July 25, 2025 – Qaqortoq, Greenland – Cloudy – 49F

July 25, 2025 - Qaqortoq, Greenland

This will be our third time in this little town - and also the largest town - in Southern Greenland. There are only 3000 people - mostly Innuit - living in the town and the last time we were here, it was a Sunday and everything was closed. Qaqortoq means "white" in the Greenlandic language.

Qaqortog from Quest.

Today, we both ordered Room Service – I was up at 7 AM but fell back asleep and was awakened by the phone telling me that my breakfast was on its way.  I had Special K with milk, a waffle plus two egg OM.  Ellen had French Toast and two egg OM and some fruit.  The breakfast was good but it is hard to drink coffee in bed and the cups, in my opinion, though fancy and too small.  I am a big cup coffee person.  

This is a tender port but there are no tickets – just go down to level three and hop on.  We did just that.  

The tender ride is very short – Qaqortoq has a deep harbor but no pier – that means that Quest can anchor close to shore.  There was some sea ice in the water 

– we didn’t see any the last times we were here.  The seas were glass calm and getting on and off the tender was nothing.  The ride took about five minutes or less.  

Pictures of Quest are easy to take from the pier.

We can across a convienently close chuck of sea ice near the harbor.

As well as interesting rock with markings (a Rune Stone, maybe).

We checked out the gift shops and walked the main street and pretty much saw what we saw last time: The Main Square with it’s Mindenbronden Fountain, 

the red painted Church of the Saviour, 

and the Qaqortoq Museum with an interesting statue in the front lawn area.  

I couldn’t find out what the story on the statue was on Google.  We stayed in town for about an hour – I still couldn’t find either a cup of coffee or a cap from the place. 

We did however, take a nice picture of wildflowers along the road.

Because of its latitude, Qaqortoq has a similar climate to Northern Europe and is one of the "greenest" parts of Greenland.

We made our way back to the tender pier and with no line and the short ride, we were back on the ship in no time.  I went up to the Windows Café to get some seats.  Today, along with the scoops of tuna and egg salad, I had the Linguini in Tomato Sauce, which was the best pasta I have had on Azamara for a long time.  Maybe the combination of those items didn’t make sense but they were all good. 

After lunch, we found seats in the Living Room and stayed there until we went back to the room to get ready for dinner.  Tonight, there is a special Destination Showcase Dinner (the Food of Greenland) in the Patio.  We will have to see how Dinner works once we get up there.

Because of the cold, the Showcase Dinner was moved inside (this is the first Showcase Dinner that we have experienced on Azamara – something new).  There wasn’t a whole lot to eat on the menu but we both had the Teriyaki Salmon (not very Greenlandic) and the fish was really good.  The big dish was the soup – veggies mostly – that was being cooked at a separate table – I did not try it.

The Captain came on the PA system to indicate that weather conditions at our next port of call, Paamiut, would make tendering unsafe.  The fog, which we could already see outside, would not afford enough visibility to maneuver the tenders.  We would pass up this port and tomorrow would be a manufactured sea day.

Since we are doing the reverse itinerary as part of our back to back, we will catch this port on the way back to Reykjavik.

I ran into Martin before the show and told him that I would do a presentation tomorrow if needed. A phone call from Bernardo a bit later on confirmed that I would be on tomorrow.  I said the simplest thing would be to move all the talks up and then tack another one on at the end.

We went to the show (one show at 9 PM) and sat in our usual seat on the second level where the spots used to be (the spots are in the back of the venue now and the rest of the lighting is remotely driven).  The show tonight is “Club Crooner” and the singers and dancers did a great job with numbers by Frank Sinatra and Bobby Darrin.  Last time we saw this show both Michael Buble and Barry Manilow were included but not this time.  Even so, it was a good show. Pictures below.

By the time, we got back to the room, new Insiders had been printed and distributed. I would be on at 1 PM.

Not only is it foggy outside but windy with an unfriendly sea – the ship is rocking and rolling.

