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beelikejWahey, I finally had a long vacation again! You know what that means: time for PICSPAMS of my travels, whoopwhoop! This cruise itinerary was on my wish list for a long time and now that it was (relatively) safe again, I decided to go for it; I booked a "10 day" cruise to the Norwegian Fjords. (This actually involves 8 days of traveling, because you leave at the end of day 1 and get back on the very early morning of day 10. Due to the currently low water at the sealock, the captain had to advance the return to the evening of day 9 even, but I could spent the last night on board when it was docked*)
Unlike my previous cruise (to the Baltic sea in 2017) when I had to travel all the way to Germany to get on board, this one started in Amsterdam, which is only a train ride away! Well, that still turned into quite an adventure when all train personnel decided to go on strike in a different region of the country each day in the first week of my vacation. Fortunately the bit of the country I had to cross had trains running again on the day I had to get to Amsterdam.
*But when I got back, the union still hadn't gotten what they wanted, and this Friday there was another strike where there were no trains at all in the whole country, which meant I had to cut my last night on board in order to be able to get back home.
All of that couldn't crush my mood on this glorious cruise, where I felt rich as fuck and was spoilt with good food and marvelous service from beginning to end. The views on the fjords were of course also a big part of being able to take a break from the shenanigans in the world.
Who's ready for some photos? *makes sound of shiphorn* Let's go!
Day 1: Departing from Amsterdam
Got my backpack and my shoulderbag; ready to go!
The ship at the Amsterdam Passenger Terminal (only one tramstop from Central Station). All aboard!
Okay, I had to have one of those photographs from the official Cruise photographer, okay? I could not resist;)
My cabin with the Sea pass (key card) in a little envelope.
Tadaah! My stateroom cabin with its own balcony (very much worth the splurge:)
Unpacked the essentials; time tolook for food explore the ship... Starting at the impressive 'Center' on Deck 4 with balconies all the way up to the 11th floor (Where the buffet restaurant Windjammer is located:).
So.Much.Food. I'm a big fan of tasting all sorts of textures and flavours, this is pretty much paradise. I pick all the things I love until my plate is full...
Lunch: Mortadella Salami Sandwich, Focaccia, Potato salad, Fries, Mac & Cheese, hamburger, lemonade.
Went back to check out the desserts (this is just a tiny corner of the dessert buffet. I was strong and did not pick ALL THE THINGS (like I did on my previous cruise*. I only chose two (for now...) Raspberry Custard Tart & Oreo Cheesecake.
(*Back in 2017 I did a whole post just about the food on my Cruise across the Baltic Sea!)
Alright, favorite part of the trip so far and the ship hasn't even left yet, haha! But now that my belly is full, it's time to settle myself on my own private balcony for the sail off:)
We're going! I feel like a fancy lady waving Amsterdam goodbye.
On the right: Amsterdam Central Station:)
Glorious view of the Pontsteiger hotel at the IJ before we turn to the North Sea Canal.
The sea lock at IJmuiden is just big enough to fit a cruise ship and it takes a while before we get through it. Very exciting stuff:)
As it is getting close to dinnertime, I get out of my cabin and cross the Center to get to the back of the ship for a final wave a the lock.
In the elevators you can see what day it is and on each floor is a deckplan to figure out where you are:)
Time for an actual a la carte dinner at the fancy Tides restaurant on Deck 5. Had a moment to take a picture of the last bit of land we're gonna see for a while. Off to the North Sea we go!
So each day there is another menu with a starter, a main course and a dessert to choose. (The 'classics' are on the menu every day) You can see a sneak peek of my starter on the right; never had that before, it was delicious. Can you guess what I picked from the menu?
Starter: Maryland Style Crab Cake (previous picture)
Main Course: New York Strip Steak
and they also served basket of different bread rolls on the side, omnomnom, with salted butter, omnomnomnomnom.
Dessert: Pear and Blueberry Cobbler
After all of this I retire in my cabin and finish the day with a beautiful sunset and moon over the sea to wish me goodnight.
