‘Live From’ Spirit of Discovery, 5th-12th September.

[cinnamon]

After we had done our step test at 11.00 we sat out on the aft terrace to watch the scenery unfold. Whilst the view is great from the balcony (which I’m enjoying early this morning as I write) of course you see so much more looking forward or aft. We were glad of the travel rugs provided in our cabin. While DH sat I did my 4 times for a mile around the Prom deck, one level below. The Britannia Lounge is good for viewing but was crowded and noisy, I’m sure partly because it was too cold for many older people to sit outside. I posted some of the photos yesterday. 

[cinnamon]

In the afternoon we did something fairly unusual for us.........we took a ship’s tour. As we were not due to be anchored until 2,  it was a Sunday which usually means lots of places closed in Norway and we’ve been to Geiranger 3 times before, I had not been able to find anything for us to do Independently. Once onboard we booked Fjord in Focus for 3.00 pm. It was £69.00 pp, due to go to both viewpoints, Eagles Bend and Flydalsjuvet. They are great spots for photography and it’s good to get above the Fjord and look down although we had been to both before, this tour included the Fjord centre which we have not seen. As we needed a tender to disembark, after lunch we headed to the theatre for our scheduled time of 2.45.  And we sat....and sat... for half an hour. Eventually we tendered ashore. By now it had warmed up considerably and was very pleasant. Tendering with so many older people is a very slow process,  we eventually were all on our bus at 3.30. Our guide Giuseppe was Italian and it took a little while to tune into his accent but he was informative and pleasant without constantly talking. The ride up all the hairpins on the Eagles Bend Road was a little tortuous but the views are worth it. However, this late in the day the shadows were over the village so the photos were not as good as we took a few years ago.  

[cinnamon]

To be continued after breakfast. 

[goody1]

Love the blog. My Wife and I are boarding on the 26 Sep for the Norway Rocks cruise. Being 58 and 57, we'll probably be the youngest on board lol.

[Literary Lynne]

Thank you for your wonderful and very interesting blog. I am enjoying every minute!

Lynne 😀

[Bloodaxe]

I would also like to thank you for taking time to write this blog.

You have certainly given me food for thought about any future cruises.

I will be very interested to read your final comparisons to Azamara which has also been our favourite line.

 

 

 

 

[cinnamon]

Once back on the bus we were a little surprised that the guide said we were heading up Mount Dalsnibba. This is 5,000 feet up to a viewpoint on top of the mountain and was offered on a different tour. It was quite a scary drive up, with sheer drops below on a winding narrow road but the driver was very experienced and skilful. Once at the top there was snow to play with and of course stunning views. Unfortunately there was no toilet open. The rather dirty one on the bus was my only option (and it was then two and a half hours since we had left our cabins)  but there was no water or sanitiser to wash my hands. I gave them a thorough snow cleanse outside, hoping the cold would suffice to kill off any bugs. Back in the bus our accompanying lecturer on military things brought round sweets and more importantly hand sanitiser which he spilled all over the place. He actually had no idea of his duties, despite wearing a yellow Saga fleece and counting us on and off the bus.  I subsequently found out he is supplied with wet towels but these were not offered. 😟

 

By the time we had driven back down the mountain we arrived at the Fjord centre around 5.50 pm and it had closed!  Many people then had to walk a way over to a public toilet before our final drive back to the ship and the tender boats. A few people decided to walk thevlast part back down the hill. 

 

About 2/3 of the way up I took this photo through the coach window. The Skywalk is right at the top and can just about be seen. 

[cinnamon]

I only realised afterwards that in this picture of DH he has captured a little troll in a high vis jacket in his snowball. 😀 ❄️ 

[cinnamon]

And no, I didn’t actually eat it. 😉

[Glenndale]

If the tour wasn't as advertised I would complain to the excursions desk and expect at least a refund of half the cost.

The lecturers, entertainers etc. often accompany tours and are usually competent, it sounds as if your chappie was not totally au fait with his duties.

