Live from Iona Norwegian Fjords 20th May 7 Nights

[Megabear2]

1 hour ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

No cost to book

 

I would say it was only 60 per cent full

 

But has shown as fully booked since end of embarkation day. People must greedily book all the slots then not turn up

 

(They should add a cover charge that you get as credit to spend on drinks when you arrive)

 

We were about the last to arrive and the entire front row of tables (7 tables for 2) was still empty

 

And plenty more tables dotted about

 

The singer  (a femaie singer/guitarist) was really great

 

Really classy and intimate experience

 

We have a couple more booked

I agree regarding a refundable charge.  However point of interest, I also went to a 710 set by the female sibger/guitarist on here and as I said elsewhere she was excellent.  Apparently she fills in once a week when the band is having a night off.  Because the app had been down many had lost their reservation and had to wait to see if they could get in - they did for the obvious reason Fully Booked on the system was nonsense because these were the very people who should have been in there.

 

I've since returned for two.more visits I had booked and confirm that when the band is on there isn't a spare seat anywhere.  I really like the venue and would be happy to pay as ICF suggests.

[terrierjohn]

2 hours ago, Selbourne said:

I know that you won’t agree, but this is further evidence that they should ditch this pre booking entertainment palava and return to first come first served, allowing the return of spontaneity which, for many of us, was one of the joys of cruising. 

I agree with ICF, if indeed people are not turning up for a booking, and had not cancelled it, then there should be a charge applied. That should ensure that the app only has genuine bookings, leaving spaces available for others to book. Maybe cancelled slots should open up at a specific time, so passenger know when to check for availability.

[Megabear2]

ICF as a matter of interest can you try to find out how many are on-board?  Thanks

[Interestedcruisefan]

26 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

I agree regarding a refundable charge.  However point of interest, I also went to a 710 set by the female sibger/guitarist on here and as I said elsewhere she was excellent.  Apparently she fills in once a week when the band is having a night off.  Because the app had been down many had lost their reservation and had to wait to see if they could get in - they did for the obvious reason Fully Booked on the system was nonsense because these were the very people who should have been in there.

 

I've since returned for two.more visits I had booked and confirm that when the band is on there isn't a spare seat anywhere.  I really like the venue and would be happy to pay as ICF suggests.

This lady was on her very first cruise and it was her very first night in 710 club

 

She sang Amy Winehouse style and had a really lovely rapport with the audience 

 

American girl now living in Liverpool

 

Janessa is her name I believe

 

I personally had no idea who we would be watching before we went in

 

But if people are cherry picking acts then they should be cancelling if they change their mind rather than not turning up I'm sure you will agree Megabear. Unfair on others. 

 

No doubt this singer is doing other spots elsewhere on the ship but maybe not this style?  I will be looking out for her as she was superb

 

Perfect for that room

 

Short clip below

 

 

[Interestedcruisefan]

7 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

ICF as a matter of interest can you try to find out how many are on-board?  Thanks

Heard 5,000 but will try and confirm and get a more specific number if poss 

[Interestedcruisefan]

It's wet and very blustery here in Aselund this morning

 

Assistant captain said it was very touch and go that they could dock

 

But they made it and we are waiting for weather to improve before we get  off. It is forecast to improve

 

Short walk to centre of town apparently

[Megabear2]

4 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

But if people are cherry picking acts then they should be cancelling if they change their mind rather than not turning up I'm sure you will agree Megabear. Unfair on others. 

Totally.  We had some very rude people walk put on the girl on here when they realised she was a solo.singer.

 

It's published in Horizon every day and on the app what the set is going to be so totally unnecessary behaviour. 

 

During the 14 days its a different theme every night apart from Last two.nights which are revisits of the 90's and rock.

