Our Magical “Welcome Back” 11-Night Northern European (Norway, Iceland, Scotland) Cruise ~ w/ pics ~ August 2022 ~ Completed 10/09!

[disneyfaninaz]

Day 10
Tuesday, August 23, 2022
Akureyri, Iceland



I got up and checked the Bridge Report.







I grabbed my camera and headed to the verandah. We were sailing up the fjord. The day looked a bit dreary and foggy.









Then the sun started peeking through.

We went to Cabanas for breakfast and then walked on Deck 10 for some pics.









We had a 9:45 AM Jewels of the North tour with DCL. We were on our own for this one; our DNeighbors were doing their own thing. This tour wouldn’t accept wheelchairs. It was significantly cooler than yesterday, so we layered up and made our way to the Walt Disney Theater, checked in and were given sticker number 20. When we were called, we made down to deck 1 and boarded our bus.



As we headed out of town towards our destination, I noticed that the red lights were heart shaped. I later found out that Akureyri is only place in the world that has them. It was done years ago after an economic crash to spread good cheer.



It was raining as we headed out.



The clouds were low over the mountains.





We passed the Godafoss Waterfall, but we were to return later in the day.



You could see evidence of the geothermal energy used in Iceland.



To be continued. . .

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Day 10 Continued

Our first stop was Dimmuborgir, a lava landscape. As we left our bus, our guide gave us a ticket for the restrooms.





This is also the location for the Santa Clauses, or the Yule Lads as they are called here.



Legend has it that Trolls partied here and got caught by the sun, so all the formations are trolls.













The formations reminded us quite a bit of the lava field we have in Northern Arizona at Sunset Crater. We walked around the golden loop and used the water closet with our tickets before getting back on the bus.

We drove by Lake Mývatn.





We were getting closer to the Námaskarth geologic thermal fields with mud pots, steam vents and boiling springs, again, reminiscent of Yellowstone.





We were told to stay on the paved paths as the mud from these fields does not come off of your clothing.









After leaving the fields, we headed towards a lunch break at Skútustadthir. We passed this glacial hot spring.





We passed the lake again. Along the way our tour guide told us about living in this area of Iceland and how song played an important part. He sang, with a very nice tenor voice, a couple of folk songs for us.





To be continued. . .

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Day 10 Continued

We stopped at lunch at Sel-Hótel Mývatn. They served us a half slice of bread with ham, and 3 different kinds of loaf cake. We also had tea, coffee or water. Once we finished our snack we visited the gift shop and picked up a few souvenirs.

We were then taken across the street to visit the pseudo-craters along the lake.









We ate across the street.



We were off again, to what I think was the highlight of the entire tour, Godafoss Waterfall! This waterfall is fed by glacier water and falls more than 36 feet across a span of nearly 100 feet. It is known as Waterfall of the Gods as a pagan chieftain reportedly converted to Christianity and threw his pagan idols in to the waterfall. To me, it was just stunningly, spectacularly beautiful!











And, when the sun started coming out? Well, it even got better!

















It was just so beautiful, I didn’t want to leave. But after about 30 minutes, we had to board the bus and head back to the ship. The clouds had cleared away.











To be continued. . .

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Day 10 Continued

We got back to the ship at about 4:15 PM. We headed straight to our stateroom and found this.



A certificate showing that we passed into the Arctic Circle! So cool! What a lovely surprise to commemorate our cruise.

We headed up to Deck 10 and headed straight for some food.



We watched a plane come into the airport.



After eating a bite, I went to grab a washer and finished another load of laundry before dinner.

We started moving away from port at about 5:00 PM moving back up the fjord.














Dinner tonight was at Animator’s Palate and it was Semi-Formal Night. But, it was also the Freezing the Night Way Party on Deck 9. As it was literally freezing outside, we thought it was odd to have a Semi-Formal night when early diners would not have time to change clothes for the party. Therefore, there weren’t too many people dressed up at dinner, including us.



I had tried the Apple Gravalax (didn’t care for), at the Carrot Soup (surprisingly good), the Lobster Ravioli (always a favorite) and the Apple Pudding Cake.

