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I've never heard of a cruise where a port was skipped and later added. Well we came close. The Captain and the pilot made 3 attempts this morning to dock but the winds were higher than predicated and eventually the decision was made to head back out to sea. Visby needs a protected pier. I had a map that a walking tour used and planed to follow that with some diversions and more time in the Botanical garden - would have been nice to see. I managed a couple photos as we moved away form the port area but the sun was rising right in line over the town so lousy photos. Had to feel sorry for the excursion desk people - they spent yesterday selling new excursions for Visby and then today reserving the sales. There were 2 captain circle parties tonight and will be same tomorrow night. It was held in the Explores lounge and was full. From opening up the lounge to end of 'party' it was only a half hour. The Cruise director, the sales/loyalty person and the captain spoke (he talked about the new ships in 2024 and 2025), the top 3 who all attended the same time as us got their photos done (no gift of any kind) and then 3 draws for champagne. The # of days for the top 3 were 1,214 (70 voyages), 1,470 (127 voyages), and 2,520 (120 voyages). 1 and 3 were from Australia and #2 was from Mississauga which is on the west border of Toronto. There are 495 Blue (first time) passengers 598 platinum, and 422 elite.

Not too bad a day today at sea but continuing to be bit cool. Mostly sunny but the cool breeze made sitting outside less than ideal for most people. Waves are a couple feet but can't feel any movement on the ship. Captain noted on his update that tomorrow should be mostly sunny and getting up to 20C / 68F so improving. We attended the Most travelled passenger lunch today. As usual it was an excellent meal in Sabatini's. App were Black Tiger Prawns and Papaya Salpicon or a fancy mixed salad. Main was a Halibut/Lobster combo, Chateaubriand or a veggie meal based on a Stuffed baked Tomato. We both had the Pawns and Chateaubriand. There was also an excellent desert and bottomless wine glasses. Very enjoyable. One couple we talked to had arranged for the Chef's Table diner tonight before they knew about the lunch so they would have had quite the day. The Loyalty/Sales person attend our table and did the welcome - it was his first luncheon. He noted that he believes Princess is working on a new loyalty pgm but had no detail/timeline. He was asked about joining with other lines and doubted anything would be done with that except possibly with Seaborn but no that was not official in any way. Everyone at our table expressed a desire for smaller ships. He briefly noted there are a lot of sales including staying on ship after our booking but noted anyone doing that would be responsible for air change fee. The prior Captain Circle rep was also at the lunch at another table so I did not get a chance to talk to her. I'm sure she is restricted in what she can say about the changes in that kind of environment. Besides the twice a day general trivia there have been several special ones. Today was the Beatles, yesterday there was Motown and previous included ABBA. Tonight was a formal night but very mixed dressed - nothing overly casual. There was a production show - we passed and went to the Majority rule game.

Tallinn, Estonia – our day A good mix of sun and cloud with a few showers thrown in and temps around 17C / 63F Shuttle to old town was available for 6E one way or 10E return trip. I walked to the old town and spent about 3 hours there. Another very busy camera day. The streets are cobblestone, in places the sidewalk is flat but there are no cut-outs at street corners – defiantly no good for wheelchairs but could be alright for strollers. Parts of the old town are on a hill so the is some extra effort needed. I did find a public washroom but apparently the several people prior to me did not know how to flush. Many buildings have signs on them with descriptions including in English. I saw several groups of walking tours. Several of the major buildings had a small entrance fee such as 2E. There was an area with a lot of shops and a square with outdoor dinning. The modern downtown Tallinn has several vey large, modern office buildings. There was an AIDA ship docked next to us – never saw anyone on the ship all the time I was onboard. A large MSC also docked here after us. I could see another ship that appeared to be around 2 miles away. As noted above there is one show that starts early - that is a production show. Shows on this voyage have been close to full and those arriving close to time have little choice. Overall we like the ship – smaller is better for us. No condition issues of note – there were a few taps out of service and it took 5 days to fix but not a major deal. The dinner menus have been quite good. The only items I was not impressed with is the everyday steak and the so-called orange juice. We have split our breakfast and lunches between dining room and buffet. Both are basic Princess standard. Very good service but we would like some more variety. We have not been to the production shows, but other entertainment is very good – there seems to be music somewhere most of the evening. I would rate the cruise director staff under average but not terrible. People are just starting to use the outdoor pool. I’m surprised the indoor pool area is not getting the use I would expect. Normally it can be a bit humid on hot days, but that is not an issue on this cruise.

