Live From Emerald June 18 North Cape & Summer Solstice

[Gismo]

Hi All

 

We are cruising along at 20 knots bright sunny day with a slight sea swell, so time to up date you, this was the first time we had taken a car into Southampton docks, it was so easy we had our little sign in our window at the gates we were waved in and pointed in the correct direction, at the terminal very long line of taxis and cars at drop off snaking around, but we were waved passed into our own little lane with only three cars as we had signed up for port parking, car was photographed, portal collected bags and we were in terminal in minutes, elite boarding no waiting straight up and checked in main lines had a few hundred folks waiting, from arriving at dock gates to cabin may be 20 minutes. Bags arrived 30 minutes later all very good.

 

Some first thoughts on Emerald after dry dock, carpets like the designs clean modern but the colour scheme brown a miss, beds very soft better than old for me a little to soft pillows big fail for me requested new ones they are just to soft need a good stuffing,

 

Stopped by share like the look of the place nice deco layout appears to work wheel house bar can say the same who thought those tables would blend in its like they were just dropped in from above and the bright white looks like cheap plastic,

 

Atrium must be may 20 tables set up around the sides mainly towards art gallery and computer area staff working very hard trying to serve so many tables from international cafe,

 

As to my fellow passengers twice yesterday were referred to as the young ones, tables mates have all been married longer than we have been on the planet remember we are old enough to be grand parents ourselves,

 

 

 

As to cabin we have E203 good for getting around ship a lot of movement being so far forward also noise not sure from where, music etc first obstructed view cabin we have had must say for a few dollars more than an inside would never take an inside again layout so much better as to its over the top of a life boat so is very good view

 

So far not spotted any large groups on the ship expect British out number US by may be 2 to 1 expect high number of first time Princess cruisers but not first time cruisers due this beeping one of the few cruises to go so far north.

 

Not seen any assistance dogs on board, did see sniffer dogs at work when we boarded.

 

As always happy to answer any questions, working off line and posting so might be a day or two delay in replies,

 

 

 

Yours Shogun

[crows nest club]

Hi All

 

We are cruising along at 20 knots bright sunny day with a slight sea swell, so time to up date you, this was the first time we had taken a car into Southampton docks, it was so easy we had our little sign in our window at the gates we were waved in and pointed in the correct direction, at the terminal very long line of taxis and cars at drop off snaking around, but we were waved passed into our own little lane with only three cars as we had signed up for port parking, car was photographed, portal collected bags and we were in terminal in minutes, elite boarding no waiting straight up and checked in main lines had a few hundred folks waiting, from arriving at dock gates to cabin may be 20 minutes. Bags arrived 30 minutes later all very good.

 

Some first thoughts on Emerald after dry dock, carpets like the designs clean modern but the colour scheme brown a miss, beds very soft better than old for me a little to soft pillows big fail for me requested new ones they are just to soft need a good stuffing,

 

Stopped by share like the look of the place nice deco layout appears to work wheel house bar can say the same who thought those tables would blend in its like they were just dropped in from above and the bright white looks like cheap plastic,

 

Atrium must be may 20 tables set up around the sides mainly towards art gallery and computer area staff working very hard trying to serve so many tables from international cafe,

 

As to my fellow passengers twice yesterday were referred to as the young ones, tables mates have all been married longer than we have been on the planet remember we are old enough to be grand parents ourselves,

 

 

 

As to cabin we have E203 good for getting around ship a lot of movement being so far forward also noise not sure from where, music etc first obstructed view cabin we have had must say for a few dollars more than an inside would never take an inside again layout so much better as to its over the top of a life boat so is very good view

 

So far not spotted any large groups on the ship expect British out number US by may be 2 to 1 expect high number of first time Princess cruisers but not first time cruisers due this beeping one of the few cruises to go so far north.

 

Not seen any assistance dogs on board, did see sniffer dogs at work when we boarded.

