This morning I had the opportunity to check in with this year’s Norwegian Experience winner, Bruce Johnson. Bruce and his wife, Mary, are currently traversing the North Sea on the MS Balmoral, setting out from Invergordon, Scotland to Stavanger, Norway. As we spoke, Bruce described the coastal views from his patio as the ship traveled through the channel to open waters. How cool is that?
We’re catching up with Bruce and Mary a bit later on their journey. They departed last week and spent a bit of time in London prior to the start of their Fred Olsen cruise that began on Saturday. During their time in London they were able to visit Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey and of course, the Tower of London.
Upon beginning their cruise in Dover, the Johnson’s say they were warmly welcomed by the ship’s crew and arrived at their cabin to find a fruit basket, flowers and chilled champagne waiting for them. Bruce says they even received a call from the ship’s captain asking if they would like to steer the ship! Not only has the staff been great, but Bruce says the accommodations throughout the trip have been fantastic, from the international flight to their stay in London and now their stay in the captain’s suite on the MS Balmoral.
After enjoying tours of the canals in Amsterdam and partaking in a Loch Ness Mystery Tour in Scotland, Bruce is eagerly awaiting the beginning of the Norwegian portion of his journey in Stavanger.
So what’s on deck for tomorrow?
Glad you asked! Tomorrow, Bruce will be arriving in Stavanger, Norway, enjoying a boat trip and excursions to the Lysefjord and the Hardangerfjord.
Check back in later this week with more updates from Bruce and more trip details. You can also check out the ship’s progress from Scotland to Norway with a nifty ship locator feature located here.