Contrary to the bridge between Malmoe in Sweden and the Danish Capital Copenhagen, this bridge is actually not a physical bridge but luxurious cruise ships leaving nightly from Copenhagen for Oslo, and from Oslo for Copenhagen.
The 16-hour sailings leave at 5 pm and arrive at 9:30 am the next day. So you can spend seven hours in Norway’s capital and then return to Copenhagen, or take this cruise from Oslo and do Copenhagen as a day trip…or just go one-way in either direction.
Cabins vary dramatically in price depending on the day and season (most expensive on weekends and late June–mid Aug; cheapest on weekdays and Oct–April). All cabins have private bathrooms.
DFDS Seaways operates two ships on this route — the M.S. Pearl Seaways and the M.S. Crown Seaways. Both offer all the cruise-ship luxuries: big buffets for breakfast and dinner. We sailed with Pearl Seaways.
The three restaurants Blue Ribban & Marco Polo in addition to an Italian restaurant have a capacity of 395 persons. We enjoyed a delicious steak in the Explorer’s Steakhouse.
There is a kids’ playroom, super for travelers with children, an indoor and outdoor pool, sauna, nightclubs, bars, including a piano bar, Baresso Coffe and a Red and White bar where we tested five different beers from the mini brewery Skands in Copenhagen. Try it!
First we had a Humlefryd, which is a classic lager beer with a deep golden color and a rounded hop flavor. Then a New Stout which is dark ans slightly sweet with a fresh bitterness. Our third beer was Emegade IPA (India Pale Ale) brewed with English Maris Otter malt and caramel malt. Fourth was Blue Chimpanzee, which is a Belgian inspired beer with pronounced malt sweetness and a sweet fruity scent. Last but not least we enjoyed the Esrum’ Kloster, an interpretation of an abbey. There is used herbs from the monastry’s own herb garden, including juniper, lemon balm, lavender which the monks used as flavor enhances. The beers had an alcohol content from 5,5% to 7,7%.
On board you have access to Pay Wi-Fi and satellite phone. There are no ATMs on board. Cash advances are however available at the shipboard exchange desk. The tax free shops and restaurants accept credit cards as well as euros, dollars, and Danish, Swedish, and Norwegian currency.
If you want to arrange a conference on board there is a separate conference department with lots of possibilities from small to big groups. Attendees may enter the ship long before departure and enjoy all the facilities on board during the evening(s).
Reservations are smart in summer and on weekends. Advance bookings get the best prices.
If you’re taking an overnight trip, keep these tips in mind:
- Travel off-season. Prices drop significantly if you cruise outside of July and August. Any time of year, avoid traveling on a Friday night, when boat fares are highest and business-class hotel prices are lowest.
- Consider taking successive trips. Sometimes you pay less for a round-trip ticket if you sail out one night and return the next. It’s actually an pleasant break from the hectic city life.
- Book ahead. You can reserve not only your berth but also your window-side dinner table and your sauna time.
- Savor your smörgåsbord. Board the ship hungry. Resist the urge to pile everything on your plate at once, as many Americans do. Instead, take small portions and dine in stages. Why rush? There’s plenty of time.
Eat like a king. Promenade the decks like a queen. Look at the colorful paintings by Per Hillo. And if you’re a gambler there’s even a Casino on board.
Even if you’re just common folk, you can afford royal treatment on the DFDS seaways’ salings between several Scandinavian cities, not only the bridge between Copenhagen and Oslo.
Text and photos: Tor Kjolberg