 

As always happy to answer any questions, working off line and posting so might be a day or two delay in replies,

 

 

 

Yours Shogun

 

Thanks Shogun Have posted question as per above. Please take whatever time you need.

[Wj420]

Dear friends from the Orlando area on your sailing so it's nice to keep an eye if their trip from a far! Thanks for doing this, enjoy!:)

[IDsailor]

Just curious if Capt Stenzel will be aboard when the ship transitions to Australia this fall.

[ccrain]

Cloudy this morning. Patter says chance of rain. Clouds are high, not low like a marine layer, so lateral visibility is good, which is good for a fjord cruise. Will check the smart phone upon docking, but it looks like an 'all stuff' day. Rain gear, umbrellas and a full backpack to lug around!

 

Yesterday was the first formal day at sea. Several destination lectures, but had to cut Zumba short due to the CC meet and greet. Lot of fun. Got to put several names with faces – including Shogun. Most of the senior officers showed up as well, including the Captain. Good attendance and lots of discussions on my favorite subject – cruising! Good destination lectures yesterday on Stavanger and Flam. Not shopping lectures, but good information on the area, what to see and do. They were replayed on TV.

 

Did one of our favorite dinners last night – wine, sushi and tapas in vines – while waiting for the Captain’s speech. Danced to Starwave for a while and then hit the rack early for today’s outings. I have booked the Lysefjord cruise on our own today. We will get off the ship early and navigate over to the area to scope it out, then probably look for a coffee shop or something. I have several restaurants marked in Tripadvisor for lunch. Arrival is 0800. All aboard is 1630. We are going to relocate back to our room in a few minutes to see the entry into Stavanger.

 

Found out that the suite breakfast has been relocated to Crown Grill since Sabatini’s is now gone.

 

Also inadvertently discovered a useful expansion of horizontal space in the cabin. We pre-purchased the water packs, 12 bottles of water, prior to boarding and are having them delivered one at a time. They deliver them on the small room service trays. The small round table in the cabin doesn’t hold much and ‘stuff’ falls off constantly. HOWEVER, with two small room service trays side by side AND with the table pushed up against the refrigerator cabinet, the two trays square off the table and provide lips. Perfect horizontal storage that clears off the desk and is handy for quick grab stuff like cameras, drink mixes, hand sanitizer, lip balm, etc.

 

So off to Stavanger…Later!

[ccrain]

Today was our first complete DIY day on this trip, from beginning to end, in a non English speaking country – yeah I know a lot of people speak English here – so I cheated a bit! And it rained. All day it rained. Liquid sunshine. I have to get a waterproof backpack or treat mine with Scotchguard before the next trip.

 

As an alternative to the corresponding Princess cruise along the Lysefjord (@180 each), we did the Rodne Fjord cruise for $60 each. We booked on line a couple of weeks ago. The Emerald even docked right in front of the ferry we were to take. Very simple to find. They, and the other tour company had plenty of room for the last minute people buying tickets. I don’t think anyone was left behind. But it was a full house inside since it was raining. Pictures were just not the same from inside, but it was something we just had to do once while in Norway.

 

If you’ve ever been in Tracy Arm in Alaska, the Lysefjord is similar with fewer waterfalls and lots of granite cliffs. What Tracy Arm doesn’t have are the salmon farms, the summer houses and the quaint villages along the shoreline. On a clear day it would have been spectacular. On a rainy day, I think a day in Stavanger itself might be a bit more rewarding. So my recommendation is to wait until you dock and see the weather. If the weather is good, get in line early to cruise the Lysefjord. If the weather is bad, hit the Maritime, Oil and/or fishing museums. The old town center is quite compact, with a lot of shops and restaurants. From Burger King to McDonald’s to 7/11 to Starbucks, all the major American Brands are here. Free wi-fi is everywhere, just follow the crew.

