I Only Have a Week! Short, but Sweet Travel Treats

We have a new Blog about Scandinavia and our insider's view with our custom travel and tours. Please continue to follow our blog posting on our new blog Insider's Scandinavia - Great Places to Go and Things to do!

The Nordic Company knows that sometimes life gets so busy that it’s hard to grab even a week away from home, but that’s no reason to give up hope. Not only are we incredibly skilled at designing short, but sweet custom itineraries to suit your dreams – we also offer plenty of great, group tours that give you the best without piling on the “I’ve been gone way too long” stress.

Our Fjords of Norway tour offers 7 nights and 9 days of spectacular scenery throughout Norway. You will experience the three major fjords, Hardanger, Geiranger, and Sogne, and six spectacular cities, Oslo, Ulvik, Bergen, Flam, Balestrand, and Geiranger. Don’t worry about trying to navigate with a rental car, we’ll save you the hassle with a comfortable bus through the countryside and end every evening with historic, quintessentially Norwegian hotels. Our Fjords and Glaciers tour is another 7 night, 9 day extravaganza with the addition of Loen and the majestic Briksdal Glacier.

Of course, Norway isn't all of Scandinavia, and that's why we have reasonable tours for every country. Check out our Glaciers, Geysirs and Waterfalls in Iceland, Russia’s Past and Present, and Finland’s Savor the Culture. Even more of our wonderful time-savvy tours are listed on our website. If you see something you like, or even if you don’t, call us. If your itinerary doesn’t yet exist, the Nordic Company prides itself on pulling out all the stops to make it a reality. That’s what friends are for.

2009 Travel Developments

We have a new Blog about Scandinavia and our insider's view with our custom travel and tours. Please continue to follow our blog posting on our new blog Insider's Scandinavia - Great Places to Go and Things to do!

To prepare you for the upcoming travel season, The Nordic Company is here to update you a few new developments in the world of travel that could potentially affect your trip. It is never too soon to start planning and it is good idea now more than ever to get your paperwork done well in advance.

By June 1^st, the U.S. government will put into effect the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI). The WHTI requires that all U.S. citizens entering the country at sea or land ports must have a passport, passport card, or WHTI-complaint document. This is a significant change from previously, when a government issued photo ID and proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate, was acceptable in lieu of a passport at many border crossings. Not only is it imperative that you have your passport – if you do not own one, it is important to apply for a passport well in advance of your scheduled travel dates. There is usually a backlog of passport processing as the travel season approaches. Applications made in December, January and February usually get processed within two weeks, but applications submitted any time after that may take much longer. It is best to get your passport in advance, even before you have the details of your trip settled.

Another new development in the world of travel is that European airlines are now required to quote the total price for European tickets instead of itemizing the surcharges and adding them onto the base ticket price. Americans airlines may also be following suit shortly. Although the Nordic Company is more than happy to handle your airfare for you with our excellent contract rates, if you decide to book your airfare independently, it should now be much easier and more transparent for you to know exactly what you are purchasing with your airline ticket.

Lastly, due to the often unpredictable nature of the airline industry, a passenger bill of rights may be in the works. The State of New York enacted a New State Passenger Bill of Rights last year. The law was struck down by a federal appeals court this spring, but it may become law in 2009. The provisions include fresh air, waste removal, adequate food and water for passengers on flights delayed by more than three hours. The Nordic Company has built a strong relationship with United Airlines domestically and with Scandinavian Airlines and Icelandair abroad. These regulations would be a welcome addition to the already top-quality service that these airlines have graciously provided our clients for many years.

Finland - Where Santa Claus Lives

We have a new Blog about Scandinavia and our insider's view with our custom travel and tours. Please continue to follow our blog posting on our new blog Insider's Scandinavia - Great Places to Go and Things to do!

Along with the holiday season comes the incessant queries of children eager to know just exactly where Santa comes from. With the help of the Nordic Company, you don’t have to just tell them – you can show them. Take your child on an unforgettable journey to the northern city of Rovaniemi, Finland to the magical Santa Claus Village. Just within the Arctic Circle that crosses through Northern Finland, Santa Claus Village is everything you imagined as a child and more. You can wander the toy shop, peek into Santa’s office, and even pet his reindeer at the nearby reindeer park.

Santa Claus village is only 8 kilometers from the Rovaniemi airport and makes a spectacular finish to your Finnish holiday. Christmas in Scandinavia is rich with traditional foods, decorative displays, and vivacious holiday cheer. Spend a few days in charming Helsinki, check out the coastal cities of Turku and Porvoo by train, and then make your way up to the snow-glittered, enchanting Lapland of the north. The Nordic Company is waiting for your call – because we know Santa Claus is waiting for your visit.