Day 2: at sea
Pretty much the sight for today: the North Sea:) A perfect day to show you more of the ship, here's my bathroom with cute cabinet.
Thank you, elevator for reminding me it's Thursday (Sept. 1)
There is art all over the ship, on all the walls and in the stairwells. Two Negative Forms (bronze) by Hilde Maehlum, NOR.
New to me on this cruise: besides the buffet that's available for all meals in the Windjammer restaurant at Deck 11, you could also have breakfast a la carte in the Tides restaurant on Deck 4. So elegant! I love the choices at the buffet, but to not have to stack your own plate and find a seat, but to be waited on instead was bliss. I ordered English Breakfast tea to start with (and got my own teapot<3). I don't usually drink tea, but love it on vacation, with loads of milk and sugar :-p
While you had time to decide from the menu, they would come around with baskets of pastries and buns to choose from.
They came around again while I was waiting for my order, and I could pick more than one, so I chose a sugared donut and a cinnamon bun. Entrée: English Breakfast tea and Eggs Benedict with a Hashbrown on the side (I LOVE THAT HASHBROWNS ARE PART OF BREAKFAST, they are strictly dinnerfood at home:)
Nest (blown glass) by Kari Hakonsen, NOR.
Landscapes II (Oil on canvas) by Birgitta ten Berge, NLD.
You can go outside on Deck 5, which is also where the lifeboats hang.
I went to the theatre on Deck 6 (with balconies on Deck 7+8) for a talk about all the ports. I made notes of what I wanted to go see everywhere:)
Besides as decorations, there is also a lot of art on display that you can buy or that is up for one of the auctions on board (as an example, I went to one where a painting was sold for 23,500 U$...)
This awesome rhino is called Timothy (bronze and patina) by Nano Lopez
Once you're out at sea, there are also lots of shops you can visit, mostly fancy stuff, like expensive bags and jewelry, but there is also a souvenirshop and a corner with booze and snacks.
View from the glass elevators: you can look at the waves!
All the way on Deck 12 there is a track along the deckchairs and you can look down at the open air pool on Deck 11.
I love being at sea <3.
There is also an indoor pool in the Solarium (the water is very warm:)
More crafts than art is hanging on the walls in the gangways. Wish I knew who made these, but there were no names on them. They were inspirational though. These coloured squares are made from used, painted woodpanels.
On Deck 6 is the entertainment level with a sportsbar, but also a huge casino.
Josephine (ceramic) by Janicke Ebbing, NOR.
Oooh, a drilling platform out at sea! (zoomed in)
Can you spot the platform from far away too?
I spent a lot of time reading on my balcony with the live sound of the waves<3
Another piece of wooden craftwork in the gangway, based on Sketch #18 (1938) from M.C. Escher, NLD. (Read more about his graphic designs here
Sat outside on Deck 11 for Lunch at Windjammer buffet restaurant: Pizza, meatloaf, fries, sweet potato, Scones and Berries dessert, lemonade.
Seconds: Pistachio pound cake, chocolate cookie, chocolate cake with whipped cream and vanilla sauce.
Horsetail I (ceramic) by Anita Manshanden, NLD.
View through the beautifully decorated glass doors of the elevator shaft.
Spent the rest of the afternoon reading on the balcony (so you don't think I went straight to dinner after lunch;)
Okay, guess what I chose from the menu tonight... Hint: I'm a carnivore;)
Originally I was assigned the early dinner time (5:30 p.m.), but I managed to change that to the later setting of 8 p.m. (20:00) which is much more convenient on shore days, to make the most of your time.
This meant I wasn't sat a table with people who speak the same language (they really make an effort to make you feel as comfortable as possible, so with all these different nationalities on board, you at least would be able to have conversation at your table). For the first two nights, the other party at my table didn't show up, so I was all by myself, which was actually fine with me. I got the full attention of the lovely staff and could fully focus on the food, mmmm, food, wonderful food.
