Bimmer 09 sails APEX to Iceland June 2023

[Bimmer09]

Uptown

 

 

 

 

 

 

later in Eden-the Silent Disco

 

 

Edited June 29, 2023 by Bimmer09
text

[ritraveler]

Really enjoying your review.. I’m on the Apex in a SV in September going to Egypt/Israel.. I’ve never sailed on an E-class so I’m taking notes 😊

Edited June 29, 2023 by ritraveler

[MisterMet]

26 minutes ago, Bimmer09 said:

Uptown

 

 

 

 

 

 

later in Eden-the Silent Disco

 

Norris

Excellent as always.  Pictures are gorgeous and the GSJ rocks.  It sounds like you really like the E class ships.  Been kicking around jumping on Beyond in 2024 for a summer ABC 8 nighter.
 

Pam and I really enjoy the Silent Disco.  So fun.  Never have missed a chance to do it since our first time on Equinox in 2018.  I recommend it to everyone I know sailing Celebrity. 😊😊

[Bimmer09]

Bed by 11 p.m while it was still daylight. Tomorrow the plan is to take the port shuttle into Reykjavik and walk to the mighty cathedral (Hallgrimskirkja). 

Carol has an upset stomach but luckily brought a supply of Imodium to help. She suspects the pork chop. It has lawyered-up.

She had a great day although her Zen morning in her Eden was shattered by first the piano tuner and then ship's crew doing a drill that had crew in all the corridors awaiting instructions.

My hiking boots have been packed and the thermal underwear too and I'm looking forward to walking the streets that I've only seen on YouTube walking videos until now.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reykjavík

 

Norris

[dlh015]

25 minutes ago, Bimmer09 said:

I'm looking forward to walking the streets that I've only seen on YouTube walking videos until now.

Is it where the streets have no name?

[LC1950]

6 hours ago, Bimmer09 said:

Carol had said to me in the morning-"I'm going to close these curtains as there are people on the top deck of Pacific World with binoculars"

I got my big zoom lens and watched them. No movement. It was a whimsical statue of a woman looking through binoculars as her husband pointed something out to her. Cute.

I'm glad you're enjoying the GSJ/report/review and give my thanks for saying so.

It is a lot of work as I have so many photos from 3 cameras and the videos take about an hour each in the YouTube oven and I have to watch its progress in case of issues.

But in the end I have a vivid memory of a great cruise, for Carol and I, and to share with all who read it on CC. It's a win -win!

Thanks again!

Norris

Norris, here's a pic of "that couple" taken on the Sun Princess in 2013.

 

 

[Ciaranaman]

We did our first silent-disco on the Silhouette in February.  Had no clue what to expect - never heard about it before (sheltered life 🤣) but it was so much fun!  Where has this been all my life?

[Crazy planning mom]

8 hours ago, Bimmer09 said:

Dinner tonight was in Cosmopolitan as the ship sat in Reykjavik . Our waiter was Bitsy from Indonesia who often served us breakfast.

As usual 3 different butters

 

Carol's Gravlax

 

My cauliflower (puree) flan. With shrimp I think

 

Carol's corn soup

 

Carol's pork chop with red cabbage and roasted pear

 

My sirloin steak which came with mashed potatoes from an ice cream scoop which reminded me of high school lunches. I asked for fries and they were procured. Now that's service!

 

Carol's dessert was carrot cake

 

and I , after explaining the glass that should be used, had a Sambuca and espresso

 

Another fine meal despite the lame espresso. Looks like mud.

How was the cauliflower flan?

[perfect match]

Norris, I am enjoying every single minute I’ve been spending reading this GSJ and watching your videos! You keep writing, I’ll keep reading what you write. 😀 Thank you. 

[Crazy planning mom]

Yes, much appreciative of this wonderful  review.  As someone who will be sailing in a porthole balcony and will not have access to Luminae or Blu, this review is great.  

 

 

 

 

[JeanieC,Aston]

Hi Norris.

Shame about the short tour,,when I was last in Iceland all tours was 8 or 10 hours,some tours didn’t get back to the ship until half way through dinner.

 

We walked the gap,,our mini bus dropped us at the visitor centre at the top,,we walked down,the minibus drove around and picked us up at the car park at the bottom.

Where you on a minibus or full sized coach?

At one of the visitor centres/cafes you can stand astride the plates,one foot in Americas the other in Eurasia.

We booked 8hr tour with GeoIceland.

[bunnyette]

18 hours ago, Bimmer09 said:

Dinner tonight was in Cosmopolitan as the ship sat in Reykjavik .

