Solo from Southampton- June 19

[mitch84]

Well, it’s been some years since I have written a trippy, and as such I thought I might give this a go.

Some background, I recently got married (March this year) but my husband unfortunately is self employed, and tries to take only 3 days leave a year outside of Christmas and other bank holidays. We also have horses, and a puppy, so it’s expensive and tricky having no one at home.

I’m on a fixed term contract with work, which is finishing at the end of July, and so I was trying to take very minimal AL (to the point of only taking 2 days for the wedding) to get paid out for it in case I didn’t find another job straight away. However it has got very quiet at work, so they have asked me to take a week off in June or July.

I came home on Thursday fairly miffed, as I hate wasting leave, but my husband suggested I find a cheap week somewhere as he knows I love to travel, and he really isn’t bothered.

I have done a fair bit of solo travelling, and by far my favourite experience has always been cruising. I have cruised with Thomson twice, and NCL once, and whilst I loved both NCL was a world apart.

One of my bucket list items is a Fjords cruise, which had benefit because it could be done from this country, so would save on flights and possibly hotels the night before.

I had a bit of a google, there was no NCL short fjords cruises this year so I went straight onto Thomson/Marella. They had a 6 night (3 port) AI cruise leaving Newcastle 7th July which was well priced, and so I nearly booked that.

I do like a drink, so do prefer AI or a drinks package, so I can have what I fancy, rather than worrying about my bill at the end.

I did have a look through other cruise lines. And ended up looking at P&O. I know they have a drinks package at £39.95 a day. To be honest I won’t drink more than this, I know that, but it will be nice to work my way through the cocktails and wine list, rather than sticking to house wine.

I found a 7 night (4 port) from Southampton on the 1st June. It was coming in at £878 (without the drinks package) so slightly more than the Marella option, but it did work out that for another £100 I could have an extra day away and another port.

My husband told me not to ‘rock the boat for a ha’porth of tar’ and to book the P&O, especially as I had never cruised P&O before and could be a more premium product.

So I’m booked on the Azura in an inside cabin. 1st June which is under 4 weeks away, I’m planning on keeping spending money down, and wandering around rather than lots of shore excursions.

So your cast of one is

Me- Mitch - 34

Loves dogs (especially black labradors), horses, wine and cheese and good food in general, I love walking and so will walk anywhere I can rather than get a bus etc.

This is a photo from my last cruise, rather cold in St Petersburg

Edit at 1 week to go

I have sorted my parking due to a very very kind Dibber.

I also managed to get Flam railway tickets after Melanie told me to keep checking.

My cabin was allocated, no upgrade for me, but it's an inside cabin nearer the back of the ship on Deck E which is quite a central deck I believe. I'm happy as I'd rather be at the back of the ship than the front, I'm also near a lift but will be trying to use the stairs as much as possible.

I've bought a few holiday bits from Primark and toiletries from Boots.

I'm definitely doing the drinks package as I know I'll cover the cost both in wine and cocktails but bottles of water, coffee etc too.

I have a budget of £50 for 'select' dining. I'm definitely doing Sindhu the Indian for £20, but contemplating the £28 Epicurean too, I'm hoping for a embarkation day deal on one of these, as then I should have enough pennies for the £7.50 Beach house. If I scrapped the Epicurean I could probably do Sindhu Dinner, Sindhu lunch, Glass House and Beach house which may be better value. Decisions Decisions.

I also have an in port budget of £50 per port. I have used £52 for the Flam railway which was my big ticket thing. In Stavanger I'm going to go to the Canning museum or the petrol museum, in Bergen hopefully up the funicular and walk down, and in Alesund I might do the HOHO bus as if its a nice day I could maybe fit in the open air museum and the aquarium.

I know it sounds very penny pinching, but I'm going away without my husband, and solo cruising isn't the cheapest in the world.

8 sleeps - very excited..

[mitch84]

I already have travel insurance with cruise cover thankfully as we are going to Venice on an NCL cruise for our honeymoon in October, my husbands first cruise.
I now just need to work out how to get to Southampton, I looked at trains because i’m from the North West, so about a 3.5 hour drive, but it isn’t direct, and isn’t cheap a month out. I also quickly discounted National express at over 9 hours.
I am going to quickly phone cruise connect tomorrow morning, just to see what the specified cruise coaches are looking like, but I think I will possibly be looking at parking near the port and getting a bus transfer.

