Monday 5th July 2010 Ocean Terminal
Arrived in Southampton on a sunny day, room fabulous, ship is huge and beautiful, joined the sailaway party on deck around 6pm.. First dinner in the Bottechelli restraunt, quiet table for two under a twinkling ceiling on the 5th level. Early night tonight, the seas calm, and smooth sailing.As Bill would say 'it's a big one', at 113,000 tons, 3.080 passengers, and 900 balcony staterooms. The "Princess" fleet has 17 ships, and this is one of the 3 'big ones'. The smallest is 30,020 tons and takes only 680 passengers.
To our Northern shores of Norway
Settling in day, connected to the internet, Bill bought me some roses for our room, and we decided on the tours to take during our cruise. Wonderful day, slightly chilly, wandered around the ship, exploring after breakfast in the Michelangelo restraunt. The artwork on the ship is very inspiring, all the main restraunts have an Italian theme, complete with relative artists paintings. Evening meal, Salmon with asparagus, and grapefruit sorbet for sweets.
Evening event was the champange fountain in the atrium, and listening to some classical music by quartet of rather serious looking musicians in the delightful atrium, with its even larger sparkling ceiling, which constantly changed colours. Had pre dinnner drinks at the Elite members Skywalkers lounge and met two guests from Houston, Texas. The sunset was glorious streaming into our room from the balcony.
On the southwestern coast, Stone Age and Iron Age history
The ship glided into the Port and because of its size, the ship was higher then the homes and apartments sloping up the mountain sides. Flat land has to been created, as it is all 'rocky slopes'. It has cute village homes on the waterfront with apartment living further back into the mountains. It has a Petroleum Museum, to celebrate its income reduced from fishing, but celebrated with oil discoveries.
We had a leisurely morning, and had a midday cruise booked to see the local fiord. Weather was overcast, and soft rain, but still a pleasant trip, very similar to the lochs of Scotland. The boat travelled very close to the rock formations, we could even see the mussels clining to the tide lines.
Watched movies in the afternoon, and listened to Jazz music. Early night for me, Bill went to the Wheelhouse lounge, had a couple of whiskys and listed to calypso music as people danced.
On the south western coast, "described as the most beautiful in the world"
One of Norways prettiest fjords, from the largest fishing port of Alesund. In 1995 Geirangerfjord area was declared a UNESCO heritage site, as one of the marvels of the world. This morning arrived at 4.00am and sunset is at 11pm. As I glanced up from the bed, huge rock formations covered with trees, glided past the rising sun. Occasionsally there would be a modest house and barn, or a small village. The day was spent sitting on the balcony recovering as I had been feeling sea sick, and a lovely nurse called Maria, tell me that I was ok, and gave me some Nausea tablets. It's a beautiful day, light rain with the warmth of the sun. Bill took the tender boat into the small local town. Had a light lunch of chicken soup, Bill went to a evening meal, while I stayed in and watched a movie on tv, while the snow covered mountain tops glistened in the sun.
On the western coast, the Viking king Olav Tryggvason chose this site in 997AD as the first capital of Norway. Today was a wonderful surprise, the sun was shining, and were we in 'in town' a major capital with glass sided buildings, and national swimming championships, in the water complex near the ship.
Lots of young people in training gear and swimming outfits. We left the ship early, and caught a shuttle bus to the majestic Cathedral, built over the grave of the first King Olav. Continued to stroll on to the historic 'wooden bridge' complete with its drawbridge chains. 
Then on to the town square, with a central statue of King Olav and lots of little stalls, we wandered through the various shops and headed of the historic two story "wooden royal mansion". We had a coffee and cake in the pedestrian mall, loved the sun on our backs and returned to the ship for room service lunch. After a movie in the afternoon, we had pre dinner drinks in the Wheelhouse bar, listening to a jazz band, and a couple of dances on the floor. Bill had a beautiful piece of Snapper, followed by Apple Strudel, I had a light meal. Then off to the Princess Theatre for a British violin soloist Peter Fisher with the orchestra. layed Jewish, Norwegian, Hungarian and Irish arrangements and spoke about the various composers and his own history with various jazz bands. His father was a roof tiler and he was known as 'the fiddler on the roof'...Bill had a brandy served while he as seated waiting for the concert. It was light all night, with no real sunset, the lowest it went was about 11.30pm, and then it was still on the horizon. No 'real' sunrise or sunset.
Saturday 10th July 2010 at Sea
It was light all night, the most northern point in Europe. 
