Walt fan Posted October 10, 2019 #401 Share Posted October 10, 2019 All caught up again and enjoying every minute. Norway, there aren't enough words to describe the beauty. And you always have me at waterfalls. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunnyette Posted October 10, 2019 #402 Share Posted October 10, 2019 Another fabulous review Norris! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted October 11, 2019 Author #403 Share Posted October 11, 2019 11 hours ago, Marvy Mare said: Norris. Great commentary & photos as always. I’m finally all caught up. A semi-technical question . You mentioned that you took your tripod. I did purchase a travel tripod and considering taking it on our next cruise. Just wondering about where to pack it. If it’s in a suitcase will it looked like I’m ‘armed’ if the suitcase is scanned? And did you use your tripod much? Is it even worth taking. I’m thinking on board photos? Did you use your tripod for the beautiful interior photos that you took? Maris Maris, my tripod exactly fits my carry-on bag so I take it with me with the intention of using it . On this trip I didn't actually use it but I had intended to do some wi-fi selfie shots with a fjord as a background. I also intended to take some night shots on the ship on a long exposure but ended up just snapping handheld. The decks were often very windy and cold at night so time was of the essence-in the Caribbean things will be better for low ISO high detail shots. We'll see. I have used the tripod on a few cruises but that was because I was running two cameras with 2 different lenses and could switch from wide angle to zoom in seconds. So I will continue to take the tripod-just incase I can benefit from it. Essential? No. It has caused no problems on x ray scanners. Nor have the cameras. All the shots in this review were handheld and many through a moving bus or train window, where I have no choice. You'll see some small boat pics where we were bobbing up and down with a waterfall and rain soaking me and the camera. Thanks for the compliments, Maris! I'm glad you have found the review and stopped by. Where and when is your next cruise? Hope this helps! Norris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted October 11, 2019 Author #404 Share Posted October 11, 2019 Flamsbana https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flåm_Line On the platform looking at the mountain we just tunneled our way through We are on a railway platform in Myrdal (one L not the two I have sometimes bestowed) and we've been told 2 things. (1) Stand by number 13 and get in the car stopping there which is reserved for us and (2) no assigned seating. a few minutes later all these people will be going through one narrow door We are dignified people who are not pushy so we give way to those who are more elderly than us which is a diminishing number as the years fly by. I see a seating arrangement (2 facing the direction of travel and 2 going backwards down a mountain) with only one man seated and proceed to join him only to be told "these (empty) seats are taken". He was an alpha male who was sent forth to push his way through apparently. I moved on, and on. Carol was somewhere in the scrum behind me. I ended up in another carriage for the journey while she found one seat in 13. I did get a window seat but I was going backwards. This is the way the cookie crumbled but no matter. I would take pictures regardless. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phabric Posted October 11, 2019 #405 Share Posted October 11, 2019 We plan on an oceanview cabin doing Norwegian Fjords. Should we pick a cabin port side or starboard side? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted October 11, 2019 Author #406 Share Posted October 11, 2019 Pictures from the train early in the ride the train stops for a brief (5 minutes of so) look at the Kjosfossen waterfall where there's music playing and a woman in red with blonde hair is dancing around in the distance by an old house ruin. As we are in the last car by the time we get off there is already a crowd there and I see very little of the kitschy woman (there's actually two so when one disappears the other appears in a different place as if by magic). ruin on the right halfway into the shot I think I took some video at this brief stop. That will come later if I did... neat bags of gravel for between the railroad sleepers imagine further along 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted October 11, 2019 Author #407 Share Posted October 11, 2019 8 hours ago, phabric said: We plan on an oceanview cabin doing Norwegian Fjords. Should we pick a cabin port side or starboard side? Hi, I think you won't be in your cabin much. In Bergen the port side faces the town In Alesund it's starboard In Flam it's port In Stavanger the town was to starboard and the port and open water was port There's scenery on both sides sailing in and out of each We were on the starboard side Hope this helps, Norris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lydnsyd Posted October 11, 2019 #408 Share Posted October 11, 2019 Hi Norris, Loving your review and eagerly awaiting the next installment. we are going on the Norwegian Fjord cruise next June - I was wondering do most places accept credit cards or is it best to take an adequate amount of cash (NOK) Just another question which I am sure you will cover as your review goes on - How many Chic nights are there on your 7 day cruise? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlf1 Posted October 11, 2019 #409 Share Posted October 11, 2019 Norris, You may have had a back facing seat but the pictures are stunning as usual. Judy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tcmagnum Posted October 11, 2019 #410 Share Posted October 11, 2019 On 10/6/2019 at 10:49 PM, Bimmer09 said: Just wow!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Marvy Mare Posted October 11, 2019 #411 Share Posted October 11, 2019 On 8/25/2019 at 9:34 AM, awhfy said: Lovely (very small) island. We felt perfectly safe there last year walking around. We did the Woodwind Snorkel in the afternoon & wandered the port in the morning. This time we’re doing the golf carts. Melody & Les 14 hours ago, Bimmer09 said: Maris, my tripod exactly fits my carry-on bag so I take it with me with the intention of using it . On this trip I didn't actually use it but I had intended to do some wi-fi selfie shots with a fjord as a background. I also intended to take some night shots on the ship on a long exposure but ended up just snapping handheld. The decks were often very windy and cold at night so time was of the essence-in the Caribbean things will be better for low ISO high detail shots. We'll see. I have used the tripod on a few cruises but that was because I was running two cameras with 2 different lenses and could switch from wide angle to zoom in seconds. So I will continue to take the tripod-just incase I can benefit from it. Essential? No. It has caused no problems on x ray scanners. Nor have the cameras. All the shots in this review were handheld and many through a moving bus or train window, where I have no choice. You'll see some small boat pics where we were bobbing up and down with a waterfall and rain soaking me and the camera. Thanks for the compliments, Maris! I'm glad you have found the review and stopped by. Where and when is your next cruise? Hope this helps! Norris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Marvy Mare Posted October 11, 2019 #412 Share Posted October 11, 2019 Thanks Norris So I may bring it. I'll see how much room I have. Our next cruise is on the Reflection to the ABC Islands, Cartegena, & Grand Cayman. We will be sailing on March 2, which also happens to be my birthday. I can't think of a better way to spend my special day. There are people on our cruise who were booked on the Silhouette in January but the cruise was canceled because the Silhouette is being refurbished. I guess that will happen when it returns from Europe. Maris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted October 12, 2019 Author #413 Share Posted October 12, 2019 9 hours ago, Marvy Mare said: Thanks Norris So I may bring it. I'll see how much room I have. Our next cruise is on the Reflection to the ABC Islands, Cartegena, & Grand Cayman. We will be sailing on March 2, which also happens to be my birthday. I can't think of a better way to spend my special day. There are people on our cruise who were booked on the Silhouette in January but the cruise was canceled because the Silhouette is being refurbished. I guess that will happen when it returns from Europe. Maris Reflection, like the Silhouette, has the lawn club grill and the alcoves. It also has an improved Sunset Bar. I will have to wait and see what happens to the Silhouette following her Edge-ification. If the grass and the LCG goes then I follow them. They are beautiful stunning ships but those features to me are what interests me most. Time will tell Re tripods I use mine a lot in Chicago, but only in the Botanic Gardens for close-up shots of delicate flowers. I will definitely have one with me in the Western Caribbean in January but mainly for night shots. Too early to wish you a Happy Birthday but I'll be thinking about you March 2! Norris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted October 12, 2019 Author #414 Share Posted October 12, 2019 Before I continue with the train window photos here is the brief video I shot at the Kjosfossen Falls after leaving Myrdal 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted October 12, 2019 Author #415 Share Posted October 12, 2019 The train chugs along its 5 and a half degree gradient down towards fjord level and Flam (pronounced Flom) another train passes yet another waterfall? yup! more... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted October 12, 2019 Author #416 Share Posted October 12, 2019 I see 2 people walking up the road in this one so much water that fell from the sky beautiful train last picture before Flam 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joy_K Posted October 12, 2019 #417 Share Posted October 12, 2019 Beautiful train ride! Loving your review. We are leaving Tuesday, headed to London for a Norway northern lights cruise with Princess. This ports isn't on our itinerary but hope to do Norway in a Nutshell one day. We will be visiting Alesund, Tromso, overnighting in Alta and lastly Stavanger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted October 12, 2019 Author #418 Share Posted October 12, 2019 On the Waterfront Back in Fram on terra firma Carol is somewhere among the people still coming from the train I take a photo of where I am standing and text it to her. We meet on the harbor where there are