Norway Cruise from Liverpool

[bulldog]

I have just returned from a cruise which departed from Liverpool onboard Ambassador cruise lines ship Ambition. I have always wanted to leave and arrive from our home city and the Norway Itinerary was the perfect opportunity to do this. Weather forecast before we left was not great but as expected it was totally wrong and we had great weather most of the time. I am just putting up a small selection of pics, they don't really do justice to the fjords. I always assumed they were a bit like the Scottish Lochs, but some of the fjords were 140 miles long to reach the town we were stopping at. 
So we left sunny Liverpool on Sunday 23rd IMG_3859 by Clive Harden, on IMG_3860 by Clive Harden, on Flickr
Apols if it looks like ship is sinking!!
First of many gas/oil platforms, this one on the way to Belfast IMG_3867 by Clive Harden, on Flickr
First stop Belfast and the Giants Causeway IMG_3874 by Clive Harden, on
Interesting geologically, but a long way from Belfast on a bus.IMG_3876 by Clive Harden, on IMG_3876 by Clive Harden, on Flickr
Then on to Tobermory in Mull. Didn't look much from the ship but a very interesting place to wander round for a few hoursIMG_3901 by Clive Harden, on Flickr
Our ship at anchor in Mull Sound IMG_3911 by Clive Harden, on Flickr
Little aviation interest on the holiday but Scottish air ambulance landed in hotel grounds in Tobermory
IMG_3920 by Clive Harden, on IMG_3925 by Clive Harden, on Flickr
Next stop Stavanger ,Norway. Area round harbour very scenic and great weather as you can see.  Stopping off for coffee and I bought some hay fever tablets at a pharmacy. Prices not that much increased over UK IMG_3940 by Clive Harden, on Flickr
Then on to Flam, very dramatic mountains and the famous Flam Railway. I thought it would be a rack and pinion type , but no it's a full size train that goes up the mountain.
IMG_3944 by Clive Harden, on Flickr
Some pretty impressive waterfalls on the way
.IMG_3946 by Clive Harden, on IMG_3951 by Clive Harden, on IMG_3962 by Clive Harden, on IMG_3964 by Clive Harden, on IMG_3974 by Clive Harden, on Flickr
Only other aviation interest was this LN-OMH CHC H215. It carried out a Medieval from the ship of a passenger en route. Not surprising , I was one of the younger ones on ship!! and Im not far off 70! Couldn't get up to top deck for better
photograph.
I
MG_3976 by Clive Harden, on Flickr
Next stop Olden/Loen and a trip up the fjord by boat to see a glacier. Pictures do not do justice to the size and drop of these waterfalls. Some have drops of 800+metresIMG_3988 by Clive Harden, on IMG_3989 by Clive Harden, on Flickr
Glacial Lake so water clear and blue
IMG_4003 by Clive Harden, on IMG_3997 by Clive Harden, on IMG_4010 by Clive Harden, on Flickr

Then we went up another fjord to Gerainger. Highlight being this waterfall and an excellent cheese shop
IMG_4044 by Clive Harden, on IMG_4054 by Clive Harden, on IMG_4057 by Clive Harden, on Flickr
Then to Alesund. Larger town, lots of interesting areas to wander round. Trolls everywhere IMG_4063 by Clive Harden, on Flickr
Norway generally has mostly electric cars. Quite a few of the newer Chinese makes come here first , before rest of EU/UK. Some very attractive, however some like this RR copy are truly horrendous This is a Hangoi EHS9 IMG_4070 by Clive Harden, on Flickr
From Alesund we headed  home. Stopped in Lerwick on the shetlands, and then back into the Mersey.
New ground of some football team being built, can't remember the teams name
IMG_4098 by Clive Harden, on IMG_4099 by Clive Harden, on Flickr

So that was our trip. You could tell we were back in UK as the captain announced a delay to the ship parking as the tugs were 30 mins late!!!

Amazing place to visit.

[ronturner]

Thanks for your report, Clive. Very Interesting. How many days?

[bulldog]

Hi Ron

12 day trip including day we left and day we got back to Liverpool. So 10 cruise days. Only two sea days which was good as they can drag a bit. We had two ladies from Orca watch who spent the whole cruise standing up on the deck peering into the sea hoping to see some Orcas, Porpoises etc.
Talking to them they saw a couple of dolphins that's all. I never saw anything.