For over two months they have continual daylight (not always sunny) as the sun itself only 'hovers' over the horizon. During their winter they only have a few hours of daylight. We passed the artic circle at five am, and had to keep the blinds drawn so we could sleep. The view from our balcony was calm and chilly and misty. Breakfast was leasiurely room service, with a luncheon invitation from the Captain's Circle to join Captain Andrew Proctor at Sabatini's on the 16th deck. We were on a table for seven, with one of the medical doctors, and a couple from Houston in America (Richard and Marie), and the other couple from Yarmouth (Michael and Pam) in England. We later met Mike and Pat at the Adiago Bar for a chat. Pat had a chocolate martini, which was a star design in chocolate at the base of the glass, which melts as you drink. They have cruised for over 12 years and retired from working at Shell. We then went to a musical concert featuring some energetic dancers and singers featuring 'destinations and songs' on that theme.
Sunday 11th July 2010 Honningsvag
Here is the most Northern point in Europe, the last village before the North Cape and the North Pole. This is the land of endless tundra, no trees. The outside temperature is about 11c, each year 200 days are either snow or frost. The midnight sun is from mid May to July. Depature from the ship is by tenure boat. After breakfast the weather looked very cold windy and misty, so we decided to wait until 11am for better weather. Good fortune came our way, as the sun came out, the wind dropped and we actually looked forward to leaving the ship, after having fortified ourselves with Irish Coffees and a pastry from the coffee shop. Honningsvag is a small village with a steepled white wooden church, (I noticed deer footprints in the garden beds), as it was Sunday a service was in progress. Bill was interested to note that the P&O ship Artemis was also in port. We walked along the port past the fishing boats and cruise ships, dropped into a couple of souveniour shops and then returned to the ship. We met a couple of elderly Sami women, and I bought a leather plated wrist band with a reindeer button. After a light lunch we enjoyed the ocean view from our balcony. We met our friends at the Adiago Bar, listened to some delightful piano music and retired early to watch Spain win World Cup. Another evening in the full light of the sun.
"Gateway to the Arctic", starting point for Arctic expeditions. Northern most university city of 13,000 students. Another 'night of sunlight' is seems so strange when you have to shut out the light and have no sense of the night. I felt like my life was a theatre, and I had to drawn the curtains to create night.
After breakfast, we caught the shuttle bus onshore to Tromso, a town of many homes and apartments, dotted along the shoreline, a lovely sunny, light rain day. Walked through a modern town, past the market square and headed for the Polar Museum, a delightful brown wooden warehouse converted building on the waterfront. From the pier we could see the Bridge, Artic Cathedral and the Cable car. The Museum itself was a delight, and we spent nearly two hours viewing the recreated scenes of artic hunting, and exploration. The stories and artifacts were very fascinating, the seals, polar bears, reindeers, artic foxes and the life people lived in these harse conditions. We noticed the outdoor cafes stay open until 11pm (because of the light). In the evening we again met Michael and Pam from Yarmouth at the Adagio Bar, listened to piano music, after our meal at Bottechelli. A quick visit to the theatre to see a solo singer, but a early night was the best option as we were warned that a bumpy night was ahead followed by a day at sea.
Tuesday 13th July at Sea
Rather bleary morning with a light choppy sea, and went to breakfast in the Michael Angelo Dining Room. Overcast misty weather and chilly air. After a walk around the ship we watched movies on tv until mid day. Had a fabulous 'english pub' lunch in the Wheelhouse Bar with the 'best' fish and chips and bread and butter pudding. The chips were hot, the white cod was fresh and crisp, and even the bb pudding was hot, in a small dish with a lovely smell of cinnamon. In the evening we prepared for a captains cocktail function.
After having met a couple from Southampton and complimentary drinks we had a meal of Lobster and king prawns at the Bottechelli. Listened to some piano music tinkling in the ground floor of the atrium area with three floors, lights twinkling in the ceiling and stairways, while the glass lift glided between the floors.
Then we went to the Wheelhouse bar and listened to a band and singer from the Caribeean. We danced until about 10.30pm and I tried a new cocktail a alcoholic 'Long Island Tea'. It was served with lemon and was delicious, Bill enjoyed a couple of glasses of brandy. We settled back in the cabin I watch Bond's Casino Royale while Bill went to sleep.
The world's deepest and longest fjord, 240km long and 1308m deep - Sognefjord.
Woke up to see a beautiful landscape of villages, waterfalls and rock face mountain slopes with morning mist drifting past our window.