 

[cinnamon]

During the last stages of the bus trip and then tendering we were getting quite excited by the cricket score from Old Trafford. Back on board we tuned into TMS via 4G on my phone for the commentary. Ultimately it was a loss for England but nevertheless fun for a bit, especially Whatsapping with our family on different continent. 

 

We changed and headed down to the MDR around 7.45, only to again share that worst corner table for 6 by the kitchen entrance. Mercifully we were with a couple we had met a couple of days ago and good conversation followed. Our server Elmer was good and the meal enjoyable. As we finished my phone beeped with a message from my son. It was a beautiful read and we ended up very emotional with happy tears which we explained to our table mates. 

 

After dinner we watched the Production show which I enjoyed but not as much as the first one. There is however a male dancer who did several solos and he was mesmerising. The end was somewhat jingoistic and not to our taste but went down well with this crowd. It reminded me of the P&O Sailaway parties that we have been unfortunate enough to witness when docked alongside on a more international line. 

 

We settled to bed after such a wonderful day. I’m really glad that this blog will help me to remember it for some time to come. 

 

Photo taken through coach window at speed. We didn’t get to stop at the proper viewpoint. 😏

[cinnamon]

This morning we left our anchoring around 7.00 am (so they tell me 😴). We started watching our progress from the cabin about 7:40 as we passed The Suitor falls. With the Bow Cam on the tv screen I was able to nip into the balcony occasionally for photos but it was pretty chilly. 

[cinnamon]

[cinnamon]

Again the Captain's voice came over the PA directly (and loudly) into the cabins at 8.20 am. 😟. For me this a negative. Whilst I like to hear the announcements I prefer choice. At breakfast we met a couple who both still run their own businesses and come away for a break. They have been woken each morning!

 

Despite only going up to The Grill at 9.35 (this is a Sea day after all) we had to wait outside the restaurant in line, for a table to become vacant. Whilst we enjoyed our food, they cleared up around us and the food was cleared away promptly at 10.00. So we headed down to the Living Room for a second coffee and for DH to have a small pastry to finish his meal. 

 

We had a chat with a lady at Explore Ashore. She was very aware of the problem with the tour going to the wrong place and not visiting the Fjord Centre. What she hadn’t known was about the lack of toilet facilities, nor that the lecturer was less than able at his duties. Apparently she will get back to us when she’s heard from Head Offuce about what to do. 

 

This morning, once the chill went off the air it’s been a glorious day if you could be in sunshine, which the Starboard side was. I walked the decks, listening on a phone recording to my lines for a play I’m rehearsing. At 2.30, it’s now cooling a little but DH is still on the balcony. The aft terraces were pretty busy whilst we were still in the Fjord but is quieter now that we’ve dropped off the pilot and are out in the open sea. There’s a 1.5 metre swell but no waves to speak of. 

 

We went to the buffet for lunch earlier than planned at 1.15 because our steward finally got around to us and we wanted to I keep out of his way. 

 

Incidentally, I tried to book East to West at 9.30 by phone but we are ‘Waitlisted’. I’m not holding my breath. 😏. I’m off to sing in the choir shortly which is on at the same time as Captain’s corner at 3.00. Tonight is our 1 Formal night. Captain’s Cocktail Party at 6.15 with his address at 6.45. I suspect then there will be a stampede (😮) for the MDR. We’ll hang back a bit I suspect and try to eat with our friend P&M a little later. 

The main show tonight is the second one by the Ayoub Sisters who were great on the first night. 

[Mrs Miggins]

We did the same tour as Cinnamon but with an earlier 2 pm departure.  Eagles Nest was stunning and we were delighted and somewhat surprised to be driven through wonderful scenery, passing the tree line, to the wonderful views from Mount Dalsnibba.  Our tour guide was from Mexico via Liverpool.

we did go to the Visitor centre for a fairly brief visit but this was not the highlight of our tour.

Stunning scenery in beautiful weather.

[cinnamon]

[cinnamon]

[cinnamon]

Turned up for choir and all 4 singers here today. Apparently the crew call the ship the SOD. Mmm. 😄

[Tigrou]

4 hours ago, goody1 said:

Love the blog. My Wife and I are boarding on the 26 Sep for the Norway Rocks cruise. Being 58 and 57, we'll probably be the youngest on board lol.

