Celebrity Silhouette, Norwegian Fjords Sept. 1 2019

[parrothead33]

Sorry I'm late Norris, but happy to tell you I'm now all caught up!  Pictures and narration are great, as usual.  Thank you for bringing us along with you and Carol.

Cheers,

Kym

[pd7277]

I'm here too Norris, wouldn't miss it!

[need2cruisesoon]

Hello Mr N.

 

Please allow me to intrude albeit very shortly to say hello and welcome back from the UK.
I hope the Queen herself allowed you some afternoon tea on one of your days in London, she is charming and most gracious from what i hear.

 

So now I retire to the library on the west wing of my mini mansion to follow along (with you) my brother on your epic journey aboard the Silly with a cold G in my hand.

 

Cheers.

 

 

[Bimmer09]

Seen along the Embankment

 

I had to wait to shoot this as some young girls were doing a pose-a-thon

 

 

Doing some business!

 

Back to the Hotel and the Whitehall Gardens

 

 

 

Back to the room for bathroom breaks

 

 

Carol recording her Trip Notes 

[mchell810]

6 hours ago, Bimmer09 said:

 

 

 

Sunset on the Thames, just lovely!  What an image you've captured.

[Bimmer09]

 

Night falls on the Royal Festival Hall

 

 

We are down on the Embankment sitting on a bench as are many folks, enjoying the night air

 

 

The Whitehall Gardens were locked at 8 pm to stop people spending the night in it

hence our current position. We decided to call it a day at 9 p.m and headed for the hotel

 

[Bimmer09]

The hotel is welcoming

 

 

 

 

A beer and a tonic water from the free mini bar and abed by 9.30 at the end of our long first day.

Sleep came immediately and was deep.

 

Norris

[perfect match]

Beautiful photos, Norris! As always! Thank you.

[mrsgoggins]

Now you are making me miss London and I am but a three hour train journey away!  We spent 18 years living in the south east with central London being an easy 30 minutes away, door-to-door, when I was a frequent visitor to our capital.  Your photos are a delight Norris and I think at least one London short break is now in my future.

 

Thank you for this latest detailed account of your journey. I was actually 'with you' in the Caribbean (on the ship at the same time) and with you in spirit in Cuba and it is lovely to have the next installment to look forward to. 

[luvsun22]

This is my first time to happen on one of your reports and am delighted by your writing and beautiful photos!  I’m excited to follow along! 

[pretty princess]

Gorgeous photos as always!  Enjoying this review as this is a bucket list item

[Bimmer09]

After a deep, deep sleep.....

I was on the street and stopped for coffee at a Starbucks just across from our nearest Tube station which was a 1 minute walk away from the hotel

 

 

It was 6.45 a.m and London was just waking up. I walked up Villiers street to a place I hadn't visited since 1965

The National Gallery

 

which sits in Trafalgar Square 

 

across from Admiralty Arch

 

and is bordered by magnificent buildings

 

 

I am just carrying my camera with one lens, rather than lugging 16 pounds in a bag

[deladane]

Beautiful photos, as always!  It's so fun to relive my time in London through your eyes.... err, I mean through your lens 📸  Keep it coming!

[Bimmer09]

2 hours ago, luvsun22 said:

This is my first time to happen on one of your reports and am delighted by your writing and beautiful photos!  I’m excited to follow along! 

 

Hi and welcome!

Looks like you missed this one...

and also these.....

From the  Archives

Here are the previous Gentleman's Seafaring Journals, going backwards in time.

They are an aid to folks who have signatures turned off and save a ton of time searching.

Obviously there is no need to list this GSJ as you are currently up to your neck in it.*

 

* All reviews/GSJs come with photos and video, bread and butter and your choice of soup or salad.

 

 

 Crown Princess ABC Islands January 12 2018 E734

Photo/Video review https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2588776

8 days of eating (food porn). Also dining ashore which was not our norm. Aruba sunset cruise. Bonaire Glass boat.

 

Regal Princess New England/Canada October 14 2017 C743

Photo/Video review https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2556992

 

Lots of New York Skyline/Central Park photos. Newport mansions. Boston Harbor tour.

Bar Harbor. Canadian ports with Peggy's Cove and lobster. New camera.

 

Celebrity ReflectionWestern Caribbean January 14 2017 Sky Suite 7258

Photo/Video review http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2447364

 

South Beach segway. Art Deco buildings. First time Miami sail away. Falmouth. Ocho Rios beach. Cayman turtles. Cozumel. Lovin' Labadee. Rented upgraded camera.

 

Star Princess Sept 2016 Vancouver to Whittier D733

Photo/Video review http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2403532

 

Fine dining in the Pan Pacific, Vancouver. Misty Fjords by boat. Juneau aerial tramway. Luxury car White Pass railway.New Pro Canon lenses. Glacier Bay. College Fjord. Anchorage.

Rented $2,000 lens for best glacier pics.

 

Comparing Princess and Celebrity

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2317130

 

Comparison review using photographs, pie charts and even pie.

