Blog - Welcome to Ellen's Empty Nesters

Cruising the Norwegian Fjords

Our adventures continued with a 7-night sailing onboard Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas through the Norwegian Fjords. I’ll be honest…I saw the breathtaking beauty of the fjords on Bravo’s Below Deck Adventure series and immediately booked us on a cruise. The Norwegian Fjords weren’t ever on my bucket list of destinations to visit, but I can’t wait to show you why they should be on yours.

We sailed out of Southampton with a day at sea to bookend our early September itinerary. The four ports we visited were each beautiful and unique. We are an active couple in our late 50’s. We did quite a bit of research before cruising to find the perfect adventures in each port that would allow us to see and do as much as possible during our quick visits.

Stavanger

We decided to divide and conquer Stavanger. My husband really wanted to do the hike to the top of Pulpit Rock and I just wasn’t sure if I would be up for it. I am in my 50’s and in good shape. I walk on the treadmill on an incline almost every day. We read several different descriptions of the hike from a variety of resources. Some listed it as an easy gradual incline on a clear path and others rated it difficult or strenuous with proper hiking gear required. In the end, I decided that I would hold him back and not enjoy the climb, so he went without me. It was absolutely the right choice.

Pulpit Rock

Because of the logistics involved in getting to the start of the trail to climb pulpit rock and the timing of the day, we opted to purchase the Pulpit Rock Adventure Hike Shore Excursion directly from Royal Caribbean. It included a guide and round-trip transfers, so he didn’t have to worry about the return bus schedule. The starting point for the hike is approximately 45 minutes away from the port. The hike itself took him approximately an hour and a half at a quick pace with occasional breaks. He spent about half an hour at the top with an hour walk down. He then had to wait awhile for the rest of the group to come down, so he visited the store and bought some snacks. They did have a restaurant and restrooms at the base of the trail.

He said it was definitely a strenuous hike and proper hiking boots would be strongly advised. You are constantly climbing over rocks and boulders. The next day his legs were pretty sore, but it was totally worth it for him, and he was glad that the weather cooperated and he got to do it.

Lysefjord Cruise

So, while he was huffing and puffing and sweating his way up to the top of Pulpit Rock, I was sailing by on a beautiful, enclosed boat enjoying a 3 hour Lysefjord Cruise viewing waterfalls and eating waffles. We also booked this tour with Royal Caribbean. It was relaxing and beautiful and I enjoyed every minute.

After the cruise, I had some free time to wander around the port and do some shopping. I had read that there was a great Christmas shop near the port, and we collect a Christmas ornament from everywhere we visit, so I was excited to check it out. It was definitely overhyped and under delivered. Most of the ornaments were generic and made in China. There was a small outdoor market with 10-12 booths set up near the port selling things like animal pelts, antlers, and reindeer jerky. Authentic? Yes. Something I would purchase? Never. But my husband had to try the reindeer jerky and said it was pretty good. I was not interested in finding out what Rudolph tastes like. Lol!

Our weather was a little drizzly and foggy in the morning and just overcast in the afternoon. Tom was warm hiking and I was fine with a light windbreaker over a sweater while sailing and shopping.

Olden

This was one of my favorite days of our trip. We did some research ahead of time and decided that we wanted to spend the day zip lining with Olden Adventure. Unfortunately, because we were travelling late in the season, ziplining was not scheduled to operate on the day of our visit. I contacted the manager and he advised that if we had 15 people sign up, he would open the ziplines. I posted in a Facebook group for our ships sailing date and immediately got a little group of adventurers that were interested in participating. Yep, I manifested that! Lol

Olden Adventure operates a shuttle bus from the pier. It runs continuously to the Loen Skylift, which is only 10 minutes away from where the ships dock. The skylift to the top offers amazingly breathtaking views. We paid NOK 1791 for 2 including the shuttle, which is around $180 USD total. There was a giftshop at the bottom and the top and a restaurant/bar with breathtaking views. There are also hiking trails to explore.

Once at the top, we got our gear and headed over to the ziplines. We prepaid 1190 NOK for both of us, so around $120 USD. It was worth every penny, but I will let the video speak for itself. For more information or to make a booking, visit oldenadventure.com It was a great day and we had perfect weather.

Geiranger

This was also a great day exploring. We opted to skip the Royal Caribbean shore excursion offerings and instead rented a mini electric car for the day from emob Gerianger. We reserved it in advance and prepaid a two-hour rental with insurance for NOK 1995, which is around $200 USD. Emob Geiranger was located just a short walk from the pier. They were completely sold out of cars on the day of our visit. There were lots of disappointed people stopping to ask about rentals. The car came with a preprogrammed GPS system in the language of your choice, which pointed out the sights along the way. We were able to stop anytime we wanted to enjoy breathtaking views and beautiful waterfalls. The pictures don’t even begin to capture the beauty of Geiranger.

We had a short day in port and sailed past the Seven Sister’s Waterfalls on the way out. The captain did a 360 degree turn with the ship so we could enjoy all of the views. I felt bad for the people who had taken the popular Royal Caribbean shore excursion to the Seven Sister’s Waterfalls, as they could have spent the day exploring Geiranger instead.

Haugesund

We looked at all of the shore excursions offered by Royal Caribbean in Haugesund and none of them sounded very exciting. It was a beautiful day, so we decided to venture out on our own. Our adventure followed the hiking plan that I found here , including the stop at the cupcakehuset. We followed the Rv 47 road out but attempted to follow the bike path back. We got lost in a residential area, which just added to the adventure. Our weather was beautiful in Haugesund.

