Celebrity Silhouette, Norwegian Fjords Sept. 1 2019

[Bimmer09]

It's about time for another Gentleman's Seafaring Journal and luckily I have something to report - a Cruise to the Norwegian Fjords on my favorite ship. Here's the itinerary (well almost as gremlins have been at work since we (Norris and Carol- not the Royal "we") arrived home from London yesterday afternoon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There was a sea day to get back to Southampton and then a day spent in London before flying home to Chicago Monday September 9th- yesterday if my math is correct. Photos from those days will be seen once I can free up space on my laptop.

 

So that's where we will be going as this unwinds day after day....

 

Norris

[hockeyguru32]

I have my barrel of rum handy and in for the long haul

Edited September 10, 2019 by hockeyguru32

[Bimmer09]

2 minutes ago, hockeyguru32 said:

I have my barrel of rum handy and in for the long haul

 

Welcome most esteemed Sir! Long haul indeed as we had a jam-packed adventure.

Norris

[willma]

I have been looking forward to your review Norris, and can’t wait to see what you thought of the Norwegian Fjords. 

Regards, Alison.

 

[Bimmer09]

37 minutes ago, willma said:

I have been looking forward to your review Norris, and can’t wait to see what you thought of the Norwegian Fjords. 

Regards, Alison.

 

 Nor can I Alison but am experiencing Flickr woes with the iPhone photos I took and that is eating up my morning. Thanks for coming aboard!

Norris

[Norwaylady]

Hurray!

A new adventure from Norris & Carol!

Welcome home😊

Looking forward to hear about your journey in Norway.

[Bimmer09]

In the meantime, patient readers, here is the backstory ...

 

We booked this cruise for September 2018 as we were leaving the Reflection January 2017.

After that we booked an Azamara to Cuba cruise for January 2019. During the interim we figured those were two biggish spends close together and pushed the Norway to the side of the Fjord for a year. 

Before we sailed to the Fjords (tip-don't pronounce the J. The Norwegians can't spell) I looked at our sailing and found that our Suite 7358 had an empty cabin next door. Same aft view but half the price and so I called Carol to a planning meeting and we decided we could live without a butler, Luminae, Blu and Michael's if it saved us $5500. That savings could now pay for an aft cabin on the new Sky Princess to the Western Caribbean in January 2020.

So I canceled the Suite and booked 7360.

 

Prior to the cruise I found us a hotel in London and limo transfers (via Blackberry Cars) to Southampton and from Soton back to London via Smiths on September 8th.

Carol bought Oyster cards for us which have nothing to do with shellfish (I later found out)

but paid for our bus and Tube travel. She also bought HoHo tickets on a Big Bus tour.

 

We also bought ship excursions for each of the ports which of course we had to pay in advance.

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

14 minutes ago, Norwaylady said:

Hurray!

A new adventure from Norris & Carol!

Welcome home😊

Looking forward to hear about your journey in Norway.

 

Wow! Norwegian readers!

Hooray and don't get offended about my spelling slight. They are your Fjords so spell them how you wish. Feeyords sounds about right.

I will say that we learned a few Norwegian phrases which brought big smiles from the people who served us in shops and restaurants. I will feature my first Norwegian Food Porn in this ramble.

Norris

[phabric]

Looking forward for more of your review 

[Bimmer09]

1 hour ago, phabric said:

Looking forward for more of your review 

 

So am I but having issues with Flickr and waiting for a response. I may have to press on until the issue is fixed and then recap the photos which I am unable to include which basically cover getting to London.

Norris

[Bimmer09]

The Royal Horseguards Hotel

I chose this hotel after extensive Advil-inducing research on TripAdvisor and many times during our stay there was thanked by Carol for doing so.

 

After a 75 pound black taxi ride from Heathrow which must be just outside Scotland judging by the fare we were at our hotel which is right by the river Thames (don't pronounce the H- it's like the J in Fjord). It was early afternoon and our room on the 7th floor was ready. 

 

 

 

It had windows (we insisted) with a view. To the left St Paul's Cathedral and Canary Wharf

 

and to the right, the London Eye

 

Bathing in the river wasn't necessary and it isn't the Ganges anyway....

