Random Notes, Explorer, Copenhagen-Oslo, June 24-July 6, 2018--LIVE!

Thanks again for a great report, glad you had a wonderful time and safe travels. Looking forward to your next.................

We have not cruised Regent yet, but reading the boards here--this report in particular--has me convinced it needs to be done. I especially love your pina colada story. Thank you for sharing your travels!

Gilly, Mudhen, Zqueeze, thanks to all of you for your kind works regarding my mom. She was a remarkable lady. Rich, didn't mean to hijack your thread, but I felt some explanation was appropriate as to why I had been ignoring you.

I just loved the story of your and Ginny's magical meeting, I hadn't heard it before. Thanks so much for sharing!<3<3<3

I am so sad that your trip and my following of it is coming to an end:loudcry:

(but surely not as sad as you are.)

Thanks so much for a fabulous trip report, reading of your last day tomorrow will be a bittersweet moment.

Bob

Mr Rumor - do you happen to have a copy of the Regent Rewards items currently on offer? Just wondering if there's anything new...

Rachel, your mom was indeed a remarkable lady. I enjoyed reading every loving FB post you devoted to her over the last year-plus. I felt I had come to know her through your words and photos.

Roberto, after a quick dinner in Sette Mari, a foray into the boutique to use up as much of our remaining $592 worth of non refundable shipboard credit as possible (we left $1 unspent--Ginny is good at this), and a check-in at comedian Kevin Devane's performance, I decided to see if I could locate Enes. No sooner had I arrived in Compass Rose than I saw him strolling towards me. I relayed your and TB's regards, then read him your post. He broke into a big smile. He remembers you two very well, and agrees with you 100% on Miguel Cervantes de Saavedra.

Gilly, regarding Regent remembering the small details, this is probably TMI, but four or five years ago, suffering at the time from a pretty bad bout of acid reflux, I asked my stewardess for a wedge pillow so that I could sleep onboard like I still do at home, with my head elevated. One was placed under the mattress on my side of the bed that night. I've never had to ask Regent again for a wedge pillow, no matter which ship we're on. On the Explorer Maiden Voyage, the wedge pillows obviously hadn't arrived yet so a carpenter built a wooden wedge for me with padding.

Linda, I'm really enjoying the photo part of this blog--glad you like! Ron & Rick, I always appreciate your following along and your kind words. Whiterose79, I'm happy you discovered this blog and that it has played a role in your decision to try Regent; has been my pleasure to share our cruise with you. Thank you so much, Bob! Since we won't be flying back until Sunday--Jess will be at the ship to greet us tomorrow a.m.--I'm anticipating a wrap-up post or two from Oslo.

Kwaj girl, we hadn't seen Needlepoint Kits before, so Ginny scooped up one each of the two purse designs--Regent "R" and a stylized picture of the bow of the Explorer. She'll be doing the "R" design for Shauna, who has a thing for both the Regent logo and small purses. The other Regent items were golf tee and ball, golf towel, golf balls, cinch bag, visor, long-sleeve cotton t-shirt, short-sleeve sport t-shirt, short-sleeve polo shirt, and baseball cap.

Ginny and I were happy to forego the "Tjoloholm Manor" excursion and instead take the free shuttle to Gustav Adolf's Square so that we could take the pulse of Sweden's second largest city. We walked through a portion of the Nordstan shopping center, a park, and Haga, an area with a fun mix of cafes and interesting shops. We had a good time!

A few pics:

King Gustavus Adolphus has his own square:

Thrashing around:

Amid the clamor:

Haga, where “fika” is practiced (fika means having coffee or tea with a snack—Swedes are said to be big on fika):

Haga goodies for fika:

Pedaling in the park:

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Loved your blog and fabulous photos! It is ending much to soon. Safe travel home. Until your next cruise blog——-

Sheila

Love reading your cruise reports. Your pictures are fabulous. When will I be cruising vicariously with you again.

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Takk, Sheila and EAGLESLOVER, and hei hei, Oslo! Knowing Jess, he was up much earlier than us so that he could photograph the Explorer’s sail-in from one of his favorite viewing spots. Will see him again in about two hours!

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Rich - thank you SO much for this lovely "ride". Photos are all amazing and so was the commentary.

have a great time in Oslo - I am sure they do "fika" there too but call it something else. (They wouldn't want to sound like the Swedes!!)

Gerry

And thank you so much, Gerry, for cruising along with me!

We're happily settled in Jess' Sandvika apartment at the moment. When he returns from an appointment, we'll take off for a favorite cafe/bakery on the fjord in Vollen.

Norway doesn't have a tradition quite like Sweden's fika. What Norway has is "hygge," which Jess' nephew Steffen explained as "enjoying the company of others, as in 'Let's go to the park and hygge.' It's all about social interaction."

