Review of the Feb 22nd Oriana cruise to find the Northern Lights

[soccerref]

Review of the Feb 22nd Oriana cruise to find the Northern Lights

 

We had a wonderful time on the ‘In search of the Northern Lights’ cruise aboard Oriana which left Southampton on February 22nd and have posted this review with my diary entries from the port days and some general information about the ports and excursions that my DH and I did.

I have some mobility difficulties so wasn't able to participate in the more strenuous activities....booo!

IMG_5799 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

Day 1. Wednesday 22nd February 2017

Boarding Oriana.

A.M. warmish, overcast and breezy.

P.M. Cool, drizzly and windy

Sea conditions. A bit rocky.

Clocks went back 1 hour.

 

Gate 4,berth 10 - Mayflower Cruise Terminal.

Our check-in time was 13.30.

We arrived at the car park at 12.45.

Check-inwas quick and straightforward.

We had cruise car parking as part of our booking price so we put the parking ID in thefront window as we drove through the dock gate and there were officials who guided us to a drop-off lane right by the terminal entrance.

 

A porter was there immediately to take our checked luggage. A couple of minutes later,an official took the car details and our key and then we were able to enter the terminal building.

 

The first official gave us the standard health questionnaire to fill in. Once that was done we walked a few yards to the second official who looked at our eTicket and then gave us the appropriate coloured card to indicate the correct check-ingroup. There was plenty of seating, toilet facilities, free magazines and a'pay for' snack bar.

 

There are not many advantages to having mobility issues but this was one time when being disabled gave me an advantage as I was given immediate access to check-in.

Once the formalities had been completed, we went through security (similar to that usedat airports) and then boarded the ship. The whole process took about 30minutes.

When we got on board we had to wait about 10 minutes before the announcement came that the cabins were ready so it took less than an hour from arriving in the car tosettling in to the cabin.

 

We had just started unpacking the carry-on cases when the first of the big cases arrived, swiftly followed by the other cases and the camping chair.

 

Musterdrill.

 

This took place at 16.30. Our station was in the Harlequin lounge. We got there early which was good because there was not enough seating for everyone. We had to take our life jackets and put them on after the Captain's talk and the demonstration. We were then shown the TPA......Thermal Protective Aid....which is a huge yellow bag that can be put on in the event of hypothermia!!!

 

 

Day 4. Saturday 25th February2017

Andalsnes - 08.00 to 17.30

A.M. Extremely cold with some sunny intervals.

P.M. Extremely cold with wintery showers and a very strong wind.

Seaconditions. Very bumpy through the night but calm in the fjord.

 

 

I made sure that we didn't sleep through the alarm by using the telephone's automatic callservice (very easy to set) as well as my alarm clock as we wanted to see the sail-in and sunrise. I was up at 06.15 and it was well worth it. We got out ondeck just before 07.00 to be greeted by snow covered mountains and the smalltown of Andalsnes in the pale pre-dawn glow. Apparently, a metre of snow hadfallen in the last 24 hours and turned everywhere into fairyland.

 

There were lots of people already on deck and we shared the sunrise before heading to the buffet for a semi 'full English' breakfast.

 

We debated whether to but on full 'arctic clothing' and chose to do a partialdress-up. Thank goodness we did because it was extremely cold and very slippery underfoot.

IMG_0610 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

IMG_5733 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

IMG_0596 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

IMG_5795 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

Edited March 9, 2017 by soccerref
some words had run together although were ok when typed

[soccerref]

· The Scenic Rauma Railway. 09.15 - 12.15

· We were in the first group and had to meet in the theatre at 08.45 but there were a lot of people already waiting when we got there at 08.35.

· The station is directly opposite the ship's berth so it was a 2-minute walk.

· We were escorted to the platform where we were met by our guide.

· The train arrived at 09.10 and we were told which coaches to use.

· The train was warm and comfortable with a toilet for each coach.

· Seats were arranged in pairs and, in our carriage, the majority were facing backwards. There is one set of 4 seats where 2 face 2 and we got the pair that faced forwards.

