Day 19 - Dover, England

Saturday 15th July 2017

 

Back to England, berthed in Dover this morning.  Bright morning with a threat of rain.

Cruise log suggests we have sailed about 4233 nautical miles on this cruise.

As usual an early start on disembarkation day.  All packed up and off to breakfast.  Then to the Pacific Lounge to await our call to go ashore.  All too soon off we go and just a short stroll back to the car then away up the motorway to check how the garden grows.  Ship to home journey in a little under two hours.

Day 18 - at Sea

Friday 14th July 2017

Sailing south across the North Sea.  Damp and mild morning and delightful sunny afternoon.

 

Managed to find time to do the packing, attend a couple of trivia quizzes and sit out on our balcony to enjoy the sun.

Clocks back to UK time tonight.

Day 17 - Haugesund, Norway

Thursday 13th July 2017

"Homeland of the Viking Kings, herring town Haugesund is a city and harbour well sheltered from the North Sea."

This morning sailing on our way to Haugesund, arrival scheduled for about noon.  Sat out for breakfast.  Beautiful sunny day.  Morning trivia - again poor score.

After arrival took the free shuttle bus into the town, dropped off at Our Saviours Church. Strolled down Torgbakken to view the famous herring fisherman statue, walked along the waterfront inner quay, Smedasundet, then up through town to view the city hall resplendent in Pink.

 

 

 

 

Back to the ship to enjoy a snack and a cup of tea.

Sat out in the sun till dinner time in the buffet.

Sailaway and then time to catch up with blog.

Later hoping to get to the pyramid trivia.

Day 16 - Hellysylt/Geiranger, Norway

Wednesday 12th July 2017

"Known as the best travel destination in Scandinavia, a spectacular fjord famous for the seven sisters waterfalls."

Woke this morning just drifting at Hellysylt, tenders out discharging those passengers who are doing a round trip to Geiranger, very cloudy at about 11 degrees and some rain about this morning.  Breakfast on open deck taking in the surrounding views of the fjord.  Then a slow passage to Geiranger - lots of waterfalls.

At Geiranger the ship did a 360 pirouette to re calibrate the magnic compass, apparently a annual requirement.

After morning Trivia, coffee time, and then went ashore by tender.  Two other ships were also in Geiranger - the Costa Pacifica (who we had seen a couple of times already) and the Holland America Rotterdam so the town was quite busy.  We walked around the town in the rain along with a lot of other people equally aimless, but at least we can say we have now been ashore in Geiranger at our 3rd try!

 

Local Geiranger Properties

 

Sailaway, 53 nautical miles down to the sea, passing numerous spectacular waterfalls and dramatic cliffs.

 

 

 

Still raining, sometimes it looked like snow.  Down at the coast some burst of sunlight giving the occasional rainbow.

Dinner in buffet followed by the Production show in the Caberet Lounge "Do you Wanna Dance"  yet again another good show.  After the show went up to the Pacific Lounge for tonight's trivia - famous faces with Basil - not very good in fact awful.  Basil being a Dutch South African creates a great deal of comment about his pronunciation but most of the time accepts this with good grace.

This evenings sunset would have been just after 11pm but it was too overcast to tell.

Day 15 - at Sea

Tuesday 11th July 2017

Sailing today through a nice bright morning.  We are now below the Arctic Circle and had moved out of the Barrents Sea and into the Norwegian Sea.  Tonight we will have our first sunset at 23:30 - first time for 10 days.  This morning went to the talk on Navigation by Guiseppi (third officer) one of the many Italian Officers  His rather strong accent made for some difficulty in  understanding but since most of his talk covered things we knew already just about managed to follow enough to make it worthwhile.  One interesting fact was that 1 nautical mile is equal to 1/60th degree so Longyearbyen at 78 degrees north is 12 degrees from the North Pole and therefore at about 120 nautical miles.  (something wrong here as it seems it's actually nearer 700 nm in fact)

We went to the buffet at lunchtime today as it was a Mexican theme one of our favourites.

Afternoon spent sitting in the sun around the pool, wind just a touch on the cool side.

This evening Formal Dinner night at the Main Dining Room.  One of us had Melon followed by Pasta with a chicken Breast the other had Tomato Soup and Beef Wellington.  After dinner Champagne Waterfall - another chance for a free drink.

