Off the top of my head, I can count over a dozen posts that I’ve written on cruise holidays. Despite that I was confounded when I had to pack for our recent cruise to the Norwegian Fjords. I might have written a detailed guide on packing for a Mediterranean Cruise Holiday but those clothes just wouldn’t do for a colder cruise vacation. Our guide on packing for skiing and winter sports had too many sensible clothes for a glitzy cruise holiday in Scandinavia. Packing for Scandinavian weather can be quite the conundrum – it’s cold but Scandinavians are terribly fashionable.
My mind was brimming with ideas – faux fur and sequins for evenings on the ship, pastel coats for days out in Norwegian ports, statement loafers for walking around new towns and cities, and oversized beanies. Suddenly, I had this packing malarkey all figured out. I stuck to these ideas and managed to swim through the week with clothes to spare! Score 🙂
Here’s some of what I packed:
Gold Loafers and Black Court Shoes: New Look
Trench Coat and Fedora: H&M
Down Jacket: Icewear
Crochet Playsuit: H&M
Maxi Dress: ASOS (similar ASOS Maxi Dress)
Faux Fur Coat: Vintage
I layered oversized smock dresses with pastel coats for excursions in the Norwegian countryside. I added a warm pink beanie to complete the outfit. Of course, I didn’t want to resemble a giant cupcake in my all-pink ensemble. The rose gold aviators and metallic gold loafers make the outfit edgier.
The metallic loafers stayed on my feet all week. They’re perfect to dress up an outfit while still being comfortable. I walked miles in them, without once feeling the need to change into more sensible shoes. On our day out in the gorgeous town of Alesund, I paired them with a white crochet playsuit, metallic sunglasses, and a black fedora.
Of course, I had to resort to hardcore outwear and comfy sneakers on the days we went climbing glaciers or hiking in the Norwegian Fjords. I never stray from my Icewear down jacket (Scandinavian brands make the BEST outerwear, so pick one up for yourself while you’re there!) which can me toasty in sub-zero temperatures. I love it!
Dressing up for dinners probably constitutes my favourite part of cruise holidays. I find the entire ritual so much fun. I resorted to fail safe black dresses on most nights. My favourite evening dress is this glittery number from ASOS. I paired it with a faux fur jacket and basic black heels for evenings out on the ship’s deck.
Curious about cruises? Read all our articles on Cruises here
Booked a cruise holiday? Read our article on packing for a cruise holiday
Going to Scandinavia? Here’s another handy packing list
Lovely post with great packing ideas! It’s very important to know how is the whether of the place you are going to. I like the detailed packing list – I do forget those stuff pretty often. Therefore I think to make a mine packing list with the basic stuff I need for traveling. Greetings
Hey April – I’m exactly the same. Knowing the weather is definitely a pre-requisite to packing well 🙂
Hi Savi and Vid –
Maybe I missed it, but when did you guys visit Norway? I bought an impromptu ticket to Copenhagen for September and am trying to plan out my vacation 🙂 Thanks!
Hey Apurva,
We visited Norway on a cruise in 2015 – it’s mentioned in the first sentence of this article (and the article is also linked)
Hello!! We are planning a trip to Norway next year , any pointers on applying for a Schengen Visa for Norway directly ?
Your pictures are all gorgeous and a clear reflection of how much fun you’ll have while traveling! Cheers
Hey Divya – Visa rules keep changing, so it’s best to consult the country’s embassy/Consulate directly. However as a rule of thumb advance bookings of hotels and flights along with address proof and bank statements is sufficient documentation
Hey Guys, Me and my husband are planning a trip to Norway. Any pointers. How many days would be sufficient ?
Hi Niharika,
We went to Norway on a cruise so not sure how many days will be enough if you’re doing a road trip there. Perhaps a week to 10 days?
Hi Savi & Vid!
Love your blog 🙂 wanted to check if this cruise started and ended within Norway? We are looking for Norway exploratory cruises once we reach there – which cruises would you recommend?
Hey Kasturi nope – this one started in UK. Just google for exploratory cruises in Norway – but do read reviews thoroughly before booking 🙂
Heyy! Planning my honeymoon in September, what do y’all suggest Iceland or the Norwegian cruise?? Please help!
Hey very hard to say as it’s personal choice. But if you prefer a relaxing holiday, then the Norwegian cruise is better as Iceland can get quite hectic with all the moving around!
Also, if it’s Norwegian cruise that starts from Tromso and ends in in the south Norway, any packing tips for September?
Hey the packing list remains the same as the weather tends to veer b/w summer heat and cold grey days in September – it’s very unpredictable, so pack everything listed above 🙂