MSC Orchestra, June 6th 2015 | Fjords, Norway & Northern Germany

[Elmartellama]

Enjoying your review. We leave in 6 weeks and it's been difficult to find Norwegian cruise reviews. Thank you! Can't wait to see your Geiranger pictures!

 

Thank you! It is true, there are many Alaska reviews lately and I'm enjoying them much, but not too many Norway reviews. Can't understand why, it is a great experience.

[Pluto_fan]

I believe it is the City / Port Authority, but just don't worry about it! You just need to get off the ship and get on the bus they will indicate. On the way back to the ship go to the drop off location and get on the parked bus. You can ask for the MSC Ship if you have doubts. It was very easy.

 

I believe we were docked in the terminal you mention. I did research before hand, but I needn't have actually, the service is free and fast.

 

We docked next to the Hurtigruten Terminal.

 

Thank you! Your review was the first I had heard about a shuttle. I was going to research city bus vs taxi vs walking, but now I won't bother.

[Elmartellama]

I believe it is because that terminal might not be always used. We were told that according to Norwegian laws, passengers cannot walk freely in industrial port areas like that one.

 

But even if you had to walk from the port, the ship is very close to Bergen centre anyway.

[Elmartellama]

Day 5 (Cruise day 4) Storfjord and Geiranger!

 

Ok, I must admit that I was too lazy to make a a photo selection in this case, so I am going to flood the thread with Storfjord navigation and Geiranger pictures.

 

As you would have realized by now, the photos are reduced in size and quality so that the thread is readable and I don't collapse your computer's CPU. You're welcome :D

 

At the end of the day review I'll post a best of selection with better quality images link. Not that my camera was too good, actually took the photos with my smart-phone, but they are a bit better than as posted in here

 

Also I will divide the navigation pictures by hours. We passed by many towns and places of which I don't know the name, since we did not visit, so please feel free to say "hey, that's that X town," or look, "that Y farm makes good cheese", or "wow, I proposed to my partner at that Z waterfall" :eek: if you like to.

 

Here you have the map I made before the cruise. I had no idea at what speed the ships sail in the Fjord, but it is more or less correct, at least you can have an idea of our position when I took the pictures.

 

[Elmartellama]

Storfjorden or Storfjord

 

I don't know what Norwegian people actually call it / call them. If I'm right the name means the great Fjord or the great Fjords, since there are several Fjord branches I guess.

 

Anyway, according to Wikipedia, the Storfjord with its 110Km is the 5th longest of Norway. All of it It is a truly spectacular place. In the unlikely case that our planet was created by a superior entity, it certainly lost a bit more time in there designing perfection ^_^

 

The more pragmatic explanation is for the Fjords being created in the Glacial age, with ice eroding the land below sea level, so that when the glacial eventually melted the space was flooded by the sea. Whichever theory you choose to believe in, the result is pure joy all the same.

 

So let's start with the greatest show on earth, Fjord navigation!

Tuesday 9th of June. 04:00 - 05:00

 

According to my map, we were supposed to enter the Storfjord after 03:00. On the other hand sunrise was supposed to be at 04:00.

 

I believe I set my alarm clock for 05:00, but I woke up at 04:00 as the sun was starting to rise. When I opened the curtain and just saw this:

 

 

I started yelling ^_^ I could just not believe my eyes, so much snow!

 

It was wows, uhhs and ahhhs all the time. My ex eventually woke up all alarmed. I must say that he behaved properly and understood my excitement. We did not went to bed again, for what we were about to witness was one of the most beautiful landscapes we will ever see. It was one of the best days of my life. I did not care about my problems, it all seemed a minor thing, with that majestic landscape before my eyes.

 

 

Come wow with me, let's wow, let's wow away

 

 

As you can see it was rather clear. This is the main reason it made me be so happy, the forecast was overcast and light rain. So the first several hours with perfect sunrise were an unexpected surprise.

 

 

The moon above the Fjord, it was so perfect!

 

 

And the sun illuminating the snow-capped mountains of western Norway

 

Edited July 10, 2015 by Elmartellama

[Elmartellama]

 

 

 

 

 

[Elmartellama]

As Barney Stinson would put it, it was LEGEN-WAIT FOR IT-DARY!

 

In the pictures above you can see that we went up on deck to enjoy the sights even more. And you know what? It was totally empty! Most people in our cruise just did not see that at all. Everyone was sleeping.

 

I mean, have you seen that sunrise above the snow capped mountains reflected in the Fjord? How can you pass on that perfect moment? Are you out of your mind? Their loss! ;-) So please, wake up early if the day is clear enough. You won't regret it at all. You have the rest of your life to sleep, but that moment is so unique and must be enjoyed accordingly!

 

 

At about 05:00 we went to a deserted buffet to enjoy a delightful Nescafé and a not so delightful pineapple juice. The crew was looking at us like: what are you doing here?

 

05:00 - 06:00

 

 

Like I explained before, the better side was what the right, because the sun illuminated that side of the Fjord. It was the opposite in the afternoon while you sail out.