· The train came in from the left and departed to the right.

· We felt that the majority of the best views were from the windows on the platform side.

· The journey lasted approximately 1 hour and there was a sporadic commentary in English to explain points of interest.

 

 

IMG_5771 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

IMG_6506 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

IMG_6545 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

IMG_5765 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

We all got off at Bjorli station where coaches were waiting to take us on a scenic ride back to Andalsnes.

We had been told that the coach could not access the waterfall because of the heavy snowfall. We probably didn't miss much as all the waterfalls that we could see from the train were frozen and snow covered.

We had 2 very short stops on the way down the mountain.

Our guide, Neil (original from Ipswich but had lived in Norway for many years), was very informative.

IMG_5782 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

Andalsnes

Andalsnesis a very small town with a population of about 2,500. It is pleasant but thereisn't much there.........a few shops, a good supermarket, cafes, a museum and some factories and houses.

It is a 3-minute walk to the town centre in good conditions.

 

I had booked all our excursions as soon as they became available on the P&Owebsite so we got all the ones we chose and were in the first group for the train journey.

This turned out to be a good choice as the people who went later in the day encountered the bad weather. We had great views and some sunshine too. I believe that the afternoon train journey was cancelled because of the snow.

[soccerref]

Day 6. Monday 27th February 2017

Tromso -08.00 to 03.00 the following morning

A.M. Very cold with long, sunny periods and no wind. Temp was -3*C.

P.M. As above until about 15.30 when the wind got up and then the temperature droppednoticeably.

 

We had left the TV on overnight in case there was an announcement of a 'lights'sighting but no luck yet.

 

The alarm went off at 06.00 and, after a bit of a struggle to put on all the thermal clothes, we made it out on deck for 06.45 where we were able to enjoy the snow-covered fjord sides and the little villages as we headed towards the dock in Tromso.

We had breakfast and went out on deck again to see the ship pulling up to its berth before heading down to the cabin to await the call to disembark.

The shuttle busses were right by the ship and we were on one of the first busses and were dropped off in the town centre at 08.45.

 

We wandered around for a while and took a lot of photos. I found it quite hard to walk as some places were completely clear and others were covered in thick snowor ice. I was ready to come back and we got the 10.45 shuttle so that I had time for lunch before my tour departed.

 

IMG_5868 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

IMG_5892 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

IMG_5918 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

IMG_5925 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

IMG_5931 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

DiscoverTromso. 13.00-16.00

· The tour group met in the car park at 12.45 for a 13.00 departure. Our coach was late departing because we were waiting for 1 passenger. The guide and the P&O rep consulted and decided that our tour should leave at 13.15.

· The guide explained some of the history of the area as we drove up the hill and around the back of the city and through some pleasant suburbs.

· Our first stop was for 15 minutes at the Arctic Cathedral. We were lucky because,with there being sunshine, the huge stained glass window glowed and was very impressive.

· We were then taken back across the bridge and driven through the town centre before travelling along the shore line to the museum. We had 45 minutes there to explore. There were a lot of interesting exhibits relating to the Sami People and Arctic exploration.

· There wasa shop, toilets and a cafe.

· From there, the drive took us through more suburbs to the Planetarium where we had a show about the Northern Lights. That was our last stop so the coach took us back to the ship. We arrived just after 16.00.

IMG_0833 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

[kruzseeka]

Fab pictures! Thanks for the review. I kept looking at this trip - wish we had now!

[soccerref]

Tromso.

· The'sail-in' is pretty but not as dramatic as some as the fjord is wider and the mountains are lower.

· The dock area is industrial.

· There are free shuttle busses into town that ran at 20 minute intervals until 23.00.

· The journey is 10-15 minutes.

· It is walkable but the pavements were very icy.

· The Arctic Cathedral is on the other side of the fjord so, to walk, would mean going into town and then across the bridge.

· The cable car is close to the Arctic Cathedral but I'm not sure if that is walkable too.

