11
мар
“Cruise ships are like giant floating tubes. Unlike buildings on land, the majority of the walls are actually part of the ship’s structure. Cutting holes through this giant tube in the process.
I chose this for the country (Norway) plus the adventurous aspect of the excursions. I read that this year is the ship’s last year of sailing and it was the last time to experience a different type of cruise. The ship is stylish and whilst old still offers a comfortable, low key holiday.The staff were second to none, especially as they were dealing with the ever-changing unprecedented situation with C-19 virus. We really were in uncharted waters!!! They were calm, unflustered and dealt with the whole spectrum of reactions from passengers. They helped with arranging flights taxis etc when many of us chose to cut our cruise short )in my case from 11to 3).They changed tack from buffet style food service to silver service with aplomb and good humour.
They were outstanding and I am sure they were equally as worried as we passengers were. The level of service from everyone was amazing. We chose this cruise as it is a ferry and not overally 'touristy' as an anniversary and birthday present for us. This was such an experience. The staff are amazing the scenery is fantastic.Normally we never repeat a holiday BUT this is an exception.
We had a partial view cabin which was very comfy as we thought we may spend some time there on the days we had nothing planned, however there is so much room on the ship we could have saved money and been happy with an inside cabin!! However it was still very comfy and nice to retreat every now and then since I have a chronic pain condition.The staff were EXCEPTIONAL they will accomendate wherever they can and also have a smile on their face and they make you feel part of the family (corney I know!!)We did 4 excursions dog sledding at Tromso which is worth every penny!! Snow hotel, which is such an experience but if you want to see snow sculptures the ship stops at a port where there is a place called Magic ice which is the same but cheaper and no dogs or reindeer!We did the polar night snow mobile which was incredible but we had cloudy night but still so much fun! We also did the mines which we loved but not everyone liked, you have a loong coach ride through amazing scenery and a great guide and the mines are fab as is the soup, you will hear local recording of a band (they play Elvis which is a bit odd) but really lovely.My final advice is you can have snow clothes etc but you really dont need it for the excursions as most of them will provide stuff.
Have a decent coat, gloves etc and snow spikes if you are walking in town. Hope this helps and enjoy your holiday if you go x. We were very pleased we chose this trip, which did not disappoint and in the main was above expectations.The ship was in excellent condition and kept very clean.
We were impressed by our accommodation (suite 502) which was large (two rooms), very comfortable and spotless.We enjoyed some excellent and interesting excursions, although one of the highlights, a trip on a snowmobile, had to be cancelled due to poor weather. Other passengers also experienced cancellations of other excursions due to poor weather, but it must be realised this is a working ferry as well as a cruise ship and winter weather can occasionally lead to missed ports and cancelled excursions. Nonetheless, this did not detract from our overall satisfaction and overall experience.The food was excellent and the catering staff too. They were always helpful and always seemed cheerful.AND we saw the Northern Lights on more than one occasion! We sailed on this very ship nearly five years ago, a June eleven-day coastal trip. Stunning scenery, excursions superb and life on board very comfortable and friendly.
Had to repeat the experience. We’re currently eight days into our winter trip, the standard just as high, the food and comfort admirable. So what if you have to make your own entertainment onboard? Those here have accepted this, readers, photographers, card players and many just happy to sit and enjoy the whole experience. That’s what Hurtigruten voyages are about. The trip has been spectacular, less excursions done (that to the North Cape was awesome) but a greater chance to walk into snow filled towns and explore further.
Cold, but totally pleasurable. We cannot fault Hurtigruten.
And so relaxing, time passing gently in good company and amongst the friendliest of staff you can imagine. We’ll no doubt wish to do this again, and I’m sure it will happen. Hurtigruten knows it’s market, those who properly explore its website know its virtues and worth.
We picked this trip to see the Northern Lights and Norway in winter, to remind me of growing up in the snow! The crew - ALL OF THEM - are amazing, unfailing nice, and make this cruise a really wonderful time.
They read and respond to your comments on a daily basis so if you need something they really do take it into account. Seriously, cannot day enough good things about all the crew. Even the happy water guy who gives you bottles of water when you leave the boat was a delight.
They had cocoa upon your returns. When there were northern lights sightings announced, about 10 minutes later a crew member would show up with trays of warm cocoa.
That level of service is remarkable.Our room, 6010 Penthouse Veranda PV-1 category), was roomy and never felt too tight for a 13 day cruise. Given all the gear one needs for the trip, I’m very happy we didn’t book a smaller room. Shower was a good size, good water pressure, but the nozzle head was a little wonky - you have to swivel and turn to get it just right. Most suitcases will fit under the beds, so that was a great little treat.The food is good, not great. Some things are terrific, but overall good. That’s not a complaint by any means, just don’t come expecting Jean Georges at sea.
But, if you want good food, you’ll find it. Manfredis Italian was good. They had churros for dessert, which delighted me to no end: Chefs Table was less successful, but still interesting. Favorite meal there was surprisingly the British one.
