Norwegian Fjords aboard Celebrity Eclipse
Sailing from Southampton meant we had a day at sea both ways so the outward journey gave us ample time to discover what Eclipse had to offer and we managed to get on a behind-the-scenes tour of the galley which gave us an insight to the massive operation of the production of around 16,000 dishes per day!
A rather soggy first port of call was Bergen, Norway’s Gateway to the Fjords, encircled by deep fjords and towering mountains. Despite the rain, it was easy to see why the medieval flavour that permeates Bergen’s harbour makes it a popular destination both as a cruise port and for a short stay. To escape the rain we opted for the hop-on-hop-off sightseeing bus and after doing a full circuit chose to have a mooch around the pretty Bryggen area before going on the Mount Floyen Funicular which offered us a panoramic view of the area. Before getting back on the bus we then walked (read splashed!) our way through the busy fish market – not one of my favourite aromas but interesting nonetheless!
Flåm was our next port of call, situated in the innermost part of Aurlandsfjord, itself a branch of the vast Sognefjord. The Flåm Railroad transported us 2800 feet above sea level into the wilds of Norway; stunning scenery, rivers, waterfalls, and tunnels abounded before we stopped, one station before the end of the line, at the Vatnahalsen Mountain Hotel for waffles with jam and a hot drink. The ride on the way back was just as spectacular, especially as the early morning mist had lifted, with a stop at the incredible Kjosfossen Waterfall, complete with ‘siren’ singer.
There aren’t enough superlatives to describe the heart-lifting beauty of Geiranger, dramatic and achingly gorgeous all in one, we felt we’d been transported to a fairytale! Majestic, snow-covered peaks, beautiful and wild waterfalls, including the mighty Seven Sisters, lush, green vegetation and the deep blue waters of the fjord, you couldn’t fail to be moved by all this splendour. The challenge today was going to be to get a great vantage point to survey all this wonder from up high. With another ship in port, it was pretty busy so we caught the bus after lunch to a great look-out point – the view was surreal and mesmerising. This will be somewhere to return to when your soul needs rejuvenating - and there’s no ships in port!
Midway between Bergen and Trondheim is Ålesund, our penultimate stop, on the northwest coast of Norway. Our trip today took us through the attractive Art Nouveau streets, learning about the local history and the fire that all but destroyed it before it was rebuilt. Our guide brought the outdoor maritime Sunnmøre Museum to life. And I have to say I never thought I’d be impressed by a load of old boats and grass-roofed houses, how wrong can you be?! Viking and more recent history in a nutshell. We headed to Mount Aksla for the view over Ålesund archipelago. Thankfully for Pauline and I the trip up was by bus. Neither of us would have managed the 418 steps although Bobbi and I did descend about 50 of them before we realised how many there were!
Our final port of call was Stavanger and Eclipse parked up right in the centre of town! Stavanger offers a great combination of old and new with a mix of modern architecture, trendy, stylish cafes as well as ancient cobblestone walkways, museums and rows of 18th century whitewashed wooden houses. Making use of the local hop-on-hop-off buses again we did a full circuit then went to Museum of Archaeology, Ledaal Royal Residence, and the Cathedral. Being the Petroleum capital of Norway, I was expecting Stavanger to be more industrial, so was pleasantly surprised. With hidden art in unexpected places and its vibrant feel, it was a great last port of call. We hugely enjoyed both the itinerary and Eclipse. There was plenty do both on and off the ship, for those that prefer, or can only manage, less challenging activities up to adrenaline-pumping pursuits. The entertainment was brilliant and the dining a bonus – we treated ourselves to a sumptuous meal in Qsine one evening as well and, when we sail with Celebrity again, it’s an experience we’ll repeat. We were blown away by the superbly talented glass-blowers Annie, Lauren and Logan from the Corning Museum of Glass in upstate New York, staff from CMOG are resident on board and 'performed' several nights. We did bid for a stunning dish, that we seen made, in the auction but it went for over $1000 and not to us!!
I hope you’ve enjoyed my brief journal. If you’d like to know more about Celebrity Eclipse, cruising and/or Norway I’d love to hear from you.