At a glance
- Three Tromsø listings start at US$121, US$136 and US$173, and each one is a different kind of day on the water.[1][2][3]
- Durations run from 3.5 hours to 4 - 5 hours on these listings, and each asks you to check availability for starting times.[1][2][3]
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund applies to these listings, and you can reserve now and pay later.[1][2][3]
- Sea water around Tromsø averages 5.2 C in winter and 10.5 C in summer, and February air averages -3.2 °C.[4][5]
- January ranks first for aurora chances at 75-80% success, and it also brings the highest crowds and prices.[6]
- Top choice Fjord Cruise & Fishing from US$136 Duration4 - 5 hours[2]Rating4.72 from 5,096 reviews[2]GuideLive tour guide: English[2]Free cancellationUp to 24 hours in advance[2]Reserve now & pay laterReserve now & pay later[2] Check availability
- Arctic Fjord Cruise from US$121 Duration3.5 hours[1]Rating4.68 from 1,959 reviews[1]GuideLive tour guide: English, Norwegian[1]Free cancellationUp to 24 hours in advance[1]Reserve now & pay laterReserve now & pay later[1] See this tour
- Fishing Sea Safari from US$173 Duration3.5 hours[3]Rating4.85 from 721 reviews[3]GuideLive tour guide: English[3]Free cancellationUp to 24 hours in advance[3]Reserve now & pay laterReserve now & pay later[3] See this tour
January ranks #1 with polar night darkness, stable cold weather (-10°C to -15°C), and 75-80% success though highest crowds and prices (€140-200 accommodation, €90-150 tours).
Is the fjord cruise worth the price?
Read before booking
What a Tromsø fjord cruise costs
Prices for days on the water around Tromsø spread across a wide band, and the three listings compared here sit in the middle of it. The Arctic Fjord Cruise & Fishing Experience, the tour booked from this site, starts at US$136.[2] The Arctic Fjord Cruise in Polar Landscapes starts at US$121.[1] The Fishing Sea Safari starts at US$173.[3] Every one of those is a from-price, and the figure you see when you book depends on the date you choose. Boat trips, coach tours and car tours are different products rather than variations on one theme.
Other listings in the same city reach both higher and lower. A fjord cruise with a stop on land at fish racks starts at US$156.[7] A bus-based fjord adventure starts at US$68.[8] An all-inclusive fjords and Sommarøy scenic tour starts at US$204.[9] A private fishing tour on an open boat starts at US$409.[10] What changes between them is the shape of the day: coach, car, catamaran, kayak or open fishing boat, and how many people share the trip. The cheapest listing is not automatically the best match, and the most expensive is not automatically the best day out.
Cruising, fishing or driving: what you pay for
Three kinds of day turn up again and again in the listings. The Polar Landscapes cruise is the shortest of the boat trips compared here, at 3.5 hours from US$121 with a live guide in English and Norwegian.[1] The Arctic Fjord Cruise & Fishing Experience runs 4 - 5 hours from US$136 with a live English guide, and its stops are Ryøya and Ramfjorden.[2] The Fishing Sea Safari runs 3.5 hours from US$173 with a live English guide.[3] A catamaran fjord cruise in Tromsø runs 3 hours from US$152 and is limited to 10 participants.[11]
If you would rather stay on land, the road tours are a different shape of day. A fjords tour with a scenic picnic runs 5 hours from US$125.[12] A Norwegian fjords half-day tour runs 5 hours from US$120.[13] A fjord adventure with lunch and photos runs 5 hours from US$146.[14] Paddlers have their own options: a winter sea kayaking tour runs 5 hours from US$248 and is limited to 10 participants.[15]
Still water and snow-covered peaks on a Tromsø fjord, seen from the deck.
Tromsø fjord tour price by season
Winter is the dramatic, crowded, expensive season. January ranks first for aurora chances with 75-80% success, and it also brings the highest crowds and prices.[6] February, the coldest month, has an average air temperature of -3.2 °C.[5] Tromsø claims 61 days of polar night.[16] For the dark months, booking early gives you more choice of dates and departure times.
Summer shifts both the water and the daylight. Sea water around Tromsø averages 5.2 C in winter and rises to 10.5 C in summer.[4] Whale watching has its own window: orcas and humpbacks follow herring into the Tromsø and Skjervøy fjords roughly every November through January.[17] Between the two, the fjord looks completely different, from blue-black water under low light to bright, almost endless evenings.
Autumn and spring sit between the extremes, with reasonable daylight and lower demand. If your trip is flexible, a shoulder-season week can put you on the same water with fewer boats around you, and you can still catch clear, bright days out on the fjord.