· The town centre is relatively small with a variety of shops, cafes, supermarkets, picturesque buildings, open spaces and the harbour area.

· Prices are high compared to the UK. It was £1 to use the toilet in the small shopping mall!

 

My husband did the husky sledging tour on his own because he is more mobile than me and could sit comfortably on the low sledge.

 

Husky sledging. 16.30 -20.00

The bus left the port terminus at 16.30 and took about thirty minutes to reach the TromsoWildlife Centre. The journey was during sunset and the views were quite dramatic. The centre was out in the country side and we were originally taken into a large wooden building for coffee/tea, cake and to meet our guide. This building was comfortable with tables, chairs, fire pit, toilets and a small shopping area. The guide was excellent and explained everything about the dogs' working life whilst we walked around the site visiting the kennels, breeding area and sleight boarding area. All of the dogs were very friendly and people were allowed to cuddle the puppies. I was on a sleigh by myself with the driver. The ride took about thirty-five minutes over undulating ground and, at times, you could see the lights of Tromso in the distance. The ride out in the deep snow was a wonderful, although bouncy, experience. We got back to the ship at 20.00.

IMG_6021 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

IMG_6020 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

IMG_6005 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

[soccerref]

Day 7. Tuesday 28th February2017

Tromso toAlta with scenic cruising

Arrival in Alta at 13.30

A.M. Very cold, sunny and clear until mid-morning and then increasingly cloudy

P.M. The mist dropped as we neared Alta and there was a heavy snow shower before the sun came out in short bursts. -3*C without the wind chill.

 

We had a lie-in until 07.30 and then a leisurely morning while enjoying the spectacular snow covered mountain scenery as we headed into the Star Fjord.

After a light lunch in Al Fresco we watched the sail-in, got dressed in the 'Arctic gear' and caught the shuttle bus into the town. Sadly, there wasn't much to see so we spent about an hour in the shopping mall before getting the shuttle bus back to the ship.

 

Alta.

· The ship docks at an industrial pier on the outskirts of the town.

· The town is small and 'modern' with 60s style architecture.

· There is a regular free shuttle service from just by the ship to the town square.

· It is a 15-minute journey and a 5km walk.

· There is very little to see in the town except for the tourist information centre by the bus drop-off point and the shopping mall which is opposite the bus park.

· The shopping mall has a food court, a variety of shops and a supermarket. I thought prices were very high.

IMG_6065 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

 

IMG_0629 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

IMG_0642 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

RB2A5359 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

IMG_6083 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

IMG_6055 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

[soccerref]

We had asnooze in the afternoon because we knew that it was going to be a late nightand then went to the Northern Lights shore excursion presentation before having a buffet dinner.

 

We got changed into our really heavy gear and headed to the Crichton Lounge for our 21.00 meeting time.

 

It was an interesting excursion but I was glad that there was the choice to get the coach back and I was back on board just after midnight having not seen the lights. DH got in at 01.00 and he had seen them and got a couple of pictures so he was fairly happy.

 

‘In search of the Northern Lights' - ship's excursion - 4 hours.

· I booked this as soon as the tours became available on line so I got the day and time of my choice (day 1, 21.30 departure).

· I did look at independent tours but, although they offer more flexibility, I found the price to be even higher than the ship's excursion and, as I am on a budget,I chose the less expensive option.

· Eachday's groups had the option to attend a 30-minute special presentation given by the local expert on the day of departure. This was excellent as he explained the cause of the phenomenon and how it is tracked.

· He also explained which of the 3 possible viewing sights we would be taken to (2 are 50km from the ship and the other is a 15-minute drive) and what would happen once there.

· There are:

· toilet facilities

· Hotchocolate and cake.

· Guides who will help with photography and other queries.

· Places to be warm

· Transport back to the ship on request if you want to return early.

 

The Solvang site.

We were taken to the Solvang site which is the 10-minute drive from the ship.

 

It was interesting to see into people's houses as they don't draw their curtains and have the rooms brightly lighted. The homes seemed cosy, spacious and modern with good quality furnishings and kitchens.

