Here’s the post we wrote on the day we arrived in Svolvaer, Norway: https://worldwidewaftage.com/day-8-norway-cruise-svolaer-norway/
Here’s the link for the post we wrote on the day we spent in Svolvaer, Norway.
Here’s the link for the post we wrote on the day we spent in Stavanger.
Following are the photos of our visit to Olden, Norway. Captions are added when possible.
Here’s the post we published after visiting Olden, Norway, without photos due to the poor WiFi signal on the ship.
Day 5…Norway Cruise…Olden, Norway…Cruise demographics…Dancing while “rocking and rolling”…
For expediency and ease, we’ve decided to post some of the photos from our Norway cruise each day rather than go back and add them, one by one, to each post. At the end of each day’s regular post, we’ll include the link to the newest posting of the photos, or you will find them, one by one, after each new day’s post of our experiences in Nevada during this nine-day stay. Captions will be added when possible.
Here is the post with the text from our day in Alesund:
More will follow tomorrow.
At the moment, we are sitting on the sofa in our Embassy Suites Logan Airport hotel. I just made a cup of decaf coffee to enjoy while listening to the Garage Logic podcast on Tom’s laptop with TV news in the background, showing the ravages of Hurricane Idalia. We’re sad for the people of Florida but glad we got out of there when we did over one month ago, on July 28.
So much has transpired since we left Florida, having had the opportunity to visit Norway and Greenland, two locations we never imagined we’d see when our journey began almost 11 years ago. It is 11:30 am, and we managed to get into our room early due to our Hilton Honors membership and Expedia VIP status.
Thank goodness we didn’t have to wait to get the room until the official check-in time of 2:00 pm and had no choice but to wait in the lobby. This is much easier. We’re a little raggedy after a tiring morning disembarking the ship. Our luggage numbers were 22, meaning we couldn’t exit until around 9:30.
We had our last meal on the ship, breakfast at 7:30, grabbed our carry-on luggage from our cabin, and headed to the Sky Lounge on Deck 11 to wait until our number was called. At that point, we had no idea what time we’d be outside to grab a taxi or Uber to Alamo Car Rental at the Logan Airport to pick up the car we rented in order to make our way to Cousin Phyllis today for our 5:00 pm dinner reservation in Stoughton, a 55-minute drive from here.
Thus, we’ll leave here in about four hours to begin the long trek in rush-hour traffic to meet Phyllis at the restaurant in time for our much-anticipated get-together after almost nine years since we last saw her at the end of another cruise to Boston. It will be wonderful to see her again.
Once outside the cruise terminal, we had a little trouble getting an Uber, but finally, one appeared, and we were on our way to Alamo. I waited with the bags in the rental car parking garage until Tom returned with the papers, and we were assigned a car. Within about 45 minutes, we were on our way to the nearby hotel. Again, check-in went smoothly when I pressed for a room now rather than at 2:00 pm check-in.
After getting settled, I decided it was time to prepare a post when we could not do so yesterday. I had blamed it on the ship’s WiFi, but this morning, I got an email from our hosting company, Hostinger, taking full responsibility for the problem. Now that we’re back up and running, we should be able to post going forward until we leave the US in October, about six weeks from now.
Feeling exhausted after the last few days, I don’t feel motivated to write a newsy, informative post about where we sailed in the past few days since our previous post. Mainly, we sailed in the North Sea toward the US with little incidents other than massive fog and the necessity of the captain sounding the fog horn a few times each hour.
The seas were otherwise smooth and uneventful, which made the final few days pleasant. We had lots of fun with countless passengers we met.
I stopped doing the post when I desperately needed a nap. After laying on the bed under the covers, I fell asleep for about 20 minutes and felt refreshed. In less than two hours, we’ll drive to Stoughton. Tomorrow morning, we’ll be at the airport at 5:00 am for our Delta flight to Las Vegas, pick up the rental car, and head to our hotel in Henderson.
From there, we’ll prepare our next post. and in a few days, start adding the photos we couldn’t add while on the first ship to Norway.
Be well.
Photo from ten years ago today, August 30, 2013:
Yesterday’s visit to St. John’s, the capital of Newfoundland, was an exciting look inside coastal living in northern Canada. The weather was cool but pleasant, the people friendly, and the town of roughly 114,000. It was a mix of old and new architecture, as shown in today’s photos.