Tallinn, Estonia intro Tallinn, Estonia is located on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, 80km south of Helsinki, Finland, east of Stockholm, Sweden and west of St. Petersburg, Russia. Tallinn's Old Town is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Old town is merely 500m from the pier. The old town has lots of cobblestone paving. Tallinn is a major Baltic port and Estonia's capital city, with population around 0,43 million (metro over 0,54 million. The city is among the most popular ports of call on Northern European cruise itineraries. Tallinn One Cruise Port is located near the beautiful Old Town. The new terminal was finished in July 2021. Tallinn Passenger Port is among the busiest Baltic cruise destinations. In 2016, the port handled a total of 271 cruise ship calls and around 474,000 passengers. In 2017, the cruise port had scheduled 314 ship calls and handled over 0,5 million tourists. In 2018, the cruise port handled 341 ship calls and around 565,000 passengers - a record year based on pre-booked berths and estimated passenger number. City Tours and Shore Excursions Kiek in de Kok: the translation of the name is “Peek into the Kitchen.” The cannon tower is 38m tall and its name came after a joke by Medieval guards who thought they would see through the chimneys of the houses right into the kitchens. Tallinn City Tour: the city tours are in double deck colourful buses. There is available audio in ten different languages. You can choose between three lines (blue, green and red) with different routes. Estonian History Museum: located in the Great Guild Hall. Oleviste Church and Tower: the St. Olav’s Church dates back to 13th century. It used to be the world’s tallest building for the period 1549 -1625. Its spire is 159m. Estonian Maritime Museum: it is located in the Fat Margaret cannon tower. You can explore the maritime history of Estonia displayed over four floors. Bastion Tunnels: it used to be a part of the tunnel system for defense. It was built during the Swedish rule, in the 1600s. Tallinna Raekoja Plats, This historic square has served as a marketplace since the eleventh century and features a pharmacy that has been operating since 1422. Aleksander Nevski Katedraali The main Russian Orthodox cathedral in Estonia. Peapiiskopi Kirik Located on top of Cathedral Hill, this historic church has served as a burial place for noble families since the 13th century. Dominican Monastery Claustrum - The oldest buildings in the old town Danish King's Garden The park, that is the birthplace of the Danish Flag – independent tour recommended time 1 – 2 hour Tallinna Raekoda – town hall - The oldest surviving town hall in Northern Europe. First mentioned in 1322, the building history of the Town Hall goes even further back to the second half of the 13th century. The management of the city worked in the Town Hall until 1970. Today the Town Hall functions as the ceremonial building of the city government. Patkuli Viewing Platform - Patkuli viewing platform is situated in one of the most ancient parts of Tallinn. It has fairytale views of the Old Town and its towers and walls, all the way down to the port. The stairway leading up to the platform was constructed in 1903. There are 157 steps connecting Toompea to the town below, with the stairway coming out in Toompark by the Shnelli pond.

Jy 4, day 7 Stockholm, Sweden depart 2pm – our day Today was the best day weather wise – about 50 – 50 for sun vs cloud. I had been thinking of trying to get Freda to the ABBA museum but based on talking to passengers that went there yesterday, it opens at 10 and only allows so any in at a time. They had prepaid and booked for 10 but said there was long line of people w/o reservations waiting for a chance to get in. The people we talked to took a taxi from the port but that would have been difficult for us and ferries were not a great option either so with the 1:30 all-aboard we decided for her to stay on the ship and I went back to the old town to explore more for about 3 hours. Got to see places I had missed early and a better look at others. All the time we were in Stockholm a local law disallowed and outdoor movie/music on the ship due to noise. There were a number of American aimed events on board including a deck party once we were 3 hours outside Stockholm. It took 4.5 hours to reach the open sea. The sailing channel is full of island, many lined with beautiful homes. Everyone seemed to enjoy the chance to be out on the open deck. A couple more questionable trivia questions – 1 – how many times does the Liberty Bell get rung on July 4 – every team but 1 said 0 as the real bell is never rung but she said the answer was 13 and called people rude for arguing with her. 2- what is the largest US airline – dos not say based on what – can be different answer if $ revenue, $ profit, # of planes, # of flights, # number of passengers etc. It’s nice to learn something at trivia but they seem to make that hard. During dinner the captain came on with an announcement – After tomorrows port of call we were to have 2 sea days to reach the next port after that. Princess has decided to but the gas pedal to the floor and make up enough time that the second sea day will be a port of call at Visby, Sweden making up for our missed call there – We will arrive and leave an hour earlier than the previous JY call that was missed but people are happy with the update. Today’s thought of the day - "Well done is better than well said.” – Ben Franklin

We arrived in Stockholm on time. The weather was very overcast, just a few moments of sun. Up until around 2pm there were short periods of rain and later the rain was more frequent. Temp around 17C. We were docked at Viking Line Cruise berth. Next to us was a vehicle caring ferry that was about ¾ the size of the Island P. A shuttle to the old town was $19.50 return – charged to your cabin. Here was a Viking cruise ship here also. Passengers had to tender but their short tender ride was only a short walk to old town while we had about a 3km walk for those doing that. I had scheduled a free walking tour in the old town for 10am but slept in too late and missed it. I took a shuttle bus to town and spent about 3 hours there. Very enjoyable. Many of the signs of what buildings/statues are include English. I watched part of the changing of the guards at the Royal Place. If you want a great viewing place you need to be there very early. I saw 3 people in their 20’s come up to one of the waterways and strip down to their bathing suits and jump in – they only stayed about a minute but I talked to them and they said the water was 22C while the air was 17C so it was not too bad – They were Swedish so don’t likely have much choice for finding warm water to swim in. I saw at least 3 groups that appeared to be walking groups.

