Which ship
A Stavanger fjord cruise to Pulpit Rock comes on three kinds of quiet ship and on fast open boats. This guide is about the ships: what is on board, how quiet each one is, which languages the commentary speaks, and what you pay, from $83 per person.
Quick answer
The short answer. For a quiet Stavanger fjord cruise with the most reviews behind it, book the fully electric catamaran at $93: 10,463 reviewers rate it 4.6, and you get a warm lounge, open decks and a snack bar. For the lowest fare, the $83 hybrid-electric ship with a live guide in English and three outdoor decks. For commentary in six languages and a shorter 2.5 hours, the $89 low-emission vessel, rated 4.8.
The three ships
Same harbour, same three sights; different hours and extras.
Three of the seven day trips on this site are ships rather than open boats, and on paper they look alike: a covered boat, the same harbour in town and the same three named sights. Whichever Pulpit Rock cruise Stavanger harbour sends you out on, the itinerary lists Vagabond's Cave (Fantahåla), Pulpit Rock and Hengjanefossen, the waterfall the tour descriptions call the “Whisky Falls”. What differs is the engine, the hours, the commentary and the extras.
The fully electric catamaran is the ship built around quiet. Its listing calls the ride “quiet, stable, and comfortable”, and at 3.5 hours it is one of the two longest days here. You choose between open decks and a warm lounge with large panoramic windows, leather seats and Wi-Fi. This Stavanger fjord cruise has 10,463 reviews at 4.6, more than any other listing on the site.
The hybrid-electric ship also runs 3.5 hours and is sold “for a silent experience”. Inside are saloons with floor-to-ceiling windows; outside, three decks. At $83 it is the lowest fare on the site, and it carries a live guide who speaks English.
The third ship is a modern low-emission vessel run by a family-owned, environmentally certified company. It is the shortest of the three at 2.5 hours and the only one that names the island of Ådnøy. Its listing makes no claim about noise.
On board
Only what the listings say. If a feature is missing here, the listing does not mention it.
Open decks or a warm lounge with large panoramic windows, leather seats and Wi-Fi. A snack bar sells warm waffles, cinnamon buns, coffee and drinks. Audio guide in English and Norwegian. Wheelchair accessible.
Saloons with floor-to-ceiling windows or one of three outdoor decks. An onboard café sells snacks and drinks. Live guide in English. Wheelchair accessible.
Audio guide in English, French, German, Italian, Norwegian and Spanish; tell the crew your language in advance or when you board. Wheelchair accessible. The listing names no café and no lounge.
Food. The snack bar and the café sell what they have; no ship listing puts a meal or a drink in the price.
From the water
The same three sights, told three ways. Wildlife is a chance on these trips, never a promise.
Cruises close to Hengjanefossen so you feel the cool spray in the air, passes Vagabond's Cave while you hear its stories, and shows Preikestolen from below, rising 604 metres. You may spot white-tailed eagles.
Visits Vagabond's Cave, a narrow outcrop in the side of the fjord, and the “whiskey” waterfall, with Preikestolen towering over 600 metres. The listing is clear that wildlife is a chance, not a promise.
Passes Ådnøy, Fantahålå, Preikestolen and the Whiskey Waterfall in 2.5 hours, and the guide shares local legends, among them the seven sisters of Lysebotn and the seven brothers.
From the deck
Three views from the water, from the open fjord to the rock itself.
A metal railing runs along the bottom of the frame; beyond the wind-ruffled grey water, a wooded hill and a row of white farmhouses sit on a green shore.
Ruffled grey water stretches ahead between steep mountainsides, and the far end of the fjord fades into mist under a low, heavy sky.
Looking up from the water, the square granite block of Pulpit Rock stands against pale cloud and a patch of blue sky.
Every boat, current fare
The seven day trips from Stavanger harbour, per person. The three ships come first; the fast boats are here to compare. Food is not in any of these prices.
| Cruise | Price | Price is for | Length | What the price covers | Where it starts | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hybrid-electric ship | $83 | per person | 3.5 hours | Cruise with a live guide in English. Café on board, paid separately | Pier before the tourist information, Strandkaien | 4.7 · 460 |
| Low-emission vessel | $89 | per person | 2.5 hours | Cruise with an audio guide in six languages | Main harbour, by the small houses at Strandkaien | 4.8 · 2,771 |
| Electric catamaran, our top pick | $93 | per person | 3.5 hours | Cruise with an audio guide in English and Norwegian. Snack bar, paid separately | Strandkaien, Vågen | 4.6 · 10,463 |
| RIB from the old boathouse | $141 | per person | 2 hours | Flotation suit and life jacket, guide. Up to 12 people | Strandkaien 34 | 4.9 · 108 |
| RIB safari | $143 | per person | 2 hours | Local guide and a 15-minute safety briefing | Strandkaien 34 | 4.8 · 130 |
| RIB with suits and goggles | $145 | per person | 2 hours | Lifejacket, floating suit, gloves and goggles, live guide. Up to 12 people | In front of the Stavanger Maritime Museum | 4.9 · 1,475 |
| Small guided boat | $166 | per person | 2.5 to 3 hours | Floating suit with a hood, guide in English, Norwegian and German | Strandkaien 34 | 4.9 · 106 |
Quiet or fast
Shorter and pricier on the open boats; longer, covered and cheaper on the ships.
The ships are the slower, covered way in. The open boats are shorter and cost more: the two-hour RIBs are $141 to $145 and put you in a floating or flotation suit, and the small guided boat with a convertible sun-top is $166 for 2.5 to 3 hours at 25 to 35 knots. On a ship you sit inside or out as you like, and on two of the three you can buy a coffee.
The ships cost $83 to $93, well under the fast boats. For a fjord cruise from Stavanger with a wheelchair user in the group, the three ships are the ones whose listings say wheelchair accessible. If you want spray on your face and speed, the RIB guide on this site covers those boats one by one.
In their words
Quoted as written, with name and country.
«Very smooth ride to the fjords. Boat was very comfortable and spacious»
«Comfortable seating, panoramic views, the option to go above deck, take photos.»
«Extremely comfortable seats. Nice & warm.»
«The coffee and refreshments available are a must.»
«Absolutely stunning scenery and comfortable boat with plenty of space»
Before you book
Small details on the listing that shape your Stavanger fjord cruise day.
The electric catamaran leaves from Strandkaien, Vågen. The hybrid ship wants you at the pier just before the tourist information at least 15 minutes ahead. The low-emission vessel meets in the main harbour by the small houses at Strandkaien.
No listing prints a fixed time; each asks you to check availability for starting times. Choose yours on the booking page.
For French, German, Italian or Spanish, the low-emission vessel is the one ship with an audio guide in those languages. Tell the crew when you board.
All eight listings offer free cancellation and reserve now, pay later. Check the cut-off on the booking page before you pay.
Our verdict
Book the electric catamaran at $93 if you want one answer: a quiet, fully electric Stavanger fjord cruise with a warm lounge, a snack bar and 10,463 reviews at 4.6. On a budget, take the $83 hybrid ship with a live guide. For French, German, Italian or Spanish commentary, the $89 low-emission vessel, rated 4.8 and an hour shorter.
Book direct
The electric catamaran, the lowest fare and the six-language audio guide. All three are priced per person.
★ 4.6 · 10,463 reviews
★ 4.7 · 460 reviews
★ 4.8 · 2,771 reviews
Common questions
The electric catamaran's listing calls the ride “quiet, stable, and comfortable”, and the hybrid-electric ship is sold “for a silent experience”. Rob from Australia, on the electric boat: «…the boat was quiet, comfortable and pleasant.» The low-emission vessel's listing makes no claim about noise.
On two of the three ships. The electric catamaran has a snack bar with warm waffles, fresh cinnamon buns, coffee and drinks; the hybrid ship has an onboard café for snacks and drinks. You pay for both on board. None of the three ships includes food in the price.
The electric catamaran has an audio guide in English and Norwegian. The hybrid ship has a live guide in English. The low-emission vessel has an audio guide in English, French, German, Italian, Norwegian and Spanish; tell the crew your language in advance or when you board.
Yes, by their listings: the electric catamaran, the hybrid-electric ship and the low-emission vessel all say wheelchair accessible. The listings give no further detail, so ask about your own needs when you book.
The electric catamaran's listing says it sails “rain or shine”, and its warm lounge has large panoramic windows. Emily from the United Kingdom, on the hybrid ship: «The scenery is absolutely breathtaking (even in the rain!)». Low cloud can hide the top of the rock, so we do not promise a view.
Pick by the day you want. The ships run 2.5 to 3.5 hours for $83 to $93, with a lounge or saloons on the electric and hybrid ships. The RIBs run 2 hours for $141 to $145 in a floating or flotation suit, and two of them are limited to 12 people.
Your options
If this is your first Stavanger Norway fjord cruise, start with the ship and let the price follow: the electric catamaran for the longest quiet day and the most reviews, the hybrid ship for the lowest fare and a live guide, the low-emission vessel for six languages in 2.5 hours. From the water you see Pulpit Rock from below, 604 metres above you; standing on top is a separate hike on a different day.
Go deeper
Every Lysefjord cruise to Pulpit Rock bookable here, side by side: boat, hours and what the price covers.
By RIB boatThe fast open boats: how they differ from the big ships, and what they hand out.
Small guided boatThe small guided cruise, and what a guide on board adds.
What it costsThe fares for each boat, and what the price includes.
From the harbourWhere the boats leave Stavanger, and when to be there.
Stavanger: Electric Fjord Cruise to Lysefjord & Preikestolen
★ 4.6 · 10,463 reviews · 3.5 hours