Leg 16 (Europe) – Copenhagen to Amsterdam Notes

105 Comments / Trip Notes / By Brian Smith

Copenhagen to Amsterdam Travel Notes

AUGUST 10, 2024 – COPENHAGEN, DENMARK (Day 244)

Copenhagen, Denmark, is one of those cities that seems straight out of a European daydream—filled with castles, canals, and more surprises than you’d expect. Our day exploring this place was packed from start to finish. We kicked things off with the Hop-On Hop-Off bus, which we have done before and when we like to get an overall “feel” for a port. Cruising through the streets, we took in all the colorful old buildings and cozy-looking shops that make Copenhagen so unique. Sitting up top on the open bus gave us the best views and a fun breeze to go with it.

We thought a canal tour was a must, and we weren’t disappointed. Gliding along the narrow waterways surrounded by centuries-old architecture made the city feel alive in a different way. You get to pass under old bridges and spot tucked-away corners that you’d miss from the street. Plus, the fresh air and gentle rocking of the boat made for the perfect break from walking.

When lunchtime rolled around, we stopped at a café called Barack. This spot had a chill vibe overlooking the canal, and we ended up sitting at a table next to world cruisers, John and Laura Durland. They’re Pinnacle members, which is pretty much cruise-speak for “they’ve been on more trips than you can count.” We chatted over our food, swapping stories and laughs about our travel experiences.

After lunch, we set out for the Marble Church, because it seems we have to have at least one church every port. We couldn’t go inside because a wedding was happening, but even from the outside, it was seriously impressive. Right across was Amalienborg Palace, home to the Danish royal family. The guards stationed there wore these giant, fuzzy hats that were almost cartoonish in size.

We wandered over to Rosenborg Castle and its King’s Garden. This place felt like walking into a fairytale, complete with manicured gardens and an actual castle standing proud in the center. You half expect to see a royal procession come out at any moment. We watched a film presentation on the history of the family and grounds.

Then things got hectic. We tried to catch the right hop-on-hop-off bus back to the port but got on the wrong one. Time was not on our side, so we scrambled and tried to catch a train with about 10 other world cruisers. When we realized we wouldn’t make the first train and would be cutting things too close with our second option, we decided to break up into smaller groups and grab taxi’s. Gwen and I ended up sharing a taxi with two Chinese tourists who were so grateful that we had some experienced travelers in the group. Not the best way to end the day but memorable. On the ride back, we passed the city’s coolest hidden gem: a ski slope on top of a power plant. Yep, you read that right. This place, called CopenHill, is not just a ski slope but also a plant that burns trash to create energy. Leave it to Copenhagen to combine winter sports and eco-friendly innovation.

We capped off the day with a well-earned dinner and then went to see a performance by John Courtenay, the winner of Britain’s Got Talent in 2020. He was sharp, funny, and had everyone laughing from start to finish. We were so glad that our day ended with laughs rather than tears. You always hate to be one of the last back to the ship. I don’t think they gave us near enough time for this port as we weren’t the only taxi’s arriving later than usual. But all’s well that ends well, I guess.

AUGUST 11, 2024 – AARHUS, DENMARK (Day 245)

Our day started with a walk through this charming Danish town, setting the stage for an experience that felt like stepping straight into a history book. Our first stop was a local Danish bakery, where I like to start my day, if given the chance. All four of us enjoyed pastries with mine seemingly a mix between a cinnamon roll and a croissant—flaky, sweet, and perfect for fueling the day ahead. A good cup of coffee to wash it down and we were ready for the day.

The main highlight was the museum we visited, a place designed to take you back in time. It was divided into four different time periods: 1864, 1927, 1974, and 2014. What made it unique was that each section of this outdoor “museum” had streets and buildings that made you feel like you had been transported through time. Walking through them felt like exploring real-life time capsules, apartments and stores with details so perfect you’d think the people had just stepped out for a moment. The amount of detail was amazing. Even cooler, there were street actors dressed in period clothing, chatting and playing roles as if they were living in that era. In our continuous quest for postcards we found an old post office where an old postmaster hand stamped our purchases for the grandkids. It was definitely our most memorable postcard mailing experience and was as much fun for us as it will be for the grandkids.

After a full day of wandering through history and admiring the artifacts, we walked back through town. The streets were so cozy and inviting that we wished we had more time to explore. It was a day packed with learning, exploring, and marveling at the past.

Once we were back on the ship, it was time for a formal night, complete with a lobster dinner—always a big hit for us. The evening wrapped up with a game show called “You Confident?” hosted by Joff Eaton, our Cruise Director. Our team was made up of Doug, Margaret, Steve, Debbie, Gwen, me, and Sheenaugh’s mom, Joan. Although we only scored seven points and didn’t come close to winning, the laughter and good times made it a blast.