I wasn’t thrilled with the entertainment line-up tonight and we did not attend the Frozen party. So, I got another load of laundry done and just hung out.

We had a beautiful sunset tonight.





We were reminded to move our clock forward an hour tonight, so we would lose an hour of sleep, but tomorrow was a sea day.



I feel so fortunate that I got to be able to see Iceland. It is a spectacularly beautiful country with its geothermal features, gorgeous waterfalls, glaciers and coastlines.

Next: Another fun filled day at sea.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Day 11
Wednesday, August 24, 2022
Sea Day 3



I had gotten up a few times during the night to check again for the Northern Lights, knowing that they were very strong over Iceland. Unfortunately, we were socked in by fog all night and I couldn’t see anything. By the time we got up, we had almost completely circled Iceland.





We slept in and headed to Lumiere’s for breakfast at around 9:45 AM. We ran into Goofy, still in his PJs.



I had the French Toast Brioche. It was very good. Our breakfast view.



We were informed earlier in the cruise that we would have to present ourselves to Kirkwall Immigration Inspection on Wednesday, August 24th from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM. We made our way to the Walt Disney Theater at about 10:30 after breakfast. We were surprised not to find a line. We walked right up to one of the immigration officials. She asked us if we were going home from Dover and we told her we intended to tour Edinburgh before we left. She said fine and verbally gave us the okay to enter the UK. No stamp. L

We then got our KTTW card tapped to show that we went through immigration and we were on our way. No fuss.

I needed to do another load of laundry, so I found a washing machine easily and started another load.

DH and I decided to head up to the Cove Café and get some good hot chocolate, not the watered down stuff they served on Deck 9. We sat next to a couple and struck up a conversation. Evidently, she had graduated from Arizona State and had spent many years in Arizona with her Dad, who was in the Army. She also played trumpet, just like our DD, and played in the Disneyland Band in the 80s. We told her about our DD participating in the Disney College Program the previous semester. He was an entertainer and was actually contracted to perform on the Wonder right when Covid hit. Thus his contract was not fulfilled.

During our conversation, I had to leave to empty the washer, but had to wait for a dryer. I guess the secret is to look at the time remaining on the machine, wait, and hope that the person will come empty their dryer very soon after it is done, as was the case this time. I was able to get a dryer without waiting too long.

After the Café we went to the Promenade Lounge and met up with our DNeighbors for more dice games. At some point, DH went up top and came back to report he had seen whale blows, but did not see any actual whales. We ran to the port holes to look anyway.

We passed by the Faroe Islands.















While I was waiting for yet another Trivia session in the D Lounge, I spotted Cinderella admiring the view.



We went back to the stateroom to get ready for dinner and it was raining outside.





We were gradually making our way south.







After a week onboard, we finally made it to Rapunzel’s.



Our table was right next to the stage.



I love the table settings and the décor.







I don’t recall the specific menu, but I ordered the Bacon Cheddar Tartlet, Cream of Spinach soup (which was excellent) and the Veal medallions. Nothing on the desert menu looked especially good, so I had a Mickey Ice Cream bar. Somehow, they taste different than the one’s in the park that are still frozen when you eat them.



I went with our DNeighbors to see Tangled. I love this show! The guest Broadway Star played Mother Gothel and she was tremendous!



One last check on the Bridge Report.





We had a tour scheduled for tomorrow, so it was time to go to bed.



Next: Scotland!

 

[KEK1]

Wow Iceland is absolutely gorgeous! Your pics are fab, very much enjoying your TR!

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Wow Iceland is absolutely gorgeous! Your pics are fab, very much enjoying your TR!

Thank you! Iceland was definitely the highlight of the trip.

 

[aboveH20]

Thank you for taking the time to write such a detailed account and to upload so many striking photos. Iceland has never been on my must do list - until I saw that they have puffins! - but I’ve been starting to think about Scandinavia for my next birthday ending in zero.

Pre Covid I had started to look at a Princess cruise but having just gotten off the Pride of America Hawaiian cruise it brought home that Disney does make a difference.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Thank you for taking the time to write such a detailed account and to upload so many striking photos. Iceland has never been on my must do list - until I saw that they have puffins! - but I’ve been starting to think about Scandinavia for my next birthday ending in zero.

