#ncl star

[laenie]

Norway NCL Star 2015

[glutenfreeninja]

just a few more days!

Time has been flying by, it has been a series of get up and tour most of the day, dinner, maybe the show and being tired in the evening. Then back up early for tours. Today we have decided to just wing it  and explore on our own. We had a long day tour scheduled and just decided yesterday we needed a break. The town we are in today, honningsvag is said to be easy to explore with some things like shops and museums within an easy walking distance. And today we've woken up to sun and a warm 50degrees! With the wind and rain yesterday we were frozen! But today looks to be a good day to explore. I hear there's an interesting ice bar also closely so we might get adventurous and fins it, we shall see where the day takes us! SoMetimes you just have to take it a little more slowly and go where life takes you! Last night we really never ate dinner, were full from our late lunch, so munched on some nuts, etc, and went to the show who's was surprisingly good. It was a group of musicians from Britain that played string instruments and did a silly show with classical music" it had us laughing out loud and clapping along! They say they will be back another night so we will watch for them. After that we walked around, chatted with some friends we've made, lost a little money on the casino and then relaxed in the cabin until bedtime. Today is a beautiful day and we had a leisurely breakfast in Cagneys and now are getting ready to go ashore. Let us see where our feet take us, carry on bloggies and talk more later.

[glutenfreeninja]

one week!

Oh my goodness, it has been a week since we boarded this wonderful home away from home and started on our Norwegian fjords cruise! The time has went so fast, I can't believe we are half way through the journey. Now I wish I had booked the next cruise also, which goes to the Baltics! We have met quite a few people that are staying on and I must say I'm a little bit jelly! Of course this has been an amazing experience and I am not going to complain one bit.... Well maybe just a little ;) one little whine.... Ok phew got that off my chest!

Here I am, sitting in my favorite spot in the cabin, which happens to be this little comfy chair by the window. It has a little table next to it and I like to sit and talk with you all while either sipping coffee or today, I have brewed some delish Camille tea, and it is very good and especially needed as today was the first day we got really rained on. It has threatened to rain, and sprinkled on  us a few times but we have been very fortunate thus far, no rain. Today it was raining when we arrived, then it paused for a while but while we were on our tour it started opening, so we got soaked! Back in the room, jah takes a hot shower and gets into comfy clothes and I order us some hot soup and make the tea. A good afternoon to stay inside, chat with you bloggies, and enjoy the ship.

[glutenfreeninja]

Tromso

[glutenfreeninja]

more in NCL Star

Went to teppinyaki last night, they were very careful and cooked my food either first or separately. I had a different soup and different dips and everything was very tasty and of course the chefs were hilarious!

NCL has been very good at taking care of me and my food allergy. I tell them each time I'm in the restaurant and they have been so careful and accommodating. Yesterday when we went on our tour there was a Norwegian buffet and I talked to our guide who then spoke with the workers there. Ended up everything except the bread was good for me! The fish was amazing! We had fresh cod which was so flavorful and then salmon, both of which were fresh and oh my goodness, I wish I'd had more!!

[glutenfreeninja]

Trondheim, Norway 

[glutenfreeninja]

NCL Star onboard

Reflections on an NCL ship

The makeup of the staff on the ship is pretty much standard with an even mix of people from the Philippines  and Eastern Europeans with this captain being Swedish.

The people on the cruise with us are mostly Europeans and most of the U.S. Citizens we have met are from either the NY area or Cali. We have met people from Germany, holland, Norway and France. Quite a mixture and makes for an interesting cruise. Also makes for good people watching seeing all the different forms of clothing worn. A few people we met for Norway swim everyday as it is summer!! I should talk about the weather a little, since I am not a cold weather person, so why would I go to somewhere like Norway? Well I wanted to experience the beautiful scenery! The weather started out being beautiful in Copenhagen, when we boarded the ship it was sunny and 60, doable even for me. On our sea day it dropped some to about 55, still ok but I only saw one person on the hot tub and one in the poll. The shorts disappeared and I started seeing heavy sweaters. Yesterday in our first port, it was about 55 again but some drizzle, people brought out the gloves and hats, today it was 48-50 depending where you were so I added a hat. Tomorrow it will be about 45, I'll probably add the scarf, I hear once we get to the arctic circle it will be much colder!

We have eaten at two of the specialty restaurants, Moderno and la Cucina, Brazilian and Italian. Both have had good service and good food, both have been great with the gf aspect and had good knowledge of gf menu items. Moderno had all gf desserts, which was bad because I was already full, but our waiter insisted we try them! In la Cucina there was only the ice cream and I took a bite but it was just so much food! I had the Norwegian salmon and a yummy salad. Both other nights we just did the buffet as they have a different gf salad every night plus Indian food! Yum! Breakfast has been varied, sometimes Cagneys and sometimes room service (the suites have a upgraded menu) or sometimes I go upstairs and grab cereal and fruit off the buffet. So much food, as being in the suites we are never without something in the table! Ugh.... So.....much.....food.......

Clothing, I cannot stress enough to bring warm clothing on the cruise! Knee socks and thermal underwear, scarfs, gloves and a hat all are needed. I misplaced my gloves somewhere between London and here and had to buy more and they were pricey! Everything is Expensive in the ports, one day we forgot our water and it was $5 Usd for a small bottle. Gloves were $35 on sale for something you'd pay $5 at home. Be prepared and I would also suggest a tervis for water and coffee. This ship only has the buffet are to get things to drink and eat so it works to fill up on liquids. I did buy a couple of souvenirs so far, a troll as you have to have one of these since we're in the land of the trolls! And the gloves, which out of necessity became my souvenir!

[glutenfreeninja]

Geringer and the troll on the mountain