From the ship’s brochure:
“St. John’s, the capital of Newfoundland, is the providence’s largest city. It was settled by the British in the 1600s. St. John’s is one of the oldest cities in the “New World.” Known for colorful row houses, it has the perfect balance of luxurious city and old-town charm. Guests can wander the streets learning the history of this fishing town, or for the more adventurous, hike up Signal Hill and enjoy the views.”
It was a lovely town filled with old-world charm, which we thoroughly enjoyed.
Here are more facts about St. John’s, Newfoundland…
From this site:
“St. John’s, capital and largest city of Newfoundland, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, at the eastern end of the Avalon Peninsula. It stands on the steep, western slope of an excellent landlocked harbour that opens suddenly to the Atlantic. The entrance, known as the Narrows, guarded by Signal Hill (500 feet [150 metres]) and South Side Hills (620 feet [190 metres]), is about 1,400 feet (425 metres) wide, narrowing to 600 feet (185 metres) between Pancake and Chain rocks. It was probably visited in 1497 by John Cabot on the Feast Day of St. John the Baptist and was early used as a haven for fishing vessels.
In 1583 a marker was placed on the shore by Sir Humphrey Gilbert claiming possession of Newfoundland for England, but permanent settlement was not made until the early 17th century. St. John’s prospered as a fishing port, despite frequent attacks by the French and disastrous fires in 1816–17, 1846, and 1892.
The city, one of the oldest and the most easterly in North America, now dominates the economic and cultural life of the province. It is the island of Newfoundland’s commercial and industrial centre, a major ocean port, and the base for the provincial fishing fleet; it is also the easternmost terminus for the Trans-Canada Highway and for several national airlines. Among its varied industries are shipbuilding, fish processing, brewing, tanning, and the manufacture of clothing, hardware, marine engines, paint, and furniture.
The city’s two cathedrals (both dedicated to St. John the Baptist) are the ornate basilica (1841; Roman Catholic) and the ecclesiastical-Gothic Anglican cathedral (originating in 1816 and rebuilt after the great fire of 1892). The Confederation Building (1850) replaced the Colonial Building (1860) as the provincial headquarters and houses a military and naval museum. St. John’s is the home of the Memorial University of Newfoundland (1925) and Queen’s College (1841; Anglican), and its Newfoundland Museum displays relics of the extinct Beothuck tribe (Newfoundland’s original inhabitants). Signal Hill Historic Park, once a location for signaling the approach of ships, memorializes several events, including John Cabot’s presumed landfall (commemorated by a tower [1897]); the French-English struggle for Newfoundland that ended in 1762 with the last shot fired on the hill (remnants of the fortifications, notably the Queen’s Battery, remain); and the reception atop the hill at the Cabot Tower by Guglielmo Marconi of the first transatlantic wireless message in 1901 from Europe. From the city’s Lester’s Field, the aviators Captain (later Sir) John Alcock and Lieutenant Arthur Brown took off in 1919 to make the first nonstop transatlantic flight to Clifden, Ireland.
The Quidi Vidi Battery, which once guarded the entrance to a small fishing harbour east of Signal Hill leading to a small lake, has been restored to its 1812 appearance; the annual (August) regatta, held since 1828 on the lake, is one of the oldest organized sports events in North America. Inc. 1888. Pop. (2006) 100,646; metro. area, 181,113; (2021) 110,525; metro. area, 212,579.
Last night, after dinner, we headed to the theatre to watch the show, a live entertainer who impersonates Neil Diamond. The performance was excellent, and we enjoyed every moment. When it was over, we headed back to our cabin for another good night’s rest. Again, Tom headed to breakfast alone while I stayed behind, got up, showered, and dressed for the day.
When he returned, we put together another load of laundry since we won’t have access to laundry facilities until we get to Henderson, Nevada, where we can do laundry at Richard’s house or a laundromat near the Green Valley Ranch Resort, Spa, and Casino. This time, we’ll have a rental car so we can get around and do whatever we need to do; renew our driver’s licenses, pick up mail from our mailing service, and get together with Richard and some friends in Las Vegas.
