Live Report: Suddenly, I’m Going to Norway!

[*Miss G*]

Don’t know if this is the new or the old castle.  (We’re in Newcastle.) I’m going with old.

 

 

A nice day for the beach.

 

 

This is why we brought our own snacks.

 

 

Goodbye, Pilot Boat.  Thank you.

 

[*Miss G*]

DAY SEVEN

Sunday, May 28th

Amsterdam

 

As we get close to IJmuiden we can see a wind farm in the water.

 

 

Disembarkation is as chaotic as embarkation but we are forearmed.  Passport control is friendly and we head out to the coaches for our ride to Amsterdam city centre.  Well, this couldn’t have been more easy if they’d tried.  We are dropped between the train station (the round-roofed building) and the cruiseport terminal.  Yippee!!  (Perspective is our balcony looking back on the coach drop-off and the train station.)

 

 

Here is the view of our ship as we leave the coach and head towards the terminal.

 

 

The Heineken boat is out!

 

 

 

Edited May 28, 2023 by *Miss G*

[*Miss G*]

Amsterdam recognizes 4*&5*/PC Mariners, as well as the Neptune and Pinnacle Suites, including Club Orange, as priority and we breeze through the process before heading straight onboard.  

 

We are loving our room!  I shall tell you which room and provide pics at the end of the report.  In the meantime, here are a few items of interest.

 

The personal preference tag:

 

 

The Mariner Society invite.  It was so popular that they also used RSRR for seating!

 

 

The pens and pads are back.  Yay!

 

 

A change of plan.  Coincidentally, as I was posting this, Captain Noel O’Driscoll came on the speaker to tell that Ulvik was changed due to poor-quality onshore infrastructure (meaning, not enough dock space for the tenders).  Thank you for making that decision, Captain O’Driscoll.  We appreciate it.

 

 

 

 

Lunch was in the Deck 2 MDR.  I had the club sandwich with tomato soup.  Since I’d only had coffee for breakfast, I forgot to take pics until it was over.  Sorry.

 

 

 

Incidentally, when I pulled out my phone to take a pic of the ship from the coach drop-off point, it instantly connected to the Nieuw Statendam WiFi!  I’m wondering if they have the new Starlink system installed and running?

Edited May 28, 2023 by *Miss G*

[BetsyS.]

Miss G - Thanks for the update! I'm sorry you had a rocky start to your trip, but I wish you smooth sailing from now on! Bon Voyage to you and your sister! 🥂😊  Have a great cruise!!!

[VMax1700]

3 hours ago, *Miss G* said:

If you see someone frazzled and worn out, say hi.  That’s us.

People used to complain about British Rail and before that British Railways. 🙄  Those would appear to be the good old days 🤣

[bennybear]

Bon  voyage! Now I have to wait to see your cabin! Was it a good upgrade with CO? 

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Hi Who is the Hotel Director and the Food and Beverage

Thanks

We get on 8/2 

 

[sallywallygal]

We'll be cruising the Norwegian Fjords on Nieuw Statendam at the end of July! Enjoying your trip report. I mainly came here to say you are very entertaining! 😁

 

[Cruisercl]

@*Miss G*, just saw this thread, I am a bit late into the trip. Love your spontaneity!

It sounds like your travel to your cruise port was a bit challenging. Travel now days is not for the faint of heart. I would have cried at the train station, what a mess!

Glad you made on the NS without issue, she is a great ship. A cruise to Norway is on my list so I will be following along. 😎

Love your writing style, you are a good and entertaining story teller.

Safe travels! 

[kazu]

Wow!  You sure had a lot of challenges to get to your embarkation.  Glad you are there and liking your room.  Hope you have a great time!  You deserve it 🙂 

[syesmar]

I love Eidfjord! Next time I visit, I want to rent one of those little E-cars or a car from a gas station and spend more time at Voringsfossen! Our excursion only gave 20 minutes there, the waterfall was a sight to behold!

 

@*Miss G* What an adventure you’re having! Thanks so much for sharing! 

[*Miss G*]

On 5/28/2023 at 6:24 PM, bennybear said:

Bon  voyage! Now I have to wait to see your cabin! Was it a good upgrade with CO? 

 

It was!

 

On 5/28/2023 at 6:44 PM, Gail & Marty sailing away said:

Hi Who is the Hotel Director and the Food and Beverage

Thanks

We get on 8/2 

 

 

The Hotel GM is Mustafa Gilbahar.

the F&B Director is Niek Van Der Kolk.

 

We see Niek out and about quite often.