Starter: Beef Carpaccio
In addition to the basket of breadrolls, my waiter now also included an Artisan Cheese Plate on the side, omnomnom.
Main Course: Duck à L'Orange (upon request without the Cointreau sauce;), so good, melted on my tongue.
Oh, should also mention that it was 'formal' night on board, which meant people dressed up and there were photographers all over to capture everyone (you could decline;). It all felt very glamourous.
Dessert: Peach Shortcake
The carpets on board are amazing too, this is the floor of the restaurant.
I went to a show by the Barricade Boys, a group of singers who had all worked on Les Miserables in the London West End. They sang songs from that musical, but also had a Motown set and a Franki Valli selection plus they did a breathtaking version of Bohemian Rhapsody. I had a great time (and may have sniffled at I Dreamed A Dream) There are different shows at the theatre every night.
The colourful carpet and walls of the theatre.
When I got back to my room, my stateroom attendent had prepared my room for the night and left me a cute towel octopus on the bed <3
(My cabin, bathroom and balcony were checked and cleaned twice a day; in the morning they would make the bed and replace towels where needed, in the evening my pillows would be fluffed up, the curtains would be closed and the bedlights would be on. There would also be a copy of the daily on board newsletter to let you know about all the excursions and on board openingtimes of the next day.)
One of the channels on tv shows the ship's position, so you can follow along; we're going straight up North in this screenshot! Tomorrow we will dock at Olden (we're doing a bit of a zigzag pattern along the fjords)
Day 3: 1st stop Olden, Norway
Good morning! First thing I see when I wake up around 6.a.m.: a FJORD! So glad I decided to sleep with the curtains open. I get up to the balcony to stare in awe and take some pictures.
It is still ridiculously early, so with a big smile on my face I crawl back into bed for some more snoozing until 8 a.m. when I get up to discover the NordFjord is green in daylight:)
Woohoo, I get a windowseat for Breakfast at Tides restaurant D4: From the bakery: sugarbread and a cinnamon bun.
Entrée: English Breakfast tea and Blueberry Pancakes with side of strawberries and sausages :)
It's Friday, Sept. 2 today! Look at that view from the elevator *hearteyes* I can't wait to go on shore.
Another dreamy view from my own balcony. I grab my shoulderbag and get off board to explore Olden...
The centre is really just a collection of souvenirshops and bars, so that was done quickly :-D (The town itself is spread out over the mountainside; only a couple of hundred people live there permanently)
Fortunately there's a whole bunch of nature to check out, so I get a map and after a last look at the ship, I start walking uphill.
I love the lowhanging clouds and the mirroring in the water *chinhands*
The ship is so huge, you can see it from almost anywhere.
All the green colours <3
Colourful farmhouses dotted all over.
I buy a chocolate breadroll in the tiny supermarket before starting my real hike.
The Olden gamle kyrkje (old Olden church), built in 1759, it is the only cruciform church in Nordfjord. Now a museum, only used on 17th of May (Constitution Day) and 29th of July (St. Olav's Day)
The wooden interior is fascinating.
Great old colourized photo of an old group of Elders of the church.
From the white old Olden church I walked on to the red new Olden church.
The current Olden kyrkje (new Olden church) dates back to 1934 and is built in a long church design, using some structural features of the old stave churches.. It has beautiful glass stained windows andodd angel figurines below the organ.
My very favorite part of this church was the doorhandle.
Leaving the churches behind, I get really into the hike (even though it was mainly along an asphalt road, they don't cater to pedestrians here). There was a more adventurous route higher up, but today I chose the safer path.
Oldendalen is a lovely valley to walk through and I'm thrilled when I make it to the waterfalls.
*hearteyes some more*
I cross the bridge and do follow a woodpath along the other side of the water (carefully!) Worth it for the fabulous view of lake Floen.
I cross another bridge back to the main road to follow it back to Olden, but not after taking some more moments to admire the falls.
