Aurora - Fjords & Iceland Cruise Review

Aurora - Fjords & Iceland

I went back to the cabin just before 11am to kill some time and when I left at twenty minutes later to get the tender, I told Agosthino I really was going this time which made him laugh.

Yet again, like Nuuk, it was one tender there, one at the ship despite four in use, while Marina had four criss-crossing and the Costa six, having to wait to dock. Why were ours so useless? I wish it hadn't still be raining but an American lady from Marina gladly took my photo as she told me about the ship. I did the same for a young Italian couple from the Costa and a couple from Marina then waited in front of the webcam for someone on Facebook to see me. It really is ironic we were in the same place as where Lizzie had been just over three years earlier.

The poor girl from Explorers was getting soaked and looked miserable under her umbrella. We had a little chat and she gave me a few ideas for the next time I visit the Fjords because I want to see Olden and return to Flåm. There was still some time to kill so I squelched around to get photos of the ships. A German man who spoke no English took my photo as it rained but seemed to be getting lighter. I tried to remember my limited German but saying, "mit Aurora" and pointing the the Goddess behind me worked perfectly! Since this time I wasn't hungover I appreciated Geiranger more though still prefer Flåm. If we hadn't booked this, I would have returned to all my Lizzie ports of call on Queen Mary 2 in June but I transferred that and am glad I did. This was the better cruise and lasted longer. Whoever was in the bear suit for Costa photos was mucking about, reminding me of Darren in Akureyri.

I got on the bus at 12.10pm and then I had the Italian nearly dead woman next to me. She took ALL the space in the above compartment so I had to keep my coat on my lap. We left at half past with our German guide Oliver, who was impressed we had a posh coach instead of the usual crap ones. Nearly dead moaned CONSTANTLY from the moment she sat down!

First stop for a mere fifteen minutes was Mount Dalsnibba where, despite the bright thing in the sky, was covered in cloud so we couldn't see anything. I decided to get off anyway for some photos just to say I'd been and it really was it - honest!

Back down the mountain after waiting for ages for a nearly dead to get back from buying ruddy coffee to our second stop which was a ruddy cafe to buy more coffee and souvenirs and had half a bloody hour! As usual, the crap places on tours have the longest time so most people stayed on the bus while others moaned the restaurant was closed because of Americans!

Off we headed to the reason I come on these excursions - Flydal Gorge! In my opinion it's miles better than Eagle's Bend. I'd done both when I'd been there on Lizzie and it was that excursion I met Howard Paulman, who was sat behind with his wife Patty. Each time the ship came into view, we'd both quick draw our cameras and have been friends ever since. Again, we had a mere ten minutes but I was glad the cloud lifted, rain stopped and I wore the Lizzie T-shirt I'd bought on that cruise proudly in honour of the occasion.

And so back to our gorgeous transport, stopping briefly by a waterfall to take some photos. This waterfall, apparently, gives fresh water to the town.

Back to the webcam after a few photos, telling people on Facebook I couldn't stay long because of my back but they got me. Then queued to board the tender which was still as bad as when I'd gone over, with all four tenders being nowhere near the dock at one point while those from the other ships were still numerous.

What a shame all cruise ship tenders don't have upper seating. I could understand them doing one on/one off if they did instead of cramming us in like sardines in an enclosed space, creating a huge queue on the dock. When I had been there on Lizzie, they only used two tenders - one of her old ones and a modern with upper seating. It never created this many problems but then too, that cruise wasn't full of the nearly dead! I ordered room service when I got back and it came very fast for once. Meanwhile, up in the theatre, there was a lot of hammering and drilling so I assume they fixed the problem from the day before. Marina was due to sail at 5pm so I went up top but as usual nothing goes to plan, which is unhelpful on formal night! I'd intended to watch her go then change before heading back up for our and the Costa's sailing at 6pm. Marina cast off twenty minutes late then shifted another twenty after that!

Then it was us versus the Costa. Who would go first? Well us actually! But we didn't half take our time and with time getting on, I went down the the Prom deck as we passed the Costa, blasting to each other as we went before she followed.

I dashed down as fast as I was able and did such a quick change then we headed to the Medina. On each turn we could see our Costa stalker so after dessert I dashed out for some photos while Juanita went to the show now it was back on.

I spotted something out of the window around 9pm so went on the Prom deck to see if it was something important or just a ferry and it was the former - Marina so important! Then I went to the stern, one of the joys of wrap around Prom decks, to see where our stalker was and she'd turned off.

The next morning was our final port of call and to the rainiest place in Europe - Bergen! At the moment it wasn't raining at all but knowing this place that was bound to change. I'd last been here on Lizzie in June 2008, only it had been our first port then. When I went on deck we'd just passed under the bridge but where would we berth? Well not where the other ships do, even though there would be just us and Gemini, sister of Braemar. I'd told Rachael at Fred Olsen we would see her and she looked forward to my photos. I saw where we'd docked on Lizzie so took a photo then we docked a couple of berths away, turned as I was trying to get Gemini so I had to go the other side - grrr!

Because my back was agony, I decided to stay onboard and get a good day's rest so went back to bed as soon as I returned to the cabin. There was a crew drill at 10am so that buggered that up! When I went to the Cyb@study around 11am it was like the Mary Celeste with the empty trollies in the corridors and eerie silence. And it still wasn't raining - thud! I went to get some lunch after that.

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