July 24, 2025 – Cruising Prince Christian Sound – Cloudy – 43F

July 24 - Cruising Prince Christian Sound

The last day or so, the Captain has been talking strategy regarding how we would cruise Prince Christian Sound.  Normally, we would enter the Sound from the East and exit the West side.  Weather forecasts indicated stormy and windy weather at the East entrance (30 mph winds and large swells).  The Captain decided to go around the South end of Greenland – Cape Farewell - and enter the Sound from the more calm West – go into the Sound for a while and then turn around and exit the West entrance.  People would be able to see the fantastic sites of the fjord safely and comfortably. 

Woke up around 6 AM to a pretty bouncy ship – the ship had been rocking and rolling since late yesterday – barf bags were out and we were all traveling by “rail”.  

The Captain made some impromptu announcements indicating that the chop would decrease in a couple of hours and he was correct.

I made my way to the Windows Café and today executed the perfect breakfast.  I procured the cottage cheese and sour cream first – then I ordered the waffle.  The last item to go on the plate would be the scrambled eggs (just a large spoonful).  This kept everything at the correct temperature.  The breakfast was delicious. 

At 10 AM, I went to hear Captain Les Evans talk about the “Magic of the Concorde”.  Ellen and I actually met him and his wife on our shuttle back to Quest from Reykjavik.  Despite the motion of the ocean, he had a good turnout.  I have to admit that I didn’t get everything he said (speaks softly with a British accent) and though I knew most of what he was speaking about, the graphics were interesting.  I didn’t stay for the whole thing because I wanted to get a seat in the Windows Café.  Come early or sit in the cold.

I had some tuna and egg salad (really good on this ship) along with a little salad.

The crew had already started setting up for the White Night's Party on Deck 9 and the last tables would come later to provide seating on Deck 10..

As the Captain had promised, Quest entered the Sound from the West side.  There was some sea ice in that part of the Sound.

We watched the partial transit of the Prince Christian Sound from the Living Room – got some really good seats.  The last time we came through from the East, there was a lot more in the way of snow, ice, and glaciers.  The trip this time did have fantastic mountains but little "arctic" stuff.  There were just a few dribbly waterfalls.  Still, I took a lot of pictures and the mountains are still awesome.  As far as I could tell, we were the only ship in that part of the Sound. Weather conditions in the Sound were calm,

Even though it is in the low 40s outside, the ship is still holding its “White Nights” Party on Deck 9.  The tables were set up in the early afternoon and people were out there when the food lines opened at 5:30 PM.

We changed and ate Dinner at the Discoveries Restaurant, which had a special menu.  We got in line and sat down at Table 2. We both had the fried mushroom appetizer.  Ellen had the “whiskey marinated salmon” appetizer, which she does not want to order again.  There was a mix up in our salads (tossed and Cesar) which came late.  Mine was composed of fufu lettuce and a strange version of Ranch dressing.  The main course, the standard salmon was good – I also got a side of creamed spinach which was very creamy but OK.

We went outside to get dessert – we both had the crepes in Grand Marnier with ice cream - served by the Hotel Manager or designate.  We ate inside and the best I could do was take a few photos of the White Night’s Party.  The singers and dancers were in coats and sweatshirts and people had already gone inside to escape the cold.  

It was a strange Party in that this was the first time we had been at one in daylight (sunset is around 11 PM in this part of the world) and in freezing temperatures.  I think that the ship thought that the grand scenery of the Sound would provide the perfect backdrop for the party - it did but the temps cooled off some of the excitement.

Next stop was our warm Stateroom.

July 23, 2025 – At Sea – North Atlantic Ocean – Gray and Drizzly – 53F

 July 23, 2025 - North Atlantic Ocean

Turning down the volume did not do the trick but with earplugs we got some sleep.

This morning’s breakfast went very well. The woman at the fruit bay had cottage cheese and sour cream all ready for me (including my name – misspelled – on the containers).  This time I got a waffle (much better than pancakes) and got the other items in order so they were still hot. Large to-go cups appeared near the coffee which was a plus.  Breakfast was very good.  I also got a nice seat with a view.  The view, however, was dreary and gray.

After breakfast, I checked back in with Bernardo and also got a call from Martin, who said the options were limited and I should check with Guest Relations on options. The indications were that there might be another room available on the same floor.