 

 

 

 

Edited July 10, 2015 by Elmartellama

[Elmartellama]

 

 

 

 

 

[Elmartellama]

The key to that beautiful visions was also luck. It had been a very rainy / snowy winter and spring in the region, followed by a very cold May. So much of the snow had not melted yet.

 

That created two effects, on the one hand the waterfalls did not carry too much water, but on the other hand, the snow in the mountains provided amazing vistas. Personally I prefer seeing so much snow.

 

 

This is Stranda I believe, one of the only towns of the Fjord, so it is very well preserved and unspoiled.

 

 

 

 

Wowing a lot in here ^_^

 

 

Looking backwards for those interested in the views from the rear of the ship

 

Edited July 10, 2015 by Elmartellama

[Elmartellama]

06:00 - 07:00

 

We were getting closer to Hellesyt, where the ship would stop for a very short time. This is only done so, in order for the passengers with booked excursions to disembark. They miss the Hellesyt - Geiranger part, but can see it on the way back. We got off in Geiranger.

 

It was spectacular

 

 

The high mountains allowed for a dramatic sail in

 

 

 

Frosted waterfalls!

 

 

 

07:00 - 08:00

 

As were docking in Hellesyt, we decided to have breakfast and a shower around that time

 

[Elmartellama]

This is Hellesyt

 

 

And this is me, as you can see it was a bit cold

 

 

08:00 - 09:00

 

The day was finally turning overcast as we were about to leave for Geiranger, so glad we had enjoyed several hours of clear skies!

 

 

The Hellesyt - Geiranger / Geriangerfjord part is declared a World Heritage site by Unesco, and it is supposed to be one of the most beautiful Fjords in the world

 

 

It is very narrow and breathtaking, specially when you make that curves and the perspective changes every second

 

 

Approaching the Seven Sisters waterfall

 

Edited July 10, 2015 by Elmartellama

[Elmartellama]

 

 

We went from one side of the ship to the other to capture the best views. We used the bridge above the Sombrero bar, it came very handy!

 

This are the Seven Sisters and the MSC Orchestra

 

 

 

We were so close from the shore that you could see the waterfalls melting with the sea

 

 

[Elmartellama]

 

And we finally reach our destination, Geiranger!

 

 

I hope you have enjoyed the pictures, these hours were without doubt the highlight of the trip.

 

And that's it for today. Tomorrow we continue with Geiranger

 

Life is a journey ;)

[I-Cruiser]

Amazing photos from my neighbourhood. My favourite time of the day is very early in the mornings (04-05...) Its so quiet then and it has such great light.

 

Now, wouldn't Norway be a great place if it has better weather?!:D

[Pluto_fan]

WOW! You have convinced me to wake up early for the sail-in to Geiranger. :) Since it will be early August, I don't expect to see as much snow (perhaps none at all?). I'm sure green and gray mountains will be beautiful as well! Thank you for sharing your beautiful photos!

[Elmartellama]

Amazing photos from my neighbourhood. My favourite time of the day is very early in the mornings (04-05...) Its so quiet then and it has such great light.

 

Now, wouldn't Norway be a great place if it has better weather?!:D

 

Sure it would! I need to come back some day

[Elmartellama]

WOW! You have convinced me to wake up early for the sail-in to Geiranger. :) Since it will be early August, I don't expect to see as much snow (perhaps none at all?). I'm sure green and gray mountains will be beautiful as well! Thank you for sharing your beautiful photos!

 

Maybe by then the waterfalls will carry more water. It will be beautiful anyway :cool:

[Elmartellama]

Geiranger continued

 

You were supposed to pick up the tender tickets from 09:00 to 11:00h. Since you sail the most beautiful part of the Geirangerfjord from 09:00 to 10:00h, we did not want to go down to the Amber Bar and pick the tickets at that time.

 

As a result, we had tickets for one of the last tenders, at 11:15. The whole process went fast and we were called to the tender area at about 11:00h, so we had to wait for an hour relaxing at the Savannah bar. It was not bad, since we had woken up at 04:00, and there we could charge our telephones after heavy use.

 

We had booked an excursion to Mt. Dalsnibba through the Geriangerfjord company, which is some kind of the "official" tour provider for the town. The excursion was at 12:00h and it lasted for two hours. It was much cheaper than the offered by the cruise.

 

From 11:15 to 12:00 we used the time in Geiranger to walk the new path by the waterfalls. It is great and free!

 

 

You just have to cross the little town and the river, then turn left trough the camping,

 

 

There are many photo opportunities. It takes 30 minutes to go up and down at normal pace + pictures.

 

 

The viewing platforms are cool

 

 

The MSC Orchestra and Mein Schiff 2

 

 

[Elmartellama]

The camping has excellent views

 

 

So, up we go to Mount Dalsnibba! The first stop was an intermediate viewing point. It was good and the views were awesome, but there were too many people there. Also they just allowed like 10 minutes, which makes it unnecessarily stressful.

