Sue and Garry's Aurora Scandinavian cruise May 24

[Suekersh]

Morning all.
Here is the first cruise report from Sue and Garry.

Hi all, sorry a bit late with this. Thought I had sent it a couple of days ago.


Aurora - Scandinavia Cruise
A busy drive down to Southampton on Friday morning, mainly due to the important football match being played in Southampton and the thousands of fans from Birmingham heading in the same direction.
When we arrived at the Elizabeth House Hotel the chat again was all about the match but our room was ready.

Jamie the hotel owner had been busy and new rooms had been added to the hotel and we had been allocated one of these. It overlooked the garden area and was perfect for an overnight stay.

There were 5 ships departing from Southampton on Saturday morning and we had been advised that the roads would be manic. Our taxi had been booked for 11 am and even though our embarkation time had been delayed by 30 minutes we were advised to keep that slot as taxis were going to be in high demand. The roads to the port were manic with traffic jams everywhere but our taxi driver had a few tricks up his sleeve and managed to bypass the hold ups.

By the time we had unloaded the luggage and the porters had taken them to the ‘hole in the wall’ we only had a few minutes before ‘check in’ opened and we were sat down waiting to board Aurora. So many faces from previous cruises.
510 Priority passengers meant that the lunch on board was buffet style but it had been ‘enhanced ‘ since we last boarded in January. Delicious steak, Prawns cooked in a tasty sauce amongst many more choices.

The drinks flowed well until the announcement came that the cabins were ready. All of our cases and bags had arrived and it didn’t take long to get unpacked and ‘sort the cabin out’

It was a bright sunny day, nothing like the dire forecast we had seen. We had a wander outside and immediately noticed the new chairs that had been badly needed when we left Aurora in March.

There had been an issue last cruise in the Medina restaurant and part of it had been closed off for maintenance work. As the ship is virtually full this is going to cause some issues in the Freedom dining restaurant for a few days until it can be sorted and the Alexandra Restaurant was being used for breakfast and lunch. We had booked fixed dining and had an allocated table in the Alexandra for dinner.

The Bout of Nora Virus that had affected the ship for the past two cruises is under control but to ensure it stays that way all the food and drink in the buffet is being served to passengers.

After dinner we called at the Glass House to collect some bottles of Jam Shed. It was confirmed that there weren’t very many bottles left and that once finished it would no longer be stocked on ship. There is a new wine list coming out soon.

Sunday- 19 May. Another sunny day on deck but I decided to get some exercise and went to the Fit steps session in Carmens. Great fun with two of the Headliners running it. My intention is to do this each sea day morning.

The rest of the day passed by quickly eating and chatting and it was the first formal night of the cruise with the Welcome on board Party in Carmens.
The champagne flowed well, Captain Russell gave his usual Welcome on board speech and then talked about the weather to look forward to. The forecast was looking good but he reminded everyone that it was from the BBC.

The formal meal was excellent and we took with us one of our precious stock of Jam Shed. The food so far has been excellent and far superior to when we were last on board for the Grand Voyage.

The IHoppers were performing in the theatre and Pulse in Carmens. We finished the evening in Anderson’s and the Gin Flight.

Monday - 20 May - Sea Day to Kiel Germany. My resolution to attend Fit steps each morning went out of the window when I awoke with a groggy head. Too much champagne, wine and gin last night meant that it was 11 am and numerous tablets later before I managed to get out of bed.

Garry decided that as I wasn’t moving he would visit is favourite place on the ship and get the laundry up to date. Only 3 days worth but surprising how it builds up and I hate dirty clothes left in the cabin.

Another sunny day but still a chill in the wind as Aurora headed towards Skagen in Denmark. We are not calling here until on the way back but could clearly see the land and the famous Lighthouse that marks the top,of Denmark.

We had dinner in the Glass House which as usual was excellent with great company. The Sicilian fish stew in there is amazing and went well with a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. We finished the meal with the Cheese Board to share.

We were too late out of dinner to see the Headliners Show Astonishing but as we have seen it more than once then it isn’t really Astonishing anymore.

We docked in Kiel early this morning. A very cool welcome but the sun came out and it soon warmed up. More from Kiel later after we have explored.

[Suekersh]

Tuesday 21 st May 2024 - Kiel - Germany

The day started with a mixture of Sun and Cloud but by 10 o’clock the sun had won the battle and as long as we stayed out of the wind it was extremely hot.