Nice sunset tonight followed by a twilight sky, never really got dark.

 

Day 14 - Gradval, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Monday 10th July 2017

This morning berthed at Leknes Havn, half way between Gradval and Leknes.  Weather gone off again, overcast with a bit of damp in the air.  Shame really because it's the first stop where there appear to be beaches, but I bet the water is very cold.

One of us decided to go ashore and walked up a small hill to check out the views, interesting geology and plentiful wildflowers, finishing with fingers dangled in the sea from the beach, cold but not icy. 

 

After sail away we sailed through a lovely sunny evening on our way to Geiranger Fjord.  Dinner again in the buffet.

Day 13 - at Sea

Sunday 9th July 2017

Weather today pretty good, so after breakfast took advantage and did a few laps of the top deck promenade.  Flat calm sea and light winds so very pleasant.  Cruising down some miles off the Norwegian coast, in view all day.

 

Calm Sea, Bright Sun, Norwegian Coast

 

Caught up with some admin and then off to lunch in the steak house, today it's the "Pub Lunch", so fish and chips with mushy peas!

After a few more laps time for a cuppa sitting out in the sun by the pool, the day now very warm and almost cloud free.

Started to cloud up so back to stateroom for a another cuppa and some whalewatch, poor results so far this cruise but at least there was one whale this afternoon.

Off to the buffet for dinner and then to the Cabaret Lounge for this evening's entertainment.  Tonight Becky O'Brian, a singer singing the songs of and in the style of Judy Garland.

Day 12 - Honningsvag, Norway

Saturday 8th July 2107

"Northernmost village of Norway, close to the  North Cape which is almost the northernmost point of the Europe at 71 degrees 10 minutes and 21 seconds N."

This morning just coming into harbour as we woke, early, as our tour was early!  A bright sunny day greeted us.  After a quick breakfast we joined our tour bus and off we went across the island towards the North Cape.  AMAZING clear sunny weather and an amazing scenery of mountains, lakes, snow, reindeer and all in the abundance of bright sun and blue skies.

 

Arriving at the North Cape we took in the panoramic views from atop the 1000 ft cliffs, looking out over a flat calm sea towards the North Pole, not quite in sight at 2093 kilometres.

 

North Cape

All to soon it was time to leave and head back to the ship.  Equally enjoyable views on our return, including passing a Sami in traditional costume and alongside his reindeer.  

 

Traditional Sami with his Reindeer

A quick lunch followed by a walk around the village of Honningsvag.  Lots of trolls all over Norway, didn't see any live one's, only in souvenir shops and on street corners.

 

Back to the ship for the afternoon to enjoy the sun on our balcony.  Dinner this evening in the Main Dining Room, Melon with Port, followed by a Chicken and Leek Pie for one, the other had Crabcakes followed by Cowboy Steak with crispy onions.  Into the lounge to watch a local group performing 'Our Northernmost Life' very good, followed by a Trivia quiz 16 out of 20 about the same as most of the groups at the quiz.   Coffee, and back to our room to type up these notes.

Day 11 - Murmansk, Russia

Friday 7th July 2017

"The last city founded by the Russian Empire, in 1916.  Located on Kola Bay, Murmansk being Russia's only ice free port, has always been of great importance for trade.   During World War 2 it was fiercely defended from German attack and was vital for the Arctic Convoys for supplying the Soviet Union by the other Allied nations, this at staggering cost in lives. The city is the site of three commemorative war memorials."

Berthed this morning in Murmansk.  Weather again overcast but not so cold today.  Breakfast, along with an inordinate number of Russian immigration officers.  Then easy morning checking out the views over the city from the ship and fitted in a quick trivia, for which we took home the prize!

Soon time to get organised for our tour, "Easy Murmansk".  Passengers on official ships tours did not require a Russian Visa, to obtain one being a long and fraught process, and no tourist system to tour independently.  Partly due to Russian officialdom and partly Princess there was a shambolic process for returning everyone's passports and getting bus stickers issued, certainly a popular tour, all done in a venue much too small for everyone and not very much information about what was going on.  Eventually all sorted and off we went ashore to join our bus.

