Iona cruise report.

[Funboy]

PART !.

 

Just back from Iona/Norway cruise and to be honest it was a very mixed trip..

The embarkation was reasonably quick although  our coaches were told not to arrive before 3.30 pm so we were among the last to board the ship. We managed to still book two nights in the Olive Grove although they messed it up as we were booked in at 6pm both nights but arrived to find it was changed to 6.45! but they fitted us in on the first night. On the second night (Wednesday) they said our booking was Friday at 6.45. No it was not so eventually they fitted us in at 6.30. It was nearly empty on both occassions.

On the Sunday (sea day) we booked the Wavelength show in the theatre for 2pm. Along with a couple of hundred others we queued for about 40 mins before someone came out of the theatre and said there wasn't a show booked today. No apologise, no notification, just a locked door.

On Monday in Stavanger the weather was good to begin with..some sun so we walked into the centre near the lake...and then the rain came, and boy, did it pour down. Soaking wet despite an anorak we joined the bedraggled queue to get back on board. We were there for around 30 mins in the pouring rain as the queue only dwindled very slowly.

 Alesund and Olden were ok with decent weather and we had a good long walk in the latter. The last port of call..Haugesund was a different matter. The distance into the main area(which consists of a long shopping street) is around an hours walk for two 76 year olds. There is a shuttle bus but it charges about £6 each for the ride. Why no free shuttle from P&O? Anyway, for the life of me I cannot understand why it is still on the agenda for a visit! It must rank as one of the most boring places in Norway.

I have to say the food in general was excellent except for the penultimate night in the Horizon when the full menu was Indian. The place was half empty and a large number of people seemed to join us going to the Quays.

Part 2 later.

.

 

[TigerB]

Thanks for the first report, @Funboy

 

Having previously made the not-at-all easy trip from the port to the town centre in Haugesund with a wheelchair user, I also cannot understand why P&O do not lay on a shuttle for the physically impaired. 

[smokey01]

On 6/25/2024 at 3:32 PM, Funboy said:

Haugesund was a different matter. The distance into the main area(which consists of a long shopping street) is around an hours walk for two 76 year olds. There is a shuttle bus but it charges about £6 each for the ride. Why no free shuttle from P&O? Anyway, for the life of me I cannot understand why it is still on the agenda for a visit! It must rank as one of the most boring places in Norway.

We went there last year and did a land train for about £22. It lasted approximately an hour but I wasn’t impressed with the town. Some of the trip felt like we were travelling through an industrial park, and the town appeared run down. Not what I expected of Norway. 

[TigerB]

@smokey01, I wouldn't be surprised if it is on the itinerary more out of convenience for P&O, for filling up with fuel before the return to Southampton, rather than for the cultural enlightenment of their passengers.

[Ardennais]

In April, we took the excursion to the Arquebus Museum from Haugesund - Resistance activity in WWII. Very interesting and well laid out. 

Edited Thursday at 12:33 PM by Ardennais

[9265359]

On 6/25/2024 at 3:32 PM, Funboy said:

except for the penultimate night in the Horizon when the full menu was Indian.

 

It is done to reduce the numbers going to the MDRs on what is normally a formal night because it is usually quite popular, and although a large part of the menu offering is Indian there is always a selection of non-curry food on as well.

 

On 6/25/2024 at 3:32 PM, Funboy said:

Haugesund was a different matter. The distance into the main area (which consists of a long shopping street) is around an hours walk for two 76 year olds. There is a shuttle bus but it charges about £6 each for the ride.

 

£6 return, not each way, and £3 vs an hours walk doesn't seem bad value.

[Funboy]

1 hour ago, 9265359 said:

 

It is done to reduce the numbers going to the MDRs on what is normally a formal night because it is usually quite popular, and although a large part of the menu offering is Indian there is always a selection of non-curry food on as well.

 

 

£6 return, not each way, and £3 vs an hours walk doesn't seem bad value.

Sorry to disagree but the Indian Menu included all the hot dishes (and a number of the salads) and much of the cakes etc for afters. The menu was not all curries but mainly spicy dishes which my wife cannot eat.  How that cuts numbers at the MDR is anybodies guess as more people left the Horizon to eat elsewhere thus increasing the numbers at the MDRs. The penultimate night on a seven day cruise is not a formal night and I cannot see the significance anyway. The point about the shuttle buses is that surely P&O should provide them as it does in many areas when it docks in a industrial  area.

[9265359]

21 hours ago, Funboy said:

Sorry to disagree but the Indian Menu included all the hot dishes

 

Even the roast that they always have on?

 

21 hours ago, Funboy said:

How that cuts numbers at the MDR is anybodies guess

 

Because on most cruises it is popular. At the time you went on your cruise it obviously wasn't but perhaps that was linked to the time you were there.

 

21 hours ago, Funboy said:

The point about the shuttle buses is that surely P&O should provide them as it does in many areas when it docks in a industrial  area.

 

Haugesund isn't in an industrial area that requires them for safety.

 

Should they provide them for the 1 mile walk from the ship to the centre of town - perhaps, but they don't so paying £3 each way if you don't want to walk the 1 mile isn't exorbitant.

[Funboy]

5 hours ago, 9265359 said:

 

Even the roast that they always have on?

 

 

Because on most cruises it is popular. At the time you went on your cruise it obviously wasn't but perhaps that was linked to the time you were there.

 

 

Haugesund isn't in an industrial area that requires them for safety.

 

Should they provide them for the 1 mile walk from the ship to the centre of town - perhaps, but they don't so paying £3 each way if you don't want to walk the 1 mile isn't exorbitant.