AUGUST 12, 2024 – OSLO, NORWAY (Day 246)

Today, my hip was giving me some trouble, so I had to skip the walking tour the rest of the group had planned. Doug, Margaret, and Gwen set off without me to explore the town. They started in the Aker Brygge area, known for its lovely cafes and shopping spots. From there, they made their way to City Hall, where the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded each year, and also saw the Nobel Peace Prize Center nearby.

They went on to tour the Akershus Fortress, a historic fortress with views over the city, and then visited the Oslo Opera House, where you can walk on the sloping roof for an incredible view. Their next stop was a large square that features Oslo’s central train station and a nearby mall. They walked down Carl Johans Gate, a bustling pedestrian street lined with shops, and stopped at Peppe’s Pizza for a break. Afterward, they passed by the Parliament building, the theater, and saw the Royal Palace from a distance, although they decided not to tour it this time.

I decided to make my way off ship since Aker Brygge was fairly close to the dock. I enjoyed some lunch and did a bit of people watching. This was a convenient place to meet up with the others. We walked along looking at the sights on our way back to the ship. Gwen was understandably tired from all the walking, but she still went to the “Nordic Whirlwind” folkloric show in the evening. The show featured traditional Scandinavian dance, song, and music, which was unique and interesting to watch.

We had dinner together in the Windjammer and enjoyed the ship’s sail-away with some upbeat classical music playing in the background. It was a lovely way to wrap up the day. After retiring for the evening we had a rude awakening after midnight by Doug, who let us know the Northern Lights were visible in the sky. Gwen initially felt too tired to go out again, but after a second call an hour later, she grabbed her phone and went to see them. Unfortunately, she had missed some of the best moments combined with having trouble with phone settings and no glasses, so capturing the Northern Lights on camera didn’t quite go as planned. Still, it was a memorable evening!

AUGUST 13, 2024 – KRISTIANSAND, NORWAY (Day 247)

When we arrived, one of the first places we visited was an art museum that we could see from the ship called Kunstsilo. This museum is in an old grain silo building that has been turned into a modern art space. Inside the converted grain silos, we saw Norwegian artwork that dated from 1910 to 1990. Nicolai Tangen, an artist, donated not only most of his artwork, but also the most comprehensive private collection of Nordic art.

It was such a cool place to explore because the building itself was part of the experience—blending old industrial design with the new, immersive art installations. It definitely has some interesting exhibits, one of which took a series of an artist paintings of locals enjoying a traveling carnival. AI was used to bring the paintings to life inside a large room where you were able to see 4 scenes on 4 walls mesh together as if you yourself were at the fair. The artist had some similarities to Van Gogh’s Starry Night. You found yourself inside of the art giving me flashbacks to the Mary Poppins scene of jumping into the sidewalk chalk art.

After visiting Kunstsilo, we walked through Posebyen, Kristiansand’s oldest neighborhood. Posebyen has charming old wooden houses, which look like they belong in a storybook, with colorful exteriors and narrow streets. This area survived a huge fire in the 19th century, so it still has some of the oldest buildings in the city.

After heading back to the ship for lunch, Gwen, wanted to go back for more pictures. I am glad there are places that we both feel she is very safe and can follow whatever catches her eyes. She had fun watching people build sandcastles by the fountains in a nearby park. She even wandered over to Kristiansand Cathedral, a beautiful, tall church with stained glass windows. Nearby, there’s an old fortress dating back to the 1600s. Standing by the fortress and looking out over the river, you can imagine what it must have been like when Norway had to defend itself from invaders.

Later in the evening, Gwen went to see Toni Warne, a female vocalist from The Voice UK, who had an incredibly powerful voice. We followed up the show with dinner with our favorite tablemates of our Ultimate World Cruise (Jim, Michelle, Steve, and Debbie)

AUGUST 14, 2024 – HAUGESUND, NORWAY (Day 248)

The day greeted us with clouds and rain, dampening everyone’s enthusiasm for venturing out. Most of us decided to stay warm and dry on the ship, but Gwen, ever the adventurer, wasn’t about to let a little drizzle stop her. She took off on her own, exploring Risøya Island and its surroundings.

Gwen’s Tour:

My journey began with a charming little train tour that wound its way through Risøya and onto Håvstadøy Island, where the herring fishing industry once thrived. This area was once bustling with trade. One stop was the Harald Hårfagre memorial monument, dedicated to Harald Fairhair, the Viking king who united Norway into one kingdom in 872. Standing there, I felt a sense of awe, thinking about the centuries of history tied to this spot.