Best food was Viking Burger at the Pool Grill (it’s straight up an amazing burger) and The Restaurant. Pool Grille has onion rings and they are also excellent. The Restaurant has daily menu changes, mostly successful. Consistently good food.
Neither of us liked the World Cafe, pretty much at all. For any meal.The house wines were mostly awful merlots and sometimes ok whites - order the Silver Spirit Package if you wish to drink something with taste. My hubby doesn’t drink at all, so when I called to ask Viking if I can do just one Premium Spirit package, they said no. When onboard, I made a comment on the daily comment form and I’ll be darned if the head Somm came to track me down one day to tell me they would have been happy to provide me with the Spirits Package given this unique situation (because literally my husband only drinks sparkling water most of the time and Arnold palmers with meals). So, word to the wise who have a half sober couple like myself, ask on board because they would have allowed for it.We were fortunate and got to see the Northern Lights, 2x with our naked eye and 1x only with the camera. If you come thinking it’s going to be like the vivid photos you see on the Internet, you’ll likely be disappointed.
It’s mostly hard to see, sort of wispy when it comes out, maybe you’ll see it green and not grey like light clouds at night, but it’s still a treat.We only did one included tour in Stavanger, it’s a bus ride around the town. That’s pretty much what all of them are, so if bud rides without stops is your thing, you’ll love their included tours. If you want to get out and do things, plan to drop another chunk of change. We loved all our excursions - did curling in Stavanger, private minibus northern lights tour in Tromso, Sami Reindeer camp in Tromso, snowmobiling and the ice hotel in Alta, skipped our second northern lights bus in Alta which I still think should be refunded - there was zero% chance to see the lights that night and they went anyway, husky sledding in Alta, and the Wolf Preserve at Polar Park in Narvik. Dog sledding was our favorite, but all the activities were great. Word to the wise on the wolf preserve is that it’s like a 3 mile hike so if you have mobility issues, this one isn’t for you. It was a steep hike, up hill, in the snow.If you can’t book the private northern lights your, I’d suggest you book outside of Viking and go with a local guide since it will likely be a better experience.
The normal northern lights tour through Viking is a waste of money, they put 50 people on a bus and drop you at a parking lot. Don’t think that’s $200 worth per person. But, the private mini bus we did was awesome, the guide showed us how to photograph the lights, she had an awesome camera and took amazing photos of us with the lights then sent us the photos, built a camp fire, fed us stew and we even roasted marshmallows. It was a magical night, in part because of the full moon and fact that we were at end of Grotfjord.I grew up in a cold climate so I understood how to properly prepare for this cruise. We came intending to do very active outdoor activities and even though we were blessed w remarkable mild weather for early Feb., it’s still cold and you need to plan according.
I’d suggest you find a glove that allows you to operate your iPhone, so you don’t always have to take them off. Some people aren’t interested in active adventures so should scale back accordingly. Some people brought poles to help walk on the icy parts which seems pretty sensible so a heads up to the rest of you. I had Oboz Bridger 9” boots and they were amazing. Husband had the 10” version for the males. Warm feet are pretty important, these fit the bill and then some!Download the Night Cap app for your smart phone, takes pretty damn good pictures of northern lights. YOU MUST BRING A TRIPOD IF YOU WANT GOOD NORTHERN LIGHTS PHOTOS.
I was never able to figure out my fancy camera settings for northern lights photos, so that was a bummer. But, I also had my outdoor sport camera as well and between my iPhone, that, and the private guide photos, we got many excellent shots of the beautiful lights. But, you can’t get a good shot if you don’t have a tripod because you take photos at a long shutter speed.Boat was quite rocky the first day, and also today, so you may want to get scopolamine patch prescription. Lot of people got sick.Fitness center is small, but fine.
Good equipment. Spa is also nice, I did a cranberry scrub massage combo and loved it. Husband did a long massage and enjoyed it.Lastly, there were many reports about the Order of Blue Nose ceremony and that it included a polar plunge - not any more for safety reasons we are told. It was disappointing, but not much you can do there. They still do the frosting and shot, just not the ice bath. Also, they have a call system you can opt into to get northern lights announcements.
Prior reports said you had to leave TV on and that’s just not case anymore. System worked good both times sightings were reported. My husband and I have always wanted to see Norway. We both have Norwegian DNA. It is also a place that neither one of us has been before. The ship and our cabin were immaculate. Our cabin stewards anticipated our every need.
All of the Viking employees were wonderful. We enjoyed the port talks and all the lectures they offered. Our favorite excursion was the husky dog sleds. We also got to see the National Reindeer Races in Tromso! We missed going into Bodo and seeing the maelstrom because the seas were too rough. We understand that safety is first and we appreciate that.
