3 Edible Wonders of Norwegian Fjords

On day 2 we explored the Norwegian Fjords from Alesund to Molde.  Here people live on small farms clinging to the hillside.  Today's dinner menu is a celebration of the edible wonders of the fjords, the fish, the lamb, and the apples from the northernmost commercial apple production in the world.  It is often described as he "Champagne of Apples".


Wonders of Fjords

Bacalao is the Spanish term for codfish but has come to mean the salted and dried cod that is wildly popular on the Iberian Peninsula. The area around Alesund has been a major expoter since the early 17th century but it is only the last century the fish has been prepared and eaten in Norwegian homes, and then often with Spanish or Portuguese inspired recipes.

The main course was Leg of Lamb from Hellesylt, a town near the picturesque Geirangerfjord, with baked vegetables and parsnip puree.

Dessert was "Veiled Farm Girls" which is baked apples served with ice cream.

Additional photos can be found on our Norway Shutterfly page

Norway's Coastal Kitchen
Click on the image to the right for more Blog posts about this trip.

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3 Top Attractions Flåm Norway

Save Best For Last

Norwegian Fjords Cruise 

Flåm, Norway

It's hard to believe but Flåm, Norway was our last Norwegian Fjord port of our 12 Night British Isles / Norwegian Fjords cruise. There is so much to do in this area, so we've narrowed the list to our Top 3 Picks.  These sites can be seen, with adequate time for each, during your port call in Flåm.

In order to see our top choices, we booked an organized Royal Caribbean tour, Overland to Voss, Tvinde & Stalheim. There were two offerings of that tour, one did the train first (as described in the tour description) and the other did the train in the afternoon following lunch. We opted for the latter.


Stalheim

Our day began with an early start by motor coach to the Stalheim Hotel. In order to get to the hotel, our motor coach had to navigate spectacular hairpin bends of Stalheimskleivane, the steepest road in Norway. The drivers definitely deserve every krone they receive in wages and tips.

Our bus driver did a wonderful job getting us to our destination safely. Once there we entered the hotel for coffee, tea, and cakes. We had plenty of time to explore on our own, taking in the splendid views of the Naeroy Valley, the river that runs through it and the magnificent waterfalls that graced the mountain walls.

Words cannot describe the scene adequately, so take a look at our Stalheim photo album for some pictures we took.

Tvinde 

Descending the windy mountain roads, our motor coach continued the tour to our next destination, Tvinde Waterfall.

As you can see from this picture, the waterfall cascades down the mountain side. There are rocks at the foot of the waterfall which make for great portrait shots with the waterfall in the background.  These are just a sampling of images from the waterfall. View the rest of our pictures in the Tvinde photo album.

Voss

We had time for a quick refreshment and then we reboarded the motor coach for our trip to Voss, where we would have a traditional Norwegian Lunch Buffet at the Fleischer's Hotel.

Following lunch we had time to explore the quaint town of Voss before heading to the train station for our trip back to Flåm.

In the center of town is Voss Church - Vangskyrkja which was built between 1271-77. It is still in use today. There is a small charge if you want to enter the church and take photos. My husband paid the fee and included in our Voss photo album, you'll find photos of the interior of the church.

Our all day tour continued via the Flam Railway from Voss to Myrdal Station. We changed trains in Myrdal. There was enough time between trains to explore the gift shop at the station and get some ice cream. Make sure you get some ice cream when you are in Norway - it was one of our favorite things to do.

Kjosfossen Waterfall
 
The final highlight of the tour was the photo stop at Kjosfossen Waterfall . We were allowed to disembark the train to get close up pictures of the magnificent waterfall. I have to admit, this is the first time I've been on a train which stopped for photos. The waterfall powers the Flåm Railway. For more pictures of the train trip from Voss to Flåm see our photo album.

Our train pulled into the station at Flåm. As we disembarked the train, we could see the Jewel of the Seas docked just a short walk away. There was some time for shopping in the stores by the pier before boarding the ship for our final sail-away in Norway. We had a day at sea the following day, then on to our final port, Amsterdam, Netherlands before returning to Harwich, England.

We hope that you've enjoyed your trip to the Norwegian Fjords. It's not quite the same as being there in person we know, so hopefully you will get there some day. If you've not quite had enough of the Norwegian Fjords, fear not -  we had another cruise which included the Norwegian Fjords, so in future articles, we'll tell you about that trip.

3 Top Things To Do in Hellesylt Cruise Port

Hellesylt, Norway

Recall from last time that we left the Jewel of the Seas in Geiranger, Norway for an all day tour, Journey to Briksdal Glacier . Usually you begin and end your tour in the same port of call, but that isn't the case with Geiranger. The ship stayed there for most of the day so people could stay in town if they chose to. At 3:30 PM, it set sail for Hellesylt, where the majority of the passengers, who'd been on tours, would rejoin the ship.

During My Cruise Stop in Hellesylt I'd...

Photograph a Waterfall

The site of the village on the mountain sides at the end of the Sunnylvs Fiord is exceptionally picturesque. Right through the centre, 100 meters from Grand Hotel, the Hellesylt waterfall gushes down into the Fiord. This waterfall is one of the most photographed sites in Norway. Of course, we were obliged to get a few pictures of our own.

Relax & Enjoy Picturesque Views

Hellesylt is a small village in the Stranda Municipality, which is a part of the Møre and Romsdal County in the western part of Norway. Our motor coach arrived in this little town and parked near the dock where we would board a tender boat to rejoin our ship.

Hellesylt is well known for for its colorful history, and in the old street most of the old buildings are still intact.  Our tour was behind schedule, so we didn't have much time before we had to board the tender boat.