Today, a sea day, we’ll chat with passengers and enjoy another delightful day aboard the ship. In another hour, we’ll head to the dining room for lunch, after which we’ll head back to Cafe al Bacio for a more relaxing time, doing exactly what we want to do.; It’s delightful.
Be well.
Photo from ten years ago today, August 27, 2013:
We are at sea today and tomorrow, heading toward the island of St. John, shown in the above map at the bottom right of the mainland. Once we arrive on the island, we’ll add more information about it. If the weather is decent, we’ll get off the ship and take some photos.
Last night, once again, we dined at a shared table for eight in the Cosmopolitan dining room, enjoying conversation among the tablemates that went well into the evening. Afterward, we headed to the Rendezvous Bar and then to the Sky Lounge for another night of Silent Disco.
We were both tired after staying up late many nights and ended up heading off to our cabin by around 10:30, both looking forward to a good night’s sleep, which we accomplished, feeling much more alert and energetic today. We love cruising and socializing so much that we stay up late on cruises, often not returning to our cabin until after midnight.
Are we enjoying this Celebrity cruise as much as the previous Azamara? Socially, yes, but there are a few issues on this cruise that we have discussed among ourselves several times. One, the food isn’t as good as it was in Azamara. The menu options in the dining room, where we prefer to dine each night, are limited.
Last night, Tom noticed only one meat option for dinner: coq au vin, which he doesn’t care for. He picked at his plate, eating only small bites. The other three options were all vegetarian. By no means are we vegetarians. Also, my special order didn’t go as planned.
I have to order the next night’s dinner in advance on this and other ships due to my special diet of meat and vegetables without starchy sides and sauces. You’d think this was easy to accomplish, but it is not. All I am looking for is food in its natural state without vegetable oils but flavored with some spices to avoid being bland and unappetizing. This has been tough to accomplish on this cruise.
On the Azamara cruise, the food was much better. With fewer passengers on Azamara Journey at 587, compared to over 2000 on this ship Celebrity Summit, it was easier for the chefs to prepare special meals that were delicious. Here, it doesn’t seem very easy for them to get it right.
The first several nights, my meal was swimming in butter. When I asked for less butter and more spices, they over-spiced it, and last night, it was so salty I couldn’t eat it. I quietly let the head waiter, who attends to special orders, know the food wasn’t good, but only quietly when we were leaving the restaurant. I am not one to make a fuss in public.
Graciously, I explained the dilemma, and he promised it would be better tonight. If I’d mentioned it during dinner, he would have pressed me to order something else, and after a big lunch, I didn’t care about getting an entirely new dish while everyone at the table waited for me to eat before ordering their dessert. It just doesn’t matter that much to me to make a spectacle.
That’s all I have for today, folks. We are continuing to revel in the delightful scenery and socialization aboard the ship. The cruise ends in Botson in six days on August 30.
Be well.
Photo ten years ago today, August 24, 2013:
There was no post on this date ten years ago. The internet was down.
From the ship’s brochure about Isafjordur, Iceland:“Isafjordur is all about nature, and the largest town in the Westfjords peninsula is known for its breathtaking landscapes. Here guests can enjoy various outdoor activities, from biking, hiking, kayaking, and horseback riding to whale watching. They can explore the history of the town that started as a trading post in the 16th century, with growth triggered in the 19th century with salt fish production, which is still the most important industry for the town.”
Yeah! We can post photos now with Celebrity’s good WiFi. Our photos from the Azamara cruise will be added once we settle in Nevada in a few weeks. Thanks for your patience!
It’s agonizing to recall the events after we arrived in Reykjavik, let alone the experience we had at the disorganized and overly busy Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, described in our last post here. Honestly, I’d like to put it behind us, but I somehow feel compelled to share it with all of our worldwide readers. After all, you didn’t see a post yesterday, and as our loyal readers, you deserve to read the story.
Here goes, folks, crazy as this story is.
Shortly before the plane from Amsterdam landed, flight attendants came around, offering “cheap” fares and tickets to hotels in Reykjavik. Taxis would cost anywhere from US $200 to $300. I’d cringed at the cost of this 45-minute drive from Reykjavik’s Keflavik International Airport.