September was a beautiful time to travel to Norway. I strongly suggest that you add this destination to your travel bucket list. The Norwegian parliament has introduced new requirements stipulating that all cruise ships and ferries in World Heritage fjords must be emission free by 2026. Book a Norwegian Fjord cruise now while you can!

Stonehenge

On embarkation day, we needed to get from downtown London to Southampton to board our cruise. We opted to do a transfer tour that included a stop enroute at Stonehenge. Because…why not!?! It’s one of the seven wonders of the world and in 1986 became a world heritage site. A basic one way transfer from the airport to the port cost $95 through the cruise line. The transfer and tour was only $150 per person with pick up at our hotel. After all, It seemed like a great opportunity to cross this off our bucket list (although we never even actually had Stonehenge on our bucket list). Lol!

We booked our package with Project Expedition. You can take a look at the various tours and transfers that they offer HERE

After being picked up at our hotel promptly at 7:30 am, we transferred via private car to meet up with the bus tour. It was about an hour and a half bus ride to Stonehenge, with a refreshment/bathroom break along the way. Our guide escorted us as a group to the rocks giving us an overview of the history and mystery of Stonehenge. We had about an hour to wander around, take pictures, visit the giftshop and have a snack. Afterwards, we reboarded the bus and had another hour and a half ride to the port of Southampton. We arrived at 1:30 pm and were able to board our ship right away.

It was a great day with perfect weather. I highly recommend a visit to Stonehenge if you are sailing from Southampton. And I think it was definitely built by aliens. Lol!

Weekend of Sightseeing in London

Want to see all the highlights of London with limited time? Here’s my power touring plan for a weekend in London with 48 hours of sightseeing suggestions. We spent two nights in London prior to a cruise departing from Southampton.

Hotel

We stayed at The Royal Horseguards. It was a fantastic historic location right on the River Thames and across the bridge from the London Eye. Our rate included a wonderful traditional English breakfast buffet. I would rate this property 4 out of 5 stars. It was very traditional and elegant, but our room was in need of some repair (sink handle was stripped, furniture was water stained, outlets didn’t work). The bed, however, was heavenly!

The Royal Horseguards Hotel wasn’t cheap, though, so you may want to look at alternate locations nearby. If you are flying into Gatwick, there is a nonstop train to the Clermont London, Victoria which is also a great location and walking distance to Buckingham Palace.

Sightseeing

You can purchase the Hop On Hop Off Big Bus London tickets from your concierge at the hotel or from the bus driver right as you board the bus at any one of the marked stops. There was a bus stop one block away from our hotel, so we hopped on and toured around to get the lay of the land. The Big Bus London Tour does provide earbuds and recorded commentary while you are driving around, which helps identify the historic buildings, statues, and monuments. It was a great way to get our bearings. To check the routes and find out more, visit https://www.bigbustours.com/en/london/london-bus-tours

We hopped off and visited Buckingham Palace, which was packed with tourists. There was not a changing of the guard ceremony on the day we were there. To check the schedule during your visit, check: https://changing-guard.com/dates-buckingham-palace.html

We purchased admission tickets to St Paul’s Cathedral (where Princess Di and Prince Charles were married) and climbed to the top of the dome for great views of downtown London. https://www.stpauls.co.uk/ Admission is free, but a 23 GBP donation allows you to climb to the top of the dome.

Next, we enjoyed breathtaking views from the famous London Eye. We waited to purchase tickets to make sure that the weather was good and had no wait to board at 6 pm on a Friday night. For advance tickets and more information: https://www.londoneye.com/tickets-and-prices/

After disembarking from the London Eye, we enjoyed a 45 minute river cruise on the Thames. You can buy these tickets in the same place as the London Eye Tickets.

For a traditional pub atmosphere and food, we hung out at The Wellington, which is walking distance from the Royal Horseguards. https://www.nicholsonspubs.co.uk/restaurants/london/thewellingtonstrandlondon#/

Overall, we really did see and do a lot in a weekend of sightseeing in London while adjusting to the time change. Next stop, Stonehenge!

Barcelo Bavaro Beach Resort

The last time I visited Punta Cana was with a large group for my daughter’s high school spring break trip. This time I was also traveling with my daughter for spring break, but she is in law school now and we were looking for a different vibe. Instead of late nights and lots of shots, we were looking for spa time and sunshine. So we headed down to the Barcelo Bavaro Beach Resort for some rest and relaxation.

Flights

We departed from Lansing on Funjet’s Swift Air Charter. The flights were nonstop departing at 8 am from Lansing and arriving in Punta Cana at 12:25 pm. On the return, we departed Punta Cana at 1:25 and were scheduled to arrive in Lansing at 5:45. We did have a delay of about 2 hours on the return due to an air compressor issue and strong headwinds.

You do need to complete the online form to receive an e-ticket QR code for entry and departure from the Dominican Republic. Only one application is needed per family. You must complete the information within 72 hours of travel and can either print it out, email it to yourself or save it on your phone. It is pretty quick and painless and I honestly don’t think anyone ever asked to see it. For step by step instructions, click here

Our flights were uneventful. They don’t have TV monitors onboard, so we did lots of reading. Only soft drinks and a bag of pretzels were served enroute. This is an excellent option for affordable nonstop flights to Punta Cana (and Cancun) from Michigan, particularly over spring break and the holidays. Funny enough there were lots of Canadians onboard.

Because of the 8 am departure time from Lansing, we did stay overnight at a basic Fairfield Inn in Lansing the night before our flight. The closest hotels to the airport are 10-15 minutes away. Parking at the Lansing Airport is $10 per day and you literally walk across a walkway and you are in the airport. Flying from Lansing, Michigan could not be easier.