Pre Covid I had started to look at a Princess cruise but having just gotten off the Pride of America Hawaiian cruise it brought home that Disney does make a difference.

Thank you reading, I'm glad you're enjoying it. Both Iceland and Scandinavia should be visited at some point. They are both spectacular countries.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Day 12
Thursday, August 25, 2022
Kirkwall, Scotland



I have always wanted to go to Scotland. I don’t know why. I have no Scottish ancestry in me; I have just always been fascinated by the Scottish culture. Maybe it’s all the historical romance novels I read! Today, we were finally here.

I got up around 7:00 AM and checked outside.













I checked the bridge report.







We went up to breakfast when they were docking and then walked up on top. It was turning into an absolutely gorgeous day in Kirkwall!





Everything was well organized and ready for our arrival.





I caught a pic of the Scottish flag on top of the mast.



We saw some of the performers practicing on the high wire.









We had some time before we had to meet for our tour, so DNC and I went to the Cove Café for some more Hot Chocolate.

My DH majored in History in college and has always loved World War II history. Kirkwall is steeped in WW II history. After I couldn’t get on the The Best of Kirkwall tour, we decided on the Orkney Southern Isles tour with our DNeighbors. Our meeting time was in Fathom’s at 10:45 AM. When we arrived to check in, we showed our passports, tapped our KTTW cards and were given number 21.

We waited a few minutes and then were led to exit on Deck 3. The ramps were steep, and they had one designated for a wheelchair. It took 3 strong guys to get DNM down.



We headed towards our bus.



The tour would take us along the Scapa Flow and over the Churchill Barriers linking the Southern Isles. We passed many farms, cows and sheep on our way.









Oil rigs from the North Sea come to Kirkwall for repairs.



To be continued. . .

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Day 12 Continued.

We came upon Barrier #1. We ended up going over all 4. So much silt from the river had collected on Barrier #3 you couldn’t even see the barrier itself.



We arrived at the Italian Chapel on Lamb Holm. The British brought in Italian prisoners of war to help build the barrier. This technically wasn’t allowed, so rations were cut to convince them to do it. So the Italians decided to build a church out of leftover Quonset huts. It is absolutely beautiful inside with fresco painting appearing to be 3D stone work.









It is literally right next to a cow pasture.



Then we went inside.









The Stations of the Cross were on both walls and carved and donated to the church.













Someone pointed out a hidden mickey.





A look back at the barrier.



We left the church and headed to St. Margaret’s Hope.





The remains of sunken ships in the Scapa Flow.



The village of St. Margaret’s Hope. We were given time to walk around.







The flowers and the window boxes were beautiful.









We were told that Orkney is known worldwide for their cream, especially their artisan ice cream, so we had to try some.


It was good.

To be continued. . .

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Day 12 Continued.

After our brief stop, it was time to head back to the ship, back over the barriers and the Scapa Flow.







Instead of going back onboard, we took the shuttle into Kirkwall to try to find some lunch and look around. It wasn’t as easy as we thought to find a place for lunch, so we bought some sandwiches from the bakery we found.



After lunch, we split from our DNeighbors and started walking around.

St. Magnus Cathedral.






We went to the ruins of The Earl’s Palace and The Bishop’s Palace.
















We then walked over to the St. Magnus Cathedral.

















We then walked down to the Ferry landing.







Unfortunately, the museum was closed.



I loved all of the beautiful flowers.







To be continued. . .

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Day 12 Continued.

We headed back to the ship as all aboard was 5:15 PM. We went to our stateroom, and because it wasn’t too early at home, we called our DD and chatted with her for a bit. We got ready for dinner. Leslie announced over the PA that a bagpipe band was playing on the dock. We went down to Deck 4 to listen to them send us off. If played well, I enjoy listening to bagpipes.





The Assistant Cruise Director handed them commemorative plaques for playing for us.

Dinner was at Lumiere’s. Our DNeighbors were late. One of them came down with Covid and was being quarantined for the remainder of the cruise. The other 2 were negative. Their room was being disinfected.

