Sisters Sailing Scenic Scandinavia June 12-22 Live report

[Azulann]

 

Staying the Ski. Petri hotel in old town area close walking stance to most everything.  The room is one of the biggest European hotel rooms I have ever had in Europe. The view from our window is the  stain glass round window of the German Church.

Disembarkation was at 9;15 am  yesterday . Viking  can definitely  improve its  communication about procedures for  getting our bags in terminal and at the hotel.  Mixed information  just causes folks to become irritated when two Viking agents say two different things

But in the end all bags got on the buses, to hotel, and eventually to our rooms.

Did a two hr walking tour provided by Viking  from our hotel. We also walked the  pedestrian shopping street. Visited Royal Copenhagen  Porcelain Store.  

For dinner  four of us went to the Food Market, a five minute walk former hotel. Walked through rows of  produce  and found a Smorgasbord food stand , so many to choose from in this lively place.

I had liveposti, a coarser type of live pate on thick danish rye bead topped with pickled beets ,lingonberries and bacon. Others had shrimp salad and roast beef .  aFor dessert we had a sampling of Danish fruit tarts, donuts, and a basket of fresh strawberries from the market.

 

 

 

 

Edited June 23, 2023 by Azulann

[Azulann]

DAY 11 , ST. HANS EVE( MIDSUMMER)  COPENHAGEN 

Last full day/night in Denmark, and we end with a national celebration of midsummer . The tradition is to light bonfires on beaches, in parks  and at some point  throw cutout paper German witches in fire! 

A guide did say  they have banned the bonfires  tonight in pars due to extreme drought here in  Copenhagen. 

We  will go on a canal boat ride this morning before it gets too hot and do some more walking around  and seeing what strikes our fancy. 

https://www.guide-collective.com/gc-magazine/eve-of-sankt-hans-danish-celebration

Edited June 23, 2023 by Azulann

[Glueharbour71]

Thank you for a fantastic trip report. We live in Malmo/Sweden across the bridge from Copenhagen. It’s so nice to read about how people from example the US experience our Nordic countries. The weather this summer has been amazing, it’s not normal for us to go 4 weeks without rain but I don’t complain. Have a great tour of the canals. 

[Azulann]

2 hours ago, Glueharbour71 said:

Thank you for a fantastic trip report. We live in Malmo/Sweden across the bridge from Copenhagen. It’s so nice to read about how people from example the US experience our Nordic countries. The weather this summer has been amazing, it’s not normal for us to go 4 weeks without rain but I don’t complain. Have a great tour of the canals. 

So happy who are read my trip report . I do plan to write a final summary of what I learned about Nordic countries I have visited on this trip ‘ it has been an enlightening education for me , and memories I will treasure always . 

[Azulann]

Went  on the canal boat tour  this afternoon. It was another way to view the city and all the landmarks we passed on our walking tours and bus tours  around town in the last two days!!!! The canal boat was only half full so easy to take pictures from  the seats without heads in the view.  I recommend it to anyone who  is in Copenhagen if only for a port day , if you can squeeze it in  as an extra excursion.

 Found a number of Danish artist shops, artist showing their ware in the various parks today. Got all the presents to bring home that I needed.

 

Today was the HS graduates  from various schools on back of  pick up trucks  drinking, celebrating  and then stopping at a park  and running around blowing  kazoos!  Everyone in holiday spirit.

 

For dinner we went to a  restaurant overlooking a canal and the Kissing bridge called Naevaer. It has small plate menu with absolutely  the freshest ingredients in their  seafood, meats , soups  perfectly prepared so savory.

Perfect ending to our last night  in Copenhagen  Denmark. 

 

Viking transfer at 6:30 am on Sat to airport and then  the grueling travel home to MSP.

 

 

 

Edited June 23, 2023 by Azulann

[Azulann]

As we left the restaurant tonight  I saw the quote that cracked me up 

 

 

Good night 

Tak for reading my trip report 🚢 I will do a summary on a day or two once home .