It was our first visit here so to get our bearings we had decided to do the HO HO bus as we wanted to see the Kiel Canal but despite asking a very unhelpful person who was giving out the maps we couldn’t find a bus and instead walked into town. It is a quaint place but the signposts weren’t very helpful. I found a few signs to the tourist office but the signs stopped before I found it. The same applied to the taxi rank.

Definitely not a port for anyone with walking difficulties. The town centre is pedestrianised So no vehicles. The idea is you follow the blue line which is okay for the fully mobile.

We did find the brewery but as it was still early didn’t stop for a drink. We walked and walked and decided to head back towards the ship but then eventually found a single taxi and the driver who not only spoke English but was happy to do so. We negotiated the fare to the Kiel Canal and had 90 minutes there. The canal was much larger than I expected. The weather was fabulous and sunny so after our walk to the lighthouse and a look at the old wooden boats we had our German beer which was so good we had another.

Our taxi driver arrived to collect us bang on time and returned us directly to the ship.

It was a good day out but not a place I would want to rush back to. We have only visited Germany once before and weren’t impressed then either. Kiel hasn’t changed my opinion.

After another excellent meal in the Alexandra restaurant we went to Carmens to see the Headliner show ‘Up all night’. It is the same headliners troupe that were on for the Grand Voyage so they must be getting close to the end of their contract. This is my favourite Headliners show and once again it was fabulous. Such a talented group of dancers and singers. I never tire of seeing this show.

Tomorrow we are at sea on our way to an overnight stay in Helsinki.

[allatc]

We never found out how the last cruise ended. Last we heard Sue was unwell after over-indulging !

[Mervyn and Trish]

Sounds like she started this one in the same vein!

[Ray B]

Gary bagging his favourite washing machine.

[MaureenB]

How lovely! Another string of cruise reports to look forward to from Sue and Garry.

Have a great time, and thank you to Lindsay for posting.

Maureen

[Suekersh]

Morning all,here is a cruise update from Sue and Garry.

Thursday, 23 May 2024, 1 st Day in Helsinki.

The sun had its hat on again and it was very hot as long as we kept out of the wind.

Aurora docked around 9 am and we watched the sail in from our table in the dining room.

We caught the shuttle into the city which dropped us about 200 yards from the market area and the South Harbour which was very busy with the ferry connections to Sweden and Estonia.

Also from South Harbour there are sightseeing boats departing regularly and we caught the first one out at 10:30 a.m. less than half the price of a very similar tour we could have booked from the ship.

We started off on the outside deck sat in the warm sun but as soon as we were away from the shelter of the harbour and out into the sea the wind made it very cool and we retreated downstairs.

Helsinki is a beautiful clean city with many interesting buildings and small islands dotted around. The commentary was done in three languages including English and we had a map to follow so we understood what we were seeing.

Saunas are dotted around everywhere in Sweden but we passed the largest communal sauna built from wood and right on the waterfront. The idea is that you use the sauna then jump straight into the Baltic sea to cool off.

We passed many Islands which are only accessible by boat from April to November after which the sea freezes. There are over 300 islands but the most interesting was Suomenlinna - the fortress island with walls 10 metres thick.

The Icebreaking ships were moored up but when the sea freezes they are essential to keep the shipping lanes open.

The tour lasted for 90 minutes and a great way to see the city without too much walking.

We had a mooch around the outdoor market and then the indoor market which was mainly restaurants and bars before finding seats overlooking the sea in the sunshine with a couple of Finnish beers.

We headed back to the shuttle bus and arrived back just in time for lunch in the restaurant. We have another day here tomorrow to continue our sightseeing of Helsinki. When we were here last year we saw the ‘must do’ buildings which are stunning with many Russian influences.

We had booked dinner in Sindhu and another excellent meal. I was surprised how busy it was despite Aurora staying in port overnight.
The food and service as usual was excellent .

[Suekersh]

Good morning everyone from a lovely sunny morning here in Swansea.
Here is the latest cruise update from Sue and Garry.



Friday, 24 May 2024 - 2nd day in Helsinki

We disembarked after breakfast and caught the shuttle into town. Scorching hot and another beautiful day. Sorry for everyone back home suffering with bad weather.

Once in town our immediate need was to find a pharmacy. The seas have been so calm this cruise that I hadn’t needed my travel sickness tablets but when I looked for them I realised they had somehow missed being packed.
All sorted and then moved onto to the supermarket to stock up on Pepsi max which was the only low sugar soft drink we could find.

