Saga Pearl II Captain's blog

The first port of call on our visit to ‘The Land of Ice and Fire’ saw us visit Kirkwall in the Orkney Islands. Around seventy islands make up the Orkney archipelago, only seventeen of which are inhabited. In 1999 UNESCO granted World Heritage status to the sites that make up the heart of Neolithic Orkney and it is said that if you scratch Orkney it bleeds archaeology. Orkney also has a rich maritime history beginning with French and Spanish ships sheltering here in the 16th century.

Kirkwall, situated on the Mainland, is the islands capital and the name comes from the Norse Kirkjuvagr (Church Bay) and was named after the Church of St Olaf that was founded here in the early 11th century.

Three tours were on offer for our passengers today and many took the opportunity to go and discover more about this fascinating port of call. The West Mainland of Orkney is the location of one of the greatest concentrations of World Heritage and prehistoric sites in the British Isles and our guests were able to enjoy these on the ‘Ancient Treasures of Orkney’ Excursion. Our passengers left Kirkwall and headed to the Bay of Skaill where they explored Stone Age Skara Brae, the remains of a village that pre-dates the Pyramids and Stonehenge. After a guided tour here our guests made their way to Orkney’s finest manor house which dates from 1620 and then took a scenic drive past the Standing Stones of Stenness and the Maeshowe Tomb to the Ring of Brodgar, where 60 stones once formed a perfect circle, today, only 27 of these stones remain. The final visit on the excursion was to Scapa Flow, where dramatic wartime experiences have made it one of the most renowned stretches of water in the world, as well as a favourite site for scuba divers.

The next tour to go ashore left us in the afternoon and was the ‘North Orkney Exploration’. This scenic excursion allowed our passengers to discover the breathtaking panoramas, fascinating ancient relics and varied wildlife of the region. It began with a scenic drive to the sandy beach of Birsay Bay, where the imposing cliffs at Marwick Head form an RSPB bird reserve. One or two of our passengers were lucky enough to spot some seals playing in the bay before making their way inland to the heart of Neolithic Orkney, designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1999. Having enjoyed some refreshments the tour made its way to the cliffs of Yesnaby, from where some of Orkney’s most dramatic seascapes could be enjoyed.

The final tour which went ashore also left us in the afternoon and this one was the ‘Spirit of the South Isles’. The first stop was at the Highland Park Distillery. Founded in 1798 it was, at the time, the world’s most northerly producer of whisky. Our passengers were able to enjoy a tour around the distillery and even had the chance to sample the famous 12 year old malt that is produced here before following the coast of Scapa Flow to the beautifully hand painted Italian Chapel. The chapel was built by Italian prisoners interned on the island during World War II and now stands as a memorial to peace. After heading back to Kirkwall, our guests enjoyed some free time on the town for a chance to look and around and admire the magnificent 12th century red sandstone Cathedral of St Magnus which dominates the town, before making their way back to the Saga Pearl II.

Our passengers were all back onboard at 17:30 and once all of our pre-departure checks had been completed we moved away from the berth shortly before 18:00. There was plenty for our passengers to look forward to and to begin the evening The Dea Quartet provided our guests with a pre-dinner classical concert before the opportunity to enjoy another culinary experience in the dining rooms. Later in the evening there was the chance to dance to the sounds of the Saga Pearl II Orchestra, with our gentleman hosts on hand to provide a partner for any ladies looking for a dance, before Assistant Cruise Director Mikey asked the questions in another team trivia in Shackleton’s Bar.

They say that laughter is the best medicine and comedian Stan Johns provided the giggles in the Discovery Lounge with his own brand of classy, clean and comical humour. Once the show had finished there was the chance to enjoy a nightcap in Shackleton’s Bar as our resident cocktail pianist Guy Stoker provided the tunes. One or two passengers even ventured up to the Sundowners Bar for a drink to finish the night off before retiring and the chance to look forward to another relaxing day at sea tomorrow.

Once again we enjoyed a busy turnaround day onboard, saying goodbye to passengers who had just enjoyed their ‘Fjordland Wonders’ cruise and welcoming those who are looking forward to their visit ‘To the Land of Ice and Fire’.

It is a major operation running a cruise ship, rather like running a small city on the water, and turnaround days are even more intense. Disembarking 434 passengers and their luggage, garbage, recyclables and dirty water, before bringing on all of our new stores, food, drinks, clean water and of course not forgetting 433 new passengers, all looking forward to the cruise of a lifetime, is a lot of hard work and it is a testament to everybody just how seamlessly it always seems to go.

What a cruise we have to look forward to, a 13 night cruise taking in six different ports in Iceland, one in Norway as well as visits to the Faroe Islands and the Orkney Islands. As always myself, my officers, staff and crew will do everything we can to make sure our passengers have the very best cruising experience and continue to do what we are confident we do best, cruising done properly.

The final port of call on our ‘Fjordland Wonders’ cruise saw us visit the port of Bergen in Norway. Originally named Bjorgvin, the city was founded around 1070 by King Olaf III and grew quickly as a commercial centre and during the 12th and 13th centuries was the capital of Norway. Surrounded by mountains and sparkling fjords, this waterside city has a spectacular setting and a fascinating history. There has been a settlement here since medieval times and the colourful waterfront buildings of the Hanseatic Wharf, known as the Bryggen, are testament to its incredible past and history of trade. As Norway’s best known medieval settlement, the Bryggen is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Bergen is known as the rain capital of Europe although today Mother Nature seemed to be on our side as we arrived to blue skies and sunshine. There was still a bit of a fresh breeze but there was no rain in the air and that was the main thing.
 
There were five tours for our passengers to choose from in our final port of call and the first one to go ashore was ‘Iconic Norway’. This nine hour tour allowed our passengers to discover some of Norway’s history and the region’s most beautiful sights and scenery. Having made their way to Voss, a popular winter resort set beside a peaceful lake, our passengers boarded a train for one of Europe’s most impressive rail journeys, which took them through valleys, past rivers and under mountains. After the train ride there were stops at the stunning Kjosfossen Waterfall, Gudvangen, which translates as ‘worship place of the heathen gods’ and the Stalheim Hotel for a spot of lunch. Following lunch and having spent some time at the Oppheim Lake and Tvinde Waterfall, where they were able to enjoy its foaming rapids, our guests made their way back to Voss to enjoy some free time exploring the town and indulge in a bit of shopping for those last minute holiday gifts and souvenirs.
 
A new tour and one of the most strenuous on offer today was the ‘Mount Floyen Hike’. Several brave souls decided to give this one a go including one of our dancers, Jessica and our Assistant Cruise Director Mikey. The tour began by passing the fortress of Bergenhus with the Coronation Hall and along the Bryggen, with all the old wooden merchants’ buildings that once belonged to the German merchants of the Hanseatic League. After a five minute 1000ft funicular trip, there was the chance to enjoy spectacular views of Bergen before setting off on their hike towards Skomakerdiket lake. Eventually they reached the highest point of Mount Floyen at 1850 ft above sea level to enjoy the spectacular views and scenery.

The third tour to leave us was ‘Bergen City Highlights’. Allowing our passengers to learn more about Bergen’s long seafaring traditions, this tour began by passing the Royal Hall, Haakonshallen and the old buildings of Bryggen. After a funicular ride up to Mount Floyen they continued to the Old Bergen Museum for a guided tour and then onto the Fantoft Stave Church, which has been painstakingly rebuilt using traditional methods after a fire in 1992 destroyed the original 12th century building.

The final tour to leave us in the morning was the ‘Bergen Panoramic City Tour’. The tour started with the chance to view many of the charming white wooden buildings built in the traditional Bergen style and there was also a chance to visit the oldest building in Bergen, the beautiful St Mary’s Church, one of the few Romanesque buildings in Norway. Following this there was a visit to the fish market before continuing to the Nordnes Peninsula for a photo stop at the old customs pier. Visits to the Bergen Aquarium, the Bergen Theatre and the Grieg Hall rounded off this tour of some of the most beautiful and interesting sights that Bergen has to offer.

There was also an afternoon tour that left us and this one was ‘Images of Grieg’ which revealed the legacy of Bergen’s most famous son, the world-renowned composer Edvard Grieg, who was born in the city in 1843. The tour took our passengers to the village of Paradis to visit Troldhaugen, which was Grieg’s home from 1885 until his death in 1907. Here there is a beautifully preserved villa, kept just as it was when the composer died. The villa contains many of his personal possessions, including his Steinway piano and following a look around our guests were treated to a piano recital of Grieg’s music followed by some free time to explore the rest of the exhibition and garden, or take the chance to visit the tombs of Edvard and his wife Nina that overlook Nordas Lake.

Although we had arrived to a slightly chilly morning the afternoon was quite different. Glorious sunshine beat down on us all afternoon as Bergen enjoyed one of its hottest days of the year so far. Our passengers who had spent the last few days in raincoats and hoods were able to enjoy themselves on the open decks and bask in the beautiful weather that presented itself to us. It really was a bonus and a fantastic way to finish off our ports of call. We sailed shortly after 17:00 and with clear blue skies and sunshine the scenery was simply stunning.

It was our final formal evening onboard so everybody was able to take the chance to dress up and enjoy a fabulous formal dinner in the restaurants. Becki of the Cruise Staff asked the questions in Shackleton’s with another team trivia challenge after which the Discovery Lounge was the venue for ‘Sunday Night at The Saga Pearl II Palladium’. It was a farewell variety spectacular featuring performances from the Rosina Trio, comedian Gerry Graham, the Gail Davies Singers and Dancers as well as a host of guest stars and included the traditional Palladium revolving stage finale.

