Re: Taking OFF To Iceland

Iceland is a very beautiful place Summer, with friendly, welcoming people and scenery to die for... We have been so lucky to have had good weather and I would think that this kind of expedition could be make or break depending on the weather, although on a cruise I believe the ports of call come second to the enjoyment of the ship and a weeks stay would be recommended for any indepth exploration of Iceland.....x

Re: Taking OFF To Iceland

Brook Bond.

Re: Taking OFF To Iceland

Glad you are having a great time foxy. Some of those pics do really look like Scotland.

Re: Taking OFF To Iceland

Hmmmm


Av' you a license for zis Minky ?

Re: Taking OFF To Iceland

Sorry everyone, maritime internet is rubbish, just tried to download some photos and my netbook went to sleep, and me too.....

It might be due to the terrain. We have just docked in the Faroe Isles and are surrounded by mountains. I'll try to put them up later. Received some bad news yesterday, due to engine trouble the Oriana will not now be docking in Dublin. Mrs Fox is gutted, it was one of the reasons for this cruise.
Instead, she will carry on to Cobb/Cork when she sets off at five tonight.

Re: Taking OFF To Iceland

Our last day in Iceland on Friday we embarked on 'Jewels of the North' a coach trip that would take us around the North side of Iceland, and through countryside that was still being formed....
Traveling over the Fjord we could see the ship anchored at the other side...



Leaving Akureyri and heading out into the wild countryside of Northern Iceland photo opportunities were around every corner, and the coach driver would stop occasionally at a roadside viewpoint. We were very lucky to have some good weather...



A land of Ice, fire and waterfalls....



The next stop was this lava field. Apparently it takes 100 years for mosses to grow on the cooled lava. So just over one hundred years ago this land would have been covered by molten lava engulfing everything in its path.....
The only indigenous trees on Iceland are Birch, but due to only six months of daylight they never actually grow any bigger than this.



A very hostile landscape where geothermal vents push out of the ground making it a hazardous place to walk...Nature is still forming this part of Iceland....Sort of 'Work in Progress'....



Boiling mud gurgles away at over 100*C and the smell of sulphur stings the nostrils.....



Returning to the ship in time for the evening meal the captain leaves Akureyri and sets a course for our next port of call on the Faroe Isles.....Goodbye Iceland....

Re: Taking OFF To Iceland

Wow OGF, didn't realise you were using the ship's internte, that will cost an absolute fortune. Best to use WifI ashore in a cafe or use your own Smart Phone as a WiFi hotspot. I used to buy a package of ship's internet a few tears ago at £35 a pop but now they've changed the package and it's just a huge rip off. So I now just use my own mobile internet whenever we hit land.

Oriana as you probably know has had engine problems ever since she arrived in the fleet. That's what give her the charateristic judder and vibration in the rear restaurant. Even after a huge drydock refit they were unable to cure the problem. So a further engine problem is no surprise.

You should get compensation for missing Dublin on account of it being a technical failure rather than weather. If they haven't already offered it, go ask at reception. It'll be about £50 or so. You might want to also enquire as to how she can dock in Cork but not in Dublin if it's engine trouble.

I'm quite sceptical with these things because the cruise line save masses of money by not calling at a port. Tens of thousands of pounds saved in berthing fees.

I also learned from an officer on the "gold lunch" that ports are not guaranteed generally on cruises anymore, only on the cruises where you fly out to permanently stationed ships. This somewhat staggered me.
He told me that it depends which ships are in a port on any given day and what time they arrived. I asked him how they can possibly issue a cruise brochure offering cruises up to a year ahead with all their itineraries and he said none of it is guaranteed but most of the time they are able to make the ports and secure a space.

So I am quite sceptical these days when they drum up an excuse for missing a port.

That said, I'm just looking at the various crew and port websites at their scheduled arrivals lists.

This site:

http://crew-center.com/dublin-irelan...-schedule-2019

Lists Oriana and Crown Princess in Dublin Port on the 16th.

