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

[libtrek]

Sounds like we might be getting a few CCers on the 2024 Jewel B2B 4/29 adventure. I am getting ready to book. Found out we can’t use the NCL BOGO on a B2B, no loss really since the flights are not the best. Will be booking the Bering Sea excursion, despite many Alaska cruises we’ve never done it. Excited to start planning, for me it adds to the fun. Mary Lou

[YVRteacher]

A librarian meet up!!!!

[YVRteacher]

Well, it happened. Iceland called me back like the ocean calls to Moana.

 

There will be Icelandic cake in the summer of 2024!

[bluesea777]

7 hours ago, YVRteacher said:

Well, it happened. Iceland called me back like the ocean calls to Moana.

 

There will be Icelandic cake in the summer of 2024!

Which cruise??? 😎😉

[YVRteacher]

Not on NCL!

 

I hope NCL reads this. It was 100% my experience on the Star that resulted in booking a different cruise line.

[Sugar Magnolia]

On 7/22/2023 at 6:04 PM, YVRteacher said:

This morning I asked the wonderful front desk person, Alma, where to find a grocery store where locals shop. She asked me what I needed and I told her one of my friends, who is Icelandic, asked me to bring back some Omnom Icelandic chocolate. She gave me the name of the store, Bónus, then told me that this chocolate is the best gift I could bring home for family and friends.  I now have a big bag of Omnom chocolate bars in the following flavours:

chocolate liquorice

sea salted toffee

sea salt 

cookies and cream (recommended by Alma)

black n’ burnt barley

superchocoberry

caramel

salted almonds 

 

Hello @YVRteacher. Which is your favorite Omnom chocolate bar? I have visited Reykjavik several times so Omnom chocolates and rye bread ice cream are really the only items on my agenda when I arrive Reykjavik next month. I wish huckleberry was one of the Omnom flavors.

 

Glad you had a great time on the Breakaway last week.

 

[YVRteacher]

The Breakaway was wonderful!

 

I loved all the Omnom chocolate I tried. Top three (in order):

 

 

 

 

The best place to buy them is at the duty free at the airport.

 

When are you going Iceland and are you on a cruise?

[Sugar Magnolia]

1 hour ago, YVRteacher said:

The Breakaway was wonderful!

 

I loved all the Omnom chocolate I tried. Top three (in order):

 

 

 

 

The best place to buy them is at the duty free at the airport.

 

When are you going Iceland and are you on a cruise?

Such pretty wrapping on those chocolate bars. Those three look to be my favorites as well. 
 

I am sailing on the Prima TA in a few weeks and porting in Reykjavik on May 5th. Since I won’t be at the airport this time, I will drop by the local supermarket Bonus to pick up my stash. 
 

Looking forward to your next Live. 🩷

 

[schmoopie17]

7 minutes ago, Sugar Magnolia said:

Such pretty wrapping on those chocolate bars. Those three look to be my favorites as well. 
 

I am sailing on the Prima TA in a few weeks and porting in Reykjavik on May 5th. Since I won’t be at the airport this time, I will drop by the local supermarket Bonus to pick up my stash. 

 

We're doing Reykjavik a year from now. Mrs. Schmoopie is a big chocolate lover...me, just so-so.

But I'll make an exception for these. 

[Sugar Magnolia]

2 minutes ago, schmoopie17 said:

We're doing Reykjavik a year from now. Mrs. Schmoopie is a big chocolate lover...me, just so-so.

But I'll make an exception for these. 

 

Truth be told, I am not a big chocolate lover but I buy them because they are an easy crowd pleaser for the people I leave behind when I travel. However, I may or may not have occasionally gone home empty-handed in a moment of weakness or hunger or ennui.

 

[KACTravels]

On 8/16/2023 at 12:44 PM, YVRteacher said:

This walk up is not a simple one: there are no railings, the rocks are not set in place and shift with every step and thousands of people with walking challenges are attempting the climb. It felt unsafe and it was unsafe. My photos of Dynjandi were taken at strategic angles to avoid this

 

 

I absolutely loved the waterfall and am beyond grateful for the recommendations from Cruise Critic members to do this day trip with Get Your Guide. I think the experience at the waterfall would be better on a non-cruise ship day in a rented car.

 

Lorraine!!  I am devouring your Blog again!  Thank you so much for all of the detail.  Would you do this excision again?  It seems like it was amazing except for the communication of the meeting place and the condition of the bus.  Viator has a similar excursion, and I am trying to decide between "Get Your Guide" and "Viator" for our day in Isafjordur.  (BTW, we will be there 8/19, roughly 1 year since you were there - hopefully the weather will be just as amazing as when you were there)

[YVRteacher]

Hi @KACTravels

I’m really glad I did this excursion. With the exception of St. Thomas I have always had great experiences with Viator.  

I loved our guide from Get Your Guide in Isafjordur (Viktoria Tomasdottir) and would jump high at the chance to be on a tour with her again!  I do recommend them. You can learn from my experience and make sure you clarify where to meet the tour. 

