A five-star experience among the fjords

Oct 4 2008 by Frank Corless, Liverpool Daily Post

Frank Corless enjoys an unforgettable cruise along the Norwegian coast

WHEN you have just braved a storm on land, and are about to head off across the tricky North Sea, it was comforting to hear the man in charge of the journey tell us that weather predictions for our crossing to Norway were good.

“Trust me, I’m your captain,” said Alan Leech, his voice echoing through the loudspeaker system on board Thomson’s Celebration cruise liner.

It was tongue-in-cheek and laid back, but it was just the tonic we landlubbers needed after a road journey to Harwich had prompted melancholy thoughts that booking for the Med might have been a wiser option. Shame on us . . .

The skipper was spot on. In fact, we barely had time to prepare for lifeboat drill, when – lo and behold – the sun broke through.

That was our starter for 10. During the next week, we went on to enjoy a fair amount of sunshine, at least by UK standards, and more laughs with the genial Liverpudlian, Mr Leech.

His chirpy bulletins became a must-hear feature, never failing to raise a smile and setting the tone for a hugely successful and enjoyable cruise to the fjords.

And there was so much to enjoy. Hardly a waking hour passed without hearing collective choruses of approval as the ancient land of Vikings and trolls rolled out a tableau of natural wonders.

Few would argue that the fjords are the quintessential essence of Norway. It was difficult to stay away from the ship’s rails as we sailed into, or out of, destinations because every view was hauntingly beautiful, even when the brooding, snow-flecked peaks were shrouded in mist and cloud.

Simply watching the ship’s wake roll across incredibly serene water, like ripples billowing through finest silk, was worth staying on deck for, even as night closed in.

Water is everywhere in Norway. It roars down mountains, mostly in giant waterfalls, before tumbling into streams, rivers, lakes, and fjords. Water is frozen into glaciers and snow. And the bottled stuff is the best I’ve ever tasted. Oh, and quite a lot falls from the sky although, to be fair, we only had a single poor day.

Aspects of water got even better when, as a special treat, we booked into the ship’s Zilli restaurant (a £19 cover charge applies) where meals are prepared to recipes by celebrity Italian chef Aldo Zilli, the man behind a clutch of gourmet West End eateries.

Savouring the terrific food and wine, and being serenaded by waiters while the fjord vistas slipped by our window, was a five-star experience.

Bergen, the gateway to the fjords, was our first port of call. Birthplace of composer Edvard Grieg, it’s a city to strike the right note with anyone. Maybe it is hard on the pocket, but it is certainly easy on the eye. And, apart from the majestic scenery, the city is stacked high with culture and history.

After coffee in the colourful fish market, we walked the narrow passages and alleyways of the ancient Bryggen wharf, before catching a road train for a tour of the city’s busy, and immaculately clean, streets.

A funicular railway then swept us to the top of 320m high Mount Floyen. The whole of the city, and its magnificent harbour, lay below us. Cue more gasps of admiration . . .

Three other stops on the cruise itinerary – Olden, Flam, and Eidfjord – were memorable for different reasons, and each without Bergen’s traffic.

Another road train tour took us to Olden Lake, where the water was like glass, and the mountains seemed to be teetering on the brink of toppling into it.

In Flam, we managed – but only just – to catch a ride on the famous Flamsbana railway, a masterpiece of Norwegian engineering.

The train snakes through awesome valleys, dotted with tiny hamlets, and spirals through tunnels to the village of Myrdal.

The £30 return cost might appear expensive, but it was money well spent, if only for when the train made a stop at the dramatic Kjosfoss waterfall.

As haunting music echoed from the mountainside, a mythical “forest creature”, dressed in a flowing medieval gown, emerged – maid-of-the-mist style – from a rocky outcrop alongside the waterfall.

It was a piece of pure, orchestrated theatre, but it cast its spell on us, and hundreds of other passengers whose cameras hardly stopped clicking.

Our final big experience came during an excursion from the landing stage at picturesque Eisfjord. The tour included a view of the awesome Hardanger glacier, and the Voringsfossen waterfall, which plunges 600 feet to the canyon below.

There’s no escaping the fact that, compared with some destinations, Norway is expensive.

But, one of the bonuses of being on a Thomson cruise ship is that all meals, and tips, are included so there was no need to spend too much on shore. Apart from three restaurants – one of them operating 24 hours a day – the liner is also a floating entertainment centre with facilities to suit every taste, and backed up by staff whose spirits never seemed to flag.

All of it made for a good atmosphere.

One of Mr Leech’s final broadcasts informed us that he had been able to see every star in the sky at 3am as the ship headed out of Norway for home.

It would have been another fjords bonus. Sadly, I was asleep . . . dreaming of mountains and water.

THOMSON is offering the Myths of the Fjords 7 night cruise on the Thomson Spirit on May 16, 2009, sailing from Newcastle from £729 per person, based on two sharing a deck 1/2 inside cabin. Price includes full board, tips, port taxes and charges.

Thomson is also offering the Fjordland Wonders 7 night cruise on the Thomson Spirit on August 28, 2009, sailing from Harwich from £749 per person, based on two sharing a deck 1/2 inside cabin. Price includes full board, tips, port taxes and charges.

To book, visit www. thomson.co.uk/cruise or call 0871 230 2800.

FOR more travel reviews visit www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/travel