Intriguing stones, massive clouds and mountains and weird agricultural machines.
The water is so clear. Along the way some kind sportclub put up a wooden bench to sit and stare at the valley and mountains.
When they have to add a sign in English, you know who are the people that won't listen *sighs*
The view, the VIEW!!
Uphill you can spot the pastel green Singerheimen, the home of benefactor to the local community, painter William Singer. The house is now a holiday home for nurses.
I'm sorry I had to capture the reindeer in front of the cruiseship. It's.. I... yeah.
My pretty pretty ship.
My map and loot from Olden: postcards, a magnet, a pin, candy (for my mom) and snacks for tomorrow. I also found a cool birthday card for my brother:)
I'm back on board on time for a late Lunch at Windjammer buffet restaurant: grain bun, ham sandwich, fries, melon, focaccia, peach vanilla, red velvet cheesecake
We set sail again around 6 p.m. Views of the Nordfjord from my balcony.
.
I am so in love with these glass elevators.
Dinnertime! This time I am finally joined by the other guests who are assigned to my table; it's a family from Austria, who don't speak English. Luckily I speak a little German, so we can exchange pleasantries.
Guess what I chose from the menu!
Did you get it right?
Starter: Chilled Strawberry Bisque
Main Course: Chicken Parmigiana
Dessert: Warm Chocolate Lava Cake (ooh lala!)
Back in my cabin I spent more time on the balcony, as we leave the Nordfjord and go South along the Norwegian coastline towards Flåm. Look at that sunset <3
To be continued! This was a long post, because I wanted to include my first view of the fjords on Day 3. There will be plenty more in the next parts, which will probably be day to day reports. However, if you want a preview, I have posted a couple of videos of the second half of the trip with views from Flåm, Geirander and the North Sea
J.
X-posted to https://beelikej.livejournal.com/576998.html
Unlike my previous cruise (to the Baltic sea in 2017) when I had to travel all the way to Germany to get on board, this one started in Amsterdam, which is only a train ride away! Well, that still turned into quite an adventure when all train personnel decided to go on strike in a different region of the country each day in the first week of my vacation. Fortunately the bit of the country I had to cross had trains running again on the day I had to get to Amsterdam.
*But when I got back, the union still hadn't gotten what they wanted, and this Friday there was another strike where there were no trains at all in the whole country, which meant I had to cut my last night on board in order to be able to get back home.
All of that couldn't crush my mood on this glorious cruise, where I felt rich as fuck and was spoilt with good food and marvelous service from beginning to end. The views on the fjords were of course also a big part of being able to take a break from the shenanigans in the world.
Who's ready for some photos? *makes sound of shiphorn* Let's go!
Day 1: Departing from Amsterdam
Got my backpack and my shoulderbag; ready to go!
The ship at the Amsterdam Passenger Terminal (only one tramstop from Central Station). All aboard!
Okay, I had to have one of those photographs from the official Cruise photographer, okay? I could not resist;)
My cabin with the Sea pass (key card) in a little envelope.
Tadaah! My stateroom cabin with its own balcony (very much worth the splurge:)
Unpacked the essentials; time to
So.Much.Food. I'm a big fan of tasting all sorts of textures and flavours, this is pretty much paradise. I pick all the things I love until my plate is full...
Lunch: Mortadella Salami Sandwich, Focaccia, Potato salad, Fries, Mac & Cheese, hamburger, lemonade.
Went back to check out the desserts (this is just a tiny corner of the dessert buffet. I was strong and did not pick ALL THE THINGS (like I did on my previous cruise*. I only chose two (for now...) Raspberry Custard Tart & Oreo Cheesecake.
(*Back in 2017 I did a whole post just about the food on my Cruise across the Baltic Sea!)
Alright, favorite part of the trip so far and the ship hasn't even left yet, haha! But now that my belly is full, it's time to settle myself on my own private balcony for the sail off:)
We're going! I feel like a fancy lady waving Amsterdam goodbye.