JY 3 4 Mon Tues Stockholm intro Stockholm has one of the worlds most beautiful cruise ship approaches. Ships navigate the archipelago of 24,000 islands that stretch for 80 km (50mi) east of Stockholm, a mix of rocky outcrops inhabited only by sea birds and islets bosting stylish wooden summer homes. Stockholm is a major Baltic Sea cruise port and Sweden's capital city. The city covers a total area of approx 190 km2 (73 mi2) and has a population of around 935,000 (metro around 2,3 million). Port Stockholm is located on the meeting point of Salt Bay and Lake Malaren (the country's 3rd-largest freshwater lake - after Vanern and Vattern). The city (established in 1252) is spread across 14 islands and also on mainland Sweden (at the mouth of Lake Malaren). Stockholm is Sweden's political, economic and cultural center. Located here are the seat of Sweden's government, most Gov agencies, the country's Parliament, also the official residencies of Sweden's Prime Minister and monarch (Stockholm Palace is his official residence). Drottningholm Palace (UNESCO Site) in the outskirts serves as a private residence of the Swedish Royal House of Bernadotte. With its flourishing business life, the region alone accounts for over 1/3 of the country's GDP and is one of Europe's top 10 regions by GDP per capita. In Stockholm are some of the top-ranked European universities, such as Stockholm School of Economics, Karolinska Institute and Royal Institute of Technology. The city is also famous for hosting the annual Nobel Prize award ceremonies. Stockholm metro (inaugurated in 1950) is famous for its stations' decorations and has been named "world's longest art gallery". Stockholm has retained its history and natural splendor. Stockholm itself is a city of culture. You have tons of options on what to see and do. Visit 1 of the 70 museums in the city, learn about their history or simply take in Stockholm’s legendary city atmosphere. Every single island in Stockholm is unique. They all have their own identity and style. The narrow cobblestone streets and medieval buildings of the Gamla Stan (Old Town) area sit near the modern harbour and office buildings and hotels. Many of the best-known tourist attractions are in Old Town. Situated on the island of Riddarholmen lies one of the best preserved medieval city centers in Europe. It is filled with lots of museums, beautiful houses, shops attractions, restaurants and cafe’s. Attractions include attractions like the Nobel Museum, the Stockholm Cathedral, and the Royal Palace with its Royal Armory. Guided tours are available. Djurgarden is nowadays a recreation park with museums, amusement parks and the famous former hunting grounds of the king. Sodermalm is where you’ll find the charming older neighbourhoods of Stockholm. Norrmalm is where you find the modern business district and shopping area. 89% of Swedes speak English. The people of Stockholm are extremely nice and you will notice that most of them are very well educated. Taxis - You can recognise the taxis in Stockholm by their taxi sign and have a meter. Sweden does not regulate prices: they might vary greatly. It is the customer’s responsibility to check prices beforehand. Usually on the rear door window you will find a yellow label that has a fare on it. This is the fare based on a 10 km (6mi), 15-minute journey. You can pay by cash or credit card. Public Transport in Stockholm is widely available. The one thing you need to know though is that you are not able to buy your ticket on the bus or tram. You need to pre buy your ticket at a tourist information point, Pressbyra convenience shops, bus stop ticket machine or SL Centers. The Stockholm Pass gives you free entry to 75 museums and attractions, free travel by public transport, free sightseeing by boat as well as several other bonus offers. Options are available for a card that is valid for 24, 48 or 72 hours from first use. City Hall (inaugurated in 1923) is one of the best known and important buildings in Sweden. It is famous for its grand ceremonial halls, unique architecture and striking interior. Take a guided tour inside and get the inside look where the yearly prize banquet is held in the Blue Hall followed by a ball in the Golden Hall. Sweden has some of the best shops in the Europe. If you are in the shopping mood make sure to kick off at Drottinggatan. This is the largest pedestrian shopping street in Stockholm. ABBA museum (2013). These Swedish supertroupers are known world wide for their many hits in the 70’s and 80’s. Visit the museum for a trip down memory lane. Make recordings with the group, dance to the music and test your ABBA knowledge! Vasa Museum (on Djurgarden Island) is one of the most visited museums in Scandinavia. It houses the famous Vasa ship. This Swedish warship was built in the 1620’s and sank on her 1628 maiden voyage to the bottom of the Stockholm waters. After 333 years it was raised to the surface again, restored and nowadays you can find it in all of its full glory in the Vasa Museum. One of its most prized museums - Nobel Museum - This grand museum in the middle of old town Stockholm tells the story of the Nobel Prize and its founder. The museum features the award's history as well as its recipients throughout the years. It aims to spread knowledge as well as to create interest around natural sciences and culture. National Museum of Sweden - on display are collections of arts, paintings, sculptures, graphics, drawings and handicrafts. You will find works of Rubens, Rembrandt, Renoir, Degas, Goya and local artist like Bruno Liljefors, Hanna Pauli, Carl Larsson and Anders Zorn. Fotografiska: contemporary photography place, one of the world’s largest. Annually there are about 4 large and 20 small exhibitions. Moderna Museeet (Museum of Modern Art) was designed by one of the world’s most distinguished contemporary architects, Rafael Moneo, the museum is regarded as one of the most interesting buildings worldwide. It houses one of Europe’s finest collections of modern art -free entrance. Founded in 1891 Skansen is the world’s oldest open-air museum. It features some 150 cultural-historic buildings from all over Sweden. It includes a zoo with wild and domestic Nordic animals and is the venue for traditional annual festivities, markets, folk dance displays and other celebrations. You can learn about traditional Swedish handicraft and folklore. Royal Palace is 1 room bigger than Buckingham palace. It is the official residence of His Majesty the King of Sweden. Many parts of the palace such as the State Apartments, the Royal Armoury and the Treasury are open to the public and you can visit one of the museums inside. You can also meet the royal guards that have been guarding the palace since 1523. The changing of the guards is also a popular attraction. This free 40-minute changing of the guard event in front of the King of Sweden's residence takes place every day of the year. They start at the Cavalry Barracks and than march to the Army Museum. The Royal Guards Ceremony at the Royal Palace of Stockholm lasts about 40 minutes. It starts at 12:15pm in the palace outer courtyard on weekdays. If you want to escape the crowds of the city Drottingholm palace is the perfect place to go to. This UNESCO world heritage site is a well-preserved royal castle from the 1600’s. Inside you will find lots of rooms in their original interior telling you about the times of the international royalty and nobles. Visit it by taxi or take the ferry from the city hall in the city centre. The Tyska Kyrkan is one of the many churches in the old town Gamla Stan. This building dates back from the 1500’s. Visit the church between 11 am and 5 pm to witness the 350 year old pulpit and much more. Royal national city park: take a walk in the forest surrounding the city. You can meet hares, deer, moose and foxes. There are rare bird species, insects and beautiful butterflies. Don’t miss the Ekoparken. Stromma boat sightseeing: take voyage under Stockholm’s bridges. It will take you from an hour to two hours and a half to take a different look at the city. You can combine a boat tour with an open bus tour. Several groups offer free walking tours.

