Live from Journey Norway Cruise

[Grandma Cruising]

 

Wednesday 10 July contd

Some more photos from the afternoon's scenic cruising including the lowish bridge we went under

 

We had dinner in Discoveries. Another lovely meal. I had escargots for starter then scallops & sole for my main course.

Every night we've shared a table, either as a 4 or 6, and it's been great. We've met and talked to some lovely people. Tonight was a table of 6, us and a couple from Canada and a couple from the USA. A very nice evening and we were very nearly the last to leave Discoveries.

After a brief stop in Spirits bar, we went to bed.

Edited July 11, 2019 by Host Grandma Cruising

[excitedofharpenden]

I just read on the cabin sticky your review of 6015 and that you wouldn't book it again. That would be a useful thing to post here for people to see. 

 

Phil 

[Grandma Cruising]

5 hours ago, excitedofharpenden said:

I just read on the cabin sticky your review of 6015 and that you wouldn't book it again. That would be a useful thing to post here for people to see. 

 

Phil 

Yes, we got an upgrade through the bidding system from an OV on Deck 4. I wouldn't have booked it, due to the noise from the Caberet rehearsals. However we were pleased that we had it for this cruise despite the noise, because the scenery is so stunning - and the extra we paid was well over £2000 less than it would have cost us if we'd booked it in the first place.

[Grandma Cruising]

Thursday 11 July

We docked in Bodo at 8am. After breakfast in Discoveries we went ashore to look at the Street Art in Bodo. These were murals painted on walls in the town in 2016 for the UpNorth Festival. This is a travelling art festival focusing on urban art which every year changes its location in Northern Norway.

The paintings are The Golden Eagle by Dzia, Maelstrom by David de la Mano, A Kiss Between Cultures by Animalito, Insomnia by Millo and Phlegm by Phlegm

Edited July 11, 2019 by Host Grandma Cruising

[Grandma Cruising]

 

Thursday 11 July contd

We also came across the 'Peace Cathedral' which had the most beautiful stained glass window

 

 

Back on the ship we had lunch on the patio (DH had a Greek Burger & fries - again) then a restful afternoon. It was the LCV cocktail party at 5pm but we decided to give it a miss. Instead we went to the Living Room to hear the Fancy Triplets playing live. They are excellent and play a good selection of music such as La Bamba, On the Boardwalk etc.

Edited July 11, 2019 by Host Grandma Cruising

[uktog]

Pity you missed the LCV I’d hoped to find out how the new CD handled it. Anyone else posting go?

[bob278]

Danny did OK.  He really didn’t have a large role.  Captain Johannes spoke for a good while.  He even made a pitch for people to join him in 2021 for a little longer (18 days) and going beyond the North Cape (but, curiously, not stopping in Honnigsvag). He  said he would tweak his vacation to be on the cruise.  We signed up.

 

After Liesel (Loyalty & Future Sales) spoke and made the presentation of the top cruiser (37 cruises), Johannes spoke briefly and turned it to Danny who had a few words and dismissed the party.  Only problem was that the singers and dancers were ready to perform.  Heike had a short word with him and he recovered nicely.

 

I will say that he did a very good job with White night and has a very good voice and range.  But Eric is a very tough act to follow.  It would have been better if Eric had not been on board and done his show a couple of nights previously.  I think Danny will do well, but he is not Russ or Eric (then again, who is?).

Edited July 12, 2019 by bob278
Autocorrect changed the Captain’s name to Johannesburg. Darned technology

[uktog]

4 minutes ago, bob278 said:

Danny did OK.  He really didn’t have a large role.  Captain Johannes spoke for a good while.  He even made a pitch for people to join him in 2021 for a little longer (18 days) and going beyond the North Cape (but, curiously, not stopping in Honnigsvag). He  said he would tweak his vacation to be on the cruise.  We signed up.

 

After Liesel (Loyalty & Future Sales) spoke and made the presentation of the top cruiser (37 cruises), Johannes spoke briefly and turned it to Danny who had a few words and dismissed the party.  Only problem was that the singers and dancers were ready to perform.  Heike had a short word with him and he recovered nicely.