At 11:00 AM, I tried to go to the watercolor class (I was number 5 in the signup sheet in Guest Relations) in Aqualina, Deck 10 Aft.  When I got there, the place was packed and people were sitting at the bar and sharing brushes.  I didn’t want to take a passengers spot so I gave up on that and instead, Ellen and I went to the Quest Brunch in the Discoveries Restaurant.

We found a nice window table in the aft section with a nice, still gray, view.

I had the herring in wine sauce and a waffle with two eggs over medium.  Ellen had all sorts of stuff.  Usually, I don’t find much at the Brunch so today was a nice surprise. Scheduling the Brunch early in the cruise is a plus for me because the herring in wine sauce is still available.   

My first talk, “Murder in Iceland: The Birna Brjansdottir Murder” is scheduled for 3 PM in the Theater.  At 2 PM, I went to see the Destination Speaker, Dr. Jannie MacCay, talk about Greenland and the place was packed so I didn’t stay.  When the place emptied out, I went in to set up – I said hello to Janine and the AV guy had me ready to go in no time.  The headset mic was too small so he said that the Captain had a special large mic that we could use – it fit perfectly.  I tried to hit the washroom before I started but when I got there a group of people in masks and gowns were cleaning something in the hallway leading to the bathroom and the bathroom itself. It had that biohazard feel to it so I didn't go near it. I didn't have time to get to the other washroom by the Restaurant.  I was a little concerned that I would have to do my talk without the break. 

Note: The internet says that the Quest Cabaret Lounge has a capacity of 360 people.

Most of the crowd actually stayed – just a few open seats in the back corners.  Maybe 250 or so attendees (It's hard to tell).  I was happy with the turnout and the talk went well and finished on time.  A few people stayed behind to ask questions and I got some nice feedback.  I met a Coroner from the Netherlands who had come from France where she was a pediatrician – she worked as a Coroner for 30 years.  She also told me she had not seen a single homicide while working in the Netherlands.

Once back in the room, I went to Guest Relations to get keys for Stateroom 6041, which is located in the Even numbered aisle directly across from our old room.  A few minutes later, after checking out the new room and it’s relative location to The Den, we concluded that it would be work (and it was our only option).  Once that was decided, our new room steward, Gildee, moved our hanging clothes to the new room while I wheeled the big suitcase to the new destination.  We put everything away.  Even though the rooms were identical, 6041 seemed brighter and even a little bigger. We are again betting that being on the other side of the hall (and away from the piano) will help with the noise.

It was South American Night in the Windows Café and there was nothing we could eat in the Restaurant so we went to the Patio for dinner.  We both had the Salmon – no peppercorns and some sides.  I also had the Vegetarian Lasagna which was better than usual.

Instead of going to the show – Magician Fred Becker – we took in Felicia at the Keys in The Den at 8:15 PM.  She did a great tribute to Billy Joel – all my favorite songs and she included some interesting history for each song.  We went to the room when she finished her set because it was later than usual.

The good news was that we could not hear Felicia during her 9:45 PM Set.  Noise problem solved.

July 22, 2025 – Reykjavik Iceland – Gray and Drizzly – 53F

July 22, 2025 – Reykjavik, Iceland - Day 2

It's nice that this itinerary has an extra day built in to get over any jet lag.

We handled the noise OK via earplugs.  I slept until 5:30 AM and then hung out until the Windows Café opened at 7 AM.  I got there a few minutes early and all of the tables on the port side were already taken.  I found a table near the back doors and since the Sunset Veranda was closed, it wasn’t cold.

I had discussed getting cottage cheese and sour cream for breakfast with one of the suits and he said he would set it up (took my Stateroom number).  There wasn't any on the buffet today but the crew member at the dairy area got the cottage cheese and sour cream for me (she said she would handle it every morning from now on).  My timing was bad resulting in a cold pancake (very doughy) and cold scrambled eggs.  The sour cream was a euro version but OK.  The process showed promise.  I’ll work out the timing tomorrow. Ellen ordered room service from a pretty extensive menu; and since the ship is small, the food arrives quickly and hot.

There are other ships docked here – yesterday, Celebrity Eclipse was here when we arrived. Today, the Fred Olsen Borealis

and the Majestic Princess are docked.  There is another large ship at the other terminal but the internet did not identify it.

