We booked the shore excursions for our cruise before we boarded. Here’s a list of what we anticipated.<\/p>\n
Normally, we might just get off the ship and explore the ports of call on our own two feet. But with this cruise, we decided that we would see much more of the local scenery if we indulged in some of the shore excursion packages by Holland America. After all, the whole reason for taking this cruise was to go places that are hard to get to any other way.<\/p>\n
Because we have already visited Corner Brook\u2014 the first port of call\u2014 on a vacation to Newfoundland in 1998, we decided to forego any planned shore excursions. The most intriguing offering is the visit to Gros Morne National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where billion-year-old rocks from the earth’s core bulge above the surface, but we have already been there and can return another time. We will spend the day walking around town on our own.<\/p>\n
We decided to take the coastal drive to visit the lighthouse at Point Amour so we can see some of the seaside villages along the Labrador coast. Rumor has it that we will take a dilapidated old schoolbus and visit a 7500-year-old burial mound on the way.<\/p>\n
The trip to Cartwright, Labrador, was cancelled, due to too many icebergs in the area.<\/p>\n
There is no shore excursion offered during the seven-hour stopover in Greenland, but we may be able to take the tender so we can say we’ve stepped on Greenland soil.<\/p>\n
We may be best sampling the local color by exploring the town on our own. There is a highly rated walking tour we could purchase\u2014 but we shall see if it is even necessary.<\/p>\n
We plan to take the bus tour to Lake M\u00fdvatn. This tour seems to include all the natural geologic wonders of the Icelandic landscape\u2014 from fjords, to waterfalls, to steambaths, to lava caves.<\/p>\n
This one is for Arjan, a five-hour day trip to enjoy a hike to Iceland’s third-highest waterfall, with views of Lagarflj\u00f3t, Iceland’s third-largest lake, and the Hallormssta\u00f0arsk\u00f3gur Forest, which includes Iceland’s tallest tree. P.J. will enjoy tiny Sey\u00f0isfj\u00f6r\u00f0ur on her own.<\/p>\n
P.J. will take the boat trip to the Vestmanna seacliffs, home of seabirds and weather-beaten cliff formations, while Arjan enjoys a strenuous hike to the columnar basalt formations of Streymoy Sill.<\/p>\n
P.J. will take a tour to visit Troldhaugen, home of the famous Norwegian composer (including a piano recital of Grieg’s music), and the Fantoft Stave Church, a replica of traditional church architecture circa 1150. Arjan will figure something out. Perhaps (depending on the weather) he will take the funicular to the top of Mount Fl\u00f8ien.<\/p>\n
Together for a change, we will take a small-boat cruise through the Stavanger Archipelago to visit Pulpit Rock, a promontory rising 1500 feet above the sea, with the depth in the Lysefjord of almost the same below.<\/p>\n
No shore excursion necessary here. We know the territory. We will be picked up by friends to begin the longer half of our vacation\u2014 visiting friends and family in Holland and the U.K.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
We booked the shore excursions for our cruise before we boarded. Here’s a list of what we anticipated. Normally, we might just get off the ship and explore the ports of call on our own two feet. But with this … Continue reading