Not Miss Sail Away

Before boarding the last tender boat, we clicked a few more pictures of the waterfall and of our ship, which despite its 90,090 gross tons, was dwarfed by the fjords.  Words cannot describe the view - you must bring a camera, or at least your smart phone, with you to capture this moment in time to cherish forever.

The tender boat had an upper level, which we selected so that we could capture images of the fjord and our ship from this vantage point.  The ship grew larger as we approached, but it was still dwarfed by its surroundings.


We had late dinner plans, so we were able to relax on our aft balcony verandah, enjoying a glass of wine with friends, as we sailed away (see photo album).

From Hellesylt we sailed for our next port of call, Flåm , where we would see an even more amazing waterfall.

Our 12 Night British Isles / Norwegian Fjords cruise continued to be an exceptional cruise with wonderful memories. When updating my website, and posting to this blog, I can't help but recall those fabulous days in the Norwegian Fjords. I do hope you get to experience this magnificent country some day. 

During My Cruise I'd Walk On a Glacier

Have You Visited Alaska?
Wasn't It Amazing?
Want To See More Spectacular Views?

Imagine a place where you'll see fertile valleys, majestic mountains, waterfalls and glaciers. Yes, you can even get up close to a glacier like the people in this picture. Join us on our journey to Norway and the exquisite Norwegian Fjords.

Geiranger, Norway

View from Your Balcony

I've left you imagining the Norwegian Fjords long enough. I can assure you that the picture you have in your mind is about to be surpassed. To the left is a picture from our balcony as we arrived in Geiranger, Norway. The stillness of the morning was broken by the sound of rushing water. The ship doesn't dock alongside a pier in Geiranger. Instead, the ship uses its lifeboats to tender the passengers ashore.

We booked the Journey to Briksdal Glacier RCCL shore excursion so we were one of the first passengers to disembark the vessel. We boarded our motor coach and drove through the small village of Geiranger arriving at the Flydal Gorge (approximately 1,000 feet above sea level) where we had a fantastic view of the fjord and ship below as you can see in this picture. Look how small the Jewel of the Seas looks in the middle of the fjord. From this overlook, we continued our journey up the mountain to Dalsnibba which is at 4500 feet elevation.

Dalsnibba is a mountain in Møre og Romsdal, Norway. It is located above the town of Geiranger, 7 km away from Geirangerfjord. It offers very good lookout opportunities and thus is a very popular tourist destination. Dalsnibba is often covered by the snow even in the summer. It is hard to tell whether you'll have a good view until you get to the mountain top. Unfortunately, there was extensive cloud cover and fog when we arrived. It did start to clear as we descended the mountain peak. Note the hairpin curves that the motor coaches had to make. There were times when one bus had to back up to allow another one to pass. It sure makes one glad they aren't the driver. Even with the overcast sky, the view was amazing.


Our tour continued as we drove down the mountain on our way to Briksdalen Mountain. When we arrived at at the Briksdalen Glacier, we disembarked the motor coach and entered Briksdal Inn for a typical Norwegian lunch. Following lunch we had free time to explore the glacier on our own.

There are three ways to get near the glacier - walking, riding in a horse cart, or riding in a jeep. Regardless of the method you choose, you will still need to walk on rugged terrain to get close to the face of Briksdal Glacier. Since we had limited time there, we opted for transportation by jeep. There is a nominal charge for both the jeep and the horse cart, so make sure you have some cash. You will definitely want to have a good pair of hiking shoes.

Here is a closeup of the glacial ice for those of you that haven't seen a glacier before. You'll notice the telltale bluish tint to the ice. It is possible to go onto the glacier itself, but it isn't practical with the limited amount of time during this particular organized tour. You probably wouldn't guess that we weren't on the glacier when we took this closeup picture. With today's cameras, it's possible to get great photos from a distance. We have two albums with pictures from this shore excursion. See our Geiranger album and Briksdal Glacier album for some more photos of this wonderful port of call.

Our tour wasn't complete at this point in time, so next time I'll tell you about our trip back to Hellesylt where we rejoined our ship.

2014-15 Northern Europe & Transatlantics

Royal Caribbean 2014-15
Deployments

Northern Europe as defined by the United Nations (marked blue):

Northern Europe

Western Europe

Eastern Europe

Southern Europe

Northern Europe
Transatlantics
Now Open

Northern Europe is the northern part or region of the European continent. A United Nations report published in 2011 defines Northern Europe as including the following ten countries and dependent regions: Denmark (with Faroe Islands), Estonia, Finland (with Åland), Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway (Svalbard and Jan Mayen), Sweden, and the UK (with Guernsey, Isle of Man and Jersey).

8 Ships in Europe for 2014

Royal Caribbean International will continue to scale back its ships in Europe in 2014, deploying only eight of its 22 vessels across the pond.

Demand for cruises in Europe continues to diminish as the price for air fare keeps summer travelers on this side of the pond.  In 2012, Royal Caribbean had a record 12 ship (out of 22) in the region.   For 2013, that number falls to nine with an additional ship dropping off the following year.

Royal's 2014 Europe deployment will include the Liberty of the Seas, Navigator of the Seas, Serenade of the Seas and Splendour of the Seas in the Mediterranean, and the Independence of the Seas, Adventure of the Seas, Brilliance of the Seas and Legend of the Seas in Northern Europe.  Missing from this list is Vision of the Seas.

