Olden in brief
Olden sits at the inner end of the Nordfjord, in Stryn municipality, where the Oldedalen valley runs south toward the Jostedal ice cap.
The village is small, the port is not — Nordfjord Havn says the cruise quay here can take the largest vessels.
Ships can dock here, so you may walk straight off.
Celebrity puts the terminal about 700 m from the village center, and one port guide calls it a 10–15 minute walk — flat, with no big climb.
There’s no big terminal hall, by that same account — just tourist information, cafes, shops, restrooms and the tour meeting points near the pier.
A second ship may tender.
The port authority lists a tender landing at Olden Cruise Park. It also lists one at Loen, where smaller ships can anchor and send passengers ashore at the Loen Skylift quay.
If your daily program names Loen, you’re landing next to the cable car, not in Olden. Plan the morning from there.
The real question is how you’ll get up the valleys. Our Olden shore excursion guide sorts Briksdal, the Skylift and Kjenndal by time — read it before you book.
From the quay to the village
Nordfjord Havn’s quay, which the port says can take the largest ships. If your ship docks, this is where you’ll step off.
About a 10–15 minute walk on the flat — just under half a mile.
They usually wait outside the terminal. Local operators run Briksdal and Skylift shuttles on ship days.
Celebrity calls the old church a short walk from the center, and one guide puts a church within about a kilometer of the port.
Where tenders come in if your ship anchors off Olden instead of docking.
Smaller ships may anchor off Loen and land at the Loen Skylift quay instead.
What's nearby, broadly
From the ship, the old church is a walk, not a ride.
Oldedalen, Lake Olden and Briksdal run south up one valley — the glacier is about 25 km out, with a walk of about 700 m from the troll-car stop to the ice.
The Skylift and the via ferrata are in Loen, the neighboring village on the fjord. Lovatnet and Kjenndal Glacier lie up the Lodalen valley behind Loen.
Celebrity says the Skala trek can take most of a day and is best done as a shore excursion. Leave it for a long call.
Commonly reached from
Olden is a Nordfjord call on Norway sailings. A sample of July 2027 shows Celebrity, Regent Seven Seas, P&O Cruises, Ambassador, Holland America, SeaDream and Princess, with Cruise Timetables reporting 34 calls that month. Typical call times in that sample run about 8 or 10 am to 5 to 7 pm. Our guides to Geirangerfjord, Ålesund and Bergen cover the neighboring Norway ports — and the full region is in our Arctic and Norwegian fjords hub.
Planning your Olden day
Briksdal by troll car, the Skylift up Hoven, a boat on Lovatnet or a kayak on the fjord — that decision gets its own page. This one covers the port itself.
Weighing a third-party booker against the ship? Our Shore Excursions Group vs. Viator comparison sets out how they handle a late return.
Best Olden shore excursions
Briksdal in three to four hours, the Skylift in a couple, Kjenndal by boat, kayaks on the Nordfjord. Here’s which one fits your call.
See the full excursion guide →Practical notes
Wheels decide the day here.
Taxis exist but are limited in number, and one port guide says they’re often pre-booked on cruise days. No taxi fare is published for Olden.
Olden Cruise runs a Briksdal shuttle bus and, since 2017, a Skylift shuttle. Loen Skylift says its shuttle from the port includes the lift ticket and runs only when a ship is in.
If you want a rental car, reserve it before you sail — at home, not at the pier.
Bring a card, not cash.
Norway uses the krone (NOK), and Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted. Vipps, the Norwegian payment app, doesn’t work for Skylift tickets or at its Hoven Restaurant.
The US advisory is Level 1.
The State Department lists Norway at Level 1 — exercise normal precautions, issued July 6, 2026. It flags landslides and avalanches on steep terrain, quick clay and theft in busy places. Our map card says US citizens need no tourist visa for stays under 90 days.
Norway is Schengen, so EES applies at the outer border.
The EU’s Entry/Exit System has been fully operational at Schengen external borders since April 10, 2026. ETIAS isn’t running yet, and the EU hasn’t announced a start date. Check travel-europe.europa.eu before you fly.
Ask your cruise line what it expects at embarkation; we found no source on how EES is applied at Olden.
The season runs spring to autumn.
Local operators list April to October, and the Briksdal troll cars normally run May to October. Pack a warm, waterproof layer for any glacier trip.
Sources: Nordfjord Havn’s cruise page (nordfjordhavn.no) for the quay and tender landings; Celebrity Cruises’ Olden port guide for the 700 m terminal distance, taxis, shuttles and cards; Adventour Begins’ port guide for walking time, pier facilities and taxis; Visit Norway on the Briksdal troll cars; Visit Nordfjord on Olden Cruise and Olden Active; Loen Skylift’s own pages on shuttles, payment and prices; CruiseMapper for the Briksdal distance; Cruise Timetables for July 2027 calls; the State Department’s Norway advisory (travel.state.gov) for the level; and SchengenVisaInfo on ETIAS — all consulted October 28, 2026. Walking time and the taxi shortage come from a third-party guide, not the port. We won’t print a taxi fare or a 2026–27 call count for Olden alone; neither is published.
Planning an Olden port day?
Tell us how much time you've got and who's with you.
Docked in Olden or tendering at Loen, six hours or ten — tell us, and we’ll say whether Briksdal fits or the Skylift is the smarter half-day.
Answers verified against current pricing and itineraries before you book.
Olden FAQ
Where do cruise ships dock in Olden?
At the Olden cruise quay, run by Nordfjord Havn, which says it can take the largest ships. The terminal is about 700 m from the village center.
Does Olden tender?
Sometimes. The port lists a tender landing at Olden Cruise Park, and smaller ships may anchor off Loen and land at the Skylift quay.
Your daily program will say which.
How far is the walk into Olden village?
About 700 m, or 10–15 minutes on the flat.
How far is Briksdal Glacier from the port?
About 25 km (16 miles) south. From the troll-car stop it’s roughly a 700 m walk to the glacier, or about 3 km on foot from the parking area.
Is there a shuttle to Loen Skylift?
Yes. Loen Skylift says a shuttle bus from the Port of Olden includes the lift ticket, running only when a ship is in port. You can also book it through the ship.
Are there taxis at the Olden cruise pier?
Usually, yes — they wait outside the terminal. Numbers are limited, though, and many are pre-booked on ship days. No fare is published.
What currency does Olden use?
The Norwegian krone (NOK). Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted.
When do cruise ships call at Olden?
Local operators work April to October, and Cruise Timetables reports 34 calls in July 2027 alone. Summer is the busy stretch.
Want a sailing that stops in Olden?
Tell us roughly when and who's going — we'll match the itinerary and ship to how you travel.
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