I went to the theatre for my tour and was told to go over to the other side as it was building up.  There was just me, the drink seller and the two girls doing the stickers in the whole place so I dread to think what it's like when it's empty!  Outside, it was pouring and I lost my sticker as it became so wet it dropped off.  Last time I'd been on Mary in port with Arcadia (Madeira in 2011) it rained then too so I'll blame her for this time as well.  I was only on this tour to get to the Aksla viewing point as when I'd been here on Discovery, the little train stopped for the day and I can't walk those steps, but the wind and rain was so bad many didn't leave the coach.  The Hurtigruten, Nordnorge, was in the other berth, which explains why we were up Arcadia's backside.  We went for a drive around the town afterwards before returning to the ship, meaning the tour didn't last two hours.  I managed to get some photos of Mary in the dry - wooo!  

I do LOVE ships with a proper bow like Mary.  Heck, even Independence of the Seas gives you shots like that whereas the new Royal Princess is a stubby disappointment.  This is why I prefer cruising on Mary rather than doing transatlantics.  You can't see her in all her fabulously fat glory stuck onboard for a week.  Rob was still enjoying his kip when I got back so we went to get lunch in Chef's Galley.  Dire lack of plates so had to get them from Kings Court.  Afterwards, we went for Mary photos and it flipping poured again.  Glen Woodcock from Facebook and her hubby were on Arcadia, so saw us arrive from their aft balcony.  We had a quick hello before they returned to get dry while we carried on a bit before doing the same.  Their call the following day to Flåm was changed to Olden but they knew a month ahead.

Rob stayed in the cabin for sailaway.  This weather was really depressing him and I can understand that.  His first visit to one of the most beautiful countries in the world ruined by wet stuff.  Commodore Rynd's pre-departure speech could barely be heard unless you were on deck.  It sounded like we'd be getting running commentary going under Bergen's Askøy bridge to make up for missing Geiranger.  Why have a speaker on the balcony and not turn them on???  I went to the observation deck but stayed just long enough for us to begin going astern, with the help of our little friend again, as the rain was blowing in everyone's faces.  Arcadia was scheduled to sail at 5.30pm.  Because we hadn't heard what the Commodore had said, I was surprised when the usual scenery leaving Ålesund was replaced by something far prettier.  I checked the AIS and saw Arcadia in open sea but we had made a little detour down Hjørundfjord, despite the info channel saying we hadn't left Ålesund.  It was unbelievably beautiful and I bet the locals had a bit of a shock when they saw us through the window.  Two cars sped to the waterfront, impatiently flashing to a black car going the opposite direction.  We turned to face them and heard something from the Promenade deck.  Our steward had no idea what was being said as it wasn't even in the corridors so up we went only to discover THAT was the commentary the Commodore had mentioned.  It was too wet and windy to stay there so we returned down a deck but it would have been nice to have heard the bloody thing around the ship.  

Once the yak we could barely hear was over, off we went, and I left them on the balcony to go to dinner since I'd pre-ordered.  Rob didn't want to leave the scenery.  I explained to everyone at the table where he was and enjoyed my Chicken Kiev, which was a proper one, unlike December where it was obviously from a supermarket like the Smash in the croquettes.  It was so good I didn't even have dessert so left my tablemates and returned to the cabin, having seen us pass Ålesund again during dinner.  Alex had done the room while those two were still admiring the scenery and apparently I'd missed Mein Schiff 1 and Thomson Spirit coming out of Geirangerfjord.  Thankfully both were heading in the same direction (Mein Schiff to Flåm while Spirit would be in Bergen with us) so I got another chance.  David left shortly afterwards and we went to Kings Court to see what midnight munchies were on offer since Rob hadn't eaten for hours.  We saw Mein Schiff through the window speeding up so dashed back to the cabin.  A little bonus as she was going ahead of us was Marco Polo coming the other way. Then it was bed after a loooooooooooooong day!