Once at the site we were led along pathways to a large field where people spread out tofind a suitable space.

We passeda building where the toilets were situated and a rest area where there was a teepee and 2 camp fires.

No mentionwas made of the availability of refreshments.

 

Important.

 

· It was extremely cold (-10*C and no wind chill factor.....thank goodness ) so it is important to have the correct clothing.

· There was very little seating so people were standing for hours.

· I took a fold-upcamping chair which was invaluable and envied by many!

· You needa long exposure time on your camera (between 10 and 20 seconds is recommended)so a tripod is vital for getting clear pictures.

· We had hand-warmer gel packs which also proved invaluable as the night wore on.

· The lights are a natural phenomenon and viewings can't be guaranteed. It was cloudy when we got there and I left after 90 minutes without seeing them but my DH saw them after a 2.5 hour wait.

· The lights appear as a fuzzy, ethereal gas cloud. Photographs enable you to see the intensity of the colour.

· The ship offers tours that begin at various times through the evening. We chose the 21.30 departure but there were earlier and later options.

· There were a lot of people from the ship at the site but also from other tour companies.

· We didn't need a torch and we were requested not to use anything with a bright light while in the viewing field.

· Coachesreturned to the ship at regular intervals once they were full.

Sorry about the lack of fabulous pictures ....some people got them but ours didn't turn out!!

IMG_6669 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

Edited March 9, 2017 by soccerref

[soccerref]

Day 8. Wednesday 1st March 2017

Alta all day. We depart at 03.00 tomorrow morning.

A.M. Sunny, clear skies and extremely cold.

P.M. As above....-8*C but, fortunately no wind.

Night time.Intermittent cloud, snow showers and -16*c on deck

 

 

We wokeup just after 08.00 as we had had a late night. Once we had eaten breakfast, Jim went off fishing from the jetty (he had brought his ‘travel fishing equipment with him) and I spent some time catching up on the diary entries.

 

We met for lunch and then headed into town on the shuttle bus for an hour just to get out for a while. We had an ice cream each in the shopping mall and then came back.

 

We had just got in bed when the Captain made the announcement that the Lights were visible so, after a mad scramble to get into warm clothes, we dashed up to deck13 where we got a good view of them but no photos because Jim's camera wouldn't respond........oh well - that's life!

 

Day 9. Thursday 2nd March2017

At sea

A.M. Cold with a mixture of sunshine and cloud

P.M. As above.

Sea conditions – smooth with a light swell.

 

Great scenic cruising today and.....

 

we did see the NLs again at about midnight!

IMG_6049 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

IMG_5815 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

IMG_5833 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

[soccerref]

Day 11. Saturday 4th March 2017

Stavanger- 09.00 - 17.00

A.M. Overcast and slightly less cold than previously

P.M. As above

Sea conditions - moderate swell

 

Weather through the night- a force 11 gale with winds gusting to 80mph. Very rough seas.......but we survived!

 

We left the ship at 09.30 and walked along to the park before returning to the quay side to join our boat excursion.

 

When were turned from the boat trip we had a Starbucks (much more expensive than at home) before Jim went off birding and I had a walk around some of the shopping streets and then up into the lovely, whitewashed housing area.

 

Stavanger.

· Stavanger is a sea port.

· Oriana docked right in the centre of town on the 'old side' of the harbour where the lovely village area with the white clapboard houses are situated.

· There is a tourist information office directly at the exit from the quay.

· There are plenty of shops, the cathedral, a small park, cafes and museums within a short walk from the ship.

IMG_6117 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

IMG_6278 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

IMG_6301 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

IMG_6101 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

[soccerref]

Lysefjord and the Pulpit Rock -11.00 to 13.30

· We met on the pier just by the Tourist information Centre.

· The meeting time was 10.55 but the tour boat arrived at 10.45.

· The boat was spacious and modern with comfortable seating and large picture windows.

· There were clean toilet facilities.

· There was a standing area for viewing on the upper deck.

· There was a limited commentary in English.

