Capnpugwash almost live from Celebrity Eclipse

[Tiggertastic]

Famous rude song about Yogi bear and one of the clean lines is - 'yogi has a girlfriend' Suzie, Suzie, Yogi has a girlfriend - Suzie Suzie bear.

 

8 rules of fight club but the only ones I remember are 1 and 2 as they are the same - Do not talk about fight club

 

Sad I know

[capnpugwash]

I had breakfast and then sat for a short while and then went on deck 14 for the trip along Geraingerfjord, it was glorious and is the nicest and prettiest fjord that I have ever seen, and it is overwhelmingly beautiful. Everywhere I looked were waterfalls of different heights, widths and rates of flow. There were torrents and trickles, they were all superb. We rounded a bend and ahead lay Gerainger, at the end of the fjord, a cannon on the left hand side of the land fired three times in welcome and we slowed, stopped and turned through 180 degrees and then came the roar as we dropped our anchor with the chain rattling and scraping as it is dragged from the chain locker through the hawse hole (?) and down into the chilly depths. We were finally here. I met a couple from Geneva and we were talking about how stunning the morning had been and their only complaint was the incessant musak that was broadcast on the open decks. It was totally inappropriate techno crap, they could have played some gentle classical music if it is too much to have silence and the gentle lapping of the water on the hull of the ship. Obviously I am not alone with my antipathy for this habit.

 

There was a charming little cruise ship swinging at anchor as we arrived, it is called Arion and is operated by the Classic International Cruises who I think are a Greek company. It is an old ship and looks just like a ship is supposed to, a pointy bit at the front and a round bit at the back, with layers of different lengths between the two making it look just like a small wedding cake. The design will never catch on! Even though it looks great.

 

On the way from the forward deck back to my cabin I stopped by the desk for tender tickets and as there was no queue I picked one up, it was No 35 which basically means that I will be part of the 35th group to go ashore, normally there are about 40 or 50 per group so I would be in about the 15th tender boat. I got to thinking as I waited that the corollary to that would be that there would be about 1000 people mooching around this very small town in droves. That to me is a description of hell; I moved to plan B and went for a coffee thinking that I would go ashore this afternoon once the crowds had returned. There is very little to see in the town that can’t be seen from the ship, the one additional thing that would be visible from the land is the ship itself. There is a church here of course so that is one place to avoid.

 

One large feature in the town is a river that feeds into the head of the fjord; this is fast flowing and is fed by a big waterfall with torrents flowing over it. The result is that there is an overwhelming noise of flowing water that I am sure would encourage all but the strongest person to head to the loo every twenty minutes to empty their bladders. There are smaller falls nearby as well which must add to this problem. This is certainly an attractive place to visit on a ship and I would advise anyone to come here but if going ashore, go before you leave!

 

We have been joined by a third ship here which is the Costa Delizisosa and is anchored close by, they are also tendering as there are no facilities for docking any vessel other than a front loading ferry and small yachts and similar craft.

 

It is now 12.30 and the temperature is a pleasant 16/61 degrees, the air is still and the sky is overcast.

 

I skipped lunch again and later in the afternoon I switched to plan C, it had been raining a little and there were still crowds on the quayside which didn’t make the idea of going ashore any more of an attractive proposition. So I didn’t bother, instead I went for a sauna and then had a seat by the pool. It was really pleasant sitting there. Not having had lunch I did visit the buffet for afternoon tea, well coffee actually as the water that they supply is only warm enough to produce a light scum in the cup rather than a proper cup of tea. I had a couple of buttered scones which were freshly made and very tasty. I didn’t bother with the cream or jam in an effort to minimise the bad effects of the event.

 

It is nearly 5pm and we are not due to leave until 7pm when we will start our 57 mile journey to Molde where we will arrive at 7am tomorrow morning. The departure was delayed by some late returning passengers of ship’s tours and we actually raised the anchor at 7.30 although we didn’t move for 10 minutes as the local ferry was arriving. We then set off and 2½ hours later we are still sailing in one of the larger fjords to the east of Alesund. Our speed is now 15 knots and the temperature is 11/53 degrees with a negligible breeze.