We were told that the ship hasn’t been able to get into Bodo in months so I would think they would re-evaluate that destination and maybe add another one. We are grandparents and love children but we very much enjoyed that there were no children on board. I also enjoyed no casino, smaller number of passengers and smaller boat. It enabled us to meet so many new people. We loved Bergen and would have enjoyed more time there. We enjoyed all of our tour guides although the guide on the way to Polar Park concentrated on global warming and her mental health which was not what we expected to hear on a one hour bus ride. We would have enjoyed hearing more about Norway and the area we were riding through.
Astro empires lyra. United Colony bases can kill dreadnoughts occasionally with heavy cruiser spawns, but it is unlikely they will kill a Titan and it's impossible for any UC spawn to kill a Leviathan, so you have the security of knowing that your UC base is safe.Also, since UC technology level is so low, it is possible to shield rape UC heavy cruisers off-base when you achieve shielding level 23 for lots of profit. This is a prime target for a levi stacker.Base AttacksMany players make the mistake of using leviathans to attack bases when they first get them. When UCs disband, and no one has held the base, there will usually be a few dreadnoughts and loads of HC left over.
We absolutely loved our cruise and it was the first time we have done Viking. We hoped to see the Aurora and experience the stunning arctic scenery. We chose the 7-day Northbound cruise with flights back to the UK from Kirkenes.The prices for the excursions were very high, nevertheless we chose the dog-sledding as an experience of a lifetime. It lived up to expectations. The 'Cathedral tour' at one town though, was priced at over £100pp - we decided to walk the half mile from the boat instead and paid the £12 entry fee. It was the same with several other expensive 'walking tours' of small towns/villages - we simply explored ourselves. Other activities billed as lasting 2.5hours failed to mention 1 hour coach transfers etc.On board the breakfasts and buffet-style lunches were quite good, but repetitive each day.
There was no. choice on the dinner menu - a set 3 courses each day; and the quality was unremarkable given the eloquence of the written description of the dishes on the menu.
(.If you really didn't want what was on offer for a given evening, it was possible to ask for 'the alternative' by prior arrangement by lunchtime that day) A £100+ 'drinks package' bought just 3 bottles of wine - and individually a pint of beer varied between £10 - £12.25 (on shore, even in the more remote villages the price was only £7.50) The bar on board was only available after 3.00pm and was the only place to get free coffee during the day outside meal times)All in all, most things were overpriced and struggled to live up to to their descriptions in the brochure. HOWEVER - the scenery was stunning throughout, and the 'Expedition Team' were knowledgeable, lively and positive, and keen to help guests get the most out of their voyage. Even though we saw them on 3 nights, be aware - Northern lights are NOT coloured to the naked eye.If your cabin is on the gangway side you get woken in the middle of the night with all the stops.
Not enough to do on board except sit in the lounge area, some good talks and films. Board games available.The gangway area and walk path to coaches were not treated, so snow and ice v. Slippery.Not yet a 'cruise' line as it advertises itself. No medical facilitiesTwin/single cabins have a large metal handle on the side of bed making getting in and out difficult.Buffet meals were good, but if lunch was a buffet, dinner was a fixed (no choice) menu served slowly and lukewarm.Excursions over-priced.Small poorly equipped gymMS Nordlys is the most recently refitted Hurtigruten ship but Hurtigruten can't seem to decide if they are still a Post ship with lots of short stops, or a Cruise line.
“Cruise ships are like giant floating tubes. Unlike buildings on land, the majority of the walls are actually part of the ship’s structure. Cutting holes through this giant tube in the process.
I chose this for the country (Norway) plus the adventurous aspect of the excursions. I read that this year is the ship’s last year of sailing and it was the last time to experience a different type of cruise. The ship is stylish and whilst old still offers a comfortable, low key holiday.The staff were second to none, especially as they were dealing with the ever-changing unprecedented situation with C-19 virus. We really were in uncharted waters!!! They were calm, unflustered and dealt with the whole spectrum of reactions from passengers. They helped with arranging flights taxis etc when many of us chose to cut our cruise short )in my case from 11to 3).They changed tack from buffet style food service to silver service with aplomb and good humour.
They were outstanding and I am sure they were equally as worried as we passengers were. The level of service from everyone was amazing. We chose this cruise as it is a ferry and not overally \'touristy\' as an anniversary and birthday present for us. This was such an experience. The staff are amazing the scenery is fantastic.Normally we never repeat a holiday BUT this is an exception.
We had a partial view cabin which was very comfy as we thought we may spend some time there on the days we had nothing planned, however there is so much room on the ship we could have saved money and been happy with an inside cabin!! However it was still very comfy and nice to retreat every now and then since I have a chronic pain condition.The staff were EXCEPTIONAL they will accomendate wherever they can and also have a smile on their face and they make you feel part of the family (corney I know!!)We did 4 excursions dog sledding at Tromso which is worth every penny!! Snow hotel, which is such an experience but if you want to see snow sculptures the ship stops at a port where there is a place called Magic ice which is the same but cheaper and no dogs or reindeer!We did the polar night snow mobile which was incredible but we had cloudy night but still so much fun! We also did the mines which we loved but not everyone liked, you have a loong coach ride through amazing scenery and a great guide and the mines are fab as is the soup, you will hear local recording of a band (they play Elvis which is a bit odd) but really lovely.My final advice is you can have snow clothes etc but you really dont need it for the excursions as most of them will provide stuff.