We upgraded to Premium Class, which included a priority check in line, priority boarding, seats toward the front of the plane and one checked bag per person. It wasn’t a big deal in Lansing, but the crowds were crazy in Punta Cana and it was well worth it. The first picture is the regular line to check in in Punta Cana…the second picture is the preferred line.

Transfers

We also upgraded to private transfers in Punta Cana with Amstar. They met us right outside of customs and escorted us directly to our waiting van. Again, it was worth it to avoid the crowds of people and waiting for a bus to fill up. On the return, they wanted us to depart 3 ½ hours before our flight, but I changed the time to 3 hours prior and we had more than enough time at the airport.

Barcelo Bavaro Beach Resort

This was just a quick 4 night trip for some much needed R and R. We stayed at the Barcelo Bavaro Beach Resort in Premium Level, which gave us full use of all of the facilities at the Barcelo Bavaro Palace next door. I was also able to make spa and dining reservations in advance by emailing bavaro.beach.clubpremium-jefe@barcelo.com . We picked the Beach Resort because it was Adults Only, but ended up spending most of our time at the Palace Resort anyway.

Rooms

The Barcelo Bavaro Beach Resort rooms are very basic and in need of updating. Having said that, they were clean and the beds were comfortable. I really don’t have much else to say about the rooms. The view was wonderful, though! We were only able to find one or two TV channels in English, so we barely even turned on the TV. When we stayed at the Barcelo Bavaro Palace, the rooms were all junior suites and much nicer.

Food

The food was fine. Punta Cana is not really know for it’s fine dining but we certainly didn’t lose any weight! The breakfast buffet had made to order omelets which were very good. Lunch in the buffets was just ok. Dinner in the ala carte restaurants was good, with Chez Gourmet and the Hibachi Restaurants being the best.

Drinks

The main brand of liquor and wine everywhere in the resort is the Barcelo brand. They serve a Barcelo red and white wine, but you must pay for any other wines off a wine list. We drank quite a few delicious mojitos with coconut rum, so I really have no complaints. But, if you order a Bacardi and Coke, they say “No Bacardi. Barcelo.”

Activities

The pool area was beautiful at both resorts. The beach is one of the top 10 in the world, but they are having seaweed issues. They cleaned it up every morning and night, but by mid afternoon it was pretty bad. We did not notice a smell from the seaweed at all.

There were very few activities going on both during the day and at night around the resorts. They had a stretch/yoga class on the beach each morning and a dance class on the beach each afternoon. That is about all that we saw for daytime activities.

We spent a day at the spa at the Palace and enjoyed massages, hot and cold plunge pools and wet and dry saunas. There is also a private spa pool that was very peaceful and quiet with plenty of shade.

At night, the Beach Resort had music in the lobby and the Palace Resort had a basic show each evening around 10 pm, but we were in bed by then. Lol! The Palace also has a Casino, Disco and Strikers sports bar and bowling lanes.

Overall, it was a relaxing girl’s getaway and we returned refreshed. I would say that the Barcelo Bavaro Palace is a solid 4 star property and the Barcelo Bavaro Beach Resort is a 3 star option. If you can get it for a great price and don’t need lots of activities and entertainment on vacation it would be fine. But honestly, there are so many other options in Punta Cana, I would try some place else if we were to return.

Royal Caribbean’s New Terminal in Galveston

I just returned from the inaugural sailing of Allure of the Seas departing from Royal Caribbean’s new terminal in Galveston . Texas is so excited to get a ship of this size sailing for 7 nights!

Allure of the Seas will be joined by four other Royal Caribbean ships sailing from Galveston in 2023:

Royal Caribbean’s new terminal in Galveston was christened and officially opened on November 9th to accommodate all of these new departures. The new terminal, built by Royal Caribbean for their exclusive use, is state of the art and beautiful. One of the most impressive features is that the terminal is 100% solar powered.

We completed all the steps of the online check in through the app. It was literally 10 minutes from drop off to when we boarded the ship during our designated check in window of 11:00 – 11:30 am. They scanned our set sail pass in the app, checked our passports, we walked through the security screening and then scanned our set sail pass to board. Our room keys were waiting on our cabin door.

Allure is the only ship in the Oasis class that has not been refurbed and amplified. She is showing some minor signs of wear and tear. But you know what? So am I. LOL! Allure of the Seas was built in 2012, so it is time for her to get a little love. She is still an excellent option for anyone looking to sail from Texas.

Getting There

One of the big benefits to sailing from Galveston is that airfare into Houston International (AKA: IAH or George Bush) tends to be more affordable than flights to Ft Lauderdale or Miami, especially around holiday sailings. Houston Hobby is a little bit closer to the pier, but flights tend to be more expensive than into IAH.

The transfer time from the IAH airport to the port is an hour and 15 minutes to an hour and a half, depending on traffic. Royal Caribbean charges $70 round trip per person for transfers. If you are flying in the day before the cruise (which you should), Galveston Express offers transfers for $35 per person each way. You can overnight at an airport hotel or head down to the town of Galveston and enjoy some beach time before your cruise. A quick Uber is the easiest way to get from a Galveston hotel to the terminal for embarkation.

Bon Voyage from Royal Caribbean’s New Terminal in Galveston!

It is awesome to have another port option that can handle the big ships. Make sure to check out Royal Caribbean’s New Terminal in Galveston as an option for your next cruise!

