Cruising the Viking Homelands

Stepping onto the ninth floor of the Explorer’s Lounge with floor-to-ceiling windows, we sensed the ship’s calm energy amidst panoramic views of the sparkling Baltic Sea jutting up against Bergen, Norway’s rocky fjord. My son and traveling companion, Chadbourne, stretched out his long legs in the creamy leather chair by mine. Beads of moisture gathered on the exterior of our drinks while boats of all shapes and sizes crisscrossed the Bergen harbor in front of us. In the background, the Viking Venus resident musician, Alan, played his guitar and sang.

At 6’2” and a man who dresses with a casual artistic flair, Chadbourne stands out. In his 30’s, he was also the youngest guest. Alan asked, “Are you the star visiting musician for this voyage? I was intimidated playing for you this evening.” Chadbourne replied with a wide grin, “You can relax. I loved your music and am a guest.” Thus, our Viking Homelands cruise began amid the elegant, innovative, and understated Norwegian-style décor. As the ideal transport for immersing ourselves in the Scandinavian culture, our vessel was built for discovery both on and off the ship.  

The Kitchen Table

Savoring the cuisine of the locales is always high on my travel list, so we signed up for The Kitchen Table tour, an interactive culinary journey with the masters. The morning we docked in Stavanger, long considered the food basket of Norway, we walked into town chatting with the Executive Chef, Gary. Along the way, we gleaned tips as he handpicked locally sourced ingredients for our dinner later that evening. On a mission, Gary inquired about cloudberries at every stop for use in his dessert trio. When each shop owner shook their head, we continued down the cobblestone streets. Alas, when we reached Chili Chocolate, they did not have cloudberries either. However, to sweeten our journey, they offered homemade dark chocolates filled with brunost, a Norwegian brown cheese that tasted like caramel and registered soft, sweet, and sharp all at once. Gary purchased an assortment of these chocolates for Sweet Treats, a dessert following his dessert course. Traipsing down the street again, we ducked into yet another market. In the far back corner, he finally found the elusive, amber-colored fruit, similar to a blackberry in shape. Cloudberries will never flood the market, no matter how much they are loved, because a single female plant can take up to seven years to mature and produce fruit. Nevertheless, Gary beamed triumphantly. His dinner plans were coming together.

That night, we sat down to our first course called Amuse Bouche, which means “it amuses the mouth.” These hors d’oeuvres are provided at the chef’s discretion. Our eyes flew wide open, at the bountiful spread of the freshest lobster, shrimp, mussels, and crab legs from the sea. For some turf with the surf, we sampled delectable regional reindeer and moose. After we dipped a spoon into our Appetizer, Fiskesuppe made from Norwegian cod, our small group of 11 felt as if we were at Mom’s kitchen table. We learned about each other as we went around the room asking questions like, “Fun fact about yourself, a most interesting place visited, where would you like to travel next”?  Each person had the floor when they answered. By the time we cleansed our palates with red beet Granita spiked by local gin, we knew quite a bit about each other. And we had not even sliced into our Main Course of reindeer 

medallion. What an entertaining collection of personalities! 

Additional connections with our table mates popped up regularly throughout the rest of the cruise. By the next day at breakfast, while dining on smoked salmon eggs benedict, we waved to some of our new friends as they passed by on their morning walk around the deck.

Nordic Spa Ritual

At the beginning of the cruise, we checked into our stateroom at the same moment as our neighbors. My son glanced over and said hi, and I heard their names were Dave and Kim. Then we went on our merry way. Unexpectedly, our paths crossed the next night over a wine-pairing dinner. During that feast, we also discovered each of us signed up for the Nordic Spa Ritual. We have saunas back home and were intrigued to learn the Nordic spa secrets. Interestingly, Viking gathered ideas from the top Norwegian and Swedish spa experts to create The Spa, and general use is available to all guests at no charge. 