• Adventure of the Seas^®: crossing from Miami to Southampton, England; sailing Norway, Iceland, and the Baltic, plus longer Mediterranean voyages. learn more
  
• Brilliance of the Seas^®: crossing from Tampa to Harwich, England; sailing Scandinavia and Russia, the fjords and Iceland. learn more
  
• Independence of the Seas^® crossing from Fort Lauderdale to Southampton; sailing to France, Spain and the Mediterranean. learn more
• Legend of the Seas^®: crossing from Fort Lauderdale to Copenhagen, Denmark; sailing Scandinavia and Russia, the fjords and Iceland. learn more

The Northern Europe and Transatlantic sailings on these ships is now open for booking.   The remaining ships, which will be sailing in the Mediterranean, will go on sail March 28th.

See the following for the entire 2014-15 Deployment schedule.  We will update links to the other areas as they are released.   2014-15 Royal Caribbean Deployments

Want to Sail to Europe in 2013

Now through the end of the month, there are some special offers which you might want to consider:

Royal Caribbean Europe Extravaganza

Transatlantic Beverage Package Offer

Celebrity Reflection and Constellation Europe 2013

Where Europe vacation dreams
become a reality.
2013 Europe Deployment

Celebrity Reflection^SM

Celebrity Reflection – which sets sail in October of this year, complete with the brand's first "Signature Suites" and jaw-dropping, two-bedroom "Reflection Suite," complete with a sea-view bathroom extending out over the edge of the ship, a veranda tub with soothing rain shower, and panoramic views courtesy of the wraparound veranda – will present a full season of 10- and 11-night sailings roundtrip from Rome. The 10-night itinerary features visits to Sicily, Italy; Athens, Greece and the Greek Isles, and Kusadasi, Turkey, while the 11-night sailing also features an overnight stay in Istanbul.

DESCRIPTION	SAIL DATE(S) 2013	ITINERARY
16-Night Eastbound Transatlantic Cruise	Apr 20	Miami, Florida; Tenerife, Canary, Islands; Lanzarote, Canary, Islands; Barcelona, Spain; Provence (Toulon), France; Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Italy; Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy
10-Night Eastern Mediterranean Cruise	May 17; Jun 07, 28; Jul 19: Aug 09, 30;Sep 20; Oct 11	Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy; Sicily (Messina), Italy; Athens (Piraeus), Greece; Ephesus (Kusadasi), Turkey; Rhodes, Greece; Santorini, Greece; Mykonos, Greece; Naples/Capri, Italy; Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy
11-Night Eastern Mediterranean Cruise	May 06	Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy; Santorini, Greece; Athens (Piraeus), Greece; Istanbul, Turkey (overnight); Ephesus (Kusadasi), Turkey; Mykonos, Greece; Naples/Capri, Italy; Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy
11-Night Eastern Mediterranean Cruise	May 27; Jun 17; Jul 08, 29; Aug 19; Sep 30; Oct 21	Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy; Santorini, Greece; Istanbul, Turkey (overnight); Ephesus (Kusadasi), Turkey; Mykonos, Greece; Athens (Piraeus), Greece; Naples/Capri, Italy; Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy
15-Night Westbound Transatlantic Cruise	Nov 01	Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy; Tenerife, Canary Islands; Basseterre, St. Kitts; Tortola, British Virgin Islands; Miami, Florida

Celebrity Constellation®

Celebrity Constellation – featuring guest-favorite enhancements incorporated in the line's Solsticizing initiative, including the Tuscan Grille specialty restaurant, Cellar Masters wine bar and Café al Bacio and Gelateria, among other venues and, by Spring of 2013, new AquaClass accommodations with exclusive access to the Mediterranean specialty restaurant, Blu – from May through August 2013 will present seven Scandinavia/Russia cruises, an Arctic Circle voyage and a Norwegian Fjords sailing, all roundtrip from Amsterdam. Then, from Istanbul, the ship will set sail on two new 12-night Black Sea & Greek Isles sailings, highlighted by an overnight stay in Odessa, Ukraine; visits to Sevastopol and Yalta, Ukraine, and Celebrity's first visit to Varna, Bulgaria. Celebrity Constellation will round out her summer season with four 12-night Greek Isles & Turkey voyages, all roundtrip from Istanbul.

DESCRIPTION	SAIL DATE(S) 2013	ITINERARY
15-Night Eastbound Transatlantic Cruise	May 05	Miami, Florida; Madeira (Funchal), Portugal; Lisbon, Portugal; Paris/Normandy (Le Havre), France; Dover, England; Amsterdam, Netherlands
12-Night Scandinavia & Russia Cruise	May 20; Jun 01; Aug 24	Amsterdam, Netherlands; Berlin (Warnemunde), Germany; Stockholm, Sweden; Helsinki, Finland; St. Petersburg, Russia (overnight); Tallinn, Estonia; Copenhagen, Denmark; Amsterdam, Netherlands
10-Night Norwegian Fjords Cruise	May 24; Jun 14; Jul 05	Harwich, England; Oslo, Norway; Stavanger, Norway; Olden, Norway; Alesund, Norway; Geiranger, Norway; Flam, Norway; Bergen, Norway; Harwich, England
12-Night Scandinavia & Russia Cruise	Aug 12	Amsterdam, Netherlands; Berlin (Warnemunde), Germany; Stockholm, Sweden; Tallinnn, Estonia; St. Petersburg, Russia (overnight); Helsinki, Finalnd; Copenhagen, Denmark; Amsterdam, Netherlands
12-Arctic Circle Cruise	Jun 13	Amsterdam, Netherlands; Arctic Circle (Crossing); Leknes (Lofoten), Norway; Arctic Circle; Longyearbyen, Norway; Arctic Circle; Honningsvag, Norway; Arctic Circle (Crossing); Molde, Norway; Bergen, Norway; Amsterdam, Netherlands
12-Night Norwegian Fjord Cruise	Jun 25	Amsterdam, Netherlands; Bergen, Norway; Olden, Norway; Molde, Norway; Geiranger, Norway; Alesund, Norway; Skjolden, Norway; Flam, Norway; Oslo, Norway; Amsterdam, Netherlands
12-Night Scandinavia & Russia Cruise	Jul 07, 19, 31	Amsterdan, Netherlands; Berlin (Warnemunde), Germany; Stockholm, Sweden; Helsinki, Finland; St. Petersburg, Russia (overnight); Tallinn, Estonia; Copenhagen, Denmark; Amsterdam, Netherlands