 

But we wanted something Norwegian. So after we got back, we did lunch at one of the TripAdvisor favorites along the waterfront – Sj0huset Skagen. They serve WHALE MEAT! Real honest to goodness whale meat. And it was WOW! Texture and overall taste like a tenderized sirloin steak from a grass fed beef. Not fishy, not oily, not gamey. A very clean beefy taste. The steak is seared and served rare – blue. Like a seared tuna steak. It was served with a curry type sauce and fingerling potatoes to die for. I had the wine basted blue mussels - which were some of the best mussels I’ve ever had. I’m pretty sure they were farmed mussels, but reminded me of the mussels from the pacific northwest. Not as strong a flavor as Seattle mussels, but slightly milder, and the wine broth was fantastic. If only I had a loaf of San Francisco sourdough bread – this would have been a match made in heaven. And we both had the local pilsner beer – ok, I had two. It was good. Not as good as the stuff in Bruges, but still good beer. I haven’t had a bad beer since we landed in London!

 

The atmosphere was really, really interesting as the interior of the restaurant dates back to the 1700’s. First as a warehouse, then as a house, then as an office, then as a restaurant. Multiple levels from the bottom to the top, creaky old hand hewn wood with old time spikes driven through it. A nautical theme with rope, chain and brass accoutrements all over the place. Good service too. She spoke very good English and explained the menu to us. And reasonably priced from what I hear about Norway. 700 Kroner total, with tip ($85). Better, more interesting and more food than Copenhagen. Had it not been raining, we would have eaten outside, but I like the atmosphere inside just as well. Highly recommended.

 

We did get out early to scout out the various cruise tours available and to find where we were supposed to be, so we had time to scout the local souvenir shops prior to the cruise and find the all important fridge magnet. After lunch we went hunting for a liquor store to score some souvenir aquavit in the little bottles. All the liquor stores are apparently centralized or state owned, and not far from the docks. Just about 500 meters over the hill to the southeast, past the McDonalds. Found a local 7/11 type store as well and picked up some candy for our Room Steward as well.

 

So, all in all, a very successful day. We are now firmly ensconced in the IC, drinking tea, Judy is enjoying a lentil soup and I’m just typing away.

 

Tomorrow Flam – and we expect more rain for sure. But hey, it beats working!

 

Later!

[beg3yrs]

Thanks for the info Charles. As I mentioned before, we're doing the same itinerary on the Emerald in August. They just added a hike to Pulpit Rock in Stavanger so we've switched from a cruise to that.

 

If you get into the Aquavit, check out Linea Aquavit. Ask the clerk to tell you why it's special!

[FlynnRider78]

Shogun..

 

Any chance if you speak to Kelvin Joy could you ask him who's his replacement when he leaves Emerald?

 

Thanks

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[beg3yrs]

Thanks for the info Charles. As I mentioned before, we're doing the same itinerary on the Emerald in August. They just added a hike to Pulpit Rock in Stavanger so we've switched from a cruise to that.

 

If you get into the Aquavit, check out Linea Aquavit. Ask the clerk to tell you why it's special!

 

That should have been Linie Aquavit, not Linea. It is special. So special I had some tonight as just thinking about our trip coming so soon, I got in the mood!

[Gismo]

Hi All

 

Sitting in Flam,grey overcast light rain showers Aida at anchor so tendering past us, explains why so many could not get train tickets, shops at bursting point with two ships in, the sail in and out is beautiful for me the sail in is better in that light is amazing at sunrise plus a lot less folks about

 

Last night we had real Scottish Haggis for dinner, on the subject of food the complaint l hear the most is that there is to much at dinner, especially the meat portions compared to other cruise lines a lot of first time cruisers talking about all the extra on board charges.

