★★★★★
Dax WhitfieldMissoula, Montana, USA
The moment the engines switched to electric mode past the harbor, the whole boat went quiet — you could actually hear the water. Preikestolen looked completely different from below than in any photo I'd seen. Worth rearranging our whole Stavanger schedule around.
Lysefjord Cruise Team replied: Thanks, Dax! That hush right after the harbor is everyone's favorite moment, and it's great to hear you rearranged the day for it.
★★★★★
Corinne AshbrookSavannah, Georgia, USA
Calm water, warm waffles, and cliffs that never stopped. Perfect afternoon.
Lysefjord Cruise Team replied: Thank you, Corinne. A perfect afternoon is exactly the goal.
★★★★☆
Beau TillermanSan Diego, California, USA
Beautiful cruise overall, and the electric catamaran is impressively smooth. We got a little unlucky with rain near Hengjanefossen so the waterfall photos came out hazier than I'd hoped, though the crew handed out ponchos without us even asking. Four stars mostly because of the weather, not the tour itself.
Lysefjord Cruise Team replied: We sail rain or shine for exactly that reason, Beau. Glad the ponchos helped, even if the weather didn't cooperate for photos.
★★★★★
Marguerite SowinskiBuffalo, New York, USA
We've done a fair number of fjord cruises across Scandinavia over the years, and this one stands out for how unhurried it felt. The captain slowed right down under Preikestolen so everyone could actually get a decent photo instead of cruising past at speed, and the guide's commentary on the audio system was informative without being constant chatter. My husband, who gets seasick easily, said the catamaran felt noticeably more stable than the older diesel boats we'd been on elsewhere. The cinnamon buns from the snack bar were an unexpected highlight too.
Lysefjord Cruise Team replied: Stability is one of the real advantages of the catamaran hull, Marguerite. Glad your husband felt the difference, and yes, those cinnamon buns have their own fan base.
★★★★★
Étienne LachanceTrois-Rivières, Québec, Canada
Silent, scenic, and surprisingly comfortable. Highly recommend the window seats.
Lysefjord Cruise Team replied: Window seats are the move, Étienne — thanks for the tip to future guests!
★★★★★
Bridget FennimoreKelowna, British Columbia, Canada
Booked this on a whim during a stopover in Stavanger and it turned into the best three and a half hours of the whole trip. Our guide pointed out a white-tailed eagle circling above Fantehola, and the story about the cave itself was more interesting than I expected from what I assumed would just be a quick photo stop.
Lysefjord Cruise Team replied: Stopovers turning into highlights is what we love to hear, Bridget. That eagle timing was a nice bit of luck.
★★★★★
Naoya IchikawaNagoya, Japan
Quiet, clean, and the mountains felt close enough to touch.
Lysefjord Cruise Team replied: Thank you, Naoya. That closeness to the cliffs is what makes Lysefjord special.
★★★★★
Kotone BabaSendai, Japan
Traveled with my elderly parents and was worried about comfort on a boat trip this long. The leather seating inside the lounge made a real difference, and staff were very attentive when my mother needed to move around. Preikestolen from the water was more dramatic than seeing it from the hiking trail photos everyone posts online.
Lysefjord Cruise Team replied: Comfort for guests of all ages matters a lot to us, Kotone — glad the lounge worked well for your parents.
★★★★☆
Ryo TashiroOkayama, Japan
Lovely scenery throughout and the electric engine really is remarkably quiet. Only reason for four stars is that the boat felt a bit crowded near the outdoor deck during the Preikestolen stop, though I understand that's just timing and popularity. Still a memorable few hours on the water.
Lysefjord Cruise Team replied: Thanks for the honest note on deck space, Ryo. That's exactly the kind of feedback we pass along to the crew.
★★★★★
Yumeko ArataKanazawa, Japan
This was the highlight of our entire Norway itinerary, and we visited four cities. What struck me most was how the boat lingered rather than rushing between stops — near Hengjanefossen, the captain brought us close enough that we could feel the spray, and nobody seemed to mind getting slightly wet. The audio guide's Norwegian and English tracks were both clear and well-paced, never talking over the scenery. We also appreciated that the crew kept checking on my grandmother, who uses a wheelchair, without making a fuss about it.