Celebrity Europe 2013 Deployment

Where Northern Europe vacation  dreams become a reality.
2013 Europe Deployment

Celebrity Infinity – the second of four Millennium Class ships to complete Celebrity's ambitious, $140-million 'Solsticizing' initiative, incorporating a host of guest-favorite venues and experiences from the Solstice Class, such as the hip Celebrity iLounge, the eclectic Qsine specialty restaurant, and AquaClass accommodations with exclusive access to the Mediterranean specialty restaurant, Blu – will make her European debut in 2013, offering new 10- and 11-night British Isles, Norwegian Fjords and Iceland & Fjords itineraries roundtrip from Harwich, England.

Celebrity Infinity^®

DESCRIPTION	SAIL DATE(S) 2013	ITINERARY
12-Night Eastbound Transatlantic Cruise	May 01	Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Ponta Delgada, Azores; Cherbourg, France; Bruges (Zeebrugge), Belgium; Harwich, England
11-Night British Isles Cruise	May 13	Harwich, England; Paris/Normandy (Le Havre), France; St. Peter Port, Channel Islands; Cork (Cobh), Ireland; Dublin, Ireland; Liverpool, England; Belfast, Northern Ireland; Glasgow (Greenock), Scotland; Inverness/Loch Ness, Scotland; Harwich, England
10-Night Norwegian Fjords Cruise	May 24; Jun 14; Jul 05	Harwich, England; Oslo, Norway; Stavanger, Norway; Olden, Norway; Alesund, Norway; Geiranger, Norway; Flam, Norway; Bergen, Norway; Harwich, England
11-Night British Isles Cruise	Jun 03	Harwich, England; Paris/Normandy (Le Havre), France; St. Peter Port, Channel Islands; Cork (Cobh), Ireland; Waterford (Dunmore East), Ireland; Dublin, Ireland; Liverpool, England; Glasgow (Greenock), Scotland; Inverness/Loch Ness, Scotland; Harwich, England
11-Night Iceland & Fjord Cruise	Jun 24; Jul 15	Harwich, England; Torshavn, Faroe Islands; Reykjavik, Iceland (overnight); Akureyri, Iceland; Geiranger, Norway; Bergen, Norway; Harwich, England
10-Night Norwegian Fjords Cruise	Jul 26	Harwich, England; Oslo, Norway; Kristiansand, Norway; Stavanger, Norway; Alesund, Norway; Geiranger, Norway; Flam, Norway; Bergen, Norway; Harwich, England
11-Night British Isles Cruise	Aug 05	Harwich, England; Paris/Normandy (Le Havre), France; St. Peter Port, Channel Islands; Cork (Cobh), Ireland; Dublin, Ireland; Liverpool, England; Belfast, Northern Ireland; Glasgow (Greenock), Scotland (overnight); Iverness/Loch Ness, Scotland; Harwich, England
10-Night Norwegian Fjord Cruise	Aug 16	Harwich, England; Oslo, Norway; Stavanger, Norway; Flam, Norway; Alesund, Norway; Geiranger, Norway; Olden, Norway; Bergen, Norway; Harwich, England
11-Night British Isles Cruise	Aug 26	Harwich, England; Paris/Normandy (Le Havre), France; St. Peter Port, Channel Islands, Waterfront (Dunmore East), Ireland; Dublin, Ireland; Liverpool, England; Glasgow (Greenock), Scotland; Iverness/Loch Ness, Scotland; Harwich, England
12-Immersive Wine Cruise	Sep 06, 18, 30; Oct 12	Harwich, England; Paris/Normandy (Le Havre), France (overnight); Bordeaux (Le Verdon), France (overnight); Bilbao, Spain (overnight); Vigo, Spain; Porto, Portugal; Harwich, England
14-Night Westbound Transatlantic Cruise	Oct 24	Harwich, England; La Rochelle, France; Gijon, Spain; Vigo, Spain; Lisbon, Portugal; Nassau, Bahamas; Miami, Florida

Celebrity Eclipse – named "Best from the UK" in Cruise Critic's Cruisers' Choice Awards (UK), and the first ship to debut the hip Celebrity iLounge and the eclectic Qsine specialty restaurant – will continue to offer a mix of distinct 14-night Mediterranean, Scandinavia/Russia, Iceland/Norwegian Fjords and Canary Islands/Azores holidays roundtrip from Southampton.