It was whilst walking in the hot sun when Garry realised he had left his hat on the ship and hadn’t put sunscreen on. We decided to head back to the ship but stopped for a couple of beers first, just as Sam & June had the same idea and we shared their table. They had done the HO HO bus yesterday and passed us their tickets as it gave us a reduced price today.

After dropping the shopping off, collecting the hat and putting sun screen on we went to find the HO HO. After showing her the tickets she said we could board the bus free of charge. Thank you very much June & Sam.

It was a 2 hour bus ride round and as Garry had walked far enough this morning we decided to just stay on the bus.

The cruise terminal is stop 7 & 8 on the route followed by the wooden building called Löyly which is the large wooden Sauna and recreation area we had seen from the boat yesterday.
We saw the old Market Hall and Art museum followed by the Swedish theatre situated at the end of Esplanades park. There are lots of green areas around the centre of Helsinki.

The next stop was the marina area, with the sky wheel,and market where we spent a lot of time yesterday before boarding the boat trip.

We went past Parliament House, the music centre, and railway station.

The Lutheran church which had been blasted out of solid rock, the Art museum which was an uninspiring building that had been built in 1940 for the summer Olympic and is now a listed building.

Some of the sights couldn’t be seen from the top of the bus but the commentary explained them all.

The stop at Senate square was for 30 minutes and we were lucky enough to see the Parade go through with musicians and army regiments marching. We never did find out what it was commemorating.

We returned back to the ship just too late for lunch in the dining room so for the first time this cruise we had a light lunch in the buffet.

We left for Tallinn during dinner. A lovely sailaway with calm seas and sunny skies. Tallinn is only a short distance and we would be docking tonight around 11 p.m. and if passengers wished they could disembark once clearance was given.

We were already in the cabin when the Deputy cabin made the announcement at around 11:30 that Aurora had clearance and we could disembark. The announcement went on and on and I suspect woke up many of Auroras passengers.

[CaroleF]

I so enjoy reading Sue and Garry's reports. I have great memories of Tallinn. We visited there on the eve of the Scottish Referendum. A young student took us on a walking tour of the city centre and then took us to the outskirts of the city. He talked about the problems of Estonia. He said that the majority of citizens really hoped that Scotland would stay part of the UK. Estonia was always under the threat of what Russia would do and they felt it was much better to have a stronger UK. It was also interesting that there were a lot of Scots on the cruise and everyone we spoke to wanted their country to stay part of the Union.

[Meg 50]

An interesting read - we are just back form the Baltic on Britannia

[Suekersh]

Morning all.
Here is the latest update from Sue and Garry.


Sat, 25 May 2024 - Tallinn, Estonia

Although we actually arrived here late last night, I haven’t met anyone yet who disembarked other than crew members who just wanted to feel land beneath their feet.

When we went outside the Mein Schiff had docked beside us so another busy day in port.

There was a Ho Ho bus at the terminal and as Garry’s leg is still causing walking issues I asked at the Ho Ho bus stand if we stayed on the bus would it bring us back to the terminal which they said it would.

We called here last year and saw all the historic buildings and wonderful churches In and around the centre of Tallinn so this time wanted to see the outskirts of the city.

It cost 25 Euros each for a 90 minute journey. It took a while to sort out the earphones and to find the right channel. We ended up sharing one pair of earphones as Garry’s didn’t work and as the bus was busy we couldn’t move seats. At least we both heard the commentary and had a map to follow. There were some lovely parks and the trees were full of blossom.

I just hadn’t realised how much more there was to see here outside the old town.

The Pirita area about 10 km outside the city centre is very green and close to the sea. The Pirita yacht harbour was very pretty with hundreds of yachts and boats.

The tallest building in Estonia is the Tallinn TV tower which was built in the 1980s and has been renovated. It dominates the sky line and is now a museum, restaurant and venue. There is a lift which takes you to the top for magnificent views of Tallinn.

The Botanical Gardens are situated nearby with thousands of plants and exotic flowers.
Close by there is also an old Palace and in the park is a film museum.

When we arrived at the end of the tour at the Viru square close to the city gates. Many like ourselves stayed in our seats as we had been told we would be taken back to the ship. The driver was adamant that we had to get off and wait for the next bus. I along with others weren’t impressed as we didn’t want to do the full tour again or wait for another bus.
We walked through the flower market and found a bar to sample the Estonian beer. We both decided it was a nicer beer than in Helsinki and almost half the price. .