Set off through the port and industrial areas to get to the town.  First stop at the Cultural Centre, not quite sure why but there was a nice fountain and a statue of Kirov.  Moving on through town passing various monuments, statues and many blocks of apartments.  Next stop at the "Saviour of the Waters" Russian Orthodox Church.

 

Saviour of the Waters with some apartments behind

 

Part of a group of monuments and a Lighthouse.  The church absolutely packed with Icons.  Soon away again to the Alyosha Monument.  A huge concrete statue of a lone soldier in a fine hilltop location.

 

 

This a commemoration of the heroic dead of 1941-1945.  Finished our tour with a 'scenic' drive back through city to the ship, most of city seemed to consist of very drab and scruffy blocks of apartments, with only a few more colourful examples.   One interesting feature though was the bus stops, many of which had little shops attached.

 

Bus stop with shop

Generally the population of Murmansk seemed much happier and friendlier than our previous experience of Russia.

Time for a much needed cuppa.  Cloud clearing and the sun is out.  Rather late sailaway, Russians slow in completing their formalities to allow us to sail, then off down the Kola Bay past Severomorsk where a Russian aircraft carrier and several icebreakers are laid up.

Dinner in the Buffet followed by tonight's production show "Motor City", a compilation of Motown hits.  Time for a quick trivia before the end of the day (worse results so far).  Now hardly a cloud in the sky, amazing, let's hope it lasts.  Clocks back again tonight to get back the hour we lost. 

Day 10 - at Sea

Thursday 6th July 2017

Late start today, proper gray day with some more light rain and about 7 degrees.

Sailing East toward Murmansk, passing this morning about 30 miles north of the North Cape, one of our future destinations.

Not much going on today, so just filling our time with not much. 

 

Dinner again in the buffet.

Day 9 - Tromso, Norway

Wednesday 5th July 2017

"Area occupied since the end of the last ice age, rich in Norse and Sami culture.  The city contains the largest concentration of timber houses in Norway.  A recent additions to the city's landmarks are the Arctic Cathedral (not actually a cathedral), and the Bruvegen Bridge."

Today berthed in Tromso, Prostneset berth, right in town.   Weather partly cloudy and a few drops of rain early but not too cold at about 8 degrees.

After breakfast went ashore, caught the local bus and travelled over the Bruvegen Bridge to visit the Arctic Cathedral.

 

Arctic Cathedral

Certainly an architectural delight and the possessor of a giant stained glass window.

 

 

Didn't seem too far so decided to walk back over the bridge into town, great views over the town, the harbour and the surrounding snow capped mountains.

 

View over Tromso

Stopped at the Polar Museum.  Full of interesting facts and exhibits about the polar regions and exploration.

Lots about  trappers, whalers and sealers, mostly on Svalbard. About their methods, what they harvested and the conditions they endured.  Much made of recent excavation of grave sites and the preservation of the remains discovered.

Polar exploration notably by Roald Amundsen to the north pole and about previous attempts to reach the pole.

Gentle stroll back through the town to the ship for a sit down and a cuppa.

Sailaway from Tromso, around the end of Tromsoya island and under Kvaloyregan Bridge and so down the Fjord and out to sea.

Buffet diner tonight and then into the Cabaret Lounge for the show, 'Stardust', a compilation of 50's classic songs.

The Trivia this evening was themed on the paranormal, and it was as weird as it sounds.

Clocks forward again tonight, another hour's sleep lost.

Day 8 - at Sea

 

Tuesday 4th July 2017

Happy Independence Day

Heading south again towards Norwegian mainland.

Today a rather overcast grey day, luckily ship all decorated in red, white and blue.  Another normal busy sea day, breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and almost before you know it, it was time to get the glad rags on again for the Captains Circle party, always good to go to as free drinks and a few nibbles (and this one more generous than normal).

A brief talk by  Captain Paul Slight, this Captain certainly not very chatty, always brief.  Off to dinner in the Main Dining Room.

Tonight both  of us started with Honey and Rum roasted Pineapple, then one followed with Cajun-Style Crawfish Vol-Au-Vent followed by Broiled Lobster Tail and Louisiana-Style Crab Cake, the other had Chilled Tropical Fruit Soup followed by Princess Gourmet Beef Burger.