Celebrity Eclipse^®

DESCRIPTION	SAIL DATE(S) 2013	ITINERARY
13-Night Eastbound Transatlantic Cruise	Apr 20	Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Nassau, Bahamas; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; Southampton, England
8-Night Norwegian Fjord Cruise	May 03	Southampton, England; Molde, Norway; Alesund, Norway; Flam, Norway; Bergen, Norway; Stavanger, Norway; Southampton, England
14-Night Mediterranean Cruise	May 11	Southampton, England; Malaga, Spain; Provence (Toulon), France; Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Italy; Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy; Nice (Villefranche), France; Gibraltar, United Kingdom; Lisbon, Portugal; Southampton, England
14-Night Scandinavia & Russia Cruise	May 25; Jun 08,22; Jul 20; Aug 17	Southampton, England; Bruges (Zeebrugge), Belgium; Berlin (Warnemunde), Germany; Stockholm, Sweden; Helsinki, Finland; St. Petersburg, Russia (overnight); Tallinn, Estonia; Copenhagen, Denmark; Southampton, England
14-Night Iceland & Fjord Cruise	Jul 06	Southampton, England; Reykjavik, Iceland (overnight); Akureyri, Iceland; Klaksvik, Faroe Islands; Geiranger, Norway; Flam, Norway; Stavanger, Norway; Kristiansand, Norway; Southampton, England
14-Night Iceland & Fjord Cruise	Aug 03	Southampton, England; Reykjavik, Iceland (overnight); Akureyri, Iceland; Klaksvik, Faroe Islands; Geiranger, Norway; Alesund, Norway; Olden, Norway; Stavanger, Norway; Southampton, England
8-Night Norwegian Fjord Cruise	Aug 31	Southampton, England; Bergen, Norway; Flam, Norway; Geiranger, Norway; Alesund, Norway; Stavanger, Norway; Southampton, England
14-Night Mediterranean Cruise	Sep 08, 22	Southampton, England; Malaga, Spain; Nice (Villefranche), France; Rome, (Civitavecchia), Italy; Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Italy; Genoa, Italy; Gibraltar, United Kingdom; Lisbon, Portugal; Southampton, England
14-Night Canaries & Azores Cruise	Oct 06, 20	Southampton, England; Ponta Delgada, Azores; Madeira (Funchal), Portugal; Tenerife, Canary Islands; Gran Canaria, Canary Islands; Fuerteventura, Canary Islands; Lanzarote, Canary Islands; Lisbon, P ortugal; Southampton, England
13-Night Westbound Transatlantic Cruise	Nov 03	Southampton, England; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas; Nassau, Bahamas; Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Engine Fire on Hurtigruten MS Nordlys

MS Nordlys is now at the pier in Ålesund. 

 Engine Room Fire

Kills 2 Crew Members

UPDATE: September 19, 2011

Sailings through Mid-October Cancelled

Passengers from MS Nordlys are awaiting flights home in  Ålesund on Monday, September 19th, following an engine fire onboard the vessel last Thursday.  Approximately 75 guests will be departing during the day.   Hurtigruten will forward belongings back to their homes if they haven't received them by the time they leave.  They have a support staff onsite providing assistance to the passengers.

Tragically, two crew members died in the incident and two remain hospitalized.  All passengers were safely evacuated.  

Hurtigruten officials published the following statement on their website: "Hurtigruten wish to thank deeply all involved for their impressive contribution during the last days. Guests for their great patience and understanding, crew members and rescue workers for their professionalism and courage during the rescue operation."

More information: MS Nordlys update

An engine room fire aboard Hurtigruten MS Nordlys, around 9 AM Thursday, caused the death of two crew members and at least 9 others were injured.  According to Norwegian news Web site NRK, the 11,204-ton ship was just outside Ålesund in Norway's northwest when fire broke out in the engine room. The cause of the fire is under investigation.  There were 207 passengers and 55 crew onboard at the time.

In this dramatic video  below we see black smoke billowing from the smokestack while the emergency alarm sounds and passengers and crew gather on deck, prepared to evacuate.

Passengers were accommodated at the Rica Park Hotel before continuing on alternate cruises or returning home.  A hotline for passenger information is posted on Hurtigruten's website.  News reports indicated that the ship had been listing as much as 21.7 degrees at one point until pumps could be used to right the vessel.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the crew members that were injured or killed in this fire.

MS Nordlys sails the 12-DAY NORWEGIAN COASTAL VOYAGE from Bergen year round.

 

Royal Caribbean 2012 Harwich England

An international port located on the estuary of the rivers Stour and Orwell in northeast Essex, Harwich is one of England's busiest coastal towns. It's also just 69 miles from London. Throughout history, the town has been a crucial port, providing a sheltered anchorage for many ships. The old town of Harwich is a conservation area, where you'll discover many historic buildings. The neighboring town of Dovercourt is a bit more modern, but equally quaint and fascinating to explore.

2012 – Summer Europe & Transatlantic Sailings 


 JEWEL of the SEAS®

Ship Profile | Itineraries & Pricing   Deck Plans | Dining Menus | Wine Lists | Kids Programs | Ship Reviews | 360 Tours | Photos 

On May 3, 2012,  JEWEL of the SEAS® sails a 12-Night Eastbound Transatlantic from Miami, Florida to Harwich, England which will serve as its home port for the Summer 2012 season.   On August 31, 2012, the ship will sail a 16-Night Westbound Transatlantic from Harwich to Boston, Massachusetts.

12-Night Scandinavia and Russia

Harwich, England • Cruising Gothenburg, Sweden • Cruising • Tallinn, Estonia
St. Petersburg, Russia (overnight) • Helsinki, Finland • Stockholm, Sweden • Cruising
Copenhagen, Denmark • Cruising Harwich, England

12-Night Fjords and Iceland

Harwich, England • Cruising • Bergen, Norway • Flam, Norway • Geiranger, Norway
Lerwick/Shetland, Scotland • Klaksvik, Faroe Islands • Cruising
Reykjavik, Iceland (overnight) • Cruising • Harwich, England

2012 EUROPE CRUISETOUR DEPLOYMENT

 Get a local's view of the great cities and sights of Europe, as well as its hidden treasures. 