We knew the shuttle bus would collect passengers not far from the flower market and made our way there. Only one shuttle bus in and that was for the other cruise line, but because a ferry had just arrived in dock the traffic was completely grid locked so both ships were sharing shuttle buses.

What should have been a 5 minute journey back to the ship took more like 20 minutes. There is a lot of work going on at the port to modernise the roads as the ferries from Finland arrive regularly with huge container Lorries as well as hundreds of cars which block up the roads around the port area. It is only a short distance by ferry from Helsinki to Tallinn and the locals use it for shopping in Tallinn as it is so much less expensive than Helsinki.

Once back on the ship I took advantage of the 25 degrees and sunshine and got a sun bed on the aft deck. Rain was forecast for the late afternoon but despite hearing rumbles of thunder in the distance the storm missed us completely.

At 17:00 our time the FA cup match was due to be shown in both Champions and Carmens. Garry went down and Champions was full but spaces in Carmens. Unfortunately the signal had failed and many unhappy passengers. Paul did apologise and said it was a problem with the provider not the ship and all other ships were having the same issue. He assured everyone It was being worked on. It didn’t take long for it to come back but as Man U scored early on the fans missed seeing it.

It was a busker sailaway from Tallinn with plenty of passengers outside on the aft deck.

Tomorrow we arrive at the port of Visby in Sweden.

[Suekersh]

Morning everyone, here is the cruise report from Sue and Garry.


Sunday, 28 May 2024- Visby, Sweden
Another glorious day and as the clocks changed an hour last night we are now only an hour difference to the UK.

We caught the shuttle bus to the sea front and the Almedalen park area. It is a holiday resort for the Swedish people and the locals were enjoying the beach and swimming in the Baltic Sea.

Visby is a small medieval city located on the Swedish island of Gotland. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Such a beautiful city with individual shops, restaurants, bars and cafés.

This was one of the ports we visited last year and I knew it was going to be a difficult day for Garry as walking on steep uneven cobbled streets is uncomfortable for him. Luckily we had seen the main sights last year so just concentrated on the market square by the ruins of the old cathedral built in 1250.

We called at the local bakery half expecting it to be closed as it was a Sunday but the delicious smells emanating from it told us it was our lucky day.

We purchased six of the local cinnamon buns known as Fika in Sweden. They are huge but they were not all for us. We found out last year that they are a crew favourite as well.

The market that had been a focal point last year wasn’t on except for one linen dress stall. I wasn’t tempted but many passengers seemed to be.

Visby has an excellent Gelateria where I had a liquorice ice cream last year and couldn’t wait to have another. I was disappointed as the liquorice wasn’t available today. We found a seat in the sunshine. The disappointment didn’t last long as the Pistachio and Rum & Raisin were equally as delicious just not as unusual. If I am lucky enough to come here again I will email them asking for the liquorice ice cream to be available on the day we visit.

We finished the morning at the local bar which sold a variety of different beers from the pump and also brews one of its own beers.
So lovely sat in the hot sun overlooking the old cathedral drinking a local beer.

We walked back to the Shuttle bus, the hot sun, beer and cobbled streets made it a slow careful walk and the shuttle buses were there waiting.

The sun was on the aft deck and I had a lazy afternoon on a lounger.

We opted for the Glass House for our evening meal thinking it would be menu B this time but I had missed it by a day and we were back to menu A.
The menu changes every 4 days. We both chose the Surf & Turf but couldn’t manage a desert.

Tomorrow we have a sea day and after 4 consecutive ports I am ready for a lazy relaxing day.

Monday, 27 May 2024 - Sea Day to Klaipeda- Lithuania
The weather Gods continue to favour us and it was another sunny day. It was a usual sea day as we didn’t actually cover much distance. We appeared to have just been tootling around in circles overnight .

In last nights departure announcement the Captain had said that we would be stopping out at sea to enjoy the sea day and by the time we had finished breakfast he had done exactly that. I got a lounger o the wings of A deck which was already in the sun at 08:30 a.m. and stayed there until mid afternoon. It was lovely doing nothing except soaking up the rays.

Garry researched tomorrow’s port of call which looks interesting.