Have a decent coat, gloves etc and snow spikes if you are walking in town. Hope this helps and enjoy your holiday if you go x. We were very pleased we chose this trip, which did not disappoint and in the main was above expectations.The ship was in excellent condition and kept very clean.
We were impressed by our accommodation (suite 502) which was large (two rooms), very comfortable and spotless.We enjoyed some excellent and interesting excursions, although one of the highlights, a trip on a snowmobile, had to be cancelled due to poor weather. Other passengers also experienced cancellations of other excursions due to poor weather, but it must be realised this is a working ferry as well as a cruise ship and winter weather can occasionally lead to missed ports and cancelled excursions. Nonetheless, this did not detract from our overall satisfaction and overall experience.The food was excellent and the catering staff too. They were always helpful and always seemed cheerful.AND we saw the Northern Lights on more than one occasion! We sailed on this very ship nearly five years ago, a June eleven-day coastal trip. Stunning scenery, excursions superb and life on board very comfortable and friendly.
Had to repeat the experience. We’re currently eight days into our winter trip, the standard just as high, the food and comfort admirable. So what if you have to make your own entertainment onboard? Those here have accepted this, readers, photographers, card players and many just happy to sit and enjoy the whole experience. That’s what Hurtigruten voyages are about. The trip has been spectacular, less excursions done (that to the North Cape was awesome) but a greater chance to walk into snow filled towns and explore further.
Cold, but totally pleasurable. We cannot fault Hurtigruten.
And so relaxing, time passing gently in good company and amongst the friendliest of staff you can imagine. We’ll no doubt wish to do this again, and I’m sure it will happen. Hurtigruten knows it’s market, those who properly explore its website know its virtues and worth.
We picked this trip to see the Northern Lights and Norway in winter, to remind me of growing up in the snow! The crew - ALL OF THEM - are amazing, unfailing nice, and make this cruise a really wonderful time.
They read and respond to your comments on a daily basis so if you need something they really do take it into account. Seriously, cannot day enough good things about all the crew. Even the happy water guy who gives you bottles of water when you leave the boat was a delight.
They had cocoa upon your returns. When there were northern lights sightings announced, about 10 minutes later a crew member would show up with trays of warm cocoa.
That level of service is remarkable.Our room, 6010 Penthouse Veranda PV-1 category), was roomy and never felt too tight for a 13 day cruise. Given all the gear one needs for the trip, I’m very happy we didn’t book a smaller room. Shower was a good size, good water pressure, but the nozzle head was a little wonky - you have to swivel and turn to get it just right. Most suitcases will fit under the beds, so that was a great little treat.The food is good, not great. Some things are terrific, but overall good. That’s not a complaint by any means, just don’t come expecting Jean Georges at sea.
But, if you want good food, you’ll find it. Manfredis Italian was good. They had churros for dessert, which delighted me to no end: Chefs Table was less successful, but still interesting. Favorite meal there was surprisingly the British one.
Best food was Viking Burger at the Pool Grill (it’s straight up an amazing burger) and The Restaurant. Pool Grille has onion rings and they are also excellent. The Restaurant has daily menu changes, mostly successful. Consistently good food.
Neither of us liked the World Cafe, pretty much at all. For any meal.The house wines were mostly awful merlots and sometimes ok whites - order the Silver Spirit Package if you wish to drink something with taste. My hubby doesn’t drink at all, so when I called to ask Viking if I can do just one Premium Spirit package, they said no. When onboard, I made a comment on the daily comment form and I’ll be darned if the head Somm came to track me down one day to tell me they would have been happy to provide me with the Spirits Package given this unique situation (because literally my husband only drinks sparkling water most of the time and Arnold palmers with meals). So, word to the wise who have a half sober couple like myself, ask on board because they would have allowed for it.We were fortunate and got to see the Northern Lights, 2x with our naked eye and 1x only with the camera. If you come thinking it’s going to be like the vivid photos you see on the Internet, you’ll likely be disappointed.
It’s mostly hard to see, sort of wispy when it comes out, maybe you’ll see it green and not grey like light clouds at night, but it’s still a treat.We only did one included tour in Stavanger, it’s a bus ride around the town. That’s pretty much what all of them are, so if bud rides without stops is your thing, you’ll love their included tours. If you want to get out and do things, plan to drop another chunk of change. We loved all our excursions - did curling in Stavanger, private minibus northern lights tour in Tromso, Sami Reindeer camp in Tromso, snowmobiling and the ice hotel in Alta, skipped our second northern lights bus in Alta which I still think should be refunded - there was zero% chance to see the lights that night and they went anyway, husky sledding in Alta, and the Wolf Preserve at Polar Park in Narvik. Dog sledding was our favorite, but all the activities were great. Word to the wise on the wolf preserve is that it’s like a 3 mile hike so if you have mobility issues, this one isn’t for you. It was a steep hike, up hill, in the snow.If you can’t book the private northern lights your, I’d suggest you book outside of Viking and go with a local guide since it will likely be a better experience.