Today did not go as planned - we were to arrive around 8am and at that time the captain made the announced that he had been working with the pilot to find a safe way to dock but both felt due to the 30 knot winds that were expected to increase to 40 knots, plus the current light rain and forecasted thunderstorm it was best not to dock. The waves were coming over the dock the is not very sheltered. The decision was made to skip Visby and continue with a slow tip to our next port. The result was a quick revised Patter and a light day for many staff became a normal sea day. It was busy in the dining room at lunch and the shops and casino opened around 10am. The Captain made another announcement just after 5pm noting conditions for Stockholm should be better for docking tomorrow. We will pick up the pilot around 2am to make the long trip into the port. Winds are expected to be 20 - 25 knots which is below the max safe limit of 30. Rain is expected but future ports look better. t see anyone in tux or formal gown - of course I did not see a high % of passengers. Men were around 50 - 50% with and without jackets.. As far as wearing face mask - i say at most it is about 1% wearing them. We but in laundry the first morning for what we wore on the flight over and just got it back tonight. Considering not many people would have submitted laundry that early, I was surprised it took that long. Today’s thought for the day - Everything I need to know about life, I learned from Noah's Ark: One: Don't miss the boat. Two: Remember that we are all in the same boat. Three: Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark. Four: Stay fit. When you're 600 years old, someone may ask you to do something really big. Five: Don't listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be done. Six: Build your future on high ground. Seven: For safety's sake, travel in pairs. Eight: Speed isn't always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs. Nine: When you're stressed, float a while. Ten: Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.