The tour continued into town, where I got to see the distinctive pink City Hall and visited the Church of Our Savior. The church, like most we visit, was very serene, so I took some time to just enjoy the quiet to meditate and pray. After leaving the church, I set out on a usual mission to find some postcards for my grandchildren.

Walking further, I came across the statue of Harald Fairhair, standing proudly as a reminder of Norway’s Viking heritage. Nearby, I went to see the unique houses in the Jugendstil (Art Nouveau) style, their corners adorned with dragon carvings and their roofs covered in scalloped shingles. These architectural details gave the town a fairy-tale charm, despite the gray skies overhead.

Back on the ship, Gwen joined the rest of us, and we spent the afternoon working on photos from our travels. Dinner at the Windjammer had a festive Mexican theme, a nice way to warm up after a chilly day. The evening wrapped up with a spirited game of Euchre. The matches were close, but in the end, the guys edged out two wins out of three.

Today was a perfect example of how this is a lifestyle and not your typical vacation. Not all of us feel the need to get off at every stop. And the great thing was that everybody did what they wanted to do, whether touring, playing ukulele, or washing clothes, we continue on living a very unique lifestyle for the moment.

AUGUST 15, 2024 – OLDEN, NORWAY (Day 249)

The day began early in Olden, with Gwen rising at 6:00 AM to catch the scenery on our four-hour sail through the fjords. I joined her not long after, and we were greeted by a breathtaking landscape. The fjord was dream-like, with the fog weaving in and out between the towering cliffs and lush green slopes. It felt like stepping into a painting, with an even more amazing scene around every bend.

Later in the morning, the four of us decided to take the Loen Skylift, a five-minute cable car ride that whisked us over 1,000 meters above sea level. The views from the top were worth the effort to reach the peak. Snow-dusted glaciers glinted on the mountain peaks, and the crisp air added to the awe of the moment. We warmed up with hot drinks soaking in the panoramic scenery before heading back down to the dockside shops near the ship.

After lunch, Gwen wasn’t done exploring and wanted to take a walk. With my hip hurting, I passed on the idea, but Doug and Margaret decided to join her for a stroll into the town of Olden. Margaret had been here before and there was a particular spot that she wanted to recreate a photo she’d once taken. Gwen was on a mission to get a similar shot, and the walk didn’t disappoint. Along the way, they discovered two charming old churches, with a river rushing alongside them. Though the drizzle persisted, it didn’t dampen their spirits, and they had an enjoyable visit to this storybook small town.

Back on the ship, Gwen and I decided to catch a movie: Daddy’s Home 2. It was a laugh-out-loud Christmas comedy, and we couldn’t help but enjoy its ridiculous, chaotic energy. Afterward, we returned to the deck just in time for the sail-away festivities.

As we pulled away from the dock, locals gathered to bid us farewell, waving Norwegian flags while the speakers played “I’m Sailing Away” and another heartwarming goodbye tune we hadn’t heard before. It was a touching gesture, seeing their enthusiasm as they waved us off with such sincerity. The moment became even more whimsical when we noticed a family on a hillside waving oversized hand-shaped paddles from their deck. It made us smile and reminded us of the charm and warmth of the people we’d met during our journey.

We stayed on deck for a while, marveling at the serene beauty of the fjord as we glided through it. Eventually, we made our way to dinner before finishing the day with a lively game of Swoop alongside the Rogers and our new friends, Steve and Debbie. It was another day of stunning views, memorable experiences, and the kind of laughter that reminds you, it’s good to travel with friends, old and new.

AUGUST 16, 2024 – ALESUND, NORWAY (Day 250)

We decided to hop on a small train tour through the city, primarily motivated by the promise of reaching the Fjellstua Viewpoint without climbing the 418 stairs. While the steps seemed like a tempting challenge for some, we weren’t feeling up to it. The train ride turned out to be more than just a shortcut—it was a wonderful way to learn about the city, especially the devastating fire of 1904 that shaped its history.

When we arrived at the viewpoint, the panorama was stunning. The ocean wrapped around the horizon with a shimmering embrace, and the city below looked like something out of a postcard. It was well worth the journey. Once the train tour ended, we took to wandering the city streets, bumping into several familiar faces from the cruise.

The charm of exploring on foot was cut short, however, when dark clouds rolled in and the rain began to fall. We made our way back to the ship just in time, where we joined Doug, Margaret, and Denise, a lovely woman from Portugal, for lunch. As we enjoyed our meal, the skies began to clear, and Gwen, camera in hand, decided to venture back out for more exploring.