 

As to cabin Mrs shogun has said never again too much noise from theatre went on until after 11.00 however do like having obstructed view .We have had a look at share but does just not do it for us table mates trying so will report on their findings,

 

So far casino very nasty, lots of new slots installed layout changed still more changes to come showing foot ball in casino one corner tables chairs no machines tvs, slot pull was fun casino gave us some goodies all got tokens for the vault and free bingo cards

 

Good news we picked up supplies of wines beers etc today, first cruise for us with so few Americans on board coming up for time for more food first time we have had table one easy to remember,

 

 

 

Yours Shogun

[ccrain]

Flam, I believe, is one of those perfect cruise ports. Everything is close to the ship, lots of different things to do, fantastic scenery, pubs, restaurants, and just a stone’s throw from the ship. With only us and an AIDA ship tendering in, the port was not too crowded with cruisers, but rapidly filled up with regular tourists during the day.

 

The weather was almost perfect. Blue sky would have been better, but we’d settle for no rain in a heartbeat. Started out a little misty, but about 0900 it started to clear with patches of blue sky and some spots of sunshine. By the time we got on the train it was overcast going up the mountain, but it was high clouds, and only rained at the top with minimal loss of visibility. Still pretty spectacular.

 

Things to do in Flam: Self-guided hikes – from just a few klicks to several klicks and coordinating with the train to get further afield. Kayaking just over the river. Fjord cruises of all types, varieties and durations. Lots of souvenir shopping, a free train museum, really-really good free wifi, and of course the Flambana train to Myrdal. Had I known of all the walking/hiking stuff we would have hiked to the big waterfall close by – 1-2 kms away – in the morning. But we chose to shop, scout out the railway, walk over to the ‘beach’, check out the kayaks, wander around town and found a couple of friends from cruises past.

 

We chose the train for the primary excursion. I purchased the tickets a few months ago on the Norwegian railway site after the local train website showed all sold out. We did have to go up and then come back on the same train – 1105 to Myrdal, 12:13 return. No time to explore the area or hike around. The train trip was very nice. About an hour. Get in line early and grab a right hand seat on the way up. Far more to see off the right hand side – with an openable window if possible to allow for much better photos. On the way back, stay on that side, just switch seats to face forward – the train goes ‘backwards’ down the mountain. The bigger waterfalls are incredible. The train only stops for one – the one you see in all the You Tube videos with the female mountain ‘spirits’ trying to lure men to their doom in the mountains.

 

We did speak to several people on the Princess equivalent tours. They were not happy with the crowded train cars reserved for the tour groups – the public cars were not that crowded when we went up – nor were they that crowded on the other trains we observed. However, by the time we picked up our actual tickets, about 0830 in the morning, all applicable trains were sold out. A couple of friends of ours got on the 0730 train by getting off the ship right away and hotfooting it to the railway station to purchase tickets.

 

Now in all honesty, there is not a lot to do in Myrdal. The stop before is a hotel and pub that serves the Princess tour groups, but does have other things to see in the area. Since we had roundtrip tickets, we didn’t get a chance to check it out.

 

We wanted to have lunch in Flam, but everything was packed. We had to settle for moose and goat sausage, purchase at the COOP grocery store rather than the souvenir shop, with cheeses, crackers and veggies at the elite lounge, along with a couple of bottles of Blue Moon.

 

Tomorrow is Olden with a morning glacier hike for us. So its minimal dancing tonight and a lot of sleeping. Up early and do it all over again.

 

Later!

[ccrain]

That should have been Linie Aquavit, not Linea. It is special. So special I had some tonight as just thinking about our trip coming so soon, I got in the mood!

 

Now I have to check it out!

[ccrain]

The weather is overcast, cloudy – mean looking rain clouds, not just marine layer clouds. Patter says chance of rain. The wind is cooler, almost cold, but not frigid suck the life out of you. It’s not really been parka, gloves freeze your tuckus off cold, except when trying to watch a movie. But we are hiking, so its rain coats for sure and lighter underclothes.

 

I forgot to lay out some more details on Flam yesterday. The ticket counters inside the office are more than just train ticket counters. They will ticket a host of activities from cruises to bus trips. It’s more a tourist office ticket than just a train ticket booth.