16-Night Paris & London Cruisetour #6EB

Featuring an 12-Night Scandinavia & Russia Cruise
& 4-Night Pre-cruise Escorted Paris & London Land Tour

May 11, 23; June 4, 28; July 10, 22; August 3, 15; 2012

Day 1: Paris
Day 2: Paris
Day 3: Paris/London
Day 4: London
Day 5: London/Harwich
Days 5-17: Jewel of the Seas®
12-Night Scandinavia & Russia Cruise

16-Night Paris & London Cruisetour #6EB

Featuring an 12-Night Fjords & Iceland Cruise
& 4-Night Pre-cruise Escorted Paris & London Land Tour

May 11, 23; June 4, 28; July 10, 22; August 3, 15; 2012

Day 1: Paris
Day 2: Paris
Day 3: Paris/London
Day 4: London
Day 5: London/Harwich
Days 5-17: Jewel of the Seas®
12-Night Fjords & Iceland Cruise

Princess Scandinavia - Russia - Norway 2012

Norwegian Fjords

Scandinavia, Russia & Norway cruises


From the glorious spires of St. Petersburg and the idyllic waterfront of Stockholm to the fjords of the Norwegian coast, Princess Cruises can show you all the inspiring sights of this breathtaking region on a wide selection of enticing cruise vacation options.

• See the best of the region on a Scandinavia & Russia cruise and longer sailings that reach the remote lands of North Cape.
• 7-day Interlude Cruises on large and small ships that visit the stunning coast of Norway or Scandinavia
• 2-Day Experiences in regal St. Petersburg to see all the palaces, museums and the city by night.
• Imperial Europe cruisetours pairing a 11-day cruise with visits to the cities of Berlin, Budapest, Vienna, and Prague.

If you are interested in this article, also see: 

Princess Cruises 2012-13 Europe Deployment 

Princess Mediterranean - Greek Isles - Holy Land 2012
Princess British Isles - Iceland - Canary Islands 2012

Itinerary	Itinerary Highlights†	Ship	2012 Dates
Norwegian Fjords Interlude	7 Nights London (Southampton or Dover), Stavanger, Olden/Nordfjord, Bergen, Hellesylt (drop-off for Geiranger Fjord Shore Excursion), Scenic cruising of Geiranger Fjord, Geiranger, London (Southampton or Dover)	Grand Ocean	Jul 21 Aug 10
Scandinavia	7 Nights London (Southampton), Brussels/Bruges (Zeebrugge), Copenhagen, Helsingborg, Oslo, London (Southampton)	Grand Caribbean	Jun 2; Aug 25 Jul 1
Scandinavia & Russia	11 Nights Copenhagen, Oslo, Aarhus, Berlin (Warnemünde), Tallinn, 2-day St. Petersburg Experience (includes 2 full days & overnight), Helsinki, Stockholm, Copenhagen	Emerald	May 12, 23; Jun 3, 14, 25; Jul 6, 17, 28; Aug 8, 19, 30
North Cape & Norwegian Fjords	12 Nights London (Southampton), Bergen, Hellesylt (drop-off for Geiranger Fjord Shore Excursion), Scenic cruising of Geiranger Fjord, Geiranger, Honningsvåg (for North Cape), Tromsø, Lofoten Islands (Gravdal), Flåm/Sognefjord, Stavanger, London (Southampton)	Caribbean	Jun 19
Scandinavia & Russia Collection	14 Nights London (Dover), Copenhagen, Klaipeda, Riga, Tallinn, 2-day St. Petersburg Experience (includes 2 full days & overnight), Helsinki, Stockholm, Kiel Canal Transit, Amsterdam, London (Dover)	Ocean	Jun 3; Jul 3
Baltic Heritage	14 Nights London (Southampton), Rotterdam (for Amsterdam), Copenhagen, Stockholm, Helsinki, 2-day St. Petersburg Experience (includes 2 full days & overnight), Tallinn, Gdansk (Gdynia), Oslo, London (Southampton)	Grand	Jul 7
Spitsbergen & North Cape	14 Nights London (Southampton), Stavanger, Lofoten Islands (Gravdal), Longyearbyen (Spitsbergen), Honningsvåg (for North Cape), Tromsø, Hellysylt (drop-off for Geiranger Fjord Shore Excursion), Scenic cruising of Geiranger Fjord, Geiranger, Bergen, London (Southampton)	Grand	Jun 23
Land of the Midnight Sun	16 Nights London (Dover), Bergen, Hellesylt (drop-off for Geiranger Fjord Shore Excursion), Scenic cruising of Geiranger Fjord, Geiranger, Tromsø, Magdalenafjord scenic cruising (Spitsbergen), Ny Ålesund (Spitsbergen), Murmansk (Russia), Honningsvåg (for North Cape), Flåm/Sognefjord, London (Dover)	Ocean	Jun 17; Jul 17
Scandinavia & Russia Grand Adventure	27 Nights Ft. Lauderdale, Azores Islands (Ponta Delgada), Cork (Cobh – for Blarney Castle), Cornwall (Falmouth), Paris/Normandy (Le Havre), London (Dover), Rotterdam (for Amsterdam), Oslo, Copenhagen, Oslo, Aarhus, Berlin (Warnemünde), Tallinn, 2-day St. Petersburg Experience (includes 2 full days & overnight), Helsinki, Stockholm, Copenhagen	Emerald	Apr 26
Northern Europe Grand Adventure®	27 Nights Copenhagen, Oslo, Aarhus, Berlin (Warnemünde), Tallinn, 2-day St. Petersburg Experience (includes 2 full days & overnight), Helsinki, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Oslo, Kristiansand, Glasgow/Edinburgh (Greenock), Dublin, Belfast, Reykjavik, Qaqortoq (Greenland), New York (Brooklyn)	Emerald	Aug 30

†Port order and content for all itineraries may vary.