On the right: Amsterdam Central Station:)
Glorious view of the Pontsteiger hotel at the IJ before we turn to the North Sea Canal.
The sea lock at IJmuiden is just big enough to fit a cruise ship and it takes a while before we get through it. Very exciting stuff:)
As it is getting close to dinnertime, I get out of my cabin and cross the Center to get to the back of the ship for a final wave a the lock.
In the elevators you can see what day it is and on each floor is a deckplan to figure out where you are:)
Time for an actual a la carte dinner at the fancy Tides restaurant on Deck 5. Had a moment to take a picture of the last bit of land we're gonna see for a while. Off to the North Sea we go!
So each day there is another menu with a starter, a main course and a dessert to choose. (The 'classics' are on the menu every day) You can see a sneak peek of my starter on the right; never had that before, it was delicious. Can you guess what I picked from the menu?
Starter: Maryland Style Crab Cake (previous picture)
Main Course: New York Strip Steak
and they also served basket of different bread rolls on the side, omnomnom, with salted butter, omnomnomnomnom.
Dessert: Pear and Blueberry Cobbler
After all of this I retire in my cabin and finish the day with a beautiful sunset and moon over the sea to wish me goodnight.
Day 2: at sea
Pretty much the sight for today: the North Sea:) A perfect day to show you more of the ship, here's my bathroom with cute cabinet.
Thank you, elevator for reminding me it's Thursday (Sept. 1)
There is art all over the ship, on all the walls and in the stairwells. Two Negative Forms (bronze) by Hilde Maehlum, NOR.
New to me on this cruise: besides the buffet that's available for all meals in the Windjammer restaurant at Deck 11, you could also have breakfast a la carte in the Tides restaurant on Deck 4. So elegant! I love the choices at the buffet, but to not have to stack your own plate and find a seat, but to be waited on instead was bliss. I ordered English Breakfast tea to start with (and got my own teapot<3). I don't usually drink tea, but love it on vacation, with loads of milk and sugar :-p
While you had time to decide from the menu, they would come around with baskets of pastries and buns to choose from.
They came around again while I was waiting for my order, and I could pick more than one, so I chose a sugared donut and a cinnamon bun. Entrée: English Breakfast tea and Eggs Benedict with a Hashbrown on the side (I LOVE THAT HASHBROWNS ARE PART OF BREAKFAST, they are strictly dinnerfood at home:)
Nest (blown glass) by Kari Hakonsen, NOR.
Landscapes II (Oil on canvas) by Birgitta ten Berge, NLD.
You can go outside on Deck 5, which is also where the lifeboats hang.
I went to the theatre on Deck 6 (with balconies on Deck 7+8) for a talk about all the ports. I made notes of what I wanted to go see everywhere:)
Besides as decorations, there is also a lot of art on display that you can buy or that is up for one of the auctions on board (as an example, I went to one where a painting was sold for 23,500 U$...)
This awesome rhino is called Timothy (bronze and patina) by Nano Lopez
Once you're out at sea, there are also lots of shops you can visit, mostly fancy stuff, like expensive bags and jewelry, but there is also a souvenirshop and a corner with booze and snacks.
View from the glass elevators: you can look at the waves!
All the way on Deck 12 there is a track along the deckchairs and you can look down at the open air pool on Deck 11.
I love being at sea <3.
There is also an indoor pool in the Solarium (the water is very warm:)
More crafts than art is hanging on the walls in the gangways. Wish I knew who made these, but there were no names on them. They were inspirational though. These coloured squares are made from used, painted woodpanels.
On Deck 6 is the entertainment level with a sportsbar, but also a huge casino.
Josephine (ceramic) by Janicke Ebbing, NOR.
Oooh, a drilling platform out at sea! (zoomed in)
Can you spot the platform from far away too?