We had The Captain’s Gala menu. If I remember correctly, I had the Marinated Tiger Shrimp, Fettuccini with Parmesan Crusted Chicken and Lava Cake for dessert.

After dinner, we went out to watch the ship leaving Kirkwall and to check out the sunset.







I caught a glimpse of this mansion. This is Balfour Castle. It is a private residence.









A lighthouse.







The pilot boat was under our verandah.





I went to the Broadway at Sea, Songs for Everafter show with Lisa Karlin. She had played both Lady Tremaine in Twice Charmed and Mother Gothel in Tangled while onboard. I believe she said that she played Ursula in the national touring company of The Little Mermaid. She was very talented and sang several Disney songs including Poor Unfortunate Souls, Mother Knows Best, Baby of Mine, I Won’t Say I’m in Love, He’s a Tramp, Spoonful of Sugar and Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, just to name a few. It was a very enjoyable show.



We had another private tour set for Invergordon tomorrow, so to bed it was.



The Orkney Islands are beautiful and gave us a small taste of what Scotland has to offer. The people we encountered were all very nice and helpful and glad that we were there. What I didn’t realize until after we got home and somebody pointed it out earlier in this thread; this was the last time DCL will be in Kirkwall for the foreseeable future. Evidently, the Dream, which is sailing to Europe next summer is too big for the dock in Kirkwall. I feel so fortunate that I was able to see the beautiful islands of Orkney and walk around Kirkwall.

Next: Looking for Nessie!

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Day 13

Friday, August 26, 2022

Invergordon, Scotland



We had to meet our tour guide at 8:30 AM, so we were up early.









A quick look on the verandah at the Cromarty Firth.









Another crazy trip up to Cabana’s for breakfast. The weather was nice enough to eat outside. We even had company.



Then we walked up on Deck 10 for a bit.





We were all feeling fine and had no fevers, and the guide was still willing to take us, so we went ahead with our plans. Our guide was Gordon and he greeted is his kilt. Fortunately, we had a bit more time than originally planned as Disney extended our all aboard time to 4:45 PM.

Our first stop was Culloden, where the battle of Culloden was fought between the British and the Jacobite. I will admit, my only knowledge of this battle was from reading historical romance novels and watching Outlander. However, I was very interesting in visiting here.



We started out by going through the exhibit, which explained both the English and the Jacobite side of the events leading up and during the battle. It was an absolutely beautiful day to walk around this memorial.













Blue flags represent where the Jacobite lined up and the red flag denotes the British. Along the paths stones with the clan names of those that fought are also memorialized.









Here is the memorial for the battle.



If you’re an Outlander fan, here’s a name you’ll recognize. According to Gordon, it is the most photographed item from the field.













I asked Gordon if he felt that Outlander showed an accurate reenactment of the battle, he said he thought it was pretty well done.

It is amazing to walk that field and realize how that battle impacted Scotland for a very long time. It was a very somber feeling, similar to what I believe it would feel like walking the battlefield of Gettysburg.

To be continued. . .

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Day 13 Continued.

Our next stop was the Clava Cairns. These cairns are 4000 years old. It is an ancient cemetary.







Okay, if you are an Outlander fan, it is said that this particular stone inspired Diana Gabaldon to create the time traveling stone in her books. It was a very interesting and mystical place.











Nearby was an ancient aqueduct as well.







Gordon then drove us through Inverness.









Gordon then took us to the White Cottage Bed & Breakfast right on the River Ness for lunch. It is a small family owned business. The husband used to be a chef at a major hotel before opening up his own restaurant. He bakes all of his baked goods on location. I can vouch that the Cherry Scone was absolutely delicious! DH and I split the Fish & Chips which were very good. It was a nice quiet break from touring.



After lunch it was time to go look for Nessie! We headed towards Loch Ness.









To be continued. . .

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Day 13 Continued.

Our destination was Urquhart Castle.



Our tour included admission tickets, so Gordon checked us in.



What a most beautiful setting for a castle ruin if I ever saw one. The ruin sits on the Loch Ness, famous for the Loch Ness monster.





A castle wouldn’t be a castle without its own trebuchet.









The gatehouse ruins.