 

I went to the Martini Bar and had a Ketel One martini before dinner, for my meal I had some nice snails, a Caesar salad with the obligatory extra anchovies and some pasta which again was disappointing. You would think that I would have learned my lesson by now but it seems that I haven’t. I had some lovely tablemates this evening and now at 10.30pm have just left the restaurant.

[junglejane]

Cap'n, I have thoroughly enjoyed following this thread. I also always enjoy your posts on the Cunard board. We plan on booking the June 1, 2013 TA on the QM2, and would be very interested to read your comparisons of Celebrity versus Cunard.

[capnpugwash]

When I went to bed last evening the ship was surrounded by cliffs and very pretty scenery, I have just woken to find that we are currently back in the Norwegian Sea heading east toward the coast of Norway. There is a light sea mist as the air temperature is only 8/47 degrees and we have a north-westerly breeze blowing at 16 knots. Our overnight journey was quite short so perhaps we emerged from the fjords to kill time or even for safety reasons of not navigating the narrow waterways at night and without a pilot. Whatever the reason was, we have to enter them again and head to Molde.

 

It is 4.40am on Tuesday July 17th and the sun rose 30 minutes ago, I know this because it is light outside but there is no sign of the sun behind the total cloud cover that sits like a grey blanket over the ship.

 

I wanted to download my emails but surprisingly we have no internet signal so instead I will give you my personal list of the pros and cons of the Celebrity Eclipse and this cruise specifically; firstly the good things include the food which seems to offer a great choice and good quality, the buffet, the seating out in the sheltered areas of deck 12, the gym with their good selection of exercise machines, the provision of a sauna in the locker rooms, the cabins and the beds and bed linens, the very friendly and helpful crew and the approachable and highly visible officers.

 

The bad things, or rather the things that I consider to be bad; the lack of a decent bar in a position with a good view, the Observation Lounge on deck 14 provides the good viewing area but has all the atmosphere of a vacuum, the constant need to broadcast loud musak all over the ship, the indoor pool is very shallow, the spa has poor facilities and no separate hydrotherapy pool, the tiny locker room, the proximity of the sun-beds to each other on deck 14 which resembles a very comfortable seal colony or would have had we had any decent weather, the poor positioning and provision of gangways in some ports, the price supplements in the speciality restaurants, the absence of water hot enough to make a decent cup of tea and lastly and specifically concerning this cruise, the strange departure and arrival times at some of the ports and the impression that I get that this could have been a 12 or 13 day cruise but an extra day has been inserted somewhere.

 

None of these matters would stop me travelling with Celebrity again and I have enjoyed most of it thus far. The ship is fine and the crew are excellent, all of which provides a solid basis for a good cruise holiday.

 

We have just re-entered the coastal fjords at 5.20am and are heading south threading our way through the string of islands that form this area off the mainland of Norway, it is similar to barrier islands which are quite common throughout the world but these ones are just that bit more spectacular. We will quite soon be turning to port to start sailing along Moldenfjorden to Molde itself. This will be my first visit to this town and it seems to have 22,000 residents and it is a busy industrial and business centre. It looks to be a total contrast to Gerainger as it is sited on quite a large seaway rather than a towering fjord, perhaps a wide fjord would be a more apt description rather than seaway. Molde is the administrative centre for the county of Møre og Romsdal and reminds me of the lakeside towns in Switzerland, the day is misty, cloudy and chilly. We arrived at the port turned 180 degrees and have now moored at the quay. We are docked in a commercial area of the city and it doesn’t look like the most attractive of destinations. It is 7.15am and I don’t have a clue what I am going to do today, it is a great feeling. We are here until 4pm today when we will leave for Flam.