She returned with stories of her discoveries—an elegant stop at Ålesund Church, a visit past the lighthouse, and glimpses of a local festival. The festival sounded magical, with children performing violin pieces and even a fashion show adding to the lively atmosphere. It seemed as though every corner of the town held something unexpected and delightful.

Meanwhile, I stayed onboard, tackling some laundry—a less glamorous but necessary part of cruise life. We reunited for dinner, where we decided to try something adventurous: reindeer meat. It was a special feature on the menu, honoring our Norwegian port of call, and it did not disappoint.

After dinner, we settled in for another round of Swoop with Doug, Margaret, and our friends. This time, we experimented with playing boys versus girls, but it didn’t work quite as well as it changed the dynamics of the game. Still, the girls managed to claim victory, which, of course, they relished.

To end the day, we headed to the pub to listen to Daniel’s music and enjoy some lively conversation. The warmth of good company and the soothing sounds of the pub were the perfect way to wind down after another day filled with discovery and laughter.

AUGUST 17, 2024 – DAY AT SEA (Day 251)

Our itinerary took an unexpected turn today as the captain announced we’d be skipping Bergen and heading straight to Amsterdam. The reason? Protesters at the locks have been blocking some ships from entering the port, including the Jewel of the Seas, another Royal Caribbean ship. Since Amsterdam is a critical turnaround port for us, the captain made the proactive decision to ensure we have enough time to resolve any potential issues and still dock. The silver lining is that we now have the opportunity for two full days of exploration in Amsterdam—assuming all goes smoothly.

The morning started on a celebratory note as we attended a Crown and Anchor event. Doug and Margaret were officially recognized and received their Pinnacle pins—a difficult milestone to reach and one they’ve been looking forward to. It requires 600 cruise points (1 pt. for every night on a ship , 2 pts. if you book a suite) and is the top level in Royal’s loyalty program. Our friend Susan, part of the John and Susan duo we’ve traveled with before in Japan, was also honored as the third highest cruiser onboard based on points. We have Crown and Anchor events on every cruise leg, with this gathering obviously being larger than most cruises. Most of us are Diamond Plus now with this long voyage. Gwen and I will fall just short of Pinnacle at the end of this cruise, but hope to attain it soon. It just means more perks and access to private lounges on some ships.

After the event, I headed to choir practice while Gwen took some time to relax. The afternoon was spent productively as we dove into research on Amsterdam. We wanted to make the most of our bonus time in the city, so we planned potential activities and sights to visit. We also took some time to work on photos, another relaxing yet rewarding task.

Dinner was lively tonight, with everyone showing up for great food and even better conversation. It’s always a highlight of the day to catch up with friends and share stories from the trip. We are really enjoying this table group and the life stories we get to hear every night.

Post-dinner, we tried our luck in the casino for a bit before heading up to deck 6 to watch the 80s party from above. The music and energy were infectious, and it was fun to watch everyone dancing and enjoying themselves. We called it a night after that, heading to bed excited for what the next few days in Amsterdam might bring.

AUGUST 18, 2024 – DAY AT SEA/AMSTERDAM GATES (Day 252)

Today was a bit of a waiting game as our arrival in Amsterdam faced delays due to protesters blocking the locks. Originally, we were scheduled to enter between 10:00 AM and noon, but the situation pushed us back significantly. The protesters, part of the Extinction Rebellion group, had chained themselves to the gates and painted slogans and messages directed at the cruise ships. While authorities worked to resolve the situation, our ship returned to sea to wait it out.

The afternoon ended up being mostly downtime, which we used to relax. Once local authorities cleared the area, we made our way back toward the gates. Cleanup crews were already power-washing the painted messages off the fences by the time we arrived. From the 12th deck, we watched the sail-in, taking in the sights and discussing the day’s events.

While we were up there, we ran into Phea Stark, a familiar face. Phea and her husband, John, had been our next-door neighbors earlier in the cruise. They moved cabins when an opportunity came up because, as light sleepers, they couldn’t tolerate the nightly scraping noises from above as overnight crews cleaned the grill area on the 11th floor. It was great catching up with her and hearing how they’ve been enjoying the rest of the trip.

After a long wait, we finally docked between 8:30 and 9:00 PM. Many passengers were eager to explore Amsterdam’s nightlife, but we decided to stay on board. It was Steve and Debbie’s last night with us, so we spent the evening together. After dinner, we headed to the pub to listen to Daniel perform. It was a bittersweet night, filled with music, laughter, and fond farewells as we cherished the last moments with our new friends.

AUGUST 19, 2024 – AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS (Day 253)

Our 16th of 17 legs completed. See Leg 17 (Our Final Leg!) Notes for comments! Turnaround Day

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Brian K and Gwenda G Smith

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