Live from the NCL Star July 23-August 15, 2023. Will I survive 23 days without the beverage package?

[YVRteacher]

PS-now all my warm clothes are covered in reindeer fur and smell like campfire smoke!

 

When I finally made it back to my cabin just after 1:00am I saw the room steward had taken away all the towels. What the heck?

[QuattroRomeo]

Trying to get the glitter out?!...

[YVRteacher]

Trying is the operative word! That stuff is like porcupine quills!

[SenatorsFan]

What a special day you had in Longyearbyen! Was the Aquavit served cold from the freezer? That's how my Danish in laws always served theirs! 😋 And your midnight sun pictures are outstanding.

[WestCoastDeb]

I can feel your joy at the midnight sun! What a special thing.

[Turtles06]

27 minutes ago, YVRteacher said:

This photo was taken by candlelight so sorry for the poor quality.  Despite my bad photo, these brownies were outstanding!

Those brownies look amazing even in candlelight. I’m so glad you had such a great time on that tour. It was exciting just to read about it.

 

Congratulations on seeing the Midnight Sun!

 

19 minutes ago, YVRteacher said:

Somewhere in this photo is a reindeer. It was too far away to capture by iPhone.

 

Like you, I love to take photos. Until a year ago, I was schlepping around a DSLR and long lenses, and, of course, had to pack all the chargers and batteries and other gear that you need when you have that equipment. It was finally getting to be too much to walk around with when I was out and about on a trip, not to mention having to pack all of the gear in a carryon. 
 

Last summer, I bought an iPhone 13 Pro with the intention of it becoming my primary camera. I was amazed by the quality of the images and the versatility of the camera. I know there are some things one gives up using the camera in a phone, particularly reach. I decided, on balance, it is a sacrifice I am willing to make in most instances.  Last fall, we took a three-week land tour in the UK, and my iPhone was my camera. I know there were some shots I missed, but I was so happy with the photographs that I did take and so happy not to be dragging all the heavy camera gear along.

 

An added bonus with using the camera in your phone, as you of course have demonstrated in your wonderful live postings, is being able to share photographs very easily.  

 

 

[YVRteacher]

51 minutes ago, SenatorsFan said:

What a special day you had in Longyearbyen! Was the Aquavit served cold from the freezer? That's how my Danish in laws always served theirs! 😋 And your midnight sun pictures are outstanding.

No electricity=no refrigerator😉

 

I think I like Aquavit at any temperature! When our guide came around to take drink orders I just asked for more Aquavit each time. She seemed surprised by this.

[ceilidh1]

I was hoping to see a polar bear...

[LauraAnneC]

Yvonne, I so thrilled that the past 24 hours has made up for some of the disappointing trip so far. Your excitement is bouncing off the page. The excursion looked wonderful and the midnight sun absolutely amazing! 

[YVRteacher]

1 hour ago, ceilidh1 said:

I was hoping to see a polar bear...

So was I!!!!!

[bstreep]

So, either the reindeer stew was really good, or the food on Star is THAT bad (it is).  Maybe Cagney’s should start serving reindeer steaks. 
 

Much to my surprise, phone cameras have benefited hugely from software innovations.

[ceilidh1]

16 minutes ago, YVRteacher said:

So was I!!!!!

Dad will understand this pic....

[schmoopie17]

3 hours ago, QuattroRomeo said:

 

Did your vegetarian stew have any protein? 

Does a red nose count? Oh, wait...not vegetarian. In any case, Santa is probably not happy...

Edited August 1, 2023 by schmoopie17

[YVRteacher]

3 hours ago, QuattroRomeo said:

Your meal looks pretty good- a rustic meal with simple ingredients that tastes great! (Again, the ship's chefs might learn a thing or two on this excursion)!

 

Did your vegetarian stew have any protein? The brownies look so rich and filling!

I guess the protein came from all the butter I ate😉

Everything was delicious!

[bluesea777]

Now that you have drank and tasted Aquavit and had a second shot and you say you like it ... I'm happy to hear!! My mother was Danish so there has been plenty of Akvavit (danish spelling) in my life since I first tried it at age of 17. My dad also loved it, and my husband loves it, too.

