Live from Journey Norway Cruise

[oddjob16]

https://bjost.no/webkameraer/svolvaer.htm

[excitedofharpenden]

16 hours ago, Host Grandma Cruising said:

It was lovely and sunny, but a very cold wind. The forecast seems to be showing nothing higher than 10C (50F) for the next week or so.

Should you see Bob and Garry on the ship, please say hi to them and I hope their luggage catches up with them soon. Nightmare journey. They will probably be out today buying some warm clothes! 

 

Phil 

[workingtocruise-59]

4 hours ago, excitedofharpenden said:

Should you see Bob and Garry on the ship, please say hi to them and I hope their luggage catches up with them soon. Nightmare journey. They will probably be out today buying some warm clothes! 

 

Phil 

Oh dear! We, too, hope that Bob and Garry's luggage eventually arrives. We last met them when we shared an excursion in Goa a few years ago

Edited July 3, 2019 by workingtocruise-59

[ellbon]

I have been to Vigeland Park twice. Was inside the museum too. Had a very hot sunny day and had lunch outside there. One of my favorite  places in Olso.

[LuAnn]

Phil...thanks for the tip about ordering the hot food later during breakfast!! Will do!! LuAnn

[Grandma Cruising]

21 hours ago, excitedofharpenden said:

Should you see Bob and Garry on the ship, please say hi to them and I hope their luggage catches up with them soon. Nightmare journey. They will probably be out today buying some warm clothes! 

 

Phil 

I will pass your message on if I see them. I heard they, and another couple who’s luggage didn’t arrive, expect to get their luggage in Alesund tonight/ tomorrow.

[KazLoudspeaker]

Wednesday 3rd July we arrived early in Flam, anchored, as 2 other ships here today. We had ordered breakfast in the room and then down to Discoveries Lounge to get an independant tour tender ticket. We had our own tickets to the Flam railway for the 8.35am train. It was brisk, about 5 degrees, and the wind very icy, especially on the tender. We dug out the winter woolies and headed off. Got a window spot on the train with ease, and we could move around no problem. As we arrived at Flam station there was a snow shower. Beautiful. We got off and walked around, took photos and then caught the 10.58am train back. Fought with crowds in the tourist shops for a short while and then returned to the ship. At 2.30pm up anchor and then cruised around to Gudvangen. This fjord is on the UNESCO list and was spectacular. We stopped twice, once for goats cheese and another for berries, so looking forward to those treats. Then we are cruising towards Geiranger and had about 8 hours overnight that we were on the open sea, again with a bit of movement. Arriving at Geiranger an hour earlier today. Some photos of yesterday, whilst we have internet!!

Karyn 

[KazLoudspeaker]

Sorry about the video, internet dropped out! Thought I would just post before it was all gone. Getting back into the high sides on the fjords now.

Karyn

[oddjob16]

Last tender in Geiranger. From now on the weather will improve. Welcome to Ålesund this evening.

[mare s.]

Loving your photos and descriptions.   This is one itinerary I'd like to do (been to Oslo but the fjords look gorgeous.)

 

mare

[uktog]

48 minutes ago, oddjob16 said:

Last tender in Geiranger. From now on the weather will improve. Welcome to Ålesund this evening.

 

Always knew we could rely on Alesund - hope you have landed the missing luggage 🙂

 

[excitedofharpenden]

1 hour ago, mare s. said:

Loving your photos and descriptions.   This is one itinerary I'd like to do (been to Oslo but the fjords look gorgeous.)

 

mare

If the weather improves then it gets even more spectacular as you go further north. 😎

 

Phil 

[Host Jazzbeau]

When we visited Nordkapp it was 70 degrees!  Frankly we were hoping for 40 to feel like the Arctic [for a day].

[oddjob16]

Journey sail into Ålesund via Hessafjord

[oddjob16]

Webcam of the Ålesund port

http://www.alesund.havn.no/no/Webkamera/Aalesund-havn-syd

[uktog]

12 hours ago, oddjob16 said:

Webcam of the Ålesund port

http://www.alesund.havn.no/no/Webkamera/Aalesund-havn-syd

Loving the local insight- now behave today!

[oddjob16]

1 minute ago, uktog said:

Loving the local insight- now behave today!

No promises. We will however be able to give a review of Aqualina and the menu. Having dinner there before she sails for Svolvær.

[uktog]

3 minutes ago, oddjob16 said:

No promises. We will however be able to give a review of Aqualina and the menu. Having dinner there before she sails for Svolvær.

Enjoy - jealous here, if only the landscaper hadn’t let us down. Looking forward to hearing about and seeing more of Journey in Norway 2019. 

[bob278]

 

On 7/3/2019 at 5:16 AM, excitedofharpenden said:

Should you see Bob and Garry on the ship, please say hi to them and I hope their luggage catches up with them soon. Nightmare journey. They will probably be out today buying some warm clothes! 

 

Phil 

 

On 7/3/2019 at 9:49 AM, workingtocruise-59 said:

Oh dear! We, too, hope that Bob and Garry's luggage eventually arrives. We last met them when we shared an excursion in Goa a few years ago

 

On 7/4/2019 at 2:24 AM, Host Grandma Cruising said:

I will pass your message on if I see them. I heard they, and another couple who’s luggage didn’t arrive, expect to get their luggage in Alesund tonight/ tomorrow.

