The waves tapped the ship’s thighs with a rhythm that could qualify as a sleep therapy as we sailed slowly and silently. I was on a cruise to happiness with Ambassador Cruise Line along the Norwegian Fjords, a destination listed as a happy place. Norway is one of the happiest places in the world and I was eager to understand why.
Around 12,000 years ago, the ice retreated from Norway’s largest fjord, the Sognefjord. Today the ship sailed through a branch of this scenic wonder, along the majestic Aurlandsfjord. Tranquil and calm, bathed in the early morning light, the Ambience was treating me to a moving art gallery through dramatic untamed scenery.
Ambassador Cruise Line’s curated Itineraries offer a wide choice of cruise experiences. I was travelling on the 7-day “Taste of the Fjords” on its Ambience ship. The itinerary for the cruise to happiness with Ambassador Cruise Line included the Norwegian ports of Bergen, Flam and Stavanger after a visit to Rotterdam in the Netherlands.
Bergen
This is the second largest city in Norway. There were walking tours or a Segway tour to steer around the city, offered as destination experiences with Ambassador. The funicular fulfilled its promise for amazing views from Mount Floyen over the harbours and homes perched on the hillsides. Back at the quayside, I took a peek behind the wooden facades of the crooked wooden houses along alleyways. It was like travelling back in time to an authentic medieval atmosphere and not difficult to imagine barrels and loaded trollies being rolled down the alleyways with the smell of tar and odour of dried fish. The Bryggen & Hanseatic merchants first came here in the 14th century (after the Viking Age) and dominated the stock fish trade exchanging them with grain from Europe. The Bryggen Hanseatic wharf in Bergen was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 1979. Lining the passageways were jewellers, artists, textile and leather crafters’ shops. Strolling through the city, menu boards advertised fillets of reindeer with fries and quaint shops sold boxes of northern lights chocolates. Also, for sale were the lusekofte or Setesdal, traditional patterned Norwegian wool sweaters or Reindeer hides (1299 kr or £100), found in Nordic countries from the Sámi communities who have practised reindeer herding for centuries.
Flâm
Flâm (sounds like flom) is famous for the train and the small village on the quayside. The Flâm Railway is nestled in the innermost corner of the Aurlandsfjord and journeys up the steep climb between Flâm to the mountain station at Myrdal, enveloped in spectacular views. It took about one hour to cover the 20-km long track through tunnels, many of which were excavated by hand. Along the way I saw rivers cut through deep ravines, waterfalls cascading down while farmhouses clung to sheer slopes. I spotted cyclists, hikers and the old town centre with its central church dating back to 1667. And there were glampers and grazing goats. The mighty Kjosfossen waterfall with a vertical drop of 140m provides the energy to the power station that produces the electricity for the railway. It is also where the train stopped briefly to experience the mountain spirit under the its spray and the ancient lure from a woman in red, chanting on the rocks.
Stavanger
This is Norway’s energy capital, surrounded by mountains and fjords with a number of museums worth visiting such as the Norwegian Petroleum Museum which illuminated its oil history and submersibles. The cathedral dates back to the 12th century. For shopping I walked to Øvre Holmegate which is known for its colourful houses. Outside the city, there were strawberry fields and farmlands with monuments which included Swords in Rock and bunkers built by the Vikings. There was a helicopter tour over Pulpit Rock, one of Norway’s iconic viewpoints in the form of a rock plateau 604 meters above Lysefjord.
No-fly cruises offered by Ambassador Cruise Line appeal to the more mature traveller as well as to specific groups and solo travellers. The Ambience ship accommodates 1400 passengers. There was has a high percentage of single occupancy cabins with arranged onboard social events and well equipped to assist those with mobility challenges. I met family gatherings (cruises are mostly adult-only), sisters sharing time together and even girlfriends who had left their partners for a week of food, fun and dance.
Life Onboard
The Ambience offered a number of different accommodation grades, varying in size (average is 17-18 sq. metres) and deck locations. My comfortable veranda cabin provided ample hanging and drawer space with tea and coffee making facilities, flat screen TV and safe. It was a very friendly ship, not fancy or big but homely with an approachable and unpretentious service. The staff forever eager to please, the service level high – smiles all round!