Azamara was running its own shuttle but we grabbed the first bus we could get on – they all go to the same place.  When we got to the Harpa Complex, we noticed a guy with a tuck-tuck truck advertising tours.  He quoted some price in ISK (122 ISK per $) which came to $123.06 for the two of us.  We thought that was a good deal based on what we have seen for excursions from Shorex.  

There was another couple already in the truck – they were on the Princess ship going from Rome to Boston (30 days  - $$$$).  It was not easy to get into the truck due to the low headroom, high step requiring a stepstool, and my flexibility issues – I had to crawl in and I was pretty much uncomfortable the whole time (clearly the vehicle was designed for smaller people).  I discovered later than crawling left a cut on my lower leg.  Good thing the tour was a one off.  

The ride itself was very bumpy (my aching legs felt every one of them).  We went through various part of Reykjavik (it was hard to get pictures through the plastic windows of the truck) including Embassy Row, the whaling area (not in use anymore), and the iconic church Hallgrimskirkja (I stayed in the truck and Ellen got some interior pictures).

Before we left the hill, Ellen got a nice shot of me and our guide.

We went through neighborhoods and the driver/guide who had been in Iceland for 30 years (from the US) told us that if you didn’t paint your house every year of so or install aluminum siding, the paint would peel off.  He also said that the air was heavily polluted due to volcanic emissions.  So that wasn’t fog but sulfur dioxide and other nasty stuff. 

We made another stop at a view point.  

Some people climb the hill to get a better shot but I took some good shots from the walking path (Reykjavik and the Bay)

and our guide took a nice one of us (in fact, this picture also inlcluded the Harpa Complex as well as the Hallgrimskirja in the distance.

Our tuck tuck dropped us off at the cruise ship shuttle stop.  While waiting for the bus, I took a shot of Ellen in front of the Harpa Concert Center.

We took the shuttle back to the ship and spent most of the afternoon in the Living Room. It looks like the afternoons are pretty much trivia - Some kind of trivia on a worksheet, then General Knowledge and finally, Music Trivia. 

The first plan to deal with the noise in the room was to turn down the volume in the Den when Felicia was performing.  We would see again if that worked tonight.

After dinner in the Windows Café, we went to the Theater to get seats for the Captain’s Toast and tonight’s show.  There was only one show and the place was packed.  The Captain introduced his staff – he is a pretty funny Captain.  Showtime tonight was the first Production Show – “Take Two” – music from the movies.  The singers and dancers are pretty good and the show was enjoyable.  I took a few pictures.  You can tell from the white t-shirts that one of the songs was "That Old Time Rock and Roll".

The finale was "The Time of My Life".  The speciality dancers did the literal heavy lifting her and the number was great.  

It was late and we headed for the room.

Time Change:  Clocks move back one hour tonight as we head West to Greenland.

July 21, 2025 - Reykjavik Iceland – Cloudy – gray – Mid 40sF

July 21, 2025 - Reykjavik, Iceland

Embarkation Day

We deplained but didn’t walk on the tarmac this time but actually went through a jetway.  The passport control process was quick and the walk to baggage claim was not too long.  Our bags were both there.  We found the Azamara Rep that would get us on the shuttle to Reykjavik Cruise port. After a little wait, and a bit of a walk to where the busses were located, we were on our way. 

We were the only two non-Norwegians on the bus so the narration was all Norwegian.  The landscape was all lava fields so there was not a lot to say about the ride.  It was gray and foggy.

It took about 40 minutes to reach Reykjavik – we were early; the ship was not boarding until 12 Noon so the bus stopped for a few minutes at the Harpa Opera House and Conference Center (for washrooms).  

Ellen was able to get a shot of the interior to Harpa.  

I also took pictures of the grounds surrounding Harpa.  

At 12 Noon, the bus headed for the pier.

We drove along scenic Flaxafloi Bay - part of the Atlantic Ocean - to the cruise port.  On the way, I saw the greenspace we had seen the last time we were here.