 

If it is raining don’t even try to go up that path!

[YVRteacher]

On 8/28/2023 at 12:09 PM, lgdesign said:

 

Deja vu!   The same thing happened to me flying home from Iceland a number of years ago.  The views of Greenland (especially the glaciers approaching the sea) were spectacular and I was just too awestruck to sleep or close the window shade!

 

Sadly, the airport chaos at your departure was also deja vu, sigh.  There was a shoulder to shoulder stampede to get on the plane.

 

Can we expect any further comments about your trip?  Did I miss the part about the "souvenir not taken"?  My apologies if so.

I’m ready to share the story of the souvenir.  I accidentally deleted what I had written so this is the condensed version.

Yes, I know I’m a wordy writer so “condensed version” means settle in with a tea or a whiskey.

 

 

When I was researching the ports for this trip one of the notes I wrote to myself was to find the black and white gallery in Seydisfjördur. In my mind I pictured an art gallery and in reality it is the cutest (smallest!) store bursting with the work of Icelandic artists and artisans. On the first leg of the cruise I saw an item that would have been perfect for me and perfect for one of my friends who is an extraordinary teacher and principal. I don’t always trust myself and I decided not to buy the item.  
 

As we sailed out of Seydisfjördur (pausing to untangle a piece of wire caught on the anchor) I deeply regretted not buying the item. I checked in all the other galleries/shops in all the other Iceland ports and was especially hopeful at the tourist information centre in Akureyri since they had other items by the same artist. 
 

No luck.

 

On the second leg of this B2B I returned to Seydisfjördur and the little gallery was so squished with people buying wooden mittens that are going to itch their hands for the next 17 years that I swooped in and out without buying anything.
 

Yes, again I regretted not buying the item. The more I thought about it the more I really wanted it for my friend.

 

After the amazing experience at the Forest Lagoon in Akureyri (this is now Akureyri take two) I decided to walk through the residential neighbourhood before finding cake.  As the houses transitioned to stores, I saw a mini version of the same art gallery that had captured my heart in Seydisfjördur.  They had the item in stock and there were just two of them. I knew I had to buy them.  When I went to pay I told the store owner the story of the item.  She told me her friend owns the store in Seydisfjördur and the item I loved so much was created by one of their best friends. She actually teared up when she was telling me about her friend and heard about my friend who is the teacher/principal. That conversation alone made the purchase so special.

 

I of course bought both of the items and carefully packed them in my handheld bag.

 

The item needed framing and after two errors by Michael’s (I will never do framing through Michael’s again!) I finally picked up the artwork today.

 

[YVRteacher]

Ta da!

 

 

This is the Bloðberg Gallery in Seydisfjördur. Photo is from their website.

 

[lgdesign]

10 hours ago, YVRteacher said:

I’m ready to share the story of the souvenir.  I accidentally deleted what I had written so this is the condensed version.

Yes, I know I’m a wordy writer so “condensed version” means settle in with a tea or a whiskey.

 

 

When I was researching the ports for this trip one of the notes I wrote to myself was to find the black and white gallery in Seydisfjördur. In my mind I pictured an art gallery and in reality it is the cutest (smallest!) store bursting with the work of Icelandic artists and artisans. On the first leg of the cruise I saw an item that would have been perfect for me and perfect for one of my friends who is an extraordinary teacher and principal. I don’t always trust myself and I decided not to buy the item.  
 

As we sailed out of Seydisfjördur (pausing to untangle a piece of wire caught on the anchor) I deeply regretted not buying the item. I checked in all the other galleries/shops in all the other Iceland ports and was especially hopeful at the tourist information centre in Akureyri since they had other items by the same artist. 
 

No luck.

 

On the second leg of this B2B I returned to Seydisfjördur and the little gallery was so squished with people buying wooden mittens that are going to itch their hands for the next 17 years that I swooped in and out without buying anything.
 

Yes, again I regretted not buying the item. The more I thought about it the more I really wanted it for my friend.

 

After the amazing experience at the Forest Lagoon in Akureyri (this is now Akureyri take two) I decided to walk through the residential neighbourhood before finding cake.  As the houses transitioned to stores, I saw a mini version of the same art gallery that had captured my heart in Seydisfjördur.  They had the item in stock and there were just two of them. I knew I had to buy them.  When I went to pay I told the store owner the story of the item.  She told me her friend owns the store in Seydisfjördur and the item I loved so much was created by one of their best friends. She actually teared up when she was telling me about her friend and heard about my friend who is the teacher/principal. That conversation alone made the purchase so special.

 

I of course bought both of the items and carefully packed them in my handheld bag.

 

The item needed framing and after two errors by Michael’s (I will never do framing through Michael’s again!) I finally picked up the artwork today.

 

Thank you so very much for sharing this great story (we were all so curious)... and being a graphic designer who is very into alphabets and typography, I really appreciate your "souvenir".  Wonderful gift for your friend (and you) and very much worth the wait for the tale.

Edited April 14 by lgdesign