 

The self guided hikes are laid out on a placard on the side of the old yellow train station just to the left of the tracks. There are about 9 local walks/hikes ranging from 2 to 7km. A map is shown on the wall with the waypoints from the guide placard shown. A paper map is available in the ticket office. Another placard had extended hikes in the area that use train or buses or cruises as jumping off or return points.

 

The cruise port area is new. Old Flam is about 1.5km up the river complete with ABC (Yep a church), cemetery, old style buildings and a great view of a couple of waterfalls. The walk to old Flam is almost on level ground, paved and gravel roads and paths. (Mobility impaired should plan on staying in the cruise area on solid pavement. Outside the area is cobblestone and gravel.)

 

There is a COOP market in the port area with a lot of ‘stuff’ you might need. Grocery items, hygiene products, water, soft drinks, meats and cheeses, crackers and biscuits. And very close to the ship, so you don’t have to carry stuff very far. There are several souvenir shops, but the big one by the ticket office has a massive selection of just about everything. From trinkets to jewelry, ball caps to mink fur hats, t-shirts to fox fur jackets and tanned caribou hides, letter openers to some really wicked looked hand crafted knives – it has a massive selection.

 

This morning we are in the fjords headed for Olden. As we get further north, there is more snow on the peaks. The fjords are much like those in Alaska and in South America, but the main difference is the signs of human habitation. Ranging from perfectly normal looking houses perched on the side of huge cliffs with severely sloped meadows – to small cabins and cottages, some without electricity even – to simple rock retaining walls and fences in the middle of nowhere with nothing around them. The signs are everywhere. And then right in the middle of a seemingly impassable area, a road pops out of one tunnel and disappears into another, or a power line cuts across a tributary river complete with aircraft warning balls attached. Then you turn a corner and a perfectly quaint picturesque village with farmhouses, a steeple, several piers comes into view.

 

The slopes and sides of the fjord range from bare granite with minimal vegetation to naturally terraced granite with patches of grasses and brush on the terraces (goat and sheep grazing deluxe) to almost rolling hills covered in birch and pine – with an occasional granite cliff poking out of the trees. Rockslide areas are everywhere. Ancient rockslides with boulders bigger than the ship wedged on the way down. Brand new rockslides and snow slide areas with no vegetation and piles of rock at the bottom. We saw an example of this on the way up to Myrdal on the train yesterday. A chute, formed by a large creek/small river had a huge pile of snow at the bottom – probably half the size of the ship. The waterfall had melted its way into the snow pile and out the bottom, forming a large snow cave through the pile of snow. Really cool.

 

There’s really nothing like it I’ve ever seen before. This is something everyone should see for sure!

 

So off to the room to gather the ‘stuff’ then off to see a Norwegian glacier!

 

Later!

[ccrain]

Just finished a crab shack dinner and a bottle of wine. MMMMM good! One of those perfect days cruising. Play hard. Eat a lot. The method for getting to the glacier via public transport or private arrangement was a bit hard to navigate, so I opted for the Princess Birksdale glacier hike excursion. And it turned out not too bad. And it included a snack, of some delicious desserts, and some fantastic coffee at the café at the entrance to the park.

 

First of all, the glacier is a long walk – about 2.5 miles according to my fitbit and the equivalent of 50+ stair cases. But, no rain! The overcast, breezy day was perfect for a good ‘stretch of the legs’. And this is a very popular destination. Loads of busses and people on the trail and in the shops, both on the docks and at the glacier center.

 

But Norwegian glaciers look about the same as Alaska glaciers. This was a hanging glacier over a small moraine lake/pond. The hike up included several gorgeous waterfalls close enough to touch and a magnificent view of the glacier from below. Highly recommended from both a fitness and a site seeing point of view. However, it is not for the mobility impaired. Even hiring one of the ‘troll cars’ leaves you with a very strenuous ½ mile hike over gravel paths up and down steep slopes – and the lake shore is coarse sand and gravel. Something canes, crutches or walkers will not be able to handle.