 

Then back to our room where we watched J K Rowlings Fantastic Beasts and where to find them.

 

Day 7 - Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Spitzbergen, Norway

Monday 3rd July 2017

Longyearbyen was founded as a coal mining settlement by the Arctic Mining Company from 1906.  Since 1920 the Svalbard archipelago has officially been a part of Norway.  At 78 degrees north, resting halfway between the North Pole and the Norwegian mainland.  Spitsbergen, the largest island of the archipelago, is the northenmost inhabited place on the globe at around 715 miles north of the Norwegian mainland.  More recently tourism and the Svalbard Global Seed Bank have replaced mining as the main employers, alongside arctic research.

Berthed in Longyearbyen, down the back end of an industrial area.  Weather was looking good with the sun out but the wind blowing, still not too cold.

After breakfast we put on our winter gear, and headed towards the shuttle bus that took us into town. Had a walk up one of the streets on the lookout for 'Polar Bears' none seen.

 

But we did see lots of snow mobiles parked up on wooden pallets - apparently the town has more snowmobiles than people -  decided to stop for a chocolate and a danish which was very good.  We then had a stroll back to the ship. No snow but more cloud this afternoon.

 

View from Longyearbyen looking up the valley

 

After a 'light' snack watched the afternoon film "Hidden Figures" which started Kevin Costner - about the unsung heroes of NASA, all the ladies who contributed to the calculations to get John Glen safely back to earth after the first US orbital mission to space. Particular reference to this era when women were not expected to make significant contribution and the colour bar was still in place. A very good film.

Went to the Pacific Lounge for pre-dinner hors d'oeuvres and to enjoy the sailaway down the fjord surrounded by snow capped maintains and at least five glaciers, really quite spectacular.  Saw our first snowflakes as we sailed.

 

The sailaway view of a glacier

 

Quick trip to the buffet for dinner then back to the pacific lounge for the evening trivia about Princess and their ships.  Surprise surprise we were triumphant equal with another team, after a tie break we were still level, so the quiz master rewarded both teams a prize (we got a couple of notebooks).

Days 5 & 6 - at Sea

Saturday 1st July 2017

Canada Day - 150th Anniversary

Crossed the Arctic Circle this morning about 08.35, our first time cruising this far North.  Grey sky, grey sea and a bit of mist though not notably cold.  Lots of red and white around the ship.

Breakfast on the open deck, did need a coat.  Went for a prom round the deck but soon felt a few drops of rain so retreated inside.

Nice easy day with not much to do but have coffee and attend a couple of trivia sessions.  Sea starting to get a bit rougher though still pretty gentle.

Tonight's dinner in the main dining room, thought we had better attend occasionally to make sure the waiters knew we were still around.  Scallops and shrimp followed by lamb shank for one, beef satay followed by lamb shank for the other.

This evening's entertainment was a ventriloquist, Kieren Powell, quite amusing if not greatly to our liking.

Sunday 2nd July 2017

Sea up a bit overnight, now a 3 metre swell and wind at 40 knots, though not uncomfortable.  Now in the Barents Sea, also well known as the middle of nowhere.  Sky still grey, sea still grey with white highlights.  Air temperature down to 6 degrees.  Tomorrow expected low of minus 1 degree and high of 2 degrees, sunny with a chance of snow, nice.

All morning seabirds glinding alongside the ship, so far from land, the day just seem to fly by.  During our dinner in the buffet the Captain announced at about 7.00pm that we should be able to see Svalbard, even though 40 miles away, and we could clearly see the snow capped mountains.

Afterwards we went to the production show in the Cabaret lounge "What the World needs Now" consisted of 60's music, very energetic again.  After the show, up to the Pacific lounge for evening Trivia, while waiting the quiz to start I saw our first  dolphins of this trip, again did not do very well at the quiz. 

We then went back to our room and watched the view till around midnight and got some good pictures.  This is our first bright sunny night, proper midnight sun (previous evenings had been grey and overcast).  Awoke about 2 am. with the mountains nearer as we sailed up the fjord towards Longyearbyen.

 

Spitsbergen - sunny in the middle of the night