Helen Fensom enjoyoyed an amazing 15 nights on board the luxuryof Regent's Seven Seas Voyager, sailing from Copenhagen toReykjavik visiting Orkney, the Faroe Islands, Iceland andGreenland. Read her Seven Seas Voyager review below.
My partner and I embarked in Copenhagen, sailing straight outacross the North Sea to Scotland and the port of Kirkwall. Amorning tour - included with Regent - took us out to neighbouringsmaller islands, our guide telling stories of history as we went.The beaches are beautiful and lined with the postcard-perfectvillages all of which were very welcoming for us to have a wonderaround.
We had a free afternoon to explore so we used the includedcruise shuttle to take us to the centre of Kirkwall; local shopsand treats awaited, including a try of the local famous OrkneyFudge!
Our next port of call was Torshavn, Faroe Islands - part ofDenmark; this was a real highlight for me as had always been on mybucket list. We enjoyed a morning wonder around the large citycentre and then in the afternoon took an included trip via anunderwater tunnel to a remote island, which we explored for a fewhours.
I loved the little wooden houses with grass-covered roofs,surrounded by waterfalls and lush green landscapes - not forgettingbirdlife that was on show all the time! Then, we enjoyed a dayrelaxing on board as we cruised the Norwegian Sea, heading towardsIceland. We enjoyed the outdoor deck space playing shuffleboard andthought we best walk off lunch using the upper deck walking/joggingtrack; I never get tired of just looking out to sea!
We then arrived in Iceland for the first of two consecutiveports, the first being Akureyri on the North Coast. We enjoyed amorning excursion with Regent to visit the main attraction in thearea, Godafoss Waterfall. It is one of the most visited waterfallsin Iceland and means "fall of the gods". The falls are fed bymeltwater from high glaciers and runs across a lava field which issaid to be over 7,000 years old.
After a great day we had dinner in the French restaurant onboard, Chartreuse. This is one of two speciality dining options onboard which are strictly by reservation only; it's a small andintimate venue and we were treated to some of the best Frenchcuisine - including escargot of course!
The second port of call in Iceland was Isafjordur, a smallertown which we wondered around in for an hour or so. We then enjoyedan afternoon speedboat ride over to Vigur Island (Bird Island) forthe most incredible up close sightings of Atlantic puffins.
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We were also lucky enough to spot a couple of whales on the rideover; their waterspout rising high out of the water with thebackdrop of snow-covered mountains was something I will neverforget.
Iceland certainly is a great cruise destination for nature andwildlife lovers, along with varied scenery and history - their mainsource of income is from the ocean and we were always reminded ofthis, seeing salmon farms in abundance.
Then for a treat I was not expecting, we enjoyed six hours ofdaytime sailing through the Prince Kristian Fjord, SouthernGreenland, named in honour of the prince, later king Christian VIIIof Denmark. We wrapped up warm, camera in hand - and then just tookit all in.
With every turn of the ship navigating its way around the bendsin the fjord came another spectacular sight, including that ofKangerluk Glacier. Seven Seas Voyager is of a small enough sizethat she could sail into the fjord and then slowly turn around soall of the ship could enjoy the splendour of the activeglacier.
After lunch with a view in the main dining restaurant CompassRose, we sailed out of the sound into thick sea mist and fog.Unfortunately for us, Mother Nature was no longer on our side - andthis fog did not clear for the next two days, resulting in thecancellation of our two tender ports in Greenland,
We were treated to a short visit to the capital city Nuuk as wewere berthed so I can at least say that I stepped foot ontoGreenland - not many people I know can say the same!
Our last of couple of days on board were spent relaxing,listening to onboard lecture speakers, enjoying cookingdemonstrations, galley tours and various other pastimes onoffer.
Sea days are perfect to really unwind, chat with new friends andtotally switch off. There is a luxury spa onboard along with gymand fitness room if you want to be kept occupied in that waytoo!
We arrived in the late afternoon into Reykjavik, our final portof call, with just enough time to squeeze in a few hours of whalewatching before our transfer to the airport to fly home.
Meet the author
Helen is a Cruise Consultant at Mundy Cruising, having worked with the company for six years and in travel for over 30 years. Most recently she’s cruised on Regent Seven Seas and has also sailed with Seabourn, Azamara, Hebridean, AmaWaterways, Scenic, Hurtigruten, Riverside, Uniworld and Quark. Her favourite destinations is Italy however she’s also enjoyed cruises in the Mediterranean, Danube, Caribbean, Alaska, Arctic, Greenland, UAE, Red Sea, Svalbard and the British Isles. When she’s not travelling she loves cooking, trying new recipes and gardening.
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