Avalon Waterways River Cruise on the Danube

The Avalon View, Avalon Waterways newest ship

Our Ship: The Avalon View

We planned our Avalon Waterways River Cruise on the Danube for the first week in October to celebrate our 33rd wedding anniversary. We picked this particular ship because it is the newest in Avalon’s fleet and this itinerary was promoted as being an “Active and Discovery” sailing. This meant that they offered multiple touring options in each port to appeal to different interests. In addition to the traditionally included basic city overview tour, they added things like canoeing, biking and hiking for active adventures and discovery options like cooking classes, wine tastings and visiting a Trappist Abbey to sample beers brewed by the monks. We added a few of our own adventures along the way.

PRO TIP: You don’t have to take any of the tours offered by the cruise line. You are free to go off and adventure on your own or even hire a “Tours by Locals” private guide for the day. We saw lots of people on private tours in Budapest.

Daily Newsletters

Here are the daily newsletters from our sailing to give you a good idea of the tour options that were offered on our “Active and Discovery” Avalon Waterways River Cruise on the Danube.

Accommodations

Our cabin was 330, considered a Panorama Suite in Avalon speak. The cabins on deck 2 and 3 are identical, so I am not sure why there is an upcharge for this category to be one deck higher. I would save the money and stay on deck 2. There is some vibration in the rear of the ship when sailing, so mid to forward would be desirable.

Our cabin featured a full sliding door wall that opened to let the outdoors in. It was like a French balcony offered on other river cruise lines but spanned the width of the room. The bed faced the windows which made it the perfect place to relax and enjoy the view. There was also a loveseat and chair with a table, a desk area, plenty of storage space and a wonderful bathroom. We had absolutely no complaints about our accommodations. Here’s a quick tour:

Avalon View Cabin Tour

Food and service

The food was excellent onboard. Avalon Waterways featured local specialties along with traditional options and healthier choices at every meal. Breakfast and Lunch were buffet style but included cooked to order options and stations. Dinner was ala carte. The presentation of all of their dishes was excellent. Beer wine and soft drinks are included with lunch and dinner. They also offered a buffet option for lunch and dinner in the lounge. We enjoyed a grilled lunch up on deck one afternoon while docked in Vienna. Afternoon tea was served daily at 4 pm. The lounge in the rear of the ship always had coffee, tea, juice, and water available, along with a selection of cookies and baked goods. It was very close to our cabin so we took full advantage of the treats. The homemade sugar donuts were amazing. My husband ate 5 one day!

The service of the waiters, bar staff, crew and cruise manager was impeccable. We prepaid our gratuities but did not hesitate to tip additional amounts because the service was that good.

Budapest

We flew from Amsterdam to Budapest in the morning and were transferred to the ship by Avalon. After dropping our luggage off and grabbing a quick bite to eat, we wandered off on our own to explore the city. Budapest is clean, safe and easily walkable. We had done a bit of research ahead of time and knew what we wanted to see during our short time there. Our docking position allowed us to walk along the river to the Buda-Castle Funicular, which we rode up the hillside to visit the palace.

We also toured the church and Tom climbed to the top of the tower. The views from the castle were breathtaking.

We did a little shopping (paprika is a popular souvenir from Budapest and we try to get a Christmas ornament from each place that we visit) and then stopped in the town square to take advantage of the opportunity to increase our luck. After kissing the Blarney Stone on our last trip and then rubbing the horse’s privates in Budapest I may just wind up being the luckiest girl around! These are the stupid things to do that we love to seek out on our adventures.

We returned to the ship in time to set sail around the famous Danube bend. As we were enjoying the scenery, the cruise manager gave a running commentary and shared information about Budapest. When we sailed under one of the bridges, he pointed out that hundreds of students were blocking the traffic in protest of how their teachers at the university were being treated. The captain sounded the horn in support and all the protesters cheered. It was an amazing moment that we will never forget. What we were able to see of Budapest during our short visit was beautiful.

Visegrad

The first stop on our Avalon Waterways River Cruise on the Danube was in the little town of Visegrad. We opted to take the tour hiking up the mountain in Ipoly National Park to visit an ancient castle. The hike was listed as strenuous, and they weren’t kidding. Quite a few people in the group gave up and turned around about halfway up. In the first picture you can see the castle at the top of the hill. You really needed to be in shape and have proper footwear to make it up and back down again. There was a couple in flipflops, and I don’t know how they did it.

Once we got to the top, we decided to break away from the group and have a little adventure of our own. Just 1 kilometer further up the mountain past the castle there is a bobsled park that was a ton of fun. We originally learned about it after researching “things to do in Visegrad” and we found this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjPU6mV7KkU

On the hike down we passed by the tower where Count Dracula was supposedly imprisoned. The weather was a perfect 65 degrees and sunny and it was a wonderful day.

Vienna

Our Avalon Waterways River Cruise on the Danube itinerary featured 2 full days in Vienna, which was perfect. The first day we enjoyed a 3-hour bike tour around the city. Vienna is a busy city and it was a little nerve wracking trying to navigate the traffic with a group of 20 bikers and a guide. There were several times when some of our group got caught by a red light and the guide just kept on going. We saw a lot of the ABC’s…”Another Beautiful Church.” We made a brief stop at a café to enjoy a coffee, water or beer and somehow 2 ladies were left behind, so the guide had to return to find them. It was a great way to see a lot of the city in a short period of time, but was pretty stressful, too.

After returning to the ship for a bite of lunch, we headed off on our own to explore Vienna. Just 4 subway stops from where our ship was docked was Café Central, a don’t miss delight. Originally opened in 1876, they offer an amazing array of Viennese pastries with coffee all set in a breathtakingly elegant surrounding. It was all very Vienna-ish. Don’t let the line outside scare you away. It moves quickly and was definitely worth the wait.

