Thursday 21st December 2023
Early start, snack breakfast in cabin, this plan saves the scrum at breakfast, saves dragging luggage about and saves time.
All done, all packed up and cupboards checked, and off we go, 8am, down to disembark, allowed ashore almost immediately.
Collected cases, found the car and then away to start our Christmas festivities, no long drive today.
Wednesday 20th December 2023
Still a bit rough but at least the sun is breaking through!
Breakfast in the Palms today, then off to the pub for morning trivia, no prize, again. Then it’s the name that tune, still no prize. This was followed by the Navigation Talk given by a couple of the third officers, quite interesting even if nothing novel.
It’s time to make inroads into the packing ready for tomorrow, not too much to pack, short cruise so managed to not bring too much.
Afternoon trivia followed by prize redemption.
Afternoon tea in the buffet. Time to relax and sort out the cabin and to check all clear to finalise packing later.
Dinner in the Ballindalloch.
Tonight in the theatre it’s the Christmas Pantomime, Cinderella. The entertainment staff joined by the comedian made a most enjoyable show, lots of slapstick and laughs, very good.
Time to finalise the packing and get cases out.
Clocks back one hour tonight.
Tuesday 19th December 2023
Overcast again, bit windy and the sea a little rough.
Breakfast in the Ballindalloch, off to the pub for morning trivia.
Relaxing day and then afternoon trivia followed by afternoon tea.
Back to our cabin, well we tried to get back in, the lock was not working, several different staff members tried to get it working, reprogramming didn’t work, new keys didn’t work, finally an actual key eventually got the door open, hooray, a promise to make a proper fix later received with fingers crossed.
Tonight it’s a formal night, so it’s suit on.
Christmas Dinner in the Ballindalloch with all the trimmings. Crackers with hats and jokes, the mulled wine sorbet course was a bit different.
Called into the pub for an after dinner drink and to listen to the guitarist, quite good, for some of the tunes that suited him anyway.
Back to cabin (lock seems OK now), the sea getting a bit rough with pot holes, windy too, ship moving about more than on any previous occasion.
Monday 18th December 2023
Awake again in the dark, looking like it might be a bit brighter today. The sun rose in a clear sky, though all too soon a fog bank approached, then we sailed into the fog and that was it, stayed foggy all day.
The Oslofjord looked very nice, for a few minutes, not sure whether we saw the Olsen Home and Oslo itself was lost in the fog.
After breakfast took a walk through Oslo to the main shopping area. Lots of shops and lots of Christmas decoration, even the trams had Christmas lights!
Not much else to see and the weather never improved so back to the ship for a hot chocolate to warm up.
Dinner in the Ballindalloch then back to cabin, fog cleared late evening as the rain started.
Sunday 17th December 2023
This mornings approach to Copenhagen rather delayed by the tides. Eventually berthed about 10.30am, long after we had breakfasted in the Ballindalloch.
Weather again cool, dull and overcast.
Todays berth, Ocean kai 3, about as remote as possible from the town. An ugly spot to park, reclaimed land, work still in progress, not very welcoming.
Shuttle buses laid on for trip to town, didn’t fancy it so stayed on board. Morning trivia, better effort but no cigar.
Tried lunch in the Ballindalloch, today it’s a proper Sunday lunch, very good.
Popped up to the Observatory to make the best of the views until time for afternoon trivia in the Morning Light Pub, a win this time after a tie break between four teams.
Dinner in the Ballindalloch.
Saturday 16th December 2023
Briefly woke very, very early as we left Hamberg sailing down the Elbe in the dark.
At a more reasonable hour woke again to watch a very dull and foggy scene as we continued down the Elbe.
Breakfast in the Ballindalloch as we approached the locks into the Kiel Canal. Nice big locks, multiple smaller commercial traffic in the other lock going the other way, quite slow progress even though only a small difference in level.
Canal quite busy, slow progress, we can see why this will take all day, landscape both sides of the canal very flat, mostly farmland and woodland with a few scattered houses and the canal crossed by several ferries for the locals. The canal being rather shallow and narrow necessitated us stopping quite a few times as we waited for passing and oncoming traffic to sort themselves out.
Hot chocolate in the Bookmark, better than the coffee anyway.
Up to the Observatory Lounge to view the scenery, weather still overcast, dull and foggy, view much the same no colour, not even green leaves on the trees, definitely needs some nice bright sunshine!
Getting dark for the second half of the canal, little more life this end, with some street lights and a little traffic. Quite a bit more built up this end, guess it’s Kiel itself. Must try a visit in the summer one day if possible.
Dinner in the Ballindalloch followed by the show in the theatre, tonight the Balmoral Orchestra and Singers with a Rock and Roll show.
Back to relax in the cabin.
Friday 15th December 2023
Awoke this morning as we entered the City of Hamburg, a foggy morning, moving very slowly toward our berth at the Altona Fishmarket, the ideal berth for visiting the city.
Breakfast in the Palms buffet, too late for the restaurant, it’s definitely better in the restaurant, must try to get going a bit earlier.
Morning trivia, no win again, though a better choice on some of our 50/50’s would have been quite different.
Time to go ashore to take the shuttle bus into town. Drop off at the main bus terminal. A walk through town to visit the Christmas Markets.
First the Jungfernstieg market then just a short walk to the Rathaus Square for another market.
Both markets pretty busy, mostly with the locals consuming a good deal of Gluwien.
Whole day remained cool and overcast and a bit misty.
Return walk down the main shopping street, Monckberg Strasse, etc.,
and back to the bus for the return to the ship in time for afternoon tea.
Short rest then dinner in the Ballindalloch followed by coffee in the Bookmark Cafe, just testing to see if this coffee any better than the other offerings on the ship, sadly no real improvement.
Back for relaxing in our cabin.
Ship remaining berthed overnight till about 5am.
Thursday 14th December 2023
Nice early start today, off to the Ballindalloch for breakfast, bit of a confusing system waiter service combined with a buffet, managed to work it out more or less and all went OK.
Found our way to the morning trivia in the Morning Light Pub, fair result, must do better. Pretty much straight to the Lido Lounge for name that tune, not too good a result.
This afternoon off to the lecture. Today it’s a talk on Royal Navies around the Baltic in the 1700’s and 1800’s, all a bit confusing, a huge amount of history skimmed over with very little depth, certainly an interesting subject sadly not well presented, too much to cover so quickly, all happening in a period of history which prompted the construction of canals to shorten journeys around the globe, Panama, Suez and Kiel.
Time for afternoon tea in the Palms before a short rest prior to the Captain’s Cocktail Party in the Neptune Lounge, wine and canapé’s with an introduction to Captain Reveneng and his staff officers.
Dinner in the Ballindalloch, very good again.
Time for relax and rest in the cabin.