I spent a lot of time reading on my balcony with the live sound of the waves<3
Another piece of wooden craftwork in the gangway, based on Sketch #18 (1938) from M.C. Escher, NLD. (Read more about his graphic designs here
Sat outside on Deck 11 for Lunch at Windjammer buffet restaurant: Pizza, meatloaf, fries, sweet potato, Scones and Berries dessert, lemonade.
Seconds: Pistachio pound cake, chocolate cookie, chocolate cake with whipped cream and vanilla sauce.
Horsetail I (ceramic) by Anita Manshanden, NLD.
View through the beautifully decorated glass doors of the elevator shaft.
Spent the rest of the afternoon reading on the balcony (so you don't think I went straight to dinner after lunch;)
Okay, guess what I chose from the menu tonight... Hint: I'm a carnivore;)
Originally I was assigned the early dinner time (5:30 p.m.), but I managed to change that to the later setting of 8 p.m. (20:00) which is much more convenient on shore days, to make the most of your time.
This meant I wasn't sat a table with people who speak the same language (they really make an effort to make you feel as comfortable as possible, so with all these different nationalities on board, you at least would be able to have conversation at your table). For the first two nights, the other party at my table didn't show up, so I was all by myself, which was actually fine with me. I got the full attention of the lovely staff and could fully focus on the food, mmmm, food, wonderful food.
Starter: Beef Carpaccio
In addition to the basket of breadrolls, my waiter now also included an Artisan Cheese Plate on the side, omnomnom.
Main Course: Duck à L'Orange (upon request without the Cointreau sauce;), so good, melted on my tongue.
Oh, should also mention that it was 'formal' night on board, which meant people dressed up and there were photographers all over to capture everyone (you could decline;). It all felt very glamourous.
Dessert: Peach Shortcake
The carpets on board are amazing too, this is the floor of the restaurant.
I went to a show by the Barricade Boys, a group of singers who had all worked on Les Miserables in the London West End. They sang songs from that musical, but also had a Motown set and a Franki Valli selection plus they did a breathtaking version of Bohemian Rhapsody. I had a great time (and may have sniffled at I Dreamed A Dream) There are different shows at the theatre every night.
The colourful carpet and walls of the theatre.
When I got back to my room, my stateroom attendent had prepared my room for the night and left me a cute towel octopus on the bed <3
(My cabin, bathroom and balcony were checked and cleaned twice a day; in the morning they would make the bed and replace towels where needed, in the evening my pillows would be fluffed up, the curtains would be closed and the bedlights would be on. There would also be a copy of the daily on board newsletter to let you know about all the excursions and on board openingtimes of the next day.)
One of the channels on tv shows the ship's position, so you can follow along; we're going straight up North in this screenshot! Tomorrow we will dock at Olden (we're doing a bit of a zigzag pattern along the fjords)
Day 3: 1st stop Olden, Norway
Good morning! First thing I see when I wake up around 6.a.m.: a FJORD! So glad I decided to sleep with the curtains open. I get up to the balcony to stare in awe and take some pictures.
It is still ridiculously early, so with a big smile on my face I crawl back into bed for some more snoozing until 8 a.m. when I get up to discover the NordFjord is green in daylight:)
Woohoo, I get a windowseat for Breakfast at Tides restaurant D4: From the bakery: sugarbread and a cinnamon bun.
Entrée: English Breakfast tea and Blueberry Pancakes with side of strawberries and sausages :)
It's Friday, Sept. 2 today! Look at that view from the elevator *hearteyes* I can't wait to go on shore.
Another dreamy view from my own balcony. I grab my shoulderbag and get off board to explore Olden...
The centre is really just a collection of souvenirshops and bars, so that was done quickly :-D (The town itself is spread out over the mountainside; only a couple of hundred people live there permanently)
Fortunately there's a whole bunch of nature to check out, so I get a map and after a last look at the ship, I start walking uphill.
I love the lowhanging clouds and the mirroring in the water *chinhands*
The ship is so huge, you can see it from almost anywhere.
All the green colours <3
Colourful farmhouses dotted all over.