 

It is 8am and still very murky with mist and overcast skies, it is a thoroughly unpleasant day. Looking from my balcony there is a stream of passengers wearing warm and hopefully waterproof clothes heading towards the lines of buses waiting to take them out on tour. It is hard to think of anything worse than sitting in damp clothes, on a damp bus on a damp and dreary day.

[capnpugwash]

I visited the internet centre and discovered that there was satellite service so I returned to my cabin, collected my laptop and went back to find out what was causing the problem. The connection worked in the office and I enquired of the technical man whether there had been or were Wi-Fi problems on the ship currently. He was a different guy to the one that I spoke with the other day and I think that he must work very cheaply because he was as dumb as a bag of rocks and my simple question floored him. Losing the will to live I smiled at him, thanked him and left him to it. I thought that it was time for a coffee and went to the buffet which was jam packed with morose looking people who wanted to go for a walk to a museum, church or shop or perhaps all three but were prevented from doing so by the weather. It is only 9am so there is still a chance that it may clear up but it really doesn’t look very likely to me.

 

After the coffee I went to the spa and had 30 minutes in the sauna on my own, then I sat in the cool air on deck 12 and was looking through the windows as some buses arrived to take some passengers off on tours, they all looked as though they would rather be doing something else. Norway has a very high suicide rate apparently and looking out this morning in this town I think I understand why.

 

The rain has stopped and some of the clouds have been replaced with blue sky, it is only 13/56 degrees but that is a great improvement over earlier in the day. I have just had a little Mexican food for lunch and it wasn’t as spicy as it has been which is disappointing, probably prepared by a different chef this morning.

[ondeckatsea]

Your posts have been a lot of fun to read! I hope you will get some great weather today. This is one itinerary we haven't done but according to the different crews we have asked, it is the prettiest one.

[capnpugwash]

We pushed off the dock at 4pm and are now sailing out along this very large fjord, the Crystal Symphony was also visiting Molde today. The clouds have returned with a vengeance and despite the 12/54 degree temperature it feels very much colder than that. The port lecturer, Chris, is giving a very tedious sail away spiel over the tannoy system. His chat includes cement storage towers, hotel details including the number of rooms and bars, and how being a weather forecaster in this town would be the most difficult job imaginable. I gave up at this point and came in from the balcony but he persevered and blathered on for at least 5 more minutes. I don’t really understand why they have him do this as it seems that he is just reading a prepared text.

 

We are heading for Flam which I am reliably informed is pronounced “Flomm”, it has been on my bucket list along with Gerainger for some time. I don’t believe that it is a long trip but for some reason we don’t arrive there until 10.30am tomorrow morning. The major attraction is the Flam Railway which is quite famous and is the only organised tour that I am taking on this cruise. The scenery as we sail west along the north shore of this fjord is quite pleasant now that we have left the town behind; green fields and cloud topped hills are plentiful.

 

It is 6pm and we are back in the Norwegian Sea and we are making 17 knots through moderate seas, I am going to Cellar Masters wine bar for pre-dinner drinks as I have some credit to use up on my wine machine card.

[excitedofharpenden]

 

We are heading for Flam which I am reliably informed is pronounced “Flomm”, it has been on my bucket list along with Gerainger for some time. I don’t believe that it is a long trip but for some reason we don’t arrive there until 10.30am tomorrow morning. The major attraction is the Flam Railway which is quite famous and is the only organised tour that I am taking on this cruise. The scenery as we sail west along the north shore of this fjord is quite pleasant now that we have left the town behind; green fields and cloud topped hills are plentiful.

The trip into Flam runs Geiranger a close second. The sail down Sognefjord and Aurlandsfjord are beautiful:

 

 

Phil

[LadyL1]

I couldn't agree more with you more re the lack of bars with a good view, the atmosphere in the Observation Lounge (with very uncomfortable chairs) and the irritation of constant music.

However thought the Tuscan Grill worth the supplement, the Murano excellent food but so dark in there!!!!

Oh - for a view of the ocean.

