Life begins at fjord-ty – A Norwegian cruise pre-trip report *DDD Day & Update*

[wickesy]

Cast
Me – David – Turning 40 this year
Dad – Ray - 64

When I realised that Walt Disney World and I would be turning 40 in the same year I made plans to spend my 40th in WDW in June and then return in October for theirs. That remained the plan until July 2010 when I read a trip report about a cruise in the Norwegian fjords. This is something that I have always wanted to do and I made a comment on the trip report that the scenery looked stunning so I had bumped it up my list of ‘must-do’ holidays. Dad read that comment and when I got home from work one day he suggested that rather than doing WDW twice in one year we forego the trip in June and do a cruise instead. That sounded good to me so we sat down at separate computers to look through various itineraries and as luck would have it we both came up with the same one with Princess cruises which was this:

Day 1 – Southampton
Day 2 – At Sea
Day 3 – Stavanger
Day 4 – Flaam (pronounced Flom)
Day 5 – Hellesylt & Geiranger
Day 6 – Trondheim
Day 7 – At Sea
Day 8 – Honningsvag (North Cape)
Day 9 – Tromso
Day 10 – At Sea
Day 11 – Bergen
Day 12 – At Sea
Day 13 – Southampton

This itinerary suited me because it departed from the UK (which was one of the main things for both of us), it stopped at Flam (which had struck me as particularly scenic in the trip report I read) and also it goes to the northernmost point in Europe and so into the ‘Land of the Midnight Sun’ which is something I have always wanted to experience – in Honningsvag and Tromso we will not see a sunset at all! We actually leave soon after my birthday, that being the 23rd June with the cruise leaving on the 27th June. The cruise is on the Crown Princess, which is one of the largest in the Princess fleet holding 3,080 passengers.

More details of the ship here. We booked direct through the Princess website and, although I would have preferred a midship cabin, we ended up at the front end in cabin C255 which is on Caribe deck and has a larger balcony than cabins on other decks. Our cabin is a couple of decks up from the lifeboats and about three lifeboats from the front.

Now that we are into the New Year we need to start thinking about excursions. Princess have put their excursions up on their website but they are pretty expensive and for most ports we will do the same as we did with our Disney cruise last year and arrange our own trips. In Stavanger I want to do a cruise on the Lysefjord

And in Flam we will definitely be doing the Flam railway

The other ports I haven’t really looked at properly yet but it seems that for Honningsvag there are no independent tours so we will probably have to go with a Princess excursion for that one.

So that’s how things stand at the moment and I’ll update as we get closer to sailaway. Oh, and apologies for the awful title – I’ll hopefully come up with something better for the actual trip report.

 

[saratogagirl]

It sounds wonderful David, I think there are a few of us turning 40 this year

 

[Ware Bears]

My goodness, it does sound wonderful, what a great birthday treat.

 

[TotallyAngelic]

WOW .. it sounds amazing !!

 

[strawberry blonde]

Stunning photos. Bet you can't wait

 

[irongirlof12]

looks like a fab trip.

 

[mandymouse]

Your cruise sounds amazing David, I can't wait to read all about your adventures

 

[Chilly]

I like the title!

 

[SusanEllen]

David,
Trademark the title of your trip report immediately--it's brilliant--then call the Norwegian Department of Tourism and the cruise line and broker a deal for its use. Have you ever considered a career with the Disney Department of Pun-ny Names? You have he knack.
Looking forward to reading another David and Ray's Excellent Adventure.

 

[wickesy]

Stunning photos. Bet you can't wait

Definitely not. I know from our brief taste of Norway last year that photos don't really do the scenery justice, you have to see it for yourself.

I like the title!

David,
Trademark the title of your trip report immediately--it's brilliant--then call the Norwegian Department of Tourism and the cruise line and broker a deal for its use. Have you ever considered a career with the Disney Department of Pun-ny Names? You have he knack.
Looking forward to reading another David and Ray's Excellent Adventure.

Thanks guys, I'll stick with the title then. Susan, if Disney will have me I'll be down the American Embassy getting my work visa quicker than you can say 'Jiminy Cricket'.

 

[mark&sue]

I really like the title too. I love the idea of all day and no night. enjoy the rest of your planning


susan

 

[Claire L]

Oh what a wonderful cruise and you still get to go to WDW

Looking forward to reading the trip reports

Claire

 

[wickesy]

Today is Double Digit Dance day! I spent last Saturday working out what we are going to do in the various ports and here are the plans:

Stavanger – We’ve booked a cruise on the Lysefjord. We arrive in the port at 7am and the trip leaves at Noon so we’ll have a few hours to explore the town first. It’s a 3 hour tour so we’ll be back at 3pm and have an hour or so to spare before re-boarding the Crown Princess for a 5pm departure.

Flaam – Again we arrive at 7am so I’m hoping we can make the first train – which leaves at 8:35. We’ll spend a couple of hours at the top then get the train back down and spend the rest of the day around the port.

Hellesylt – I’ve booked a Princess excursion here to Mount Dalsnibba, Stryn Lake and Buldrefossen Waterfall

Your tour begins as you board your motorcoach for a scenic drive through the Geirangerfjord District, famed for its spectacular waterfalls. Be sure to keep your camera ready, as there are photo opportunities at every turn.

You'll cross the Hornindal Bridge and witness the shimmering, turquoise waters of the nine-mile Stryn Lake. You'll continue to Grodaas where a complimentary snack of coffee and cakes awaits. Next on your itinerary is Videseter/Hjelle where you'll be treated to a complimentary three-course, Norwegian country lunch at a local hotel. After a delicious meal, you'll have free time to shop for souvenirs and gifts.