The normal northern lights tour through Viking is a waste of money, they put 50 people on a bus and drop you at a parking lot. Don’t think that’s $200 worth per person. But, the private mini bus we did was awesome, the guide showed us how to photograph the lights, she had an awesome camera and took amazing photos of us with the lights then sent us the photos, built a camp fire, fed us stew and we even roasted marshmallows. It was a magical night, in part because of the full moon and fact that we were at end of Grotfjord.I grew up in a cold climate so I understood how to properly prepare for this cruise. We came intending to do very active outdoor activities and even though we were blessed w remarkable mild weather for early Feb., it’s still cold and you need to plan according.
I’d suggest you find a glove that allows you to operate your iPhone, so you don’t always have to take them off. Some people aren’t interested in active adventures so should scale back accordingly. Some people brought poles to help walk on the icy parts which seems pretty sensible so a heads up to the rest of you. I had Oboz Bridger 9” boots and they were amazing. Husband had the 10” version for the males. Warm feet are pretty important, these fit the bill and then some!Download the Night Cap app for your smart phone, takes pretty damn good pictures of northern lights. YOU MUST BRING A TRIPOD IF YOU WANT GOOD NORTHERN LIGHTS PHOTOS.
I was never able to figure out my fancy camera settings for northern lights photos, so that was a bummer. But, I also had my outdoor sport camera as well and between my iPhone, that, and the private guide photos, we got many excellent shots of the beautiful lights. But, you can’t get a good shot if you don’t have a tripod because you take photos at a long shutter speed.Boat was quite rocky the first day, and also today, so you may want to get scopolamine patch prescription. Lot of people got sick.Fitness center is small, but fine.
Good equipment. Spa is also nice, I did a cranberry scrub massage combo and loved it. Husband did a long massage and enjoyed it.Lastly, there were many reports about the Order of Blue Nose ceremony and that it included a polar plunge - not any more for safety reasons we are told. It was disappointing, but not much you can do there. They still do the frosting and shot, just not the ice bath. Also, they have a call system you can opt into to get northern lights announcements.
Prior reports said you had to leave TV on and that’s just not case anymore. System worked good both times sightings were reported. My husband and I have always wanted to see Norway. We both have Norwegian DNA. It is also a place that neither one of us has been before. The ship and our cabin were immaculate. Our cabin stewards anticipated our every need.
All of the Viking employees were wonderful. We enjoyed the port talks and all the lectures they offered. Our favorite excursion was the husky dog sleds. We also got to see the National Reindeer Races in Tromso! We missed going into Bodo and seeing the maelstrom because the seas were too rough. We understand that safety is first and we appreciate that.
We were told that the ship hasn’t been able to get into Bodo in months so I would think they would re-evaluate that destination and maybe add another one. We are grandparents and love children but we very much enjoyed that there were no children on board. I also enjoyed no casino, smaller number of passengers and smaller boat. It enabled us to meet so many new people. We loved Bergen and would have enjoyed more time there. We enjoyed all of our tour guides although the guide on the way to Polar Park concentrated on global warming and her mental health which was not what we expected to hear on a one hour bus ride. We would have enjoyed hearing more about Norway and the area we were riding through.
Astro empires lyra. United Colony bases can kill dreadnoughts occasionally with heavy cruiser spawns, but it is unlikely they will kill a Titan and it\'s impossible for any UC spawn to kill a Leviathan, so you have the security of knowing that your UC base is safe.Also, since UC technology level is so low, it is possible to shield rape UC heavy cruisers off-base when you achieve shielding level 23 for lots of profit. This is a prime target for a levi stacker.Base AttacksMany players make the mistake of using leviathans to attack bases when they first get them. When UCs disband, and no one has held the base, there will usually be a few dreadnoughts and loads of HC left over.
We absolutely loved our cruise and it was the first time we have done Viking. We hoped to see the Aurora and experience the stunning arctic scenery. We chose the 7-day Northbound cruise with flights back to the UK from Kirkenes.The prices for the excursions were very high, nevertheless we chose the dog-sledding as an experience of a lifetime. It lived up to expectations. The \'Cathedral tour\' at one town though, was priced at over £100pp - we decided to walk the half mile from the boat instead and paid the £12 entry fee. It was the same with several other expensive \'walking tours\' of small towns/villages - we simply explored ourselves. Other activities billed as lasting 2.5hours failed to mention 1 hour coach transfers etc.On board the breakfasts and buffet-style lunches were quite good, but repetitive each day.