During the afternoon I realised that the photographers were back on the ship. I hadn’t seen them around until today but probably because I hadn’t been looking for them. They hadn’t been in the dining room which is a bonus.

It was the third of four formal nights for this cruise and as usual on Aurora the vast majority of the passengers complied with the dress code.

During dinner we noticed that we were moving again albeit very slowly and the sea was like a mill pond.

After dinner we went up to the Crows Nest for a cocktail and noticed in there that the waiters were refusing service to anyone not dressed correctly.

On Aurora, The Crows Nest , Anderson’s, Alexandra and Medina restaurants and Sindhu all require passengers to wear the evening dress code.

The Glass House, Beach House and the Horizon buffet are available for those passengers who wish to wear casual clothing along with the outside bars and Champions sport bar.

Our next port of call is Klaipeda in Lithuania and is a new port of call and a new country to visit.

[cruisin_duo]

It’s great to have another report from Sue.

Thank you Lindsey for posting.

[Stephen]

Yes, thanks Lindsey.

I don't read all the reports but tend dip in and out occasionally. But always find them interesting.

[CaroleF]

I love reading the reports so thank you Lindsey.

Carole

[Suekersh]

Morning all.
Here is a further cruise report from Sue and Garry.



Tuesday, 28 May, 2024 - Klaipeda, Lithuania

Another fabulous Hot sunny day with temperatures forecast to reach over 26 degrees.

Aurora docked in the Curonian Lagoon where the River Danė flows into. The view from the aft deck was of a working port to the Port side and a lovely green park area with a yacht marina on the Starboard side.

It is only about a 10 - 15 minute walk into the old town but as there was a shuttle bus into the city for the less mobile we had decided to take advantage of it until we saw the little train which we thought would be far more interesting. 15 euros each and a running commentary about Klaipeda. The only problem was the cobbled streets and it was a bumpy ride.

We got off at Theatre Square which dates back to the 19th century.
The Theatre square in the centre of the o,d town is famous for Hitler having made a speech there, when the Germans invaded Lithuania in the late 1930s. In front of the square is a statue of Anikė who was the main character of a popular poem written by Dach. This statue is important to the Lithuanians and is where the handicraft market is situated.

The market was mainly souvenirs made of wood or linen plus the usual magnets. Some lovely handcrafted merchandise and paintings.

Amber is the best buy here as there is so much of it around this area. I looked at the different stalls and I picked out some earrings and a pendant then decided I would have a bracelet as well.

The river runs through the city and is very picturesque. We stopped at a bar to sample the local beer, then walked looking at the old buildings and searching for the various sculptures dotted around. We saw the little mouse made from brass and what looked like something climbing out of the river. Apparently there is a sculpture of a dragons footprint but I didn’t find that one.

The architecture in the Old town is exclusive to Klaipėda and is called Fachwerk which is the term used for how the houses were built in the 19 th century using timber and then filled with clay & bricks.

The streets again were mainly cobbles and difficult for anyone with mobility problems. We got to a green area by the river and I realised that somewhere along the way I had lost my phone. I left Garry sat on a bench and made my way back to the bar which was quite a distance away, but the waitress who served us hadn’t seen the phone.

I walked back to where I had left Garry and he had just rung my phone and it was at the bar so I turned round and trekked back again. I was just so
pleased that it had been found and handed in. Having done the trek 5 times I didn’t want to walk any further and instead of going back to the port on the little train we got on the shuttle bus. It had certainly got my step count up.

By the port is a Big Wheel but it didn’t appear to be working. Garry would have liked to visit the Castle site but it is currently under reconstruction.

Another reason to revisit this interesting city is the sculpture park which is situated the other side of the river. Forty years ago it was a cemetery but when the Russians invaded they demolished it as they did many of the historic buildings.

After dinner we went out onto the aft deck for a drink along with many other passengers making the most of the balmy evening. It was a late stay here and we didn’t depart until around 10 p.m.

Another relaxing sea day tomorrow and our Ligurian lunch.

[Suekersh]

Morning all.
Here is the latest cruise update from Sue and Garry.

Thursday, 30 May 2024 - Warnemünde

The weather was fine but not as hot as the previous sightseeing days and some rain was forecast.

We called here last year and we were impressed with the river side. It is lovely and the sand carvings dotted around a big feature. The beach here is fabulous and lots of tourists from other parts of Germany holiday here.