Our private session in this peaceful sanctuary began by stretching out on the spa lounges wrapped in fluffy white robes. Our instructor, Sonja, eased us into the ritual, saying, “Listen to the serene spa music, breathe slowly, and now relax each part of your body.” She handed each of us a dry body brush. I warmed up my skin by using the brush. Beginning with my feet and then hands, I brushed with long strokes toward my heart. Next, I applied aromatic body scrub on my arms and legs and headed into the sauna so the oils would melt into my skin. Sitting on the warm tile bench, I closed my eyes and felt the steam swirling gently around me as my body heated up. Before my body got too hot, Sonja instructed me to proceed to the bucket shower. Taking a deep breath, I pulled the chain. Water splashed from head to toe as my senses came to my attention.

Repeating the hot/cold sequence, I entered the warm sauna again. Pulling a dripping birch branch out of a bucket of water, I switched my arms, legs, and back, to increase blood circulation in my skin. Then picked off all the leaves stuck to my body. Cooling down followed. “Don’t think about it,” Sonja said as I gingerly stepped into the Snow Grotto and breathed refreshing cold air deep into my lungs. Making a snowball, I rubbed it on my feet aching from all the miles I had walked that day. Such relief!

To conclude the ritual, Sonja invited us to recline on our lounges again. She laid a hot washrag on our eyes and faces, smelling faintly of lavender. With my skin softened, I applied hydrating face masque cream and left it on all night. Using massage therapy techniques, Sonja gave each of us a 10-minute scalp massage. A true luxury. By now, each of us radiated with that “spa glow”.

Enjoying the health benefits of alternating saunas and cold dips runs deep in the Nordic bathing culture. I found it detoxed my body, boosted circulation and my immune system, rested my mind, and nourished my body and spirit. I plan to continue this ritual in my life back home.

Sail the Aland Archipelago

My son loves sailing. There was a tour option to sail among the Aland Islands in a wooden two-masted schooner that looked like a pirate ship. But unfortunately, this tour booked out quickly. Thankfully, Viking put us on a waiting list. We waited in anticipation and were thrilled when two spots opened up the day before this adventure began. Donning sunglasses, we climbed aboard our vessel, called the Albanus. We learned that Aland galeas were used by sea-going farmers a few centuries ago to carry firewood, farm products, and fish to ports in the Baltic Sea like Stockholm and Helsinki. This replica, by a master shipwright and farmer, was built out of Aland pine according to original plans from the mid-1800s. Captain Bjork introduced himself along with his crew of three and welcomed us to his day trip, which accommodates up to 40 people. Besides day excursions, he said they also offer overnight outings. Curious, we checked below the deck and found one big room with 20 bunks end-to-end around the perimeter for all-night stays and a modest kitchen.  Back up top, Chadbourne worked with the crew to tack this intriguing sailboat as we meandered along parts of the archipelago containing 6,700 islands halfway between Finland and Sweden. 

The modest kitchen below did not impede the fare they offered us. The light meal was served in the middle of the deck. I spread freshly churned butter from a nearby farm on my rye bread. Glancing toward the stern, I was surprised to spot Dave and Kim, our stateroom neighbors. Setting the slice down on my plate of salmon, potato salad, and cheese, we raised our glasses of white wine and toasted each other. Cheers!

Munch Moments

At 6:00 pm before dinner, “Munch Moments” brought the magic of a master expressionist and Norway’s most famous painter, Edvard Munch, on board. I previously read that the long sofa behind the baby grand piano was Torstein Hagen, owner of Viking Cruises, favorite seat in the house. Settling into The Living Room, I had to sit on the same sofa, with the finest view, near Viking’s Resident Pianist, Sergey. He played beautiful traditional Norwegian music while Munch’s scenes and landscapes graced the substantial video wall in the Atrium. Viking has an exclusive relationship with Oslo’s Munch Museum and was granted the digital rights to Edvard Munch’s entire art collection. 