Following the show there was live music provided by the Saga Pearl II Orchestra for the listening and dancing pleasure of our guests and while some enjoyed night caps in Shackleton’s and Sundowner’s, the open decks were once again popular with passengers making the most of the very light evening and beautiful scenery as we sailed from our final port of call and made our way back to Dover.   

We visited two separate ports today, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Our morning call was to Orsta, which is located at the end of Orstafjorden and surrounded by fjords and some of the most spectacular mountains in Norway. Almost fifty percent of the regions total area is at an altitude of above 2000ft with many of the rugged and wild mountain peaks towering as high as 5000ft in the south. We arrived at 07:00 and were quickly alongside and secured to our berth. The weather was actually rather pleasant and the sun was shining, unfortunately however this was not to last and the entire morning was a mix of intermittent sunshine, showers and chilly winds.
 
There were two tours for our passengers to enjoy in Orsta and the first to go ashore was a trip to the ‘Fjords and Mountains’. This excursion featured an abundance of fjord, lake and mountain scenery and there was also the chance to visit the small, picturesque village of Saebo on the banks of the Hjorundfjord. Here they were able to stroll through the town admiring the stunning scenery before enjoying refreshments and cakes at the aptly named Sagafjord Hotel.

The other tour to go ashore was the full day trip to ‘Geirangerfjord’. This full day tour started in Orsta and finished in our afternoon call of Alesund. This tour gave our passengers the chance to discover many of the natural highlights of western Norway including the Norwegian Alps, the dramatic Hjorundfjord, the wild Norangdal Valley and the World Heritage listed Geirangerfjord. The tour started with a short visit to the town of Orsta before making its way eastwards through a valley that crosses the mountain massif and the Orsta peninsula on its way to the Hjorundfjord. Taking a ferry across the fjord from the village of Saebo to Lekneset, our passengers then proceeded through the narrow and wild Norangdal Valley. They paused at Lyngstoylsvatn Lake, which was formed after a huge rock fall in 1908 and where beneath its clear waters you can still see the remains of the old farmhouses. From Hellesylt there was a one hour ferry ride to Geiranger, during which our passengers were able to enjoy stunning views of the fjord. After arrival there was a chance for a spot of shopping before enjoying lunch and then continuing on to Eagle’s Bend to enjoy more stunning scenery. A short panoramic tour of Alesund concluded the tour before our passengers made their way back to join us on the Saga Pearl II.

We sailed shortly after 12:30, and during our 27 mile journey to Alesund our passengers were able to enjoy a classical concert in the Discovery Lounge provided by the Rosina Trio as well as a special barbecue lunch from our Sundowner Grill. The weather was still much the same and every few minutes it was changing - sunny, cloudy, rain, wind, we had it all and it was changing so quickly that nobody was sure what it was going to do next. We arrived at the entrance to Alesund harbour shortly before 14:00 and were all secure alongside shortly after 15:00. Alesund is a popular fishing port, with a distinctive and unique character. It dates from the 9th century when Rollo the Ganger built a castle nearby, but township status was not acquired until 1848. The town was destroyed by fire in 1904 and was rebuilt using stone instead of wood.
 
There were three tours on offer for our passengers in the afternoon and the first to leave us was the ‘Art Nouveau City Walk’. Local guides, born and bred in the area, took our passengers through the winding streets and taught them about the city’s buildings and fascinating history. There was also the chance to visit the old Swan Pharmacy, which has retained some of the original interiors from the early 20th century and includes exhibits that have been created to tell the story of the famous 1904 fire. Following this our guests made their way to the top of the town to enjoy a stunning panoramic view looking across the city, it’s beautiful harbour and the rich variety of art nouveau buildings and decor.

The second tour to leave us was a visit to ‘The Islands of Giske & Godoy’. This tour provided our passengers with a chance to enjoy Alesund’s main sights and started with a drive through the city where they were able to learn about the art nouveau buildings and their reconstruction after the fire of 1904. Having left the city, our passengers next travelled through some of the world’s largest subsea tunnels which connect the islands of Giske and Godoy to the mainland. Giske is the birthplace of the Viking King Rollo, an ancestor of William the Conqueror and there was the chance to visit the Giske Chapel which was used as a private church by the Viking Giske family. From here they made their way to the island of Godoy and the charming fishing village of Alnes to enjoy a stroll through the village or the chance to climb the lighthouse for some fantastic views.

The final tour of the day was a visit to the ‘Runde Island Bird Sanctuary’. The Island of Runde is one of the largest bird sanctuaries in Norway and is home to a wide variety of winged life including puffins, gannets, guillemots, fulmars, skuas, shags, razorbills and ducks as well as eagles, falcons and hawks. The latter three regularly visit the island for hunting purposes. Our passengers had the opportunity to see the various bird colonies as well as seals and porpoises and deer, which graze the steep hillsides and green fields.
 
We cast our lines and sailed at 19:20 by which time most of our passengers were already enjoying a culinary delight from our Food and Beverage department in the dining rooms. Shackleton’s Bar was the venue for a team trivia challenge in which Mark of the Cruise Staff posed the questions before the Gail Davies Production Cast wowed our passengers in the Discovery Lounge with their production show ‘Big Top’. Once again our singers Saul and Laureen, and our dancers Emma, Gemma, Jess and Catherine gave it their all as they performed their final show of the cruise. Guy Stoker tinkled the ivories in Shackleton’s for passengers enjoying a late night cocktail and as it was light until almost midnight, quite a few of our passengers chose to have a drink on the open decks and admire the stunning scenery that we were passing on our way to our final port of call.

Today’s visit was to the pretty resort of Jondal which lies on the banks of the great Hardanger fjord. Known as the ‘Queen of the Norwegian Fjords’, it lies in a broad valley surrounded by snow capped mountains, orchards and glaciers. Jondal is typically Norwegian in its architectural style, and includes many beautiful buildings including the Hardanger Cathedral which looks over the village. The cathedral was built in 1888 and is the largest in Hardanger, with a bell that dates back to the 13th century. Close by there are also many Swiss houses with stone roofs and small gravel walks that bind the houses together.

The anchorage in Jondal is quite restricted. Having been here a few times, I realise we have to gingerly creep in to the anchorage. The depth at which we normally anchor is about 50 metres. However with the depth of the fjords, the area around the anchorage is about 200 metres, so we have to go right into the bay, about a few hundred feet from the rocks and find the 50 metres contour. This is done by watching our echo sounder. Once we know we are on the 50 metre contour, we drop the anchor onto this shelf and as we drift back, lying on the anchor, you can see the echo sounder drop to 190 metres. Basically we have dropped the anchor on a plateau on the sea bed, and the ship has drifted back to have this abyss underneath you. It’s quite an interesting phenomenon!

We used the ships tenders to send our passengers ashore. We were all anchored shortly after 07:00 to slightly overcast skies and clean, crisp air that is so typical for this part of the world. Some passengers chose not to go ashore today but instead stayed onboard to enjoy the stunning scenery that was available from the open decks of the ship. With lush green vegetation, pretty little houses and mountains whose tops disappear into the clouds, it really made for a wonderful sight and one lady commented to me that in the space of just 25 minutes she had taken over 100 photos of this stunning backdrop.

For those passengers who wanted to explore more of the port there were three excursions on offer and the first to go ashore was ‘Traditions of Hardanger’, a four and a half hour tour that is new for this season. Our passengers first travelled to Nordheimsund to visit the Hardanger Fartoyvernsenteret or Boat Preservation Centre. Here they were able to watch skilled boat builders, rope makers and blacksmiths use traditional methods to preserve and restore old wooden boats to their former glory. Afterwards there was the chance to try their hand at a bit of rope making themselves or browse the souvenir shop, I understand most of the ladies went shopping while the men tried to prove themselves as accomplished rope makers, none of the locals are concerned for their jobs however. From here there was a chance to enjoy the stunning scenery on a panoramic coach drive before stopping at a small farm to enjoy refreshments and a performance from a fiddler on the Hardanger fiddle, the traditional instrument of the region.

The next tour to go ashore was another new one and something a bit different for our passengers to enjoy. The ‘Folgefonna Glacier Hike’ is a very special tour as Jondal is the only place in Norway where you are almost able to drive right up to an icefield and the Folgefonna is the third largest glacier in the country with an area of 82 square miles. Having boarded their coach our passengers made their way through the green and pleasant Krossdalen Valley enjoying spectacular scenery along the way as they climbed higher and higher with the landscape gradually giving way to ice and snow. Their destination was 3900ft above sea level and here an expert guide took them on a tour around the glacier, teaching them how the glacier has shaped the landscape here and along the entire west coast of Norway. From here they were also able to enjoy stunning views and get some fabulous photographs of a very memorable excursion before returning to the vessel.

The final tour to go ashore was the ‘Folgefonna Panoramic’ and once more featured the incredible sights of this icefield. Our guests again made their way through the Krossdalen Valley on their way to the Folgefonna glacier where they were able to enjoy the contrasts of the stark white icefield and the lush and fertile shores of the Handangerfjord below. Following refreshments at the Ski Centre our passengers made their way back to the Saga Pearl II passing along the way the old slate quarry at Solesnes, the charming boat houses in Svaasand and the pretty village of Herand.

It was a relatively short visit and the last tender left shoreside at 13:30 and once all of our departure checks had been completed we sailed shortly after 14:00. There was of course a full afternoon of entertainment for our passengers to enjoy which included a chance to go on a tour of where many people consider the magic really happens, the Saga Pearl II galley. Our passengers were able to watch our talented chefs and cooks demonstrate fruit and vegetable carving before finding out just how our food and beverage department manage to prepare meals for over 600 passengers and crew, three times a day, every single day. There was of course also the chance to enjoy the tradition of afternoon tea and as our passengers tucked into scones, cake and a well earned cup of tea, they were joined by our Cruise Staff and production dancers, who themselves are partial to a scone or two every now and again.

