Bergen is located in the southwestern region of Norway. It’s the second largest city in Norway, next to Oslo, with a population just under 300,0000. Surrounded by seven mountains and located near fjords, it is a very picturesque location. Even though the Gulf Stream provides mild winters, there is significant precipitation and days are often cloud covered. Its colorful wooden houses lining the Bryggen waterfront really help to brighten the city up.
Southhampton, England
Southhampton was the start of our trip. We flew business class because it takes about a day to get from San Diego to London. The food on British Air was delicious. American Airlines paled in comparison. After boarding the ship in Southhampton, we went to Norway for a week, then back to Southhampton where we did an excursion to Stonehenge and Salisbury. Then back into the Baltic to see more sights.
Our ship was the Sky Princess, which commenced operations in 2019. She holds about 3,660 passengers. The ship was in good shape and had plenty of places to hang out during the day. The entertainment options were endless. The gym was more than adequate. The food and service were amazing. Nevertheless, it’s still a large crowded cruise ship with a lot of sick people on board. This may be our last trip on a ship this big.
We really enjoy cruising. It is a great way to efficiently see so many different cities and countries while the boat handles all the traveling, dining and entertainment.
Bergen, Norway
We flew from San Diego to Chicago to London, then sailed out of South Hampton, England into Bergen on an overcast and wet day. Hard to imagine it was mid-July being used to sunny California.
It was established as a trading settlement in the 1020s AD. It was founded in 1070 AD by King Olaf Kyrre and it eventually became Norway’s largest city. Later on, Oslo became larger and the capital of Norway.
We enjoyed walking the historic section of Bryggen through the narrow alleys. With every turn there would be a cute café or shop to visit. The architecture was gorgeous.
The older section of the city reveals old wooden construction that has undergone years of settling and repairs. Unfortunately, there had been fires in the city that were devastating. There are still old log style buildings, but also brick with wood.
Cruising a Fjord
We took a boat ride into one of the breathtaking beautiful fjords.
During the boat ride there was a Mayday call. It was answered by another boat before we could get there. Otherwise, it was a very scenic cruise on calm water.
Along the way there were small houses located on the numerous small islands.
We passed a salmon farm. We saw quite a few of these while in Norway. The Norwegian aquaculture industry sets the standard for high-quality safe, and sustainably farmed salmon. The industry in Norway is strictly regulated in order to prevent disease and mortality.
A swan family with goslings. They weren’t very shy allowing for some photos on a rocky beach.
Back on the ship we had a wonderful dinner with appetizers and dessert. The wine was pretty good too.