benches, as seen in the first photo. While she enjoys a bench I mosey around taking photos in this very pleasant place a tender from Pacific Princess cute tourist train cute tourist ship The blue area is Tuscan Grille and above it deck 6 and above that deck 7 (logically) and the cabin at extreme right before the corner is ours- until Sunday morning. Today is Thursday, September 5 a Sognefjord cruise boat by the Princess tender dock 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted October 12, 2019 Author #419 Share Posted October 12, 2019 we are returning to the ship as it will leave soon Next time in Flam we agreed that we would just buy Flamsbana tickets at home and take the train out to Myrdal and see what we missed this time-that's 2.5 hours there and back. Then we could explore the lovely dock area and enjoy an outdoor lunch, weather permitting which it certainly was on this nice day. The wet forecast that gave us frowny faces back in Chicago has so far been kind during our port stops and Norway was looking her best and her best is gorgeous. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted October 12, 2019 Author #420 Share Posted October 12, 2019 3 hours ago, Joy_K said: Beautiful train ride! Loving your review. We are leaving Tuesday, headed to London for a Norway northern lights cruise with Princess. This ports isn't on our itinerary but hope to do Norway in a Nutshell one day. We will be visiting Alesund, Tromso, overnighting in Alta and lastly Stavanger. Thank you Joy! Bon voyage! How much time will you have to savor London before you sail? Norris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joy_K Posted October 12, 2019 #421 Share Posted October 12, 2019 (edited) Thank you. We will have 2 nights in London and 1 in Southampton. Visiting the War Rooms, already planned but more excited now after your review, and going to the newly opened Mamma Mia The Party at the O2 -dinner show. Would also like to thank you for always including the smoking areas in your reviews too! Edited October 12, 2019 by Joy_K 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruiserRob Posted October 12, 2019 #422 Share Posted October 12, 2019 Norris, gorgeous pictures from the Flamsbana. Our cruise didn't go to Flam last year and that is one spot that was on my Norwegian bucket list. It was a cruise that I didn't intend to take at that time, but the offer was just to good to refuse. We had an inside cabin which I never do, but we went to North Cape and the sun didn't set for about 5 days in the middle of the cruise so I went for the inside to have a dark cabin. Robert 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted October 12, 2019 Author #423 Share Posted October 12, 2019 On 10/11/2019 at 7:33 AM, lydnsyd said: Hi Norris, Loving your review and eagerly awaiting the next installment. we are going on the Norwegian Fjord cruise next June - I was wondering do most places accept credit cards or is it best to take an adequate amount of cash (NOK) Just another question which I am sure you will cover as your review goes on - How many Chic nights are there on your 7 day cruise? Thanks Yes, most places accept credit cards. We took Norwegian cash as we like foreign currency and when buying fridge magnets we pay in cash. We paid the taxi in Bergen in cash. We paid for a meal in Stavanger and tipped a guide there. Having foreign currency with its different colors and designs in Chicago just adds to our anticipation that we are soon going to somewhere beyond the dollar norm. I hope I put up a photo early in the review? We also liked having Pounds Sterling again. Elegant Chic nights were the sea day after leaving Southampton (Monday) and after leaving Stavanger (Friday) Thanks for following along! Norris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted October 12, 2019 Author #424 Share Posted October 12, 2019 On 10/7/2019 at 3:29 PM, twincheryl said: Norris... loving your review... We are going on the same cruise next August and I'm making notes as I follow along. We're not fans of ship excursions and always either get a private guide or make it a DIY day. Since it appears quite easy to purchase train tickets online, do you think the Flamsbana train to Myrdall both directions would give us a good idea of the scenery in the area? I assume we would need to find transportation to/from the train station, unless it's within walking distance of the port (which I haven't researched yet). Anxious to read the rest of your trip notes. Thanks for taking the time! Hi, sorry it has taken so long to answer your question. Yes the trip out to Myrdal and back would indeed give you the flavor of the area and would have you back in Flam for lunch in 2.5 hours. I'm happy to have you along for the ride! Norris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bimmer09 Posted October 12, 2019 Author #425 Share Posted October 12, 2019 We are back onboard the Silhouette and enjoying Afternoon Tea on the poop deck which has nothing to do with the seagulls overhead. I had made a mental note in the morning to take a shot of these little houses with their indoor boat shelters. They say "Norway" to me We have pushed away from the dock we leave nothing behind except a cloud of funnel smoke A long day ashore but a very memorable one! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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