Richard With Review

4.0 / 5.0
65 reviews

Amazing adventure - Hunting the Light Christmas Cruise 2013

Review for the Baltic Sea Cruise on Richard With
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ridlhb
First Time Cruiser • Age 50s

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Sail Date: Dec 2013

We had a fantastic trip and loved every moment. Sure it's not an ocean cruise ship, more like a ferry in terms of accommodation, but we knew this before we left and it was all part of the adventure. We knew the cruise was called "Hunting the Light" but had read the reviews before we left and knew that not all trips would see the Northern Lights. However we observed them 5 times on the trip, the first day being Christmas Day - it was amazing and the best Christmas Present ever.

We observed sea eagles on the trip and also minke whales from the front of the ship whilst sailing up one of the many fjords. We took an excursion to the North Cape which was well worth the experience despite it being dark when we got there, (due to the disappearance of the sun for the Arctic Night) to stand there at the top of the Cape felt like a real achievement. However our postcards, which we posted from there, to receive the North Cape stamp, did not arrive until almost two weeks later and the stamp was hardly visible, bit disappointed.

This is a working ferry service which serves the north of Norway therefore passengers should be aware that we made 65 scheduled stops, some for approximately 15 minutes through the day and night, but the captain seemed to do this with the utmost ease and minimal noise. On longer stops you can get off the ship and explore the towns. For some passengers this was disappointing as they were closed for shopping having locked up for the Christmas Holidays, not a problem for us as we strolled the streets and viewed the different Christmas decorations. Our best buy before we left home was a pair of ice spikes for our boots which were invaluable when walking in some of the towns as the paths and roads were very icy.

Cabin Review

The cabin was small but functional. Would have liked a bit more storage space but was able to put suitcases in storage area near reception. Did need some effort to lift beds up if you required more room during the day, one converted into a couch. No tv or tea/coffee making facilities in cabin. Heated floor in shower/toilet with a basic hairdryer. Good basic maid service and plenty of fresh towels. Great cabin for rough seas, being midships we hardly felt a thing. Large window slightly obscured at the top by lifeboat but set back so people didn't stand directly outside the window on the deck.

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