The Crown Princess is now sailing south and what a wonderful day, sunshine, clear skies, people sunbaking, swimming, sunburn, and icecreams. After room service breakfast, we strolled into the pretty portside village of Flaam, so beautiful in its setting, and size, the railway was near the ship. Life was so perfect that day.
The railway museum was fascinating, as it recorded the history and Norwegian engineering of the 20 tunnels that were hand dug for the railway, completed in 1940, showing their tools, photos of the men, and the harse conditions they worked in. We met Capt. Andrew and his wife, they were from 'Perth' (not far from Edinburough) in Scotland.
The train stopped at one major waterfall which was breaktaking in the amount of water that sprayed down with the train stopping mid way in the middle of the roaring water. We stopped our journey for waffles and cream with home made rasberry jam. Again the sun shone, at 822m above sea level, and we all enjoyed basking in the mountain air.
Returned to the ship, enjoyed seeing everyone on the deck and lounge chairs. Met Michael and Pam for drinks before dinner (Italian theme this evening) on the Skywalker deck on 18th level to watch a full panarama view of the fjords. We sailed along the with the setting sun higlighting the mountains and villages.
Thursday 15th July Bergen Norway
The 'Fjord Capital of Norway' founded in 1070 by King Olav the Peaceful, and a UNESCO world heritage site. Second largest city and cultural centre of Norway, the ecomony dominated by shipping oil. Set in a harbour, between the mountains and the sea, a wonderful blend of old world charm and new architecure, home to 200,000 people, a city tat sees rain 300 days of the year. After a calm night of sailing we saw the dark grey gloom of rain overhead when we looked out the window on our arrival at Bergen. The homes along the seafront and up the mountains all looked like dolls houses, with the odd church steeple dotted around.
When we saw passengers stuggling with their umbrellas in the rain and wind we decided to stay onboard as the ship had a early departure at 1.30pm. So, a walk around the deck, and some people watching, was the activity for the day. Lunch was room service, lovely chicken pot soup, and Bill had his usual crusty bread with cheese. The afternoon was sailaway from our balcony, and as the sun was out, we enjoyed the fjord landscape drift past our window. I particularly enjoyed seeing the various cliff top homes, and the various boat sheds, some built into the rock face. We met our cruise friends Michael and Pam at the Italian lounge Adagio, after our Itailan Chef speciality dinner of 'Lamb on the Rack'. Some beautiful classical spanish guitar by Guillermo, while I sipped a 'Long Island Iced Tea'. Early night, as we were warned of a choppy sea on our way to Southampton.
Woke early to see a beautiful orange sunrise around 5am, took some photos and went back to bed. A day for some packing, and getting organised for leaving the ship tomorrow. After a room service breakfast, served by a chatty Mexican waiter, we dressed to walk around the ship, all the promonade doors to the decking were closed as the weather was wet and windy. The shops were doing brisk business and Bill decided to purchase some Gordon's Gin, to add to our Dewers Whisky. Lunch was at the English menu Wheelhouse a delightful breaded prawns and chips with a trifle dessert. Met a barman called Patrick from Perth, in WA. Watched St Andrews golf championships (they had to suspend the games for over a hour due to strong winds) Tiger Woods is struggling to maintain a lead, also the Tour de France mountain bike racing. An Australian got suspended for 'head butting' a fellow bike racer while racing. Dinner was American menu and Bills main was Beef medallions with rhubarb icecream for dessert, while and I had Black Mussells in white wine sauce with cherry sorbet for dessert. Joined Michael and Pam at Adagio for final drinks, and chat. Later we visited the Crooners and listened to classical german violin music quartet. Then we moved on to the Wheelhouse and a jazz caribeenan quartet, with a sultry singer. Bill had a brandy and we danced until about 10.30 as our last celebration of the a wonderful cruise and more happy memories.
Arrived to a wonderful blue sky with some cloud, expecting warm weather. The ship is so organised, with colour coded baggage, picked up from our rooms the night before, we had no delays and were off the ship at our allocated time, straight to our waiting taxi, and home within the hour. Another wonderful experience, and now looking at the brochures for our next one.
Dear Bill & Helen,
ReplyDeleteit's a very good surprise for me to see you through your blog. Do you still remeber me? I am Takeo whom you met in Hong Kong. Motoko and I are very well. It is so nice to see how both you are enjoying. I will get back to you shortly at your g-mail address. Best wishes from Japan. Takeo