Scandi, Nordic, Baltic - A trip with a lot of firsts!

Things that are challenging me for this trip.

  1. Twin 1 is a very early riser. She wakes naturally at about 0500 each day and likes to be in bed by 2030. I, on the other hand, like to go to be at about 2330 or even midnight, and get up at 0830. I know from 40 years in the family that neither of these patterns is likely to change. How will we manage a week of road tripping in Iceland on these quite opposite schedules. I know the pressure of society is that I am the lazy slug and that I should just go to bed earlier and get up earlier, but honestly, it does not work for me. When I do that, I end up feeling like I have permanent jet lag. Twin 2 is much more moderate in her circadian rhythm - she normally goes to bed about 2230 and up at 0730. I will miss her on this trip.
  2. Twin 1 and Hubby are definitely Jetstar style travellers. I am not. "Oh look, I got an airfare to Melbourne for only $59! Oh, plus $59 for a bag, $20 for IFE, $20 for a snack and drink, and I didn't want to pay $xx_ for seat selection and it didn't matter to me that I was in Row 39E and hubby was in row 74B." They selected the cruise line - NCL - which seems to be the Jetstar of cruising. We got a very good fare on the cruise itself. Also got the more at sea package - free alcohol package, $50 credit per port for excursion, on free laundry service for the 14 days (no self laundry available) and 300 minutes free internet. Sounds good right.... 300 minutes internet for 14 days = 21 minutes per day. OK I will buy some internet - that will be USD$285 plus 20% gratuity. And both pax in the cabin must take it. I'm not drinking much alcohol at all these days, so maybe I'll just get a coke instead. Oh no, that is on the soda package madam, which you have not purchased. The soda package is USD220 plus 20% gratuity. Guess I will be ordering a lot of rum and coke, hold the coke. Or perhaps I could just get some water. Certainly madam, did you purchase the water package (USD120 plus 20% gratuity). I kid you not. And as for proper coffee - 🙅‍♀️ - nope, that's also extra. To be fair, ship's water is free, and so is the Kona coffee, stewed all day, that Americans love so much. And the excursions- they wanted $285 plus 20% gratuity for a walking tour in a port where I have arranged a Guru walk that is tip based. Even if we tip EUR50 that is a substantial saving. I just hate being nickel and dime'd. I can afford it, but it makes me feel like everything I do is a grudge purchase! I'd rather pay in full up front and then just relax and enjoy. Fell like a coffee or two - have them. Drink all the fancy water you want. And wash your own clothes so that they are not destroyed by the industrial clothes dryers. I definitely prefer an all inclusive approach to my travel.
  3. I don't know if I am going to like turning up in small towns with 2,000 of my new best friends. This is not how we usually travel.
On the positive side, the cruise itinerary is from my dreams and will take me to places I would otherwise never visit. And I have had plenty of time to think about these challenges so I go into it all with my eyes wide open. I have decided to just chill about it all. To the best of my ability.
 
And we are off to the airport. Seat Daughter will be here in a few minutes to drop us off on the way to work. She was laughing about that the other day, remarking how the tables have turned since she was the one being dropped at the airport to travel while we worked. The circle of life, eh.

IMG_6503.jpg
 
Seat0B said:
I just hate being nickel and dime'd. I can afford it, but it makes me feel like everything I do is a grudge purchase! I'd rather pay in full up front and then just relax and enjoy. Fell like a coffee or two - have them. Drink all the fancy water you want. And wash your own clothes so that they are not destroyed by the industrial clothes dryers. I definitely prefer an all inclusive approach to my travel.
Click to expand...

So do I! OK, so treat this cruise as your first flight on Jetstar. Necessary lesson and you'll then know what to avoid. If the cruise was a good price, then just buy all the packages and pretend it was part of the base fare :)

To see how it should be done, next take SilverSea to Antarctica. It may cost you a skiing trip to Japan (or two ...) but you'll love it, guaranteed.
 
Seat0B said:
And we are off to the airport. Seat Daughter will be here in a few minutes to drop us off on the way to work. She was laughing about that the other day, remarking how the tables have turned since she was the one being dropped at the airport to travel while we worked. The circle of life, eh.

View attachment 464892
Click to expand...
Are you sure about the soft drink and water on that package? It seems to include everything. They no longer have bottled water but it's spring filtered via a vero machine. We are on NCL in a month, and then again next year.