We opted out of the classical music concert tour offered by Avalon Waterways this evening and decided to explore more of Vienna on our own instead. When we took the bike tour earlier in the day, we rode past an Oktoberfest Beer festival that was taking place just outside of the Prater Amusement Park. Both the festival and the amusement park offer free admission. The festival had a huge variety of beers and wines, traditional Austrian food (we had some sort of amazing sausage stuffed with cheese) and several beer halls with live music and dancing. It was great fun.

Vienna at Night

So much fun in Vienna!

Afterward, we boarded the giant Ferris wheel which was erected in 1897 to watch the sunset over Vienna. After purchasing a hand painted Christmas ornament, we walked back to the ship and it was the perfect end to a magical day. You can find out more about the amusement park at praterwein.com

On our second day in Vienna, we started the morning with a 2 ½ mile walk from the ship to Vienna Island and across the bridges. After lunch, I needed to get some work done so my husband ventured out on another crazy adventure. We booked it last minute through the website for Wein Hotrod Tour here: https://www.hotrod-tour-wien.com/homewien/seite124/.

We both loved Vienna.

From this point on, our Avalon Waterways River Cruise on the Danube itinerary made several stops a day for the rest of the cruise. I’ll be honest, some of the small towns and villages are blending together in my memory, but I will do my best to share the highlights.

Krems

Our next stop on our Avalon Waterways river cruise on the Danube was at the pretty little town of Krems, where we enjoyed the “Austrian Wine World Experience” tour. This was actually one of the highlights of the trip for me. We took a short motorcoach ride (maybe 10 minutes away) to the Winzer Krems winery. It was a beautiful place and our Austrian tour guide, Fred was a delight.

He took us into the vineyard and explained the different types of grapes and how the soil, elevation and sunshine determine the sweetness. The winery started as a cooperative between 8 local farmers who joined together to share harvesting and winemaking equipment, but now includes over 250 farmers. We enjoyed tasting 3 different wines and viewed a 4D film about the winemaking process.

I was happy to hear that their most popular varieties (including Riesling, my favorite) are sold at Total Wine in the US, so we can pick up a bottle to enjoy at home anytime.

Grein

We arrived in the evening and went for an after dinner walk into town. Everyplace in town was closed, but we did find a little restaurant open where we met up with another couple from our cruise for a drink.

Avalon offered an early morning walking tour the next morning before we set sail at 9:45am, but I didn’t make it up for that. My husband explored a bit on his own.

Mauthausen

We enjoyed a 3 hour biking excursion that covered over 13 miles of trails along the Danube. The weather was 65 and sunny and the trees were just starting to show their fall colors. We stopped halfway through our ride to visit an organic farm and learn about the Austrian organic farming process. He shared some of his crop with us including organic beet and carrot juice, which was delicious. It was a beautiful ride through the Austrian countryside.

Linz

I am honestly not sure why we stopped in Linz, because everything was closed when we arrived in the evening. It looked like a fun city, but we just went for a walk after dinner and that was all that we saw. We sailed during the night to our next port.

Engelhartszell

This morning we visited the Engelszell Abbey, which was ABC within walking distance of where our ship was docked. This was the only day that we had rain and it was just a slight drizzle. Afterward, we enjoyed a Trappist beer and cheese tasting at the only restaurant in Engelhartszell. There are only 13 Trappist breweries in the world, so it was a real treat to try 3 of the beers created by the monks to sell to the public in order to provide for all of their expenses.

After all of that beer sipping I was sleepy, so I took the afternoon off to relax and get some work done. My husband and some of our new cruise friends hiked up the Daubes Schlogen Oxbow to enjoy some beautiful views of the rivers’ bend. Our adventure guide said it was another difficult hike, so I am glad I opted out this time.

Before dinner we set sail past Passau and enjoyed more commentary from the cruise manager on deck and in the lounges.

Deggendorf

The next morning, we disembarked at 6am in Deggendorf for a private one hour transfer to Munich arranged by Avalon Waterways for our return flight home.

I don’t have a single complaint about our Avalon Waterways Cruise on the Danube onboard the Avalon View. Because it was an “Active and Discovery” itinerary, I think the passengers trended younger (or at least younger at heart) than a normal river cruise. There were no passengers onboard with mobility issues. We really enjoyed the extra tour options that were available as part of the “Active and Discovery” experience. The food was wonderful, the service was excellent, and the ship was spotlessly clean, contemporary and elegant. It was a solid 5 out of 5 star experience.

The beauty of sailing with Avalon Waterways on the Danube

We are already talking about where we would like to go on our next Avalon Waterways River Cruise. After all, I think river cruising is more fun with friends, so I will be putting out some feelers to see if there is any interest in traveling as part of a customized group that includes many of these “Active and Discovery” type of experiences.

Happy to answer any questions you might have!

Sir Adam Hotel in Amsterdam

Have a layover in Amsterdam and wondering where is the coolest trendiest place to stay? Looking for an amazing pre or post cruise hotel option in Amsterdam? Well, here it is, the Sir Adam Hotel in Amsterdam.

We visited Amsterdam last year when Covid restrictions were still in place, which included a 5 pm curfew for the entire city. While we did enjoy a canal cruise that gave us a great overview of the city, we missed out on the nightlife that Amsterdam is famous for.

We also wanted to visit the Anne Frank House, which we were unable to tour on our last trip. The Sir Adam Hotel is an easy 20 minute walk from the Anne Frank House and Museum. Pro Tip: You do need to purchase tickets in advance online. They go on sale on the first Tuesday of the month prior to your visit and always sell out. You can check availability and purchase tickets here.