When they explained the fare would be under US $80, I jumped all over it, especially when they explained we’d be dropped off a small bus directly in front of our booked hotel. It sounded easy. As it turned out, a large bus picked us up with about 30 passengers. Tom loaded our bags into the luggage hold outside the bus, and we got situated for the drive, not worried about a thing. So far, so good.
When we arrived in the city limits of Reykjavik, the bus drove into the bus terminal, where we had to move our bags off the one bus to a smaller bus using our “green” tickets, indicating the general area we’d be heading to. This only took 15 minutes, and we were on our way.
After driving for another 20 minutes, we arrived at our drop-off spot, which wasn’t in front of our hotel as described. We checked the location on GPS on “Maps,” and it appeared our hotel was nowhere nearby. It was unclear as to where the hotel was located. We had no choice but to hike up a very steep hill with Tom wheeling the three heavy 23k bags and me only wheeling my carry-on bag and handbag.
The horrifying part was the steep hill in front of us. We thought about calling a taxi but thought it would be pointless when the hotel might be within a few meters of us, according to GPS. Up the hill, we went. With my inability to walk far with my painful legs, it was pure torture for me, walking up the ultra-steep hill. It’s not as if I get out of breath. It’s purely due to the nerve damage in my legs from the two surgeries in 2019, after infections from the cardiac bypass surgery.
Once we reached the top of the first hill, the GPS indicated the hotel was somewhere down the main tourist attraction street, many blocks away. The road was bumpy and uneven. I don’t know how Tom wheeled those bags during the next hike, nor how I could walk on more steep hills in the next 40 minutes until we reached the hotel.
Once we arrived at the hotel and confirmed the name, address, and location, I told Tom I’d head up the two flights of stairs to let the receptionist know we’d arrived and ask for help with our bags. I could barely make my way up the flights of stairs. Once at the check-in desk, I was told we didn’t have a reservation and that the hotel was full. I showed the rep the reservation information on my phone, including the confirmation number. I pressed him to look harder, to no avail.
He told me there was another hotel owned by the same company further down the road that must have our reservation. I asked him to check on it. He said they have a different system, and there was nothing he could do, no matter how hard I pressed him. He said there was a similarly named hotel further down the road, pointing in the direction.
Disheartened, I gingerly lumbered back down the stairs, my legs feeling like lead weights. I told Tom the bad news. Once we were back out on the street, we found a bench and sat down to call the number of the hotel in the reservation. It rang back to the guy I’d just spoken to, and once again, he stated he couldn’t help.
We were on the road for foot traffic only, and no taxis were allowed. The only way we could get a taxi was to go back down the steep hill, which was impossible. There was no way Tom could maneuver the three bags down that steep hill. Nor could I walk down that hill with my legs hurting so much.
We stopped in several businesses and talked to several locals. No one knew where the hotel was except three people, who each said it was in a different direction. GPS didn’t help at all. On the way to what we thought was the location, a local told us GSP hadn’t been updated In Reykjavik since 2012. The hotel didn’t exist or was miles away for all we knew.
We walked further and further until we reached an intersection with road signs and called for a taxi. At this point, 2½ hours had passed. Tom’s arm was bruised and injured from the bags. I could barely take another step. Luckily, the taxi arrived 15 minutes later. The driver had no clue where the hotel would be, even after carefully checking his GPS system. At this point, it was already 6:30 pm. We’d had no food since breakfast on the ship and only one shared water bottle.
We were at a loss. We had no choice but to book another hotel and deal with this later. The taxi driver explained that with several cruise ships arriving and preparing, few hotel rooms were left in Reykjavik. He suggested a Radisson Blu and called for us. They had two rooms left. We were in the vicinity, and the rep said she secured a room for us and we could pay when we got inside the hotel. She agreed to a price for us for one of the two remaining rooms in the huge hotel, which was outrageous, but we had no choice. We were parked outside the hotel. She agreed to hold the room until we walked inside the hotel.
We were too exhausted to think straight and didn’t get her name which was a huge mistake on our part. But we only needed to exit the taxi and walk indoors. When we arrived at the check-in desk, they didn’t know who we were, and we had no choice but to pay whatever they wanted to charge us. We were desperate and had no other options at that point. There was no way we tried to find and book another hotel after hours of this hell.
