A Viking Good Time On Saga's New Pearl

The sea, the colour of beaten metal, turned grey and then stratospheric blue at the horizon. On its surface, little tussocks of ice were strewn, brilliant white, like blossom left from some religious ceremony. I was delighted to be back in one of my favourite cruising regions, the Norwegian fjords.

Most ships schedule their visits to this sequestered corner of Europe during June and July, but I was paying a rare visit in early May on board Saga Pearl II. Very much a niche operator, Saga Cruises rarely conforms to the norm and tends to steer a course away from the regular cruising playgrounds. If more familiar destinations are featured, then it’s at a time of year bigger cruise lines would rarely contemplate.

To employ the cliché ‘land of contrasts’ is to do Norway a disservice. Visitors revel in a beguiling mélange of spectacular scenery and colourful communities. The natural tableau is stop-in-your-tracks stunning – although not in a rolling slopes and gentle hues way. 

Norwegian mountains mean business – huge grey giants lurching through the mist; unspeakably, unbelievably massive. This is the Alps with attitude; sheer drops instead of smooth slopes, slate grey instead of sleek green.

Seals bask, eagles dare, cathedral aisles of rock up to 6,000ft high advance and retreat. Thousands of waterfalls thread the cliffs, either spouting in free fall, churning through narrow clefts or fanning like unplaited silk over shoulders of rock. Tiny farms cling to impossible heights and hamlets cluster round old stone churches at the ends of swaying jetties. 

Prior to embarking this eclectic vessel, I checked what weather I could expect and packed accordingly. Like the best laid plans of mice and men, only on one occasion, when I visited the ship’s flying bridge, did I require my Arctic fleece. Not once did I need my rainproof jacket, and the thermal underwear was never creased. 

I confess to wondering if the weather and seasons were conspiring to play a trick on me but hardy locals were going about their daily tasks as if it was the height of summer. 

One benefit of sailing to places slightly out of the customary season is there are no other ships disgorging hundreds of passengers. This became evident at our first port, Stavanger. 

Here, we wandered peacefully through the evocative cobbled streets of Gamle Stavanger. Dating from the late 17th and early 18th centuries, this quaint settlement of white-washed wooden houses echoes the city’s thousand-year seafaring heritage. Also on our must-see list were the 12th century cathedral and Maritime Museum.  

Among the world’s most spectacular geological formations, Norway’s fjords are long, narrow inlets stretching deep into the surrounding mountains. An afternoon excursion cruise of the Lysefjord navigated past towering cliffs and soaring peaks of the Kjerag Ridge Mountains to Pulpit Rock, which juts out 182ft above the tranquil water. 

The following morning the theme continued as we arrived at Eidfjord – cut far into the western coastline. A tour took us past the impressive Skykkjedalsfossen waterfall to the Hardangervidda Nature Centre, set on a tranquil lake near the largest mountain plateau in Europe. Returning to Saga Pearl II, we saw the impressive Sysen Dam and even-mightier Hardanger Glacier.

In the Sunnfjord region lays Norway’s westernmost town, Florø.  Here we took an intriguing guided tour through tunnels and bunkers built by the Germans as a base to defend their occupied territories from attacks by the Allied Forces in World War II. It was enlightening to learn the Norwegian story as we walked to the bunkers on Storeåsen hill in the centre of this fishing community.

As the last of the ship’s lines were released, with the sun caressing the crystalline air, a wind surged and the sea’s hackles bristled as though we had offended it. Captain David Warden-Owen had invited me on to the Bridge for sailaway and, rather than navigate his vessel in the placid seas that greeted our arrival, the strong wind on our starboard bow called on him to show his many years of seamanship skills as the nearest tug was many miles away. 

After a few tense minutes, we gradually eased away from the berth and swung out towards the open sea. That night, he made an announcement that we might experience some motion of the ocean - an advisory received with an indifferent shrug from the hardy Saganaughts!

Sailing under an elegant bridge to historic Kristiansund, we docked in the quaint harbour – epicentre of the dried-cod capital of Norway. After lunch in the Verandah Restaurant, aft on Boat Deck, when there was the chance to taste the local speciality klippfisk (dried, salted cod), we walked to Kirklandet Church. 

Inaugurated in 1964, the church was described as ‘Rock Crystal in Roses’ by its architect Odd Østby. The 100ft choir wall contains 320 stained-glass panels that gradually change from dark, earthy colours at the base to bright colours representing eternal light at the top. 

At the head of Inner Nordfjord, Olden is the gateway to three spectacular valleys. In the morning, we drove to the ancient ice field that is the cascading Briksdals glacier, best-known of the gigantic Jostedal Glacier’s many icy arms. The surfeit of icy scenery continued in the afternoon as we toured the Jostedal Glacier National Park surrounding the crystal-clear, turquoise Stryn Lake. 
Recreated after a disastrous fire in 1904, Norway’s principal fishing port of Ålesund is now rich in art nouveau architecture with graceful gables, pointy turrets and countless ornate flourishes across pastel-hued façades. The Art Nouveau Centre, carved out of a period pharmacy, chronicles the fire and its aftermath. 

