It's a Wrap

I have not commented much on the days at sea (we had five on this cruise) but they truly are a highlight of Crystal cruises. We particularly love a well-balanced itinerary that leaves enough time to rest and recharge and this trip was perfect in that regard.

Our days at sea vary each cruise and the weather has a lot do with that. This cruise in particular makes you want to keep going since darkness never comes. Most days begin with a workout; the Promenade Deck is fantastic for jogging or for brisk walks and Crystal has Walvests and Nordik Walking Poles available. Alternatively, the fitness centre is fully equipped, open 24 hours and there are complimentary yoga, pilates, spin cycle, etc. Other activities include complimentary golf and dance lessons.

On the less active side, the daily Reflections is full of stuff, from Bridge, art, language and computer lessons, to all kinds of seminars and lectures. In other words, something for everyone.

There are also plenty of areas around the ship to lounge, in and out of the sun, a Lido guy always at hand and ready to bring us pretty much anything our hearts desire.

And there are so many eating choices!! The food on this cruise has been consistently excellent, regardless of venue, and we try to make it to the Palm Court for high tea often. That's why we need to hit the gym or the Promenade Deck every day :)

The entertainment on the ship is top notch too. The caliber and variety of the performers and shows is great and our days often end with a show and some dancing.

All in all this has been a fabulous cruise to an outstanding destination, which brings me to Norway and its people. We headed north from our first stop in Bergen, stopping in big cities and tiny towns along the way, until we reached the North Cape where the sun never set for four days, and then headed back south to our disembarkation port in Dover.

A few observations: the natural beauty of Norway and its fjords in the summer, the vibrancy of the colours and the multitude of waterfalls, belie the harshness of the environment its people must endure; including the long, long, months of darkness and cold, particularly in the northern part of the country. In certain areas flat farming land is scarce and farms seem to cling to the steep cliffs flanking the fjords. Notwithstanding the challenges there is a clear sense of prosperity, there is money to go around and pay for social programs and the overall financial health of the population. The economy relies heavily on immigration, particularly for unskilled labour (17% of the population are immigrants or children of immigrants) and the country's riches come from oil (of which there is lots and lots), shipping and fish.

Norwegians are hardy people. They need to be to thrive in this beautiful but harsh environment where so many highly educated and skilled people compete for few jobs and life is super expensive. The long, cold -snowy or rainy depending on where you live- winters can be depressing and the summers unpredictable. We did not meet a single surly Norwegian, in fact we met a lot of mild-mannered, happy going Vikings!

We've been back for a couple of weeks now and I'm still in withdrawal. This was one of our best cruises overall and I highly recommend this itinerary. Now, we start planning for our next trip!