 

So the day started early with a scenic trip in via the various fjords. Beautiful sites as I have previously noted. Olden is a very small port. Need I say ‘tiny’. But as in Flam, a lot of things to do. Private busses take people to the glacier, as well as open top Hop On Hop Off type busses, cruises on some nearby lakes.

 

There are a few things via walking distance. A couple of ABC’s, a COOP market, a few monuments, but not much else. The star attractions are the lakes and the glaciers. The local pubs and restaurants were way too crowded and busy for even a pint on shore. And the souvenir shops were packed wall to wall.

 

Since we had dessert for lunch, we opted for Crab Shack and it did not disappoint. They have reduced the portion sizes from the last time, which is good as we always hated to waste that much food. But the shrimp, crab, clams and mussels were cooked perfectly and it is way too easy to overcook this type of seafood. I had the mixed steamer pot with shrimp, clams, mussels, king crab, sausage, potato, corn on the cob and snow crab. This is still the best deal of the lot. Judy had the king crab pot, which featured king crab, one leg more than mine, and peel and eat shrimp, potato and corn. This plus a bottle of Moscato, and we were good to go. A very good meal. And it was pretty full when we left at 1900. See something without a celebrity chef’s name attached, doing much better than the two ‘endorsed’ restaurants. Something Princess needs to learn by.

 

So now we have snagged second row table seats in Explorers to see the second show of the comedian Jeff Stevenson. We came in as people were coming out and snagged seats in an SRO venue now, with only 15 minutes prior to the show. Get there early and blog away. That’s what I say!

 

Later!

[Gismo]

Hi All

 

Sitting looking out over the sky line of Trondheim on an amazing day causing does not get better than this, stayed on deck to midnight last night just to watch the sun and to enjoy life, then as we slowly cruised up the coast took in the full splendour of the Norwegian coast, Mrs Shogun did make some comments about coming to bed but plenty time to sleep in the winter with its dark nights why waste 24hrs of day light, was very impressed with welcome in Trondheim flowers flags marching band locals in national costume tv cameras etc well not every day your king and Queen comes to town.

 

I like our captain cruised with him a few times he is straight talking and gives the confidence to passengers he knows what to do if there a problem, spoke to him in an elevator on morning we talked weather he said had seen a weather report saying strong winds he advised most unlikely but he had nine lines deployed forward.

 

He has family on board, was sitting in IC nice to see that no passengers bothered him,

 

Our CD leaves end of July of to Ruby no break.

 

As to food matters passed crown grill very few tables in use, salty dog about a third set out one in use, as to share friends ate there, their review is costly, size of meal small tasty but not filling, menu to limited happy enough they did it would not got back would not recommend to others said you need to make your own few to do or not to do.

 

Back to Trondheim we dock down town small city easy walk no big hills lots of shops prices seem a little better not so tourist rated cathedral old church fort gardens all things to see would be very happy to return if bad weather large shopping mall,

 

Casino has been bad very bad not a single win but after Ireland won thought why not and got 20 free spins which gave me more free spins then got more free spins but this time it only gave me a bonus any way slot played itself for quite a while when finished it had won itself $300 so took the cash

 

With so many little old lady’s from England on board crew are getting lessons in how to make a cup of tea take 100 little old lady’s get 100 ways to make tea feel sorry for crew, but they smile and replace the pot add more tea, give it more time, heat the cup add the milk, etc etc etc

 

Yours Shogun

[crows nest club]

Thanks for all your reports. Loved Norway also. Wondered if you have had a chance to ask Adam, Hotel Manager if he will still be on board in August? Looking forward to getting back on Emerald thrn

 

 

Many thanks.

[davenew]

Just finished a crab shack dinner and a bottle of wine. MMMMM good! One of those perfect days cruising. Play hard. Eat a lot. The method for getting to the glacier via public transport or private arrangement was a bit hard to navigate, so I opted for the Princess Birksdale glacier hike excursion. And it turned out not too bad. And it included a snack, of some delicious desserts, and some fantastic coffee at the café at the entrance to the park.

