the Mostraumen cruise does have its benefits:

Much shorter (around 4 hours)
Significantly cheaper
Departs directly from Bergen’s Vågen harbour

So for many travellers, it’s still a very convenient and worthwhile choice, especially if you’re only in Bergen for a short time.

If that sounds like you, let’s get into the details!

WHAT THE MOSTRAUMEN FJORD CRUISE IS ACTUALLY LIKE

THE FIRST HOUR IS MOSTLY OPEN WATER

One thing to know before you go, the first part of the journey is mainly spent cruising out from Bergen towards the fjord.

For around the first hour, the scenery is fairly minimal, with more open stretches of water and less of that dramatic “fjord” feel you might be expecting.

THE SCENERY PICKS UP AS YOU REACH OSTERFJORD

After that, things start to change.

As you enter the Osterfjord, the landscape becomes much more impressive, with steeper mountains, narrower passages and more of that classic Norwegian fjord scenery.

This is when the cruise starts to feel like what you had imagined of a Bergen fjord tour! You’ll travel down the full length of the fjord, around 17 miles (or 27 km).

Pictured: The scenery of the idyllic Osterfjord you can expect to see on the popular Mostraumen Fjord cruise from central Bergen. Photograph taken by Jordie. — 1 hour in, here’s the views you’d see finally reaching the Osterfjord. *Photo by Jordie.*

THE BEST PART IS ACTUALLY RIGHT AT THE END

For us, the most scenic part of the entire cruise was at the very end, around 10 minutes before the boat turned back.

You’ll pass through the narrow Mostraumen strait before reaching the final section of the fjord, where you’ll see a small settlement and waterfalls cascading down the fjords (completely frozen when we visited in November!).

This was definitely the scenic highlight of the trip!

Book your spot on this Mostraumen Fjord cruise ↗

Pictured: A selfie of us with the frozen waterfalls at the very end of the Osterfjord, wrapped up warm on the upper deck of the Mostraumen Fjord cruise vessel! — Obligatory waterfall selfie!

A large frozen waterfall located at the very end of the Osterfjord in Western Norway, as seen from the Mostraumen Fjord cruise. — Visiting in November, these impressive waterfalls at the end of the Osterfjord were totally frozen already! *Photo by Jordie.*

🗺️ Short on time? 2 days in Bergen itinerary ↗
🗺️ Got a bit longer? 3 days in Bergen itinerary ↗
🗺️ Want the full experience? 4 days in Bergen itinerary ↗

✈️ Easiest way to get from Bergen airport to the city ↗

THEN YOU TURN BACK THE SAME WAY

After reaching the end point, the boat turns around and follows the same route back to Bergen.

By this point, most people are either relaxing inside or heading back out on deck to take in the views one last time. It’s actually quite nice seeing it from a different perspective!

The quaint village of Mo and a larger frozen waterfall, as seen from the Mostraumen Fjord cruise at the very end of the Osterfjord. Photograph taken by Jordie. — Mo village and a frozen waterfall at the end of the Osterfjord. In warmer months, the boat gets close enough to drink the water! *Photo by Jordie.*

WHAT THE BOAT IS ACTUALLY LIKE ON BOARD

THE LAYOUT
The boat itself is fairly modern and split across two levels, with both indoor and outdoor space.

Inside, there’s a heated seating area which is ideal in colder months. That said, the seating layout can feel a little tight, especially in the middle with 7 seats in a row.

Up on the top deck, you’ll get the best views as you sail through the fjord. Just be prepared for the cold, especially outside of summer, as it can get pretty windy. Bring a scarf!

A photograph of the Mostraumen Fjord Cruise vessel docked at Vågen Harbour in Bergen. Photograph taken by Jordie just before our tour began. — The boat you’ll board for this Mostraumen fjord cruise. *Photo by Jordie.*

Pictured: The enclosed lower level seating area on the Mostraumen Fjord cruise from Bergen. In our experience, it is worth getting here early to get a window seat, as the seats in the middle feel quite tight! Photograph taken by Jordie. — Enclosed lower deck. The middle rows can feel tight when the boat is full.