There was no. choice on the dinner menu - a set 3 courses each day; and the quality was unremarkable given the eloquence of the written description of the dishes on the menu.
(.If you really didn\'t want what was on offer for a given evening, it was possible to ask for \'the alternative\' by prior arrangement by lunchtime that day) A £100+ \'drinks package\' bought just 3 bottles of wine - and individually a pint of beer varied between £10 - £12.25 (on shore, even in the more remote villages the price was only £7.50) The bar on board was only available after 3.00pm and was the only place to get free coffee during the day outside meal times)All in all, most things were overpriced and struggled to live up to to their descriptions in the brochure. HOWEVER - the scenery was stunning throughout, and the \'Expedition Team\' were knowledgeable, lively and positive, and keen to help guests get the most out of their voyage. Even though we saw them on 3 nights, be aware - Northern lights are NOT coloured to the naked eye.If your cabin is on the gangway side you get woken in the middle of the night with all the stops.
Not enough to do on board except sit in the lounge area, some good talks and films. Board games available.The gangway area and walk path to coaches were not treated, so snow and ice v. Slippery.Not yet a \'cruise\' line as it advertises itself. No medical facilitiesTwin/single cabins have a large metal handle on the side of bed making getting in and out difficult.Buffet meals were good, but if lunch was a buffet, dinner was a fixed (no choice) menu served slowly and lukewarm.Excursions over-priced.Small poorly equipped gymMS Nordlys is the most recently refitted Hurtigruten ship but Hurtigruten can\'t seem to decide if they are still a Post ship with lots of short stops, or a Cruise line.
...'>Rooms Of Memory Cruiser Liner Expedition(11.03.2020)“Cruise ships are like giant floating tubes. Unlike buildings on land, the majority of the walls are actually part of the ship’s structure. Cutting holes through this giant tube in the process.
I chose this for the country (Norway) plus the adventurous aspect of the excursions. I read that this year is the ship’s last year of sailing and it was the last time to experience a different type of cruise. The ship is stylish and whilst old still offers a comfortable, low key holiday.The staff were second to none, especially as they were dealing with the ever-changing unprecedented situation with C-19 virus. We really were in uncharted waters!!! They were calm, unflustered and dealt with the whole spectrum of reactions from passengers. They helped with arranging flights taxis etc when many of us chose to cut our cruise short )in my case from 11to 3).They changed tack from buffet style food service to silver service with aplomb and good humour.
They were outstanding and I am sure they were equally as worried as we passengers were. The level of service from everyone was amazing. We chose this cruise as it is a ferry and not overally \'touristy\' as an anniversary and birthday present for us. This was such an experience. The staff are amazing the scenery is fantastic.Normally we never repeat a holiday BUT this is an exception.
We had a partial view cabin which was very comfy as we thought we may spend some time there on the days we had nothing planned, however there is so much room on the ship we could have saved money and been happy with an inside cabin!! However it was still very comfy and nice to retreat every now and then since I have a chronic pain condition.The staff were EXCEPTIONAL they will accomendate wherever they can and also have a smile on their face and they make you feel part of the family (corney I know!!)We did 4 excursions dog sledding at Tromso which is worth every penny!! Snow hotel, which is such an experience but if you want to see snow sculptures the ship stops at a port where there is a place called Magic ice which is the same but cheaper and no dogs or reindeer!We did the polar night snow mobile which was incredible but we had cloudy night but still so much fun! We also did the mines which we loved but not everyone liked, you have a loong coach ride through amazing scenery and a great guide and the mines are fab as is the soup, you will hear local recording of a band (they play Elvis which is a bit odd) but really lovely.My final advice is you can have snow clothes etc but you really dont need it for the excursions as most of them will provide stuff.
Have a decent coat, gloves etc and snow spikes if you are walking in town. Hope this helps and enjoy your holiday if you go x. We were very pleased we chose this trip, which did not disappoint and in the main was above expectations.The ship was in excellent condition and kept very clean.
We were impressed by our accommodation (suite 502) which was large (two rooms), very comfortable and spotless.We enjoyed some excellent and interesting excursions, although one of the highlights, a trip on a snowmobile, had to be cancelled due to poor weather. Other passengers also experienced cancellations of other excursions due to poor weather, but it must be realised this is a working ferry as well as a cruise ship and winter weather can occasionally lead to missed ports and cancelled excursions. Nonetheless, this did not detract from our overall satisfaction and overall experience.The food was excellent and the catering staff too. They were always helpful and always seemed cheerful.AND we saw the Northern Lights on more than one occasion! We sailed on this very ship nearly five years ago, a June eleven-day coastal trip. Stunning scenery, excursions superb and life on board very comfortable and friendly.
Had to repeat the experience. We’re currently eight days into our winter trip, the standard just as high, the food and comfort admirable. So what if you have to make your own entertainment onboard? Those here have accepted this, readers, photographers, card players and many just happy to sit and enjoy the whole experience. That’s what Hurtigruten voyages are about. The trip has been spectacular, less excursions done (that to the North Cape was awesome) but a greater chance to walk into snow filled towns and explore further.
