Cruise - Spring Falls & Norwegian Fjords with Jamie & Lisa

Cruise - Spring Falls & Norwegian Fjords

We boarded our luxurious cruise liner The Balmoral which was 218 meters long, with 11 decks, 7 bars and 2 swimming pools. We couldn't wait to set sail and explore all that Norway has to offer. 

Every evening we put on our glad rags and we all agreed we looked incredibly smart. One night we were invited to the Captain's cocktail party. The captain and his senior management crew were dressed in their formal Naval whites and introduced themselves to us and the rest of the guests. The captain gave a short introduction before handing over to his second in command and finished his talk by asking if anyone had any questions.

There were so many great activities for us to join in with onboard from crazy golf, curling and we looked liked professionals in the line dancing class picking up the steps quickly. 

How wonderful it was to be able to relax in the warm, bubbling hot tub whilst marvelling at the incredible views out to sea.

We docked into Haugesund, the birthplace of Norway. It dates back to the Viking era where it is said that the first king of Norway, Harold Fairhair who we had learned about yesterday is buried. There were lots of quaint shops lining his street Heraldsgaten or Harolds Street and we all managed to buy some souvenirs such as t-shirts, fridge magnets and even the famous Norwegian troll.

The most glorious sunsets were seen from top deck and we couldn't resist a photo shoot.

What a place to wake up in, with the scenic backdrop of Hardangerfjord and mountains engraved with rivers and waterfalls. This meandered through the woodland and mountains of the Mabodalen valley. On the bus and after a 20-minute ride climbing narrow roads with dramatic rock faces, we had reached Voringfossen. This is part of a huge glacial river and at its high-altitude head has a waterfall 182 meters high. Viewing platforms have been constructed to allow visitors to witness the huge volumes of water tumbling from the Hardangervidda Plateau to the valley below and we were blown away by the views. Snow was still present on the mountain tops and the noise as we walked along the metal platforms was awe inspiring. Looking out it was like middle earth with dark foreboding skies above. No wonder that Tolkien was inspired to write the Lord of the Rings books after visiting Norway.

To our utter joy we entered a photography competition and we were crowned winners! We were so happy!  

We eagerly awaited our trip to the bridge. Like a scene out of “Officer and a Gentleman” came the Bridge Officer in a crisp white shirt. He took us to the bridge where we were shown all the navigation equipment, how the ship is powered and of course the steering wheel which was smaller than we thought and not wooden like in the films! The captain then joined us and made us feel very welcome and we asked our questions. He then went on to tell us about the wildlife that can be seen from the windows of the bridge such as whales and dolphins. We posed for photos with and thanked him for allowing us to visit his office. What a fabulous experience and we all felt very lucky to have been able to share it with each other. 

One morning we sat inside the cinema and watched an amazing widescreen film with no spoken words just dramatic classical style music. The film was shot using drone footage and showed us the majesty of the mountain’s rivers and waterfalls. The screen was huge like an IMAX and we felt as though we were flying as the footage led us from a stream of melting snow to the torrent of a waterfall, we also saw eagles fishing for salmon, reindeer and arctic foxes. A fun part was the hunting simulator where a rifle with red dot scope allowed us to fire and shoot deer on a simulated screen. We all took turns, but it was Mark J and Gordon who seemed to be the snipers amongst us. There were lots of other interactive displays and we found the aquarium fascinating. 

We alighted the ship in Alesund. Built on three islands it is the largest town on the North West coast of Norway with a backdrop of mountains. The town was destroyed by fire in 1904 and rebuilt in an Art Nouveau style to what it is today. We were guided to the Bruvik, a vintage hospital ship built in 1949 and now a passenger pleasure craft. We boarded and took our seats on the lower deck where the windows appeared to be at sea level and we set off from the quayside for a leisurely cruise around Hjorundfjord where we admired spectacular views of the mountains, fishermen and more waterfalls as the guide explained about the region the houses, communities and industry. 

The evening entertainment did not disappoint! From live shows full of energy and perfect dance routines to being serenaded by pianists in the cocktail lounge.

We even danced the night away with a silent disco which was so much fun as we donned our headphones each listening to a different playlist! We definitely showed off our groovy moves.