 

Heated towel rail and some big fluffy towels

 

TV in the shower/tub

 

Nice bath products

 

Carol immediately set about Cloroxing all the surfaces we might touch as a precautionary

measure. While she did that I made my way to the gardens down below.

 

[Groovybusybee]

Pulling up a chair...........been looking forward to your next review.

 

Debbie

[CRLess]

Norris....I'm strapped in for the ride.  Let's go!

[Bimmer09]

The icing on the Hotel's cake is the block long garden it backs onto....

 

It's a public garden but the hotel's terrace bar has a gate into it

 

 

 

It's a lovely warm mid 70s F day in London and we could not be happier!

Norris

[Bimmer09]

This afternoon, Friday September 30, we will fight the jet-lag with a Thames River cruise down to Greenwich and back. We'll eat at a fine pub called the Trafalgar. Tomorrow we have tickets to the Churchill War Rooms and in the afternoon a play starring John Malcovich at the Garrick Theater followed by Carol's cousins Heather and her husband for a reunion as the last time they met was in 2007 and later, dinner in a Gordon Ramsay Gastro-Pub on the river in Limehouse. I will photograph the living daylights out of everything I see...

 

There's more I am sure-I know I did one of my early morning camera walks on our 2nd day.

Carol's notes have yet to be signed by a Notary but once they are I will refresh my foggy brain.

 

More soon!

Norris

[Barwick Cruiser]

Thanks for doing another live review..have enjoyed your previous ones including the Azamara to Cuba.  I would be interested in doing a Norwegian Fjords cruise and will be watching to see what kind of weather you get throughout.  Seems pretty good so far!! Enjoy your cruise and thanks again for doing this!

Cathy

[hockeyguru32]

right by the river Thames (don't pronounce the H- it's like the J in Fjord)

 

So you were by the Tames river in search of a Ford?

Edited September 10, 2019 by hockeyguru32

[Nanjen]

looking forward to the rest of your review as we did a fjord cruise in 2013 on the Infinity and had a wonderful time.  We will also be on the Silhouette this winter for the second time and really looking forward to it.

[Bimmer09]

I took a walk in our immediate neighborhood....

 

 

A view from a bridge

 

25 Million pounds sewer upgrade

 

 

 

Big Ben tower is in scaffolding

 

Our hotel peeks out from above the trees

 

 

A bridge (not) too far

 

Charing Cross station bridge

 

The former County Hall, now a Marriott and some entertainment businesses (Shrek experience, Haunted House etc) 

 

Time to go roust Carol....

[Sadebud]

Woo Hoo!!! A reminder popped up on my calendar this morning!  Yay!! Another Bimmer review to distract me from work for the next few weeks!!  Looking forward to the rest...

 

Tracy

[TeaBag]

Thank you for another great read.  This makes me want to go back to London again.  Love that city.  We also want to do the Norwegian fjords.

[SleepingUgly]

Oh, goody, another Norris trip report!  And on the Silhouette too.  I've missed her and hope she treated you and your wife well on your cruise.  Really looking forward to following along!

 

Linda

 

[Dejlig Ko]

fantastic photos, thank you. Looking forward to more! 

[Bimmer09]

It had been 25 years since I had set foot in my former home of 13 years and even longer for Carol. This would be our first cruise sailing from Southampton and first X cruise not in an aft Suite. First time to Norway too so we were carrying some Krone as I planned to eat ashore.

 

Carol was summoned and joined me in the gardens. We set off towards Westminster Pier on foot.

 

Picture yourself on a pub on a river.....(no tangerine trees etc)

 

]

 

Carol proclaims it a "City rich in benches, offering comfort for the ass" (British= "bum")

 

No ordinary benches these

 

Stirring memorials

 

 

We decide a boat ride on the Thames will keep us awake and that's what we will do next in photos and video but meantime I have to go back to work after 12 days away....

 

Thanks for reading this far!

Norris

[Bimmer09]

15 minutes ago, Dejlig Ko said:

fantastic photos, thank you. Looking forward to more! 

 

Thank you! Until I get my Flickr woes sorted you'll only see photos from my Canon 6D MkII (which are better than iPhone 5 photos anyway)

Lots of photos to come.

Norris