We had decided to book a trip going to see Rostock, a city situated around 25 minutes away. We could have done it diy by train and many of our fellow passengers did. We opted for the trip by Coach and tram followed by a walkthrough the city with a guide and return to the ship by boat.

On the coach we were given earphones and receiver which worked very well and Anjge our tour guide told us a lot about her younger years as she was born and brought up in East Germany. She was 12 years old when Germany was Unified.

We left the coach and boarded a tram to get into the city then the walking tour started.

Not sure what I was expecting but Angje was very good and knew a lot about Rostock but as it was virtually demolished in the war there really wasn’t a great lot of interest but she made the best of it. Once again the streets were cobbled and although it was supposed to be a traffic free zone Lorrys etc are still allowed to use it for deliveries.

Garry managed about 20 minutes of the walk but then decided he had had enough. I spoke to the guide and arranged a meeting place at the St Mary’s church which was a big part of the tour. We found a bar close to the church and had a drink whilst he rested his leg. We were under cover and this is when the rain that was forecast started but it lasted less than 5 minutes.

We walked to church and caught up with the group for the most interesting part of the tour. Built in 1230 from a Gothic Hall the Church but not completed until 1454, but even then was added to over the years. It was extremely ornate with a huge pipe organ. It was lucky that it escaped being demolished during the war.

The most interesting for us was the Astronomical Clock developed in 1472.
It is operated by clockwork and there is a team of volunteers who wind it up twice daily at noon and midnight. There is an Apostles procession but the figure of Judas never gets through the little door and is left waiting outside.

So much information on the clock both looking back throughout the years and into the future. Absolutely amazing that all these dates and mathematical calculations and information were worked out without the use of calculators.

We left the church and walked around 10 minutes down to the river where we boarded a luxurious sightseeing boat for the 45 minute journey back to the port. The commentary continued throughout and a drink was served. I relaxed in the comfy seating and enjoyed the beer and the views from the huge windows.

We had booked dinner in Sindhu which as usual was excellent. We are still using up our bottles of JamShed we bought on the first day but they are rapidly running out and we will have to find an alternative red wine for the next cruise. Luckily our preferred white wine - Sauv Blanc is still available but for when we dine in Sindhu we need a red wine. I need to start ordering different glasses of wine to find a new favourite.

We have just docked in Aarhus - Denmark and it is a miserable day. We have an afternoon trip booked but at the moment there is no sign of the weather clearing.

[Suekersh]

Good morning all.
Here is the latest report from Sue and Garry.

Friday, 31st May 2024 - Aarhus
We woke to the worst weather of the cruise with dark clouds and heavy rain.

We last called here in 2004 on our first P & O Cruise. It was a 7 night August bank holiday cruise on the lovely Oceana. We had bad weather in all the ports except Aarhus. I couldn’t remember much about it from 20 years ago.

As the weather was so bad we had no intention of getting off until after lunch when we had a trip booked.

We caught up on some washing ready for the next cruise. The ship was busy as other than those with a trip booked the vast majority stayed on board. There was no shuttle bus and from the few passengers who had decided to brave it we heard that it was a long walk just to get out of the port area.

We felt very gloomy about our trip which was a coach drive,followed by a steam train and then a walk up to a vantage point.

We had lunch on board and amazingly the skies lightened and by the time we set off in our waterproofs the rain had stopped and it was full sunshine.

The coach journey took us through the countryside and the many fields growing Christmas trees for both their own market and to be shipped abroad. The scenery was fabulous and extremely green and verdant. We saw the only river in Denmark and in the guides own words it was very underwhelming, but where there was a lack of rivers there was an abundance of huge lakes.

We arrived at The Preserved Railway called Bryrup-Vrads. It was only 5 km of track but is known as the most beautiful railway in Denmark. We went past three lakes into the Old Vrads Station.

The railway is run entirely on a voluntarily and unpaid basis with a group of around 40/50 enthusiasts to keep it running.

At the station we disembarked and there were facilities and a small shop. We got chance to photograph the steam engine, then queued for ice creams before it was time to embark the train back to the waiting coaches.

It was another coach journey and the guide was bombarding us with facts and figures about life in Denmark. Once again the scenery was stunning and so many fir trees in different stages of growth.

The next stop was at an area (no idea of the name) it was quite large with a hotel, restaurant, café, ice cream parlour and toilet facilities but other than the toilets everything was closed. 3 coach loads of passengers they could have had some good business but either they hadn’t been informed we were coming or they had something better to do.