Ruby Princess and Celebrity Silhouette duke it out for their brands. Written 2016

 

Celebrity Silhouette January 2016 Eastern Caribbean Sky Suite 7309

Photo/Video review http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=48880163#post48880163

 

First X cruise. Sky Suite. San Juan segway tour. St Maarten. St Kitts railway.

Murano, Tuscan Grill, Lawn Club Grill, Alcoves, Luminae and Blu

 

Emerald Princess Sept 2015 Rome to Barcelona C750

Photo/Video review http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=47937585#post47937585

 

Lots of Rome photos including fantastic food. Albergo del Senato. Forum. Rome at 5 a.m Palermo. Herculaneum ruins. Remains of Costa Concordia. Florence. Uffizi. Michelangelo David. Cinque Terre. First time in Barcelona. Gaudi tour. Tapas

 

Ruby Princess Jan 2015 Eastern Caribbean D616

Photo/Video review http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2161859

 

Princess Cays. St Thomas boat tour to St John. St. Maarten. Grand Turk tour. Estonian singers and dancers on board (fantastic!)

 

Ocean Princess Sept 2014 Venice to Rome Suite 6088

Photo/video review http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2110302

 

Small ship/huge suite. Falling in love with Venice. Venice at 5 a.m photo tour.

Sail away. Malta excursion. Stunning Valletta harbor. Croatia- oysters in Mariston.

Palermo trash porn. Pompeii and Positano. First visit to Rome. Colosseum.

 

Caribbean PrincessJan 2014 Western Caribbean C749

Photo/video review www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1976282

 

Friends on board. Delayed sail away from Houston. Roatan and dolphins. Belize and mangroves air-boat. Cozumel. First of 4 visits to Houston opera. Good eats!

 

Ruby Princess Jan 2013 Eastern Caribbean C749

Photo review www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1786957

 

Aft suite on beautiful ship. Butterfly gardens. Memory foggy.

 

Diamond Princess Aug 2012 Vancouver to Whittier C757

Photo/video review www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1798138

 

Pan Pacific dinner. Favorite Princess ship. Harv n Marv whale watching. White Pass railway.

Eagle watching river trip near Haines. Glacier Bay and College Fjord. Anchorage. Best waiters from Thailand. Ship tour.

 

 

Crown Princess Jan 2012 Southern Caribbean C749

Photo/Video review www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1932543

 

First aft suite (Free upgrade!) Princess Cays, Aruba. Submarine. Curacao.Slave museum, crashing waves. First time Marriott Harbor Beach hotel, Ft Lauderdale. Carol sings in Princess Pop Choir. Ship tour.

 

Coral Princess Aug 2011 Whittier to Vancouver C210

Photo/Video review www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1850609

 

First cruise with Princess.Carol's first cruise ever. Overnight in Anchorage. Hubbard Glacier. Glacier Bay.Harv n Marv whale watching. Helicopter landing on glacier. Misty Fjords floatplane tour with Island Wings. 5 days of drizzle then 2 days of 70s sun. Vancouver. Butchart Gardens.

 

It's hard to remember now, 7 years into our cruising life, exactly what we did in each port so I am glad Carol took notes and I took photos and wrote it all down on Cruise Critic-otherwise the cruises would blend together into a mush.

 

I hope you may want to read some or all of these. Every one of them was fun and interesting 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Listen to the Lion....

 

Big Ben in the distance

 

 

I was wondering where the homeless people sleep and as I crossed over to Northumberland Avenue on my way to the hotel I found an answer....in tents

 

A widely seen coffee chain

 

 

[Bimmer09]

Back down to the Thames

 

Old Scotland Yard which is opposite our hotel

 

The flags of our hotel

 

We have Churchill War Rooms at 10 a.m. Later a theater show followed immediately by tea on the hotel terrace with Carol's long-time-no-see cousin Heather and her husband and dinner at a Gordon Ramsay Gastropub on the river. Time for breakfast!

[TreacleScone]

Hi! Pleased to have caught your latest cruise report while it’s fresh. Looking forward to seeing what you thought of The Fjords as its nearing the top  of  our cruise bucket list now that Alaska and the Baltics have been ticked off. 

 

Sasha is enjoying the photos too. She’ll love seeing Silhoutte again. Her favourite ship so far. Even better than Disney Wonder apparently! Praise indeed! 

 

[CruiserRob]

Checking in to the GSJ Norris.

Great so far as usual

 

Robert

[Bimmer09]

9 hours ago, TreacleScone said:

Hi! Pleased to have caught your latest cruise report while it’s fresh. Looking forward to seeing what you thought of The Fjords as its nearing the top  of  our cruise bucket list now that Alaska and the Baltics have been ticked off. 

 

Sasha is enjoying the photos too. She’ll love seeing Silhoutte again. Her favourite ship so far. Even better than Disney Wonder apparently! Praise indeed! 

 

 

Dear Ms Treacle, Sasha will get a real eyeful of the Silhouette as I photographed her relentlessly by day and by night and went overboard (via the gangway) on taking pictures of Norway. It is my favorite ship thus far too.