I buy a chocolate breadroll in the tiny supermarket before starting my real hike.
The Olden gamle kyrkje (old Olden church), built in 1759, it is the only cruciform church in Nordfjord. Now a museum, only used on 17th of May (Constitution Day) and 29th of July (St. Olav's Day)
The wooden interior is fascinating.
Great old colourized photo of an old group of Elders of the church.
From the white old Olden church I walked on to the red new Olden church.
The current Olden kyrkje (new Olden church) dates back to 1934 and is built in a long church design, using some structural features of the old stave churches.. It has beautiful glass stained windows and
My very favorite part of this church was the doorhandle.
Leaving the churches behind, I get really into the hike (even though it was mainly along an asphalt road, they don't cater to pedestrians here). There was a more adventurous route higher up, but today I chose the safer path.
Oldendalen is a lovely valley to walk through and I'm thrilled when I make it to the waterfalls.
*hearteyes some more*
I cross the bridge and do follow a woodpath along the other side of the water (carefully!) Worth it for the fabulous view of lake Floen.
I cross another bridge back to the main road to follow it back to Olden, but not after taking some more moments to admire the falls.
Intriguing stones, massive clouds and mountains and weird agricultural machines.
The water is so clear. Along the way some kind sportclub put up a wooden bench to sit and stare at the valley and mountains.
When they have to add a sign in English, you know who are the people that won't listen *sighs*
The view, the VIEW!!
Uphill you can spot the pastel green Singerheimen, the home of benefactor to the local community, painter William Singer. The house is now a holiday home for nurses.
I'm sorry I had to capture the reindeer in front of the cruiseship. It's.. I... yeah.
My pretty pretty ship.
My map and loot from Olden: postcards, a magnet, a pin, candy (for my mom) and snacks for tomorrow. I also found a cool birthday card for my brother:)
I'm back on board on time for a late Lunch at Windjammer buffet restaurant: grain bun, ham sandwich, fries, melon, focaccia, peach vanilla, red velvet cheesecake
We set sail again around 6 p.m. Views of the Nordfjord from my balcony.
.I am so in love with these glass elevators.
Dinnertime! This time I am finally joined by the other guests who are assigned to my table; it's a family from Austria, who don't speak English. Luckily I speak a little German, so we can exchange pleasantries.
Guess what I chose from the menu!
Did you get it right?
Starter: Chilled Strawberry Bisque
Main Course: Chicken Parmigiana
Dessert: Warm Chocolate Lava Cake (ooh lala!)
Back in my cabin I spent more time on the balcony, as we leave the Nordfjord and go South along the Norwegian coastline towards Flåm. Look at that sunset <3
To be continued! This was a long post, because I wanted to include my first view of the fjords on Day 3. There will be plenty more in the next parts, which will probably be day to day reports. However, if you want a preview, I have posted a couple of videos of the second half of the trip with views from Flåm, Geirander and the North Sea
J.
X-posted to https://beelikej.livejournal.com/576998.html
no subject
Date: 2022-09-12 10:48 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-09-12 09:18 pm (UTC)All meals are included! There is an extensive buffet available ALL.DAY.LONG. When the main buffet-restaurant is closed for cleaning in between mealservices, you can get food in other snack corners all over the ship, for example the pizzastand in the Solarium or the cafés on the entertainment deck.
You can also choose to have your complimentary breakfast and dinner at set times in the a la cart restaurant. Lunch is only served a la cart on sea-days.
Water, coffee, tea and lemonade are freely available all over. You do have to pay for special drinks or alcoholic beverages; you can arrange 'package deals' for that beforehand.
There are also a couple of specialty restaurants on board, that require reservations and payment for their extra super fancy food. (So if you want to spend extra money, you can;-)
Gratuities are also included in the price; if you want to tip extra you can, but it is not required.
no subject
Date: 2022-09-12 09:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-10-03 01:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-10-08 12:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-10-10 08:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-10-18 08:05 pm (UTC)