LIVE Norwaylady & The Queen is coming to Infinity 6-16.5.24

[Arzeena]

20 hours ago, Norwaylady said:

 

 

 

Hello? Oh well, she had a sip of premium drinks 🤭🍸

 

 

 

Your Mum, her majesty, the Queen looks smashing! I love that outfit.

[hcat]

4 hours ago, Norwaylady said:

It was salmon, prosciutto melon, salmon mousse canapés and bbq meat sticks, schrimp tempura and something else tempura. 
It looked delicious and nicely plated. 
But I was feeling full from my late breakfast😅 (bad planning😝) 

 

They had plenty of time and it was not rushed at all🥰 

Captain Ioannis said a few words about the sail in to Istanbul and the weather forecast for our stay there. 

It was definitely not overcrowded and plenty of space for everyone🥰

Looks like they are treating you and the  Queen quite regally.. Reminds me of how Celeb used to be before the Royal C takeover!

[Norwaylady]

After the captain’s club party it was a little down time on the sun lounger for me… 

It was the waiting game before we started the process for further sailing to Istanbul. 

Close to 16.00 Captain Ioannis came on the PA system to notify that we are starting the process. 

I had already scouted around on deck… you know that thrill some of us have for events like this😝😅🤩🥳 (I know Mr would loved it😍) 

 

 

The pilot arrived onboard 

 

I left for the top deck forward😇 (YES, you know that design error on Edge class) On Infinity you can have it ALL🤩 

 

 

 

Great location for viewing both sides🤩 on port side you are passing the British, Anzac and Turkish 🇹🇷 memorial from the war. 

 

 

 

 

 

We didn’t go for lunch today and at 16.30 I was feeling it…. My tummy was empty😋

So I hoped for the best and crossed my fingers for some afternoon tea🫖

Yes 🙌🏻 

It was hidden away, but it was scones, biscuits, 3 types of sandwich. Roastbeef, tuna and ham. 

 

I was saved from a starving death🤣🤣

And the best was the almost empty terrace and the view…. Yes THE view🤩🤩

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At 17.30 I asked the Queen… how long time do we need to get ready for evening chic😅 1h she said😝

So now I’m just returned to our stateroom and it’s time to get dressed for an evening chic evening💋💃🏻💃🏻

[Norwaylady]

21 minutes ago, hcat said:

Looks like they are treating you and the  Queen quite regally.. Reminds me of how Celeb used to be before the Royal C takeover!

it was really a bliss of old times, before they started to “fix” on something they shouldn’t✨⚓️✨

So absolutely 💯 of 💯 for the meting today. 
Compared to Easter 🐣 cruise on EQ this was really a well done event. 

[Norwaylady]

Just a little after 18.00 we passed under the bridge. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Perfect timing for me🙃 

 

[Barwick Cruiser]

Well done on the bridge video, lovely day and fairly calm waters! Thanks again for taking us all along! 
Cathy

[hcat]

perfect pics and video.. sun cooperated!

[Norwaylady]

We made it to the show😝 

The Queen was not ready on time😅😆

So we had to move one row lower than preferred seating. 

 

Well the show must go on….

Tonight’s show is Barricade Boys. (Yes I’ve seen them a million times😝) 

So I was hoping for the “good” set list today😇 

YES 👍🏻 

They did the potpourri set😁

 

Everyone loves this show and they will always give the audience a good time🎶🕺🏻🕺🏻🕺🏻🕺🏻

Motown, Les Miserable, Jersey Boys, Queen…. You know how it goes🎶

 

 

 

 

[Missusdubbya]

Wonderful review so far, thank you!

[Lastdance]

Istanbul...how exciting and in beautiful weather too.  Just you and the queen cruising together and enjoying that wonderful mother-daughter time on the high seas with😀 special treatment too!

[Norwaylady]

Dinner tonight..

Tonight’s menu: 

The menu set is a great set😁

 

We had salmon, salad and duck 🦆 

 

 

The Queen wanted potatoes for the main… 

Food was good and presentation was okay. 

