At sea, June 6

We are at sea today and it sunny, relatively warm and very calm. All in all a very relaxing day to help us prepare for Klaipeda tomorrow which should be an early and busy day. Pat and Stan enjoyed their first day in the sun. Notice that she's combed her hair!

Copenhagen, Denmark June 5

After a stormy North Sea we arrived in overcast and cold Copenhagen, often referred to as "The Venice of the North" at 10:00 a.m. Sig, Pat and Stan hitched a ride into downtown Copenhagen and visited a sand sculpture competition as well as an Anglican and Russian Orthodox Church. We weren't able to do much shopping because June 6 is a national holiday in Denmark and most shops were closed.

Elaine, Jim, Dianna and Al went on a canal cruise and visited Tivoli Gardens , Europe's most celebrated pleasure gardens. You can see information about Tivoli Gardens here:  Tivoli Gardens

Happy Birthday Dianna

June 5 is Dianna's birthday and she will be spending it in Copenhagen, Denmark.  Have a wonderful birthday!

Hello from Flat Stanley and the rest of the crew

Hi!  This is Stan, remember me?  Today is our first day at sea and it is so exciting being on the ship.  We are in the North sea off the west coast of Denmark.  This is where the oil rigs are and there is lots of tanker traffic.  We left the fog and rain of Dover England last night and this morning woke up to a pitching and rolling sea with sun and cloud, temp of 14 C and winds of 35 km per hour with gusts.  The sea is described as medium to high and it is really weird walking around.  You walk the corridor and it makes you climb up and run down and bounce against the walls.  Not too many people are out and around.  Pat told me that many people are seasick and staying in bed.  The swimming pool is wavy and splashing its water out.  We skipped the yoga balance class this morning.  I wonder how many people did it right?   The line dancing should be more fun.  We figure that we'll just have to stand there and the ship will do the rest for us.  Dianna says this is the worst she has experienced in rough seas but this is a small older ship and it has no stabilizers.  At lunch (only tea and jello for Pat and me) we met a Japanese couple who through drawings and charades told us they like Canada and the maple tree they saw there and the big castle on the mountain which turned out to be the Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City.  Tonight we have the Captain's cocktail reception and our first formal night.Thanks for the suit, Nolan.  We will send a picture.  Here is a picture of Pat and me up on the bridge track.  (See me waving?).  She is going to have to do something with that hair!!  Love to all!  Stanley Lambchop.

Follow along with the bridge cam

Check out the view from the bridge with the Ocean Princess bridge cam.  You can find it here:  http://www.princess.com/bridgecams/op/ocean_bridgecam.html

Check back later for a full update!

We are in Dover

We arrived in Dover today on a flight from Toronto.  Al, Dianna, Sig and Pat flew together and met up with Jim and Elaine, who had arrived a couple of days ago.  We have visited Dover Castle and plan to go out for dinner and then make an early night of it in preparation for our cruise tomorrow.  We are hoping to board the ship around noon.  Enjoy some pictures from today as we arrived at the airport and toured Dover Castle. 

Helsinki, Finland and Stockholm, Sweden

We set sail tomorrow, June 3, at 5pm!  Check back often for updates to our blog. 

In the meantime, we have information from Princess Cruises website about two more ports we will visit on our cruise:  Helsinki, Finland and Stockholm, Sweden.

Helsinki, Finland

Perhaps their country's harsh climate encouraged the Finns' love and respect for design and the arts. Whatever the cause, there's no denying that Helsinki is one of the most vibrant and beautiful cities in Scandinavia. Hailed as the "Daughter of the Baltic," Finland's capital is a city of graceful neoclassical buildings, striking modern architecture and spacious boulevards dotted with squares and parks. In the past century, Finland has nurtured some of the major creative talents of Western culture, from the composer Sibelius to architects Eero Saarinen and Alvar Aalto.

The center of Finnish commerce and culture, Helsinki is home to some 590,000 people. Much of the city's neoclassical architecture dates from the period of Tsarist rule, which began in 1809 after political control of Finland passed from Sweden to Russia.

Points of Interest:
Temppeliaukio (Rock Church)
This one-of-a-kind Lutheran church is built into a solid rock. Natural light pours in from the church's glazed dome and the rough stoned interiors amplify sound, making it a unique concert venue.

Market Square
Experience the energy and excitement of this seaside city. The square offers a festive atmosphere with rows of tents and stalls selling fur clothing, jewelry, food and souvenirs and more.

Stockholm, Sweden

Often described as the "Capital of Scandinavia," Stockholm traces its origins back seven centuries, when it was founded on the island of Gamla Stan and became the capital of Sweden. Today, the city covers 14 separate islands connected by bays, channels and inlets. The skyline is a sea of copper roofs grown green with patina, towers, spires and graceful cupolas stand sentinel over the historic Old Town (Gamla Stan). With its population of nearly a million people, Stockholm is one of the world's most beautiful, clean and orderly cities.

With a history stretching over seven centuries, Stockholm is not just a beautiful city but also Sweden's center of art and culture.

Points of Interest:

Royal Palace & Armoury
Once home to the King of Sweden, the Royal Palace is one of the largest palaces in Europe with over 600 rooms and several museums, including the Royal Armoury which houses a collection of different items including clothes, horse carriages and more which has belonged to different royalties over the centuries.

City Hall
Stockholm City Hall, with its spire featuring the golden Three Crowns, unique art treasures and magnificent banquettes, is one of the most famous silhouettes in the city and a popular tourist attraction.