My sleep patterns are in the middle of yours and Twin. But on holidays I will move more towards yours unless there are specific things to do next day. Don't think I've ever slept past 7,30am though.

More importantly. Safe travels. And enjoy.

 
Seat0B said:
Things that are challenging me for this trip.

  1. Twin 1 is a very early riser. She wakes naturally at about 0500 each day and likes to be in bed by 2030. I, on the other hand, like to go to be at about 2330 or even midnight, and get up at 0830. I know from 40 years in the family that neither of these patterns is likely to change. How will we manage a week of road tripping in Iceland on these quite opposite schedules. I know the pressure of society is that I am the lazy slug and that I should just go to bed earlier and get up earlier, but honestly, it does not work for me. When I do that, I end up feeling like I have permanent jet lag. Twin 2 is much more moderate in her circadian rhythm - she normally goes to bed about 2230 and up at 0730. I will miss her on this trip.
  2. Twin 1 and Hubby are definitely Jetstar style travellers. I am not. "Oh look, I got an airfare to Melbourne for only $59! Oh, plus $59 for a bag, $20 for IFE, $20 for a snack and drink, and I didn't want to pay $xx_ for seat selection and it didn't matter to me that I was in Row 39E and hubby was in row 74B." They selected the cruise line - NCL - which seems to be the Jetstar of cruising. We got a very good fare on the cruise itself. Also got the more at sea package - free alcohol package, $50 credit per port for excursion, on free laundry service for the 14 days (no self laundry available) and 300 minutes free internet. Sounds good right.... 300 minutes internet for 14 days = 21 minutes per day. OK I will buy some internet - that will be USD$285 plus 20% gratuity. And both pax in the cabin must take it. I'm not drinking much alcohol at all these days, so maybe I'll just get a coke instead. Oh no, that is on the soda package madam, which you have not purchased. The soda package is USD220 plus 20% gratuity. Guess I will be ordering a lot of rum and coke, hold the coke. Or perhaps I could just get some water. Certainly madam, did you purchase the water package (USD120 plus 20% gratuity). I kid you not. And as for proper coffee - 🙅‍♀️ - nope, that's also extra. To be fair, ship's water is free, and so is the Kona coffee, stewed all day, that Americans love so much. And the excursions- they wanted $285 plus 20% gratuity for a walking tour in a port where I have arranged a Guru walk that is tip based. Even if we tip EUR50 that is a substantial saving. I just hate being nickel and dime'd. I can afford it, but it makes me feel like everything I do is a grudge purchase! I'd rather pay in full up front and then just relax and enjoy. Fell like a coffee or two - have them. Drink all the fancy water you want. And wash your own clothes so that they are not destroyed by the industrial clothes dryers. I definitely prefer an all inclusive approach to my travel.
  3. I don't know if I am going to like turning up in small towns with 2,000 of my new best friends. This is not how we usually travel.
On the positive side, the cruise itinerary is from my dreams and will take me to places I would otherwise never visit. And I have had plenty of time to think about these challenges so I go into it all with my eyes wide open. I have decided to just chill about it all. To the best of my ability.
Click to expand...
I did an NCL cruise a couple of years ago and you have the right idea. Have low expectations. I got a good deal and mine included a full drinks package and on that 10 days I drank as many coughtails as I could and tried as many of the types of alcohol that I wasn't familiar with.

I have friends who are very early risers and like to be in bed by 8.30pm so when catching up will always try and organise to catch up early but they when they organise something they just don't get it and aren't flexible and say shall we meet at 8am - no effing way.

Because I'm not an early riser I like to have breakfast in my room and NCL charged I think $5 or $10 for room service. After day one I used to just go to the buffet and get something from the buffet and put it in the fridge in my room for breakfast the following day.

We also had melamine plates for the restaurant that was part indoors and part outdoors.

The food was pretty ordinary too. I'm not trying to put you off because I know you aren't expecting Silver Seas but just remember you will have wonderful memories of the places you visit and you will forget about the way you did it.

The room sizes were good and if IIRC the bathrooms were OK too

Enjoy
 
Seat0B said:
I've just finished my packing.