I had high expectations and all were met and then some 🎉💕

 

[WeCruise23]

7 hours ago, Azulann said:

As we left the restaurant tonight  I saw the quote that cracked me up 

 

 

IMG_0808.mov 1.71 MB · 12 downloads  

Good night 

Tak for reading my trip report 🚢 I will do a summary on a day or two once home .

I had high expectations and all were met and then some 🎉💕

 

Azulann, thanks for taking us along on this journey and inspiring us to visit the homelands of our ancestors, wherever that may be. Your pictures are beautiful and you write wondetful descriptions of food and places. Safe travels on all your journeys. Perhaps we will meet onboard a ship someday. Jan Weddle

[TayanaLorna]

Thanks for the stories and pictures.  

[KarKell]

Azulann,

It was an amazing cruise! Thank you for arranging our M&G…it was so nice meeting all of you. 
Diane and I have arrived home safely and have already started following the roll call for our next adventure, the Mediterranean Odyssey on May 8, 2024. 
Karen

[Azulann]

4 hours ago, KarKell said:

Azulann,

It was an amazing cruise! Thank you for arranging our M&G…it was so nice meeting all of you. 
Diane and I have arrived home safely and have already started following the roll call for our next adventure, the Mediterranean Odyssey on May 8, 2024. 
Karen

My sister and I just arrived home this evening too. I had a fun time meeting you and Diane and other's and seeing each other around the ship and on tours.  Happy you booked a cruise while on board, we did too, but not till  Feb 2025 . Now we have something to look forward to in the future. I think our cruise and its ports were outstanding in their own way I  found the history of the  Nordic countries so interesting and enlightening especially from the 20 th century to now.  

[Louhut1]

Patti.  Love to talk this week.  Looked like a fabulous cruise.  Jean is in Stockholm right now. They are having a great trip so far.  Want tor all about this cruise. Wishwecould have done this cruise.  Didn’t seem to be that long a cruise.  It ended too soon. Talk later.  Louise and Jim

[DGHOC]

It really was a wonderful trip and such a happy one too. We met so many lovely friendly people, such a   delight.

 

Patti and Paulette, C misses his drinking partners; who'll hold up the bar with him now? No matter, he definitely needs a serious detox!!!

 

 

So glad you got home safely. Love to you both x

[Azulann]

8 hours ago, DGHOC said:

It really was a wonderful trip and such a happy one too. We met so many lovely friendly people, such a   delight.

 

Patti and Paulette, C misses his drinking partners; who'll hold up the bar with him now? No matter, he definitely needs a serious detox!!!

 

 

So glad you got home safely. Love to you both x

HA, it did seem like our meet up place was the Aquavit Bar in late afternoon! It was  usually empty before the WC dinner started. Met lots of nice couples there over our cruise.C did try a glass of CAVA on my recommendation. But  C did not like the  Argentina chardonnay after Carlos the bartender gave him a sample.I loved it oand ordered it at dinner in Restaurant most nights. 

I am still amazed  at the zero waste policy at our Viking post hotel  St. Petri.

 I did have a G& T made with their Breakfast Vodka. It is made with the leftover  fruits scrapes from each  breakfast menu . They  send it to a local distillery to make the Breakfast Vodka for the hotel!

It made for  nice light fruity  flavor in the  G& T, but not something you would drink for a dry martini.

 

 

 

[CCWineLover]

Patti - just a quick thank you for your wonderful reports!  So love your attitude and zest for life!  Keep it going and May you have some wonderful adventures in the future!

kent

[Sleep7]

🥰Welcome home!!! What a fantastic cruise and a fantastic report to go with it. Thanks for taking us along!🙋‍♀️

[Azulann]

Final Summary of our Scenic Scandinavia Cruise

 

Life is back to normal.  I have thought about the cruise since I have been home. 

End notes:

-This cruise  exceeded my expectations which were very high.

 

- met the friendliest people, whether shop keepers, tour guides, taxi drivers,  waiters, and people just walking on the street. Because everyone speaks English , it really helped for more interaction. I know the Greek, Italians and Spanish are friendly but the language barrier  was always an obstacle for me with my  limited Spanish, little Italian and do not understand Greek.