 

DH and I travelled a lot to the Scandinavian countries and have drank many different varieties .... Denmark it's Aalborg Taffal, Norway it's Linie, Sweden it's O.J. Andersen, Iceland it's Brennivin (Black Death). 

 

Since you don't drink wine but like whiskies & brandies, I would suggest that you try a shot or 2 of "snaps" whenever and wherever you can. You have several Norwegian ports to go to next. And also, when you fly out of Keflavik and have time to eat before your flight, get a shot glass of Brennivin with lunch for the sky (as opposed to road).  

 

SKAAL!!

 

 

 

[YVRteacher]

Sea day July 31

 

When I went to the host at O’Sheehan’s this morning just after 10:00am he asked if I’d seen all the dolphins today. I told him I just woke up. He looked disappointed in me. In my defence I was up til 1:00am last night basking in the Midnight Sun.

 

 Breakfast was good. Vegetable omelette size small, whole wheat toast, orange juice, coffee. I forgot to take a photo but it all looked just like it should. No concerns.  A chef came to double check my order for tonight in Le Bistro.

 

After breakfast I sat on a window bench near the Atrium to write.  Not many words were thumb typed (I write on my phone) before new friends came to get me to play Crib. We spent HOURS in O’Sheehan’s chatting, playing, eating nachos, laughing and drinking tea. 

 

I went back to the cabin about 5:00pm and still didn’t have my laundry that I put in 3 full  days ago. I did good cruise ship underwear math but three days without laundry was cutting it close. I called Guest Services and they sent the room steward. The room steward came and seemed confused. He is the one that took the laundry three days ago! He came back after a while with the clean laundry and said it was in the corner. I asked him how long it had been there.

 

Two days.

 

Argghhh.

 

I told him he took all the towels away yesterday and I didn’t have ANY towels. He said he forgot to put towels in the room.

 

There was a little bit of time to enjoy Nikola and the Three V Strings and chat with friends in the Atrium before dinner.

 

When I checked in with the hostess at Le Bistro she asked if I wanted to use a dining package meal and at first I said yes then I remembered I should use the Latitudes meal voucher with the bottle of wine. When I did Dinner with the Officers they offered Chardonnay and a red. I really don’t like Chardonnay so I requested a sweet white wine. Glenda (Group Coordinator) and I shared a bottle of Riesling and we both enjoyed it so I ordered the same wine tonight. I’m really not a wine drinker.

The wine steward smiled and said it is a very approachable wine. I love this! Approachable wine!

 

First course= Crosmesquis de Chèvre (goat cheese croquettes with beets, arugula, Granny Smith apple and rosemary infused honey)

Beautiful. The apple is sweet and balances the tangy goat cheese. 

 

Second course= Soupe aux Quatre Champignons (cream of mushroom soup made with vegetable broth instead of chicken stock.) This is my favourite soup on NCL. 

As I was enjoying my fragrant, decadent bowl of soup the Food and Beverage Director, Esteban, came by to check in. He asked how the meal was and he said he told the chef this meal had to be perfect. 

He asked where I was from and guessed Toronto. I said Vancouver. He said he was just talking to a family from Toronto and he told them his favourite place in Canada is Vancouver!

 

Oh my gosh this soup is divine! The first smell of earthy richness, the steamy creaminess, the intense flavour! I savoured every spoonful except for the mushroom chunks at the bottom of the bowl because I don’t eat food that tastes like the texture of ears (dried apricots, portobello and porcini mushrooms…)

I don’t know how food writers describe food in a way that makes other people understand the depth and breadth of deliciousness. If I was a food writer I would tell you this soup is not to be missed.

 

The same chef that came to check in with me yesterday morning (the one that hugged me, Executive Sous Chef Elmer) came to check in on me. He told me that he doesn’t want anyone to leave his restaurant unhappy. I told him the food was excellent so far. He is so kind!

 

Third Course

Big green salad in a bowl.