Only a very small percentage of us tackled the walk up to the top of what for many years was claimed to be the highest mountain in Denmark. Only when they found more accurate ways of measuring mountain heights it is actually only the 5 th highest.
It wasn’t a difficult walk and the views were stunning. Many of the old trees had been carved into different figures and lined the walk way. The weather was perfect for viewing. Blue skies and totally clear for miles.

At the top was the Himmelbjerg tower inaugurated in 1875. It is a memorial to the Constitution and King Frederik Vll.

There was an entry fee to walk up the tower which cost 10 krone or by credit card. No way to pay in Euros which as that is all I had meant I didn’t need to make the decision to climb or not to climb. I am certain the views would have been amazing.

Many disappointed passengers who felt that this info should have been provided to us before hand. Even on the coach if the guide told us there was a charge and how to pay I would have taken a credit card with me. It just didn’t occur to me that it would be needed to walk up a mountain.

The journey back to the ship was around an hour and the driver took us through the country side of Denmark. Some fabulous houses and old mansions and many more details about life in Denmark. There was information overload but still interesting even though I can’t remember 95% of it. Taxation is extremely high here the highest in Europe. To buy a car they pay more in taxes than the car is worth and he said you buy one car and pay for three.

We arrived back at the ship at 17:30 which was the time it was due to depart. Lots of crew and offices waiting at the gangways to usher everyone on board as quickly as possible.

As we didn’t want to be rushed to get ready for dinner we had decided to go to the Glass House once we were rested and showered. Another fabulous meal and my favourite menu 2 with the Sea bass and fish broth. Delicious.

We have just arrived at Our final port of call on this cruise Skagen another Denmark port. The sun is shining but feeling a bit cool until the sun gets up. Forecast is for 20 degrees in shade.

[Suekersh]

Morning all from a sunny Swansea.
Here is the last report from the Baltic cruise by Sue and Garry.

Sat, 1 June 2024 - Skagen, Denmark

The final port for this cruise and the one we missed last year due to bad weather. We hadn’t booked a trip here and just planned to get the shuttle into town.

Skagen is delightful. So clean and modern with lovely bars and shops. Itis a holiday resort for the Danes to see the equivalent of our Lands End and there were many youngsters around as it was weekend. No rowdiness, no graffiti no litter.

Beautiful beaches and the lighthouse and spit easily accessible for anyone who is mobile and enjoys walking. We could see it from the ship where the Baltic Sea meets the North Sea.

We walked through the town and called into the supermarket for some soft drinks. They had Jam Shed on sale there around double the cost as buying from home. We weren’t tempted although we could have purchased two bottles and declared them at security. They would then have been returned to us for the start of the next cruise.

There were lots of lovely individual shops selling local merchandise. It was so calm, no hustle and bustle even though there were a lot of people around. I think that was because it was pedestrianised.

We stopped for a drink at one of the outside bars. There were many bars lining the Main Street but it took a while to find one with a seat in the sun for me and one in the shade for Garry. ‘ An How much’ moment for Garry when I passed him the receipt but omg the beer was so good just sat in the hot sun people watching.

We returned to the ship and spent the afternoon on the aft deck in the sun.

The sailaway was lovely from the aft deck but no entertainment laid on. The entertainment was at the midships pool which has to be the worst venue ever for a sailaway except if it’s raining.

The views from the aft were stunning as we said goodbye to our final port for this cruise.

It was our final formal night and we ate in the restaurant but instead of ordering from the menu we chose to go with the signature dish.

I ordered the Lobster claw starter which was absolutely delicious and we both ordered the Fillet steak.

This was well worth the extra cost. The fillet steak was tender and cooked to perfection. I think this is the only time that I hadn’t taken my phone out with me so unfortunately no photos.

We finished the evening in the Crows Nest where the Aurora orchestra was performing.

Sunday, 2 June - Final Sea day to Southampton.

We have just finished packing up the cabin and collected the duty free. The Housekeeping deck manager has visited and he will move all of our luggage to our cabin for the next cruise, tomorrow at 9 a.m.

The weather is cool but dry. I went out for some fresh air but didn’t stay long.

That’s all from this cruise and tomorrow a new adventure starts.

[CaroleF]

There were a few occasions when John and I stayed on for the following cruise. There's nothing like packing up the cabin - or on occasions not packing if we were staying in the same cabin - and knowing you're not getting off. Nothing like it!