The stable ruins.



The great kitchen.





The great hall.



The chapel.



The great tower.





Every which way you look afforded a beautiful view of the lake.













After about 45 minutes, it was time to leave Loch Ness, without ever seeing Nessie.

To be continued. . .

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Day 13 Continued.

The heather was in full bloom all over the country and it was beautiful. Also, everything was so green.







We made our way back to Beauly.









Our object was the Beauly Priory. To you Outlander fans, you might recognize it as the structure where Claire met up with the witch, the other time traveler.



















Beauly was a beautiful village and It was a nice peaceful place to stop.

One of the things I was hoping to see while in Scotland, were the Scottish Cow, or Hairy Coos as they are called. I was in luck, Gordon took us to a small family owned farm who rescued 2 Hairy Coos so that I could see them.







They are sooo cute!

It was time to head back to the ship.







Dinner was at Animator’s Palate tonight. It was drawing night, so our drawing mats were waiting for us at the table. Rule is, you can’t see the menu or order until you finish your drawing. Anyway, I ordered the White Cheddar Broccolini Soup (Excellent again, DCL knocked the soups out of the park this trip), Chicken Schnitzel, and Celebration Cake.

My drawing was the first one to show.



This is the first time I have actually had a head server apologize for a meal. The Chicken Schnitzel was very dry and overcooked as it was too hard to cut on the edges. I ate what I could. Rolando offered to bring all of us a replacement meal, but we declined. From what I understand, several tables had complained about it and they didn’t even offer it for the 2nd seating.

I have to say, I appreciate having veteran servers in the main dining rooms. In the past, we have received the excellent service speech every night after dinner. I really appreciated the fact that Rolando did not give us his until the night before the surveys would be placed in our stateroom.

I believe that Greta Salome performed that night. I guess I was too tired or felt the need that I needed to start packing, but I missed her show. From what I am reading now, I should have gone.

We saw another incredible sunset.







Anyway, it was our last sea day the next day so it was time to turn in. Marlon had placed the tip envelopes on our bed.





I loved driving around the highlands of Scotland. This country is steeped in history. The hills were bursting with heather and shown to their best. The people were all friendly and welcoming to us. I also loved that Gordon took the time to point out the Outlander sites.

Next: The 2nd Saddest Day of any Cruise!

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Day 14
Saturday, August 27, 2022
Sea Day 4



We are making are way through the North Sea towards the English Channel towards Dover where we will have to get off the ship.







DH and I were both feeling fine with no temps this morning.

The final sea day of the cruise. I like the last day of a cruise to be a sea day, because I feel less rushed to pack up.



Normally, I wouldn’t schedule Palo brunch for the last sea day of a cruise because normally we would be so tired of eating, we wouldn’t truly appreciate it, but it was the only time that worked. Our brunch was originally scheduled for 12:30. Because the Platinum & Gold Castaway Club Reception was being held at 2:00 PM, we changed our brunch time to 10:30 AM.

While, I had certainly eaten my fill on this cruise, I was really looking forward to brunch at Palo.

When we arrived, Hristo was there to greet us.



He was very sorry to hear that one of our DNeighbors had Covid and offered to send them some Tiramisu.

In the meantime, we were offered a mimosa and a Danish. Soon afterward, Hristo brought out the Sticky Buns that Sasha had arranged!



I ordered the Seafood Antipasto, but requested only the Crab Legs and Crab Claws.



I then ordered my absolute favorite, Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breast and Risotto.



I ordered the Limoncello Almond Torte for dessert. I much prefer the mini desserts from the old brunch so you can try a little bit of everything.



DH ordered the Tiramisu.



It was all so delicious. We thanked Sasha profusely for the buns and told him to share them with other guests as we could simply not eat anymore.

After brunch, DH and I went back up to the stateroom to change and finish packing our bags to put them out that night.

At 2:00 PM we went down to the Walt Disney Theater for the Castaway Club Reception and got our sparkling wine. The set for Dreams had been updated since we saw it last in 2018.









The captain came out and teased us about new places that DCL would be going. Little did we know that D23 would announce cruises to the South Pacific and Australia a mere few weeks later.