Visby Sweden Jul 2 Sunday intro Avg high temp 23c, 19 ships in July – Sky Princess likely the largest In 2018 a new cruise pier was opened that can handle 2 large ships. The walking distance to the Old Town is 1.2km (bit less than a mile) or pay to take a shuttle. Facing the Baltic Sea, the town of Visby on the West Coast with it's 22,000 inhabitants has been on UNESCO's World Heritage List since 1995. It is mostly well preserved, beautiful and unique. People have been living in Visby for over 5,000 years. Previously a Viking trading post, developed into a leading commercial centre for trade across the Baltic Sea, and one of the most important towns of the Hanseatic League. The over 3 km long wall that surrounds the city is one of the best preserved in all of Europe. About 2,000 people live in the inner city and about 20,000 outside the wall. Within the wall, there are large numbers of small shops, restaurants and pubs. Supermarkets and shopping malls are located to the newer parts of the city outside the wall. Gotland, the island itself is home for 58,000 people of independence and drive, whose inclinations across the centuries have lain as much to the East as to the West. The island is special, it's definitely not as the rest of Sweden and in fact did not become Swedish until 1645. This had a strong influence on culture and traditions. The countryside is magnificent and often spectacularly beautiful. Monuments to enduring nature and rugged symbols of the island itself, the dramatic sea-stacks (Rauk) standing guard over beaches. Gotland is a unique blend of old and new, natural beauty and a cultural heritage, culinary excellence and clean recreational environment. Free Walking tour – 10 sites - Have to join through facebook – limit 20 1 -S:t Hans and S:t Per are two built-together church ruins in Visby, Gotland. The now standing churches were built in the 1200s and were consecrated to the evangelist John and the apostle Peter, respectively. The oldest St. Hans was probably the first stone church built on Gotland, on the site of the former pagan viet (sacrificial site). This has happened around 1060, when Christians outmaneuvered and expelled the Old Believers and it is not unlikely that the church was preceded by a pagan temple. 2 - Gotland Art Museum is an art museum on Sankt Hansgatan. 3- Packhusplan, is a square in Visby inner city and was once the city's centerpiece. Includes fountain. 4 - Saint Catherine(s) church ruin, also called Sankta Karin(s) church ruin, is a church building (ruin) in Visby diocese. It was originally built by the Franciscan Order of the Visby Convention which was founded in 1233. 5 - Saint Lars Church ruin is located in the central part of Visby 6 - Visby Cathedral, formally Visby Saint Mary's Cathedral is a cathedral within the Church of Sweden, seat of the Bishop of Visby. It lies in the centre of Visby. It was built as the church of the German traders in the city during the 13th century. The very first church was probably a wooden church, which was later replaced by a stone building. Originally built as a basilica, it was successively expanded and rebuilt during the Middle Ages. At the end of this period, it had been transformed to a hall church, which it still is. In 1361, Gotland and the church became part of Denmark. Following the Reformation, it was the only medieval church in the city left in use, and in 1572 raised to the status of cathedral. Since 1645 Gotland and the cathedral have been part of Sweden. A major renovation was carried out in 1899–1903 7 - Drotten's church ruin is the common name for the ruins of St. Trinitatis or Trefaldighetskyrkani 8 - Visby botanical garden is near the sea and the promenade in Visby. The garden was built in 1855. In the early 1930s, a comprehensive renovation of the garden was done and it was then given its current design. 9 The church of Sang Knikolai Church is a sage building (ruins) in a sage pin. The church had several different stages of construction, with the first being built between 1215 and 1220 and named after Saint Nicholas of the Sea Guardian 10- Sankt Görans kyrkauin is a church building (ruin) in Visby diocese. Don't Miss in Visby The Botanical Gardens to the northwest of Visby (walkable from the port). They're crammed with roses (which also climb up the walls of the city's medieval ruins) and simply lovely. At the south end of the gardens, you'll find the ruins of the Romanesque church of St Olof, which dates from around 1200 AD. The Burmeisterska Hus (Burmeister House) which lies near the Donnersplats (main square) just inland from the harbour. Built in 1652 for local merchant Hans Burmeister, it's one of the best-preserved Baroque burgher's houses in Sweden and often hosts art exhibitions featuring the work of local and Swedish artists. The ruined medieval churches of St. Per and St. Hans, which stand side by side at the south end of Donnersplats. The Museum of Antiquities (Golands Fornsal), which also lies near Donnersplats (just along Strandgatan), contains displays of Viking and medieval artefacts including runic stones, arms and armour, furniture and art. Visby Market Square (Stora Torget), which contains the ruins of 13th Century St Catherine's Church. It also has a good selection of bars, cafés and restaurants if you've had enough of sightseeing. Visby's limestone city walls, which date from the 13th Century, circle the old city and cover 3.5 km. They are studded with 44 towers, each around 60ft high. The Powder Tower (Kruttornet) overlooks the sea, while the Maiden's Tower (Jungfrutornet) is at the north end and is so called because legend has it that the daughter of a Visby goldsmith was walled up alive in it. St Mary's Cathedral (on St Hansgatan) dates from 1225 and is the only one of Visby's old churches which is still in use. It contains a spectacular walnut and ebony pulpit from Germany and a 13th Century red marble font. Visit Lummelunda, a series of spectacular stalactite caves about 1mi north of Visby. En route, stop off at Krusmyntogarden, a garden containing more than 200 different types of herbs. It lies 5mi north of Visby. HOHO Bus – Experience Visby and some of Gotland’s most popular sights and attractions at your own pace on one of our Hop On-Hop Off buses. Pick up at the cruise terminal Are you coming to Visby by cruise ship? Our Hop On-Hop Off buses are always on-site just outside the terminal, ready to show you and your company Visby. Visit and see the sights at your own pace – get on and off the bus as many times as you like. All our Hop On-Hop Off buses pass through the cruise terminal as long as the ship is in port.