 

Sorry everyone!  I am a bit delayed updating the report.  I was just able to upload the pics to my iPad so give me a minute while I get this organized.

[*Miss G*]

DAY SEVEN - continued

 

Following MDR lunch, we unpacked then went to trivia.  We did not win but everyone received a pin for participation!  José is our Entertainment Manager(?) and he is good fun.  He also bought my love with that free pin.

 

Sailaway was really nice.  And look!  There is the Avalon Imagery II!!  It’s hard to believe we were on that ship, in the exact same spot, only 7 months ago!  I would post the video of the departing toots but it is so badly photographed that I just couldn’t subject you to that.  😂 

 

 

Of course, I had to have the obligatory bubbles as we departed.  Here we are resting our poor swollen feets.

 

 

On our way to Club Orange dinner, we stopped at the Effy store because my sister wanted to pick up the free charm.  I’m not into that kind of thing but went along for the ride.  They started off with a presentation of their bling, and then they had the first draw.  The numbers on my ticket exactly matched the numbers called, but I didn’t say anything for a moment because I was waiting for the shock to pass.  I don’t win anything!  Here is the pretty necklace I won, which I gave to my sister.  The pins from trivia are here also.

 

 

Listening to the overhead announcements, we recognize a voice from the past.  It’s Clare, our favourite Cruise & Travel Director!  Clare was on our October Oosterdam cruise and we loved her.  Yay!

 

Edited May 31, 2023 by *Miss G*

[*Miss G*]

DAY EIGHT

Monday, May 29th

At Sea - Somewhere off the coast of Denmark

 

Woke up from a great sleep and went to breakfast.  We are seated at “our” table with the same server!  I hope this is our forever table.  🤗

 

Straight from breakfast we went to Clare’s chat with the Engineers.  It was quite interesting, in an engineering sort of way.  On our way back to our room we spotted the Coloring for Adults session and peeped in.  

 

Now I have been very curious about this activity since it first appeared in the Dailies, so we decided to give it a try, despite the fact that I am oh-so-far from artistic.  But I can mostly colour between lines so… let’s give it a go.  

 

It turns out that this class is very relaxing!  The classical music softly playing in the background definitely creates a calming atmosphere.  Well, except for that Chatty Cathy over there.  At one point, I jumped up and yelled “I CANNOT BE EXPECTED TO BE CREATIVE UNDER SUCH INTOLERABLE CIRCUMSTANCES!!”

 

Okay, I didn’t actually do that.  But I really really wanted to because it fits the temperamental artistic side of me.  🎨 🙃

 

It turns out that 45 minutes is not enough time to create a masterpiece, so we shall bring them back tomorrow.  Class is held at 10:00am every morning.  If I ever get it finished I shall post a picture.

[cruising sister]

I loved Komang in Club orange and requested him and then they started automatically seating me in his station. I am enjoying your trip and wished I had stayed on. 

[*Miss G*]

 

DAY NINE

Tuesday, May 30th

Eidfjord, Norway

Sunset:  11:00pm

Sunrise:  4:00am

 

Eidfjord is a beautiful little village.  We are the only ship in port, which is good because there are a lot of us here to explore.  We took the Troll Trolley to the Viking burial mounds and an old church.  Warning: Many pictures ahead.

 

The journey into  Eidfjord.

 

 

 

 

Getting closer.  This is where the kayak excursion starts.

 

 

Docked.

 

 

This is a very walkable town.

 

 

View from the trolley ride.

 

[*Miss G*]

The Viking church.

 

 

 

 

 

[washiotter]

Wow, amazing pictures! Please keep them coming!

[*Miss G*]

The kayakers return from their adventure and the Captain opens the bow for sailaway.  Access is on Deck 5 Starboard.

 

 

 

 

A fish farm.

 

[BetsyS.]

Miss G - Thanks so much for the beautiful pictures!  😊

[BetsyS.]

Miss G - Thanks so much for the beautiful pictures!  😊

[fusion927]

1 hour ago, *Miss G* said:

The kayakers return from their adventure and the Captain opens the bow for sailaway.  Access is on Deck 5 Starboard.

 

 

Is the bow access Wheelchair/scooter friendly?

 

Thanks for all the pictures and information... About 41 days until we will be onboard!

 

[bennybear]

Simply gorgeous! Thanks! 

[cat shepard]

Wow some of these pictures are worthy candidates for “Canvas on Demand”.

 

You have an artistic eye for pictures!

[ontheweb]

Yes, beautiful pictures.

 

If I had not just checked and saw my now retired art teacher DW on the couch, I would have wondered if she had snuck off to Norway without me and took those pictures. 😁🤣