We promised ourselves that we would be back to further explore more of what this beautiful city has to offer, so we snuck in an overnight stay on our way to Budapest.

The Sir Adam Hotel in Amsterdam is a quirky little-known property that offers tons of personality and the opportunity to pretend that you are truly hip and cool for the night. Except I doubt that hip and cool people actually use terms like hip and cool.

It is located just across the river from the Central Train Station and the free ferry docks just outside of the hotel. The Sir Adam is fully themed for the Rockstar lifestyle. The lobby features a fabulous bar area overlooking the canal. Each of the 4 elevators are themed, including a disco ball and a karaoke lift. Here’s more proof of how truly not hip and cool I am…

Sir Adam Hotel in Amsterdam Disco Elevator

The rooms are fantastic and fun. They have a fully stocked mini bar, turntable with a record library and music paraphernalia décor throughout. The toilet and shower were in separate rooms with the sink in the main room. We had an amazing view of Amsterdam from the 6^th floor.

PRO TIP: If you are traveling light, you can take the train from the airport to the Central Station (it’s about a 25-minute ride) for approximately 5 Euro. From there, walk out the back of the train station and board the free 5 minute ferry to the hotel. We were not traveling light because we sailed on an Avalon Danube River Cruise after our stay. We opted for the ease of a taxi which set us back 90 Euro each way, but did get to ride in a Tesla there and a spotless Mercedes SUV on the way back, so we’ll just chalk that expense up to “pampering ourselves”.

The rooftop of The Sir Adam Hotel features “The Lookout”. It provides amazing views of the city, cocktails, and a crazy swing experience. I thought it would be a great idea to try the swing. I’ll let the video show how well that worked out for me:

The Lookout swing at The Sir Adam Hotel in Amsterdam

I am normally not afraid of heights. I have gone skydiving and bungie jumping before without issue. But something about the swinging motion really did me in. It was like we were repeatedly being thrown over the edge of the building. I needed to regroup with a cold cocktail after that adventure!

We actually called it a night early because the time change was kicking in and we had a morning flight to Budapest. My next post will share the details about our “Active and Discovery Cruise on the Danube with Avalon Waterways”!

LAST PRO TIP: If you are American and need to connect in Europe, consider Amsterdam over Charles De Galle in Paris. In Amsterdam, the signage is in English, the people are friendly and speak English and you don’t have to go through security and customs when changing planes. Even with the increase in travel and crowds, it was still an organized and civilized experience.

Disclaimer: We are in our 50’s and totally not hip and cool enough to stay at The Sir Adam Hotel in Amsterdam. We didn’t let that stop us and neither should you.

Cork, Ireland in a Day

Norwegian Prima’s next stop after crossing the Atlantic was Cobh (Cork) Ireland. Since we had to get back to the states for a destination wedding, we cut our cruise short and disembarked in Cobh. We had a full day to explore the area, because our flight back to Detroit didn’t depart Cork, Ireland until 6 am the next day. So, we decided to cram as much “luck of the Irish” as we could into a few hours. I have been to Ireland before, but it was my husbands first visit.

We hired a private car and driver to pick us up at the ship and take us sightseeing for the day. We booked our tour with “Tours by Locals” and our driver, Paul, was a real character. He was an aggressive driver with a passion for the sport of hurling (which is kind of like lacrosse, but full contact). Because of Paul’s heavy accent I could only understand about half of what he was saying, but the half I understood was laced with F bombs and “friendly banter”. Paul decided that our day in Ireland should start with Whiskey tasting at Jameson’s for breakfast. Frankly, I was a little scared of Paul so I wasn’t going to put up much of a fight. “When in Ireland…”

Jameson Distillery Tour

We left the quant little seaside town of Cobh (where the Titanic sailed it’s first and last voyage from) and drove for 20 minutes to the original Jameson Distillery in Midleton, Ireland. We paid for a tour of the facility followed by a whiskey tasting. It was a very interesting and informative tour. For the tasting we did a blind taste test of Jack Daniels, Johnny Walker Red and the Jameson Irish Whiskey, which is triple distilled. There was no comparison…The Jameson was much smoother.

My husband Tommy added a deluxe tasting, so he was able to try 4 different premium Jameson pours. His favorite was the Black Barrel, which had a smoky flavor. It is only available to purchase there at the original distillery.

There is another Jameson location in Dublin available for tourists to visit, but the Midleton location is the original distillery. Our tour lasted approximately 1 hour and cost around 20 Euro per person. It included the tasting at the end plus a Jameson beverage of your choice from the bar. I opted for Jameson and Ginger Ale. They also have a nice gift shop and a food truck available for snacks. It was an interesting and very Irish way to start the day for sure!

Blarney Castle

From there, we headed West to visit Blarney Castle. Most of the cruise ship tours start the day at Blarney Castle, so we lucked out with our timing and the crowds were manageable. Paul dropped us at the front gates and showed us where to meet when we were done. We walked around the grounds a bit and then headed to the castle. Paul had warned us to expect at least an hour wait, but we were done within a half hour. Pro Tip: You must be able to walk up and down a steep, uneven stone spiral staircase to get to the roof of the castle where the Blarney Stone is.

Kissing the Blarney Stone is said to give you the gift of gab, so if this blog post is a little long and rambley you will know why! Lol! They do clean the stone with disinfectant in between kisses. They also take a photo that you can purchase but allow you to take your own pictures as well.

When we came down from the castle there was a bag piper playing which just completed the whole experience perfectly.

