Thanks for correcting me. For some reason, I thought Geiranger had a more elusive DCL docking history.
I'll chip in that thread once back.
I was expecting something like that on the very first Iceland cruise, and nothing showed up to commemorate it.
Did your cruise visit Akureyri? Most of the Iceland is below the Arctic Circle. In fact, the only part above is a few islands in the north.
Yes, we did the same tour you did.
We were also on this cruise and agree with most of your points.I was on this cruise and it was my 18th cruise. I also did the greek isles earlier this season and was surprised to notice quite a few differences to the feel of this one.
* demography of the guests: way way wayyyy more kids and teens. Teens seem to be very bored cause their favorite activities were screaming and partying and running in the hallways late at night and making fun of families participating in the karaoke
* ports were AMAZING: Alesund I did on my own, I climbed the steps for the panoramic view and did some shopping (same items in Iceland but 1.5 times)
Reykjavik overnight: first day we did a private tour covering the golden circle and some extras, second day we privatised Sky Lagoon with 60 people of our cruise group, it was fabulous!!! Saw Northern lights twice but I wouldnt classify them as very strong: only green and very weakly to be observed with the naked eye but for the time of the year amazing we got them! Akyurei we did a private tou with iceland_tourguide (ig) and he was AMAZING. he is also and ABD guide (which we only found out that day) we did all the highlights and also went to Husavik! In Kirkwall I did the dramatic cliffs and standing stones tour: very short but beautiful views! Invergordon I only walked the little town to buy some souvenirs (nothing to see there and most excursions were very long which I didnt want to do, I used the rest of the day for napping and packing so I could enjoy the last seaday in full)
* The lack of activities besides characters, trivia, art class and karaoke was painful imo. Especially on the seadays knowing these temperatures (except the last seaday) don't call for pool/outdoor time
* I was very confused as to why it was necessary to combine frozen party and semi-formal. very few people dressed up since the frozen party was between the two seatings and was helf on the very coldest portday of the whole itinerary
* characterwise the offerings were very extensive as in the number of appearances. However, besides Scottish Goofy and mountainclimber Goofy none of the northern european outfits made it to the ship so we ended up seeing Spanish Italian and french outfits in Iceland and Scotland (but hey DCL can't send out the characters in beach wear in tropicals in alaska cause thats not appropriate)
An other thing I noticed were very early character appearances on portdays were all tours were long like both Iceland ports but then the two scottish ports were there was very little to see if you didn't want to drive far away they started only early night
* cabanas wasnt half as good in June when it comes to variety. I also had the meat lasagna on the second to last day and the pastasheets were not cooked.. rock solid. Few other items that were just mwe
* I had requested the same dining team as in June cause I loved them and they delivered again
* For the very first time after 18 cruises I returned a plate: the chicken schnitzel in animators was aweful: I think they baked it earlier and reheated it: the chicken was as dry as can be and the crust was even not to be cut with a steakknife. when I returned mine the table behind us did the same. The headserver came to apologise at the end and told me there was others as well and that they werent gonna serve it in second seating
* the cast was not half as enthousiast and outgoing as in June, a lot of them were friendly, but the kind of friendly you get in the parks, not dcl friendly. especially the last 2-3 days they all seemed very tired
- while we were onboard character hugs returned. while other ships went for the immediate approach the Magic didnt so had yo stand on a marker til the very last meet. Disappointing but on the other hand lines were already long for most meets anyways (probably the combo of the demographuics, the lack of other activities and the fact that the weather wasnt inviting for pooltime) so regular meets would have caused mayham
Please tell me they played "Ja Ja Ding Dong"! (If you know, you know...)
Oh yes we sang it in front of the ya ya ding dong bar!
Invergordon has some of the most beautiful scenery you’ll ever see in Europe ‘nothing to see there’ within a 30 minute drive, whisky distilleries, dolphins in the Cromarty firth, lots of other wee towns etc. Plenty to ‘see there’.I was on this cruise and it was my 18th cruise. I also did the greek isles earlier this season and was surprised to notice quite a few differences to the feel of this one.
* demography of the guests: way way wayyyy more kids and teens. Teens seem to be very bored cause their favorite activities were screaming and partying and running in the hallways late at night and making fun of families participating in the karaoke
* ports were AMAZING: Alesund I did on my own, I climbed the steps for the panoramic view and did some shopping (same items in Iceland but 1.5 times)
Reykjavik overnight: first day we did a private tour covering the golden circle and some extras, second day we privatised Sky Lagoon with 60 people of our cruise group, it was fabulous!!! Saw Northern lights twice but I wouldnt classify them as very strong: only green and very weakly to be observed with the naked eye but for the time of the year amazing we got them! Akyurei we did a private tou with iceland_tourguide (ig) and he was AMAZING. he is also and ABD guide (which we only found out that day) we did all the highlights and also went to Husavik! In Kirkwall I did the dramatic cliffs and standing stones tour: very short but beautiful views! Invergordon I only walked the little town to buy some souvenirs (nothing to see there and most excursions were very long which I didnt want to do, I used the rest of the day for napping and packing so I could enjoy the last seaday in full)
* The lack of activities besides characters, trivia, art class and karaoke was painful imo. Especially on the seadays knowing these temperatures (except the last seaday) don't call for pool/outdoor time
* I was very confused as to why it was necessary to combine frozen party and semi-formal. very few people dressed up since the frozen party was between the two seatings and was helf on the very coldest portday of the whole itinerary
* characterwise the offerings were very extensive as in the number of appearances. However, besides Scottish Goofy and mountainclimber Goofy none of the northern european outfits made it to the ship so we ended up seeing Spanish Italian and french outfits in Iceland and Scotland (but hey DCL can't send out the characters in beach wear in tropicals in alaska cause thats not appropriate)
An other thing I noticed were very early character appearances on portdays were all tours were long like both Iceland ports but then the two scottish ports were there was very little to see if you didn't want to drive far away they started only early night
* cabanas wasnt half as good in June when it comes to variety. I also had the meat lasagna on the second to last day and the pastasheets were not cooked.. rock solid. Few other items that were just mwe
* I had requested the same dining team as in June cause I loved them and they delivered again
* For the very first time after 18 cruises I returned a plate: the chicken schnitzel in animators was aweful: I think they baked it earlier and reheated it: the chicken was as dry as can be and the crust was even not to be cut with a steakknife. when I returned mine the table behind us did the same. The headserver came to apologise at the end and told me there was others as well and that they werent gonna serve it in second seating
* the cast was not half as enthousiast and outgoing as in June, a lot of them were friendly, but the kind of friendly you get in the parks, not dcl friendly. especially the last 2-3 days they all seemed very tired
- while we were onboard character hugs returned. while other ships went for the immediate approach the Magic didnt so had yo stand on a marker til the very last meet. Disappointing but on the other hand lines were already long for most meets anyways (probably the combo of the demographuics, the lack of other activities and the fact that the weather wasnt inviting for pooltime) so regular meets would have caused mayham
When we were on the Greek Isles cruise this past summer, one of the performers was an Icelandic Violinist/Singer that had apparently been in Eurovision. While we didn't catch her show, we all joked how many times she would be asked to play "Ja Ja Ding Dong"...
Yes greta salome (i had her on the june 18 sailing) she was back now and asked if znyone had gone to Husavik
We just missed you! We were on the June 27th sailing...
she is now 6 months pregnant and we were her last international tour
We were on the Iceland cruise with you.