In the evening we hosted our Britannia Club party, a chance to welcome back all our previous Saga cruisers and thank them for their continued loyalty. It was nice to see some familiar faces as well as meet new members of the club and with 47 Britannia club members onboard who between them have spent a total of 3469 nights with us, it lets us know that we must be doing things right, in fact we pride ourselves on offering ‘cruising done properly’. Following dinner Assistant Cruise Director Mikey asked the questions during another team trivia challenge in the Shackleton’s Bar before our Cruise Director John presented his very own show in the Discovery Lounge. ‘George Gershwin – The Man and His Music’ is something that John has been working on for the past 18 months and has been a real labour of love for him. A fascinating show full of fascinating rhythm, it was incredibly well received by our passengers and John can be very proud of all of his hard work.

Good day everyone, Captain Mclundie back in the chair. I joined in Dover having enjoyed a good leave, during which I was seconded as usual to Spirit of Adventure for 3 weeks to take command of the National Trust for Scotland Cruises. I thoroughly enjoy the time I spend onboard as we get to sail around my “back garden” and someone else is paying for the petrol!!
I also took my Wife jenny and Scott with me and it was a very proud moment with my son on board. Takes me back to when I sailed with my father.
Anyway it was great to see Captain Wesley Dunlop who had finished his first tour in command and all had gone well which I had expected anyway as he is a very  competent chap, so I was very pleased that he was due to go on leave. The reason being, he had been away from his wife and newly born son for 2 ½ months so I knew he was raring to get home, and I wish him a relaxing and enjoyable leave. It’s a great advantage when you sail alongside a fellow Captain who has the same ideas and standards as yourself as we both run the ship the same way, so handing over is a straight forward affair. So I unpacked, got my feet under the table and prepared for a busy cruise ahead.
The day at sea, I hosted my captains Welcome party which allowed me to meet our 47 Britannia members, and 347 newcomers to Saga Cruising. I explained that this cruise they would not see much of me as I would be on the bridge most of the time under pilotage around the Fjords.
The day at sea also allowed our passengers the opportunity to get to know the ship and their new surroundings we arrived at our first port of call on our ‘Fjordland Wonders’ cruise, Stavanger in Norway. Having collected our pilot at around 06:00 we arrived at the berth shortly before 08:00 and were all fast and secured alongside just after. Unfortunately the weather wasn’t really playing ball with us and although the temperature wasn’t too bad, we did arrive to grey skies and drizzle. Although not ideal weather the great thing about this part of the world, and Norway in particular, is that even if the weather is not the best, it doesn’t take away from the beauty of the surroundings. Indeed, in many cases a bit of mist and cloud actually makes the scenery even more stunning and spectacular, it’s just the getting wet bit that sometimes dampens the spirits.

Stavanger is a town that has always prospered from the riches of the sea and during the 19th century huge harvests of brisling and herring established it as the sardine capital of the world. Obviously times have moved on and for the last two and a half decades a different product from the sea has been Stavanger’s lifeblood - oil. Since its discovery in the late 1960’s, North Sea oil has transformed both the economy and the lifestyle of the city. In the early days of drilling expertise was bought in from foreign shores although nowadays the Norwegians themselves have taken over most of the projects. Despite this, almost a tenth of the inhabitants in this town are foreigners, people who have remained in the area having come over for the early days of the drilling program. Stavanger remains a charming little town and in the heart of old Stavanger you can stroll down narrow cobblestone streets past small houses and craft shops as you admire the paned windows and terracotta roof tiles.

There were four tours on offer for our passengers to enjoy today, three which left us in the morning and one in the afternoon. The first to go ashore was the ‘Lysefjord Cruise’. Beginning at Stavanger pier, our passengers sailed across to Lysefjord, which is a beautiful area surrounded by steep mountains and waterfalls. An overhanging cliff which was used as a shelter to the people that fished and hunted this area is located on the southern side of the fjord at Helleren, and our guests were given the chance to view this before continuing along the northern side of the fjord past the pulpit rock, a flat and protruding rock formation which towers more than 1,800 feet above sea level. After enjoying coffee, waffles and some free time at the Lysefjord Centre to learn about the history of the area, our passengers made their way back to the quayside to rejoin the Saga Pearl II.

The next tour to go ashore was the ‘Pulpit Rock Hike’, a new tour on offer for our passengers this season and one of the most strenuous excursions that we offer. The tour started with a 20 minute walk to Fiskepiren, from where a ferry took our passengers on a 35 minute crossing to Tau. Thirty minutes on a public bus allowed our passengers to enjoy beautiful landscapes before arriving at Preikestolhytta, where the hike started. In order to reach the Pulpit Rock there is a two hour hike, through a variety of different landscapes including mountains, forest and marsh.  The last 600 yards is perhaps the most difficult, walking along a narrow path with steep cliffs on one side and the Lysefjord far below on the other - and although hard work, the scenery and sights that can be enjoyed are simply stunning and one of our passengers who had been lucky enough to take part in the hike described the sights to me as a ‘once in a lifetime experience’. Having arrived at the summit of Pulpit Rock our guests were able to enjoy the breathtaking scenery and their packed lunches whilst sat on the cliffs edge, with their feet dangling over the Lysefjord, over 1500 ft below. Having taken some time to relax and refuel themselves they then did the whole thing again but in reverse in order to return to the ship - those passengers will sleep well tonight, of that I am in absolutely no doubt.

The final tour to leave us in the morning was the visit to the ‘Flor & Fjaere Gardens’. ‘Flor and Fjaere’ is a unique botanical garden located on the small fjord island of Sor Hidle and bursting with exotic flora, palm trees, lemon groves and a variety of plants that you would not expect to find as far north as we are. After a scenic boat ride to reach the island our passengers had the chance to explore the gardens at their own pace and there were members of the gardening staff on hand to answer any questions that our passengers may have had as well as tea and coffee, served in a pavilion that provided stunning sea views.

With a full day in port there was also the opportunity for our passengers to enjoy an afternoon tour and it was an ‘Introduction to Stavanger’, a very popular tour indeed with over a quarter of the ship taking the opportunity to learn more about this wonderful town, and thankfully by the time the afternoon had rolled around some of the clouds had lifted and there was even some occasional glimpses of a bit of sunshine. This panoramic excursion first began by crossing the bridge to the small islands where nearly all the houses are built from wood. From here our passengers were able to enjoy wonderful views of the fjord and town. There was the chance to take photos and admire the Stavanger Cathedral, Ledaal Manor – the King’s residence when he is in town – and Eiganes Cemetery, home to the graves of 45 British war casualties of the Allied-Norwegian campaign in 1940. From here our passengers made their way to Hafrsfjord and Sola for a chance to see the little church that dates back to 1150. After refreshments our guests made their way back to the Saga Pearl II passing the Petroleum Museum building and Old Stavanger, northern Europe’s best preserved wooden village dating from the 16th and 17th centuries.

Once all of our passengers were back onboard they were able to look forward to an evening of entertainment. The night started with a ‘Newcomers Party’, a chance for us to welcome our first time Saga cruisers into the family. As I mentioned we had 347  new passengers sailing with us and this goes to show the way in which the company is expanding and breaking down the barriers of what many consider a cruise for the over 50’s to be like. Following the party our passengers enjoyed another culinary experience in the dining rooms before Charlotte of the Cruise Staff posed the questions during the team trivia challenge in the Shackleton’s Bar. From here it was onto the Discovery Lounge where international comedian and all round funny man Gerry Graham provided the laughs. Once the show was over some passengers chose to enjoy the sounds of our resident piano entertainer Guy Stoker in Shackleton’s Bar while others chose to enjoy the light evening on the open decks with a nightcap.

Today we visited the final port on our ‘Baltic Reverie’ cruise and were in Ijmuiden, in the Netherlands. Ijmuiden is a port city in the Dutch province of North Holland, the main town of the municipality of Velsen and is located approximately ten miles north of Haarlem. It is the largest fishing port of the Netherlands and a fairly new city in its present form, only coming into existence in the 1870’s when the north canal was dug, connecting the Amsterdam harbours to the open sea. Ijmuiden is the gateway to Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, where elegant canals and waterways wind their way through its centre.

There were four tours on offer for our passengers to enjoy today and the first to leave was the ‘Windmills and Edam’ tour. The tour began with a drive through typical Dutch countryside to the small town of Zaandam, where our guests visited Zaanse Schans, a quaint Dutch ‘windmill village’ that has been lovingly restored to re-create an 18th century Zaan community. Our passengers were able to stroll through its quaint streets while watching craftsmen practice the trades of the past such as the traditional art of clog making and get a glimpse of what Dutch life used to be like. The next part of the tour took them to the village of Edam, with its unique Carillon tower and bells that play a melody every fifteen minutes, before making their way to a cheese factory to witness local cheese being made and sample some of the products before returning to the Saga Pearl II.
 
The second tour to leave was ‘Highlights of Amsterdam and Canal Cruise’. Amsterdam has 1000 bridges and 60 miles of canals and our passengers were able to enjoy a one hour tour through the canals aboard a glass-topped canal boat. Prior to this our passengers had visited Westerkerk (Western Church) where Rembrandt is rumoured to be buried before visiting the small statue of Anne Frank nearby and then the Anne Frank house, where the young girl and her family hid for many months during World War Two. Many original items from the time, including the diary itself, were on display for our guests to view and there was even the chance to visit her former hiding place, which remains in its original condition. The tour concluded with a scenic drive around Amsterdam where our guests got to enjoy sights such as the baroque Royal Palace at Dam Square, the Mint Tower and the 15th century Weepers Tower.
 