[c-legs]

When I went to bed last evening the ship was surrounded by cliffs and very pretty scenery, I have just woken to find that we are currently back in the Norwegian Sea heading east toward the coast of Norway. There is a light sea mist as the air temperature is only 8/47 degrees and we have a north-westerly breeze blowing at 16 knots. Our overnight journey was quite short so perhaps we emerged from the fjords to kill time or even for safety reasons of not navigating the narrow waterways at night and without a pilot. Whatever the reason was, we have to enter them again and head to Molde.

 

Good day, Capn

 

We had the same experience last summer; the journey is indeed short, and upon leaving the Geirnager area, ships head due west out at sea for a good 30-knots, then turn north. and proceed to do the ''grey matters discharge'' allowed at that distance , at high seas,( which then becomes the most efficient ''laundry'' in the planet...:rolleyes:). Then, the ship slowly cycles back south, then east back where it came from ,to enter the fjords seaways toward Molde. All of which is conducted at a speed somewhat resembling ''threading waters''...only a weebit faster.

By the way, your describing the Molden Fjords as resembling Swiss lakes vistas: BANG ON ! If you vist Olden this trip, this will remind you of all of Switzerland ! ( Of course, I'm a little bit biased.....having been there 19 times since 1992....!!!!

Thanks for your very enlightening blogs

Cheers

[Paddigton Bear]

Just tuned in as I do and no update :eek:

 

Do hope you are all right or did one too many martinis and a plate of pasta finally get to you?

 

Or you could be first in line to get off seeing as you are doing your only proper excursion of the cruise today and were so full of excitement to get off that you haven't had time to post :D

 

Your "followers" await your Flam report and I do hope you weren't squashed in a carriage as I'm sure that there'll be 1,000's on that train today, just saying!

[capnpugwash]

I chose to have a couple of glasses of Gavi di Gavi La Scolca again and it was delicious, light and fruity. A bonus was that I was near the end of the bottle so the barman gave the last glassful to me for nothing. Dinner was very nice but after my abortive Mexican meal I just had Seafood Bisque, a veal Carpaccio followed by a Caesar salad, all very light and doubtless by 7am I will be starving. I wasn’t late to bed as my day of inactivity left me quite tired and I was anticipating rising early viewing the ship arriving at Flam.

 

Today is Wednesday July 18th and the time is 5.25am, we are sailing at 15 knots along the Sognefjord, the sun is shining brightly and the sky is blue. I feel a song coming on! I think that it would be fairer to say that the part of the sky that isn’t close to the cloud topped mountains is blue! But is an attractive sight nonetheless. Our arrival time has been brought forward to 9am which will allow us 10 hours here. The sides of this fjord are less rocky than Geraingerfjord and are covered in trees. This fjord is 110 miles long and fortunately our destination is like a side road off this big road which is called Aurlandsfjord which has Flam at its head.

 

I was correct when I predicted that I would be hungry this morning but it doesn’t really do me too much harm in the grand scheme of things. The Sognefjord has sweeping twists and turns like a Tom Clancy novel. It is a chilly 9/48 degrees as the water on the fjord is in almost constant shade by virtue of the green lumpy bits either side. My geology lessons seem to be paying off I think!

 

I went up on deck and already the squeak squeak squeak of trainers on a wet deck can be heard on deck 14 as the power walkers strut their stuff. The decks are wet this morning courtesy of some Norwegian sunshine that must have fallen overnight; it is quite pleasant out there though and feels a lot warmer than the measured temperature. Despite the width of the fjord there is currently no satellite access which is a bit of a pain as I have business that needs attending to, there is nothing to be done other than to keep trying to connect.

 

I am down on deck 6 in the iLounge just checking that the connectivity problem is ship-wide and not just me which it is, I thought that you might be interested in internet costs or charges on Celebrity. The basic charge is $0.75 per minute which reduces to $0.48 with the purchase of a 208 minute plan and then to $0.24 per minute if a 1666 minute plan is bought. That is 27 hours of connection though, so I don’t know how long a cruise you would need to be on to take full advantage of those savings!