Vision of the Seas 2011 Mediterranean

Ship Profile | Itineraries & Pricing | Deck Plans Dining Menus | Wine Lists | Kids Programs | Ship Reviews | 360 Tours | Photos

Vision of the Seas®

2011 MEDITERRANEAN DEPLOYMENT

14-Night Eastbound Transatlantic
Sao Paulo (Santos), Brazil • Rio De Janeiro, Brazil • Salvador De Bahia, Brazil • Tenerife, Canary Islands • Lanzarote, Canary Islands • Seville (Cadiz), Spain • Lisbon, Portugal

11-Night Lisbon to England
Lisbon, Portugal • La Coruña, Spain • Gijón, Spain • Bilbao, Spain • La Rochelle, France • Brest, France • St. Peter Port, Channel Isl • Paris/Normandy (Le Havre), France • Southampton, England

4-Night Amsterdam

Southampton, England • Amsterdam, Netherlands • Copenhagen, Denmark

5-Night Norwegian Fjords
Copenhagen, Denmark • Bergen, Norway • Geiranger, Norway • Copenhagen, Denmark

7-Night St. Petersburg & Baltics
Copenhagen, Denmark • Tallinn, Estonia • St. Petersburg, Russia • Helsinki, Finland • Stockholm, Sweden • Copenhagen, Denmark

3-Night Berlin

Copenhagen, Denmark • Berlin (Warnemunde), Germany • Oslo, Norway

5-Night Amsterdam & Brugges

Oslo, Norway • Brugges (Zeebrugge), Belgium • Amsterdam, Netherlands • Oslo, Norway

9-Night British Isles & Normandy

Oslo, Norway • Paris/ Normandy (Le Havre), France • Cherbourg, France • Dublin, Ireland • Liverpool, England • Edinburgh (S.Queensferry), Scotland • Oslo, Norway

7-Night St. Petersburg & Tallinn
Oslo, Norway • St. Petersburg, Russia • Helsinki, Finland • Copenhagen, Denmark • Oslo, Norway

7-Night St. Petersburg & Tallinn

Oslo, Norway • St. Petersburg, Russia • Tallinn, Estonia • Copenhagen, Denmark • Oslo, Norway

7-Night Oslo to Stockholm 

Oslo, Norway • Copenhagen, Denmark • Riga, Latvia • St. Petersburg, Russia • Helsinki, Finland • Stockholm, Sweden

Cruise Lines Return to Europe in 2011

Cruise To Europe in 2011

In 2009 the cruise lines were over-deployed in Europe, and as the economy took a turn for the worse, they were forced to re-deploy ships to other destinations.  Cruise lines have begun announcing their deployments for Summer 2011, and once again they are including Europe in their schedules.

Passengers wishing to visit Europe in 2011 will find a wide selection of itineraries and ships traveling to the most popular destinations including Northern Europe, Scandinavia and Russia, the Mediterranean, and the Norwegian Fjords.  Another popular choice is Transatlantic cruises for passengers wishing to only have one long flight between the states and Europe.  Learn more about European destinations.

Since the demand for cruising in Europe is now at an all time high, many of the cruise lines will be offering the most ships and itinerary choices than any time in the past.  Disney Cruise Line is even entering the market with 10 and 11-night Mediterranean cruises.   We will take a closer look at the Europe choices in other columns.   Search past columns for information about our visits to European destinations.

Despite the additional capacity in Europe, it is still wise to plan well in advance for your European escape.  The best cabins and popular destinations will sell out fast.   The most popular cruises will be those that feature overnight stays in various ports of call, such as Copenhagen and St. Petersburg, Russia.

Europe is a family destination and planning for the trip can be a family project.  You will want to plan your daily itinerary in  advance so that you will be able to take full advantage of your time in port.   A cruise specialist can assist you in the planning;  take advantage of their expertise.

Traveling to Europe is a great way to take the classroom learning experience to a much higher level.   Instead of reading about the great battlefields of the past, imagine walking on the same hollowed ground where battles raged.   Let the pages of the history books come to life for you and your family as you explore the historical locations using your comfortable cabin accommodations as your base of operations.

 

   

RSSC Voyager Baltic Offers

Photos courtesy Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Free Business Class Air
on Scandinavia & Russia Cruises

2-for-1 Fares Plus an Additional Savings of up to $1,000 Per Person

Included Air and Complimentary Shore Excursions

Regent Seven Seas takes you to the Baltic this year aboard the 700-guest, all-suite, all-balcony Seven Seas Voyager. Take advantage of special savings now through March 31, 2010 on one of the most enjoyable European destinations.

Enjoy a picturesque funicular ride and hiking tour to the top of Mount Floyen with magnificent views and photo opportunities of surrounding Bergen and beyond.

Relive Estonia's turbulent past and fight for freedom from Soviet oppression. Spend two days in St. Petersburg, Russia, viewing the ancient city's top attractions including opulent rooms and galleries covered in gilt and carved plaster.

Explore the many bridges of Stockholm or take a ferry to Vasa Museum to learn more about the Vikings and their ships. See magnificent waterfalls as your ship sails through the Norwegian Fjords.

These are just a sampling of the European adventures that await you on the Seven Seas Voyager. <more details>

Azamara Cruises’ Europe Event

Azamara Cruises’ Europe Event

Choose from some of the most popular European destinations including the Mediterranean, Scandinavia & Russia, Norwegian Fjords, Holy Land, Italy, Greece, Iceland, and British Isles.

FREE UPGRADE TO A VERANDA
on All 2010 Europe sailings for veranda and oceanview categories.

$1,000 ONBOARD CREDIT

per stateroom for Royal and Penthouse suites.

Book between 08/13/09 and 08/20/09 to receive these extraordinary offers!

