Spitzbergen Boudicca

[stephen@stoneyard.co.uk]

We have just booked the Spitsbergen cruise on Boudicca in August. We did this cruise in 2007 having booked a year ahead. We enjoyed the cruise and always planned to do it again. Fred Olsens small ships are great for this type of itinerary.

 

This time we waited for a late saver guarantee offer. Does anybody know when we can expect to know our cabin number? Will it be on our tickets or will we have to wait until we board. All I currently know is it will be an outside.

 

I have never cruised for Newcastle before. Any advice? I gather we depart from a ferry terminal.

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Stephen.

[merecat]

Hi Stephen , I,m on a late saver on my next cruise and have recieved my cabin number with my tickets ,dineing room and time adviced when I board.

 

When I sailed on the ferry to Norway last year from Newcastle ,Boudicca was at a different berth up river, it was all sign posted ,eg." Boudicca this way"

 

sort of thing ,however now the ferry to Bergen has stopped she may go into that terminal ,even so it will I,m sure be all sign posted as you go into Newcastle.:)

[stephen@stoneyard.co.uk]

Thank you for that information. I will look forward to my tickets and seeing which cabin we have been allocated. Fred Olsen have some very good late saver offers. I like the Boudicca. Small, comfortable and not at all Las Vegas.

 

I will just have to relax and follow the signs when we arrive at Newcastle. I am so relaxed with Southampton docks. Dover was a pleasant surprise. You did not have to drive to the town centre and the old railway terminal was a delight.

 

It is sad about the Norway ferry service. We have seen it arrive in Bergen and I think Stavanger. Last time we were on Queen Victoria and I must say the ferry was the better looking ship.

 

Best wishes, Stephen.

[cartmeller]

Stephen - the Port of Tyne isn't actually in Newcastle, if you're coming from the south I'd recommend you follow signs and take the Tyne tunnel not Newcastle city route. The 'port' is very well signposted as you leave the tunnel. This avoids the city bridges, congestion and confusion!

 

We are also booked on the Spitzbergen cruise 5 August 2009, maybe see you there!

[Kez100]

Our late saver last year we weret old we would know cabin on check in - we were actually given it on tickets. Dining arrangements were when on board.

[stephen@stoneyard.co.uk]

> the Port of Tyne isn't actually in Newcastle, if you're coming from the south I'd recommend you follow signs and take the Tyne tunnel not Newcastle city route. The 'port' is very well signposted as you leave the tunnel. This avoids the city bridges, congestion and confusion!

 

Thank you. In the end we have decided to take the train. We have booked a hotel in Newcastle the night before and will get a taxi to the port. What with the cost of parking and petrol, a budget hotel and cheap rail tickets were about the same price.

 

> We are also booked on the Spitzbergen cruise 5 August 2009, maybe see you there!

 

Definitely.

 

We really enjoyed this cruise in 2007. So hopefully everything will be as good this time. I cannot wait.

 

Best wsihes, Stephen.

[cartmeller]

Which hotel have you chosen? I can suggest restaurants or things to do while you are in town if you wish? We live 12 miles from Newcastle so will just take a taxi to the cruise port.

 

Have you seen this?

http://www.portoftyne.co.uk/sitepage.aspx?id=144

 

Can you advise on clothing for the cruise. We've each bought a good waterproof jacket and I figured with layers that would be enough. According to the FOCL website it's still zero degress in Spitzbergen!

 

We're really looking forward to it. My Dad is going with us and we're all on gtee so eagerly anticipating cabin numbers.

 

Thomson Spirit is in the Tyne today, think we'll pop up and have a look at her.

[stephen@stoneyard.co.uk]

We are staying at the Holiday Inn Express. Aparently it is very near the station. Unfortunately I am working the day before departure so our train will not get into Newcastle untill 11PM.

 

In terms of weather it was mixed, from hot and sunny when leaving the UK. Though rain on the way up the coast. Spitzbergen was cold (5c) and sunny. Who knows what it will be like this year. I tended to go for jeans with a tshirt, jumper, fleece and gortex coat. I also had gloves and a hat with flaps over my ears. Not the most elegant. I remember playing shuttleboard one day and sheltering in doors betwean turns. I also remember having lunch in the sun on deck. It does not make packing easy. Layers is the way to go.

 

It is fun waiting for the cabin allocation. Last time we had a balcony but booked eighteen months in advance, This time we thought we would wait for a bargain and not bother about a balcony. On a ship like Boudicca on a cold cruise there is never going to be a shotage of deck space.

 

Thanks for the link to Port of Tyne.

 

Best wishes, Stephen.

[cartmeller]

The Holiday Inn Express isn't far from the station and it should be a bit quieter on a Tuesday night in the area, it can be noisy and busy with Hen and Stag parties at weekends! Turn left as you come out of the station and follow the road past - Life Centre and the hotel is along the road on your right.

 

No news on cabins yet!? We upgraded from BS to DS and on the day it happened I saw 1 BS re-appear in the availability list and a DS disappear. Coincidence?

[cartmeller]

I mean JS to DS!

[stephen@stoneyard.co.uk]

Thank you for the information regarding the hotel. We have not had a cabin allocation yet (no tickets and not online). We have booked an outside guarentee so could be anywhere. I shall just have to wait and see. It would be nice not to be at the back on the lowest deck but I will accept what I get.

 

Best wishes, Stephen.

[cartmeller]

Stephen,

 

If you try to book a particular cabin on the web now now there's only B, C and D left! Do you have a gtee level?

 

The website has been acting strange this morning and at one point was only showing BS available.

 

Maybe they're allocating as we speak!? :D

 

Counting down!

[stephen@stoneyard.co.uk]

No news on cabin yet. Our tickets should be here soon. We booked directly with Fred Olsen (a first for us) so I am hoping our tickets will be a bit quicker getting to us Current dailty high in Ny Alesund is 6c. I would guess it might be a couple of degrees colder for us.

 

Best wishes, Stephen.

[stephen@stoneyard.co.uk]

We have been given 3070. It is not too bad. Midships near the lifts and stairs. The only slight worry is the cabin is next to the entrance lobby. It will be noisy on port days but there are not many of those.

 

Any news yet?

 

Best wishes, Stephen.

[merecat]

Well you won,t have far to walk Stephan.:)

[cartmeller]

Stephen - How were you informed, is it in your on-line 'my-cruises' thing or have your tickets arrived? We haven't heard anything yet! Will let you know and we must meet up on board. Counting the days . . . .

[cartmeller]

This is brilliant

 

http://www.svalbard.com/webcam/

[stephen@stoneyard.co.uk]

> How were you informed

 

We have had our tickets. They came in the post on Friday. The cabin number was on the tickets and tags.

 

> Well you won,t have far to walk Stephan.

 

Thank you. When we come back tired from shore at least we will not have to take the stairs or queue for a lift. A definitive positive.

 

> http://www.svalbard.com/webcam/

 

Lovely. Thank you.

 

Counting the days at work. Just hoping to avoid the Swine Flu before we go. We have one chap down. I dont know what Fred Olsen do if you have it before your cruise.

 

Best wishes, Stephen.

[cartmeller]

http://174.133.163.122/scandinaviaindex.html

 

The Geiranger cam is exceptional

[cartmeller]

Got 5002, could be well positioned, though it's difficult to tell from available photographs! My Dad is still waiting for his tickets but his PIF wasn't completed till Monday gone so that's probably why!