 

I had a cup of coffee in the buffet just now and the section in which I was seated holds about 350 people and there were 5 of us sitting there as it was still early. A 30 something lady in a cardigan arrives and selects a large round table with circular bench seats that would comfortably hold 10 or 12 people; there is the remnant of a previous occupant’s breakfast on the table which consists of a napkin and a plate and cup. She is joined by her husband and they proceed to discuss this at length with each other and eventually decide to sit at an adjacent unsullied table which is identical apart from having chairs rather than a bench and being marginally smaller. I wondered quite what was so special about the first one, maybe it had tonight’s lottery numbers hidden on it somewhere. People are strange aren't they!

 

I had breakfast while I was there and I was tempted by the freshly baked crispy baguettes which I combined with warm hard boiled eggs. It was a little bit odd for breakfast perhaps but tasted delightful. After breakfast I went out on deck 14 and took a lot of very nice pictures, they were of waterfalls, clouds and ripples and were all quite arty farty! I have just been transferring them to my laptop using Picasa and have lost them all; I am so annoyed with myself because it isn’t that difficult a task. I have looked everywhere but they have gone. The trials and tribulations of the struggling artist!

 

We are now heading along the final branch of the fjord towards Flam, the time is 8.10am and we have less than 3 miles to go. We arrived a little after 8.20 and found that Holland America’s Rotterdam was already at anchor leaving the berth free for us. We stopped and are currently turning around and will soon move across to the quay, put our lines ashore and make the ship fast. Once again the stern lines were shot ashore and then dragged while the bow lines were physically collected by two men in a little boat. Hmm, another book there maybe! I have a ticket for a tour on the famous railway leaving at 2.30pm this afternoon so I have a free morning. The entire village looks like a jigsaw picture and has lots of wooden buildings and looks so very quaint and pretty. The railway station is less than 100 yards from the ship so it should be an easy journey. There is even a small supermarket on the dockside.

 

It has warmed up slightly and is now 13/56 degrees, we are sheltered from any breeze by the surrounding mountains and the sky is cloudy. There is a slight chance of rain according to the forecast.

[capnpugwash]

Clearly we picked up the internet signal whilst moored at Flam, which seems quite ironic but one must be grateful for small mercies. I have just checked and I have to go to the theatre at 2.15 to meet up for the train. The ticket cost $95 so I think that I might check just how much they are at the station. I did just that and had a brief walk around the area, there really is not very much at all. There are numerous trains all day and the ones prior to 5pm are all sold out but tickets are available for the trains leaving after 5.25pm which might be a little tight if like us you are sailing at 7pm. An interesting fact was that the round trip ticket would be 360 kroner which equates to £40 or $65, so Celebrity are clearly ripping off their passengers, I had no choice but to purchase their tour ticket as no others were available online but it is still disgusting that they are able to do this blatant gouging. Some nominal load on the price would be understandable but 50% is ludicrous, and I imagine that they were able to get a good group discount on top of that profit. It isn’t as though they add any value to the train ride.

 

When I returned after my brief visit ashore I went to the sauna and once again was on my own, but I managed ok. Afterwards I sat on deck 12 again and listened to some more of my book, if only my Spanish lessons were on there I wouldn’t feel so idle. A couple in their late sixties walked past me heading to the solarium/indoor pool, she was dressed in a little crimplene number and he was wearing the almost obligatory baseball cap, a close fitting tee-shirt and my favourite cropped trousers. He was carrying a Celebrity tote bag and was wearing sandals over some very stylish black ankle socks. I wonder where they were from!