 

Other than crew, more than likely. I’m 54 and feel I could be the youngest by a fair margin this week. 🤔

[Tigrou]

1 hour ago, cinnamon said:

Back in the bus our accompanying lecturer on military things brought round sweets and more importantly hand sanitiser which he spilled all over the place. He actually had no idea of his duties, despite wearing a yellow Saga fleece and counting us on and off the bus.  I subsequently found out he is supplied with wet towels but these were not offered. 😟

 

 

Ah yes, the Colonel who couldn’t control his own PowerPoint presentation the other day, kept blaming ‘the machine’ when it seemed pretty obvious he had (presumably inadvertently) simply set it to slide show. Bless him, he’ll be used to having someone else see to these things. (Someone just like me in fact, strange way to earn a living but interesting at times!)

 

[Ergates The Ant]

Thanks for all your reports, Cinnamon, really finding them enjoyable and informative.

The ship looks and sounds lovely, but I’m now getting a bit concerned about the food arrangements on board. It sounds as if the sort of buffet offering we are used to on other cruise lines, isn’t available on Saga?

We tend to avoid the MDR because it’s not often there is something on the menu that both of us fancy. At least with a buffet, we can pick and choose, and only rarely not be able to put together a very satisfactory meal.

Would be interested to hear what the situation is.

many thanks

Ergates 

[Tigrou]

20 minutes ago, cinnamon said:

Apparently the crew call the ship the SOD. Mmm. 😄

 

 

Inevitable, especially with sailors! What else did Saga expect giving it such a long-winded name?

 

[Tigrou]

6 minutes ago, Ergates The Ant said:

Thanks for all your reports, Cinnamon, really finding them enjoyable and informative.

The ship looks and sounds lovely, but I’m now getting a bit concerned about the food arrangements on board. It sounds as if the sort of buffet offering we are used to on other cruise lines, isn’t available on Saga?

We tend to avoid the MDR because it’s not often there is something on the menu that both of us fancy. At least with a buffet, we can pick and choose, and only rarely not be able to put together a very satisfactory meal.

Would be interested to hear what the situation is.

many thanks

Ergates 

 

It certainly isn’t the kind of buffet I’m used to on Disney, Celebrity and QM2. Other than the cheese board which is excellent, there is far less choice, and offering the same main courses as the MDR seems very odd to me.

[cinnamon]

1 hour ago, Ergates The Ant said:

Thanks for all your reports, Cinnamon, really finding them enjoyable and informative.

The ship looks and sounds lovely, but I’m now getting a bit concerned about the food arrangements on board. It sounds as if the sort of buffet offering we are used to on other cruise lines, isn’t available on Saga?

We tend to avoid the MDR because it’s not often there is something on the menu that both of us fancy. At least with a buffet, we can pick and choose, and only rarely not be able to put together a very satisfactory meal.

Would be interested to hear what the situation is.

many thanks

Ergates 

Yes, the ship is beautiful. The food quality is good but no, there’s not the choice we’ve had on Azamara and certainly the buffet & MDR being the same is odd for us. At dinner the always available main course is Steak, Salmon or Chicken (plus 2 meat, 1 fish and 1 veg) but on Azamara there are those in addition to about 5 choices. 

Yes, the Specialty restaurants have other things but of course we can’t all eat in each on a 7 night cruise. 

Edited September 9, 2019 by cinnamon

[hermioneb]

We were on a 14 night cruise and went to each of the speciality restaurants once.  Although we mainly had dinner in the MDR, we often had lunch in the Grill.  On no occasion did we find a problem choosing something we enjoyed  eating in either place.  Perhaps the fact that the weather was hot made a difference as we didn’t really want anything too rich or heavy at lunchtime.  The Grill never seemed too busy, but we often ate outside on the Verandah. One evening, after a day in Cartagena, they had bought a lot of fish and served a delicious paella.