FACILITIES
There are basic facilities on board, including toilets and a small snack counter, but options are very limited and fairly overpriced. Bring your own snacks or drinks if you can!

Pictured: The small on-board serving hatch offering very expensive and a minimal choice of refreshments on the Mostraumen Fjord cruise. — The pretty pitiful refreshments corner. Womp, womp, wompppp..

BOARDING IS EASY, ARRIVE EARLY FOR A GOOD SEAT!

The cruise departs from Vågen harbour in central Bergen, making it really easy to get to on foot.

Boarding usually starts around 9:30am, with departure at approximately 10am. We’d definitely recommend arriving early (9.30am-ish) to be one of the first to board, and bagsy a window seat. The middle rows can feel a bit cramped.

Pictured: The meeting point at Vågen Harbour where you will wait for the Mostraumen Fjord cruise vessel to dock on the left-hand side. Photograph taken by Jordie. — Meeting around here at Vågen Harbour for your Mostraumen Fjord cruise. *Photo by Jordie.*

MOSTRAUMEN VS NÆRØYFJORD: WHICH ONE SHOULD YOU CHOOSE?

SHORT ON TIME? GO FOR MOSTRAUMEN

If you’re only in Bergen for a few days, or just want a quick and easy fjord experience, the Mostraumen cruise is a great option for you.

It’s only around 4 hours long, departs directly from Bergen’s Vågen harbour and requires very little planning. In fact, you just book and turn up!

Book your place on this Mostraumen Fjord cruise ↗

WANT THE WOW FACTOR? CHOOSE NÆRØYFJORD

If you’re looking for those dramatic, jaw-dropping fjord landscapes from start to finish, the Nærøyfjord full-day tour is on another level.

Yes it’s more of an investment, but from our experience, it’s absolutely worth it. This full-day tour packs in so much, from powerful waterfalls to the incredible Stegastein viewpoint.

Upgrade your fjord experience on this Nærøyfjord, Flåm and Stegastein viewpoint tour ↗

The jaw-dropping scale of the fjordlands along the Nærøyfjorden to Flåm from Bergen fjord cruise. Photograph taken by Jordie. — The sheer scale of the Nærøyfjord. See that tiny white spot bottom right? That’s a house! *Photo by Jordie.*

One of the most jaw dropping views we saw on our whole Bergen itinerary, and this entire full day Bergen Fjord cruise, was the views from the Stegastein viewpoint at sunset! Photograph taken by Jordie. — You can’t really put a price on seeing these jaw-dropping views from Stegastein viewpoint (shown) in real life. *Photo by Jordie.*

💡 Want to see exactly what this Nærøyfjord tour is like? Read our full review here ↗

CONCLUSION: IS THE MOSTRAUMEN FJORD CRUISE WORTH IT?

In short, yes, the Mostraumen fjord cruise is worth it in some cases.

If you’re short on time, want something easy and accessible and like the idea of a relaxed half-day fjord experience directly from Bergen, this is a great option!

It’s convenient, affordable and still gives you a taste of Norway’s famous fjord landscapes.

However, having experienced both tours ourselves, there is a clear difference.

The Nærøyfjord full-day tour is on another level when it comes to scenery, scale and overall experience. It delivers that “wow” factor from start to finish, whereas the Mostraumen cruise builds more slowly and only really peaks towards the end.

So if you have the time and budget, we’d personally choose the Nærøyfjord tour every time!!

That said, the Mostraumen cruise still absolutely has its place. Not every trip allows for a full-day tour, and for many travellers, this is the perfect way to experience the fjords without overcommitting.

Do get in touch and let us know your experience, and have a fabulous time in Bergen 🤩

A photo of Jordie, the author of this specific blog post and owner of the wesbite.

This blog post was written by Jordie Flain!

Founder of TheFlainsTravel.com

A travel-obsessed Sagittarius creating honest, easy-to-follow guides. Powered by tea, chocolate and a slightly concerning amount of tomato ketchup.

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