 

I thought that I should have a light lunch as I was going out so in the back of my mind was a cheese sandwich made with one of those very tasty little baguettes from this morning, sod’s law meant that they had all been eaten so I just grabbed a turkey sandwich which tasted of nothing, a cup of coffee and I was ready to go. I was sat close to the ice cream counter and thankfully there was a long queue that never seemed to diminish so I didn’t have any. On my way up to the buffet a lady was telling me that she had purchased tickets for the railway this morning from the station and that she was getting on the train at about 6.30pm, we are scheduled to leave at 7 this evening and when I mentioned this to her she was unconcerned. She said that she had spoken to “someone” who had told her that the ship would wait until the last train was back before it sailed. I think that she may have misunderstood as I am sure that the ship will only wait for trains with passengers that have purchased ship’s tours. There was no telling her though and realistically Bergen is quite close by if she needs to make her own way there.

[u2cruiser]

I can barely wait for your return from your expensive train trip with the cruising masses.

It almost feels like you are having a 'fly on the wall' type of cruise, observing cruisers, and today is the day you venture into 'real cruiser' world. :D

(Hey, that explains the pesky fly in your signature)

 

I hope you will be up on deck, Martini in hand, to wave goodbye to 'late train' cruiser, as she runs towards the pier only to see Eclipse sailing off into the distance. ;)

[LaBelle]

As always enjoying your report - have just been looking at the current webcam at Flam -

[Flowerpower22]

Thanks so much for the review. It combines the best of both worlds for me as I am embarking on my first cruise to the Fjords (with Cunard) in a couple of weeks. Also later this summer I'm on a Celebrity Wine Immersion cruise. The martinis sound fab - can't wait to try them. Have not sailed with Celeb for about 10 years so all info about the ship is very enlightening.

[Ma Bell]

When we were there in May there was a difference in the ship's tour and just purchasing a ticket. The ticket alone was about $60. and the ship's tour $94. The tour price included stopping at a cute hotel for coffee and waffles, staying for a while and reboarding the train. I don't know that it was technically worth an extra $34 but it was a very charming, enjoyable, break and the waffles were delicious.

[excitedofharpenden]

When we were there in May there was a difference in the ship's tour and just purchasing a ticket. The ticket alone was about $60. and the ship's tour $94. The tour price included stopping at a cute hotel for coffee and waffles, staying for a while and reboarding the train. I don't know that it was technically worth an extra $34 but it was a very charming, enjoyable, break and the waffles were delicious.

And wasn't that raspberry jam the best?!!

 

Phil

[Ma Bell]

and wasn't that raspberry jam the best?!!

 

Phil

 

yum

[capnpugwash]

The meeting place for the tour was the theatre on deck 4, they positioned the sticker table right at the front so everyone had to walk all the way down and then all the way back up to the door which didn’t seem particularly sensible. At about 2.30 we were told to go to deck 2 to disembark and to assemble on the quayside. I went down and the assembly area was utter chaos, the young girl running things wanted everyone to line up and then follow another girl holding a number on a stick. She would have been too short to join a troupe of midgets so no-one could see, let alone follow her. I just walked along as I knew the way to the station. When we arrived we were herded onto a platform and we boarded a very comfortable train.

 

The journey took a little over 50 minutes and half way up we stopped at a dual track section to allow the down train to pass safely. The train goes through 20 tunnels of varying lengths and the scenery is quite spectacular but you are on a train and there is very little time to compose a photograph as you will pretty soon be in another tunnel. There was a photo stop at Kjosfossen where there is a massive waterfall which was interesting, they had a girl there singing as a local legend believes that she would tempt men to go into the mountains. I thought that it was tacky and touristy but others seemed to enjoy it.

 

The train arrived at Vatna-Halsen which is one station from the destination of Myrdal and everyone got off to go and have a cup of coffee and a waffle in a nearby hotel. The plan was that they would spend an hour there and then re-board a subsequent train for the return journey. I didn’t fancy this at all so I stayed on the train and after a 5 minute stop at Myrdal I returned to Flam. The journey was mildly interesting and it would have been a little better had we not been travelling so quickly. I wouldn’t do it again though.