 

First of all, the glacier is a long walk – about 2.5 miles according to my fitbit and the equivalent of 50+ stair cases. But, no rain! The overcast, breezy day was perfect for a good ‘stretch of the legs’. And this is a very popular destination. Loads of busses and people on the trail and in the shops, both on the docks and at the glacier center.

 

But Norwegian glaciers look about the same as Alaska glaciers. This was a hanging glacier over a small moraine lake/pond. The hike up included several gorgeous waterfalls close enough to touch and a magnificent view of the glacier from below. Highly recommended from both a fitness and a site seeing point of view. However, it is not for the mobility impaired. Even hiring one of the ‘troll cars’ leaves you with a very strenuous ½ mile hike over gravel paths up and down steep slopes – and the lake shore is coarse sand and gravel. Something canes, crutches or walkers will not be able to handle.

 

So the day started early with a scenic trip in via the various fjords. Beautiful sites as I have previously noted. Olden is a very small port. Need I say ‘tiny’. But as in Flam, a lot of things to do. Private busses take people to the glacier, as well as open top Hop On Hop Off type busses, cruises on some nearby lakes.

 

There are a few things via walking distance. A couple of ABC’s, a COOP market, a few monuments, but not much else. The star attractions are the lakes and the glaciers. The local pubs and restaurants were way too crowded and busy for even a pint on shore. And the souvenir shops were packed wall to wall.

 

Since we had dessert for lunch, we opted for Crab Shack and it did not disappoint. They have reduced the portion sizes from the last time, which is good as we always hated to waste that much food. But the shrimp, crab, clams and mussels were cooked perfectly and it is way too easy to overcook this type of seafood. I had the mixed steamer pot with shrimp, clams, mussels, king crab, sausage, potato, corn on the cob and snow crab. This is still the best deal of the lot. Judy had the king crab pot, which featured king crab, one leg more than mine, and peel and eat shrimp, potato and corn. This plus a bottle of Moscato, and we were good to go. A very good meal. And it was pretty full when we left at 1900. See something without a celebrity chef’s name attached, doing much better than the two ‘endorsed’ restaurants. Something Princess needs to learn by.

 

So now we have snagged second row table seats in Explorers to see the second show of the comedian Jeff Stevenson. We came in as people were coming out and snagged seats in an SRO venue now, with only 15 minutes prior to the show. Get there early and blog away. That’s what I say!

 

Later!

Where is the Crab Shack ? :)

[Wj420]

Thank you for the wonderful daily reviews and updates! E joy.

[redrightreturning]

Where is the Crab Shack ? :)

 

 

Horizon Bistro certain nights only. Check your Patter

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[ccrain]

Where is the Crab Shack ? :)

 

The blocked off the entire starboard side of café Caribe for crab shack. Very busy. I'm sure Share would wish for this much business.

[ccrain]

Cloudy, a bit breezy, cooler, but not cold or chilly. Sea state is still very mild, only 2-3 ft swells at most.

 

Yesterday was a gorgeous, beautiful blue sky puffy cloud day in Trondheim. Warm. Warm enough to wear shorts and tanks had we chosen to. Got plenty of sun for sure.

 

OK, I take it back. Trondheim is now our favorite port so far. A little bit of a walk from the ship compared to Flam, but lots to see and do (for free!) within a reasonable walking distance. We put about 6 miles on our fitbits today to see and do what we wanted to. I had a list saved in TripAdvisor, but that went out the window right away. Apparently the King and Queen of Norway were in town so we were greeted by a marching band practicing, but the que at the Cathedral was so long we skipped it. Lots of security everywhere in town. Actually saw someone’s hand waving the royal wave as a limo sped along just outside the palace. During the elite lounge we were in Skywalker’s watching the royal family load into the royal yacht Norge just aft of the Emerald. A flotilla of sightseeing and security boats all around the yacht. The yacht pulled out just before we did, escorted by two Norwegian warships. Later in the evening we spotted one of the warships shadowing the royal yacht in the fjords on a slightly parallel track to us. But we turned north, and they turned south.