Cold, but totally pleasurable. We cannot fault Hurtigruten.
And so relaxing, time passing gently in good company and amongst the friendliest of staff you can imagine. We’ll no doubt wish to do this again, and I’m sure it will happen. Hurtigruten knows it’s market, those who properly explore its website know its virtues and worth.
We picked this trip to see the Northern Lights and Norway in winter, to remind me of growing up in the snow! The crew - ALL OF THEM - are amazing, unfailing nice, and make this cruise a really wonderful time.
They read and respond to your comments on a daily basis so if you need something they really do take it into account. Seriously, cannot day enough good things about all the crew. Even the happy water guy who gives you bottles of water when you leave the boat was a delight.
They had cocoa upon your returns. When there were northern lights sightings announced, about 10 minutes later a crew member would show up with trays of warm cocoa.
That level of service is remarkable.Our room, 6010 Penthouse Veranda PV-1 category), was roomy and never felt too tight for a 13 day cruise. Given all the gear one needs for the trip, I’m very happy we didn’t book a smaller room. Shower was a good size, good water pressure, but the nozzle head was a little wonky - you have to swivel and turn to get it just right. Most suitcases will fit under the beds, so that was a great little treat.The food is good, not great. Some things are terrific, but overall good. That’s not a complaint by any means, just don’t come expecting Jean Georges at sea.
But, if you want good food, you’ll find it. Manfredis Italian was good. They had churros for dessert, which delighted me to no end: Chefs Table was less successful, but still interesting. Favorite meal there was surprisingly the British one.
Best food was Viking Burger at the Pool Grill (it’s straight up an amazing burger) and The Restaurant. Pool Grille has onion rings and they are also excellent. The Restaurant has daily menu changes, mostly successful. Consistently good food.
Neither of us liked the World Cafe, pretty much at all. For any meal.The house wines were mostly awful merlots and sometimes ok whites - order the Silver Spirit Package if you wish to drink something with taste. My hubby doesn’t drink at all, so when I called to ask Viking if I can do just one Premium Spirit package, they said no. When onboard, I made a comment on the daily comment form and I’ll be darned if the head Somm came to track me down one day to tell me they would have been happy to provide me with the Spirits Package given this unique situation (because literally my husband only drinks sparkling water most of the time and Arnold palmers with meals). So, word to the wise who have a half sober couple like myself, ask on board because they would have allowed for it.We were fortunate and got to see the Northern Lights, 2x with our naked eye and 1x only with the camera. If you come thinking it’s going to be like the vivid photos you see on the Internet, you’ll likely be disappointed.
It’s mostly hard to see, sort of wispy when it comes out, maybe you’ll see it green and not grey like light clouds at night, but it’s still a treat.We only did one included tour in Stavanger, it’s a bus ride around the town. That’s pretty much what all of them are, so if bud rides without stops is your thing, you’ll love their included tours. If you want to get out and do things, plan to drop another chunk of change. We loved all our excursions - did curling in Stavanger, private minibus northern lights tour in Tromso, Sami Reindeer camp in Tromso, snowmobiling and the ice hotel in Alta, skipped our second northern lights bus in Alta which I still think should be refunded - there was zero% chance to see the lights that night and they went anyway, husky sledding in Alta, and the Wolf Preserve at Polar Park in Narvik. Dog sledding was our favorite, but all the activities were great. Word to the wise on the wolf preserve is that it’s like a 3 mile hike so if you have mobility issues, this one isn’t for you. It was a steep hike, up hill, in the snow.If you can’t book the private northern lights your, I’d suggest you book outside of Viking and go with a local guide since it will likely be a better experience.
The normal northern lights tour through Viking is a waste of money, they put 50 people on a bus and drop you at a parking lot. Don’t think that’s $200 worth per person. But, the private mini bus we did was awesome, the guide showed us how to photograph the lights, she had an awesome camera and took amazing photos of us with the lights then sent us the photos, built a camp fire, fed us stew and we even roasted marshmallows. It was a magical night, in part because of the full moon and fact that we were at end of Grotfjord.I grew up in a cold climate so I understood how to properly prepare for this cruise. We came intending to do very active outdoor activities and even though we were blessed w remarkable mild weather for early Feb., it’s still cold and you need to plan according.
I’d suggest you find a glove that allows you to operate your iPhone, so you don’t always have to take them off. Some people aren’t interested in active adventures so should scale back accordingly. Some people brought poles to help walk on the icy parts which seems pretty sensible so a heads up to the rest of you. I had Oboz Bridger 9” boots and they were amazing. Husband had the 10” version for the males. Warm feet are pretty important, these fit the bill and then some!Download the Night Cap app for your smart phone, takes pretty damn good pictures of northern lights. YOU MUST BRING A TRIPOD IF YOU WANT GOOD NORTHERN LIGHTS PHOTOS.