From Blarney Castle we headed into downtown Cork to see the sights. We visited an old fort with an amazing rooftop view of the city. We strolled around the English Market which was filled with traditional Irish food stalls, so we sampled some local delicacies for lunch. Paul’s friend owns a handmade confectionary shop where we picked up some candy treats. Paul suggest a quick drink at the Mutton Lane Inn, the oldest pub in Cork, but I was still burping Jameson from breakfast.

Cork International Hotel in Cork, Ireland

At that point I was wiped out (which is what happens when you start your day with Irish Whiskey for breakfast). I was ready for a nap, so Paul dropped us (and our luggage) off at the Cork International Hotel. It was within walking distance of the airport, but they do offer a complimentary shuttle service as well. They had a restaurant on site for dinner called The New Yorker Bar, which was just ok. It was an early bedtime since we had to get up at 3 am to catch our 6 am flight to Amsterdam. We connected from there to Detroit. We arrived home on time and exhausted from all our adventures. 😊

Norwegian Prima

The Norwegian Prima is the first ship in it’s class and is taking Norwegian Cruise Line to a whole new level of cruising. I recently set sail on a pre-inaugural adventure from Iceland to Ireland and was able to enjoy many of the exciting new enhancements offered by NCL. There is tons of information out about the Prima, so I will just focus on sharing my own thoughts and opinions based on 35 years of cruising experience.

First, the facts. Norwegian Prima is enjoying a few introductory sailings around Europe before crossing over to the states to explore the Caribbean this winter. She is 142,500 tons and holds 3099 guests based on double occupancy plus 1506 crew. She is similar in size to the Breakaway class of ships, which are 145,655 gross tons. As a comparison, Royal Caribbean’s Oasis Class ships are 226,963 gross tons and carry 5479 passengers. Norwegian Prima’s sister ship, Norwegian Viva, will begin sailing next spring.

Who should sail Norwegian Prima?

Prima is taking NCL into the premium cruise market. From the moment we walked onboard, she felt beautiful, contemporary, and elegant…with a whole lot of fun on top. She is an excellent choice for multigenerational families, offering elegant dining and Broadway shows for the grandparents, Instagramable small plate options with classic rock bars and comedy clubs for the parents and fun fast food with go karts, wet or dry slides and virtual reality for the kids. This would also be a great option for higher end spring break groups looking for an alternative to all inclusive resorts. She is truly trying to be all things to all people and offer something for everyone.

Norwegian Prima Cabins

Our cabin was a standard balcony and it seemed much more spacious than other lines. For example, the standard balcony cabin on Norwegian Prima is 231 square feet, on Celebrity Apex it is 202 square feet and on Royal Caribbean’s Harmony of the Seas it is 182 square feet. You can really feel that extra space, especially in the bathroom. We were not able to tour the other cabin types onboard. They do offer the Haven for a luxurious ship within a ship option similar to Celebrities Retreat. We were not able to tour the Haven because it was full of NCL Executives, Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom (and their entourage).

Norwegian Prima Onboard Fun

There are so many activities onboard you may never want to get off in port. This is one of the areas that really sets Prima apart from their competition.

First, Prima offers many sun and hot tub areas around the ship, not just one main pool area. This should help spread the crowd out and hopefully eliminate the chair hogs fighting to find space on sea days. There are multiple dry and wet slides to enjoy.

They have a super cool interactive putt putt course called Tee Time. An entire area, called the Galaxy Pavilion, is filled with virtual reality rides and games. The Bull’s Eye is pub style electronic darts with cozy little sitting areas. The Stadium houses a variety of activities to try, including ping pong on round tables, pickle ball, foosball, under table soccer courts and more. The kids have their own aqua waterpark. There will be charges onboard to participate in many of the activities. When I asked the crew members what the fees would be, they simply answered “free for now”. They also have a casino, of course.

Viva Speedway

The Viva Speedway go kart track is the icing on the cake, offering three levels of racing fun. The executive panel explained that when designing the go kart area, they did it with the whole family in mind.

There is a viewing area for non racers to watch all the action. They have a laser gun area where kids can shoot at the karts as they go by to give them a power boost. Both single and double karts are available to race during different times so that everyone can participate. When you leave the track, there is a photo spot with 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd place podiums where you can commemorate your victory. Lap times are displayed on monitors throughout the area.

And finally, you can meet up at the Viva Speedway Bar to celebrate the thrill of victory or drown your sorrows after the agony of defeat.

The fee for go karts is rumored to be around $20 per ride.

Shows

The main showroom is a state-of-the-art theater that features tiered seating that can retract (like bleachers) to transform the space into a Vegas style nightclub for dancing the night away. While we were onboard, one of the evenings they hosted “The Price is Right” gameshow which was a ton of fun. They also had a full Broadway production of Summer: The Donna Summer Musical. We saw a comedian in the comedy club and enjoyed an awesome classic rock cover band in “Syd Norman’s Pour House”.

Dining

There are so many dining options, I am sure I will forget to mention a few!

The main dining rooms are located aft and named Hudson’s and The Commodore. Both will offer a fixed menu at a set dining time.

The casual buffet is called the Surfside Cafe and Grill and is located on deck 17.

Alternate dining options available for an additional fee include several of their signature eateries, like Cagney’s Steakhouse, Le Bistro French and Food Republic Asian-fusion. New choices are the Mediterranean seafood restaurant Palomar, Hibachi- style at Hasuki, and Nama sushi. The Local Bar and Grill serves classic bar food. The Indulge Food Hall features 11 different eatery options. Orders can be placed from tabletop tablets and delivered to you within minutes.

You will not go hungry on the Norwegian Prima!