My thoughts on the Fjords are barely containable. I haven't seen the photos I took there yet as I see them just before I write this. I do look at them for a second when I take them and take a second one if I screwed up the settings but I will say to the Right Honorable Lady, that the vast majority of the captures gave me a sense of satisfaction unmeasurable : if I had to quantify it I would liken it to that feeling when one takes the first sip of a well-poured pint of Guinness.

 

Please read on as this unfolds .

Norris, also from N. Ireland

[TreacleScone]

6 hours ago, Bimmer09 said:

 

Dear Ms Treacle, Sasha will get a real eyeful of the Silhouette as I photographed her relentlessly by day and by night and went overboard (via the gangway) on taking pictures of Norway. It is my favorite ship thus far too.

My thoughts on the Fjords are barely containable. I haven't seen the photos I took there yet as I see them just before I write this. I do look at them for a second when I take them and take a second one if I screwed up the settings but I will say to the Right Honorable Lady, that the vast majority of the captures gave me a sense of satisfaction unmeasurable : if I had to quantify it I would liken it to that feeling when one takes the first sip of a well-poured pint of Guinness.

 

Please read on as this unfolds .

Norris, also from N. Ireland

 

I forgot to sign off my previous post with my real name (as I rarely post on CC even I don’t remember my screen name on here)...

 

Julie (and Sasha), niece (and great niece) of Norris.  Both along for the virtual Fjords ride while we plan our own next cruise adventure. 

[Bimmer09]

Breakfast of Champions

Carol and I (a) love to eat and (b) love the outdoors so we had to do both this morning

 

 

A lovely location

 

The buffet was 24 Pounds. Once our tea pots had done their job of extracting maximum flavor from the leaves and our fresh orange juice served I hit the buffet and  brought back this plate

 

Yes, I made ("curated", LOL) a Full English of Back bacon, mushroom, baked beans, hash browns (un-British but yummy) Cumberland sausages, grilled tomatoes and embellished it with some pate, cold cuts and a fine slice of pastrami. The plate was cleared in a blur of cutlery and  washed down with strong tea.

 

Afterwards we adjourned to the gardens which had just opened

 

Carol, who usually downloads her newspapers to her iPad or Kindle wrestles with the Financial Times

 

 

It is a lovely, perfect, last-day-of-August day

 

Carol returns to the room to prepare for Sir Winston while I remain in the gardens

 

We used Google Maps on my phone and were at Clive Steps at 10 a.m as the doors were opening....

 

 

 

[Walt fan]

Such beauty in London Norris.  Its funny how long you lived there and didn't fully appreciate it all.  It takes a different time and a different eye to realize what all is there.  Your lunch at the pub made me so hungry.  I cannot wait to see your take on Churchill.  Looking forward to your day!

[Deck Chair Queen]

Lucy n the sky with diamonds. Do I win anything?

[SempreMare]

@Bimmer09, great review.  Question about your choice of London hotels;  I'm hoping to leverage your ... how did you put it... "Advil-inducing research" (very familiar :-) which I have not yet started for my Norway cruise on the Apex in April.

 

What was the criteria that led you to choose the Royal Horseguards? 

Which hotels made it to your top 3 list? 

[Bimmer09]

8 hours ago, Walt fan said:

Such beauty in London Norris.  Its funny how long you lived there and didn't fully appreciate it all.  It takes a different time and a different eye to realize what all is there.  Your lunch at the pub made me so hungry.  I cannot wait to see your take on Churchill.  Looking forward to your day!

 

Churchill will be along in the morning as I just saw the photos this morning and worked on them ending with 46 shots and I didn't want to put them up without comments in a hurry before going to work for 12 hours (includes commute in Chicago traffic)

 

When I looked at the War Rooms on TripAdvisor before  going to London TA said they were the #2 attraction in London and I guess the London Eye is #1. So I was concerned about crowds and taking pics over people's heads. 

 

When I would move in London-I lived in Wembley, Willesden, Kilburn, Golder's Green, Wandsworth, Chiswick, Turnham Green and lastly East Dulwich I always took one of my favorite books with me-" The Second World War" by W.S.Churchill, a real page-turner due to its subject matter ( I am a WWII buff) and its writer. To actually set foot in the rooms was very compelling to me and yet it was Carol's idea, maybe because she knows me so well and because she admires WSC too from John Lithgow's fantastic performances on The Queen TV series.

 

I have some good photos to show you. Let's leave it at that for now.

 

Regarding pub lunches- we usually search TripAdvisor and Yelp for restaurants but that takes a lot of time and Advil. My instinct was to "find a nice pub and eat". No fancy food just good simple grub that I remembered from the old days. Now the food is much better and more varied but I find it hard not to have fish and chips or steak and kidney pie and chips. If there had been spam fritters (cue Monty Python) I would have had those too. They remind me of a time and place. Comfort foods. All our non-hotel meals were in pubs if I recall correctly.

 

Thanks for the comment!

Norris