Nearby, I noticed an unusual sculpture

The Water Carrier (Vatnsberinn) by Asmundur Sveinsson.  The statue sits at the sight of Reyjavik's last water well.  When it was first created, it was deemed too ugly for Reykjavik and moved to another town.  In 2011, the statue was moved to its current spot.  

I was so glad to see Azamara Quest docked.  There were no other ships here today.  

 

The check-in process was very different from previous Azamara Cruises.  We were in a long line (no special line for Guest Entertainers) outside and slowly made our way into a makeshift mini-terminal.  While in line, porters were coming by and tagging bags and taking them to the ship.  Inside the “terminal” we showed our boarding passes and passports and picked up our sea cards.  The next stop was back outside (and it was cold) where we once again showed our passports to a Reykjavik PD officer in a trailer.  From there we went up the ramp to the ship – had our picture taken for our ID – and then went to the Cabaret Lounge for a very cursory health screen, credit card registration, and cruise contract signing.  When that was done, we were officially on board.

We had lunch in the Windows Café, which was totally slammed – it took a while to get a seat and we eventually sat outside in the Patio, which was heated and pretty comfortable.  Tuna and egg salad for me and Teriyaki Salmon for Ellen.  The grayness of the day didn't help with the view from Windows.

It wasn’t long before the cabins were open.  We are in Cabin 6038 – port side midships with a nice view of a lifeboat in our window.  One bag was there and another would show up soon.  I was wiped out so I was lucky that Ellen took the initiative to put the clothes into the closets. 

Cruise Itinerary

Key Personnel on this Cruise

Captain Dario Guierreri (Italy).  Our first time sailing with him – his announcements have a touch of humor.  He’s always excited about giving the updates.

Cruise Director Martin Lawson (Scotland).  We sailed with Martin last year on Onward.  Low Key but a very talented vocalist.

Assistant Cruise Director Bernardo Vasquez (Mexico City).  First time in this position due to a change in staff.  Not an entertainer but a very personable guy and very witty.  I worked almost exclusively with Bernardo.

Quest Production Troupe:  Kiera Preston (Specialty Dancer); Jerod Turner (Singer/Dancer); Henry O’Connell (Singer/Dancer); Stephanie Winterborne (Singer/Dancer); Angelina Mawad (Singer/Dancer).

There was a letter in the Cabin from Martin and Bernardo indicating that I would be filming a promo at 7:50 PM in the Entertainment Office. 

We had dinner in the Windows Café – salad, fish and chips, and other Brit things.  The food was OK. 

I filmed the short video in front of a green screen with Bernardo (from Mexico) in one take (I did that once before on Azamara).  No location on the planet would remove the jet lag look I was sporting.  Bernardo is very personable and easy to like.  

We took in the Welcome Aboard Show, 

highlighting the various talent on board.  Bernardo introduced me and I stood up and waved.  Martin went through the demographics on the ship and the bulk of guests are from the US.  Based on the numbers – some quick math on my part – and the fact that the dining venues are slammed - Quest is fully booked.

The show was entertaining - the Singers and Dancers are very good.  The troupe combined for a rendition of "Can't Help Falling in Love".

Felicia on the Keys - the piano player in the The Den - 

and VIBZ, the party band from the Islands also gave us a sample of their music and talent.

Martin and departing ACD Abby combined for "The Prayer" (I think).

When we got back to the room, we could hear music coming from The Den just below us on Deck 5.  I called Bernardo and he said he would asked Felicia, the Piano Player in the Den to turn down the volume to see if that would help.  It didn’t, so I will have to speak with Bernardo again. 

In fact, Martin also called and said they would look at options tomorrow for another room.

Besides the music, the room was quiet.

We are staying overnight in Reykjavik. We looked for a tour for tomorrow but realizing we had seen a lot of this city and the surrounding areas, we opted to shuttle to the City Center and go from there.

Need to shake the jet lag first.

July 20, 2025 - Azamara Quest – Reykjavik, Iceland to Greenland, Newfoundland, and Montreal, Canada – Back to Back – July 21, 2025

July 20, 2025 – Travel day

This cruise has quite the itinerary – you fly to Reykjavik, Iceland and stay an extra day in that port.  The ship then goes to Greenland (several ports) and then to Canada, starting in Newfoundland and ending up in Montreal.  Then, we are staying on and doing the itinerary almost in reverse (more stops in Greenland this time), ending up in Reykjavik and then flying home – 30 days in all. 