 

Cruise Critic members are the best!  We appreciate the thoughts, concerns and encouraging comments.  By the grace of God, our luggage showed up this morning in Alesund!  Two bags went from Chicago to Newark to Oslo to Alesund and one went from Chicago to Heathrow to Oslo to Alesund.

 

As Phil said, we had a nightmare trip.  The short versions is 1 cancelled flight, two delays also causing itinerary changes and the net was we started in the Charlotte airport Saturday morning and didn’t arrive to Oslo until about 1:30 on Monday.  We ended up flying through Paris to Oslo after having to abandon our third itinerary through Chicago and Helsinki when the Chicago flight suffered its second delay.  Unfortunately, our bags stayed on the plane to Chicago.

 

Mario (the Concierge) told us there were 12 cabins affected by lost luggage so we were far from alone.  Azamara gave us complimentary laundry every day so my spare shirt and underwear were at least cleaned.  Poor Garry had neither so washed her own delicates and touched it out for the rest.

 

In spite of the inconvenience, it’s been a good cruise and we expect it to be even better now.

Edited July 5, 2019 by bob278

[uktog]

18 minutes ago, bob278 said:

 

 

 

 

Cruise Critic members are the best!  We appreciate the thoughts, concerns and encouraging comments.  By the grace of God, our luggage showed up this morning in Alesund!  Two bags went from Chicago to Newark to Oslo to Alesund and one went from Chicago to Heathrow to Oslo to Alesund.

 

As Phil said, we had a nightmare trip.  The short versions is 1 cancelled flight, two delays also causing itinerary changes and the net was we started in the Charlotte airport Saturday morning and didn’t arrive to Oslo until about 1:30 on Monday.  We ended up flying through Paris to Oslo after having to abandon our third itinerary through Chicago and Helsinki when the Chicago flight suffered its second delay.  Unfortunately, our bags stayed on the plane to Chicago.

 

Mario (the Concierge) told us there were 12 cabins affected by lost luggage so we were far from alone.  Azamara gave us complimentary laundry every day so my spare shirt and underwear were at least cleaned.  Poor Garry had neither so washed her own delicates and touched it out for the rest.

 

In spite of the inconvenience, it’s been a good cruise and we expect it to be even better now.

So glad to hear Alesund delivered for you. What a nightmare but great spirit from you two as always. I bet Garry packs her carryon different in future.😃 Have fun wish we were with you two. 

[Lottie A]

Lost luggage on a cruise is my personal nightmare. I always pack a change of clothes and essentials in my hand luggage now after a friend's incident with a lost case in Barcelona. Good idea to mix up the clothes in each other's cases too. One of them might arrive even if the other is misplaced, so at least you both have something to wear. 

So glad your luggage has arrived now and you can recover from that awful journey to get to Journey. 

Edited July 5, 2019 by Lottie A
Spelling

[excitedofharpenden]

That’s great Bob.  Pleased to hear you now have luggage and hope you are both recovered from your journey and Journey is now looking after you!  Please say hi to Mario too.  Great guy.  He was on Pursuit until fairly recently. 

 

Phil

[excitedofharpenden]

6 minutes ago, Lottie A said:

Lost luggage on a cruise is my personal nightmare. I always pack a change of clothes and essentials in my hand luggage now after a friend's incident with a lost case in Barcelona. Good idea to mix up the clothes in each other's cases too. One of them might arrive even if the other is misplaced, do at least you both have something to wear. 

So glad your luggage has arrived now and you can recover from that awful journey to get to Journey. 

Unfortunately I am a bit stuffed because I travel with all my luggage in one case.  I was talking to a friend just yesterday about this and will now make use of one of my packing cubes for at least a few essentials in my smallish carryon.  I think it was Bob and Garry’s exploits that started the conversation yesterday. 

 

Phil

Edited July 5, 2019 by excitedofharpenden

[Lottie A]

4 minutes ago, excitedofharpenden said:

Unfortunately I am a bit stuffed because I travel with all my luggage in one case.  I was talking to a friend just yesterday about this and will now make use of one of my packing cubes for at least a few essentials in my smallish carryon.  I think it was Bob and Garry’s exploits that started the conversation yesterday. 

 

Phil

It is more of a problem if you travel solo Phil and only have one case. This time I'm taking a hold-all that attaches to my big case and a small backpack on the plane instead of a handbag now. I can get quite a lot in there.

My daughter's friend just spent her whole holiday in Thailand without her luggage. It arrived on the plane she was due to fly home on! 

[bob278]

We will definitely cross-pack in the future!  When we first started cruising we did but got overconfident over the years with no problems.  Garry had a really small carry-on because the SAS website said their weight limit was too low for her regular one.  I noticed that at the last minute so she raced to get the essentials in the small one.

 

She has informed me that she will take that one from now on as she always packs a full change of clothes and, if we have to pay for gate-checking it, I should be prepared to pull out the credit card.