But if Norway had a version of fika, you're right that they wouldn't want to use the same or similar word as the Swedes. As I'm guessing you may know, there is a bit of an attitude many Norwegians have toward the Swedes, to the point where some delight in telling "Swedish jokes" (think the Polish jokes of old). Jess told a couple, which I've elected not to repeat!

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Hi Rich & Ginny;

If Ginny likes wonderfully well made sweaters, bet Jess knows the best place to get her a Dale Norwegian sweater. When visiting our Oslo friends back in February 2004, they took us to the store under the Oslo Olympic ski jump. Ida got good use out of her Dale last year during our Norwegian cruise.

Enjoy Oslo!

Wes, if we're talking beautiful Norwegian knitwear (sorry to take the thread off topic but Ginny and Ida need this information ;)) don't forget Oleana! I'm sure such woollies are essential in your climate :rolleyes: (or possibly not!)

I bought one of those Norwegian sweaters. OMG, even in Oklahoma, where temps sometimes get to negative numbers ( in Fahrenheit), that thing was so warm, that I couldn’t wear it more than once a year. I gave it to the homeless shelter, so that some poor lady who has to sleep outside in winter will be sweltering.

Wes and Gilly, I relayed your Dale and Oleana sweater raves over dinner last night in Sandvika, but I got more of a reaction from Jess, a Dale sweater owner, than Ginny, who said she's well-stocked in sweaters (but appreciates your thinking of her). Back at his apartment, Jess showed us his blue Dale--beautiful, but, Rachel, I agree it “felt” very warm!—and then located two Santa Fe stores that carry Dale, in case Ginny changes her mind.

The Explorer's Oslo-Southampton cruise is now in its second day--55 of our cruising mates are continuing on this cruise, by the way--so it's time for me to bring this edition of Random Notes to a close. A big "Takk takk!" for all your support and comments. I've loved having you along!

I want to end by sharing several shots from our Geiranger sailaway that I'd meant to post earlier. Among the many highs on this cruise, I'd have to rank the sailaway the highest of them all. I don't think I've ever seen Deck 12 of a Regent ship so crowded as we reveled in the sights as well as the gorgeous weather.

But before I do, I make brief note of some big news regarding future cruising in the Norwegian fjords, especially Geiranger and Geirangerfjord, which last year hosted more than 300,000 cruise passengers and which has begun to suffer from high air pollution.

On May 3, the Norwegian Parliament passed the following resolution: "The Parliament calls on the Government to implement requirements and regulations for emissions from cruise ships and other vessels in tourist fjords, as well as other suitable measures to ensure the phasing in of low-end zero-emissions solutions in the shipping industry until 2030, including a regulation for zero emissions from tourist ships and ferries in the world heritage fjords as soon as possible and no later than 2026."

And how will this be accomplished? According to an article I located online (https://maritimecleantech.no/2018/05/03/norwegian-parliament-adopts-zero-emission-regulations-fjords/), "existing ships will have to be equipped for electric propulsion with battery packs, and, in the future, hydrogen." It will be interesting to follow this story and to learn how Regent and other cruise lines go about complying.

Now to beautiful Geiranger--long may she remain that way!

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Thank you for sharing wonderful pictures of fjords and waterfalls!

Instant flash-back to our previous cruises to these environs on Regent, Seabourn, and Cunard. Big ships, and smaller ones. Excursions on small boats cruising up fjords to the base of waterfalls. On return portion, stopping at a local site for waffles, cream, berries, and hot coffee.

One aspect noted on our last Norwegian cruise aboard QM2, August, 2016 related to announced Norwegian Government restrictions on cruise ships re: pollution concerns: Perhaps it was the size of the ship when docked. And, it happened twice. My wife and I walked off the ship to trek up roads and take pictures. We noticed a plethora of front yard signs outside neat homes. The signs were all in English, and they were very specific.

Basically, cruise ships not welcome. Ships go Home! You are polluting us.

Well, a lot of local folks in those communities were employed by supporting those arriving vessels.

Thanks again for this wonderful thread. Commentary and photos just perfect. You have a very special way of taking us all along with you.

Enjoy the extended stay with your lovely friends.

Look forward to your next cruise reports.

Thanks, Jean.

Loved all of your photos, reports and comments. Years ago we did a "fjord" cruise on the now, only a memory, Norway. We were also blessed with glorious weather. It was fun to relive some of the ports we had previously stopped in! Elizabeth's favorite port of all time, is Geiranger.

Safe travels homeward!

And thank you so much, Gerry, for cruising along with me!

 

We're happily settled in Jess' Sandvika apartment at the moment. When he returns from an appointment, we'll take off for a favorite cafe/bakery on the fjord in Vollen.

 

Norway doesn't have a tradition quite like Sweden's fika. What Norway has is "hygge," which Jess' nephew Steffen explained as "enjoying the company of others, as in 'Let's go to the park and hygge.' It's all about social interaction."