The room rate, with taxes, was US $721.18! We were shocked but needed to rest and get some food. Tom hauled the bags to the room (there was no bellperson!), and the cart didn’t fit in the tiny elevator. Our frustration level at this point was palpable. Somehow we managed to get to the room with high expectations. We were sorely disappointed.
The room was no big deal for that kind of money and had several steps between the bedroom and bathroom. I could barely walk, let alone walk up and down steps in the room. We fell onto the bed, exhausted. After getting situated and off our feet for a while, I headed down to the restaurant to check out the menu and see if there was anything I could eat or that Tom would eat.
There wasn’t a thing that worked for either of us, and after looking at the plates being served to dinner guests, tiny portions at outrageously high prices, we decided to forego dinner and wait until we boarded the ship to have a nice meal the next day. Neither of us was hungry after our awful day.
But this wasn’t the end of the disaster. The room wasn’t clean, the bathroom sink was plugged, and there was no aircon. Apparently, in Iceland, they don’t have aircon. But the room was stifling, as if the heat had been turned on. We were miserable. We drank the water provided in the room and headed off to bed.
Within 10 minutes of lying down, I detected my pulse was fast. I checked my Fitbit, and it read 150 beats per minute. I was in Afib once again. Nothing I could do could get it down. I never slept all night, and it never went down below 135, fluctuating back and forth. I just had to wait it out.
It was still that high when we boarded the Celebrity Summit around noon. Hoping food and water might help, as soon as we made our way through the 45-minute check-in process and to our cabin, we dropped off our few carry-on items and headed to the buffet. We hadn’t eaten anything in over 30 hours (considering the time change), but neither of us was that hungry.
I ate a healthy light lunch, but the Afib continued all day until we went to dinner and beyond. I was well aware of it during dinner and ate very little. After dinner, we went to bed, and all I could do was try a few maneuvers that could help with AAfib. But nothing helped. I’d been trying all day and the previous night to no avail.
Finally, exhausted, I drifted off, slept through the night, and awoke this morning to a resting pulse of 60 beats per minute, feeling like a new person. I have no doubt the excess walking, stress, and lack of food and water played a role in going into Afib. It was frightening, but now I feel much better, albeit weak from the entire ordeal. Soon, we’ll head to the buffet, where I’ll have a healthy meal again.
We have met some lovely people so far while I maintained a stiff upper lip while going through the Afib, not mentioning my issue to anyone. We can begin enjoying ourselves, although I will take it easy on this cruise. Today’s port of call has a few things to see, and I don’t feel like walking a lot today.
Our cabin is lovely, actually bigger, with more storage than on the last Azamara cruise, and we feel pretty comfortable on yet another Celebrity ship. This ship has four times more passengers, but it doesn’t feel crowded, and staff and passengers are equally friendly.
So there it is, folks, our harrowing story.
Be well.
Photo from ten years ago today, August 19, 2013:
The ship is docked in Amsterdam, where most passengers will disembark (some are staying onboard and doing a back-to-back), grab their luggage and head off on various means of transportation. For us, it’s a shuttle to the Schiphol International Airport for a 2:10 pm flight to Reykjavik, where we’ll spend less than 24 hours before boarding Celebrity Summit to Greenland and beyond.
We are as excited now as we were when we boarded Azamara Journey from Edinburgh to Amsterdam only 17 days ago. This has been a fantastic cruise. Edinburgh, Scotland, and all those quaint villages in Norway were spectacular, let alone all the wonderful people we met during the cruise, many of whom we’ll stay in touch with in times to come.
At the moment, we’re situated in the Mosaic Cafe, having finished our last cups of coffee while carefully watching the time when we have to get to the luggage storage area where our three bags await us. Tom is in the cabin now, packing up all the electrical cords.
I just remembered I left a long power cord plugged into the lamp outlet beside my side of the bed. As soon as Tom gets down here, I’ll run back up and get it. I doubt Tom will notice it as he gathers up all the other electrical stuff. It’s hard to believe how many cords and devices we must continually haul with us. Over and over, we’ve tried to reduce the bulk and weight of so many cords, but at this point, we need every single item we have.
Tom just returned to the coffee shop, and he noticed the cord I’d forgotten and grabbed it. There’s no need for me to return to the cabin. He’s certain he got every last item, and I feel confident he didn’t miss a thing. In about 30 minutes, we’ll head down there, and then I will complete this post at the airport while we await our flight. Back soon.