 

I am now back on the ship and the weather is glorious sunshine, it is 25/77 degrees and there is no wind at all, I am going to get cleaned up and then go for a beer or something similar.

[excitedofharpenden]

I did the Flam Celebrity excursion and really enjoyed it. We stopped off for a waffle and some hot chocolate. I thought it would be mobbed inside the cafe, but the area is huge and on many levels. We were able to sit down and enjoy the surroundings. Can't imagine just staying on the train. Sometimes you have to speculate to accumulate. I have a friend on this cruise who has sent through some wonderful pictures of Iceland, the Faroes and Norway. You make it sound like a trip to the local shops. To me it's all a bit depressing. I say this for those people waiting to take this cruise or a similar one to Norway. Some of the most wonderful scenery in the world. Hopefully when others go they will attempt to experience it to the full.

 

Phil

[CABINET]

I did the Flam Celebrity excursion and really enjoyed it. We stopped off for a waffle and some hot chocolate. I thought it would be mobbed inside the cafe, but the area is huge and on many levels. We were able to sit down and enjoy the surroundings. Can't imagine just staying on the train. Sometimes you have to speculate to accumulate. I have a friend on this cruise who has sent through some wonderful pictures of Iceland, the Faroes and Norway. You make it sound like a trip to the local shops. To me it's all a bit depressing. I say this for those people waiting to take this cruise or a similar one to Norway. Some of the most wonderful scenery in the world. Hopefully when others go they will attempt to experience it to the full.

 

Phil

 

I have to say I agree with you. We are booked on this cruise next year and I have kept this blog well away from my other half. I think if he sees it he may well wish to cancel :mad:.

[Bobal]

I started out with high hopes for this blog as I have a friend on this cruise. The reports and pictures I have received from her sound as though she is on a different ship altogether - but then she has made the most of all the ports on offer, instead of staying onboard. At least we got to know what the weather was like each day ;)

 

I probably have different expectations from the OP - I suspect the ship is the destination for him, whilst I cruise to experience all the different ports on offer. Having said that it would have been nice to hear about all the other things which the ship has to offer - talks, entertainment, activities etc.

 

What a shame there were so many personal and disparaging comments made about many other cruisers, a pity if any of them read this. :(

[Paddigton Bear]

We are booked on this cruise next year and I have kept this blog well away from my other half. I think if he sees it he may well wish to cancel :mad:.

 

It's hardly an advert for this cruise with Celebrity is it but if you want to pay the money and sit on your butt all day, this sure as hell shows you how to do it! Wish I had $'s to burn in this way but I cruise to see places - glad we aint all the same ;)

[Member123]

Somehow, I've gotten an entirely different impression of this journey with the Capn. It's an observation through the eyes of a very cerebral gentleman who is content on board and able to amuse himself with the most mundane of tasks.. including having his breakfast! I find it to be quite amusing... other passengers as seen through the eyes of a solo cruiser. He's able to do things only as he pleases and is having a remarkably good time doing it!

 

I think he's thoroughly enjoying his visits to the Martini Bar and Cellar Masters and he's probably quite a charmer at dinner.

 

I find his descriptions of the ship very enchanting as this is something that I would never experience. I'm sure that if I were on the ship my blog (if I did one) would be filled with music, activity, conversation(s), bright lights, big city type of thing... whereas the Capn is sailing in grace, beautiful sunrises, ethereal mornings, fog lifting skies. Quite a contrast and just a peaceful, beautiful experience on board a remarkable ship.

 

I'm feeling quite the opposite... I've often thought of taking a cruise through the fjords and wondered if it would be tedious... despite the beauty of God's creation. However, this virtual trip along with the Capn has made me think that I will definitely add this cruise to my bucket list. Perhaps after I've done all the exhausting, candle-burning-at-both-ends sightseeing and ship's activities... perhaps then I'll sail gently through the mist of the fjords and their remarkable scenery.

 

Just another voice here, but I wanted to say that I'm enjoying this commentary.