What would you suggest for a Norwegian fjords cruise?

Simon Calder answers your questions on Norwegian cruises, Avanti West Coast strikes and BA’s new Italian routes

A ferry trip in early March or late October offers the best chance to see the northern lights (PA)

Q We are thinking of going on a cruise to the Norwegian fjords but are not sure which cruise line to use – or which month would be best? We are first-time cruisers, so we are only thinking of doing a week.

Shelly F

A My strong recommendation is that you take a voyage with Hurtigruten. This will not be aboard an actual cruise ship – entertainment and bars are thin on the decks – but it is a superb way to experience the best that the coast of Norway has to offer.

Hurtigruten is the “Coastal Express” ferry that runs daily from Bergen to the far north of northern Norway, passing the North Cape headland and ending up at Kirkenes, close to the Russian border. Because it is an essential component of public transport in Norway, you will find that it typically stops every few hours (including in the middle of the night) to take on or deliver passengers and goods to cities, towns and fishing villages along the way.

While that role takes priority, the company knows that “cruise passengers” constitute an important way to make up the numbers. Therefore, partly thanks to the heavy subsidies paid by the Norwegian government to keep the Hurtigruten running, you can enjoy a voyage at a reasonable price even in one of the most expensive countries in the world. The deal includes a sumptuous buffet at meal times but not alcoholic drinks. In addition, there are longer stops built in at interesting cities such as Alesund and Trondheim to enable some proper sightseeing.

For a week’s trip, I suggest you fly into Bergen – spending a day or two in a beautiful city – and enjoy a ferry trip of four days to Tromso, another fascinating city. Flight connections are better than ever this year, and competition makes them affordable. The best time to travel? In early March or late October you benefit from a balance between night and day, maximising the chances of a northern lights sighting but also allowing you to enjoy breathtaking coastal scenery and beautiful islands.

Talks continue this week with 17 Sunday strikes still planned (Getty)

Q Are the Avanti West Coaststrikes suspended just for these two weekends or for the foreseeable future? I need to go to London on a Sunday in March.

AM

A Your question made my heart sink, since it is also one that countless thousands of other prospective rail passengers are doubtless considering – with many of them deciding to drive or fly instead.

First, the context: Avanti West Coast runs intercity trains linking London Euston with the West Midlands, northwest England, North Wales and southern Scotland. Train managers working for Avanti West Coast want more money for working on rest days. They have been offered £250 for an eight-hour shift on a weekday and £300 at weekends.

My understanding is that there are usually sufficient volunteers to cover the required shifts. But their train-driving colleagues get a flat £600 for working on a day off, so you can understand a certain discontent.

Train managers belonging to the RMT union voted emphatically to reject the latest offer. They planned 20 successive Sunday strikes between 12 January and the end of May (as well as walking out on New Year’s Eve and 2 January).

Last Thursday, the RMT called off the stoppages on 19 and 26 January “to allow intensive talks to take place”. The announcement came too late to reinstate much of this weekend’s schedule, so passengers found most Sunday trains were cancelled.

I expect the talks to continue during this week, and for Avanti West Coast to lay more money on the table. The Department for Transport will have to sign off any improved offer, since the extra cost will be met by taxpayers. The deal would then be put to train managers. If the union recommends acceptance, I predict it will be approved and the remaining 17 Sunday strikes called off. In your position, I would book a ticket with confidence.

Yet even if the strikes are called off by the end of the week, plenty of damage will have been done to the railway. Trains are unpredictable enough already without strikes adding to the uncertainty. While I absolutely respect the right of rail workers to walk out in pursuit of ever-higher wages, the current subsidy of £400 per second from taxpayers to the railway looks unsustainable. Future travellers must be encouraged to take trains; repeated industrial action does the opposite.

Tiberius bridge is a famous sightseeing spot in Rimini (Getty/iStock)

Q I see BA has launched flights to Rimini and Salerno. Any recommendations to visit?

Sarah O’N

A British Airways launches two completely new Italian routes this summer from London. BA will fly from Heathrow to Rimini on the Adriatic coast from 15 May to 27 September. From Gatwick, BA Euroflyer will serve Salerno at the eastern end of the Amalfi coast from 22 May to 25 October. Both routes will operate on three days a week: Monday, Thursday and Saturday.

They are far from the only links from London to these Italian cities. Both are served this summer by easyJet from Gatwick and by Ryanair from Stansted. But the arrival of British Airways will add competition and choice of departure days and airports. In addition, collectors of Avios points may well be tempted to redeem them to these destinations.

Rimini is a classic and rather sprawling Adriatic resort, with some excellent hotels and a decent (if sometimes crowded) beach. You can easily walk from the airport (named for the film director Federico Fellini) to some of the hotels. More excitingly, Rimini is the best place to land for a trip up into the hills to the tiny nation of San Marino, a 50-minute bus ride from Rimini railway station. It is also the closest airport to the enchanting city of Ravenna, a 43-minute train ride away. In the fifth century, Ravenna was the capital of the western Roman empire, and exquisite mosaics were created in places of worship. These are preserved at five key locations.

Salerno provides easier access to the Amalfi coast than does Naples airport – though note the airport is inconveniently located 15km southeast of the city, in the “wrong” direction for the spectacular coastline. Salerno itself deserves exploration, with an impressive cathedral and atmospheric Centro Storico. Note that Jet2 will fly from Birmingham and Manchester to Salerno from May to October, just in case either airport is more convenient for you.

Finally, I am looking at both destinations for “empty leg” bargains. I may fly out to either region, using Bologna or Naples airports, in early May, with a view to grabbing a cheap seat on the first inbound leg from either Rimini or Salerno.

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