Alesund Cruise Port

Alesund, Norway

Alesund, sometimes also spelt as Aalesund, is a cruise port at the entrance of the Geirangerfjorden in the main fjordland region in Norway that offers an incredible day ashore for those who are lucky enough to visit.

The port offers a sheltered cruse dock which is right in the heart of the town centre of Alesund, a town that offers a different experience to most Norwegian towns.

It is noted for its Art Nouveau architecture, for the large hill that overlooks the town centre and for the fact that the town is split over a number of small islands, with the small-town centre itself split over two islands.

The cruise dock offers easy access to the centre of Alesund and it is easy to explore on your own or to head off of on excursions.

Cruises To Alesund

Our Visit

We were fortunate enough to visit the port in May 2022 onboard the Celebrity Silhouette cruise ship on short cruise of the Norwegian fjords.

Our arrival to the was met with heavy rain and high winds which delayed our day of exploration but after an hour or so, the weather turned, the sun came out and the skies turned blue.

That helped to make for a great day exploring all that the town has to offer on foot which started by taking roughly 400 steps up to the Aksla viewing platform that offers incredible views over the town, the mountains surrounding Alesund and down to your ship.

After making the trek back down again, we set off into the town centre and walked around the beautiful Art Nouveu buildings, walked out to the Molja lighthouses and then around the harbour back into the town centre.

Alesund Cruise Guide

This guide is based on our own experience of visiting Alesund and from the research that we did before visiting there.

If you have already booked a cruise to the port, this guide should help you to make the most of your time onshore whilst if you are still at the research stage and are trying to decide whether a stop in the town is right for your or not, this guide should help you decide.

Type of Cruises Available

The port has no turnaround facilities, so it is only a port for ships to call into but there are still a few options for those wanting to visit there.

The main way people will visit the port is on a round-trip itinerary heading to the Norwegian Fjords or up to the Norwegian Arctic from a Northern European cruise port such as Southampton, Copenhagen or Rotterdam.

Another option is to take a repositioning cruise that sails the coast of Norway usually between Reykjavik in Iceland and Southampton or Rotterdam.

Sometimes there are longer cruises or the Arctic that do trans-Atlantic journeys between Europe and America that call into the port.

The last option is to take a coastal cruise ferry journey operated by the likes of Hurtigruten that usually starts in Bergen.

Alesund Cruise Port Location

The cruise dock is located just outside of the main town centre and within easy walking distance of most of the town attractions making easy to simply walk from your ship and explore on foot.

Alesund Cruise Facilities

The port has limited facilities but as it only a port of call, it doesn’t need anything other than it does have.

There is a large car park for excursion coaches, tour buses and a road train to pick up passenger wanting to explore the wider area and there is a gift shop and tourist information office for those visiting in the city.

The dock can take 2 large ships and a couple of smaller ones at the same time which can lead the town to get very crowded.

Alesund Attractions

The highlight for many is a trip up to the Fjellstua viewpoint on the Aksla mountain overlooking the town centre and cruise dock.

As well as the viewing platform there is a shop, a café and some hiking trails up their which can be reached by trekking up around 400 steps or via road.

The Art Nouveau architecture found in many buildings in the town centre are an attraction in their own right and whilst some are houses that you cannot visit, many are shops, cafes and restaurants that you can go inside of.

There is a small museum dedicated to the history of the town or you can visit the towns small art gallery to some works of local artists.

There are a couple of small harbours in the town, one of which features a marina full of small yachts whilst the other is a working port with a small fishing fleet and some commercial ships which can be viewed by walking along the harbour wall to the Molja lighthouse.

That part of town also features a number of historic wooden houses and small backstreets that give you a look at a more authentic part of town.

Alesund Shorex

A popular excursion is to head to the entry into Alesund and visit the Atlantic Sea Park, an aquarium and rescue centre that features some of the region local seals.

This can be visited on a pre-booked excursion via your cruise ship or onboard a local bus service that goes from near to the cruise dock.

There is a Hop On Hop Off bus service in the town that goes to the top of the Aksla mountain and out to the Sea Park which can be booked via many lines or once you arrive in the town.

If you want to learn about the history of the town and region and experience at first-hand how locals used to live, the Sunnmore open air museum offers the chance to do just that.

There is lots to see and experience in the town and it is also a town full of history all of which can be enhance by taking a guided walking tour of Alesund.

The town sits in the entrance to a couple of fjords and many lines also offer the chance to take a boat ride along them to take in the stunning scenery of this part of Norway.

Another option is to take a journey to the islands of Giske and Godoy.

Best Time To Visit Alesund

It is possible to visit the port all year around, with the summer months offering the chance to enjoy incredible long days whilst in the winter there is the chance to see the Aurora Borealis.

Most ships to visit in winter will be smaller, expedition style ships or those doing the Norwegian coastal cruise ferry service.

The main cruise season, when larger ships start to arrive, starts in April runs through to October and whilst cruises earlier in the season will likely allow you to see plenty of snow on the mountains surrounding the port, we would recommend visiting in the summer.

If you visit in June, July or August you will have more chance of dry weather and blue skies to really make the most of your visit.

Transport

The town centre of Alesund is very walkable, so if you are wanting to visit there, there is no need to use any transportation.

If you want to head out to the Sea Park, there is a public bus that leaves from close to cruise dock that goes straight to it.

If the 100’s of steps up to the viewing platform seems like just too much, there are a couple of options including a road train and a Hop On Hop Off bus, which both pick up near to the cruise dock.

Alesund Cruises From UK

If you want to visit Alesund directly from the UK, you can do. These shores offer plenty of itineraries heading there from a few different ports around the country.

Alesund Cruises From Southampton

The port of Southampton offers the widest range of itineraries, ships and lines to cruise from the UK to Alesund.