This isn’t on the menu but I don’t like the endive salad and I was craving fresh greens. The third course check in from NCL was the GM, Manny. He came and sat with me and we chatted about Longyearbyen. He had his own disappointing experience yesterday. He doesn’t get off the ship often, especially on a cruise like this one with so many tender ports. He had a couple hours yesterday and went to the Shore Ex Manager to see what he could do. Turns out there was a spot available on the ATV tour. Manny likes ATVs! He joined the tour group, connected with guests, went to the building, got suited up, did all the safety training. Ready to go!

Then they asked everyone for their driver’s license.

Uh oh.

Manny didn’t know he needed his driver’s license and it was back in the cabin.

 

No ATV shore excursion in Longyearbyen for Manny. I feel for him! He hopes to try again the next time the Star is here.

 

He asked about my evening excursion and I showed him photos. He said this is something he would love!

 

Dessert= Île Flottante

Airy Merengue Pillow Floating in Vanilla Crème Anglais with Raspberry Coulis

Let’s be honest. The whole reason I came to Le Bistro was for the dessert. Normally I enjoy this one but it wasn’t right today. The custard part was a little, erm, let’s say “crunchier” than one might expect as was the merengue. Both had been prepared too quickly so the sugar hadn’t dissolved and it was like chewing on granulated sugar packets. My fourth course check in was the Maître d and I told him my thoughts. He offered a different dessert but I was too full to eat anything else.

 

4 dishes. 2 were excellent. One was poor. The salad doesn’t get a rating because it’s green stuff in a bowl. My service was very good but I could see people at tables around me waiting and waiting and waiting and getting that look that says this is too much waiting. The family at the table next to me said one of their meat dishes was good and the other was not. The waiter offered to bring a new one and they said no.

 

The wine steward kept pouring me wine and I thought I drank a lot but he brought the bottle for me to take and it was more than half full.  I asked if I could have it again tomorrow so he labelled it and stored it and gave me a claim paper like when you store your suitcase at hotel bag check. I’ve never had a wine claim check before.

 

I enjoyed the atmosphere, the experience, the wine steward and the waiter. I appreciate the strong effort from the Food and Beverage Team, the chef and the maître d to make this meal a good one. I appreciate the check ins, but don’t need 4 people checking in throughout one meal😀

 

Actually it’s ok. They are all pleasant to talk with, are good people and are genuinely making things better for me.

 

After dinner I went to the Perfect Couple then watched a movie in the cabin. There may have been a salted Icelandic liquorice late night snack. 

 

All in all a good sea day. I’m in good spirits, had fun today, enjoyed all three meals, have made lots of friends and am really looking forward to the next three ports in Norway. We tender tomorrow in Alta.

Edited August 1, 2023 by YVRteacher

[YVRteacher]

On 7/31/2023 at 9:15 PM, bluesea777 said:

I recall you have an iPhone, right?

 

Google Translate app allows you to use camera to point at the text and it will translate for you.

 

 

You are right! My phone was just in airplane mode since I don’t have a European SIM card and have a Canadian phone plan.

[bluesea777]

8 minutes ago, YVRteacher said:

You are right! My phone was just in airplane mode since I don’t have a European SIM card and have a Canadian phone plan.

 

But if you have already downloaded the relevant languages you might not need the internet.

 

 

[YVRteacher]

Great tip! Thank you!

[bluesea777]

But if you have already downloaded the relevant languages you might not need the internet.

 

But I'm not so sure!

 

Maybe airalo may come to your rescue? Our son told us about it and we used that for Alaska and it was great and much cheaper for us.

 

Next cruise is Lisbon to Miami and we're def using (and paying) airalo for Portugal (Lisbon and Azores) and USA.

 

Still loving your reviews, might consider the REK to Tromso and back cruises for 2024 since we became Diamond on our last cruise.

 

I understand the struggles you had with meals on the Star and we are afraid about that but if things improves with you ,,, we might consider!

 

We were on the Star last year for the Iceland & Greenland cruise that saw us skipping Greenland and went to Norway instead. We booked balcony but got upgraded to Family Suite (SJ) via the Upgrade Advantage and it was a GODSEND! Because DH tripped and fell down the stairs on way to Versailles on the first evening and broke a couple of toes.

