What a Lysefjord boat trip costs
A boat trip into the Lysefjord from Stavanger costs between ~$89 and ~$166 for an adult. The two big catamarans sit at the bottom of that range and give you the most time on the water. The small fast boats cost more per hour, but they take you closer to the cliffs and the falls.
Five trips from the same harbor
Every trip below leaves from the Vågen harbor in central Stavanger and comes back there, with no stop ashore. All of them pass Fantahålo (the Vagabond's Cave) and pause below Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock) before heading for Hengjanefossen, the waterfall the crews call Whisky Falls. The figures are GetYourGuide "from" prices per adult in US dollars, so treat them as a guide rather than a quote. RIB prices in particular move with the date.
| Trip | Operator | From | Length | Boat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electric fjord cruise, our pick | Rødne | ~$92 | 3.5 h | Electric catamaran |
| Lysefjord cruise | Helgøy | ~$89 | 2.5 h | Fast catamaran with a heated lounge |
| RIB tour | FjordEvents | ~$124 | 2 h | Open RIB |
| RIB boat tour | Stavanger RIB | ~$145 | 2 h | Open RIB, up to 12 guests |
| Guided cruise | Fjord Xplore | ~$166 | 2.5 h | Covered adventure boat |
How the boats differ on the water is the subject of choosing between a RIB and a cruise. Below, each fare is taken apart in turn.
GetYourGuide also asks reviewers to score value separately from the trip itself. Fjord Xplore leads with 4.8 despite its price. Helgøy and both RIBs sit at 4.6, while Rødne trails at 4.4. The cheapest trip per hour is the one people feel least sure about, mostly because of the summer crowds and the boat swaps rather than the fare.
The big catamarans, under $100
Our pick is Rødne's electric fjord cruise from ~$92. Rødne is a family firm that has sailed the Lysefjord since 1956. Its 3.5 hours make this the longest trip on the list and by far the cheapest per hour. The listing has more than 10,000 reviews averaging 4.6. Its value score of 4.4 is the lowest of the five, and the reviews explain why. Some recent passengers found a diesel boat waiting instead of the electric one, and peak-summer sailings can run short of seats. On Rødne's own price list an adult pays NOK 890 and a child aged 4–15 pays NOK 445. Under-4s ride free.
The Helgøy catamaran from ~$89 is the cheapest of the five main trips and the top-rated big boat, with 4.8 from about 2,700 reviews and a value score of 4.6. It is an hour shorter than Rødne's trip. Visit Norway lists Helgøy's own fares at about NOK 800 for an adult and NOK 400 for a child, while seniors pay about NOK 750.
Extras you pay for on board
Neither big boat includes food. Rødne has a snack bar selling waffles and cinnamon buns, with coffee for gray mornings and beer or wine for the sunny ones. Helgøy has self-serve hot drinks that you pay for. Norway runs almost entirely on cards, so a bank card covers it.
The RIBs work the other way around. Both RIB operators hand out a floating suit with goggles and gloves, so you need nothing extra for the ride, and Stavanger RIB adds a life jacket on top. Neither boat carries food or drink. Eat in town before you go.
Two RIBs from ~$124
FjordEvents from ~$124 is the cheaper RIB, but its fare moves with the date and some days cost $145. It sails every hour with no minimum group, and it holds a 4.9 rating from about 1,650 reviews. Stavanger RIB from ~$145 matches that rating from about 1,470 reviews. The extra money goes on a smaller group, capped at 12, plus the option of being met outside your cruise ship. Both score 4.6 for value. One Stavanger RIB reviewer thought it pricey for "a regular speedboat, not many jumps".
Fjord Xplore at the top, ~$166
The most expensive trip on the list, Fjord Xplore from ~$166, also earns the highest value score at 4.8, though from only 106 reviews. The money buys 2.5 hours on a new covered "adventure boat" with spacious seats and a sun-top that opens. A floating suit is provided and the group stays small. Adding the pickup option for ships at Sandnes makes it a 3-hour trip. It sails from early March to late October and takes the winter off.
Most hours on the water for ~$92
Rødne's 3.5-hour electric cruise sails all year with a snack bar on board. Cancel free up to 24 hours before.
Fares for children and seniors
- Rødne. Adult fares start at 16, and children aged 4–15 pay the child fare. Infants up to age 3 travel free;
- Helgøy. The most categories of any trip here. Adult fares cover ages 17–64. Children 4–16 pay less, and seniors from 65 have a fare of their own. Students with ID get their own category too;
- The RIBs. FjordEvents takes nobody under 6 and Stavanger RIB nobody under 5. A family with toddlers is choosing between the big boats;
- Fjord Xplore. Not for children under 3. Check the child price at checkout.
More on ages and seating for families is in our guide to traveling with children.
A cheaper boat in summer only
From May to August a sixth choice appears. Brim Explorer's hybrid-electric ship from ~$83 is the lowest fare of all, 3.5 hours with a café on board and a live guide in English. It runs in summer only, from May to August, with nothing on sale for autumn or winter. Reviewers mention that it turns around about halfway into the fjord. The season guide shows which months suit which boat.
Ways to spend less
- Book a morning sailing. If an operator cancels for weather or a fault, an early start leaves time to rebook later the same day. Weather and cancellations explains refunds;
- Reserve now and pay later. Rødne and the three small-boat operators let you hold a seat without paying, and all four allow free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead;
- Compare by the hour. Rødne's 3.5 hours for ~$92 cost a fraction of a RIB per hour on the water, if you are happy on a bigger, slower boat;
- Check a few dates on the RIBs. The FjordEvents fare changes by day, so look either side of the date you want;
- Skip the cruise line markup. Booking yourself usually costs less than the ship's excursion. Our cruise guide covers the timing.