Jy 1 day 4 – Roenne, Bornholm Is., Denmark – 8am – 6pm - Introduction Before booking this cruise, I knew next to nothing about most of the ports so did searches and made notes in order to decide what to do. For each port I will post an introduction to the port that is a combination of various web sites – hopefully accurate and hopefully helpful for anyone planning a future similar itinerary. Bornholm is a Danish island in the Baltic Sea, to the east of the rest of Denmark, south of Sweden, northeast of Germany and north of Poland. It has been a Danish possession since 15222. Bornholm is also called the “Pearl of the Baltic Sea” – because of its shiny white sandy beaches, because of its rough cliffs in the north, because of its cozy and picturesque small fishing villages, the unique and unspoiled nature, the high quality gourmet food, the rich outdoor sports possibilities, the famous arts and crafts and much more. Bornholm inherits all of that and much more – the island in the middle of the Southern Baltic Sea is a perfect destination for cruise ships. Fishing, agriculture and tourism are the leading business. Cruise ships dock at the port of Rønne The Rønne cruise terminal is located in the heart of the city. You can easily reach the town on foot. The port is industrial and does not offer many services. A shuttle bus is offered to get to the center of the city. Free Wifi is available at the port. Rønne is a Baltic Sea cruise port, the principal port and largest town on Bornholm Island. The town has population around 14,000 and land area approx 29km2. Bornholm has total land area 588km2, total population around 40,000 and highest elevation point (Mt Rytterknaegten) 162 m (531 ft). Bornholm has 15 medieval churches, four of which contain unique artwork and architecture. History buffs will delight in the ancient site of Rispebjerg, with pieces of sun temples from the Neolithic era. Two streets (Laksegade and Storegade) contain most of the Rønne 's historic houses - former trade buildings and homes of noblemen and merchants. Best-known landmarks include Bornholm Museum where you can learn a lot about daily life on Bornholm in different historical periods. Defence Museum (themed on the island's military history), Ronne Lighthouse (built 1880), Custom House (Toldboden) built 1684, Post Office (1900), Rønne Teater (Theatre) 1823 and St. Nicolas' Church, St Nicolas was originally built in the 12th century and fully refurbished in 1918. The whitewashed building rises well above the surrounding houses and is therefore probably the first building that catches the eye when entering Rønne harbour. While some of the church's artefacts are in the Bornholm Museum, many of the original items remain onsite, including The Mariaklokke (Mary's Bell) dating back to 1434 and a large chandelier made in Lübeck in 1620. The historic Old Town Gamie Stan has cobblestoned streets flanked by cross-timbered houses, many of them brightly painted. The island is made up of dramatic rock formations, forests, farmland, and sandy beaches, There are places that bicycles can be hired for those to who want to explore that way. There is a car rental next to the welcome center near the ferry docks. Several areas of the island have dramatic cliffs and there are many beaches – the best are at the northern and southern tips. From May to Sept bus 7 leaves from the ferry terminal every 2 hours between 10 and 4 and travels anticlockwise around the island, stopping at Dueodde Beach and all major costal villages before terminating at Hammershus. The circuit takes 2 hours 40 minutes. 1 Danish Krone = .13 Euro or 100 – 13 Euro

Ju 30 Day 3 at sea Very cloudy day with the odd sunny break. Dry but a cool breeze and temp in low 60’s – about 16C. We are in a very busy shipping channel – seemed every time I looked out we were passing another ship including one named Artic Princess. The weather cleared just before dinner as we entered a narrow shipping channel between 2 Danish islands. Our table is near a window so we had a view of one of the shores – verily flat and no sign of large building. We passed under the largest bridge in Denmark and I made a dash up to deck 7 and snapped a few photos. I noticed after today’s trivia they quietly gave out the black string bags to the winning team. After 4 games we have played, one team has won 3 games and came 2nd the other. We played with another couple this afternoon and came in tied for 2nd. For afternoon trivia you need to be there by 3:10 to get a spot or the 3:30 start or at least have someone on your team arrive early. Sales/loyalty – There has been recent post on CC about the elimination of the Captain Circle rep – On the Island P there is an office described just as ‘Future Sales Specialist’ on deck 8 and a ‘Future Cruise and Loyalty’ located in the deck 5 atrium. Every time we have gone by the office on deck 5 there has been a line of people waiting except as we were heading into dinner no one was there so I asked about the Most travelled passenger luncheon and the cut off is 575 days so we will get an invite in a couple days. Forecast for the next 3 port days is rain, rain and rain with cool temps. Today’s thought for the day - The great difference between voyages rests not with the ships, but with the people you meet on them. -Amelia Barr