 

The Family Suite being so spacious with floor to ceiling windows and a butler enabled my poor DH to enjoy the cruise as best as he could. He was able to sit in comfy chair facing the lovely views via those windows while propping his leg/foot up on window ledge while I went off at each port taking loads of photos for him to see and live/relive through me (surprise, when they decided to skip Greenland for 4 Norwegian ports at check-in we groaned saying we had been to 3 of them 3 times before!). Due to having the Family Suite on deck 12 (that NCL got rid of the original Observation Lounge for those Suites) we had Breakfast and Lunch in either Cagney's or Moderno's that made all the difference regarding DH's disability. 

 

That said, we still might reconsider Star again for the itinerary.

 

P.S. I don't know if you realize this but the Star main pool is HEATED!!

 

Love to you and hugs, and look forward to you enjoying the rest of the cruise and the lovely Norwegian ports!

[YVRteacher]

Alta Part 1

Alta is a tender port.

 

Please pardon any typos! It’s 1:00am and I’m a little tired from all the adventuring, eating, socializing and doing cruise things. The internet is working right now so I’ll post part one of Alta tonight then will share parts 2 and 3 tomorrow.

 

How far north of the Arctic circle is Alta?

400km

How awesome is Alta?

Totally.

 

The municipality of Alta lies at the end of Altafjord. Alta River flows through Alta Valley. When I was in high school I played the Alto clarinet. The Alta River is said to have the best salmon fishing in the world and salmon here can weigh 25 kg. That’s how much a basset hound weighs!

 

There are two UNESCO World Heritage sites in Alta: the petroglyphs and Struve Geodetic Arc. The arc, one of the world’s lesser known arcs, as far as arcs go, is named for Fredrich G.W. Von Struve and is one of the survey triangulations the astronomer used when he was determining the size and shape of the earth.  It took him 39 years. Can you imagine working on a math project for 39 years? 

 

Alta has Midnight Sun (I have learned to capitalize this phenomenon) from May 16-July 26 then has Polar Night (the sun does not appear above the horizon) from November 25-January 17. From October through March Alta is one of the best places in the world to see the Northern Lights.  Every winter the Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel is rebuilt. The ice comes from the river, artists carve the ice and people pay top dollar to snuggle under a reindeer pelt (it doesn’t say this in all the googling I did but I know from experience that reindeer pelts=reindeer glitter) on an ice bed after drinking a (cold?) drink at the ice bar. The next morning they can go to the ice chapel and give thanks for surviving the night. (I really should apply to write for a guide book with astute comments such as these.)

 

Alta is a new town. Much of Norway was destroyed in World War II so the towns that existed prior to the war have been rebuilt. Alta has a different history where in 2000 three villages (Alta, Bossekop and Elvebakken) merged and a new city center was created then expanded.

After I read this, I dug deeper. The Sami people lived in what is now Alta thousands of years ago.

 

Just as Alaska has the Ititarod, Norway has the Finnmarksløpet. The 1200km sled dog race starts and ends in Alta.

 

NCL’s shore excursions included a trip to the power station, a panoramic drive which Cruise Critic friend did last month and he fell asleep, petroglyphs (made by hunter gatherers 7000 years ago!) at the museum, the Sami cultural experience, the slate quarry high in the mountains, a visit to the Northern Lights Cathedral combined with a walking tour. Such diverse choices. I felt like whatever I chose I would be missing something. 

 

In the end, I did a lot of reading. One of my Google searches revealed a local excursion called Fatbiking.  I was excited! Here’s an excursion I can do!! No skinny people looking all svelt in their Lululemon tights. Just people with spillage over the bike seat and people who start to sweat at the site of a bike.  Alta is the Fatbiking capital of Norway. No wait. That’s wrong. The website states it’s the “unofficial Fatbiking capital of Norway.”

Much to my disappointment I discovered this was not a shore excursion made for me, but rather a bike that goes in snow with 5” tyres and no suspensions shocks. 

Continuing my search, I ended up on CC’s parent site, TripAdvisor. The number 1 attraction in Alta is the Alta Museum UNESCO World Heritage Rock Art Centre (petroglyphs.) There are 323 people who gave a rating of ‘excellent’ and 1 person who rated it ‘terrible.’ I am curious  why they thought it was so terrible. They went to a place with rock carvings. Did they expect flashing lights and Grateful Dead medleys served with a side of waffles? Those 323 excellent reviews swayed me and I booked the NCL shore excursion Petroglyphs at Alta Museum. I was enamoured with the petroglyphs on the island of Hawaii near A Bay so since I liked Hawaiian petroglyphs I figured I would appreciate and enjoy Norwegian petroglyphs. I also knew that a large part of the excursion was outside and involved walking and that the time on the bus was short. All positives.

