Cruise L1107
on the M.S. Balmoral
to the North Cape of Norway
(Please scroll down to see my photographs and read my report)
| Date: |
Port: |
Arms: |
Escort: |
Comment: |
| 10/06/2011 |
Southampton
Hampshire |
 |
- |
- |
| 13/06/2011 |
Ålesund
Møre og Romsdal |
 |
City &
Surroundings |
Viewpoint,
Outdoor museum
& Folk dancing |
| 15/06/2011 |
Tromsø
Troms |
 |
Arctic City
Tour |
Museum &
Cathedral |
| 16/06/2011 |
Honningsvåg
Finnmark |
 |
North Cape
Transfer |
Foggy |
| 17/06/2011 |
Alta
Finnmark |
|
City Tour |
Museum &
Sami camp |
| 18/06/2011 |
Narvik
Nordland |
 |
Skommen
Panoramic |
Fjord tour &
Golf club |
| 20/06/2011 |
Olden
Sogn og Fjordane |
 |
Geiranger &
Hellesylt |
Peak, Museum,
Lunch & Ferry |
| 21/06/2011 |
Bergen
Hordaland |
 |
Hardanger-
fjord |
Farm, Lunch &
Waterfall |
| 22/06/2011 |
Stavanger
Rogaland |
 |
Panoramic |
Sword monument
& Church |
| 24/06/2011 |
Southampton
Hampshire |
|
- |
Home at
10:15 am |
Here's my report on the cruise:
Just to let you know that I have just got back from my cruise
to the North Cape of Norway on the lovely Balmoral as a port lecturer
with my brother David.
Me and my brother David in the Midnight sun
My brother David on board the Balmoral
I gave six lectures: "Welcome to Norway!" at the start and "The Story of the North Sea" at the end
together with four port enchancement lectures in between.
In Ålesund I got to see the Sunnmøre open air museum complete with folk dancing display.
The entry and return through the narrow Trollfjord was made more dramatic
by being followed in by the Hurtigruten coastal steamer.
Our Captain claimed that this was the first time that two ships had been in the Trollfjord at the same time!
Fjord
In Tromsø I saw the Arctic Cathedral & the University Museum again.
The weather was excellent except at the North Cape where I did the guided transfer
and at Geiranger where it was foggy and drizzly.
We saw the midnight sun on four nights in total.
Bamse and me in Honningsvag
Meeting some Sami people (you mustn't call them Lapps) was fascinating again.
The prehistoric rock carvings in Alta were again very impressive.
The bears may be indicators of re-incarnation and bear in Norwegian is Bjorn.
So "Bjorn Again" the ABBA tribute band has additional significance!
He's behind you!
In Narvik I did the new Skommen fjord tour in glorious sunshine
and in Olden the all day tour to Geiranger and Hellesylt.
Unfortuantely the ascent of Dalsnibba was entirely in cloud
and the ferry ride from Geiranger to Hellesylt was in drizzle.
I also did the all day tour to the Hardangerfjord from Bergen
and the panoramic tour outside Stavanger.
Bergen old town
Stavanger old town
Stavanger cathedral
The Cruise Director wrote:
"Martin gave 6 talks this cruise covering our ports of call,
a 'Welcome to Norway' and also on the North Sea.
Each of these talks was well attended and presented well by Martin.
He takes this role very conscientiously and so these talks have been well thought out and prepared
and he then delivers these in an interesting and fluent way.
A good speaker, this cruise these enhancement talks were a good addition to the cruise,
to give more information on the actual places we were visiting which was of great interest to our guests."
Balmoral
Good points were:
- Outside twin cabin with twin porthole in the new section of the ship.
- Excellent programme of up to 4 lectures per sea day.
- Triple aspect observation lounge.
- All round teak promenade deck.
- Warm pools & jacuzzis.
Usual sea day programme:
10:00 - 10:45 Nautical Lecture by Captain Bray.
12:00 - 12:30 Lunch in the Marquee Bar.
13:00 - 14:30 Siesta
15:00 - 15:45 One of my lectures in the Neptune Lounge
16:30 - 17:00 Swimming
Usual evening programme:
06:30 - 07:15 Dinner in the Palms Café.
07:30 - 08:30 Pre-show dancing in the Neptune Lounge.
08:45 - 09:30 Showtime.
09:30 - 10:30 Post-show dancing in the Neptune Lounge.
10:45 - 11:30 Cabaret in the Lido Lounge.
For the record ...
- Food: Much improved.
- Tours: In all 8 ports.
- Weather: Excellent except at the North Cape
and at Geiranger where it was foggy and drizzly.
- New ports: None.
- Sail-aways: Two.
- Tea dance: One.
- Dinner host: No.
- Line dancing: Led by Brian Cooke from Ringwood.
- Sequence dancing: Some, particularly the Balmoral Blues!
- Ballroom dancing: Lots.
- Western night: Jo Haley & Marina Petrovic led the participation line dancing.
- Tropical night: No.
- British (Red, White & Blue) night: Yes.
- Formal nights: Three.
- Cocktail parties: Two.
- Captain: Olav Søvdsnes, who had to fly off to a meeting in London for a couple of days!
- Cruise Director: Jo Haley (not Hudson!) from Leighton Buzzard.
- Assistant Cruise Director: Ed Manning from Ipswich.
- Senior Host: Jamie Clarke from Felixstowe whose three cabaret shows were excellent.
- Host: Hubert Greaves from Kensington, Bridgetown, Barbados but no steel drumming!
- Hostesses: Marina Petrovic & Juliet Taco.
- Cabin mate: My brother David.
- Dance couple: The lovely Annina & Brian Cooke from Ringwood.
- Other dance hosts: David Spencer from Portsmouth and Gil(bert) Owen from Stoke.
- Lecturer(s): Capt David Bary (nautical), Bob Boorman (gems), Jan Helge Oppedal (tours) and me (port enhancment)
- Musician(s): Sarah Chandler (saxophone & oboe),
Easy Street (including Sam & Louise of Aviva),
Blue Diamond (who were excellent but we only heard them when Easy Street's high tech equipment
prevented dancing between the shows in the Neptune Lounge)
and the Balmoral Orchestra.
- Pianist(s): The lovely Manda Vincent & Lloyd Hulme.
- Comedian(s): Bob Webb.
- Singer(s): The lovely Giselle Summers from Upton.
- Song of the cruise: "Lord of the Dance" by Ronan Hardiman.
- Cabin: 3027.
- Photographs taken: 665.
- Good, free Wi-Fi:
- Peppe's Pizzas
- Thon Hotels
- Sunnmøre Museum
- Tromsø University Museum
- Alta Museum
- Skommen Golf Club
- Union Hotel, Geiranger
- Hardangerfjord Hotel
- Burger King