Ju 29 Day 2 at sea We had a 1 hr time change last night so nice to have 2 sea days to start the cruise – helps to give us a chance to make the 6 hr time adjustment. One thing I missed in the first day report was a note in the cabin for the buffet In horizon court each night there will be a special item at the Action Station – Yesterday was Ramen Noodles and tonight will be Tossed Buffalo wings. Today was overcast all day, some light rain in the morning and only in the low 60’sF so no one was lounging out-side or in the pool but I did see several using the hot tubs. I have not seen many very young children but there are a fair number of people in their teens. School must be out for most now. Seniors are still the major group onboard but there are more younger people than we normally experience. This is the first time we have cruised in the summer as we previously had a home with a nice garden/pool so we wanted to be home for the short Toronto summer period. Lecture – Besides presentations on our first 2 ports, today there was a presentation on ‘The battle of the River Plate December 1939’ We did trivia twice today. Morning session started at 10 and afternoon at 3:30. There was some room at the morning session but it was very full in the afternoon. A couple debatable questions – What is the largest island in the world. I was taught in school it was Australia. I’ve had this question a few times on Princess before so I know they are looking for Greenland because according to them Australia can’t be considered an island because it is also a continent. What is the largest fresh water lake in the world? The Caspian Sea is considered a lake by some definitions so it could be the correct answer. Lake Superior has the largest surface area but Lake Baykal has the highest water volume so which is larger? They were looking for Superior. Not worth debating as there was no prizes, not even the mention of them. Tonight was the first formal night and Captain Welcome aboard party. The captain is Pau Slight. His welcome was short and to the point – I doubt it lasted 30 seconds. Our tablemates tonight were a couple from Sydney. They have been on the ship since early March and won’t leave until sometime in Sept. If they had no Princess voyages prior to this, they would build up enough cruise days to be elite in a single holiday. I will be doing a mix of tours (by myself) of the local old town learning about the cities enjoying its architecture and hopefully some gardens as well as in some places getting out in the countryside and enjoying the landscape and wildlife. We have 3 wheelchair accessible tours booked for Freda – We will do one and then decide if its is worth doing the others. Re question on the pool – one is outdoor and the other has a glass roof that does not move. – nice lounge chairs in that area. Todays quote of the day - A journey is like marriage. The certain way to be wrong is to think you control it. - John Steinbeck 1902-1968