If the ship was staying late in Reykjavik then why the short golden circle tour?  I feel your concern about the tour.  We did a private tour, while lunch was included shopping stops were non existent and we had time at the key sites.

Edited June 30, 2023 by bunnyette

[Bimmer09]

10 hours ago, Crazy planning mom said:

How was the cauliflower flan?

I don't remember but I cleaned the plate.

Norris

[Bimmer09]

2 hours ago, JeanieC,Aston said:

Hi Norris.

Shame about the short tour,,when I was last in Iceland all tours was 8 or 10 hours,some tours didn’t get back to the ship until half way through dinner.

 

We walked the gap,,our mini bus dropped us at the visitor centre at the top,,we walked down,the minibus drove around and picked us up at the car park at the bottom.

Where you on a minibus or full sized coach?

At one of the visitor centres/cafes you can stand astride the plates,one foot in Americas the other in Eurasia.

 

We booked 8hr tour with GeoIceland.

Our lovely people were on a full size 50 seater coach.

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Day 7, June 12

Apex sat at  the dock in Reykjavik overnight but we didn't go ashore after returning from our excursion so I can't recommend a good discotheque. Sorry. We didn't eat ashore in Iceland.

 

I began my day in the usual way with an OVC coffee and a trip to Eden

 

Ship static. No wind. Peaceful and comfortable start to the day.

 

No urgent agenda, a relaxing morning gave me some time to process my photos. Carol's notes says she ate breakfast in the buffet, something she avoids on Princess- made to order omelet and croissant. I may have eaten nothing or drank more coffee which is my normal breakfast.

I made up for it with an early lunch...Indian dishes in the buffet are a favorite of mine

 

There was a regular and swift shuttle from the dock to the Performing Arts Center which is where the Opera and Symphony perform. It's also home to some offices. No cost.

The view from the buffet at lunch. Light drizzle that didn't last long.

 

 

 

 Rain stopped. The Performing Arts Center is the dark grey building extreme right in the far distance.

The free port shuttle

 

 

Bus window photo fans-today is your day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are at the Performance Arts Center and everyone disembarks

[Spurs Fans]

On 6/21/2023 at 9:21 AM, Bimmer09 said:

Schiphol Airport is  big and modern and bustling and full of shops and eateries. We were being picked up on the upper floor by a driver with a company called Welcome Pickups which Carol found on line. I had requested a Mercedes E Class as they are very comfy and have a big truck.

 

After baggage pickup following a painless breeze through Customs we found a unique (for us) escalator ramp to the upper level. We wheeled our luggage cart on to his flat, steeply inclined ramp and applied the brake. It was like a nice slow fairground ride and I would have gone around for another trip but our car was waiting.

 

Soufjen our driver loaded up the car for the 30 minute trip to our hotel which is in the Centrum district, surrounded by canals and perfect for walking to many of the sights. He spoke perfect English as would every Amsterdamian we met. We had learned some Dutch phrases at home but it's not so easy as the pronunciations can sometimes sound like you are choking on a caramel or coughing up a hairball. We did get smiles when we said some Dutch phrases and we'll be better next time.

 

The drive was mainly by highway on very smooth roads and passed a lot of amazing modern architecture  with angled and quirky "how does it stand up?" towers. Attentive drivers and no one driving a beater held together by "car tape". Now we are in narrow streets with bicycles and cars sharing the roads and bridges. There are cobblestones and canals and tourist boats sailing quietly bay.

 

The sun is shining, mid 70s F. Birds are singing. The air is rich with the smell of cannabis as there are 4 Coffeeshops within a one minute walk of our hotel. The coffeeshops sell weed or hashish with your morning espresso. There are no guys hanging out on the corners offering dime bags. That's illegal. 

 

Next will be a look at the hotel we have been dropped off at...

Norris

 

 

The Dutch would prefer that you not even try speaking Dutch - they speak better English than we (Americans) do and don’t want to hear their native language butchered. 🙂 (At least according to several Dutch friends we have there and that we visit quite often.) 

[Beachlover1989]

32 minutes ago, Bimmer09 said:

Day 7, June 12

Apex sat at  the dock in Reykjavik overnight but we didn't go ashore after returning from our excursion so I can't recommend a good discotheque. Sorry. We didn't eat ashore in Iceland.

 

I began my day in the usual way with an OVC coffee and a trip to Eden

 

Ship static. No wind. Peaceful and comfortable start to the day.

 

No urgent agenda, a relaxing morning gave me some time to process my photos. Carol's notes says she ate breakfast in the buffet, something she avoids on Princess- made to order omelet and croissant. I may have eaten nothing or drank more coffee which is my normal breakfast.

