Thread: Norway and Artic Circle via Celebrity

Date: Friday 27th June 2009 from Amsterdam on Celebrity Century

Our flight to Amsterdam was early in Friday morning, so we decided to stay at Stanstead on the Thursday night at the Radisson which included our car parking. Hotel was excellent although the food was very expensive but the pizza and especially the bread sticks we had were excellent.

Everyone remembers where they first heard the news that Princess Diana was dead. Same now for Michael Jackson. 4.30am put the TV on in the hotel room. Very freaky and almost unbelieavable. Even more strange in the hotel lobby at 4.45am was a lookalike Ali G all done out in yellow. If it was really you, then apologies

Amsterdam got a taxi to the terminal. Great driver moaning about all the Michael Jackson songs on the radio! We did well as our taxi ride was 20 Euros cheaper than someone elses who we met on the cruise. Amsterdam is not geared up for cruise liners. Not a good start as there was nowhere to get a drink and we were there at 9.30am. Very noisy - building something inside the terminal building on the floor above.

Boarded 11am. Painless. Straight to Islands Cafe. Disappointed about food choice - not nearly as good as previous RCI ships. Drinks machines (coffee) were awful - kept running out. Breakfast choice in the Cafe seemed good but we did majority of our dining in Restaurant. Coffee was awful, they can't make tea and no nothing about cooking toast! Nothing new there then!

Cabin - not a bad size but the bathroom looked as though it had seen better days. Can't believe it was only from 2006 more like 1996. Mouldy and tape holding bits in place. Brilliant shower though. Balcony not bad and we used it a lot. Glass of champagne (?) when we got on board which was good. All the stateroom attendants were friendly and helpful.

Staff very friendly and helpful throughout cruise. Drinks excessively expensive now to us Brits with the dollar back to normal. Norway very expensive as it has always been.

Grand Restaurant very good - staff very friendly and helpful. Food not bad at all. Hubbies beef was always well cooked and he is fussy. Good choice but only day had melon which I love! Ran out of 2 of our choices of Wine within 6 days and some of the bottled beer as well.

Entertainment in the Theatre- 1 star sadly. Repeated 3 acts in the 12 nights. One of them was not very good at all. Usually I can put up with a lot but this was too much. Bars elsewhere - we were always too tired to try them out. Our holidays are always about relaxation as we work very hard with our business - long hours, 7 days a week. So to be able to just relax with a book was good enough for us!

Places we visited: Alesund beautiful. Walked up the mountain early in morning thank goodness as it got very hot! Tromso: Did tour to a museum which seemed to glorify in the seal hunting (not good) but later on a trip to the Husky Farm was fantastic! 300 huskies and able to hold the puppies! Real pack animals and very friendly and strong! When a fight starts all hell breaks loose but they are tied up. Spectacle not to be missed!

Gerainger: Stunning. Weather was fanatastic - not a cloud in the sky. Trip was in the afternoon and very chaotic start. You would think they would know by now how to organise themselves!

Artic Circle was lovely scenery and we saw the monument very clearly. Well worth a trip to see just the Fjords. North Cape was a bit blustery sadly! Bergen was great - did our own thing - 6 hours of walking but loved it just the same! Bit pricey for 2 coffees and 2 pieces of cake though!

Learnt a lot about Norway's past especially during the 2nd World War. Everyone was friendly and the bus driver to the North Cape was fantastic. I swear he was English as he spoke with no accent. He said he wasn't though! Loved the winding roads and hairpin bends. Maybe wouldn't be the same in India though!

Back in Amsterdam did a brief city tour and a canal cruise. The tour guide didn't seem to know how to smile but was very good.

That's it for now! Well worth a trip even though Century is getting on a bit! Don't pick a balcony where you can be looked over - plenty of rubber neckers as you can't really avoid it!

Thank you for the high lights of your cruise! I'd love to do the Fjords someday.....maybe I would get to meet up with our own Lars, at last! Glad the weather was good most of the time.

I've been on Century since they put in those new balconies and I agree with you 100% about the privacy issue. You have to be careful which one you book!

What were the beef dishes tht your hubby had that he enjoyed so much?

Frubals for your review!

Beef Wellington was delicious even though it is supposed to be on the rare side. I like beef rare he likes his well done. Sometimes the steak was slightly tough but unless you spend a fortune to begin with, it is sometimes hit and miss. He had no complaints except for lack of potatoes

Thanks! We like our beef on the rare side as well. The tournedoes of beef are usually very tender.