 

 

I believe it would be much better if this excursion would have lasted 2h30' instead of 2h. I would have gladly paid 25% more and have more time in the viewing points.

 

During the bus tour, you ascend 1500 meters, to the Mount Dalsnibba platform. There are many curves, so if you get dizzy on a bus, consider whether this excursion is good for you.

 

There's a recorded tape of the history of the road and its construction, which I believe started more than a century ago. It was a remarkable engineering success at that time. The workers received good wages and came from all over Norway, Scandinavia and even Germany. They lived in huts in the middle of the mountain, some of them still visible today.

 

Since it was so very cold up there, in JUNE!, there was an incredible amount of snow. This here is actually a lake, the top layer of which is still frozen and covered with snow!

 

 

It was truly amazing to go through 2 to 4 meters high snow walls!

 

When you reach the top the views are wonderful. You are allowed 15 minutes or so. Again unnecessarily stressful. Look at how small the ships look!

 

 

The snow machine had to be used only a few days before our visit. The road was actually closed until that week, we were lucky.

 

 

It was very cold, and it suddenly started snowing!!! It was very light, but it kept us marvelled

 

Edited July 11, 2015 by Elmartellama

[Elmartellama]

Then we started our descend. There's a lake bellow the snow somewhere in this photo.

 

 

The incredibly high snow walls

 

 

Much higher than the bus at some points!

 

 

Then back to the Geiranger valley, where it was still winter.

 

 

You can see the old huts in this picture

 

 

And back to the ship to have lunch. It had been a once in a lifetime experience and I would love to come back some day. Maybe next time it would be nice to do the Briksdal glacier excursion.

 

Edited July 11, 2015 by Elmartellama

[Elmartellama]

At 17:00 we set sail, this time many people congregated on the deck for a while

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Elmartellama]

We enjoyed the navigation from the balcony, this time with the other side of the fantastic Fjord.

 

 

 

 

After a while, I decided to use the jacuzzi. I did not matter if I got a cold in 3 days, for we would have already left Norway!

 

I was lucky enough to use the Jacuzzi on my own for as long as I wanted. A magnificent experience I promised my sister I would do, since she enjoyed it so much when she was there. The greatest show on earth.

 

 

Then I went to the room and got ready for Italian night. I was sorry to miss the show, but I made a good call by relaxing in the Jacuzzi enjoying the vistas. Plus I guess the Italian themed show was similar to the one we saw last year on the MSC Fantasia

 

We were slowly abandoning the sheltered shores of the Fjord and entering the open sea. It was very rocky that night and the effect was quite sudden.

 

 

Italian night in the MDR. I loved our location at the cozy L'Ibiscus MDR, very close to the windows, so we could see outside

 

 

So that's it for Geiranger day! All the months of planning finally paid off, and it was much better than what I could have imagined.

[Elmartellama]

Day 6 (Cruise Day 5) Flam

 

After the fabulous Geiranger day, Flam was the next port we would be visiting. Again, we would have some amazing pre and post port navigation, this time along the Sognefjord or "dream Fjord".

 

Just a little note, Flam is written with a º above the a, like Flaºm, but I don't have it in my language keyboard so will just write Flam. And by the way, sorry for the misspelling of Hellesylt, I see that I keep writing it like Hellesyt...

 

Anyway. The Sognefjord is the longest Fjord in Norway and the third longest in the world. Since the other too are often covered with ice, the Sognefjord is the longest fjord in the world that you can sail with a Cruise ship.

 

Flam is at the very end of the Fjord, so we had a lot of inner-fjord navigation between Geiranger and Flam

 

[Elmartellama]

The plan for that day was to take an excursion that went from Flam to Voss by bus, and then a train from Voss to Myrdal, and finally another train from Myrdal to Flam. It was provided by the MSC and it was a Christmas present from my sister. Originally the idea was to book the Flam train independently and to walk a bit.

 

Since we had a light schedule, and our meeting time for the excursion was at 10:00 we had plenty of time to relax.

 

Again, I woke up at around 04:00 and checked the views. It was a bit darker, being further south than Geiranger. I though it might be a little warmer with less snow, but I was wrong.

 

This was around 04:20. Quite cold outside, so just came back to bed and watched navigation with the curtains opened.

 

 

This was already 05:30. The fjord is never-ending long! A lot of snow as well as you can see. It was foggy and cloudy, but I did not mind too much, since it is the way the Fjords are for most of the times, and it makes them a bit mystical.

 

 

 

I love the fog in this picture

 

 

There are more farms and plain terrain by the shores, as compared to the steep Geirangerfjord

 

 

I'd love to spend a week in one of those red wooden houses. Regarding the color of the houses, we were told that a long time ago the buildings painted red were farms, the ones painted white were for family houses, and the ones painted yellow were for old people. Nowadays is not like that anymore.

 

Edited July 12, 2015 by Elmartellama

[Elmartellama]

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 12, 2015 by Elmartellama