I made up for it with an early lunch...Indian dishes in the buffet are a favorite of mine

 

There was a regular and swift shuttle from the dock to the Performing Arts Center which is where the Opera and Symphony perform. It's also home to some offices. No cost.

The view from the buffet at lunch. Light drizzle that didn't last long.

 

 

 

 Rain stopped. The Performing Arts Center is the dark grey building extreme right in the far distance.

The free port shuttle

 

 

Bus window photo fans-today is your day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are at the Performance Arts Center and everyone disembarks

Is the Performance Arts Center called the Harpa Concert Hall?

[Bimmer09]

It's dry and not too cold and a good morning for walking in Reykjavik.

We begin at the bus stop near the Performing Arts Center .

 

 

Yonder lies the Apex

 

 

 

 

The ground is flat and there's a Promenade so you can walk by the sea

 

 

Price of a gallon of gasoline in US$= $8.50

 

We soon have to leave the level ground and start walking uphill (for about 20 minutes) 

We pass a shopping street along the way

 

 

 

Steep street. Fraj St.

 

 

There are some benches opposite this shop and Carol enjoys one as do some Japanese ladies and gentleman. They soon strike up a conversation with Carol and she offers to take their photos 

They are boarding the Viking Star today apparently. Nice friendly excited travelers!

 

 

Our goal lies up ahead...

 

 

 

We have reached the top of the hill.

 

 

 

[Bimmer09]

1 minute ago, Beachlover1989 said:

Is the Performance Arts Center called the Harpa Concert Hall?

It is indeed.

Norris

[Bimmer09]

                         HALLGRIMSKIRKJA

 

 

Out front is a statue of Leifr Eiricsson as you'll see it spelled

 

 

 

 

 

Carol's Rick Steve notes tell her there is an elevator to the top of the spire and that's all I needed to hearts steps are out of the question unless they have sherpas who will carry me up them.

Carol will stay on the ground and I will pay the small fee to ride in the 6 person elevator. I go in.

 

 

[Bimmer09]

                 Look Ma! I'm on top of the World!

The elevator to the windows above the clock (which is a window too) only holds 6 humans so you may have a wait to go up. Coming down you'll have a longer wait (10 minutes in my case).There are 4 flights of metal stairs once you leave the elevator.

Apex at dock

 

 

 

A very trim and well -kept little city!

 

 

 

I hadn't noticed that there were bells above me until they rang. People jumped in shock. 

 

 

 

 

A city built on a human scale

 

 

 

The tall windows-without glass- go around the tower. I came back down to Earth...

[Bimmer09]

Simple and unadorned

 

 

 

 

We are back outside and ship-bound. I wish we had come ashore earlier as I would have liked to have eaten one meal there-that meal being fish and chips as I am sure the fish is as fresh and frisky as one could wish for. I was born in a fishing village in Northern Ireland and my grand dad had a fishing trawler, with his brother, and was used to fish in the pan a few hours after being caught.

 

[Bimmer09]

A downhill walk from here

 

 

 

Once it warms up a bit-outdoor dining!

 

 

Rick had told Carol to watch out for a remarkable statue

 

 

 

We walked back along the seafront to the Shuttle Bus stop

 

 

A bus came in a few minutes and whisked back to the harbor

 

 

Destination Gateway was used to board

 

 

[Bimmer09]

Iceland was a bucket list item but 10 years ago wouldn't have occurred to us. Being interested in photography I follow some pro photography vloggers and most have made the trip to Iceland and come away with photos that show a land like no other. I had to share with Carol and Rick Steves had a lot of good things to say which counts for us both. We only had 3 and a half days there but they were memorable for what we saw. We are so glad we went and now we were leaving it behind, perhaps for ever (?) We sail at 2 p.m but still have a lot of cruise to look forward to and are expecting better weather as we sail South-Eastward to England and Northern Ireland in the almost week ahead before going back to continue our love-fest with Amsterdam.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iceland

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hallgrímskirkja

 

It's all good!

Norris

[Jasperdo]

On 6/29/2023 at 7:30 AM, Bimmer09 said:

My mother usually writes me a note to get me out of a jam but she has declined to defend my 9 minute video of a 6 hour excursion.

It's hard to shoot video when you don't know where you are going and what happens next.

I like to include road signs in a foreign language but they fly past the window

Nothing to apologize for. I know how difficult it is to take videos and pictures from a moving tour bus. Just as you're ready to get the perfect shot a line of trees go whizzing by. Your video had some terrific shots. I enjoyed it tremendously.