Bimmer 09 sails APEX to Iceland June 2023

[KLM3164]

48 minutes ago, Bimmer09 said:

We come from the land of ice and snow

From the midnight sun where the hot springs flow

The hammer of the gods

Will drive our ships to new lands...

Led Zeppelin “Immigrant Song”

[Bimmer09]

Before I forget here's a forgettable video I shot during our whale avoiding excursion in Akureyri.

Sorry about the wind noise but....it was windy!

 

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

                                       THE CASINO

I never gamble on a ship or on land when we visit Las Vegas and stay at the Bellagio.

I like ships that have a casino as many folks on board enjoy them and maybe come from a town that offers no access to one. It also helps thin out the crowds and provides revenue to the line to use as they will. New ships? Sure.

As we are in port today the casino is closed so the perfect time for pics.

FWD elevator goes to 16. AFT to deck 15. Casino is on deck 4.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jasperdo]

Loved your sailing into and sailaway photos of  Akureyri. I would have been glued to the deck railing the whole time. Stunning scenery!

[Bimmer09]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That's it!

[clanger]

1 hour ago, KLM3164 said:

Led Zeppelin “Immigrant Song”

Why am l always late to the party?😂one of my favourites.

So enjoying the review.

[Bimmer09]

I just received notification from CC that LauraS has recognized this as a LIVE Review, which of course it ain't and never will be. And I've earned a special badge. Whoo hoo!

I have a special banner before the first post.

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Isafjordur is a small town  but it is within a one hour drive from a major waterfall called Dynjandi (means Thunder and it ain't kidding). X offered a 5 hour tour with Dynjandi and then a small village to sample some local delicacies-in Iceland whose cuisine is in every high street around the world. I am eating a fermented shark burger as I write.  The X tour was on sale for only $453 per person. I found an independent operator called Arctic Express who just did the Falls in 3 hours and cost $70 p.p. I booked an 8.30 tour online and got a confirmation a month before we sailed.

 

A couple of weeks later they emailed me asking if we would mind taking a 12 o'clock tour instead as Jewel had to leave port at 3 pm. Sure, no problem. Instead of their 8 person minivans they were laying on a 51 seater tour bus. On our roll call many opted to accommodate them.

 

A week before the cruise an email canceling as they had "lost the bus". A refund a few days later.

Meantime I had found another local operator (and there are not a lot to choose from in a small town) called BS tours. 17 person Ford Transit available at @$105 p.p. Booked it! Many on the Roll Call not so lucky.

 

So today we will tender ashore and take the BS tour....

[Bimmer09]

We disembarked on deck 2 via Destination Gateway (pics of that later)

 A comfy ride ashore on padded seats

[D. B.]

On 6/21/2023 at 3:47 AM, Bimmer09 said:

Come gather 'round people wherever you roam...

It's jet-lagged Norris here, not awash in cheap grog from the rum barrel but awash in memories from our 4th Celebrity cruise. If ye'd sit a spell I'll tell ye a tale!

As usual in my Gentleman's Seafaring Journals there will be some "pirate speak" born from my love of the sea and my late dad, a ship's captain.

There will be a lot of APEX and the ports she sailed to.

There will be a lot of FOOD PORN and I'm not talking bole weevils in the ship's biscuits.

There will be PHOTOS (in color!) galore and videos too.

There will be hidden SONG LYRICS. Guess the song and you could win FABULOUS PRIZES- like this Broyhill 5 piece dinette set! (not pictured)

There will be MUSINGS on the Celebrity product and life in general.

There will, as always, be a CYBER BAR where you can drink anything you want but most of the top shelf stuff is gone (Mea Culpa)

There will be a lot of pics from AMSTERDAM (love at first sight)

 

Here, shipmates, is our Itinerary...

Day 1, June 3 Fly to Amsterdam from Chicago O'Hare airport

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bless me barnacles-that's a lot of places!

We flew home yesterday .....

 

Norris

Weevils? if one is smaller would it be "The Lesser of 2 Weevils" as per Master & Commander"?

[Bimmer09]

3 minutes ago, D. B. said:

Weevils? if one is smaller would it be "The Lesser of 2 Weevils" as per Master & Commander"?

I loved that movie and that scene.

Nice one! Welcome.

Norris

[Beachlover1989]

5 hours ago, Bimmer09 said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We leave Akureyri, the 2nd city, behind. It's far enough North that there was a small plane excursion to  a blip on the map that is in the Arctic Circle. Tickets were  about $1,000 and puffins might be seen. It would have been great conversation to drop "Have you been to the Arctic Circle?" casually into a conversation and one-up like a Pro. The value wasn't there.