[Megabear2]

3 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

It's wet and very blustery here in Aselund this morning

 

Assistant captain said it was very touch and go that they could dock

 

But they made it and we are waiting for weather to improve before we get  off. It is forecast to improve

 

Short walk to centre of town apparently

Hope you get the weather break.  We are at sea, dark.cold and very wet again.  The search for seats is back on!  I never do the quiz being on my own but wandered down to Brodies at 10.00am and it was packed. Decided to pass and am now in the almost empty Club House waiting for the lecture at noon - there's an hour between the two - but if it's like the last seaday we will.be.moved on after the lecture as they prepare it for later.

[lincslady]

Alesund is an attractive town just to walk round, with some nice early 20th century Art Nouveau style buildings.  Hope your weather will improve.  And on Arvia too!  Don't want to rub salt in, but it is warm and mainly sunny in England at present.

[Interestedcruisefan]

I just did a 15 minute session in the gym

 

Working out next to me throughout was Gareth Gates 

 

Disappointed he never asked me for my autograph though

 

(So another plus point of Arvia and Iona is the chance to work out in state  of the art gyms alongside famous celebrities like ICF)

[Megabear2]

10 minutes ago, lincslady said:

Alesund is an attractive town just to walk round, with some nice early 20th century Art Nouveau style buildings.  Hope your weather will improve.  And on Arvia too!  Don't want to rub salt in, but it is warm and mainly sunny in England at present.

Yes, so I heard. My OH is complaining he has to keep watering my greenhouse.

 

Captain says we are having sun and dry in Cadiz, but then he said the same for everywhere else and it still rained. He calls them showers though.

[Interestedcruisefan]

Just now, Megabear2 said:

Yes, so I heard. My OH is complaining he has to keep watering my greenhouse.

 

Captain says we are having sun and dry in Cadiz, but then he said the same for everywhere else and it still rained. He calls them showers though.

Yes we only get "showers' here as well

[Megabear2]

2 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

I just did a 15 minute session in the gym

 

Working out next to me throughout was Gareth Gates 

 

Disappointed he never asked me for my autograph though

 

(So another plus point of Arvia and Iona is the chance to work out in state  of the art gyms alongside famous celebrities like ICF)

I had that pleasure (Not with ICF) on Azura for a Strictly cruise when Gorka was my running machine buddy every morning.

Edited May 24, 2023 by Megabear2

[Interestedcruisefan]

3 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

I had that pleasure (Not with ICF) on Azura for a Strictly cruise when Gorka was my running machine buddy every morning.

Brilliant

 

Sorry I wasn't the other side!!

 

Lol

[Son of Anarchy]

48 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

I just did a 15 minute session in the gym

 

Working out next to me throughout was Gareth Gates 

 

Disappointed he never asked me for my autograph though

 

(So another plus point of Arvia and Iona is the chance to work out in state  of the art gyms alongside famous celebrities like ICF)

On Arvia last month that Gareth Gates chap got in the lift with me up to the Crows Nest.

 

Didn't ask me for my autograph either.  Doesn't this guy know who we all are? 🤣

[Interestedcruisefan]

We are travelling with 5,317 guests on board Iona this week

Edited May 24, 2023 by Interestedcruisefan

[TigerB]

43 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

My OH is complaining he has to keep watering my greenhouse.

 

 

I'm no gardener, but wouldn't he better watering the plants rather than the glass?🫢

[Megabear2]

30 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

We are travelling with 5,317 guests on board Iona this week

Great.  How'd your weather doing, are you ashore yet?  I'm whispering it just in case but we've found the sun and I've found a nice seat on Deck 8 at the rear to read my book in.

 

Visited future cruise this morning but queues are huge.  Lots looking to book Iona from what I could hear, always a good sign.

 

[Fionboard]

2 hours ago, lincslady said:

Alesund is an attractive town just to walk round, with some nice early 20th century Art Nouveau style buildings.  Hope your weather will improve.  And on Arvia too!  Don't want to rub salt in, but it is warm and mainly sunny in England at present.

25° and sunny in Italy! 

[Megabear2]

46 minutes ago, Fionboard said:

25° and sunny in Italy! 