Close to Hjelle, at the start of the old Strynefjell mountain road is Buldrefoss Waterfall. Here you'll see the roaring water as it travels to the valley below. Next, the immense Tystig Glacier comes into sight. Its slopes are home to the summer ski school, "Stryn Summerski."

Your tour continues to Loen near Jostedalsbreen National Park. You'll travel to Mt. Dalsnibba for a spectacular view of Geirangerfjord and the village of Geiranger nestled at the base of the fjord. Your last photo stop is Flydalsjuvet, a popular sightseeing point from which to view the Norwegian fjord landscape.

Trondheim – Here we’ll be going to the Trondelag Folk Museum at Sverresborg.

The museum has more than 60 vintage buildings which show the building traditions in Trøndelag, from town and country, from mountain to coast and from Sami huts to city mansions. The stave church from Haltdalen dates from 1170, but the majority of the houses are from the 18th and 19th centuries.

From there we’ll go back to Trondheim and take a trip up the Tyholt Tower.

Stretching 120 metres (400 ft) into the sky, this communications tower was built by the Telecommunications Authority for modern radio and telecommunications.
This is a must for tourists as it offers a spectacular view of Trondheim and the surrounding area. It also features a rotating restaurant 74 metres (243 ft) above ground.

The restaurant floor revolves at a comfortable one full turn an hour, giving guests a panoramic view of Trondheim from all directions.

While I was looking for things to do in Trondheim I came across this great idea for cyclists faced with steep hills
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtB8DX70ihM

Apparently it's not as easy as it looks!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zMCo2zQYVE

Honningsvag – This one will be another Princess excursion to the North Cape

Begin your leisurely, half-day adventure at your pier in Honningsvag where you will board a comfortable motorcoach. Then sit back, relax and enjoy an hour-long scenic drive along the shore and up cliffs through the stunning Norwegian landscape.

Have your cameras at the ready as you enjoy an awe-inspiring photo stop at North Cape Cliffs, named by English explorer Richard Chancellor in 1553 when he passed in the search for a Northeast passage. Once the site of sacrifice for the nomadic Sami people, the 1000 foot windswept cape cliffs offer stunning views of the Arctic Ocean, North Cape and Knivskjelodden, the northernmost point of continental Europe.

Continue your scenic drive across a landscape of tundra, dwarf trees and small bogs to North Cape Hall, a tourist center located atop the North Cape cliffs. Tour the center's many fascinating features. Take in exhibits that trace the history, cultures and ecology of the region, first mentioned in Icelandic sagas.

View the impressive 180 degree panoramic film about Finnmark and the North Cape seasons featured at the center's theater, peruse the gift shop for souvenirs or enjoy a snack at the center's restaurant offering spectacular views the Arctic Ocean.

The Hall also features the world's northernmost ecumenical chapel and a post office where envelopes can be stamped with the coveted North Cape postmark.

Following your breathtaking tour, re-board your motorcoach for your scenic return drive back to the pier and your Princess ship in the glistening waters of the harbor.

The afternoon will be spent relaxing on the ship.

Tromso – We’ll start off with a trip in the cable car up to the top of Storsteinen Mountain followed by a visit to Polaria.

The cable car up Storsteinen Mountain, 420 metres above sea level, offers breathtaking panoramic views over the city, the surrounding waterways and mountains, and, if you are lucky, of the midnight sun or the northern lights.

Polaria has an arctic aquarium where the main attractions are the bearded seals. The bearded seal is an arctic species, and they are popular among children, due to their quiet disposition and intelligent nature.
In large fish tanks you can also see the most common species of fish in the Barents Sea and around Svalbard, and in a panoramic film you can follow the little auk flying across the Spitsbergen Archipelago.

Bergen – The day will start with a trip on the Funicular to the top of Floyen, followed by a wander around Bryggen.

The funicular ride up to the top of Fløyen mountain (320 metres above sea level) takes 5-6 minutes. The ride itself is spectacular and the views of Bergen only improve the closer you get to the top. Once at the top of the funicular, you can choose from a vast number of hikes over the mountain. There is also a café and restaurant with breathtaking views.

The very first buildings in Bergen were alongside the harbour called Bryggen. Bryggen has been the nerve centre of the city for hundreds of years and the silhouette of its ancient gables is perhaps the most familiar image in all of Norway. In 1360 the Hansas - a German guild of merchants - set up one of their import/export offices on Bryggen and dominated trade for the next 400 years.

Many times Bryggen has been devastated by fire, and the Great Fire of 1702 reduced the whole city to ashes. But Bryggen was quickly re-built on top of foundations that had been here since the 11th century. Bryggen is now on UNESCO's World Heritage List and the city of Bergen is a designated World Heritage City.

The meander through Bryggen's narrow alleyways made even darker and more mysterious by overhanging balconies, is a step back into a time hardley touched by the passage of centuries. Although 61 og Bryggen's buildings are preserved and protected they are not a museum. Bryggen's spectacular wooden architecture shelter a living community of shops and offices; artists' studios, crafts-people's workshops, and restaurants. Bryggens Museum, in a beautiful modern building, houses the extencive medieval finds excavated nearby, and the Hanseatic Museum is in one of the old Hansa buildings and illustrates the life of a 18th century merchant.

So that’s how our days are looking, the parking at Southampton has been sorted so all that’s left to do now is sit back, relax and wait for single digit dance time! Thanks for reading.