 

I will say that he did a very good job with White night and has a very good voice and range.  But Eric is a very tough act to follow.  It would have been better if Eric had not been on board and done his show a couple of nights previously.  I think Danny will do well, but he is not Russ or Eric (then again, who is?).

Hi Bob

Thanks for chipping in with such great detail. That’s what I needed to hear!  Glad Danny is settling in, it must be daunting being parachuted in and as you say big shoes to fill. Sounds promising though.

Looks like we will see you two in 2021 😀 though if it’s the 28/7 cruise our current Voyage Planner shows a stop at Honnigsvag.  Time will no doubt tell!

Enjoy the rest of your cruise. It’s a bit wet in Edinburgh but hopefully things will change for you.  

[bob278]

5 minutes ago, uktog said:

Hi Bob

Thanks for chipping in with such great detail. That’s what I needed to hear!  Glad Danny is settling in, it must be daunting being parachuted in and as you say big shoes to fill. Sounds promising though.

Looks like we will see you two in 2021 😀 though if it’s the 28/7 cruise our current Voyage Planner shows a stop at Honnigsvag.  Time will no doubt tell!

Enjoy the rest of your cruise. It’s a bit wet in Edinburgh but hopefully things will change for you.  

It is the 28 July sailing. I am looking at the brochure for 2021 and 2022 (and we all know how wonderful Azamara’s marketing material is) and Honnigsvag doesn’t show.  Frankly, it doesn’t make a lot of sense not to stop there, but the cruise title is Norway Intensive and Svalbard Voyage (but Svalbard is not listed as a port). But there are 6 ports that are new to us (and Johannes said that those above the North Cape are new to him), even with two cruises to the North Cape and 4 others to Norway so it will be almost like a new itinerary for us.  The cruise is on hold now but I will be making the deposit later today and will get a printed itinerary.  I’ll come back and let you know that is says, but I would expect it to agree with your Voyage Planner.

 

Garry and I are delighted that we’ll see you and Charles again.  When we were looking at flights home, we both thought it would be nice it it worked out that we might see you for lunch but our flight is at 11:00 so we’ll be dashing to the airport.

[uktog]

Yes think it’s No 5 to Norway and the attraction was new ports and possible icebergs. 

 

Good luck with the flights home. Edinburgh is a relatively easy airport to use so hope it goes well. 

[bob278]

Thanks for the good wishes.  After our nightmare getting to the ship, we don’t need any more problems.

 

I checked the German scanner site and think I know what’s up.  The brochure just shows 13:00 - 21:00 as North Cape (cruising), but that is actually time in port and then we cruise past on the way north.  I searched and Svalbard is an archipelago midway between Norway and the North Pole.  The cruise is even more interesting than we thought!  Warm clothes for sure!

[excitedofharpenden]

The 28th July 2021 is one that I'd like to do also, heading as it does to Longyearbyen, but I won't be booking it just now. The prices are just crazy. £13,000 for a window cabin. They are having a laugh at that price. I will wait and see what happens. 

 

Phil 

[Sucellos]

Sitting at home watching you enter port I just wanted to take the opportunity to welcome you to my home town 🙂 Enjoy your day in Trondheim! If you look around in the part of town you docked you will find some cool street art there as well!

[uktog]

6 minutes ago, Sucellos said:

Sitting at home watching you enter port I just wanted to take the opportunity to welcome you to my home town 🙂 Enjoy your day in Trondheim! If you look around in the part of town you docked you will find some cool street art there as well!

My hometown is twinned with you 🙂 

[Doh15]

Thanks for all the updates! 

 

It looks like you'll be in Bergen in a few days.  Could you let me know if it's reasonable to plan to get from the ship to the train in Bergen by 8:30 am (and whether that would require a taxi or just a brisk walk)? 

 

From what I can find on the internet it sounds like it's less than a mile from the dock to the train but figured it's worth asking from a practical perspective what time people are actually off the boat and how easy it is to get to the train station.

