Bergen, Norway

We arrived in Bergen on the afternoon of February 16, after having flown from Boston to Bergen through Amsterdam. Our car and driver were waiting at the exit from baggage claim. We were surprised that we did not have to go through any customs/arrival security. Had we arrived just 3 days earlier we would have had to have special paperwork for Norway and take a Covid test at the airport. Norway had suspended all Covid protocol as of the 12th. There are no mask requirements in Norway, but we wore ours as a precaution.

We stayed at the Radisson Blu on the famous Bryggen. After checking in we walked a little, but went back to the hotel when it started to rain. Dinner was in the hotel restaurant, 26 North. The food and service were excellent. Our room had a very slanted ceiling, so we had to put our suitcases there to remind us to duck.

After breakfast we walked to an ATM to get some Norwegian krona. Everyone here has told us we do not need to tip, but we wanted to have some cash for our tour guides. On the ship we will tip on our account. A taxi ride got us to the cruise terminal. We had to answer health information again and have a temperature test. Then we had to do a Covid test. It took quite a while to gather enough spit to fill our vials to the number 2. Then after passport control we signed in, and were allowed onto the ship. We went to our muster station where we got our safety briefing and then we were escorted to our stateroom. We are confined here until our Covid test comes back negative. There was a second briefing on our TV and lunch waiting for us.

We have tried unsuccessfully to sign into the ship’s WiFi. Can’t get help because we are still hostages in our room. Our bags have arrived, but we will wait to unpack until we get the green light from Viking. We are sure we are OK, but I would hate to unpack and then have to repack because we are being asked to leave.

So far the weather today has been: 9:30 walk to ATM, cold and clear, 10:45 taxi to ship snow shower, noon sunny and now at 1:30 snowing hard.

It took until 4:45 PM for us to get the OK for the Covid test we took when we boarded the ship. So now we are free. Ready to leave the room, tour the ship some and get ready for dinner. Will be an early night tonight, since we are still not on this time zone.

Welcome to Norway!