MS Stavangerfjord - Ship Visit and Photo Tour

Last week I went on board Fjordline's cruise-ferry Stavangerfjord, for a whistle stop tour of her passenger facilities during her impressively fast turnaround in the city.

MS Stavangerfjord approaches Bergen, Norway

To find out a bit more about her design, construction and service, take a look at my previous post here, with photos of Stavangerfjord approaching Bergen taken last December.

Otherwise, keep reading to have a look around her public rooms, cabins and suites...

A plan of Deck 7, showing the layout of Stavangerfjord's public spaces (credit: fjordline.com)

With a few exceptions, Deck 7 contains all of Stavangerfjords public spaces. The gangway leads directly to the middle of this deck, adjacent to the reception desk. First impressions are good, with an attractive entrance area and smiling staff to welcome you on board.

The Reception Desk

Directly opposite the reception desk is Bungalow Wine & Tapas Bar, with the fresh food on display making this an appealing area. A grand piano stands in on corner of the space, next to the main walkway leading forward through the ship.

An attractive display at Bungalow Wine & Tapas Bar

At the forward end of Deck 7 is the Fjord Lounge. The entrance to this room is through the wide wood panelled walkway that winds through the full length of Stavangerfjord's main public deck.

The entry to the Fjord Lounge

The lounge itself is a vibrant space, with a large dance floor and stage area in the centre taking the focus over the colourful seating areas which line the walls. Full-height windows along the forward end of the lounge make this a pleasant room throughout the day, but this is a venue which really comes alive at night, and doesn't stop until the small hours of the morning.

The dance floor and stage area in the Fjord Lounge

Several scale models of Stavangerfjord are displayed throughout her public spaces. This birds eye view shows off the attractive modern lines of her bow and forward superstructure.

A close-up of a model displayed on board

Often referred to as the 'Yellow Room', this corner of the Fjord Lounge offers a bit of distance from the activities in the main section. 

The 'Yellow Room' just off the Fjord Lounge

Moving back along Deck 7 brings you to the selection of dining venues on board Stavangerfjord. The interiors throughout are bright, clean and pleasant. The daily programme is displayed on board next to one of the main stairwells.

Bingo and Showtime - a typical evening's activities on Stavangerfjord

The Oasis Garden Cafe is the main casual dining area, with cantine-style service of a range of hot and cold food and drinks. The unusual garden-themed interiors breath a bit of life and personality into what could otherwise have been an uninspiring space.

Seating in the Oasis Garden Cafe

Seating areas for the Oasis Garden Cafe occupy much of the middle section of Deck 7, with a range of styles and sizes of tables.

The decor in the Oasis Garden Cafe is fresh and appealing

The main service area is clean, light and functional, with a pale tiled floor and while granite counters; standard fare for a modern cruise ferry interior.

Closed for cleaning - a look into the service area of the Oasis Garden Cafe

For anyone willing to dig a little deeper for a high quality, a la carte dining experience, there is Grieg Gourmet. This smaller, more intimate space is a cut above the two larger venues between which it is located.

Grieg Gourmet

Just outside Grieg Gourmet is a small seating area. It does feel a little out of place, but offers additional capacity for the Oasis Garden Cafe, or simply acts as a comfortable lounge area.

The passageway and seating area outside Grieg Gourmet

Spanning the full width of Stavangerfjord at the aft end of Deck 7 is the Commander Buffet. This self-service, all you can eat restaurant is a popular choice. Pre-booking is required (this can be done once on board) as there are two fixed sittings at each meal.

Seating in the Commander Buffet

A dinner buffet here costs around 360NOK, which offers fantastic value, considering the price also includes unlimited beer and wine during your nearly 2-hour allocated dining slot. The decor here is understated and stylish, with large picture windows at the aft end flooding the room with light.

The self-service buffet area sits at the front end of the Commander Buffet

After completing our tour of Deck 7, we headed outside, and up (through the rain) to the top of the ship via her open decks. With the weather as it was, these didn't look too appealing, but it was clear these are a great place to enjoy when the sun does come out.

Stavangerfjord's open decks

One really clever design feature here is the overhead gantry crane built into Deck 10. This can extend out over the ship's side to lift whole containers of supplies on board, before lowering them through a hatch directly to the storage and galley areas below. This method dramatically reduces the amount of time taken to restock Stavangerfjord, and is one of the reasons she is able to turnaround so quickly between sailings.

The crane takes on supplies for the upcoming voyage

The remainder of Stavangerfjord's public spaces can be found in the central section of Deck 10. The Sky Deck Lounge is a multi-use space, complete with a fully stocked bar. This can be used for private or group events, exhibitions and performances. During sunnier sailings the seating on the deck outside acts as an extension to the bar area.

The Sky Deck Lounge

To either side of the Sky Deck Lounge are two large, well-equipped conference rooms. Stavangerfjord and Bergensfjord are popular with conference groups; something they have in common with most Scandinavian and Baltic passenger ferries.

Conference facilities on board Stavangerfjord

Moving back down through the ship we passed through one of Stavangerfjord's main stairwells. The decor throughout is clean and modern. A large skylight does what it can to let the minimal Bergen sun down to the decks below.

Views of the central stairwell from Decks 9 and 10

ACCOMMODATION

A wide range of cabins and suites are available to passengers travelling on Stavangerfjord. Standard cabins sleep 2-4 adults, with upper berths folding down from the ceiling.

A standard outside (ocean view) cabin

All cabins have en suite bathrooms, and the rooms themselves are clean, light and practical. Considering the rates these can be booked for, they offer great value.

A typical 4-berth inside cabin with en suite bathroom

At the top end of the scale of accommodation are Stavangerfjord's 16 suites. These rooms have large picture windows, separate seating areas with TVs, comfortable double beds and larger, wood panelled en suite bathrooms.

The comfortable surroundings of a suite on board Stavangerfjord

These rooms would certainly add an extra level of comfort to a voyage on board Stavangerfjord, although they do come at a considerably higher price than the standard cabins.

Suites feature upgraded bathrooms and lanrge double beds 

FINAL IMPRESSIONS

Stavangerfjord (and her identical sister Bergensfjord) represent a substantial investment by Fjordline. They received considerable attention in the shipbuilding industry as the first cruise-ferries in the world to be powered exclusively by liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Internally and externally these are two very attractive modern ships, with low sleek profiles and interesting interiors. I enjoyed taking a look around Stavangerfjord, and I'm sure it won't be long before I step on board as a passenger for a weekend party cruise. Based on what I've seen, it should be a great trip.