We opted to lunch in a charming brasserie and, after paying handsomely for some fresh shrimp on pumpernickel bread, we headed to the Sunnmøre Open-Air Museum to see the fishing vessel Heland, which was part of the ‘Shetland Bus’ operation during World War II.

Norway’s seductive charm revealed itself as Saga Pearl II nudged right into the heart of the colourful city of Bergen. This was European City of Culture in 2000, little wonder when we saw the exhibits at the Bryggen Museum, medieval Gamle Rådhuset, Domkirke and Bergenhus – the former timber-built royal palace. 

Music-lovers joined me as we headed to the Edvard Grieg Museum at Troldhaugen and saw the composer’s impressive villa and hut where he composed so much of his celebrated music. It was a perfect conclusion through this land that damages one’s faith in the adaptability of language; where metaphors are useless and nature is your serene companion.

No metaphors are required to describe what makes Saga Pearl II such a delightful vessel and ideally suited to offering a distinctive cruise experience. Built for Astor Cruises in 1981 in Hamburg, this 18,591-ton vessel subsequently sailed for Seetours Line as Arkona from 1985 to 2002. 

For the next seven years, Transoceantours operated her as the Bremen and latterly as Astoria. In October 2009 this 446-passenger vessel was bought by Saga Cruises and underwent a £20million transformation, entering service in March 2010.
The results are contemporary interiors that combine rosewood panelling and wood accenting. I particularly liked the nautical ambiance that engenders a relaxed and intimate atmosphere. There are 24 categories of accommodation, ranging from Grand Suites at 725sq ft to 139sq ft Interior Cabins; noteworthy are 10 accommodation grades for single occupancy. 

Open seating is a feature of both the sophisticated Dining Room as well as the Verandah Restaurant, which offers buffet breakfast and lunch as well as waiter-service dinner, offering the same menu as the Dining Room. There is a good mix of casual, informal and formal evenings.

Being a Saga Cruises virgin, I expected the menus to adhere to British staples that rarely pushed the parameters of creative cuisine. Imagine my surprise when I read, in addition to favourite dishes such as Parma Ham with Melon, Potato and Leek Soup, and Grilled Veal Liver with Bacon and Onion Gravy, there was also Foie Gras and Sauternes Terrine with Pork Rillettes and Caramelised Apple, Cream of Asparagus with Chantilly Cream and Pan-fried Sea Bass with St Véran sauce.

A most welcome addition following the 2009 refit is the superb 3,000 volume Library with Internet facilities. In the late afternoon, I enjoyed watching our navigation through tranquil scenery from the Sundowner Bar located high up on Bridge Deck with views aft across the Sun Deck and its stylish deck furniture. 

At other times Shackletons, strategically located between the Dining Room and the Discovery Lounge, was my cocktail venue of choice. Evening entertainment consisted of cabaret with the violin duo Elektra, classical pianist Paul Searle-Barnes and operatic singer Annette Wardell.

There were also occasional show-times with the Gail Davies Production Company, not to mention a hilarious evening of Call My Bluff. On sea days, former Metropolitan Police Detective Inspector Clifford Wrate gave some gripping lectures, including ‘Who was Jack The Ripper?’

One evening I peeked into the Discovery Lounge thinking I was missing a pre-dinner get-together as the room was so packed. It turned out this was the Britannia Club Cocktail Party, proof if ever it was needed that Saga Cruisers are a loyal bunch and the level of repeaters is amongst the highest in the cruise industry.

It is true that Saga Pearl II offers a different experience to that which regular passengers have come to expect of the more classically-styled Saga Ruby and the much-loved Saga Rose, but these stalwarts seem more than happy with this more contemporary approach to cruising.

Above all, it is the inclusion of return private chauffeur car service, travel insurance and gratuities that sets this experience apart. As Alan Robson from County Durham put it: “My friends had preconceived notions of Saga cruising. The costs were higher, they said, until I costed out what they had paid for their cruise, plus the extra expenses incurred. Every time, Saga came out better, with so much more included.”

SAGA PEARL II FACTFILE

Built: 1981
Tonnage: 18,591
Length: 539ft
Beam: 74ft
Draft: 20ft
Speed: 21.4 knots
Passengers: 446
Crew: 252
Passenger decks: 7
Registry: Bahamas

ITINERARIES: summer, Northern Europe, inc British Isles, Mediterranean; autumn, Mediterranean, Canaries; winter, Caribbean, Canaries and N Europe (Northern Lights cruises); spring, Med.

MORE INFO: call Saga Cruises on 0800 096 0079 or visit http://travel.saga.co.uk/holidays.