We live in Norway. My spouse and I have taken the Frederikshavn cruise many times for an out-of-Norway experience. It's usually substantially cheaper than staying at a hotel in Oslo, and about 5 times more fun. You also get a quick bonus shopping experience in Denmark, where food is much cheaper than Norway. You're allowed to bring in 10 kilos of foodstuffs (anything, which is strange for Americans because we can bring in no fruits, vegetables, etc.) The spa is fantastic (the "season shower" is incredible fun) and worth every penny, and the buffet lunch is amazing with high-quality food items and service.

I took the Sunday-Tuesday Goteborg cruise (two-night) and upped for a more expensive cabin with a TV just for comparison. The price was quite cheap and the ship was literally a senior citizen cruise, so I was the youngest person on the boat. I had a lavish time in a double-window, double-bed with TV, and had something quite novel for Scandinavia: a small, gratis mini bar.

The only problem was there way too little time in Goteborg, and as the ship was late for no apparent reason, even less time. Still, if you can find a cheap fare, it's well worth it to relax, read and escape Norway's high prices.

All in all, it's usually it's a very good time in Stena.

While Goteborg was fine with the senior citizens, the biggest problem on the overnight Frederikshavn cruise is the sheer amount of alcohol people drink. The cruise-line says the minimum age is 25 (not including accompanied minors) but the age limit seems to be getting lower every time, and anyone who is over 30 feels, hmmmm, old. The spa was full of obnoxious early 20 year old somethings who had no concept that the hot-tubs can only hold so many people, and sitting in them for an hour when you only have a two-hour spa visit is probably rude.

Once again, the cruise ship can save you some cash if you need a hotel for a night in Oslo, and you can also get a trip in to Denmark and/or Sweden depending on what you want. Remember, stack up on the duty-free on the ship (1 liter of hard alcohol, 1.5 liters of wine and 6 beers PER PERSON), or take back whatever you don't drink. You will cry when you see prices in Norway.