Then they showed us the Lion King segment of Dreams. Afterwards, the entire stage crew were introduced and the workings of the show were explained. We then got to see the Lion King Segment again while seeing the behind the scenes actions and mic’d narration. I’d seen it before, but it was still interesting.

After we got our Mickey Mouse Rice Krispy treats to take home to DD, we headed up to Deck 10. I got my last ice cream cone of the cruise.



We went back up to our cabin to hang out before dinner. We were getting closer to the channel.



One last look out the verandah in open sea.



Our last dinner was at Rapunzel’s. It was the Lantern Menu with the show and Lantern Parade.

We were right next to the stage so we had a front row view.









I ordered Green asparagus Broccoli Soup (which was delicious as all the soups had been), Roasted Prime Rib of Beef and Rapunzel’s Fry Pan Sweet Bread.

Then we had the Parade of Lanterns. Our assistant server, Komang.







We gave our tip envelopes to our serving team after we finished eating. After dinner, we took one last look up top to see the sunset.









I went up to change and get everything ready for DH to put out in the hall while I went to see Dreams.

I think of all the DCL shows, this is my favorite, it always chokes me up. The performers were amazing.

Well, all good things must come to an end, so after the show, I headed back up to the stateroom for one more sleep on the ship.



Next: The White Cliffs of Dover

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Day 15
Sunday, August 28, 2022
Dover, England





I woke up at 5:20 AM to the ship docking in Dover. I went and got a shower and then checked the bridge report.







All told, we cruised 3260 nautical miles. And every one was worth it!

It was an overcast day, but you could clearly see the Dover Castle and the White Cliffs as well as the beautiful sunrise.















We had breakfast at Rapunzel’s at 6:45 AM. Because we had early breakfast, we arranged with Marlon to leave our bags in the room until after we finished. We would be out of the room by 8.

We went to our last meal with Rolando and Komang. We finished our survey the night before and deposited it in the waiting receptacle outside the restaurant. The last breakfast is never anything special. I had the French Toast again, which was very good.

We went back up to our stateroom to gather our bags. Marlon had already stripped the linens off the bed. We thanked him and said good bye before heading down to the Promenade Lounge to wait for our Grey Daisy tag to be called.



When we got there, the place was empty, but started filling up quickly. Our DNeighbors minus 1 joined us. At about 8:30, our tags were called and we exited the ship! L Our quarantined DNeighbor eventually met us outside. The quarantined guests were the last to leave the ship.

DH and I had arranged for a tour to Dover Castle and Canterbury with transfer to London. Our DNeighbors had used Glen before and highly recommended him. We were to meet him at 9:00 AM.

When we finally gathered all of our bags and headed out the warehouse (no customs), we found utter chaos outside. There were people to direct towards DCL busses, taxis and tours. We were directed to a sidewalk over by the side. We waited there for about 20 minutes before Glen contacted us. A lot of people were standing in the street as the sidewalk was getting full and port personnel were constantly telling people to get out of the street as there was barely enough room for the busses to turn as it was.

We walked to Glen’s car in the parking lot outside the terminal and were on our way.

Our first stop was the Battle of Britain museum honoring the air battle. It was a lovely memorial overlooking the English Channel. It started raining as we got there.













Looking over the English Channel to France.



The National Memorial to the Few.



It was a lovely little visit. When the visitor center opened we were thanked for stopping by.

To Be Continued . . .

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Day 15 Continued.

By this time it was about 10:30 AM, so we headed over to Dover Castle. I had read that they were having a Knights’ Tournament that weekend, so there was extra interest in the castle. When we got there, we had to park in overflow parking in a grass field.









We purchased our tickets and entered the fray as it were. They had demonstrations set up for the tournament. This tradesman was stamping coins.



We watched a show on Netflix about the British Castles, so we knew a basic history of the castle and its role during World War II. Again, what is a castle without a trebuchet?









We started in the tower at the top and worked our way down.









We climbed circular stair cases all the way to the top of the tower. Whew! But, the views were spectacular!











And then climbed them all the way back down.



Anybody remember Wizard Chess from Harry Potter? Look closely at the pieces.

















To Be Continued . . .