 

- Freshest food in every restaurant we ate in on on our travels. Naervaer   in Copenhagen on our last night was  amazing.  We always ask the hotel clerks for their recommendation of where do you eat and they never fail to steer us to a great local  place.  Also the cafes in the museums are  a great place for a bite to eat that is reasonable.

-Bike culture everywhere. Use of metro, trains , rather than cars is very apparent. My grandson who  bikes everywhere  would be in heaven.

 

- Summer houses are part of the  family culture in Sweden and Denmark. Now I know why my relatives in MN , even as farmers, always went to a cabin on a lake in summer.

 

-Ship experience on the Jupiter was  like pre Covid. Excellent service, good to fabulous dishes, at dinner.  Senior staff out and about and very  interactive with all passengers.

- Meeting folks on our roll call was so fun and help make the cruise more enjoyable !

- The resident historian Dr. Livingston  was very good. Gave great context to the  area we were seeing and  the long history of  the people.

- learned the difference between Swedish and Danish Vikings.  It was the areas they explored, Danes went to Britain, Swedes to Russia and down the rivers. 

-My favorite :Viking King Harald Bluetooth. He lives on  globally  with Bluetooth technology. 

https://www.historynet.com/harald-bluetooth/

 

Thank you all who have followed my trip report. I enjoyed writing this report.

Cheer,

Patti

 

[May B]

Patti, it’s been great following your trip. We are at Stockholm airport, after disembarking Jupiter this a.m. I gave rave reviews in my onboard questionnaire. Good to great food, fabulous crew, gorgeous ship with such a low key, quiet vibe.

 

As always, embarkation day and disembarkation day are nowhere near as nice as the in-between days!

[DGHOC]

8 hours ago, Azulann said:

Final Summary of our Scenic Scandinavia Cruise

 

Life is back to normal.  I have thought about the cruise since I have been home. 

End notes:

-This cruise  exceeded my expectations which were very high.

 

- met the friendliest people, whether shop keepers, tour guides, taxi drivers,  waiters, and people just walking on the street. Because everyone speaks English , it really helped for more interaction. I know the Greek, Italians and Spanish are friendly but the language barrier  was always an obstacle for me with my  limited Spanish, little Italian and do not understand Greek.

 

- Freshest food in every restaurant we ate in on on our travels. Naervaer   in Copenhagen on our last night was  amazing.  We always ask the hotel clerks for their recommendation of where do you eat and they never fail to steer us to a great local  place.  Also the cafes in the museums are  a great place for a bite to eat that is reasonable.

-Bike culture everywhere. Use of metro, trains , rather than cars is very apparent. My grandson who  bikes everywhere  would be in heaven.

 

- Summer houses are part of the  family culture in Sweden and Denmark. Now I know why my relatives in MN , even as farmers, always went to a cabin on a lake in summer.

 

-Ship experience on the Jupiter was  like pre Covid. Excellent service, good to fabulous dishes, at dinner.  Senior staff out and about and very  interactive with all passengers.

- Meeting folks on our roll call was so fun and help make the cruise more enjoyable !

- The resident historian Dr. Livingston  was very good. Gave great context to the  area we were seeing and  the long history of  the people.

- learned the difference between Swedish and Danish Vikings.  It was the areas they explored, Danes went to Britain, Swedes to Russia and down the rivers. 

-My favorite :Viking King Harald Bluetooth. He lives on  globally  with Bluetooth technology. 

https://www.historynet.com/harald-bluetooth/

 

Thank you all who have followed my trip report. I enjoyed writing this report.

Cheer,

Patti

 

Hi Patti,

As ever, your positivity shines through! I echo your thoughts entirely, what a great trip.

 

We so enjoyed spending time with you both, I'll keep in touch. 

 

Deb x

[Twitchly]

11 hours ago, DGHOC said:

As ever, your positivity shines through!

My thoughts exactly.