The penultimate tour off was ‘Panoramic Amsterdam and Canal Cruise’. Again our passengers were able to enjoy a one hour cruise through the canals of Amsterdam as well as enjoying views of all the historical building that line its streets, including houses that were once workshops and stores of local tradesmen.

The final tour to leave in the morning was ‘Amsterdam on your own’. This was for our passengers who wanted to be able to do their own thing at their own leisure in one of Europe’s greatest cities. After the drive to Amsterdam, where one of our ships escorts provided them with information and history about the port, they were able to spend the day to themselves exploring Amsterdam and enjoying its museums, galleries and canal side cafes.

We sailed away shortly after 18:00 and the final night of entertainment started straight away for our passengers to enjoy. We bid farewell to our guests with our Captains Farewell Cocktail Party where I was able to once again meet all of our passengers and wish them all the best with their onward journeys. As always it was a pleasure to be able to speak to our guests and hear all the wonderful things that they had to say about their cruise, the ship and the crew. Having enjoyed one final dinner offering from our Food and Beverage team, who have worked tirelessly all cruise to provide our passengers with an outstanding experience in the dining rooms, it was into Shackleton’s Bar for the final team trivia of the cruise with Resty of the Cruise Staff.

It will not only be our Passengers disembarking tomorrow, the time has come for me to return home to my darling wife Kelly and our gorgeous little boy Corey. I have enjoyed my first trip in commend immensely but with that missed my young family dearly. I’ll be handing over the ship to Captain Alistair McLundie tomorrow, Alistair like me is also Father to a young son and I know well the feelings he must be going through now as he prepares to bid him and his wife farewell for a few weeks.

I would like to thank all my Officers, Staff and Crew for all their hard work during my first trip in command and for making the Saga Pearl II what she is today – the little gem in the Saga Crown.

I wish Captain Alistair and all who sail on the Saga Pearl II smooth seas and safe sailing.

Today we continued to make our way towards our final port of call and headed back through Germany’s Kiel Canal. We entered the East lock at around 03:00 having picked up our pilot shortly after 02:00, and picked up our second pilot for our journey towards the West lock shortly before 08:00. As it had been for the last few days, the skies were overcast and rain showers peppered our decks throughout the transit, but it didn’t stop our passengers, who are hardy souls, from enjoying the scenery on the open decks.

The length of the Kiel Canal is 98.729 kilometres and the depth of water is 11 kilometres. The maximum speed at which you are allowed to transit the Canal is 15km per hour although you would be lucky to be able to maintain this speed for any prolonged amount of time with the traffic that occupies this waterway. The canals width at the water level is 162 metres and just 90 metres at the bottom of the canal.

The Canal was opened in 1895 after Kaiser Wilhelm II had laid the foundation stone, for what was at the time one of the world’s biggest construction projects, seven years earlier on June 3rd 1887. The canal had been a long time in coming to fruition as 140 different plans had been discussed for over five centuries about how to connect the Baltic Sea with the North Sea, helping to avoid a voyage of up to 350 nautical miles via Skagen to English ports and the European west coast.

The canal had fallen into a serious condition after World War II. The banks had slid into the water and at some places they threatened to burst, which would have caused an overflow into the ground below the canal level. Reconstruction work began in 1965, and is still going on with completion anticipated in the near future.

The weather was pretty poor in the morning although it had brightened up somewhat by the late afternoon by which time our passengers had already had the opportunity to enjoy a full day of activities on board. In the evening there was the chance to test some general knowledge with a team trivia challenge hosted by Becki of the Cruise Staff before the Dovetail Quartet presented a classical concert in the Discovery Lounge. Once the evening’s entertainment had been completed we were able to look ahead to our final port of call and our visit to Ijmuiden in the Netherlands.

Continuing our cruise we made the relatively short journey from Copenhagen over to Warnemunde in Germany. The weather when we arrived was overcast and there were rain showers throughout the morning and a chill in the air. Unfortunately it looked as though we would have the same sort of weather we experienced yesterday during our call to Denmark, a day of chill breezes and regular showers for our stay in port. Our call to Germany was for a full day, not sailing until 20:00 and we remained hopeful that the weather would brighten up in the afternoon and that we may even get a glimpse of some sunshine.....fingers were well and truly crossed.

Warnemunde is a suburb of Rostock and is situated on the west bank at the mouth of Die Warnow. Warnemunde was originally a fishing village, then a bathing spa and is now a bustling seaside resort. The village has ten miles of golden sands which stretch along Germany’s north-east coast where the River Warnow flows into the Baltic. The weather was slightly against us but that didn’t stop our passengers making the most of this beautiful and historic port.

There were four tours for our passengers to enjoy today, three which left in the morning and one which departed in the afternoon. The tours on this voyage were the same as for our call here a couple of weeks ago so if you read that blog then apologies for repeating myself, if you missed it then here is some information on the excursions that our passengers enjoyed throughout the day.

The first tour to leave was ‘The Best of Berlin’. This 12 hour tour gave our guests the chance to explore this extraordinary city and take in its fascinating sights. The tour began in former East Berlin, passing Alexander Platz Square and stopping for photos at the Dome of Berlin on Museum Island before continuing to Brandenburg Gate and Gendarmenmarkt Square for another opportunity to take photos. Following this our passengers were driven through the historic town of Nikolaiviertel before boarding a pleasure cruiser for a relaxing and scenic trip along the spree enjoying such sights as the Bellevue Palace, Museum Island, the Chancellery and the Reichstag. Having enjoyed a three course lunch and drinks on board the cruiser, our passengers disembarked at Charlottenburg Castle where they headed onto Kurfurstendamm to view the Europa Centre, KaDeWe, which is said to be Europe’s largest department store. The Emperor Wilhelm Memorial Church was the next stop before they made their way to the top of the Reichstag to enjoy a champagne reception and take in the breathtaking views. A visit to Potsdam Square for a chance to view the notorious checkpoint Charlie border crossing was the final part of the tour before our passengers made their way back to the vessel.
 
The next tour to leave was ‘Fischland, the Forgotten World’. This was a new tour for our passengers to enjoy and something a little bit different. This scenic excursion began with a drive east along the coastline, passing woods, fields and beautiful old fishing villages. Once they had stopped our passengers boarded a boat for a trip into the Vorpommern Lagoon Area National Park. The cruise took them past the Putnitz Peninsula, where the German Navy trained its pilots until 1945, and where Russian pilots hid from the western espionage during the cold war era. Enjoying a cup of coffee and a piece of traditional German-style cake on board, our passengers were able to listen to the captain tell them all about the National Park while they viewed the areas where high ranking officers of the Stasi, the East German secret service, had their summer residences and where no ‘ordinary’ East German citizens were admitted. Having disembarked in a beautiful little fishing village, our passengers had some free time to relax and enjoy the local atmosphere and some even took the chance to sample some local freshly smoked fish before rejoining the coach for the journey back.
 
The third and final tour to leave in the morning was ‘Rostock and the KGB’. The tour started with an hour’s long cruise along the River Warnow to Rostock. Our passengers enjoyed some tea, coffee and a piece of cake on board as they prepared for a guided walking tour during which they were able to enjoy the town’s distinctive red-brick architecture and Hanseatic atmosphere. There were plenty of sights to admire and as our guests strolled through the town they passed the university, New Market, the City Hall, the remnants of the old city walls at Kropliner Gate and Stone Gate. There was also the opportunity to visit the Stasi Museum, the interrogation centre of the KGB of East Germany. After this and having enjoyed some free time in Rostock to explore the shops and cafes, our passengers visited St Mary’s Church at the Goat Market where they were able to take pictures of a unique astronomical clock, one of Rostock’s best known landmarks.

By the time the final tour left in the afternoon the sun was out, the skies were blue and the temperatures had soared, clearly all that finger crossing in the morning had done the trick. A lot of our passengers who had been on tour in the morning took the opportunity to go into the town and see some sights for themselves now that the weather had cleared and those that were on the afternoon tour were able to leave knowing that they were going to have glorious weather for their trip

The afternoon was ‘The Molli and the Minster’. Starting by driving through the countryside of the former East Germany, our passengers stopped in Bad Doberan at the 700 year old Minster, a red brick church surrounded by beautiful parkland and houses with relics dating back as far as the 14th and 15th centuries. Following this they left Bad Doberan on board the Molli narrow gauge steam train and enjoyed a 30 minute journey to the beach resort of Kuhlungsborn on this vintage locomotive. Having arrived at their destination our guests were able to relax with coffee and cake before exploring the romantic beach promenade and enjoying a stroll along the seafront.

There had been a full day of activities for our passengers to enjoy for any who had chosen to remain onboard and for a change there was even the chance for them to take part in a pre-dinner team trivia in the Shackleton’s Bar with Resty of the Cruise Staff asking the questions. We sailed shortly after 20:00 and although during dinner hours, many of our passengers chose to join us on the open decks for what turned out to be a glorious sail away. Having bid farewell to Warnemunde and enjoyed dinner, they were able to look ahead to another night of entertainment, and what a night we had planned for them as tonight we presented to them our favourite show onboard, ‘Call My Bluff’.

After a relaxing day at sea we visited the country of Denmark and the beautiful port of Copenhagen. For some of our passengers the advent of a port was almost a welcome break as the ‘relaxing’ sea day for some had been one of the busiest of the cruise. With visits to the Navigational Bridge, a tour of the galley, the Grand Russian Bazaar, golf chipping into the pool, three fitness classes, two sporting tournaments, one trivia and one game show, there had been something for everyone and many took part in almost every event, and all before heading off for afternoon tea.

We sailed into a cool and breezy Copenhagen and although it was overcast it wasn’t what you would really call cold, indeed out of the wind it was almost balmy although unfortunately throughout the course of the day we did suffer some powerful rain showers, and although stunning to watch with the way they so quickly came and left, they weren’t much fun if you got stuck in one!

Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark and was first documented in the 11th century by which time it had already become an important trading and fishing centre. Copenhagen became the capital of Denmark at the beginning of the 15th century and became an important regional centre in the 17th century under the reign of Christian IV. Despite being one of the largest cities in Scandinavia, Copenhagen has managed to retain its low level skyline. Copenhagen was of course once home to Hans Christian Andersen and features many reminders of its fairytale heritage and lives up to the reputation immortalised in the famous song ‘Wonderful Copenhagen’.

There were three tours on offer today for our passengers to enjoy and the first one to go ashore was the ‘City Tour and Harbour Cruise’. Our passengers began by travelling to Gammel Strand, the former fish market, where they embarked a canal boat for a beautiful 50 minute cruise along the city’s waterways and through the harbour. Along the way they were able to enjoy views of Christiansborg Palace, the seat of the Danish parliament, the Nyhavn canal area, the Saga Pearl II in her berth and of course the world famous Little Mermaid as well as the brand new Opera House that was opened at the beginning of 2005. Following the canal cruise the tour continued by coach where they were able to view the busy pedestrian area of Stroget, the Botanical Gardens and the 17th century citadel of Kastellet. There was the chance to take photos at Amalienborg Palace which is the home of the Danish Royal Family as well as view the home of the Danish crown jewels, Rosenborg Castle.
 
The second tour to go ashore was ‘Copenhagen by Foot’. This walking tour started along the waterfront where our passengers had the chance to see the Little Mermaid before continuing through Churchill Park with its Anglican Episcopalian Church, the Resistance Museum and the stunning Gefion Fountain. Our guests were also able to enjoy some local refreshments before heading down to central Copenhagen and Kings New Square where they had the chance to admire the Royal Theatre as well as the old streets and historical buildings as they continued towards City Hall Square where the tour concluded.
 
The third and final tour to leave was an afternoon tour and took our passengers to the ‘Seaside Town of Dragoer’. This scenic tour visited one of Denmark’s oldest and quaintest fishing villages set on the Amager Island. In 1978 Dragoer became Denmark’s first ‘pedestrian town’ after parking was prohibited ten years earlier and is now protected by a local preservation plan. Our passengers enjoyed a leisurely stroll through the cobblestoned backstreets to the bustling harbour where they had free time to explore for themselves. There was also the chance to admire Oresund Bridge, which has connected Copenhagen with the Swedish town of Malmo since 2000. Tea, coffee and of course a Danish pastry was also enjoyed before our guests made their way back to the Saga Pearl II.
 
Despite a day peppered with rain showers, beautiful sunshine joined us for a spectacular sail away from the port and once our guests had enjoyed pre-dinner drinks with the Cruise Staff at our cocktail hour and another fine offering from our Food and Beverage department, they were able to look ahead to an evening of great entertainment onboard. Assistant Cruise Director Mikey asked the questions during another general knowledge trivia in the Shackleton’s Bar before International Soprano Sarah Ryan stunned our passengers in the Discovery Lounge with her hauntingly beautiful voice. Shackletons and the Sundowners Bar were open for late night cocktails and our resident cocktail pianist Guy Stoker entertained with live music as our guests looked ahead to another exciting day in port tomorrow and our visit to Warnemunde, Germany.

After our three day visit to St. Petersburg we made the relatively short journey over to Estonia for our visit to Tallinn. Tallinn is the capital of the Estonian republic and is only 53 miles from Helsinki across the Gulf of Finland, midway between St. Petersburg and Stockholm. Tallinn is a city where the cosmopolitan brushes shoulders with the medieval in a tale of three cities: the ancient citadel, the old town and the modern city. The upper town is characterized by watchtowers, graceful spires and winding cobbled streets, while the Lower Town offers red gabled roofs and soaring spires. Tallinn is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and offers one of the most beautifully preserved medieval centres in Europe. As well as all this, Tallinn is the Culture Capital of Europe for 2011.

There were three tours available for our guests today and the first one to leave was the ‘Tallinn Old Town Tour’. This walking tour started by taking our passengers to the Upper Town to see the castle, the Russian Orthodox Church of Alexander Nevsky and the 13th century Gothic Dome Church. Following this, stunning views across the gabled rooftops and soaring spires from the terraces of the upper town were able to be enjoyed providing fantastic photo opportunities. From here they strolled to the 15th century blackheads fraternity house for a local folk show and the chance to enjoy some local refreshments. Continuing with the tour, our guests made their way past the Town Hall, Town Hall Square and the 15th century pharmacy to the medieval guildhouses and merchant residences before ending their tour at St. Catherine’s arts and crafts centre.

The second tour to depart the vessel was ‘Tallinn Highlights’. This tour provided our guests with the chance to view some of Tallinn’s most historical and cultural sites. There was the chance to visit the central park of Kadriorg as well as the Song Festival Grounds where the national song festivals are held before making their way to Pirita Marina, the venue for international regattas and Olympic yachting. Finishing off the tour our passengers visited the 15th century St Birgit’s convent, the Estonian Russalka monument dedicated to an 1893 shipwreck in the Gulf of Finland, and the summer residence of Count Orlov before making their way back to the vessel.

The final tour to leave was ‘Panoramic Tallinn’. The tour started off with a drive through the heart of the city towards Cathedral Hill, stopping at the Tall Herman Tower, one of the three remaining towers of the Knights of the Sword Castle. From here our passengers enjoyed wonderful panoramic views of the nearby Cannon Tower, and many took the opportunity to capture this beautiful sight on their cameras. From here the tour made its way towards Kadriorg Park and the baroque palace that was designed as the summer residence for Peter the Great. As they made their way through the park, they were able to stop at the Song Festival grounds, a natural amphitheatre with a capacity for 150,000 people. Having enjoyed a drive through a scenic residential area, refreshments and folk music at a local seaside restaurant, our guests made their way to St Birgit’s convent to admire some of the best examples of local limestone architecture, before returning to the Saga Pearl II.

Once back on board our guests were able to look ahead to a full evening of entertainment. The Dovetail String Quartet provided a pre-dinner classical concert, presenting to our passengers a selection of ‘Music from the Greats’. Following another sensational offering in the dining rooms from our Food and Beverage department, our passengers made their way to the Shackleton’s bar where Becki of the Cruise Staff asked the questions in a team trivia challenge before the Discovery Lounge played host to another one of our marvellous production shows. The Gail Davies singers and dancers presented their most romantic show, ‘Love Sweet Love’ and as always they wowed our guests with their singing talents and high energy choreography and routines. Our resident piano entertainer Guy Stoker was on hand to entertain at the piano for the late night crowd in Shackleton’s and while a few headed upstairs to the Sundowners Bar for a nightcap, and others made their way to bed, everybody was looking forward to a nice relaxing day at sea after four very busy, hectic but thoroughly enjoyable days.

Our cruise continued with what was for many the highlight of the voyage and our call to St Petersburg, Russia. St Petersburg is located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea. The city was originally called Petrograd from 1914 to 1924 and Leningrad from 1924 to 1991.it is often just called Petersburg and is informally known as Peter. The city is often referred to as the ‘Venice of the North’ as it has many bridges over the River Neva, an important part of the city. The historic centre of St Petersburg and related groups of monuments constitute a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a large number of foreign consulates, international corporations, banks and other businesses are located in St Petersburg. This relatively young city has packed a lot into its 300 years, and is brimming with historic treasures including ornate palaces, beautiful gardens and world-renowned museums. We spent a full three days in this incredible port which gave our passengers a real opportunity to immerse themselves in the history and culture of the port.

There were eighteen different tours for our passengers to take part in as well as the option of an exclusive bespoke car service which was a perfect way for our independent travellers not taking part in a tour to see the sights. Some of the most popular tours were the all day and evening tours which really gave our guests the chance to experience St Petersburg and Russia at its finest and some passengers even made the most of their time in port by taking part in two tours in one day, I even heard rumour of one couple that completed a morning tour, returned for lunch and then completed an afternoon tour before quickly showering, changing and enjoying an evening tour. I haven’t had a chance to meet this couple yet, although I imagine they may be catching up on some sleep and well earned rest!

One popular all day tour was entitled ‘Splendours of St. Petersburg’. This panoramic guided tour began with a short drive to the historical centre of the city and a chance to enjoy the historical buildings and sights, all of which were explained in full by the accompanying guide. A slow drive along the embankment then took our passengers to Decembrists Square which is dominated by the ‘Bronze Horseman’ monument to Peter the Great. St Isaac’s Cathedral played host to a photo stop before which our passengers had enjoyed the chance to view Palace Square and the Winter Palace. The next stop was at the Rostral Columns to photograph the beautiful panorama of the Neva River and Peter and Paul Fortress. The Peter and Paul Fortress is a prison which was home to a host of revolutionaries from Dostoevsky to Trotsky, and within the walls of the fortress is the cathedral of Peter and Paul. Having taken photos of the fortress from a distance, it was the next stop for our passengers so they were able to enjoy its architecture close up. The next part of the trip was spent driving along the boulevard of Nevsky Prospect where they stopped at one of the city’s best restaurants to enjoy lunch and a glass of Russian champagne. From here it was onto the Winter Palace to spend the afternoon enjoying a guided tour of the magnificent halls and staterooms. The tour of the palace concentrated mainly on the works of Italian Masters, French Impressionists, Dutch and Flemish artists although there was the chance to appreciate other exhibits such as porcelain, pottery, silverware, furniture and antiques.