However the actual Dublin Port site doesn't list Oriana. It does however list the cruise ship Corinthian from GCCL for the 16th.

https://www.dublinport.ie/informatio...-100-arrivals/

Interestingly I found an article in the Irish Times here stating that they have taken the decision to reduce the number of cruise ships landing at Dublin to 160 this year and 140 next year. They say:

"it is taking the step to ensure it can handle increased volumes of freight, particularly as more ships will come direct from the continent after the UK leaves the EU."

"Between 2021 and 2023 it will limit the number to around 80 after which it will start expanding capacity again. "

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/irel...rism-1.3842348

This looks to be a very deliberate anti BrExit decision to cause disruption and loss of tourism income in order to effectively punish BrExiteers and ensure that people hurt and thus come running back to the EU at the earliest opportunity. This ties in with the article I posted in a BrExit related thread yesterday which suggests there is an establishment conspiracy well underway to get the UK back in the EU by 2023.

The Dublin Port site shows a lot of freight ships due to arrive tomorrow. I wonder therefore whether Oriana has actually been refused. Just doesn't really stack up for me that engine trouble could see you not able to dock at Dublin but able to dock in Cork. How does the engine know ?!

Maybe there's some tricky manouevering to be done at Dublin which the engine can't handle?

Interestingly the Cork Port Authority website lists Oriana as arriving in Cork on the 16th tomorrow at 07:30 and departing on the 18th at 05:00 so that would suggest you have an overnight in Cork.

https://www.portofcork.ie/index.cfm/...seschedule2010


Anyway, you look to have had a great time in the land of ice and fire, scenery looks stunning there. Have you kept yourself a little chunk of volcanic rock or similar to bring home with you?

Enjoy your last few days. Back to Blightly soon when you can give us the full scoop.

Re: Taking OFF To Iceland

Thanks for that Realist, there are many disgruntled passengers that came on this cruise specifically to visit Dublin especially Australians who had arranged to meet relatives in Dublin.

I know what you mean about the vibration at the rear of the ship and in the oriental restaurant, I thought it was a balance problem with the propeller shafts. We have also had problems with the plumbing, but I will explain in more detail upon returning to some decent internet.....

Re: Taking OFF To Iceland

OGF, looking at those photos is like eating good candy - heavenly! I was hoping that you would see many or the waterfalls and other outstanding geological features. The similarity to Hawai'i is remarkable - from the vents to the return of the plants after the flows.

Careful about taking those rocks though. You do it in Hawai'i and it's going to enrage the gods of the fire and mountains. We sure don't need you tripping on an otherwise outstanding run, and then having to go to all the trouble to send back the cursed rocks:

https://www.hawaiimagazine.com/conte...park-last-year

I can't help but be susipcious about the port problem, as well. When I was working on the Big Island and flying between islands once a week, the airline there used "mechanical issues" as a reason to consolidate flights that were more than half empty.

For heaven's said, pardon me. This is your vacation and the last thing you need to think about is shady business decisions and angry volcano gods.

Go have more fun and keep the pictures coming!

Re: Taking OFF To Iceland

Thanks Surfermom, I've left those rocks where they were, I certainly don't want to pi$$ any Gods off.......I've enough trouble with having to accept another year piled on to the 68 that I've already accumulated.....

Geology is definitely something I could get into, it really is a fascinating subject especially the volcanology. There is nothing wrong with adding another 'ology' to my extensive list of 'ologies'.....Runology, eatingology, APology (because I'm always putting my foot in it) and Forumology......

Seriously though, I've enjoyed every minute and would love to return someday and spend more time there, perhaps even Hawaii....
I have to agree with you and think the port thing is very suspicious, but 'it is what it is' and although disappointed I've promised to take Mrs Fox to Dublin for a few days on a city break....

You were right about the 'Eagles' night with Caravan Realist. Watched them last night.......Brilliant! The bloke on lead guitar was superb....