Did you know that Europe is flush with ferries connecting countries? I didn’t either until we moved to Copenhagen in 2015 and started searching for cost-effective ways to travel with kids. One such ferry connects Copenhagen to Oslo, Denmark and Norway’s respective capital cities. This guide details key tips for the overnight ferry trip between Copenhagen and Oslo.
Ferry Details
Overnight ferry service from Copenhagen to Oslo is offered via Go Nordic Cruiselines. Two ships basically trade places each night between the two cities. A ship leaves each port at roughly 4 pm every day, with arrival in the new city between 9 and 10 am the next morning. As your ticket, you’ll book a room for between one to five people, which will include the appropriate number of beds, a TV and tiny bathroom with a shower.
There are restaurants, clubs, shopping, coffee and convenience stores on board. There is ample deck space for enjoying the lovely scenery and plenty of common seating areas for card games or just hanging out if you want to be out of your room.
You can bring on pets or a car. You will indicate all of this when making your reservation and the price will reflect it. Traveling as a foot passenger is obviously the cheapest option. If you have a car for exploring on the other side, think carefully about your options. For us it was more affordable to pay the ferry fee for our car than it was to rent in Norway (just all around an expensive country). Rental prices in Denmark are typically a bit lower, so if you’re traveling from Oslo, you may want to walk on as a passenger and then rent in Copenhagen. As always, we recommend price comparing through Kayak, our favorite place to look for rental cars.
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Book on off days
Make your ferry reservation in advance to secure your spot and come away with the best deal. It’s not a set price and there’s often a big price difference between popular days and days that are less crowded. This includes room and car prices.The website makes it somewhat easy to price compare between days and rooms. Look for weekdays and non-holiday periods.
Remember that July is the holiday month here in Scandinavia, so you’ll pay more to travel within that month or on any other major holidays. Our trip began at the end of July and we returned early August, with the August trip being far less expensive than the first leg of the journey.
Spend a little extra to upgrade your room
When booking you will choose the number of rooms you need (based on number of occupants) and where on the ship you want to be. Economy rooms are located in the very bottom of the boat, tucked into the back corner close to the parking decks and engine rooms. While the rooms aren’t much different in size, it’s a bit loud and hot down there. Car alarms go off through the night and, while not blaring, it just doesn’t make for the best night of sleep. On our return journey, we opted up just one level to a four-person cabin (which will put you on floor 5 instead of 2) and out of the underbelly of the boat. It made a huge difference and was so much cooler. The price difference was around $30 on that particular day, making it totally worth it.
Board early
Your boat will open up several hours before departure, which occurs around 4 pm, so it’s preferable to get there with a little time to spare. It makes boarding easy and relaxed and allows you to get stuff settled in your room without a crowd. Then move on to the next tip. Restaurants and bars will already be open. For us, arriving around 2:30 pm was more than sufficient.
Quick tip: If you’re traveling with a car, you’ll want to make sure you have everything you need for the night with you when you leave the parking deck. The car cabin locks upon departure and cannot be accessed during the journey. Also, it’s smart to disable your car alarm, as the ships movements can set it off during the journey and potentially drain your battery.
Secure an outside seat if weather is nice
There are several outside seating areas on the boat, but I highly recommend grabbing a table at the back bar area, where you can stay outside and have a bit of shelter from the breeze once the boat gets moving. Otherwise, it can get a bit chilly on the water and in the wind. By grabbing a table out of the wind, we were able to sit outside for several hours after departure. Sky Bar seemed to be the ideal spot for this, as it sits at the back of the boat and provides a nice wind buffer if you’re not too close to the back railing.
Pack snacks, sweatshirts & anti-nausea meds
Snacks – there are plenty of things for sale on the boat, but of course, they are pricey. Because you can carry on as much luggage as you want, it’s wise to have a handy bag of snacks for the journey.
Sweatshirts or jackets – You will want to spend plenty of time outside on the decks of the boat, especially as you are leaving and entering ports. The journey up the Oslo Fjord is particularly beautiful. You’ll want something to keep you warm out in the wind so you don’t have to miss out.
Anti-nausea meds – Just because it doesn’t hurt to have Dramamine on hand when you’re out on open water. It’s a big ship, so you have a good chance of not needing it. However, once you clear the coast of Denmark and are more out on the open water, the waves can get a bit more choppy. Especially if you are prone to motion sickness, I’d take along your meds of choice as a precaution.
Check out the entertainment schedule
Consider this ferry more of a mini-cruise, except a bit more cheesy and low budget. I know that doesn’t make it sound great, but just go with it. While the adults in my crew found the BINGO, trivia and children’s activities more of a laughable experience, my kids LOVED every second. Which, of course, made us say yes to attending everything offered. There were giveaways (which my kids won a few of and were JACKED) and honestly, the kids relaxed standards were kind of refreshing and endearing. The entertainment hostess is always charming and it helps pass the time on board. Make it fun and just go along (maybe order a drink or two since no one is driving).
Reserve restaurants early
There are a limited number of dining options on board, so if you want to eat at a specific time at the Skagerak Buffet or Kull Steak & Seafood Grill, make sure to make a reservation early. We were a bit shocked by the set prices when looking ahead, so ended up carrying food on board with us and eating a low key dinner and lots of snacks in the common areas.
On our return journey we ate at the Syd Italian restaurant on board. It was fairly decent and much better priced than the all-you-can-eat options. It also doesn’t require a reservation, so go early or late and you’ll be just fine.
If you don’t reserve meals when you are making your booking, you’ll receive email reminders to register for meals for a few weeks leading up to the journey, so you can always change your mind!
Get off the boat!
This feels obvious, but please get off the boat! The crew made multiple announcements that guests needed to leave the boat for at least two hours to allow for cleaning, but that then they could reenter. The time on the boat should not be the sole purpose of coming all the way to Copenhagen or Oslo. At least, plan a short stroll in the new city or try out a local bakery. At best, go with a few days to spare and stay over in a new country. Highly recommend completing a short drive out of Oslo to reach some of the most incredible nature on this planet. More on our adventures in the country soon.
If you’re traveling from Oslo down to Copenhagen, then we’ve got so many ways for you to spend your time in the city. Check out some of our favorite things to do here.
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