Making the most of Bjornoya
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
Cruise ships do not call at Bjornoya.
Dutch navigator Willem Barents named Byørnøya after first seeing the Far North’s great white polar bear. The island rises like a vast rock between mainland Norway and Svalbard, with constant fog lending its stony coast an eerie mood. Its southern face is a cliff that can resemble a moving wall of birds: tens of thousands of murres and kittiwakes compete for narrow ledges, while glaucous gulls nest at the summit.
Money
The Norwegian crown, or Norske krone, is shortened to kr. An øre is 1/100th of a krone, and roughly 1.00 EUR = about 9 NOK. Norway is one of the world’s most expensive countries.
Norwegian ATMs are known as Minibank.
Nearly every shop takes leading cards such as Mastercard and Visa. Bring a passport or driving licence, as card users must identify themselves.
Staying connected
Norway’s official language is Norwegian, closely related to and mutually intelligible with the two other Scandinavian languages. English is widely understood.
Most homes in Norway have internet access, frequently broadband, so limited demand makes cybercafés rare beyond larger cities. Most public libraries give free internet access, and Wi-Fi is widespread but not generally complimentary.
Opening Hours and
Retail hours have improved in Norway, yet smaller shops often close early on Saturday, typically at 1 PM or 3 PM, and nearly everything shuts on Sunday. Signs commonly display "9-21 (9-18)", indicating 9 AM to 9 PM on weekdays and 9 AM to 6 PM on Saturday.