Another popular half day was ‘Peter and Paul’s Fortress and Canal Cruise’. The Peter and Paul Fortress is the oldest structure in St. Petersburg and located on a small island on the Neva river delta. The Peter and Paul Cathedral, the burial church of the Romanov dynasty, is located in the middle of the fortress. Following a visit here, there was a chance to enjoy a scenic cruise along the canals of St. Petersburg to admire the historic houses and palaces that line the riverbanks. There was an opportunity to see the KGB building, the beautiful baroque Winter Palace and the Hermitage museum. While on the cruise there was also a chance to see the Aurora cruiser, the battleship that signalled the start of the revolution in 1917 by firing a single blank shot. Other sights included the Summer Palace of Peter the Great and the Cathedral of the Spilled Blood, constructed on the spot where Emperor Alexander II was assassinated in 1881. Having also enjoyed a chance to see Yusupov Palace, where Rasputin was murdered, our guests returned to the pier to disembark their cruiser before returning to the Saga Pearl II.
 
Even during our stay in St Petersburg there was of course a full program of activities during the daytimes for those passengers who had decided not to go ashore or who had returned from their tours. Evening entertainment was also provided throughout our stay which included an open air concert featuring the Dovetail String Quartet and International entertainers Piano A Deux, as well as an evening at the Saga Pearl II Palladium featuring contributions from all of our entertainers onboard.

Another day and another port and today we were in the beautiful country of Finland and the stunning port of Helsinki. Helsinki is the cultural, commercial and political centre of Finland and this delightful Scandinavian capital has no high-rise buildings but instead maintains an intimate small-town feel, with spacious streets interspersed with gardens and parks. Helsinki is often referred to as the ‘White City of the North’ due to the large number of buildings here that were built using the local light-coloured granite.

We arrived into port shortly after 12:00 which meant our passengers had the chance to enjoy the sail in and the chance to watch the operations that are involved with bringing the ship into the harbour and securing ourselves against our berth. Once again the weather was kind to us and just like in Stockholm, we sailed in and completed our actions in getting alongside in glorious sunshine and under blue skies.

There were two tours for our passengers to enjoy today and the first one to leave was the ‘Sibelius Experience’. This tour combined the highlights of Finland’s beautiful capital with a visit to the home of the country’s most famous composer. The tour started with a visit to the lively Market Square, the Old Church and the Swedish Theatre as well as the impressive Parliament Building and the National Museum designed by Eliel Saarinen. From the comfort of their coach they were also able to admire the Finnish Opera House and the Olympic stadium. The tour continued to Ainola, the home of Jean Sibelius, Finland’s master composer. His home has been preserved as it was during the family’s lifetime and still contains the original furnishings. Our passengers had the chance to enjoy a tour of the house before rejoining their coach for a short drive to see the landscapes that inspired the great composer. There was also the chance to enjoy a 30 minute performance of some of his greatest works before driving back to Helsinki, passing the Sibelius monument and returning to the ship.
 
The second and final tour to leave us today was the ‘Helsinki Highlights’ excursion. This tour provided a chance for our guests to discover the unique and beautiful sights of Helsinki. The architecture in this city is wonderful and our passengers had the chance to marvel at the spectacular work including Carl Ludvig Engel’s neo-classical Senate Square, built in the old centre in the 19th century, the cathedral and the Sederholm Residence. Next it was down to the waterfront to spend some time having a look around the open Market Place and perhaps even take the opportunity to purchase some of the cheeses or other delicacies on offer. Following this it was back onto the coach to continue the journey which included passing the largest Orthodox Church in Scandinavia, Uspenski Cathedral and the Presidential Palace, which served as the official residence of the President of Finland. There was also the chance to view the Kiasma Contemporary Art Museum, Parliament Building and Finlandia Hall, a concert hall and convention centre designed by the world famous Finnish architect Alvar Aalto. The tour finished with the chance to glimpse the Finnish Opera House and the Olympic Stadium before visits to Temppeliaukio Kirkko, a church hewn from solid rock with a copper ceiling, and Sibelius Park where they were able to view the monument to the famous composer.
 

We enjoyed the beautiful weather all day and sailed shortly before 18:00. Once we had left our berth and were on our way it was a quick dash down to the Discovery Lounge to welcome all of our first time Saga cruisers as we hosted them their very own cocktail party. As is so often the case, I was flooded with compliments regarding the ship, it’s crew and the level of service that they had been receiving in the short time that had been with us and was delighted to hear a few commenting that they have already booked future cruises with us, some to come back on the Pearl before the end of the year and one lady has even booked her next cruise on the Saga Sapphire, our new vessel which joins us next year. Following the newcomers party everybody made their way down to the restaurants to enjoy another wonderful offering from our Food and Beverage team before looking ahead to the evening’s entertainment.

Resty was in Shackleton’s Bar to ask the questions as the Cruise Staff posed another team trivia challenge before our Cruise Director John Parton presented his very own show, all about the life and work of George Gershwin. Featuring contributions from our production singer Laureen, the Saga Pearl II Orchestra and the Dovetail String Quartet, it really has been a labour of love for John  putting the show together and it was very well received and very much appreciated by our passengers.

Once the show was over a few of our passengers stayed on decks for a late night drink while others made their way straight to bed, regardless of what they did though, everybody was looking forward to what is perhaps the highlight of the cruise tomorrow, and the start of our three day visit to St. Petersburg, Russia.

Our first official port of call on our ‘Baltic Reverie’ cruise saw us visit the port of Stockholm in Sweden. Stockholm is the capital and largest city of Sweden and the site of the national Swedish government as well as the official residence of the Swedish monarch and Prime Minister. The city is often referred to as the ‘Venice of the North’ due to its beauty, buildings and architecture, not to mention its abundance of clean open water and many parks. Stockholm is one of the most beautiful capitals in the world, set on 14 islands and connected by 40 bridges, the city has a rich and fascinating history and this is reflected in its churches, castles and open squares.

The last couple of days at sea had been quite gloomy and wet and we were hoping for better weather for our arrival into port. We arrived shortly before midday which allowed our passengers the opportunity to enjoy a leisurely breakfast and not have to worry about setting the alarm for too early a wake-up call. It also meant that many of them were able to join us on the open decks to enjoy the wonderful scenery and sights as we made our way towards our berth. For me, the sail into the port of Stockholm is probably the most beautiful in the Baltic and it was great to see so many of our guests on deck appreciating it with myself and my team on the bridge. The weather did us a good turn and we were able to enjoy the sail in under clear blue skies and in glorious sunshine.

There were three afternoon tours for our passengers to enjoy today and the first to leave us was the trip to ‘Vasa Museum and Riddarholmen Island’. The tour began with a drive up to Fjallgatan where our guests were able to enjoy splendid panoramic views of Stockholm before they made their way to Riddarholmen Island, a small islet that features a number of private palaces dating back to the 17th century. There was also the chance to visit the final resting place of the Swedish Kings, Riddarholm church, which is also Stockholm’s only preserved medieval monastery church. Having left Riddarholmen, our passengers were driven past the medieval old town of Gamla Stan before passing through the city centre of Stockholm to the neighbouring island of Djurgarden. Here they visited the Swedish warship Vasa, once considered to be one of the world’s largest, and pride of mighty Sweden’s navy. The 17th century warship was discovered in 1956 after it sank in 1628 on its maiden voyage in Stockholm’s inner harbour. Its salvage in 1961 is one of the most important events in marine archaeology and much of the ship has been restored to its original magnificence. From here our passengers made their way back to the Saga Pearl II to join us just in time to enjoy our sail-away.

The ‘Stockholm Panoramic Tour’ was the next excursion to leave and started by taking our passengers to the Fjallgatan viewpoint where they had the chance to take some stunning photographs. After this they were able to enjoy some of Stockholm’s best known sights including the Royal Park of Djurgarden, known as the ‘green lungs’ of Stockholm and Riddarholm, the ‘Island of Knights’, which offers impressive views of City Hall and Lake Malaren.

The final tour to leave took our passengers along the ‘Waterways of Stockholm’. Stockholm is set on a string of islands and surrounded by the protective embrace of 24,000 outlying islands so water understandably plays an important part in city life. Our passengers were given the opportunity on this tour to glide along some of the cities prettiest waterways to enjoy Sweden’s capital from a different perspective. There was also the chance to appreciate some of the historic buildings and landmarks that line the waterways including the national park of Djurgarden.

The weather stayed with us all day and when we set sail just before 19:00, we did so bathed in glorious evening sunshine.  Plenty of our passengers joined us on the open decks to enjoy the spectacular views while we sailed away, and although most had been on deck during our sail into the port, most of them found the scenery has such a different perspective when viewed in the early evening as opposed to the morning, just another one of the reasons why I believe the sail in and from Stockholm is perhaps the most beautiful in the Baltic. Once our passengers had treated themselves to another culinary experience in the dining rooms it was down to the business of the evening entertainment. Cruise Director John was in the Shackleton’s Bar at 21:00 testing the general knowledge of our passengers with his team trivia quiz, before funny man and international comedian Dave Krisitan provided the laughs in the Discovery Lounge. Following this there was another chance to enjoy the sounds of the Saga Pearl II Orchestra and partake in a dance with our gentlemen hosts, or perhaps try a late evening cocktail in the Shackleton’s Bar, some even ventured upstairs to the Sundowners Bar to enjoy a nightcap in the cool evening air on the open decks.

It had been a wonderful day and everybody had really enjoyed our first port of call, and with six more ports to visit before the end of the cruise we have plenty more time to enjoy some magnificent sights and create some lifelong memories for our passengers to go home with. We bid farewell to Stockholm and Sweden and look ahead now to our next port of call, tomorrow we are in Finland and the beautiful port of Helsinki, and it promises to be just as special as today was.

