Seas2mountains

We had dinner in Palomar this evening. I have read the CC reviews from others about their experience with food at this restaurant. We were pleasantly surprised to be seated at a table with beautiful views by the big windows. We had a later reservation and expected all the good tables would have been taken as the restaurant was mostly full. When my husband read the menu, he asked about sharing the fish for two. I was happy to hear that as I had read good feedback about that menu item and it was what I preferred, too. We were told it would take 45 minutes for it to be cooked after we ordered it. My husband said well after the long wait we had at Hasuki last night to receive our food, 45 minutes is nothing. Shortly after placing our order, the Maitre D’ (manager) for Palomar let us know she was aware of the feedback we shared about our Hasuki experience and they will likely prepare the food for those with specific preferences or dietary concerns in the kitchen so the rest of the group didn’t have to wait. Back to Palomar, we had excellent service from one or the best waiters, Marc Phillip, who also suggested a great Sauvignon Blanc which paired well with our food. The bread is grilled sourdough with olive oil with fresh oregano. We ordered the grilled octopus and seafood salad for appetizers and we both ordered the Greek salad. The Branzino fish came with grilled carrots and the fish was cut and deboned at our table which was neat to watch. We ordered grilled asparagus and the pommes puree (mashed potatoes). It was all so good and we couldn’t finish it all. We passed on desserts. We would go back to Palomar. The views, service and food were fantastic. Keep this restaurant in mind for scenic areas such as departing Amsterdam or any sail aways.

That sounds like a great tour. We loved an excursion we had in Skagway, Alaska where the guide was in costume but it wasn’t a nature walk. I’m sorry to hear you did not get to visit due to the dock issues and the fact that Prima cannot do tenders. That is crazy you had to deal with the issues and cost related to the tour cancellation. For us, Isofjordur was our least favorite port stops of the cruise.

Here are some photos from our walk around Isofjordur. We appreciated being docked as Coral Princess and NCL Star were using tenders. We know the dock is new. The small town did seem a little crowded with three ships in port. We opted out of climbing up the hill/mountain to the observation area even though the weather was good. If we were to come here again, we may check into doing an excursion.

It is a nice touch and kind of them to do this.

I agree with you that Prima has so many outdoor options that are best in warm weather environments. We were lucky to have beautiful weather in Southampton, Bruges, and Amsterdam and the outside areas were definitely being used. We were happier to get on the Prima than Dawn or Star when seeing these ships in ports this cruise.

It was operated by Forest Lagoon. Thank you for the suggestion for Sky Lagoon. A crew member said it was closer than Blue Lagoon.

Good night from Iceland and the Midnight Sun.

Yes, we did, too. We expected to pay an admissions fee and were so surprised this was not collected.

Glad you had a great time with the Jewels of the North excursion. It sounds like pre-ordering food with dietary restrictions tends to work well. So glad it sounds like it is working for you.

Thank you. Yes, I agree. We try to be sensitive but this request ruined the dining experience for seven of nine people at the table.

Well it had to happen sometime. We did not have have a great dinner experience at Hasuki tonight. In the past, when a passenger identified a food allergy or preference, the kitchen cooked their food so the rest of the table was not negatively impacted. Tonight, the chef catered to two of nine people at the table. The rest of us waited and waited. The rice was not good at all as it was modified to the preference of the two people. We stayed after dinner to speak with the maitre d’. The chef struggled to get engagement with songs as the normal flow was off track to cater to the two people. And the rest of us were a bit stunned that dinner was so delayed to take care of two people and the fact that their needs were prioritized over the seven of us who were also hungry. I felt bad for a Mom and her two tween age sons who were trying so hard to be patient but were clearly hungry. They were kind and professional but should not have been treated as if their preferences didn’t matter. I hope they learn something from our feedback as this experience could be different.

Cookies are confirmed in the Observation Lounge in the afternoon. Found two days in a row and these were the only two days we have gone there in the afternoon.

Two churches - we did not go inside. Flowers and Buildings in the downtown area of Akureyri. A yarn store. Bakery.

Next we walked to the beautiful botanical gardens. It was worth the walk uphill.

Thank you. This is the only ship where we have experienced this.

Yes, we agree. It was $50/person which is definitely less than shore excursions. My husband is tired of the busy days exploring so this was a great alternative for a few hours.

Here are photos from Forest Lagoon. We were among the first people to arrive so I was able to quickly take photos before it got crowded. There was a cold pool and we all had fun encouraging people to be brave and go in that pool. We both did go in the cool pool up to our shoulders. It felt like ants were biting our skin as we got back in the thermal pool. There was also a pool that was hotter than the main one, too, but we could only tolerate the heat in that one for about ten minutes. You need to bring your own towel from the ship. They ask you to shower in the locker room without your bathing suit on. They ask for all towels and shoes/sandals to be left in the locker room. They give you a wrist band that will allow you to purchase drinks at the bar. It will lock and unlock a locker you select. The bus took us back to the Hof. It was a great experience and we both recommend it.

The bus arrived at 9:42am and it quickly filled up. We are on the way to Forest Lagoon and we are glad we got here early as the bus was scheduled at 10:00am.

It was a 0.5 mile walk from Prima to the Hof Cultural Center pick up location for Forest Lagoon. We are early and have another 30 minutes to wait for the bus. The Hof has tourist info, a store, and a coffee shop.

Good morning from Akureyri, Iceland! We are fortunate to have a day with sunshine in the weather forecast today. High temperature is expected to be 60 degrees. We’ll take it! When he pulled back the curtains this morning, my husband said it’s Green! That is true. It is very green.

It’s almost 11pm and the sun won’t set until 12:30am with sunrise at 2am. Clocks go back another hour tonight.

Canal photos and a beautiful bird.

The climb up the 418 steps to the Fjellstua Viewpoint was fun but nice to get done. We were focused on not falling up or down the stairs. We got the Kvaefjordkake after the climb. We also visited the Ålesund museum which was interesting and provided details on the devastating fire that destroyed 850 homes out about 1080 in 1904. They had two submarines on display with one inside that could be climbed into to see the inside. We have a son in the US Navy who is currently serving on a sub so we have great respect for those who can spend so much time in a sub for extended periods. Next, we walked to the beautiful canal area and the Ålesund church. Before we got to the church, my husband said he was done touring and wanted to get back on the ship. I was also getting tired and didn’t mind calling it and getting back on the ship.

We had a great time in Alesund and were fortunate the weather was decent with a few light sprinkles here and there. Here are photos taken as we walked to the park to take the 418 steps up to the Fjellstoa Viewpoint. Cute Trolls in the city.

We returned to Los Lobos again tonight as we tend to favor Mexican food. We had some of the same items as a few nights ago. I had a salad this time and the grilled shrimp. All food and service were excellent. We went to the Price is Right in the theater. It was very well done and entertaining but I wouldn’t go a second time.