 

Bed at 9 p.m! No show for us. During the night the ship will make its way to Isafjordur...

I read on a different thread, that in circumnavigating Iceland, you actually cross the Arctic Circle, but I would think the Captain would have said that if it was the case.

[dlh015]

I didn't know it was possible to gain weight from food pics. Then I realized that after seeing your pics I always ended up heading for the kitchen...🤔

[hcat]

6 hours ago, singinalot said:

stunning!!!

 

and I want to know all the history on this one 🤣

i agree... this one gets the 1st Prize!

[Bimmer09]

                            DYNJANDI FALLS

Once ashore I looked around for the BS Tours transit bus. We were early. I saw him and went to introduce myself. I was the first to do so and while it was quiet paid the driver who is the male half the husband and wife team that is BS. Others would soon do likewise .

By the time we were due to leave we were missing two passengers.

The driver, Bjorgvin, drove around the town looking for them and came back to the dock.

They missed their chance whomever they were.

I ran video during our scenic drive to the falls. It's a trim little town, like Akureyri, well cared for and the roads are in good shape- better than I am used to in Illinois for sure.

We pass through a two-way, one lane tunnel 4 miles long (6K) but they have carved out some pull ins to allow approaching cars to pass. There were many  people escape routes in case of a fire.

 

We stopped by a lake for some photos and a leg stretch.

 

 

 

We passed many waterfalls and green fields and fields with sheep and their lambs frolicking.

After an hour we'd arrive at Dynjandi..

[Bimmer09]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynjandi

 

There's a red and a blue person on the ridge closest to the falls to give scale.. (click photo/zoom)

Carol is 1/3 of the way up (dark jacket, pale blue jeans, cool shades)

The falls and the rocks are static so there's no posing them the way you would a fashion model.

 

To justify my not climbing all the way up I say the lower falls are where the interest lies

 

 

 

More

[Bimmer09]

 

 

The car park

 

The rest rooms

 

 

 

back towards the ship but Bjornvin wants to stop at a friend's house to see some Islandic ponies

We had 45 minutes at the Falls which is enough if you don't have to climb all the way up.

SO far the only rain we have seen in Iceland was some drizzle as we drove towards that big lake. It was done when we got there.

[bobmacliberty]

17 minutes ago, Bimmer09 said:

 

There's a red and a blue person on the ridge closest to the falls to give scale.. (click photo/zoom)

 

Wow.  I had to click through to even be sure that I was looking at people rather than rocks.  The upper falls must be huge.

[Jim_Iain]

On 6/26/2023 at 3:01 PM, jwlane said:

Do I dare pop the bubble and reveal it's not the hull?  It's another art installation---on the other side is the hallway to the Deck 3 cabins.

 

Oops.  I gues I did.

Don't want to dispute with my best friend.    Are you sure?     You can look up and down at least one deck down and one up....

 

the do have heavy glass going Dow so you can’t slip in and fall. 
 

 

Edited June 28, 2023 by Jim_Iain

[Bimmer09]

We are at the friend's farm

 

 

The driver goes to see the horses

 

 

They pounce on him with their giant fangs and razor sharp claws- nope sorry! Sorry- I was thinking of tigers just then. Don't know what came over me. These were passive friendly animals..

 

One of them needed a back scratch and rolled on the ground

 

 

 

They drew a group from the bus which would include Carol who got to pet them. So cute!

 

 

They are in the video that will soon follow... 

 

[jwlane]

8 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

   Are you sure?     You can look up and down at least one deck down and one up....

 

Think of where this is located---Deck 3.  There are cabins (with windows) on the outer "hull" (check the deck plans).  The "heavy glass" are mirrors---look carefully, one can see the reflected image.  It's a great illusion.

[kwokpot]

14 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

Don't want to dispute with my best friend.    Are you sure?     You can look up and down at least one deck down and one up....

 

the do have heavy glass going Dow so you can’t slip in and fall. 
 

 

The issue is that it's not on an exterior wall.There's cabins and then it's the dining rooms. 

[Bimmer09]

Bus window shots are dedicated to Jasperdo who likes the see the non-touristy stuff, as do I

 

 

 

[Walt fan]

You had me at waterfalls; and that is a massive one; absolutely beautiful scenery, it all just looks so peaceful

[perfect match]

Those falls are spectacular!