Disembarkation in Bergen was smooth, if prolonged. I hope to travel this same route again in a different season. Although the ship sails the non-tropical Norwegian coast, Patagonia, and Antarctica, it has more outdoor deck space than expected, with a large sun deck and two hot tubs on top deck 9 and an outdoor promenade on deck 6. In the afternoon the restaurants were closed, coffee was available but no pasty etc. However, oe not to be missed is ridding in a dog sled.
Unlike the Hurtigruten cruise I took to Antarctica in 2005, everything is extra. Already thinking about booking another voyage on Nordkapp. The maintenance and cabin crew were observed to be doing an excellent job in maintaining the cleanliness of the ship. The stops on the itinerary looked interesting but a lot o stops were only for 15 to 20 mins so could not get off. The evening menu will always tell you where the local ingredients came from. However, you cannot actually hold on to them because the rounded wood part sits atop a metal piece that is sharp when you grab ahold of it. Absolutely not set up for the number of people the ship carries.
Enjoyed meeting other couples visiting Norway for the first time. The ship is simply beautiful. The ship disembarks by deck, so if your cabin is on Deck 6 you can disembark first. Polar Outside Cabins Cabin grades A, J, L, N, and O all have private facilities with twin beds, one of which can be turned into a sofa. Very relaxing and stress free. We went as a family group and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.
Only downside of trip was the dirty windows in the Explorer bar as it was designed to take in the wonderful panorama of the fjords. Best way to see the Norwegian coast. Fish certainly appeared often, as did reindeer and lamb once or twice. Salt was the preferred spice, every thing was over salted. It was clearly a cobbled together itinerary to get passengers to pay for the repositioning of the ship from the end of the north west passage Voyage to Vancouver where it was to pick up journalists and travel writers.
Also, while we had taken this trip in hopes of seeing the Northern Lights, the weather worked against us. Deserts for the lunch and dinner buffets also showed limited imagination on the part of the chef — only three items on offer, one always a berry compote and another a mousse of some form, with the third usually some type of cake. It's not an ordinary cruise line, and that's perhaps why the experience is so unique. When we arrived in Vancouver, there were a stay in the dock to fix the problem finally. At least once per day the ship remains in harbour for several hours and allows for organized shore excursions or more detailed personal exploring -- we did the latter and had great fun.
We did not feel that the design of the auditorium would meet proper safety standards for emergency exit. Only one option or vegetarian. And then it will be for only 2 or at the very most 3 hours. However, cruise passengers can purchase snacks, drinks, or other items in the cafe using their room key card, and the charges will be billed to their account. Overall a good cruise with a new ship where you need to accept that some proccesses dont work. A town rebuilt in the Art Nouveau style after a disastrous fire. While most of the passengers are tourists, many are Norwegians travelling from town to town, sometimes with cars and cargo.
We didn't spend a lot of time there anyhow. The flight from Vancouver to Nome to join the ship was very scenic, but it was clear on landing that the weather was dictating events. Consequently, many things were not working yet or not working correctly. The views are incomparable, the prices are high to very high but this is Norway. We will never sail on the Roald Amundsen again. No room to hide: Lounge spaces too confined to accommodate all passengers when the weather is too cold or wet outside.
If your cabin does not have a hair-dryer, you can obtain one at reception. Easy to get in contact with other travelers. Most of the wait staff were very friendly, but the excursion team of Toona, Elizabeth and Marie were outstanding, full of smiles and willingness to talk and answer questions. Food Breakfast, lunch and dinner all almost similar for 7 days. Excursions are somewhat expensive, but also well organized. The last day was a choice of excursions at our stop in Iceland. In addition, the vessel´s engines have been upgraded into low-emission engines, complying with all current and projected regulations.
Another disclaimer: this is only the second cruise I've taken. We did use the alternative restaurant on two occasion for hamburgers. Immortalize your time on the coastal voyage with a selfie, and share it with all your soon-to-be-envious friends via the ship's indoor Wi-Fi. We chose the Highlights of Snaefellsnes. The breakfast buffet has a nice mix of diverse items, along with a selection of juices, coffee, tea, or the amazing hot chocolate. The cabin and dining staff were lovely. We had been assigned breakfast and 5 out of 10 dinners in the speciality restaurant Lindstrøm.
The off vessel excursions offered during the voyage were all very enjoyable, professionally managed and easily done. Should you go overboard ahem with your fitness routine, you can use the jacuzzi while gazing at some fjords. You are not allowed to remove food from the dining room so it is impossible to eat your dinner dessert with a cup of coffee anywhere on the ship. We could not see the demonstration. The optional excursions, predictably I suppose, were overpriced and underwhelming. The food was likewise very good and prepared to order. For reasons as to why this excursion was sold see Day 4 above.