 

thanks again

[AllisonJames]

Host Grandma -- Thank you for the enjoyable report which has been a fun prelude to embarking Journey on the 17th in Edinburgh!  Heading out today to spend some time in St. Andrews prior to the cruise . . . please keep the seats in the Living Room warm for us! 🙂

[Grandma Cruising]

13 minutes ago, AllisonJames said:

Host Grandma -- Thank you for the enjoyable report which has been a fun prelude to embarking Journey on the 17th in Edinburgh!  Heading out today to spend some time in St. Andrews prior to the cruise . . . please keep the seats in the Living Room warm for us! 🙂

We will do.

[Grandma Cruising]

 

Friday 12 July

Last night was very calm, even though we went ‘outside’ away from land. We had a morning at sea before docking at Trondheim at 1pm. The HAL Nuiew Statendam was docked further along from us.

Shuttles were provided to take us into town, stopping, to drop off only, at the tourist information centre, before a stop and pick up point very close to the Nidaros Cathedral. It was also possible to walk off the ship to go into town - it’s about 2km from our dock (Quay 30).

We had lunch at the Patio - you guessed it, my DH had a Greek Burger again! We then got the shuttle up to the Cathedral. It’s where the Azamazing Evening is being held, but as we’re not going to that, I paid up (110Kroner - about £11/$13) to go inside. It’s a stunning Gothic building, very somber but with a glorious rose window in deep reds and blues. Unfortunately it wasn’t permissible to take photos inside.

 

 

 

After that hat we walked down to the old town bridge, also known as Lykkens Portal. As you go over the bridge you see the colourful old wharves and warehouses that have been restored and are now used as apartments, offices, restaurants etc.

 

Just across from from the bridge we came across the bike lift, at the bottom of a steep hill. It’s free and was provided to encourage people to use their bikes. Basically you sit on your bike and put your foot in a slide like a starting block and the machine pushes your foot up the hil, while you concentrate on keeping your balance.

Just behind the colourful wharves is a street full of lovely old restored buildings, now restaurants, bars & shops.

Edited July 12, 2019 by Host Grandma Cruising

[Grandma Cruising]

7 hours ago, uktog said:

Hi Bob

Thanks for chipping in with such great detail. That’s what I needed to hear!  Glad Danny is settling in, it must be daunting being parachuted in and as you say big shoes to fill. Sounds promising though.

 

Not only did Danny do very well at White Night, we have also found him very personable around the ship - always happy to stop and have a chat.   Ned, the ACD, is also very good - he did a really good job as the ‘host’ of the Arctic Circle ceremony.

[oddjob16]

5 hours ago, excitedofharpenden said:

The 28th July 2021 is one that I'd like to do also, heading as it does to Longyearbyen, but I won't be booking it just now. The prices are just crazy. £13,000 for a window cabin. They are having a laugh at that price. I will wait and see what happens. 

 

Phil 

We are also hovering above this. Prices are too high at the moment.. 

 

[Werangels]

Blue sky!  Looks lovely.  

[uktog]

2 minutes ago, oddjob16 said:

We are also hovering above this. Prices are too high at the moment.. 

 

go for it, it would be such fun....

 

[uktog]

8 minutes ago, Host Grandma Cruising said:

Not only did Danny do very well at White Night, we have also found him very personable around the ship - always happy to stop and have a chat.   Ned, the ACD, is also very good - he did a really good job as the ‘host’ of the Arctic Circle ceremony.

Thanks good to hear.  Two new names to look out for

[oddjob16]

Just chipping in a picture of the Rose Window in Nidarosdomen. Have a great evening in Trondheim. (Trondheim was called Nidaros in the middle ages hence the name of the cathedral.) 

[Lottie A]

11 minutes ago, oddjob16 said:

Just chipping in a picture of the Rose Window in Nidarosdomen. Have a great evening in Trondheim. (Trondheim was called Nidaros in the middle ages hence the name of the cathedral.) 

What a beautiful Rose Window Odd. Thanks for the picture. 

 

 Isn't it amazing how the craftsmen of the past managed to do such incredible work with their basic tools?