 

Dessert menu

 

Hurrah 🙌🏻 it’s after eight ice cream 🍨 

My favourite dessert💚🤎💚

 

Hmmmm 🫣🫥 what the heck happened? 

What is going on? It tastes just like egg whites😑🙄🫨😵😵‍💫🥴

Really just 😮‍💨🥴🤢😵😵‍💫 not good. 

 

Definitely fish food🤭🫣🫠🫡

Is the ice cream chef ill or have he jumped off the ship? 

I don’t want to complain…. But this ice cream was really inedible🥺☹️😞

It was worse than the chocolate ice cream on day 1. 

So out the back door it went and apple crumble and crème brûlée arrived. 

 

They were all better. But no fireworks and big compliments to dessert department. 

But really, they need to work on their ice cream. The ice cream is just bad😔

The ice cream on the apple crumble is supposed to be the Tahiti vanilla ice cream. 
Compared to the ice cream on EQ, this is Lidl ice cream at your best. 
I could not find a single black dot from a vanilla bean. And it’s definitely not tasting as a real vanilla ice cream. Vanillin, Yes🫡

 

After dinner it was bed time 🥱 

[DaKahuna]

Alexandrea — Loving your pictures and dialog as always.  Glad to see you and your mom enjoying yourselves.  

 

Others have commented about the ice cream being different.  We’ve not tried it by itself so far, except for a scoop of butter pecan and a scoop of chocolate that I had in the buffet early in the cruise.   We just had the uzupon sorbet in Sushi on 5 and it was delicious.  I will try to remember to just ice cream as a desert with one meal and report back on how it was. 

 

 

[depplep]

Really excited for Istanbul. I know you said you weren't doing any tourist stuff but hoping for a few pictures?🤞

[Norwaylady]

The ladies are in Istanbul🇹🇷 

We left the ship 09.30 this morning🙂

We are docked at Galataport. 

We started our day in MDR breakfast

 

 

We had some Greek yogurt, berries and coffee. 
The Queen also had some French toast. 
 

We left the ship 09.25 straight off and walked the terminal zigzag to get out. 
 

Since we have visited Istanbul several times and visited everything. 
Our plan for our stay is not locked. 
 

The Queen wanted some shopping, easy walking and Grand Bazar…. 
I tried to tempting her by a food tour or other activities…. 
No luck so far😝

 

So we will see how this goes😅

[Norwaylady]

We are back on the ship😅⚓️

The Queen has dumped into a chair in Al Bacio😝

 

So let’s go back to the morning. 

We left the ship a little before 09.30 and we walked to the tram station. The closest is out and turn left as you leave the port entrance. 

We needed to get public transportation tickets 🎟️ (it’s for sale on machines on all stations. Cash or card) 

The Queen was “fixing” it🫣 It was a line. 

I said to her that a 10-tickets card was the easiest thing for us during our stay in Istanbul. 

She got a 10-ride card. 

You just tap for each person and go. 

 

We jumped on the first tram in direction to Kabatas. It’s the final destination on the line. 

From Kabatas you take the funicular up to Taksim. (You can walk, but it’s uphill and NOT advised for the Queen or others who have mobility concerns) 

From Taksim and downhill, it’s easy to walk. 

From Taksim to Galata Tower you have shopping, shopping 🛍️ and restaurants. 

Cats are all over town🐈‍⬛🐈🐈‍⬛🐈🐈‍⬛

 

 

We had to do some shopping😅😝🛍️

I ended up getting 2 new pair of shoes. (Remember I broke a pair on Edge?😳😑 it’s a replacement for them😅) 

 

The Queen bought a scarf or two😂😅😝🛍️

 

After the shopping morning, we need to have a little stop. 🛑 

Some Turkish coffee ☕️ for The Queen and a little bit of Turkish bread starters. 

 

 

After our little stop, it was time to continue our journey. 

 

We passed Galata Tower and ended down on the Karaköy tram stop. 

