Cruising around Norway, the coast with the most
On an Ambassador no-fly Norway fjord cruise, the sights are matched by the on-board hospitality and food, finds Martin Gray
The name’s Bond… OK, it’s not, but I certainly feel like 007 as my boat zooms over the Osafjord at Ulvik in Norway, skipping across the water at various fun angles, crisscrossing the wake of a sister boat with a crunch. Most of the time, though, the RIB – rigid inflatable boat – is steered at a thoroughly pleasant speed, stopping occasionally to see the cliffs and fauna up close while the captain shares some folklore. At one end of the fjord the Hardanger Bridge, Norway’s longest suspension structure, adds a manmade touch to the epic environs.
Extra fun comes from the fact that me, my partner Steve and the dozen or so other passengers from the Ambassador Ambition are done up like the Michelin Man for fear we take an unexpected dip. We don’t, the most trouble anyone had was getting into the massive waterproof onesies… I put mine on backwards. I still looked cool.
I’ve visited the fjords previously, but this is the first time I’ve been on the water, and it felt magical. I wouldn’t have been at all surprised had a troll popped its head around a corner, but we had to be satisfied with the little versions in gift shops.
The name of the game is the Norwegian Fjord Expedition, the first excellent aspect of which was its no-fly nature – Ambassador sails from eight regional UK ports. We boarded at Tynemouth but could have done Dundee – living in East Lothian, though, the A1 makes getting down to North East England an easy affair. Also, Dundee Greggs doesn't sell corned beef pasties…
Boarding was speedy, meaning we were soon unpacking in our spacious junior suite – highlights included a walk-in wardrobe, bath as well as shower, an inviting balcony and massive mirrors, one of which opened to reveal a safe. Plus, a world atlas and binoculars to aid exploration. Sweet and savoury nibbles would appear daily, along with towel animals after evening turndown.
The Ambition is a mercifully manageable size – 13 decks – and it’s an unashamed ship rather than a wannabe theme park; if rollercoasters and laser quest are your bag, this isn’t for you. There is a handy dartboard on the pool deck, though, near the glorious hot tubs.
There’s plenty of entertainment day and night, with West End level shows spotlighting the likes of musicals, country and rock, along with clever theatre fare such as an interactive spy spoof and an updated tale by MR James, master of the Victorian ghost story. There are dance classes, choir meetings, craft gatherings, quiz shows, live music in the comfy lounges and stylish bars, and more. If you fancy a quieter space, there’s the Aces and Eights games and jigsaw room, and Brontë Library.
Or just chat to folk – most everyone on this itinerary hailed from Scotland and England’s North East and it was great fun swapping notes at the hugely popular afternoon tea sessions. We even met a lovely couple who live a couple of streets away… Gaynor and Warren, put the kettle on!
The food is excellent throughout the ship, whether it’s in main dining rooms the Holyrood and Buckingham (classy but not scary), the Borough Market (an ever-changing buffet) or extra pay eateries Saffron (Asian fare), the Chef’s Table (nine courses with paired wine) and Lupino’s (of which more later). You’re assigned an MDR, as the cool kids call them, and can choose first or second sitting, but are free to eat at any venue you like. We nabbed a table for two at the Buckingham where waiters I Wayan and Justin G were typical of the superb Ambition crew. The Buckingham was especially fun on the two formal nights, one of which featured the tradition of the Baked Alaska parade… I think the meringue is still on my DJ.
We’ve tried and loved Saffron in the past, didn’t have room for the Chef’s a la carte offerings this time, but did try Lupino’s and it was superb. The Mediterranean menu features five starters plus Med bread, a choice of four mains and a trio of desserts, beautifully presented – that’s ten dishes for a rather remarkable £14.95. The starters included Calamari Fritti and Gambererri All’aglio, when it came to the mains I opted for Branzino al Forno – baked sea bass with shallots, cherry tomatoes and capers – and the sweets were baklava, Crema Catalan and Tiramisu.
The destinations were a fine opportunity to walk off a few calories. Our eight-night itinerary included two sea days, but otherwise it was Dundee (not Nordic, but nice), Olden, Flåm, Bergen and the aforementioned Ulvik.
Our Olden day proved a winner – think the glens, but bigger, though the crisp air is equally refreshing to body and soul. Speaking of the latter, we dropped by the town’s Old Church, built in 1759 on the site of a 13th-century traditional stave church. A gorgeous wooden church with no electricity, wooden antlers on the gated seats add eye-popping interest.
In the afternoon we had a coach trip around part of the 1,854ft deep, 66-mile long Nordfjord, appreciating the natural wonders of the deepest fjord in Europe – it’s a third of a mile straight down – and the manmade wonders of the tunnels that take vehicles through the mountains. We were almost as impressed by the robot lawn mowers in several of the gardens of the picturesque colourful wooden houses that dot the landscape. Want!
Last time we went to Bergen it was raining stair rods, and we turned back from the city centre after about 20 minutes, defeated. This time it was wet – it rains around 231 days a year – but only intermittently, and another room bonus was Ambassador-branded brollies. Steve and I had a brilliant morning looking around the mountain-surrounded city, which faces the Nyfjorden fjord and boasts a host of colourful houses, swanky shops, a popular funicular and – yes please! – a troll museum. The popular street market is the place to be if you fancy a reindeer burger. We passed.
Bergen is one of those places with enough going on that an excursion isn’t necessary, but we made sure to pre-book the Flåm Railway, which winds up from the pretty village of Flåm to the mountain station of Myrdal, the old-fashioned train carriage rattling merrily along a 20km route taking in lush forests, deep valleys and dramatic waterfalls. One stop got eerie with the siren song of the Huldra, a Norse spirit/hussy clad in red dress and blonde wig, flouncing among the bushes, keen to lure men into her valleys. Again, we passed.
We didn’t pass over the jam and cream waffles offered with a welcome cuppa at the Vatnahalsen hotel, built as a sanitarium but never used as such; it’s easy to imagine patients wandering down its long, narrow corridors, though – it’s very The Shining. After the hotel it was back to Flåm for a wee wander before we rejoined the ship for the fabulous Cirque de Luminaire show.
As with the extra-pay venues, the spa treatments on Ambition are seriously good value – Steve’s 30-minute Healing Stone Massage and 30-minute Anti-Ageing Facial came in at just £79.
All too soon the cruise was over, but Norway will always be ready to welcome us back. Maybe next time we’ll even answer The Huldra’s call.
Edinburgh's Connoisseur Travel has details of Ambassador Ambition Norwegian fjords sailing with Dundee departure on 17 July 2027 from £1,619 per person (buy one, get one half price), www.connoisseur-travel.co.uk. For the full range of Ambassador Norway cruises departing from around the UK, visit www.ambassadorcruiseline.com/destinations/norway