Scattered throughout the Atrium were booklets on Munch’s creations. Each time a new painting replaced the previous one, I flipped through the pages until I found the one currently portrayed. Fascinating insights jumped off the page about the life of Edvard. For instance, in the Chestnut Trees (oil on canvas) section, there was a quote by Edvard Munch, “I am comfortable in Bad Kosen, where I take baths and live by rules that hopefully will cure me of evil nervous illness.” After a closer look at the picture that illustrated his therapeutic stay, I read, “Chestnut Trees (1906) depicts the idyllic and lush park around the spa hotel, with the fountain and a sculpture. A large chestnut branch with flaky leaves and bright white flowers enters the frame. The crowns of the chestnut trees cast their shadows on the well-groomed lawn. It seems that Munch found peace in this fragrant oasis.” For our peaceful interlude, we often stopped by for “Munch Moments” on our way to dinner.

Star Theatre

After dinner, we kicked off each evening at the main event in the Star Theatre. Viking promised we would explore the world in comfort, so they banished uncomfortable theater seating. We sank into the soft sofas just as The Songs of the Sixties was about to begin. The legacy of the 1960s’s biggest hits performed by the Viking Vocalists and the Viking Band, Horizon, was stunning. I grew up in the 60’s, so the songs brought back numerous memories. Classics like “The Twist” by Chubby Checkers made me want to jump up and dance. Both of us tapped our feet to the tunes. I glanced over at my son, and to my astonishment, he was enjoying the show as much as me!  

The Star Theatre and lounges worked well as gathering places where Viking catered to their thinking clientele through the onboard enrichment program. World-class guest lecturers brought on the ship complemented our onshore experiences. One of the resident historians taught us about the native salmon of Norway, a delicacy we relished. Daily Port Talks prepared us for the culture and must-see landmarks at the upcoming port. Since we enjoy using Google Maps, we entered these sites of interest. Armed with valuable information, we set out on our adventures. 

Connections

Previously, I sailed on Viking River Cruises, which accommodated around 100 guests, and had a grand experience. This voyage was my first Viking Ocean Cruise, and I did not know what to expect with about 900 passengers onboard. What a surprise to discover how light-filled and expansive the public areas felt. Viking employed brilliant talent to achieve spacious yet intimate spaces of understated elegance and Scandinavian design throughout the ocean-going vessel. The layout facilitated meeting people in small group settings. Sometimes, we even enjoyed moments alone in spaces for two. 

In the process of meeting fellow guests, we also became acquainted with the crew. For instance, Antara from Bali, who served as a waiter, won us over instantly. His heartwarming, smiling personality charmed us every time our paths crossed. He shared, “I have a 5-year-old girl and a 3-year-old boy. My wife and I own a farm where we cultivate rice and corn and allow neighbors to plant gardens on some of our acreage. My hobby is growing coffee. I’ll invest the money I earn in equipment needed for my ancestral farm.” As an observant, conscientious, and hardworking man, I have no doubt Antara will realize his dreams.

Connections became the theme of our trip. After we met Alan, the guitar artist, on our first day, we checked the Viking Daily and sought him out. Munch Moments with Sergey became a daily tradition. We ran into our friends from the Kitchen Table at the Star Theatre. And our stateroom neighbors kept delightfully popping up unexpectedly during tours and on the ship. Toward the end of the cruise, all staff assembled on the Star Theatre stage. Astonished, we recognized many of the faces. It dawned on us that many individuals we met during our cruise played a vital role in our experiences and adventures. 

“Arise and live, to travel is to live.” by Hans Christian Anderson

Pamela Lovegren’s expertise flows from building her successful business to guiding small and mid-size companies. Her experiences range from resort management, leadership conferences, property management, and business consulting to extensive traveling and travel editor of Well-Traveled Pen. Pamela enjoys celebrating and encouraging women of 50+ who desire to live life with spirit and passion each day.