Love Boat among the norwegian Fjords

"... the sea smell of the sea,

between the fjords vogliam navigate

is the fault of the Sea, sky and sea ...."


First, we must inform you that we booked our cruise with Costa for over a year in advance.

You must know that in this type of cruise, who earlier you book, pay less in that it can grab cabs cheaper first that they are exhausted and they remain only the most expensive.

Although we advance, the cheapest fares were now already qualified. So we are content for accommodation and an intermediate price.

 

Kiel

We start from home that is still night to reach the airport of Malpensa, first leaving the car at the parking.

KLM flight to Hamburg with a stop-off in Amsterdam.

In Hamburg we expect those in charge of Costa Cruises to accompany the buses that will take us to the port of Kiel where we wait for our ship "Costa Classica".
Immediately understand that the practices of shipment will be for long.

You must know that every embarkation and disembarkation (for each intermediate stop) are the ultimate bureaucracy: small number such as SLA, documents always at hand, magnetic cards to be passed, so many passages to metal detectors. ETC. However, we must adapt: a cruise is a bit 'all soldiers, we will find out soon, is the price we pay for an organization almost perfect! For us, accustomed to holiday in complete freedom, is a little 'shock!

Our ship, Costa Classica, although among the older and smaller ships in the Costa fleet, is sufficiently luxurious and comfortable. And then, having no other terms of comparison, we like.

The food then .... is exceptional! Besides being abundant, served at every hour, it also reveals very good and quality.

The animation is quite poor though ... or at least we think so. Then they never go to any recreational activity and avoid the evening performances that reveal low quality, suitable for an audience of few pretensions.

The first day is all about navigation and use by inspecting the ship, trying to familiarize with bridges, halls, etc.. and participating in our first information meeting.

Stavanger

The program of the day (newsletter called "Today" that there is delivered into the cabin every night) provides that we will arrive at our first stop in the city of Stavanger, in the late afternoon.

So we have plenty of time on the ship, preferring to start with a hearty breakfast buffet restaurant, with outdoor tables.

We then go on to a long tub (indoor because the weather today, like the rest of the week is always a bad thing) in 2 tanks covered vessel (2 indoor and 2 outdoor whirlpools).

Landing operations, meeting with general distributions small number stickers to apply to your lapel, call waiting, etc.. is taking longer than expected and accumulates an unavoidable delay.

We participate so our first excursion organized, booked some time via the Internet, the website of Costa Cruises.

Stavanger is an industrial city, completely dedicated to the extraction of oil. However, from there by a very beautiful fjord, the Lysefjord with a breathtaking natural landscape.

We then boarded a smaller boat and following the Lysefjord. Strong point of the journey of 50 km is above the famous "Pulpit." This is a high rock formation from the top flat. Second attraction is the Whiskey Falls (named after a smuggler who had settled in those parts). Moving us closer to the waterfall so that a crew member, with a bucket, collect the pure water of the waterfall and he'll make us all taste.

Too bad the weather is always bad, it rains incessantly and then, having started very late in the afternoon, soon becomes dark. We return then that is very dark and see so enlightened the port of Stavanger. Perhaps also the center of Stavanger deserves to be visited, but we do not have time to do so.

We board the ship, where we are already late for dinner.

Eidfjord

We wake up early because already at 8 am, we should make a stop in a small village called Eidfjord. I say "we" because then we will be able to land 2 hours later.
The weather is bad, there's a gale and the ship can not dock.

Danger of jumping the airport and hiking booked. However, with 2 hours late, we can go and participate in our excursion "Fossli and dam Sysen"
The bus, a short drive brings us to the top of the dam. Despite the spectacle of the lake with rainbow, the weather continues to be bad. My folding umbrella, with the fury of the wind, here is disintegrated!

Then reach Fossli, where there is a traditional Norwegian hotel overlooking the waterfall Voeringsfoss. We admire the scenery and share a coffee break at the hotel with lots of cakes typical Norwegian.
We return to the ship and unfortunately we find that the delay in the morning, we will completely miss the airport in the afternoon, Rosendal, provoking our anger more deadly because we planned to visit the ancient home (Baron) to which we were interested.

But Cruise does not decide anything independently and must follow the directives.

Bergen

Ashore in the early morning in Bergen, the second city of Norway.
We decided long ago that here we would not have joined the excursion, reserving the pleasure of visiting the city in complete autonomy, and so it was.

We begin our city from the Bryggen district, where the old harbor overlooking the old merchant houses of wood and here there are many shops and craft shops (should try to visit the side streets and back, not just those facing the harbor) .. Hanseatiske we visit the Museum that is the ancient home of a merchant of the fish, furnished with original furniture curious era.
Also visit the fish market, looking for sellers who want to avoid at all costs to sell the salmon to take to Italy (but how do we do? Swear that with a vacuum packaging is possible.)