We are back, now at gate 59 for Icelandair. We will board the flight to Reykjavik in about 45 minutes. The Schiphol Airport is a mess with long queues in every direction.
Once we arrived by shuttle bus to the airport four hours before boarding time, we realized we could be waiting awhile to get checked in. Little did we know that Icelandair’s check-in counter wouldn’t open for 2½ hours requiring us to wait around with our bags. all that time. This had never happened to us in the past, and I must admit, we became quite somewhat annoyed.
There wasn’t a good spot for us to hang out and wait, with limited seating available with the crowds waiting to check-in. I have trouble standing for long periods, which made the hours of waiting challenging.
Finally, the check-in counter opened, and we could check our bags and go through security. Our passports had been stamped by immigration at the pier when we disembarked. Little did Tom realize that when we went through security, he’d left the passports and boarding passes in the security tray, and after we finally made our way to gate 59, he had to retrace his steps and find the passports and boarding passes.
Thank goodness he found everything, and after showing his ID, he was able to return to the gate to wait with me for boarding time. By 1:30 pm, we were seated on the plane for a pleasant under-three-hour flight. But from there, it all went to hell in a handbasket.
Tomorrow, I will share the details of our awful day in Reykjavik. Please check back. In two days, we’ll start posting new photos from our Greenland cruise.
Be well.
Photo from ten years ago today, August 17, 2013:
Due to a travel day, there was no post on this date ten years ago.
Note: I cannot add more photos today, other than the above, due to the poor WiFi signal aboard the ship. Once we arrive in Nevada in early September, we can post our photos from Edinburgh and this cruise. Of course, we’ll continue to try to add photos each day! We are sorry for the inconvenience. Perhaps, when this cruise ends, we can start posting photos while on the upcoming Celebrity cruise in 4 days. We’ll continue taking photos and writing text daily, if possible.
This morning, before 8:00 am, when the laundry room on our deck was about to open, Tom was waiting outside the door for it to open to get our clothes washed and dried. Others were there waiting, and he was the second person in line. With six washers and dryers, with one of each not working, it was good he got the early start.
Now, as I write here at 10:40, the laundry is done, folded, and ready for packing, which we’ll complete by the end of today, leaving our bags outside the door tonight to be picked up for tomorrow’s disembarkation. We’re scheduled to depart the ship by 8:30 am and have booked a shuttle to the airport in Amsterdam. Our flight isn’t until about 2:10 pm.
Fortunately, the flight is only 3½ hours long. Icelandair has screens and free movies at each seat which helps the flying time pass quickly. Once we arrive in Reykjavik, we’ll take a taxi to the hotel. Having toured the city in depth on a past cruise, we don’t intend to do any sightseeing during the less than 18 hours in the city.
On Friday, we’ll board Celebrity Summit at noon and be on our way. It will be different to be on a ship with about 2000 passengers as opposed to the 567 passengers on this ship, Azamara Journey. Surely, in no time, we’ll be used to the differences and blend in as we always do, enjoying many features of the quality cruise line.
Celebrity may not be relatively as upscale as Azamara, but it has everything we need and works well for our choices of activities and events. Now that we have the trivia bug, surely, we’ll get involved in those events as well. With $450 in cabin credit with drinks, tips, and WiFi for two included, we’ll find a way to use up our balance as well as the balance on this ship.
At this point, we don’t book specific tours since walking long distances is very difficult for me. We’ve spent plenty of time walking as much as I could in the various ports of call in Norway and will do so again as we embark on this next cruise. It’s very disappointing that I can’t walk far after the two surgeries on my legs four years ago.
But this disability is not keeping us from carrying on with our travels with gusto. I do the best I can do. It’s not as if my legs get tired, but instead, they get extremely painful due to nerve damage. However, I can do many aspects of our travels considering how far I can walk at any given time.
Neither of us feels as if we are missing out. Our lives are rich and fulfilling with the joys of nature, socializing, and visiting new places throughout the world. We plan to continue on for as long as we possibly can. Life is good, and we are content.
Tomorrow, we’ll prepare a post when we arrive at the airport in Amsterdam, awaiting our flight.
Be well.
Photo from ten years ago today, August 16, 2013:
