Free Mini Cruise - Oslo and Copenhagen

Are you living in Oslo or Copenhagen and want to visit the other one? Do you want to do it for free?! It's possible! In fact while I was living in Oslo, I went to Copenhagen six times for free! I know the Erasmus Student Network or other student organizations in these cities generally arrange a party cruise from one city to the other and vice versa, but if you'd like more time to explore the city consider the free mini cruise as an option.

So how do I find out about these free cruises?

The best place to start is by "liking" the DFDS Seaways Facebook page. If you're living in Norway, you would want to "like" the page titled DFDS Seaways NO. They often announce games, competitions, or just simply "free days" on this page and it will show up in your newsfeed.

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When do they offer the free cruises?

It really varies. Soon in December you should be able to participate in their Christmas calendar to win free cruises, but they also offer opportunities in the summertime and throughout the year really! I've seen a "free day" be Valentine's Day and another year it was Women's Day.

What do I mean by "free day"?

It means that they advertise a day when you can login to their booking system and book any cruise for free.

What do I mean by "free? "

Sometimes the cruise is completely free - you pay nothing. Other times you must pay 100 Norwegian kroners, which you will receive back as a voucher for you to make purchases on the boat (and we all buy something on the boat, right? ). So, essentially it turns out being free anyway.

Any cruise?

Ok, so there are rules and regulations of course. Most of the free cruises are offered with departures during the week (Sunday through Thursday). But, sometimes you can even choose departures during weekends. You are also limited to the lowest cabin, but it's still nice!

What's included in this free cruise?

You get two nights on board the Pearl Seaways or Crown of Scandinavia ships in Seaways class accommodation. These rooms are inside cabins and can have between two and four beds (bunks). The rooms also include a private bathroom. On board the ship, there is entertainment. There is a casino area, movie showings, swimming pool/sauna, arcade, bars, clubs/musical entertainment, etc. You can also do some duty free shopping while onboard. There are several different restaurants and a café, but the restaurants are usually a bit pricey.

From Oslo, the ship usually leaves port at approximately 16:45 and arrives in Copenhagen around 9:45 the next day. It departs Copenhagen again at 16:45. This gives you about six hours to explore Copenhagen.

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How do I get to/from the ship in Oslo and in Copenhagen?

In Oslo, you simply take bus number 60 towards Vippentangen. You would need your usual ruter travel pass.

This is the link where you buy the travel pass.

This is the link for the bus schedule.

When you arrive in Copenhagen, you can take bus 20e for free. There is no need for you to purchase a ticket. This bus services DFDS specifically, so be sure to check times of operation, especially for the return trip to the ship. The bus makes a few stops on the way into downtown Copenhagen. Kongens Nytorv is the stop you want to take if you want to get to the heart of Copenhagen.

Click here for the timetable in Copenhagen.

Tips:

• Bring your own food, but be careful about disposing it on the ship! (you're not supposed to bring outside food to eat on the boat - that's where the ship makes its money)!
• If there are snacks in the duty that you know you will want to buy on your way back from Copenhagen, buy them on your way to Copenhagen. If you buy them on the return trip to Oslo, they increase the prices by a few kroners.
• Don't buy wine on the ship. Buy them in Copenhagen at the grocery stores - they are much cheaper! Just don't make it appear obvious that you stocked up on wine when you're trying to get back on the boat.
• You can ask for a free sea sickness pill at the reception desk.
• Sign up to be a Seaways Club member. Not only does this allow you to get discounts in the duty free, but sometimes it will also give you free access to the pool/sauna - so bring your swimsuit! As a Seaways Club member, you can also get a stamp for each cruise you take - for every third cruise you take, you get a free cruise!
• On the Pearl Seaways ship, there is an outdoor pool and hot tubs that is open in the summer months and can be used for free.
• On the Crown of Scandinavia ship, you can get a larger room (that sleeps four) and it has a larger bathroom.