Where the boats and coaches actually go
Route matters as much as price. The tour booked from this site stops at Ryøya and Ramfjorden.[2] A fjord cruise with a stop on land at fish racks calls at Tromsø, Ramfjorden, Rystraumen, Rya, Store Grindoya and Tirpitz-platen.[7] A Norwegian fjords half-day tour stops at Kvaløya.[13] A fjords tour with a scenic picnic lists Kvaløya, Ersfjordbotn, a traditional village, a view point, a secret stop and a fishing village.[18]
Longer days reach further out. An all-inclusive fjords and Sommarøy scenic tour runs 6 hours and calls at Kvaløya and Sommarøy.[9] A small group Kvaløya and Sommarøy fjord tour with lunch runs 5.5 hours and stops at Ersfjordbotn, Kaldfjord, Kattfjordeidet, Sandvika and Sommarøy.[19] A Senja fjords and coast day tour runs 9 hours from US$275.[20] Sommarøy and Kvaløya also appear on a tour that runs 5.5 hours from US$113 with pickup available.[21]
from US$136
The tour booked from this site is a fjord cruise and fishing experience with live English guiding, running 4 - 5 hours.[2]
Fish, eagles and whales in the fjords
The water you are paying to sit on is full of life. Fish found in Norwegian fjords include coastal cod, saithe, pollack, haddock, herring, mackerel and sprat.[22] Norway has 2,500 breeding pairs of white-tailed sea eagles, the largest breeding population in Europe.[23] Red king crabs in Norwegian waters rarely exceed 8 kg or 23 cm carapace length.[24] Sea eagles are the birds to watch for on the water, big and slow flying, and easy to pick out once you know the silhouette.
Herring has a long history in these waters. In the 1950s and 1960s, the fishable component of the Norwegian spring-spawning herring stock is believed to have measured about 10 million metric tonnes.[25] Orcas and humpbacks follow herring into the Tromsø and Skjervøy fjords roughly every November through January.[17] A rod in your hand on a still fjord is a slow, quiet pleasure, and a fish is a bonus rather than the point of the day.
Booking, cancelling and paying
Free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund applies to the tour booked from this site.[2] The same terms apply to the Polar Landscapes cruise.[1] The Fishing Sea Safari follows the same pattern.[3] Each listing lets you reserve now and pay later and asks you to check availability to see starting times.[1][2][3]
Ratings are another way to compare. The tour booked from this site is rated 4.72 from 5,096 reviews.[2] The Polar Landscapes cruise is rated 4.68 from 1,959 reviews.[1] The Fishing Sea Safari is rated 4.85 from 721 reviews.[3] Read the recent reviews rather than the headline score, and look for comments about the guide, the boat and the weather on the day.
Transfers are separate from the tours. A private transfer to or from Tromsø Airport and the city is listed at 15 minutes from US$99.[26]
What to wear and how to plan the day
Boat or bus, layers do the work in Tromsø. Start with a thermal base layer, add a fleece or wool jumper, then a windproof and waterproof outer shell. Waterproof trousers and shoes with grip are worth the space, and a hat and gloves belong in the bag even in summer, because open water is always cooler than the town centre.
Leave some slack in your schedule. Weather can change a departure, so keep the evening free after a fjord day and put the trip early in your visit. A dry bag for your phone, a power bank for the camera and sunglasses for the glare off the water are small things that make a long day on deck more comfortable.
Check your departure time before you plan meals or connections. Timings vary by listing, so eat before you go, and keep a snack in a pocket for the boat.
From-prices on three Tromsø boat tours
Values are the GetYourGuide from-prices of the three tours, in US dollars.[1][2][3]
Compare from-prices for three boat days
Amounts are GetYourGuide from-prices in US dollars for three Tromsø boat tours.[1][2][3]
When to go on the fjord
How to book your fjord day
Pick your season
Winter brings aurora, whales and cold; summer brings light all night and warmer water. Both change what you see and what you pay.
Choose cruise or land
Boats get you close to the water and the fishing. Cars and coaches reach viewpoints, beaches and villages out on Kvaløya and Sommarøy.
Compare the full price
Check the from-price, the duration and the cancellation terms. Free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance.[2]
Book with room to change
Reserve now and pay later is offered on the fjord listings, and you can cancel up to 24 hours ahead for a full refund.[2]
Check the start time
Each listing asks you to check availability to see starting times before you plan the rest of your day.[2]
Compare prices, then pick your day on the fjord.
from US$137Reserve now & pay later