Although we didn’t visit a port today as such, we did enjoy a beautiful transit through the Kiel Canal. We entered the canal in the very early afternoon and due to its length and our speed we reached the exit lock in the early hours of the morning. Unfortunately the weather wasn’t the best but many of our passengers still braved the open decks to enjoy the experience of sailing through the canal and get a look at the wildlife that adorn the banks and just like when we sailed the canal a couple of weeks ago, wave to the residents of the houses who had taken the time to watch us pass from their gardens, windows and balconies.

Come the evening we were able to enjoy our first formal night onboard which of course means the chance to welcome all of our passengers onboard at the Captains Welcome Cocktail Party. It was my first chance to meet many of our passengers this cruise and it was lovely to see so many familiar faces, but also a lot of new ones who are experiencing the joy of a Saga cruise for the very first time. Following this our guests enjoyed a culinary treat in the dining rooms before they put their grey matter to the test with a team trivia challenge in the Shackleton’s Bar hosted by Mark of the Cruise Staff. From here our passengers made their way to the Discovery Lounge where they were entertained by the fun, feisty, foot-tapping and finger-flying skills of ‘Piano A Deux’, a piano duo who only use one piano, but play it at the same time.
 
Following this some of our passengers decided to enjoy a late night drink in Sundowners or enjoy some piano entertainment and live music in the Shackleton’s Bar but everybody was looking forward to our first official port of call tomorrow and our visit to Stockholm, Sweden.

Another day in Dover and another turnaround day that bought with it the usual mix of hard work and excitement. Having said goodbye to over 400 passengers from our ‘Fjordland Wonders’ cruise, we were able to spend a bit of time looking back on what a good cruise it had been. It was only a 7 day cruise, short by comparison to some of the voyages we've done, but it was a resounding success. We held our farewell cocktail party last night and in all my time at sea, I can’t remember more compliments being passed on by our passengers about the ships company. The officers, staff and crew onboard the Saga Pearl II excelled themselves and truly gave our passengers a voyage to remember. The weather was kind to us along the way and although there were a few overcast days, it was excellent compared to how Norway can be at this time of year. As always the food was excellent, the service impeccable and our passengers were friendly, fun and enjoyed getting to know us just as much as we enjoyed getting to know and working for them.

Having taken time reflecting on what a good cruise we had just had, our attention turned how we could make the ‘Baltic Reverie’ cruise even better. As we embarked nearly 400 passengers, we once again felt that sense of anticipation and excitement that grows and grows the closer the time comes to casting off the lines and setting sail, and with a 14 day cruise featuring visits to seven different countries, including a three day stay in St. Petersburg, Russia and a transit through the Kiel Canal, it’s not hard to understand why everybody is looking forward to the voyage so much.

Our final port of call on our ‘Fjordland Wonders’ cruise saw us visit the port of Bergen, Norway. Surrounded by mountains and sparkling fjords, the waterside city of Bergen has a spectacular setting and a fascinating history. There has been a settlement here since medieval times and the colourful waterfront buildings of the Hanseatic Wharf, known as the Bryggen, are testament to its incredible past and history of trade. As Norway’s best known medieval settlement, the Bryggen is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Despite being known as the rain capital of Europe, we were once again incredibly fortunate with the weather and although chilly, were greeted by glorious sunshine and blue skies.

There were five tours for our passengers to choose from and one of the most popular ones was the very first to leave us in the morning. ‘Iconic Norway’ was a comprehensive all day tour that first took our passengers to Vos, a popular winter resort beside a peaceful lake. Here our guests boarded a train to experience one of Europe’s most impressive and exciting rail journeys, which took them through valleys, past rivers and under mountains. They changed trains at Myrdal and then descended the famous Flamsbana railway line to the tiny village of Flam. The coach journey that followed provided incredible mountain scenery as well as hairpin bends and a drive down Norway’s steepest road, the famous Stalheimskleivene. Following lunch there was a chance to visit Oppheim Lake and Tvinde Waterfall before returning to Vos for some free time to explore the town for themselves.

‘Mount Floyen Hike’ was the next tour to leave and this guided excursion began by passing the fortress of Bergenhus with the Coronation Hall and along the Bryggen, with all the old wooden merchants buildings that once belonged to the German merchants of the Hanseatic League. After a five minute 1000ft funicular trip, there was the chance to enjoy spectacular views of Bergen before setting off on their hike towards Skomakerdiket lake. Eventually they reached the highest point of Mount Floyen at 1850 ft above sea level to enjoy the spectacular views and scenery.

The third tour to leave us was ‘Bergen City Highlights’. Allowing our passengers to learn more about Bergen’s long seafaring traditions, this tour began by passing the Royal Hall, Haakonshallen and the old buildings of Bryggen. After a funicular ride up to Mount Floyen they continued to the Old Bergen Museum for a guided tour and then onto the Fantoft Stave Church, which has been painstakingly rebuilt using traditional methods after a fire in 1992 destroyed the original 12th century building.

The final tour to leave us in the morning was the ‘Bergen Panoramic City Tour’. Starting with a chance to view many of the charming white wooden buildings built in the traditional Bergen style, there was also a chance to visit the oldest building in Bergen, the beautiful St Mary’s Church, one of the few Romanesque buildings in Norway. A visit to the fish market followed before continuing to the Nordnes Peninsula for a photo stop at the old customs pier. Visits to the Bergen Aquarium, the Bergen Theatre and the Grieg Hall rounded off this tour of some of the most beautiful and interesting sights that Bergen has to offer.

We also had a tour depart in the afternoon. ‘Images of Grieg’ revealed the legacy of Bergen’s most famous son, the world-renowned composer Edvard Grieg, who was born in the city in 1843. The tour took our passengers to the village of Paradis to visit Troldhaugen, which was Grieg’s home from 1885 until his death in 1907. Here there is a beautifully preserved villa, kept just as it was when the composer died. The villa contains many of his personal possessions, including his Steinway piano and following a look around our guests were treated to a piano recital of Grieg’s music followed by some free time to explore the rest of the exhibition and garden, or take the chance to visit the tombs of Edvard and his wife Nina that overlook Nordas Lake.

Our passengers were able to look ahead to a fun evening of entertainment once we had sailed shortly after 17:00 and it was our final formal evening so everybody was able to take the chance to dress up in all their finery. Pre-dinner drinks were enjoyed in Shackleton’s Bar at our cocktail hour with our resident piano entertainer Guy Stoker providing the melodies and following this a fabulous formal dinner was enjoyed in the restaurants. Mark of the Cruise Staff asked the questions in Shackleton’s with another team trivia challenge after which the Discovery Lounge played host to ‘Sunday Night at The Saga Pearl II Palladium’. It was a farewell variety spectacular featuring performances from the Cappriccio Wind trio, comedian Stan Johns, the Gail Davies Singers and Dancers as well as a host of guest stars and included the traditional Palladium revolving stage finale.

Following the show there was live music provided by the Saga Pearl II Orchestra for the listening and dancing pleasure of our guests and while some enjoyed night caps in Shackleton’s and Sundowner’s, the open decks were once again popular with passengers making the most of the very light evening and beautiful scenery as we sailed from our final port of call and made our way back to Dover.

Today was a little bit different as we visited two separate ports in Norway, Orsta and Alesund. Our first stop, Orsta, is surrounded by fjords and some of the most spectacular mountains in Norway. Almost fifty percent of the region’s total area is at an altitude in excess of 2000ft with many of the rugged and wild mountain peaks towering as high as 5000ft in the south.

In Orsta there were two tours for our passengers to enjoy. The first to leave was the full day trip to ‘Geirangerfjord’. This overland trip picked our passengers up from Orsta and returned them to the vessel in Alesund and along the way they were introduced to several of the natural highlights of Western Norway. They had the chance to discover the Norwegian Alps, the stunning Hjorundfjord, the dramatic Norangdal Valley and the World Heritage listed Geirangerfjord, after a short tour of the town of Orsta had begun the tour. Our guests also had the chance to visit Lyngstoylsvatn Lake which was formed after a huge rock fall in 1908 and underneath the clear waters you can still see the remains of the old farmhouses. Some passengers remarked to me that it made for quite eerie viewing but is a stark reminder of just how powerful and deadly nature can be. The journey to Geiranger involved a one hour ferry ride and during this our passengers were able to experience breathtaking views before enjoying lunch at the Union Hotel. The tour continued to Alesund where they enjoyed a short sightseeing and panoramic tour of this quaint town, before returning to the Saga Pearl II.

The next tour to leave was the half day trip to the ‘Fjords and Mountains’. This excursion featured an abundance of fjord, lake and mountain scenery and there was also the chance to visit the small, picturesque village of Saebo on the banks of the Hjorundfjord. Here they were able to stroll through the town admiring the stunning scenery before enjoying refreshments and cakes at the aptly named Sagafjord Hotel.

We sailed shortly after 12:30. When we had arrived into Orsta the weather was cold and rainy, but by the time we picked up our lines and sailed away, the sun was out and we were able to enjoy glorious weather for the remainder of the day. We made good speed on our short journey and were able to arrive into Alesund almost a full hour ahead of our scheduled time of 16:00.

Alesund has a distinctive and unique character and looks different from most other Norwegian towns as there are no wooden buildings around its harbourside, instead the city is crammed with art nouveau architecture and design. This is mainly down to the massive rebuilding programme that took place after a fire devastated the city in 1904, leaving 10,000 people homeless. Although chilly, the sun stayed with us for the duration of our stay and assisted the surrounding scenery in providing a magical backdrop for our visit.

There were two tours on offer for our passengers in the afternoon and the first to leave us was the ‘Art Nouveau City Walk’. Local guides, born and bred in the area, took our passengers through the winding streets and taught them about the city’s buildings and fascinating history. There was also the chance to visit the old Swan Pharmacy, which has retained some of the original interiors from the early 20th century and includes exhibits that have been created to tell the story of the famous 1904 fire. Following this our guests made their way to the top of the town to enjoy a stunning panoramic view looking across the city, it’s beautiful harbour and the rich variety of art nouveau buildings and decor.