Here we meet even our ship's captain, who does not hesitate to express our grievances for the non-stop yesterday. The Commander, very kind and disponibilissimo, gives us his reasons and, in addition to promise one additional stopover in the following days in Vik, we will find a surprise return to our cabin (sparkling wine and fruit basket). Beautiful! We feel the VIP.

Then we head for a short trip in the most modern part of town, in the museum area, where there is a large fountain with a large pool of water.
Then take the funicular that takes us into the top of Bergen, where you can admire a beautiful view (weather permitting ... but overall we are lucky).

We visit the Cathedral, but the most important church is the Maria with a splendid Baroque pulpit (admission fee).

After we visit the Håkonshallen, an ancient ceremonial hall in the Gothic style, but remains a bit 'disappointed because everything is limited to visiting one room.
After buying some souvenirs in the shops of Bryggen, back to the ship tired in the afternoon.

In the evening, waiting for the cocktail with the captain and the big dinner gala.

But the sea has just decided tonight to make a fuss! At times we can not even stand up to reach the restaurant table. ... Let alone to swallow a dinner of course I do not know how ... .. Damn ... the menu tonight was more exceptional than usual!

Must know that in the fjords, the sea is always calm and the ship's movements are imperceptible. It happens, however, having to cross stretches of open sea, the North Sea. Here, if the weather is bad, the sea can be rough on the ship and then you feel the waves (and consequent problems for those suffering from seasickness).

Flam and Vik

Wake up early (at 6.30) to admire the beautiful scenery and to prepare for the landing of 8.30.

The beauty of the cruise in the fjords is that the scenery in the daylight hours, is continuous and diverse ever. There is the monotony of the open sea. Constantly surrounding mountains, lakes, waterfalls, wooden houses, etc.. ETC. so it is always nice to be on deck to admire the view.

When it is bad weather (as for our entire week), you can admire the landscape from the glass placed indoors.

Costa Classica also has a bell'osservatorio, where you can sit comfortably sprawled on chairs under cover, on the deck of the ship higher (14th floor) and admire the scenery.

A Flam, we expect to hike, lasting about 3 hours "and Naeroyfjord Stahlheim.

The bus takes us to Stahlheim through steep and scenic mountain roads.

Reach a hotel, all in red wood, which is particularly striking, with typical furniture, nice gift shop, panoramic terrace, etc..

Here we serve a wonderful breakfast with tea, coffee and extensive buffet of cakes Norway.

Pity we had breakfast down on the ship. However tasted here and there.

Then we visit the village of Gudvangen where to take the boat for a long journey in the fjord, I think the most beautiful of all.

Here the landscape really reaches the maximum!!

Every few meters encounter waterfalls, beautiful lakes, farms of charm, mountains that are reflected in the water .... Water everywhere ... really great! Unfortunately it always rain but this does not spoil the beauty of the surrounding nature.

Recommend to anyone fact, this kind of excursions by boat, to avoid being inside the indoor but resist (despite the rain and low temperatures of about 12 ^) and go outside and admire the scenery from the deck. There is a significant difference and appreciation of the trip (in addition to making beautiful pictures through the windows that would not be good).

In the afternoon, Captain keeps his word and we will land at the edge of a spear (because the port is small) in the village of Vik.

The village is really small but very pretty. Here is our chance to make nice photos with colorful wooden houses of the village, the boats of the marina, our ship moored off (as in a brochure advertising).

But a few shops and all closed: at 16.30 pm here is already fully closed, and then we can not spend our last Norwegian krone as this will be the last stop of our cruise.

Cruising to Kiel

Whole day of navigation, to the port of reentry.

Today is finally a beautiful sunny day. You can stand on the deck chairs on the deck, you can use 2 outdoor pools, you can use the outdoor hot (but this is always possible because the water in the whirlpool is always heated.)

Today we have the time to do the sauna, turkish bath, gym is for people who want ....

We do a little shopping in the shops on board, a photo (but only for the price of hallucinatory € 17.00) chosen among the many photos scattateci by photographers on board and one Squok The mascot plush Costa Crociere.

Farewell dinner with our guests fixed table, with whom we socialized for the entire week. Exchange of addresses, photos and evening at the casino. E 'last night and no matter if we lose!

Coming back home

Great landing, as per instructions given in the briefing yesterday and organized return home, unfortunately, always with a stopover in Amsterdam.

We arrived safely at Malpensa in the evening.

How sad! The much-coveted trip, waited and booked more than a year ... is finished!

Fortunately a few days ahead of soothing sea and then we immediately throw in the planning of the itinerary holiday for next year .... So we win back syndrome!

COST:

- Cruise 6 days, flights and transfers included € 1300.00 per person

- Extras on Cruise: excursions, drinks and

- Share of service € 250.00 per person

- Ticket for the museum by € 3.00 to € 6.00



Dani and Max
For more information, please visit our website:
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