Norwegian Prima Pros/Cons

Norwegian Prima is an amazing option in the premium cruise market, particularly for families. There are lots of positives about the ship. Having said that, there are a few kinks they need to work out. The main buffet, Surfside Café, is much too small for this size of ship. We were sailing at about half capacity and there was no place to sit. They had to open the alternate restaurant next door, Food Republic, for additional seating at both breakfast and lunch.

There also did not seem to be a good traffic flow throughout the ship. The layout was confusing, with dead ends and narrow walkways, that caused some areas to become congested with people. Many of the alternate restaurants appeared to be too small to handle the number of passengers the ship was built to accommodate. The Improv Comedy Club and Syd Normans were way too small. Syd Normans was packed skin to skin when we were there, with people lined up in the hallway trying to get in.

Since this was a cold weather sailing, I hope that the crowds will be better dispersed when they can be outside and on deck.

Norwegian Prima Pricing

I just did a quick pricing comparison. I picked each lines newest ship, double occupancy in a balcony cabin sailing for 7 nights to the Caribbean departing January 14 or 15 of 2023 including port charges and taxes. Here’s how they compared:

Norwegian Prima $2647.90 per cabin including Free at Sea (open bar, specialty dining credit, wifi and $50 excursion credit)

Celebrity Beyond $3708.40 per cabin including Always Included (wifi, drinks and tips)

Royal Caribbean Wonder of the Seas $3886.78 per cabin Cruise only

That’s a lot of fun for a pretty bargain price. Norwegian Prima is a great option for families looking to have a great cruise experience together on the high seas. Contact our NCL cruise specialists at 248-203-0022 to book your Norwegian Prima cruise today!

Iceland in a Day

We just returned for an amazing adventure sailing from Iceland to Ireland on NCL’s newest ship, the Norwegian Prima! Our itinerary gave us an overnight in Reykjavik for the first night of the cruise and we were determined to see as much of the Icelandic scenery as we could.

We landed at Iceland’s Keflavik airport in the morning after a red eye flight and enjoyed a mini tour while enroute to the ship, which was docked in the heart of Reykjavik, approximately 45 minutes away. We passed the Fagradalsfjall volcano on Reykjanes peninsula, which had recently erupted followed by several minor earthquakes in the region. It was dormant while we were there.

Sky Lagoon

After getting checked in at our ship, we grabbed our swimsuits and headed over to Sky Lagoon to experience the healing warm waters of their geothermal lagoon. There were taxis waiting right outside our ship, but taxi’s in general are very difficult to use in Iceland and normally must be ordered by phone in advance. You can’t flag them down on the street. We were lucky on the way back from Sky Lagoon because two other people waiting in front of us were returning to the ship, so we shared a taxi. It had been almost half an hour since the staff at Sky Lagoon said they had called for their taxi, so plan your time accordingly.

Sky Lagoon is much closer to where our ship docked than the famous Blue Lagoon. We were also told it is newer and less crowded. We had a limited amount of time, so we just purchased the Pure Lite Pass upon arrival which allowed access to the public changing rooms and lagoon. They also offer a Pure Pass which includes the 7 step ritual. It features the lagoon, cold plunge, sauna, cold mist, salt scrub, steam room and then finishes in the lagoon. You do not need to make reservations in advance, but can do so via their website.

Once we paid for our package, we received rubber bracelets that could be used for charging drinks to our credit card and for locking the lockers. We used the public men’s and women’s changing rooms and you are required to shower before entering the lagoon. They had a variety of Icelandic beers and wines (including champagne) available for purchase at the lagoon bar. They advised us that there was a maximum limit of 3 drinks per person. Towels to use were also included in all of the packages. They provide plastic bags to put your bathing suit in after your experience. They also rent bathing suits if you did not bring yours along. There is a gift shop and café in the main building that you can enjoy before or after your lagoon experience.

The water temps were around 100 degrees Fahrenheit and air temps were in the upper 50’s, but with a biting wind.

It was a wonderful relaxing introduction to this Icelandic ritual that we thoroughly enjoyed. For more information, visit their website at https://www.skylagoon.com/

Golden Circle Tour from Reykjavik, Iceland

We took off early the next morning on a 6 ½ hour tour called The Golden Circle. It featured some of the most popular natural attractions in Iceland.

Thingvellir National Park

Our first stop was at Thingvellir National Park, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is the only place in the world where you can actually stand in between the American and Eurasian tectonic plates. The ground is full of cracks from the surrounding volcanic activity. It is what I would imagine walking on the moon would look like.

Geysir

The next stop was Geysir, where we were able to view the steaming explosions every 4-5 minutes.

Iceland Golden Circle Tour Geysir

Gullfoss

Our last stop was at Gullfoss, which is one of the largest waterfalls in Iceland. It was breathtakingly beautiful. Our guide told us the story about the family that owned the land. They were a farming family that were approached about harnessing the power of the falls to generate electricity. The farmer refused, saying “I will not sell my friend!” . They continued to pressure the family to allow the river to be dammed, but the farmer’s daughter fought relentlessly to keep the falls intact. In 1975, the government of Iceland bought the land and made the falls a national monument. There is a plaque honoring the farmer’s daughter as the first “environmentalist” in Iceland at the base of the falls.

Gullfoss Waterfall Iceland

There is a lovely restaurant at Gullfoss with Icelandic beer and wine for purchase along with a very nice gift shop. One of the don’t miss purchases in Iceland is the flavored salts and this is an excellent place to pick up a variety pack. Note that cash is rarely used in Iceland.

We covered a lot of terrain during our 6 ½ hour sightseeing excursion. We felt like the Golden Circle Tour gave us an excellent overview of the diversity and beauty of Iceland.