This time the cruise starts in Amsterdam. Still ideal for us, we can simply drive there. No hassle with a flight or limited luggage. At 12 o’clock, we’re at the cruise terminal to embark. This process goes very smoothly, and not even fifteen minutes later, we’re already on the ship. Due to Corona, some things have changed – your key card can be found in your cabin, and the safety drill now consists of just a video on TV and individual muster station visits.

We’ve booked a guaranteed balcony cabin. This means you don’t choose a cabin number, but you get at least the class you booked, with a chance of an upgrade. We’ve been upgraded to a spa balcony cabin on the 10th deck. Our cabin is on the starboard side, perfect because this side always faces Norway when we visit the ports. In addition to the upgrade, we also received the ‘have it all’ package because we booked early. With this, we have a free beverage package, free Wi-Fi, a specialty dinner, $100 per person excursion credit, and $50 per person onboard credit. We’re ready for it!

Norway and the Netherlands are still as far apart as in 2015, so we have a sea day before reaching the first port. Sea days are challenging for the crew; all the guests are on board and want to do things. There’s an extensive entertainment program, and you can find food or drinks practically every minute. On our first sea day, we take the time to explore the ship and choose the best bar. For us, it’s the billboard bar. Very friendly staff and close to the pianos. After a lovely evening, it’s time to go to bed, preparing for the first port!

The next morning, we arrive early in Oslo, the capital of Norway. It’s Monday, and most museums are unfortunately closed. The weather forecast has also come true; it’s raining. We decide to put on our jackets and take a stroll through the city. The ship is docked with a view of the opera house. We walk along the water to Prinsens Gate through the center. Here we pass the Stortinget, where the Norwegian parliament is located. Then we walk through a park where we see another beautiful building. After a quick Google search, we find out it’s a university. In Norway, students can study for free. In such buildings, I’d find that an extra motivation!

We continue through the park to the Royal Palace of Oslo. Here, we take a walk through the castle garden and decide to have a coffee nearby to warm up. After coffee, we take another path through the castle garden. With a detour, we decide to walk back to the ship. We see the Rådhuset, the Akershus, and even the Opera House again. The rain has chilled us, so it’s time to go back to the ship. Also new for me is the ability to preview the evening menu of the main dining room. We don’t see anything we’re in the mood for, so we decide to make a reservation for one of the specialty restaurants: Tamarind.

I mentioned it briefly, but you definitely won’t get bored or go hungry on the ship. Before the cruise, we already booked two other specialty restaurants: the Pinnacle Grill and Canaletto. Each restaurant has its own cuisine, and you have to pay a little extra, which is more than worth it for us. The main dining room and the buffet restaurant are also of high quality and free for everyone. In addition to all the delicious restaurants, there are various bars to relax in. Two coffee bars; one on the 12th deck with a beautiful view and one on the 3rd deck with delicious Dutch snacks. The entertainment program goes on all day, with activities spread throughout the ship. So, we decide to sit in the 12th deck coffee bar with a good book. Enjoying a relaxing afternoon.

The next day, we arrive early in Kristiansand. Here, we’ve used our excursion money for a boat trip along the fjords and a short stop in Lillesand. At 8:15, we’re ready in the theater until we’re called to go. Our next boat is already waiting next to the cruise ship. We chose the Dutch-speaking excursion, and they found a good host for all Dutch speaking guests. During the boat trip, we see the sun appear and visit beautiful places that are not accessible to large ships. After the boat trip, we hop on the bus to Lillesand. Unfortunately, it starts raining again, so we quickly enter a restaurant for coffee and pastries. After a short break, it’s time to return to the ship.

Port number three is Stavanger. We only stay here for half a day, so there’s not much time to leave the ship. Besides, it’s raining heavily again, so we decide to take a short walk. The village itself is very quiet, and the attractions are close to each other. We take a detour to the viewpoint with a beautiful view of the ship. We decide to head back. On the way, we see a tourist shop with nice souvenirs for home. We’re told we can shop tax-free. However, you have to provide all your details, so the choice is yours.

During the night, we sail to the most beautiful fjords on the route. Deep in these fjords is the village of Flåm. The ship can dock at the harbor, so we walk straight to the quay. Here, you can take the train up for a fantastic view. Unfortunately, once again, it’s raining in the morning, so the view isn’t as beautiful as it could be. Therefore, we decide to go ashore in the afternoon when the sun comes out to take a dry stroll through the village.

The village is beautifully situated by the water, and the high cliffs make it even more picturesque. It’s definitely a place to visit again. In the evening, we finally enjoy the best restaurant on the ship: the Pinnacle Grill. Here, we encounter a surprise. The bartender I met in 2015 is now the sommelier of the Pinnacle Grill. The biggest surprise is that he remembered my name and the name of my fellow traveler! He can recommend us excellent wines for our courses, making the dinner even better.

Our second sea day has arrived. This also means that today we have to pack our bags and leave them outside the door before midnight. You can also choose to take your luggage off the ship yourself. We know ourselves; if we do this, it’s definitely not going to go well. So, we decide to start packing our bags early, so we won’t have to stress in the evening. After a peaceful day at sea and dinner in Canaletto, we decide to sit at our favorite bar once again: the Billboard Bar. We end the evening and the cruise there. Tomorrow morning, we’ll be back in Amsterdam, time to go home.