· The scenery was spectacular......towering cliffs, snow-capped mountains, tiny villages, raging waterfalls and stark tree lined hillsides.

· There was a 25 minute stop at a Fjord side cafe where there were copious amounts of waffles, cream , jam and coffee as part of the excursion price .

· There was a small shop selling postcards and other small souvenirs.

IMG_6250 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

IMG_6160 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

IMG_6151 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

IMG_6193 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

IMG_6197 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

IMG_0652 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

 

 

Day 13. Monday 6th March 2017

Southampton to home.

A.M. Overcast with drizzle but brightening up later.

Sea conditions - very bumpy through the night.

 

The clock went back 1 hour.

 

The ship docked 45 minutes late so we were late disembarking.

 

We had to vacate the cabin at 08.00 and were allocated the Peninsular Restaurant as our waiting area but sat in the lounge area on deck 8 instead and walked off at 9.45. The ship was a little late arriving into Southampton so all departures were delayed for 30 minutes.

 

We found our luggage quickly and after a short walk to the car park we were in the car and driving off the dock at 10.15.

 

A great holiday!

 

Brought/forgotten - used/notused.

 

Forgotten

Highlighter pens

Polo shirts

casual, thin day wear for around the ship

 

Brought and used.

Thermal vests, long johns, socks.

Water/windproof jacket

Fleeces to layer

Scarf

Neck warmer

thick hat with ear protectors

Thermal gloves

silk glove liners

Camera tripod

Fur lined snow/waterproof boots

Crutch/walking stick ice spike

Hand/footwarmer gel pouches

Lip balm

Brought and not used

Ski goggles

Crampon studs

torches

 

General information

 

The captain will make an announcement, when the lights appear, over the PA system in public areas and on channel 1 on the cabin TV.

The advice was to leave the TV on through the night with the volume turned up if you wanted to hear the call.

 

The ship is warm inside so have appropriate clothing for that too. We had concentrated so much on Arctic weather clothes that I didn't pack much indoor wear!

Edited March 9, 2017 by soccerref

[Deeliteful]

Great review thanks - and great pics too. I am doing the Fjords in May so no Northern Lights but have been lucky to see them in Iceland and on the Isle of Skye.

Glad you had such a good time.

Oriana was the very first ship I cruised on - completely addicted now :-)

[groovechick]

Fantastic informative review and really beautiful pics. I'd love to do this cruise one day. I can do cold no problem, as long as it's not cold and wet!

[P&O SUE]

Great photos and report :)

[janny444]

Really enjoyable and informative review. We are considering this cruise in March 2019 so very much appreciated.

 

I don't know what type of cabin you had but would you say that you need a balcony cabin and to be worth the extra cost over an inside cabin?

[Sussexboy]

Great review. It brought back some very happy memories. Thank you.

[soccerref]

Thank you all for your kind comments. It was a very different cruise from all the others that we have done but absolutely worth it.

 

For janny444 - we had an inside cabin on deck 8 forward which was perfectly adequate for us on a tight budget. Oriana doesn't have many balcony cabins so prices were high. Only you can decide if it is worth having but I would consider these things before making a decision.....a) it was extremely cold and windy when the ship was moving and very cold even when the ship was docked. b) In Tromso and Alta we were docked in industrial areas so not much to see. c) the lights might only be visible from the other side of the ship so you would have to go out on deck to see them. d) I never saw anyone even standing on their balcony.

 

I am happy to answer questions.

[janny444]

Thank you soccerref...the points you have made were what I was thinking...too cold ....could be in wrong place for views etc....we will go with an inside cabin.

[jh1809]

Thanks for an excellent report and the absolutely fantastic photos.

[ShelSea8]

Hi Soccerref, great review and wonderful photo's, thanks for sharing. We are booked for next March and planning on doing the ships tour in search of the lights. Did the tour company provide any proper outer layers, while your out in the fields? As we've already started to stock up on base layers, thermals and coats but still not convinced that I'll be prepared for just how cold it will actually be!