Azamara Journey ®

7-Night Mediterranean
4/25; 5/2; 5/9; 5/16; 9/12; 9/19; 9/26; 10/3/2010

14-Night Western Europe
5/23; 8/29/2010

12-Night Scandinavia & Russia
6/6; 6/30; 7/24; 8/5/2010

12-Night Norwegian Fjords
6/18/2010

12-Night Iceland & Fjords
7/12/2010

12-Night British Isles
8/17/2010

12-Night Holy Land
10/10; 11/3/2010

12-Night Mediterranean
10/22/2010

Azamara Quest ®

12-Night Holy Land
5/3; 5/29/2010

14-Night Best of Italy
5/15/2010

10-Night Greek Isles
6/10; 7/2; 7/24/2010

12-Night Black Sea
6/20; 7/12; 8/3/2010

12-Night Adriatic & Ionian Coast
8/15/2010

12-Night Western Mediterranean
8/27; 9/8; 9/20/2010

14-Night Best of Italy
10/2/2010

14-Night Ancient Empires
10/30; 11/13/2010


ONE WEEK ONLY! *New Individual & Group Bookings only. Contact me for complete Terms and Conditions. Offer may be withdrawn at any time - subject to availability. Azamara Itineraries

Azamara 2010 Europe Deployment

Azamara Cruises announced the 2010 Europe Deployment schedule earlier this month.

Azamara Journey Mediterranean Cruises

The schedule includes several 7 and 12-Night Mediterranean cruises departing from several different ports of call. Begin your cruise in any of the following cities:
Barcelona, Spain • Venice, Italy • Athens (Piraeus), Greece • Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy • Istanbul, Turkey

Azamara Journey Copenhagen, Denmark

The round-trip itineraries include 12-Night Scandinavia/Russia • 12-Night Norwegian Fjords • 12-Night Iceland & Fjords • 12-Night British Isles. There are two 12-Night Western Europe cruises that sail between Copenhagen, Denmark and Barcelona, Spain. Start or end in Copenhagen, Denmark depending on when you depart.

Azamara Journey Holy Land and Transatlantic

Depart from Athens, Greece on a 12-Night Holy Land cruise that ends in Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy. This itinerary is offered in October and November, 2010. Following the final 12-Night Mediterranean cruise, the Journey will reposition via a 14-Night Transatlantic from Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy to Miami, Florida.

Azamara Quest Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy

Depart from Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy on a 12-Night Holy Land which ends in Athens (Piraeus), Greece • 14-Night round-trip Best of Italy • 14-Night Ancient Empires which also ends in Athens.

Azamara Quest Athens (Piraeus), Greece

Depart from Athens (Piraeus), Greece on a 12-Night Holy Land which ends in Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy • 10-Night Greek Isles which ends in Istanbul, Turkey • 12-Night Adriatic & Ionian Coast ending in Venice, Italy • 14-Night Ancient Empires ending in Rom (Civitavecchia), Italy

Azamara Quest Black Sea & Western Mediterranean

Depart from Istanbul, Turkey on a 12-Night Black Sea ending in Athens (Piraeus), Greece. There are three different 12-Night Mediterranean itineraries Venice, Italy to Barcelona, Spain • Barcelona, Spain to Venice, Italy • Venice, Italy to Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy.

Cruisetours

Both Journey and Quest offer a number of cruisetours in combination with the cruises. Destinations include Athens & Delphi • Florence and Rome • Cappadocia and Istanbul •
Budapest, Vienna, Prague & Berlin.

More Information about Itineraries

View more details on my Azamara Cruises Itinerary Page. If any of the cruises is of interest to you, let me know and I can provide pricing and additional details.

Read about What's new for Europe in 2010 on my Facebook Page. While you are there, be sure to Become a Fan so that you'll receive my page updates.

Celebrity Equinox Sails Early

Celebrity Equinox to Soft-Launch in Norwegian Fjords

Celebrity Cruises announced this week that the construction of Celebrity Equinox is ahead of schedule and a Soft-Launch in the Norwegian Fjords is being added to the 2009 cruise schedule.

The Equinox is a sister ship of Celebrity Solstice which debuted last November. Since that time it has received rave reviews from everyone that has had the good fortune of sailing on her (including yours truly).

You may recall that there was some controversy last year when pre-inaugural cruises were added to the cruise schedule. Passengers that were booked on the maiden voyage felt like they were cheated from being the first to set sail on the Solstice. This time, Celebrity Cruises is extending a special offer to passengers that are already booked on the ship's maiden voyage of August 8. Celebrity has invited them to combine their 10-night “Best of Europe” cruise with the 8-night soft launch, for a spectacular 18-night voyage on the new ship. Celebrity is offering those guests an onboard credit of $200 per stateroom or $300 per suite if they add the 8-night cruise to their reservation.

The 8-night cruise through the Norwegian Fjords features visits to Stavanger, Flam, Geiranger, and Oslo, Norway. The 10-night maiden voyage, which will include an inaugural gift and commemorative activities, will visit Paris/Normandy (via Le Havre) and Cherbourg, France; Vigo, Cartagena and Barcelona, Spain; Lisbon, Portugal, and Gibraltar, UK, ending in Rome (via Civitavecchia), Italy.

We had the good fortune of sailing on the Solstice last year and enjoyed the half-acre Lawn Club with real grass, The Corning Museum of Glass glassblowing show, the various new dining venues, entertainment, and the modern decor of the ship. We have also had the good fortune of sailing through the Norwegian Fjords and the European ports that will be visited on this 18-night voyage.

According to Celebrity, reservations are now being accepted for the 8-night cruise which will depart on July 31st. If you are looking for something special in the July/August timeframe, I would definitely put this cruise at the top of your list for consideration.

I've written about the Solstice in past posts and will cover it again in the near future. As always, I'd be happy to help you plan your cruise and answer any questions you might have.