 

The first thing was when we got off the ship we were handed an extremely useful walking tour map of the downtown area from the local tourist information office. One of the best we’ve ever had – and the streets are prominently named both on the map and on the walls of the buildings – so it was very easy to follow, easy to pocket, easy to unfold. Didn’t even have to resort to Google Maps once. And the path had a really nice pedestrian bridge that spanned over the highway and train tracks to take you into the downtown area without having to dodge traffic or trains. Very nice.

 

Very easy to find the chapel (yes, one more ABC) and then the market in the center of town with the statue of one of the kings in the Torget and its use as a sundial as well. From there the Nidarosdomen (the cathedral) is right up the road, but apparently because the king and queen were to be there, the ques were horrendous, so we opted for a stroll along the walking paths of the Nidelva river above the Gamle bridge. (The gardens and walking paths around the cathedral were closed off.) After coming back down the paths and crossing the Gamle bridge there was a photographer and young girl in period costume in a photo shoot along the bridge route, so we followed them for a while watching and taking pictures and videos. Across the river we headed up the hill to the Kristiansten fortress. A classic gunpowder era thick walled star shaped fortress from the age of cannon and sail. Really good views from the top, lots of old cannon’s lining the wall along with 3 US 105mm howitzers in excellent condition – but with the firing blocks removed. As we were to find out later, these are used ceremoniously and were actually fired at 1645 in the afternoon – probably to salute the king and queen leaving the city for the yacht.

 

So we took a break after the hike up the hill to the fort and sat down to plan our next move. I had several restaurants saved on Tripadvisor, but none of were open for a while, so I reverted to show the closest – which turned out to be the Kommendant about 100’ away in the center of the fort. Despite being 20something in the tripadvisor list, we opted to try it for lunch. Great choice. A local pilsner each, then Judy had the Irish Stew with caribou and I had an open faced sandwich with smoked trout. Topped off with apple pie alamode and coffee. Fantastic food, good friendly service – although a bit overwhelmed at first by the pile of people joining us. It was one of the best lunches of the trip. Outdoor in the fresh air, blue sky, warm, rippling huge Norwegian flag in the breeze, great beer, good food, great views – what more can you ask?!?

 

After lunch we wandered through the park which surrounds the fort. Great place for a picnic if you are so inclined as several locals were doing. Beautiful green trees overlooking the town center and port area, with the Emerald dominating the sky line. Lots of picnic tables and benches tucked away in secluded spots. Green grass in the sun for those sunbathing. Just a great picturesque setting with the smell of spring flowers, cut grass and budding trees. Hard to believe we were in Norway.

 

We wandered along the shops and alleyways, across the Bakke Bru bridge away from the main crowds, but eventually got back to the town center. Lots of security fences set up for the royal visit. Got some pictures of the ceremonial guards standing post. Wandered back down through town to the ship back over that great walkway bridge.

This was a great DIY port. Lots of things to see and do. Lots of places to walk, shop and eat. People were friendly, weather was near perfect. A great day in Trondheim.

[Geoffa30]

This thread is making me all the more excited for our cruise with the same itinerary on 6 August. Six weeks and counting. :)

[brian1]

Hi,just curious,whats an ABC? Excuse my ignorance im just a retired plumber,cheers,Brian.

[janetcbl]

ABC = Another Bl***y Church (. Learned the expression from some UK friends...Bl**dy is considered a swear word by some.)

[jackieo]

ABC = Another Bl***y Church (. Learned the expression from some UK friends...Bl**dy is considered a swear word by some.)

 

 

Glad of the explanation. I thought it was another supermarket chain! Lol.

 

 

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