 

Our tour guide is Vivian. She is from Germany and came to Alta because she loves the winter, the cold and the snow. She works year round as a tour guide. High season is during the winter.

When I mentioned FatBiking to Vivian she said Alta currently (as in happening right now!) has the world’s most challenging off-road biking race. It is 700km and the athletes don’t sleep; they do it all in one go. The terrain is so rough there are times when they have to get off and carry their bikes. I hope they get that good cake when they are finished.

 

Our tour bus was 45 minutes late. Vivian told us time is irrelevant here. There is a term called the “Sami half hour.”

Sami people don’t work on the clock, they work by the reindeer. If they are coming to visit they don’t give a time, they give a day.  Vivian says it is a chill laid back lifestyle in Alta. She tells us this as we are standing shivering in the wind next to the ocean for 45 minutes as we wait for the bus.

 

Often traffic stops due to reindeer on the road.  People here have an app for their car that tells other people where the reindeer are, similar to a police radar detector

 

Alta has a young population with over 80% of people being under the age of 55.  There are 30 Kindergartens in town for a population of 20000. The Sami have their own language and their own schools that are taught only in Sami.

 

2000 students attend university in Alta.

Our first stop is The Northern Lights Cathedral.

It is new. The idea arose in 2000 and was finished in 2013. The architecture is unique in that it is round with no right angles. The building is covered in titanium which, though expensive, is suitable for the rough climate.

The building is based on a lavvu (typical housing for the Sami, similar to a teepee.) More than a cathedral, the building functions as a community centre and a club for youngsters to meet. It is also the concert hall with 400 seats. Vivian said she attended an ice concert in the winter where different shapes of ice blocks made different tones and that was a typical Arctic winter concert. The Northern Lights Cathedral is Lutheran. Our guide said 90% of Norwegians are Lutheran.

 

Our second stop is the old church. In the winter every grave has a candle and they are always lit.

 

We drive through a residential  area. In the dark times people decorate their houses with a lamp in every window. This tradition dates back to the war and when the light was on it was a sign you were doing relatively ok. If the light was not on it was a signal to neighbours that something was not going well and people needed help.

 

Alta has the best slate in the world. It is so old it is fossil free. The slate from Alta is 700000000  years old and can be used for roads, floor tiles, roofing tiles. If you are in the slate industry this would thrill you.

 

Edited August 1, 2023 by YVRteacher

[YVRteacher]

Goodnight for now. I’ll be back to tell you about the rest of the tour in Alta (spoiler alert: cake was involved) dinner in Teppanyaki, three great entertainment options this evening and hopefully a little bit about Honningsvåg.

 

Whether we dock or tender tomorrow is a mystery. The Freestyle Daily doesn’t mention tendering but my shore excursion ticket does. I have a private excursion to North Cape during the day then an NCL excursion to Magerøya Island in the evening.

[YVRteacher]

Ack.

I can’t resist.

It is 1:44am and this is the view out the cabin window 

[www3traveler]

11 minutes ago, YVRteacher said:

Ack.

I can’t resist.

It is 1:44am and this is the view out the cabin window 

OH WOW!!!  What an amazing experience.  A memory to last a lifetime.  Thank You for sharing.

BIG BIG BIG BIG HUG

Love and prayers always

[Seas2mountains]

I’m loving  your live review and we are all so lucky we get to read about your adventures for two more weeks!  I hope you do see a polar bear and more reindeer.  It’s wonderful to hear you are having a great time. The photos of the Midnight Sun are stunning. 
 

Before I lived in Germany many years ago, I didn’t care for wine until I tried Riesling which was grown and made in the town where I lived.  It is very tasty as long as it isn’t too sweet. 
Do you have any desire to add the drink package for the second half so you can drink more glasses of Riesling and have a Matador?