We are now 24° according to my phone and not a cloud in sight.  It's been a long time coming.  Cheers hope you continue to find the sun. Enjoy!

[Interestedcruisefan]

After lunch we left the ship and immediately outside was a lady promoting the land train

 

23 pounds each for a 70  minute round trip with commentary

 

To cut a very long story short I ended up sat next to the driver on the 1.30pm train we booked. Another celebrity I met today

 

He drives the train for a hobby since hls wife died sadly from cancer 4 months after he retired. He retired 6 months ago.

 

His job before he retired was the host of Radio Norways Breakfast Radio show for many years. With 250,000 listeners!

 

I said "you must be famous then"

 

He said "everybody knows my voice but luckily not my face."

[Interestedcruisefan]

Thought I had a problem at the quays today when I walked in and saw at least 10 people queuing at each servery

 

But then realised It was 2 minutes to 12pm and they hadnt started serving yet

 

By 12.05pm the queues had gone

 

I had fish and chips followed by 3 creme brulees for lunch. They are so good! Better than Rick Steins !

 

Theres pictures below of the fish and chips and first 2 brulees before I went for a third they were that good!

Edited May 24, 2023 by Interestedcruisefan

[Interestedcruisefan]

4 hours ago, Megabear2 said:

Great.  How'd your weather doing, are you ashore yet?  I'm whispering it just in case but we've found the sun and I've found a nice seat on Deck 8 at the rear to read my book in.

 

Visited future cruise this morning but queues are huge.  Lots looking to book Iona from what I could hear, always a good sign.

 

The weather continued to be drizzly but we got off and had a walk around an indoor shopping centre near the ship (to avoid the rain) and then did the road train

[Interestedcruisefan]

Not had any message to say there's a space for us attend Epicurean Norwegian Taster

 

So instead our schedule tonight is:

 

7pm 710 club

7.45pm Buffet (a quick one - so will need to eat all my desserts in one go tonight)

8.30pm Headliners for Festival 

 

Selbourne some nights they have 3 shows in the theatre for sure

 

Tonight it's just 8.30pm and 10.30pm

 

Tonight there are also 3 x shows in skydome at 7.30pm, 9pm and 10.30pm called Triboo

 

3 comedian shows in the clubhouse at

8pm, 9.30pm and 11pm

 

4 shows in 710 Every night

7pm

8.45pm

10.30pm

12.15am

 

 

 

Edited May 24, 2023 by Interestedcruisefan

[Selbourne]

18 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Not had any message to say there's a space for us attend Epicurean Norwegian Taster

 

So instead our schedule tonight is:

 

7pm 710 club

7.45pm Buffet (a quick one - so will need to eat all my desserts in one go tonight)

8.30pm Headliners for Festival 

 

Selbourne some nights they have 3 shows in the theatre for sure

 

Tonight it's just 8.30pm and 10.30pm

 

Tonight there are also 3 x shows in skydome at 7.30pm, 9pm and 10.30pm called Triboo

 

3 comedian shows in the clubhouse at

8pm, 9.30pm and 11pm

 

4 shows in 710 Every night

7pm

8.45pm

10.30pm

12.15am

 

 

 

Many thanks. You are an absolute star providing all of this info. If there are 3 performances, is the first one at 6.30pm? Just wondering whether a good plan (for us) could be the 6.30pm show, followed by pre-dinner drinks, during which time we get in the virtual queue for dinner, and then eat late when the MDR is less busy. That way, if service is slow we aren’t under any time pressure.
 

Obviously the challenge will be knowing, in advance of the cruise, what time to book the speciality restaurants for when we don’t know whether there will be 2 or 3 performances each night. We don’t like to eat very early. If you still have the Horizon schedules for each day of the cruise and could possibly post photos of just the evening schedules I’d be incredibly grateful. I would assume that it would be broadly the same schedule for our Iona cruise. Thanks again. P.S. Fingers crossed that you get in Epicurean tonight. Given your experience with the 710 Club, could it be worth turning up to see if they have any no shows?