 

 

 

 

 

The Queen didn’t want to walk the bridge. 

So we jumped on the tram to Bayazit (Grand Bazar). 

 

The Queen wanted to go to Grand Bazar (so I thought that if we do it on day 1… I have ticket off her wishes😝😅🤭) 

So off we went, it’s a Bazar and it’s GRAND😂🇹🇷🛍️ 

So brush off your haggling skills and prepare yourself for a crazy visit and vibe. 

 

 

The Queen wanted a similar handbag 👜 as she already has at home…. It’s getting worn after long service😅 she bought it her on her first visit to Istanbul (and we didn’t find one on our walk from Taksim to Karaköy) 

Bingo! 

 

We did find one ☝🏿 

Happy Queen🤩🥰🥳

 

After the haggling we said it’s done🤗 let’s get outside and have a walk towards Galataport. 

 

The Queen wanted to have a stop for some tea and Turkish 🇹🇷 delight. 

 

So then it was just to go all-in😋🤣

 

I said to the server, bring it on! 🇹🇷

 

 

He did🤣🤣🇹🇷

 

After the overload of Turkish 🇹🇷 delights, we needed to walk a little bit….

 

We walked until the Queen asked for the tram back to Galataport. 

So we jumped onboard and headed back to the ship. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We pinged back onboard at 18.00. 

So we have toured around for a while😌

[Arzeena]

10 hours ago, Norwaylady said:

arrival cards

 

 

Love your nails. The polish looks very nice. Did you get them done onboard?

[Arzeena]

Love your pictures of Istanbul.

 

[hcat]

Our neighbor is from Istanbul..I will show her the pics to see if she knows all the tourist spots!

 

  She, husb and toddler dtr are due for a visit to see her mom..but are happier when the mom comes here for  longer visits.  Not easy when family is far away..but luckily  all were safe when they had the big  earthquake

 

Glad the Queen is happy!.

 

 

[depplep]

Thank you so much for the pictures. I love it!

[Jim_Iain]

So excited to see and hear of your time in Istanbul.      Never been before and will be taking a cruise from there in Nov 2025

 

I think we will be spending 2-3 days there per-cruise.

[Jim_Iain]

11 hours ago, Norwaylady said:

Hmmmm 🫣🫥 what the heck happened? 

What is going on? It tastes just like egg whites😑🙄🫨😵😵‍💫🥴

Really just 😮‍💨🥴🤢😵😵‍💫 not good. 

 

We thought it was just us but on Solstice the Ice Cream really wasn't good at all.    Tasted like ultra cheap ice milk.   The taste on the Vanilla Ice Cream also was just off.

[MikeMary4449]

Thank you so much for posting your pictures of Istanbul.  We visited there in 1983 on our very first cruise.  The pictures have brought back some wonderful memories of all those years ago!  Maybe it's time for us to revisit this amazing city!

[Norwaylady]

1 hour ago, Arzeena said:

Love your nails. The polish looks very nice. Did you get them done onboard?

I did them myself😅 

The nail polish is IsaDora, wonder nail, colour: 581 Pearl girl. 
it’s a light pearly shimmery colour. 
Really nice colour🥰

 

I love this and the colour called Vintage Rose. 
They are classic and very nice looking. 

[Norwaylady]

40 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

So excited to see and hear of your time in Istanbul.      Never been before and will be taking a cruise from there in Nov 2025

 

I think we will be spending 2-3 days there per-cruise.

Istanbul is a fantastic city 🇹🇷🇹🇷🇹🇷

You need 3-days at least to do it all in a comfortable timeframe. 
 

You can rush through everything, but I strongly recommend at least 3-days so you can have dinners out and soak into Istanbuls potpourri of Arabic, Europe and Asia. 

[Norwaylady]

38 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

We thought it was just us but on Solstice the Ice Cream really wasn't good at all.    Tasted like ultra cheap ice milk.   The taste on the Vanilla Ice Cream also was just off.

It’s crazy how big the difference from EQ is on the ice cream. 
It’s completely different😞