Our flight – Icelandair F1586 doesn’t depart until 10:15 PM tonight so we have the whole day to do things and wound up not doing anything except double checking our bags.  I set up a ride with a cabbie at American Taxi (he took us home on our last trip).  Our pickup was scheduled at 7:30 PM, which I thought would give us enough time to get checked in and go through security.  I am unfamiliar with Terminal 5 so I hope that is enough time. 

Our driver confirmed with us late in the afternoon so I felt a bit better about things.  He said he would drop off some folks in our neighborhood and pick us up on time. 

The cab showed up a little after 7:30 PM and by the time we were settled in the cab, it was clear that we would not be at T-5 at 8:00 PM.  The cabbie drove a bit faster than he usually does (and a little scarier) especially once he got on to the tollway.  We arrived at Terminal 5 around 8:20 PM.  We had never been there before but I did find the Icelandair desk and there was no one in line.  The agent weighed our bags – 31 and 21 lbs – we are cheap dates.  The bags were both included in the outrageous airfare so that was a plus.  The tags, saying KEF, went on and the bags were on their way.

We both had TSA Pre-Chek which was very close to the Icelandair desk – it was a bit of a walk to the actual screening area but there was basically no one there.  We had our photos taken and put our bags through.  Instead of a metal detector, we both went through the scanner and then I got a pat down just for grins.   

We are at Gate M29 – at first that did not sound like a long walk but as we got started it was more that just a long walk – it was a trek.  Ellen waved down one of those airport trams and we both hopped on – we could never have walked to our gate – it was a quarter mile away, it seemed.  We settled in and waited for boarding at 9:45 PM.  That would be delayed because our plane – coming in from who knows where (probably KEF) got there about 9:30 PM.  

The jet, an B-737Max8 would need to gassed up and cleaned once all the passengers got off.  Boarding actually started a little after 10 PM and even though there were no “groups”, the process went smoothly.  After all the First Class folks got on, all of the Economy passengers just lined up and the line just moved.  There were two people checking passports and boarding passes (I should mention that only paper boarding passes were allowed on this flight – no QR phone codes) and in a few minutes we found our seats, 27C and 27D – aisle across - mid plane.

I was sitting next to a mom and her kid (the rest of her family was in front of us).  The flight attendants checked all of our boarding passes again (in our row and the one in front of us) for some reason and we all checked out. The plane pushed pretty much after everyone was on board.  Strangely enough, there was no safety briefing prior to push and takeoff.

I did not get special seats for this flight – I thought that a flight of about five hours wouldn’t need it. It turns out that the pitch on Icelandair Max8s is about an inch or so more than other airlines so the seats were not too “sardine-like”.  The plane pushed 20 minutes late at 10:45 PM.  I could hear the flaps extend so that was good. My seat mates fell asleep immediately and were out for the whole flight.  I tried to get some sleep but even though I had my arms out of the aisle, I was being bumped constantly – mostly by a team of athletes who spent a lot of time going back and forth to the rear washrooms.  Most of the movies on the back of the seat entertainment systems were old and not that interesting.  I watched the plane’s progress and tried to catch quick naps between being hit on the arm by people walking the aisle

July 21, 2025 – In the air – 36,000 feet over the Atlantic and Reykjavik, Iceland

The flight itself was pretty smooth – one unusual thing was that the pilot turned off the seat belt sign while the plane was at 13,000 feet and still in an active climb.  That would never happen with an American jet – they like to hit cruising altitude before letting people walk around.  It stayed smooth until we went over water south of Maritime Canada.  Slight chop.  Then some major chop = and it was still no big deal - was encountered over the Atlantic on approach to Iceland’s Keflavik Airport.  On whole, the flight was smooth.  I should mention that the Sun rose about halfway through the flight because of our far North flight path.  I took screen shots of the planes position at two hours out.

I also took a selfie of a very tired passenger, who did not sleep at all on this flight.

Iceland was covered with thick clouds and I didn’t see anything until the wheels touched down.  We arrived pretty close to our arrival time of 9:20 AM.