Lysefjord Cruise Team replied: Making sure every guest feels looked after, without making it awkward, is something we take seriously, Yumeko. Thank you for noticing, and for such a detailed review.
★★★★★
Xiaolei PengChengdu, Sichuan, China
Booked this after seeing photos of Preikestolen from below and it did not disappoint. The catamaran is impressively stable even when the wind picked up near the open fjord. Coffee and waffles from the snack bar made the ride even better.
Lysefjord Cruise Team replied: That view from below really does look different from any photo, Xiaolei — glad it lived up to expectations.
★★★★★
Yun Qiao FeiXiamen, China
Peaceful ride, dramatic scenery, friendly crew throughout.
Lysefjord Cruise Team replied: Peaceful and dramatic in one sentence; we'll take it, Yun Qiao. Thank you!
★★★★★
Bohai RongQingdao, China
As someone who has spent a lot of time on boats along the Chinese coast, I went in expecting a fairly standard sightseeing trip, but this exceeded that easily. The transition from harbor to open fjord happens quickly, and within twenty minutes the cliffs were rising almost vertically on both sides. Our guide's story about Fantehola and the people who once hid there added real depth to what could have just been a photo stop. The panoramic windows in the lounge meant that even when we stepped inside to warm up, we didn't miss any of the scenery. Booking through the official site felt straightforward and the confirmation was fast.
Lysefjord Cruise Team replied: Glad the fjord surprised you despite your experience on the water, Bohai. That shift from harbor to cliffs gets us too, every time.
★★★★☆
Lianjie XunKunming, Yunnan, China
Really enjoyable afternoon with properly impressive scenery near the waterfall. We had a partial boat change on the day due to maintenance, which was communicated clearly beforehand but did shift our departure time by about twenty minutes. Not a big deal in the end, and the replacement boat was just as comfortable.
Lysefjord Cruise Team replied: Appreciate your patience with the boat change, Lianjie. We always aim to communicate those early, and it's good to hear the replacement didn't lower the experience.
★★★★★
Frederike SonnenscheinTübingen, Germany
A wonderfully calm way to see Preikestolen without the several-hour hike. The electric catamaran barely makes a sound, so you actually hear the waterfall before you see it. Would happily do this again on a return trip to Stavanger.
Lysefjord Cruise Team replied: Hearing the waterfall before seeing it is one of our favorite little details, Frederike — thank you!
★★★★★
Matthias HerweghRostock, Germany
I'll admit I was skeptical about how much a boat tour could add compared to hiking to Preikestolen directly, but seeing the rock formation from below completely changed my understanding of its scale. The guide's commentary struck a good balance between geology, local history, and the folklore around Fantehola, without ever feeling like a rehearsed script. My children, aged eight and eleven, stayed engaged the entire three and a half hours, partly thanks to the wildlife spotting and partly thanks to a steady supply of cinnamon buns. A well-organized, memorable morning.
Lysefjord Cruise Team replied: Comparing the view from below to the hike is a common revelation for our guests, Matthias. Glad the kids stayed hooked too, cinnamon buns included.
★★★★★
Solveig MarchalChambéry, France
Even growing up near the Alps, this fjord impressed me.
Lysefjord Cruise Team replied: Thank you, Solveig — high praise from the Alps.
★★★★☆
Aurélien DuchampsRennes, France
A properly relaxing trip with excellent views of Hengjanefossen and the cliffs around Fantehola. We went in early autumn and the weather turned overcast partway through, which softened some of the photos, but the crew's storytelling more than made up for it. Would recommend booking the earliest available departure for the best light.
Lysefjord Cruise Team replied: Good tip on the early departure for light, Aurélien. We'll make sure that's easy to find at checkout, and glad the storytelling carried the afternoon.