I was never able to figure out my fancy camera settings for northern lights photos, so that was a bummer. But, I also had my outdoor sport camera as well and between my iPhone, that, and the private guide photos, we got many excellent shots of the beautiful lights. But, you can’t get a good shot if you don’t have a tripod because you take photos at a long shutter speed.Boat was quite rocky the first day, and also today, so you may want to get scopolamine patch prescription. Lot of people got sick.Fitness center is small, but fine.
Good equipment. Spa is also nice, I did a cranberry scrub massage combo and loved it. Husband did a long massage and enjoyed it.Lastly, there were many reports about the Order of Blue Nose ceremony and that it included a polar plunge - not any more for safety reasons we are told. It was disappointing, but not much you can do there. They still do the frosting and shot, just not the ice bath. Also, they have a call system you can opt into to get northern lights announcements.
Prior reports said you had to leave TV on and that’s just not case anymore. System worked good both times sightings were reported. My husband and I have always wanted to see Norway. We both have Norwegian DNA. It is also a place that neither one of us has been before. The ship and our cabin were immaculate. Our cabin stewards anticipated our every need.
All of the Viking employees were wonderful. We enjoyed the port talks and all the lectures they offered. Our favorite excursion was the husky dog sleds. We also got to see the National Reindeer Races in Tromso! We missed going into Bodo and seeing the maelstrom because the seas were too rough. We understand that safety is first and we appreciate that.
We were told that the ship hasn’t been able to get into Bodo in months so I would think they would re-evaluate that destination and maybe add another one. We are grandparents and love children but we very much enjoyed that there were no children on board. I also enjoyed no casino, smaller number of passengers and smaller boat. It enabled us to meet so many new people. We loved Bergen and would have enjoyed more time there. We enjoyed all of our tour guides although the guide on the way to Polar Park concentrated on global warming and her mental health which was not what we expected to hear on a one hour bus ride. We would have enjoyed hearing more about Norway and the area we were riding through.
Astro empires lyra. United Colony bases can kill dreadnoughts occasionally with heavy cruiser spawns, but it is unlikely they will kill a Titan and it\'s impossible for any UC spawn to kill a Leviathan, so you have the security of knowing that your UC base is safe.Also, since UC technology level is so low, it is possible to shield rape UC heavy cruisers off-base when you achieve shielding level 23 for lots of profit. This is a prime target for a levi stacker.Base AttacksMany players make the mistake of using leviathans to attack bases when they first get them. When UCs disband, and no one has held the base, there will usually be a few dreadnoughts and loads of HC left over.
We absolutely loved our cruise and it was the first time we have done Viking. We hoped to see the Aurora and experience the stunning arctic scenery. We chose the 7-day Northbound cruise with flights back to the UK from Kirkenes.The prices for the excursions were very high, nevertheless we chose the dog-sledding as an experience of a lifetime. It lived up to expectations. The \'Cathedral tour\' at one town though, was priced at over £100pp - we decided to walk the half mile from the boat instead and paid the £12 entry fee. It was the same with several other expensive \'walking tours\' of small towns/villages - we simply explored ourselves. Other activities billed as lasting 2.5hours failed to mention 1 hour coach transfers etc.On board the breakfasts and buffet-style lunches were quite good, but repetitive each day.
There was no. choice on the dinner menu - a set 3 courses each day; and the quality was unremarkable given the eloquence of the written description of the dishes on the menu.
(.If you really didn\'t want what was on offer for a given evening, it was possible to ask for \'the alternative\' by prior arrangement by lunchtime that day) A £100+ \'drinks package\' bought just 3 bottles of wine - and individually a pint of beer varied between £10 - £12.25 (on shore, even in the more remote villages the price was only £7.50) The bar on board was only available after 3.00pm and was the only place to get free coffee during the day outside meal times)All in all, most things were overpriced and struggled to live up to to their descriptions in the brochure. HOWEVER - the scenery was stunning throughout, and the \'Expedition Team\' were knowledgeable, lively and positive, and keen to help guests get the most out of their voyage. Even though we saw them on 3 nights, be aware - Northern lights are NOT coloured to the naked eye.If your cabin is on the gangway side you get woken in the middle of the night with all the stops.
Not enough to do on board except sit in the lounge area, some good talks and films. Board games available.The gangway area and walk path to coaches were not treated, so snow and ice v. Slippery.Not yet a \'cruise\' line as it advertises itself. No medical facilitiesTwin/single cabins have a large metal handle on the side of bed making getting in and out difficult.Buffet meals were good, but if lunch was a buffet, dinner was a fixed (no choice) menu served slowly and lukewarm.Excursions over-priced.Small poorly equipped gymMS Nordlys is the most recently refitted Hurtigruten ship but Hurtigruten can\'t seem to decide if they are still a Post ship with lots of short stops, or a Cruise line.
...'>Rooms Of Memory Cruiser Liner Expedition(11.03.2020)