[Scriv]

Hi there Soccerref and all :) We were also on this fantastic cruise last week and your review and fab piccies brought it all straight back to us :) We had some similar experiences.... We were also on the Search for the Lights trip at 21 30 on the first night and like you, returned to the ship before midnight, so missed seeing the lights which came out at about 00 45. Sadly the evening had been too cloudy for an earlier appearance. I agree about not easily finding the hot choc and the cake - I hunted down the hot choc in a tepee as you went down the path to the field and the trays of cake apparently made by the manager's mother were served near the bonfires around the same area. Not easy to find though. As regards the question re suitable clothing - no, nothing was provided by the tour company for this trip. All our layers proved adequate I am pleased to say, but I am sure Soccerref would agree those thermals were much needed . :) The next night we were amazingly lucky on board. We had just got back to the cabin around 19 45 after dinner when we heard the Captain's call and shot up to the deck and witnessed an absolutely amazing display of the lights. If you pop over to the Roll Call for this cruise, cgs11 has some links to some great pics that he took then and at later appearances of the lights that evening and on the next night too. Phenomenal. :) Our other trip in Alta was to the Igloo Hotel, which was also an amazing experience though we had no desire to stay the night there!!!! :) Re cabins, I agree wholeheartedly with soccerref about not needing a balcony. For one thing, they are so expensive on Oriana and also at that time of the year and in Arctic conditions, we did not feel the need! We were thankful of a cosy cabin and a sealed window that did not open in those sub zero conditions.We had an Outside Deluxe cabin, mainly because we are very partial to the separate seating area in them and make use of it a lot on sea days. When we were outside, we were up on top or walking round the Promenade deck for panoramic views and suitably clad in our coats and layers, rather than popping out onto the balcony for a restricted view. :) It was an amazing experience all told and was great to experience the snow and the Arctic conditions - and from the comfort of a lovely warm ship. Much recommended!!!!! PS Sorry folks, I can't seem to insert paragraphs, so have tried to split it up a bit with smilies

Edited March 10, 2017 by Scriv
Trying (unsuccessfully) to insert paragraphs!!

[dorsetlad]

Excellent review, thank you. We are booked on Aurora to do the same cruise this time next year, and are really looking forward to it now. Not sure whether to do the night trips with all the waiting around, or take the risk of waiting to see the lights from on board the ship. Mind you, there is no guarantee of seeing them whichever course we take. It will be pot luck. Nevertheless, the scenery is bound to be beautiful.

[Scriv]

Dorsetlad - At least you will have 2 nights in Alta, so two chances to see the lights. It will all depend on how cloudy the skies are so impossible to predict which of the two nights will give you more chances, but as you say, you do have to be prepared not to see them at all. However, the scenery is wonderful and so different and it is a great adventure. I do have to say though that we were rather disappointed by the night excursion, as were quite a few people. The location was very near the port and heaving with people and also so much light pollution from the nearby port and airport. We had envisaged a field in the middle of nowhere but got a football pitch belonging to a summer campsite.

Edited March 10, 2017 by Scriv

[jh1809]

Bear in mind that we are now within a couple of years of the minimum of the 11 year cycle of solar activity, which AIUI reduces the chances of seeing the aurora.

[Scriv]

Bear in mind that we are now within a couple of years of the minimum of the 11 year cycle of solar activity, which AIUI reduces the chances of seeing the aurora.

 

Yes, that is a point to be considered.

[kentchris]

Yes, that is a point to be considered.

Sunspot activity isn't the only factor. As it happens I was at a Hurtigruten roadshow last night where the specialist speaker* talked about the aurora and his experience of being the onboard specialist for three or more Hurtigruten trips per winter for the last ten years. He mentioned that coronal holes can result in very active auroral displays. See https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/goddard/coronal-hole-front-and-center for a description.

 

*Dr John Mason. This article is a reasonable precis of his short talk last night: https://shipmonk.co.uk/2016/11/17/how-to-capture-a-dragon-astronomer-dr-john-mason-reveals-the-best-time-to-see-the-northern-lights-on-a-cruise/