Saturn's Iceland and Norway's Arctic Explorer-July 19-August 2 LIVEish

[jkadventures]

Quick question-is there any need for Icelandic currency? From everything we’ve read, we think we won’t need any since cards are accepted everywhere. Did you need any cash? We just want to be sure in case it might be necessary. Thanks!
 

The whale sighting looked amazing!

[Clay Clayton]

13 hours ago, aungrl said:

Picture of the pelt?

Sorry, I thought I had posted it. 

[Clay Clayton]

2 hours ago, jkadventures said:

Quick question-is there any need for Icelandic currency? From everything we’ve read, we think we won’t need any since cards are accepted everywhere. Did you need any cash? We just want to be sure in case it might be necessary. Thanks!
 

The whale sighting looked amazing!

The only reason would be if you wanted to tip a guide. Everything else in Iceland and so far in Norway has been cashless. Just tap and go!

[WanderingBrit]

15 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

The only reason would be if you wanted to tip a guide. Everything else in Iceland and so far in Norway has been cashless. Just tap and go!

Rick Steves has been posting very recently from Iceland and describes it as a cashless society now.

[LindaS272]

1 hour ago, Clay Clayton said:

The only reason would be if you wanted to tip a guide. Everything else in Iceland and so far in Norway has been cashless. Just tap and go!

Agree. We were in Iceland for five days til yesterday. We got $100 in ISK from ATM in Isafjordur just in case. Had about 190ISK leftover ($1.50) and donated it at the airport.

[wynnsr]

1 minute ago, LindaS272 said:

Agree. We were in Iceland for five days til yesterday. We got $100 in ISK from ATM in Isafjordur just in case. Had about 190ISK leftover ($1.50) and donated it at the airport.

Similar story with us.  Still have most of what we got.  Think we'll give it to exceptional crew member(s) as we think they'll be back in Iceland. 🤑

[Twitchly]

44 minutes ago, wynnsr said:

Similar story with us.  Still have most of what we got.  Think we'll give it to exceptional crew member(s) as we think they'll be back in Iceland. 🤑

That’s what we did with the British pounds we had left from our cruise in the UK. 

[PasadenaDave]

3 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

Sorry, I thought I had posted it. 

You had posted it, not here but on Instagram.

[Avery's Gram]

Your reindeer pelt looks wonderful, but beware!  Do not sit on it wearing black fleece…..or you may spend a lot of time picking reindeer hair out.  We were on the Northern Lights trip last year and learned the hard way!

 

Barbara M. In NH

[KTRaveller]

On 7/24/2023 at 6:44 AM, Clay Clayton said:

We asked if the Buffalo were no longer offered and the waiter said they weren't on the menu but said he would ask the chef to make us some if we would like.  We declined.  

We've hardly used the pool grill on our two past cruises, but with your idea of adding grilled salmon to a salad, and the news about wings, we certainly will next cruise.  Thanks!

[KTRaveller]

On 7/24/2023 at 6:50 AM, Meander Ingwa said:

I am doing northern lights in January and am particularly excited to be back in London.  I discovered a fantastic hole in the wall wings place and eager to visit them again.

Any chance you'd pass on the name -- I'd love to let my daughter and her husband know about it.  They've lived in London now for 2 years and it looks like they are staying.  No room for us yet, but recent new job and promotion may mean they'll be able to host us someday!

[mariners]

Thanks so much for writing such detailed accounts of your cruise, and also your photographs.  It has really helped me to learn about the experience onboard Viking Ocean.  I can't wait for our first cruise on the line in December.

 

 

[Mpc524]

3 hours ago, PasadenaDave said:

You had posted it, not here but on Instagram.

Clay, are you allowed to bring the pelt into the USA? Did you need special papers?

[aungrl]

8 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

Sorry, I thought I had posted it. 

Thank you.  Very pretty!  Are they shipping it to you or are you carrying it home?

[TayanaLorna]

19 hours ago, mom0f3 said:

We did the “Better Moments” walrus safari in Svalbard.  Small boat with 12 people, and got up close and personal with the walruses—did a landing on the beach and walked single file with our guide to within about 10 meters of the walruses—amazing!

I am the Walrus....

[TayanaLorna]

3 hours ago, Avery's Gram said:

Your reindeer pelt looks wonderful, but beware!  Do not sit on it wearing black fleece…..or you may spend a lot of time picking reindeer hair out.  We were on the Northern Lights trip last year and learned the hard way!

 

Barbara M. In NH

YES!  When we cruise i am delighted to be able to wear black without being covered in dog hair (we have only 2 now). In the EL I always fold those pelts to the skin side to avoid the shedding.

[Meander Ingwa]

2 hours ago, KTRaveller said:

Any chance you'd pass on the name -- I'd love to let my daughter and her husband know about it.  They've lived in London now for 2 years and it looks like they are staying.  No room for us yet, but recent new job and promotion may mean they'll be able to host us someday!

Thunderbird Fried Chicken just along from the  Earls Court tube  station.  My wings were fresh and perfectly  done, big and crisp and super juicy inside

 

there are a lot of interesting places along this road and in this area.  I see Kungfu on Ealrs Court and Nevern Pl had hand pulled noodles and a lot of different treatments.  If they are inclined to spicy chinese this might also be a good place to discover.  It is on my calendar for next January when I am back for Northern Lights

 

[Avery's Gram]

24 minutes ago, TayanaLorna said:

YES!  When we cruise i am delighted to be able to wear black without being covered in dog hair (we have only 2 now). In the EL I always fold those pelts to the skin side to avoid the shedding.

When asked what color upholstery I wanted on a new chair, I said “Liza colored.”  Liza was an oatmeal colored rescue, much loved, enough to make up for the constant shedding.  
 

 

[ellenw]

3 hours ago, mariners said:

Thanks so much for writing such detailed accounts of your cruise, and also your photographs.  It has really helped me to learn about the experience onboard Viking Ocean.  I can't wait for our first cruise on the line in December.

 

 

You will love Viking!

[Squiglzz]

Clay, can you pretty please take some pictures of the menus?  Including the drink menus? Is there any scotch whisky on the menus? Champagne? 

[Peregrina651]

Clay, don't forget to include the Torshavn bar menu because that's where they hide the premium single malts (not free but discounted with the drinks package because they are over $50 a shot).

[Clay Clayton]

14 hours ago, KTRaveller said:

We've hardly used the pool grill on our two past cruises, but with your idea of adding grilled salmon to a salad, and the news about wings, we certainly will next cruise.  Thanks!

Tuna is available at the grill. Don't know about salmon. 

[Clay Clayton]

Another beautiful day aboard in Norway!  Ported this morning in Honningsvåg and it was very foggy but cleaning now. In fact Saturn's fog horn entered one of my dreams during the night!😂. We are headed out as soon as the laundry is done. 

[Clay Clayton]

8 hours ago, Squiglzz said:

Clay, can you pretty please take some pictures of the menus?  Including the drink menus? Is there any scotch whisky on the menus? Champagne? 

Here is tonight's menus.  I'll start a new thread with bar and wine menu. 
 

[Clay Clayton]

After breakfast in the World Cafe we did a load of laundry and then we went for a short walk into town.  It's obviously mostly a fishing village with a couple of touristy shops thrown in. Mike bought some Christmas ornaments which is typically what we buy as our souvenirs from trips (the pelt is usual as we have downsized a lot). 
 

Then back on board for a bit before our included drive up to the North Cape. Mike and I had a light lunch in Mamsen's.  Bowls is split pea soup, shrimp for Mike, beet and boiled egg for me, with a waffle for Mike and Prince's cake for me.