 

But if Norway had a version of fika, you're right that they wouldn't want to use the same or similar word as the Swedes. As I'm guessing you may know, there is a bit of an attitude many Norwegians have toward the Swedes, to the point where some delight in telling "Swedish jokes" (think the Polish jokes of old). Jess told a couple, which I've elected not to repeat!

 

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Not only the Norwegians Rich. The Danes too... they are happy to be compared to Norwegians but never, ever tell them they are like the Swedish! Problem is historical. Sweden ruled both Norway and Denmark for centuries...and the Norwegians and the Danes were not /are not happy about this!!Gerry

Oh Rich and Ginny, we loved your trip, and enjoyed your tales and pictures every day with our morning coffee! Enjoy the rest of your trip and hope to see you in October!

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I guarantee you CD Davor and F&B Director Enes were whooping it up on the Explorer a little while ago when their native Croatia bested Russia on penalty kicks in the World Cup semi-finals.

I watched the end of the game in our room at the Radisson Blu, located just steps away from the Oslo airport. A good thing, too, as we begin our three-flight return to the Land of Enchantment with a 6:05 a.m. departure.

Before turning in. . .

GOARMY, glad you've enjoyed the fjord shots.

I was interested to read of your un-welcome from some Geiranger residents and your guess that it may have had to do with the QM2's high passenger count.

Speaking of numbers, our Geiranger guide laid a huge one of us: 15,000. That's the most cruise passengers that have descended on Geiranger in one day. It sounds out of whack considering this hamlet's year-around-around population of 250.

A question inevitably arises: If Norway's Parliament is concerned enough about Geiranger's and other fjords' pollution to issue a call for a zero-emission cruise-ship standard, why didn't it take steps years earlier to curb pollution by limiting the number of ships that may visit Geiranger in one day? We've been to other ports--Icy Strait, Hoonah immediately comes to mind--that do.

In fact, according to Jess, Norway did once impose a Geiranger limit of either two or three ships per day. But no longer. Our guide said he has seen as many as five ships sail into Geiranger in a day, including several mega ships.

Jean, I'm always happy to have you following along, and always appreciate your comments. EAGLESLOVER had asked earlier when I'll be cruising/blogging again, and I meant to answer, so I'll do it here: late November, Miami-Miami, aboard the Voyager, with our daughter Shauna. Hope you'll join me.

Linda, so glad I could help you relive your years-ago SS Norway cruise. Did you know it has been 12 years since the Norway made its final journey--to the scrap heap?

Gerry, I read your historical explanation for the antipathy that many Norwegians and Danes feel toward the Swedes to Jess and he nodded in assent. He added that many in his generation also still hold a grudge for Sweden’s neutral stance in WW2.

Susan and Mark, glad to know the blog made a good coffee companion. Ginny and I (and Shauna) now look forward to being your personal coffee companions in October!

I wanted to give one last shout-out to Jess, great friend and great host as well as a very able dispenser of those Eilfeldig Notaters. As partial thanks, we decked him out this morning as an honorary Regent cruiser.

He drove us to our airport hotel, where we said a shadowy "goodbye for now" (a third Norway visit is already in the early discussion stages!).

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A safe trip home to both of you. This thread has been a wonderful respite from a warm southern summer. Really enjoyed it, can’t wait for the next one. Thank you.

Safe travels you two, and I look forward to reading about your November trip!

Peggy

Rich:

We are cruising from Montreal to Miami in late October, which you inspired us into taking this cruise after reading your blog when you did this itinerary a couple of years ago. We should be back before your November cruise so let us know if you happen to be in Miami a day early and if available to get together for lunch or a drink. Safe travels home.

Z and TB

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Hi Rich,

I'm chiming in here rather late in the game (ALL sorts of "adventures" going on!) I was following you and Ginny on this remarkable cruise. Your stories, research, photos, ... one of your best yet. You brought back exquisite memories from our first cruise with Regent; Voyager --- Iceland to Copenhagen, 2013.

When my mom was in her final days after a brutal battle with cancer, she told me she wanted me to book a cruise. She wanted to know where we were going before she died. I chose this itinerary because she is half Danish, my dad half Norwegian. I really wanted to wait until she died before we booked a cruise, but this was her wish and it turned out to be ... fun, in a weird way (I mean ~ she was on the BRINK.) She wanted to hear every port, every detail. Poignant experience.

My mom knew what she was doing. When we embarked on our Scandinavian Adventure, I was still grappling with a deep grief. That cruise changed everything. Each stunningly beautiful day, I regained more and more of my joie de vivre. So healing.

Reading your blog was a huge joy as you brought back delicious memories of a transformational, rejuvenating voyage.

I cannot thank you enough!

Cheers,

Cindie (we met you, Ginny, and Shauna on the Mariner last June in Alaska)