Check in bag is 22 kg. It has quite a few things in it that will be consumed along the way that are also heavy eg 3 x big bottles of Gaviscon for the reflux, so I am looking forward to getting it a bit lighter and emptier as the trip goes along.

Once again we have a 2 climate trip, with Finland and the Baltics being pleasant late summer temperatures of around 20 degrees +/- a bit. Iceland will be Canberra winter temps around 5-11 degrees, and Greenland even colder. So I have many layers of merino and fleece, technical under layers, and plenty of down - a vest, a jacket and a coat. Plus waterproof hiking boots. Beanies and a sun hat, gloves and scarves and sunscreen, swimwear and a travel towel for the sauna and Sky Lagoon. Truly a case of packing for all conditions. In addition to my clothes, I have a travel laundry kit (several small sachets of washing powder, 2 elastic clothes lines, a handful of pegs and a lingerie bag). Also some picnic/snack/meal in the room things ( knife, fork spoon, sharp knife, bottle opener, veggie peeler, rollable chopping board, 2 bowls and 2 travel mugs). My luxury items are my microfibre hair turban and my silk pillowcase, both of which are very friendly to curly hair like mine. The thing I am least likely to use will be my gym wear - although I have made myself a promise to use the gym on the ship at least on the 4 sea days we have. And at least the gym leggings can double as lounge wear/pyjamas.

Carry on bag is 7.5 kg. It's full of things I don't want to be without should my luggage go astray. In my case this is:
  • literally half a suitcase full of my medications for the trip
  • a down jacket and vest
  • a couple of books
  • my jewellery ( a few earings and 2 necklaces)
  • a single change of clothes (socks, undies, shirt and pants)
  • a few personal care supplies

View attachment 464867View attachment 464869

My trusty travel back pack which is 5kg. The contents of this are:
  • my plastic sleeve of trip documents - plane tickets, hotels, cruise stuff, car rental, train tickets, ferry ticket, attractions etc
  • my favourite milk candies from Japan - great for soothing my chronic cough
  • a note pad and pen - for those important things I need to write down
  • an old QF amenities pouch repurposed to contain all my cords, chargers, battery pack etc
  • my round the neck travel pouch with passport, IDP and cash currencies
  • my water bottle
  • a book
  • my trip diary
  • my LAGs
  • my Bose QC 35 head set
  • my ipad (not pictured)
  • my phone (not pictured)
  • my reading, driving and sun glasses (not pictured)
  • my physical wallet (OK Boomer!) (not pictured)

View attachment 464831

I know for sure that I will use and appreciate every thing I have packed. As I have remarked before, hats off to those who manage to travel HLO. It's just not for me 🤣 .

This is the earliest I have ever been ready for a trip - it's 14 hrs until we leave the house and I am ready except for adding the last minute things like phone and specs tomorrow morning. I'm already liking how this feels.

Edit: To remove some details in photo
Click to expand...
All I can say @Seat0B I am impressed!!
You could turn this skill into a side hustle for AFFers 🤭
 
In the First Lounge in SYD with 30 mins until boarding.

Lucked into a spa massage appointment .IMG_6507.jpegIMG_6506.jpeg

Lunch was delicious. We grazed on the bao, salt and pepper squid and a middle eastern eggplant dish. Plus pavlova. I hear the calories get burnt off faster at altitude 😂.


IMG_6508.jpegIMG_6519.jpegIMG_6520.jpegIMG_6521.jpegIMG_9153.jpeg
Sorry about odd sizing on photos. Doing it on my phone with no skills!

We will board QF5 to PER in 30 mins. So far, it’s been excellent!
 
MrsK and I are on board and settling into our deck chairs to follow along. Take photos of your coughtails, so we can replicate them at home - well that's our excuse anyway.
As a fellow Ken-Behren, nothing says you're on holidays more, than when your flight itinerary is book ended by Dash 8s.
 
Seat0B said:
Not 100% sure but I think so. There is a LOT of complaining about it on NCL Facebook Group - where I got the idea for run and coke, hold the rum. I will report back when I know.
Click to expand...
If you re-read your original post on the rum and coke trick you will see that you have said "Rum and coke, hold the Coke".........and I thought you might have meant that you might be forced onto some hard liquor over the duration of this trip. 😂

Great trip plan and planning....enjoy it. I'm along for the ride.
 
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