Sorry. I thought the massive engineering works you have to walk past was industrial. Obviously not. However  whilst the price for the shuttle is cheap P&O provide shuttles for smaller distances in other ports such as Barcelona. Why not here? As to the food maybe all British cruisers love Indian food but my wife does not and judging by the number of tables available at 7pm in the buffet not so many people did.. Whilst a roast may have been available the side dishes, ie vegetables and potatoes were all Indian.  This is only a personal comment  and everyone is entitled to their opinions, especially those who were actually on the cruise..

[Goosebear Mum]

We came off Iona 2 weeks ago, and I didn’t know about this Indian night. We tried, unsuccessfully, to find Horizon dinner menus at lunchtimes, to allow us to plan where to eat (as they’re posted on Aurora, we hoped for similar on Iona)

 

Indian night on Aurora was amazingly good, and so popular that many partake in it and the Horizon is full.   We only learnt about it from shared table dinner companions many years ago, after that we went every time.  

 

Maybe Iona needs to advertise the evening Horizon options.

We had relatively few (800) peninsular club passengers on our Iona holiday, this means many would not know how popular Indian night is on other ships.

 

 

[Angel57]

@Goosebear Mum - we may have been on the same cruise (G417).

I must admit I also saw no mention of Indian night whilst on board.

[alpha whiskey]

12 hours ago, Angel57 said:

@Goosebear Mum - we may have been on the same cruise (G417).

I must admit I also saw no mention of Indian night whilst on board.

We were on the same cruise too, and missed it. 😔

DS and girlfriend used the buffet that night and enjoyed the food as much as their evening in Sindu. 

We shall look out for it, for sure,  next time 👀😋

[Cruising Nomads]

Is not the theme for the Horizon meal at night published in the daily Horizon paper.

[9265359]

18 hours ago, Funboy said:

Sorry. I thought the massive engineering works you have to walk past was industrial.

 

Past not through. It isn't an industrial port where it would be dangerous to walk through and where shuttle buses are provided because of that.

 

Anyway, didn't you like the oil barrel sculpture...

 

 

18 hours ago, Funboy said:

P&O provide shuttles for smaller distances in other ports such as Barcelona.

 

Cruise terminal to the shuttle bus drop of point in Barcelona is two miles, whereas the centre of Haugesund is far less than one mile.

[Goosebear Mum]

2 hours ago, Cruising Nomads said:

Is not the theme for the Horizon meal at night published in the daily Horizon paper.

Just re-checked ours (brought them all home) and no. 

[Goosebear Mum]

Haugesund isn’t far, at 0.6 miles from the ship to the start of the ‘shopping area’. Google maps states 13 minutes to walk it.  We walk it easily, and none of the route is ‘ugly’. 

 

BUT, it includes a long drag up a bridge, which some people find tough. I feel sorry for those I see pushing wheelchairs.  

[Angel57]

28 minutes ago, Goosebear Mum said:

Just re-checked ours (brought them all home) and no. 

I’m glad you posted this as I was sure I hadn’t seen any info in the daily info sheet.

[Goosebear Mum]

15 minutes ago, Angel57 said:

I’m glad you posted this as I was sure I hadn’t seen any info in the daily info sheet.

I know. We missed having this info as we used to in Aurora, where the daily specials were listed and available on ‘day 1” (even last year)  

[Cruising Nomads]

When we were on Arvia in June they had the nightly theme in the Horizon buffet in the daily Horizon news sheet.

[Funboy]

4 hours ago, Goosebear Mum said:

Haugesund isn’t far, at 0.6 miles from the ship to the start of the ‘shopping area’. Google maps states 13 minutes to walk it.  We walk it easily, and none of the route is ‘ugly’. 

 

BUT, it includes a long drag up a bridge, which some people find tough. I feel sorry for those I see pushing wheelchairs.  

 

6 hours ago, 9265359 said:

 

Past not through. It isn't an industrial port where it would be dangerous to walk through and where shuttle buses are provided because of that.

 

Anyway, didn't you like the oil barrel sculpture...

 

 

 

Cruise terminal to the shuttle bus drop of point in Barcelona is two miles, whereas the centre of Haugesund is far less than one mile.

The official guide to Haugesund states that the walk is through the ports industrial area. The centre may be nearer buT it is mostly a steep climb up to and over the bridge.

 

[Funboy]

4 hours ago, Goosebear Mum said:

Haugesund isn’t far, at 0.6 miles from the ship to the start of the ‘shopping area’. Google maps states 13 minutes to walk it.  We walk it easily, and none of the route is ‘ugly’. 

 

BUT, it includes a long drag up a bridge, which some people find tough. I feel sorry for those I see pushing wheelchairs.  

We are 76 years old and mobile. The walk would take around an hour to reach the shopping area and there is virtually nothing of interest on the way. If anyone can do it in 13 mins then they must be Olympic walkers!

 

 

[Angel57]

8 hours ago, Funboy said:

We are 76 years old and mobile. The walk would take around an hour to reach the shopping area and there is virtually nothing of interest on the way. If anyone can do it in 13 mins then they must be Olympic walkers!

 

 

I agree that 13 mins is a very optimistic time to walk into Haugesund. I’m in my mid 60s and it took me about 25mins with stopping mid way to take some photos. It’s not that unattractive.

[Funboy]

5 hours ago, Angel57 said:

I agree that 13 mins is a very optimistic time to walk into Haugesund. I’m in my mid 60s and it took me about 25mins with stopping mid way to take some photos. It’s not that unattractive.

The  second phoyo shoiws around half the distance to be walked...all uphill to the middle of the bridge!.. I played rugby and am reasonably fit for a 76 yrs old but I still say it would take me around an hour to walk from ship to town centre. Anyway, people may not agree and after all we are all entitled to our own opinions.. Enough said on this from my point of view as my opinion obviously causes some discussion.