"Cruuuuiseday!!!" has arrived. Let the good times roll! Welcome to my “Live From” travelogue from home away from home, the Island Princess for the next 28 nights. My wife and I were on this ship for 58 nights doing a circle of South America just as the first reports of Covid hitting North America was happening. That was a great cruise and we are hopping for another great experience. This cruise is made up of 2 14-night voyages Segment 1- ports are: Southampton Ju 28 Bornholm, Denmark Jy 1 Visby, Sweden Stockholm, Sweden Jy 3/4 Tallin, Estonia Jy 5 Riga, Latvia Jy 8 Klaipeda, Lithuania Jy 9 Gdansk (Gdynia), Poland Jy 10 Copenhagen, Denmark Jy 12 – end segment Segment 2 Skagen, Denmark Jy 13 Haugeesund, Norway Jy 14 Alesund, Norway Jy 15 Shetland Is, (Lerwick), Scotland, Jy 16 Seydisfjordur, Iceland, Jy 18 Akuretri, Iceland, Jy 19 Grundarfjordur, Iceland, Jy 20 Reykjavik, Iceland, Jy 21 Glasgow, (Greencok), Scotland, Jy 24 – changed from Liverpool a few months ago Southampton Jy 26 We have around 850 days at sea (mostly Princess) but this cruise is special in that every port is new. The only country I have been to before is England and I was only 6 years old – my mother left England in 1930 when she was 10 years old and we visited her old home down in the Land’s End area. I don’t remember very much about that trip. My wife (Freda) is full time in a wheelchair and has poor eye-sight so will not be able to enjoy most of the ports, but hopefully will be able to enjoy her time on the ship. We are in an accessible cabin down on deck 5. We are both life time residents of Toronto. Flight: From Toronto it was scheduled to be 7hr 10 min flight time to Heathrow. With delays in the terminal and then once in the plane as they last moment changed to scheduled runway, we left 2 hours late – the only good part was flying time tuned out to be 40 minutes shorter. Neither of us got much sleep. Freda needs special help getting off the plane and it took an hour from the time passengers started disembarking to get her off. We had arranged the Princess transfers and through the Princess accessible office were assured there would be wheelchair access for us, so once we got our luggage and were met by the Princess rep who had a record that she was in a wheelchair but not that she could not climb bus stairs. They were able to get us a van but that was another half hour wait. Bottom line our flight should have arrived at 10 am and I was hoping to be at the ship by 1 but did not arrive until just before 4pm – still very glad to be onboard. – Very glad we did not take a flight scheduled to arrive at noon. We had not done anything pre cruise on the medallion app – at the terminal I just handed in our passport and within a minute we had our medallions and were on our way to the ship. We set sail at 5:15 -not a lot of special viewing as it was cloudy and a bit hazy. We caught part of a game show -Strikeout -new to us – They pay a part of a song and give 2 years that are 2 years apart and you have to guess which year the song was out. One wrong and you are out for that round. We caught the late show in the theatre – comedian Rikki Jay. The room was about ¾ full – He was very good. The cruise director noted there are 186 from last cruise still on and 1,800 new passengers, so we are about 90% full. The are 24 passengers from Mexico, 32 from New Zealand, 176 from UK, 185 Cdn, 207 from Australia and 1,111 from the US. I will try to answer any questions but will not be using the spa, gym, sanctuary or specialty dinning rooms so can’t help with those. We do not have a drink package. At dinner we arranged to share a table for 6 each night. Have not noticed anything special that is new since we were last on the ship. This is a perfect cruise to be on the Island P as it has an indoor pool area that will come in handy on some of the cooler days that will come on the 2nd segment. Cabin – We are in an Inside, accessible cabin. The area between the bed and closets is wider that in a normal inside cabin as this gives a wheelchair space to turnout. The space between the wall and the bed in only the width of the night stand which is not enough to get Freda’s wheelchair in so she can transfer into bed. (Her chair is 2” wider than the standard chair) I had to turn my nightstand sideways and push the bed over to make room. There was no elite bathroom items. We had to ask for an ice bucket. First time ever there was no welcome aboard phone message. Paper work in the cabin included some advertising, a list of Captain Circle vents, (lounge is in Explores from 4:30 – 6:30 daily) and the Captain Circle party on JY 7. I was hoping to get an invite to the most travelled lunch but no invite I will end each days’ post with a thought or quote of the day - Today’s thought of the day - One of the gladdest moments of human life, methinks, is the departure upon a distant journey into unknown lands. Shaking off with one mighty effort the fetters of habit, the leaden weight of routine, the cloak of many cares and the slavery of home, man feels once more happy - Richard Burton 1821-1890

They have got rid of the elite washroom product package as well as the bonus OBC that started at $25 on 21st cruise and went up to $100 after 52nd cruise. Not a huge deal on longer cruises but if doing multiple B2B 7 day cruises the $200 per couple adds up.

Can anyone provide info on Airport to ship transportation for passenger confined to wheelchair, eith cruise-line bus transfer or taxi at airport? Thanks'

I sent a note to L Warren on My 29 and C Stenke on My 31simply noting I needed to contact another dept and asked that they proved a contact or forward my email to have the other dept to contact me - have not had a reply

In days of yore they had a paper list you could go through and pick your song. When we were on the Caribbean P last year you let the staff know the song you would like to do and they looked up on their computer to see if it was in their catalogue. I don't believe that would be available. Best to go with a number of songs you would like to do and ask in sequence that you would like to do. If there are a lot of people trying to sign up they may hurry you to make a decision but if not, you may have time. You could also approach them at the end of the Karaoke time and they may have a few minutes then to go through some options for another night.

Can someone provide a 800 # or email for the Princess accounting Dept?

It took a long time (around 6 weeks) for the accessibility dept. at Princess to confirm that they will provide the transportation. Our cruise is Ju 28 and they said they will provide details about 2 weeks prior to the cruise so looking good for us.

My wife and I did 9 B2B last year and each won once the draw for the free bottle. It was much better than the bottles they give as prizes in some games

So now you have to have a main course, leave the restaurant and come back to a new table and order again

On the main Royal Caribbean board there is a very similar thread currently at 1,282 pages - To add some humour... It was started early covid cruise shut down. Lots of great jokes

We left all our cruise info with someone for emergency use and got a call one night just before dinner. We were near the southern tip of South America. This was Jan just before covid issues started I did not discuss if they had any issues getting through to our cabin

You need 36 night to become Platinum so once you have sailed 36 nights of the voyage at the start of the segment after that you will have the new benefits. You should get info in your cabin a few days prior but if not check with front desk on that segments turn-around day