[mitch84]

I’m not planning on booking shore excursions. The only specific thing I was really keen to do was the Flam railway, but it is booked up direct already. I think I will just get off the ship as early as possible, and see if I can’t get a spot.

I will probably do the Funicular in Bergen and walk back down, and then just walk around Stavanger and Alesund. I do like a museum so maybe head there

[Melanie R]

Originally Posted by mitch84

I’m not planning on booking shore excursions. The only specific thing I was really keen to do was the Flam railway, but it is booked up direct already. I think I will just get off the ship as early as possible, and see if I can’t get a spot.

I will probably do the Funicular in Bergen and walk back down, and then just walk around Stavanger and Alesund. I do like a museum so maybe head there

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We just kept trying online and managed to get tickets the day before - and there were 8 of us! We were chatting with a few who were literally straight off the ship as we docked and they all managed to get tickets - hope you manage to as I love the journey

[mitch84]

Originally Posted by Melanie R

We just kept trying online and managed to get tickets the day before - and there were 8 of us! We were chatting with a few who were literally straight off the ship as we docked and they all managed to get tickets - hope you manage to as I love the journey

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I’ve read that a lot so I am hopeful. Obviously just me so hopefully they can slot me on.
There was availability for 8am but I just don’t know how early we will be docking so didn’t want to risk it as it is £50 or so
I am dead keen so i’ll be up and off

[mitch84]

Originally Posted by Melanie R

We just kept trying online and managed to get tickets the day before - and there were 8 of us! We were chatting with a few who were literally straight off the ship as we docked and they all managed to get tickets - hope you manage to as I love the journey

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Good news, because of your message, I kept trying, and I had success... So thankyou.
There were 2 better times available, one was 9am ish, but I went for 1.35pm, getting back to Flam 3.40pm. The cruise itinerary says arrive early morning, leave early evening, so I'm hopeful of it being ok time wise.
Fingers crossed xx

It cost 590nok which says its £51.92 but we'll see when it clears my account. Its the only thing I'm booking in advance, everything else will be nice and cheap hopefully, as I've only allowed myself £200 port money, of which over a quarter has just gone

[Omega1]

We visit Stavanger in June and even though we’ve been before we had planned to just wander around but then I noticed that this place is a short bus ride away.

It’s called Sverd i Fjell, the site of an ancient battle. It’s on the no 16 bus route (Nkr 37 each way) and takes about 15 minutes to get there. Outbound buses depart 12 and 42 mins past the hour and return at 08 and 38 mins past the hour. We’re going to give it a go.
kolumbus.no/en/

[mitch84]

Originally Posted by Omega1

We visit Stavanger in June and even though we’ve been before we had planned to just wander around but then I noticed that this place is a short bus ride away.

It’s called Sverd i Fjell, the site of an ancient battle. It’s on the no 16 bus route (Nkr 37 each way) and takes about 15 minutes to get there. Outbound buses depart 12 and 42 mins past the hour and return at 08 and 38 mins past the hour. We’re going to give it a go.
kolumbus.no/en/

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That's very interesting thankyou, I might see what the weather is looking like.

I was thinking

Flam - Railway £52
Bergen - Funicular up, walk down £6
Stavanger - Maybe the canning museum or the oil museum, or both. £20 for both say, possibly your battle site if sunny and just one museum
Alesund - Hop on hop off bus with trips to the aquarium, and the open air museum. £57

This comes to about £135 so left over pennies for coffee, snacks and souvenirs.

I'm planning on filling both my water bottle and my coffee flask on the on the way out at port, and having a good breakfast, and packing some snacks, we'll see how it goes

[Omega1]

Originally Posted by mitch84

There were 2 better times available, one was 9am ish, but I went for 1.35pm, getting back to Flam 3.40pm. The cruise itinerary says arrive early morning, leave early evening, so I'm hopeful of it being ok time wise.
Fingers crossed

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The port of Flam has your ship arriving at 08.45 and departing 17.30.

[mitch84]

Originally Posted by Omega1

The port of Flam has your ship arriving at 08.45 and departing 17.30.

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Thanks so much That's ideal then