The second tour to leave us in the afternoon and the final tour of the day was a visit to ‘The Islands of Giske & Godoy’. This tour provided our passengers with a chance to enjoy Alesund’s main sights and started with a drive through the city where they were able to learn about the art nouveau buildings and their reconstruction after the fire of 1904. Having left the city, our passengers next travelled through some of the world’s largest subsea tunnels which connect the islands of Giske and Godoy to the mainland. Giske is the birthplace of the Viking King Rollo, an ancestor of William the Conqueror and there was the chance to visit the Giske Chapel which was used as a private church by the Viking Giske family. From here they made their way to the island of Godoy and the charming fishing village of Alnes to enjoy a stroll through the village or the chance to climb the lighthouse for some fantastic views, and with the sun shining like it was, it was a marvellous time for our passengers to enjoy a Kodak moment.

The sunshine was still with us as we sailed shortly after 20:00 by which time most of our passengers had already enjoyed a culinary delight from our Food and Beverage department in the dining rooms. Shackleton’s Bar was the venue for a team trivia challenge in which Resty of the Cruise Staff posed the questions before the Gail Davies Production Cast wowed our passengers in the Discovery Lounge with their production show ‘Big Top’. Guy Stoker tinkled the ivories in Shackleton’s for passengers enjoying a late night cocktail and as it was light until almost midnight, quite a few of our passengers chose to have a drink on the open decks and admire the stunning scenery that we were passing on our way to our final port of call

Our second port of call saw us remain in Norway and visit the port of Jondal, which lies in the county of Hordaland. One of The region’s main attractions is the Folgefonna Glacier, which is the third largest glacier in Norway and other attractions include the Folgefonna Ski Centre. In its architectural style the village of Jondal is typically Norwegian and includes many beautiful and historic buildings. Jondal is also the starting point for a glorious mountain road that winds through the Krossdalen Valley and then up to the mountains to the edge of the wonderful Folgefonna Glacier. Again the weather was cool and overcast when we arrived, but the great thing about Norway and this region is that conditions like that in no way spoil the day, it only adds to the beauty of the port and looking up as mountains disappear into low lying clouds and mist is a spectacular sight to see.

Three tours were available for our passengers to enjoy today and the first to leave was a new tour that we have on offer, the ‘Traditions of Hardanger’. A ferry took our passengers across the Hardangerfjord to Torvikbygd, from where they drove to Nordheimsund. Here they visited the Boat Preservation Centre and were able to watch skilled boat builders, rope makers and blacksmiths use traditional methods to preserve and restore old wooden boats to their former glories, and while some of our guests had a look through the gift shop, one or two had a go at a bit of rope making themselves, although I’m not sure if any of the locals were concerned for their jobs.  The tour continued to the small fishing hamlet of Fyske, enjoying the stunning scenery along the way. Taking time to relax in one of the old farmhouses our guests were also able to enjoy teas and coffee and a piece of the local apple cake, made from apples that have been growing in the region since the 14th century, while a fiddler gave a performance on the Hardanger fiddle, the traditional instrument of the region.

The next tour to leave was ‘Folgefonna Panoramic’. It was also our most popular tour with over 120 passengers choosing this excursion. Jondal is the only place in Norway from where you can literally drive up close to the glacial icefield, and this tour allowed our passengers to do just that. The tour started by coach through the spectacular mountain roads of the Krossdalen Valley, entering a land of ice and snow as the road wound higher and higher. At the conclusion of this ascent, and now 3,900 ft above sea level, our passengers were able to wonder at the Folgefonna Glacier and the contrast between the stark white icefield and the darker shores of the Hardangerfjord below. With an area of 82 square miles there was so much for our passengers to appreciate and having spoken to some of them on their return to the ship, I know that they got some simply stunning photographs and memories of an incredible tour that I’m sure will stay with them for years to come.

The final tour to leave us was ‘Hardanger Flightseeing’. This truly spectacular tour allowed our passengers to take a helicopter flight over the incredible Hardangerfjord to really be able to appreciate its unforgettable landscape and scenery. It is of course one thing to view the fjords from the water, or even from one of the many viewpoints that dot the mountainsides, but quite another to view them from the air in what is considered by many as a ‘once in a lifetime opportunity’. Only from the air can you really appreciate the unspoilt enormity and unique combination of unearthly calm and dramatic, rugged grandeur.

We sailed shortly before 14:00 which meant that we were able to provide our passengers with a full afternoon and evening of entertainment. By the time we set sail the weather had completely turned around and we were able to leave the port in glorious sunshine with some simply stunning scenery around us. The Capriccio Wind Trio provided our guests with an open air classical concert in which the music was just as stunning as the scenery, and later our passengers had the chance to go behind the scenes of what many consider to be the most important part of a cruise ship, with the Saga Pearl II Galley Tour.  The Cruise Staff also took the opportunity of the calm conditions to play some golf chipping into the pool, some enjoyed a game of bridge, built up a sweat at the fitness classes or relaxed in the library, and of course the tradition of afternoon tea was enjoyed by many.

The evening saw us host another cocktail party, this time for all of our Britannia Club members and it was lovely to welcome so many familiar faces and experienced cruisers through the doors. It lets you know that you are doing things right when you see so many people returning to Saga cruise after cruise. Once dinner had been enjoyed in the restaurants, Rebecca of the Cruise Staff tested the grey matter as she hosted a team trivia in Shackleton’s Bar before our Cruise Director John Parton presented our passengers in the Discovery Lounge with a show he has written and put together himself. ‘George Gershwin – The Man & His Music’ looks back at a fascinating life full of fascinating rhythm and John has done himself proud with a show that featured contributions from the Saga Pearl II Orchestra, the Cappriccio Wind Trio and our production show singer Laureen. The performance was enjoyed by all of our passengers and it was a superb way to round off the day.

Following a relaxing day at sea and a chance for our passengers to settle in and become acquainted with their new surroundings, we arrived into our first port of call on our ‘Fjordland Wonders’ cruise and visited the beautiful, if slightly overcast port of Stavanger, Norway. During the 19th century huge harvests of brisling and herring established Stavanger as the sardine capital of the world. Residents are still referred to as a ‘Siddis’ – the ‘S’ from Stavanger and ‘iddis’ which means ‘sardine label’ combine to create the name and the symbol of the city is the key of a sardine can. Some Norwegian cities have struggled with the decline in the fishing industry but Stavanger has managed to maintain its economy by diversifying, first into shipbuilding and now into oil. The differences in these industries have led Stavanger to become a city of two halves. It has a modern area of high rise buildings but also maintains an historic old centre of cobblestoned streets and residential buildings dating from the 18th and 19th century. The day was pretty overcast and there was drizzle in the air, and although it wasn’t cold as such, the short sharp winds that blew around the harbour did put a bit of a chill into the air, but none of that was going to stop our passengers making the most of this beautiful and historic port.

There were three tours on offer for our passengers today, two which departed in the morning and one in the afternoon. The first to leave was an ‘Introduction of Stavanger’ which allowed our passengers to discover the highlights of the city from the comfort of their own coach. They were able to take photos at Stavanger Cathedral before travelling past the Kings residence and the Three Swords Monument where they were able to hear about how the Viking King Harald I defeated the last of the regional princes and started the unification of Norway. Along with this, other sights that were included on the tour were the magnificent sandy beaches of Jaeren and the Petroleum Museum building and Old Stavanger, Northern Europe’s best preserved wooden village which dates from the 16th and 17th centuries.

The final tour to leave in the morning was the visit to ‘Flor and Fjaere Gardens’. Located on the small fjord island of Sor Hidle, Flor and Fjaere is a unique botanical garden bursting with exotic flora, palm trees, lemon groves and a variety of plants that you might not perhaps expect to find in a garden as far north as we were. There was a member of the gardening staff on hand to answer any questions our passengers might have had and after a chance to explore the gardens at their own pace, tea and coffee was enjoyed in the pavilion with stunning sea views.

The afternoon tour allowed our passengers to enjoy the ‘Lysefjord Boat Trip’. This scenic excursion began at Stavanger pier, where our passengers boarded a boat and set sail across to Lysefjord, a beautiful area surrounded by steep mountains and waterfalls. Our guests were able to make their way around to the southern side of the fjord were Helleren, an overhanging cliff used as a shelter to the people that fished in hunted in the area, is located. Continuing along the northern side of the fjord, our passengers made their way past the Pulpit Rock and also had a chance to see the eerie Vagabond’s Cave before making their way back to rejoin the Saga Pearl II. For departure our Staff Captain Kris, fresh from his vacation, completed the manoeuvre. He expertly brought the Saga Pearl II bodily off her berth before dropping astern and swinging the bow around to port and in no time the Saga Pearl II was increasing speed towards our next port of call Jondal.

I was lucky enough to be able to welcome our first time Saga cruisers to the family with our Newcomers Party. The cruise is only a couple of days old but it was very gratifying to hear so many compliments from passengers who have never cruised with us before but are already impressed with the level of service that they are experiencing. Once dinner had been enjoyed in the restaurants some of our passengers made their way to the Shackleton’s Bar where Resty of the Cruise Staff asked the questions for a team trivia challenge, while others made their way straight to the Discovery Lounge where international comedian Stan Johns provided classy, clean and comical laughs. The Saga Pearl II Orchestra returned after the show for our passengers listening and dancing pleasure while our resident piano entertainer Guy Stoker tinkled the ivories in Shackleton’s for some late night ‘cabaret and cocktails’.