British Flair
British culture floated between the decks and in the restaurants. Borough Market, the buffet restaurant, served dishes with an international flavour as well as a taste of home – think Sunday roasts, Ploughman’s, crumbles and custard, and of course, afternoon tea. For fine dining the Buckingham Restaurant, Dickens for coffee, the Purple Turtle Pub which played host to quizzes, bingo and trivia games and for a quiet corner, the wooden-panelled Brontë’s library. Other areas were reserved for those choosing to “knit and natter” or take classes in craft and dance or even to play carpet bowls. Providing a laid-back atmosphere was the atrium – Centre Court, to sit back and relax with new found friends. And as the day drifted into the evening, the Palladium Theatre Lounge shone the spotlight on high class West End style musicals, as well as plays and comedians while music set the ambiance in the various bar lounges, a violinist, pianist come singer and of course the late-night dancefloor on the top Observation deck, decorated all black, white and blingy.
Specialty Restaurants
Setting the mood, you could change the gastronomic ambiance with an extra supplementary cost. Saffron, (supplement of £19.95) offered quality handcrafted South Asian fusion cuisine to include Hariyali Jhinga & Fish Amritsari, Royal Indian Maharaja Thali and a Carrot Halwa Trifle. The Sea & Grass, (supplement of £29.95), included 7 artistically presented courses, while the Chef’s Table, (£89.00pp) was a very exclusive gastronomic experience led by the Executive Chef who shared his inspiration and choice of ingredients behind each course with wine pairing). Appreciatively and reassuringly, the chef invited guests to meet to discuss individual dietary needs during the cruise.
Wellness Onboard
A good choice of classic massages, Ayurvedic and Asian therapies, healing and facial treatments constituted the wellness offerings at The Green Sea Spa. Relaxation extended to the steam, sauna and heated beds in the thermal suite and the hair salon in readiness for the gala evenings. A well-equipped gym, an active studio and circuit around the deck added the fitness element with the benefit of the fresh sea air while soaking in the hot tubs and swimming pool.
Sustainability
Sustainability is a growing factor in cruise travel. Ambassador’s smaller, energy-efficient fleet are (IMO) Tier III compliant, putting them in the top 10%-15% of sustainable ships worldwide. As both ships, The Ambiance and The Ambition, meet the highest industry emission standards, they can access some of the world’s best-kept secrets in the most environmentally friendly (and affordable) way possible – such as the Norwegian Fjords.
Cruises are the growing sector in leisure travel: the Norwegian Fjords one of the top preferred itineraries. But why so popular, I asked fellow passengers during the cruise. No flights, convenient access from London Tilbury and a British ship which appreciated the cultural values of home were the main responses. For me, it was the promise of travelling to a designated happy destination where happiness is ingrained in the culture of Norway. And this was evident in its scenic vistas, nature’s natural beauty and warmth of the people. It was delivered courtesy of the ship beaming in the sunsets and the sheer nothingness on the horizon while that rhythmic tapping on the ship’s thighs induced pure relaxation in home comforts and service delivered with a smile.
About The Ambassador Cruise Line: The Ambience Ship
Ambassador Cruise Line provides authentic adult-only experiences combined with a selection of multi-generational itineraries to multiple destinations including the Nordics, Greenland, Iceland, Canada, the Mediterranean, Caribbean and Africa. The cruise line’s first ship, Ambience, entered the fleet in May 2022, operating from her home port of London Tilbury. From the 2023/24 season, guests have sailed onboard Ambience as well as Ambassador’s second ship, Ambition, whose maiden voyage in May 2023 heralded the launch of sailings from seven regional UK ports: London Tilbury, Newcastle, Dundee, Liverpool, Belfast, Bristol and Falmouth.
To book a cruise to happiness with Ambassador Cruise Line along the Norwegian Fjords, go to Ambassador Cruise Line or call 0808 1028701
For other wellness places to relax, rewind and re-energise, check here
