Arctic Cathedral, Tromso

Advantages: Ship, food, service
Disadvantages: bathroom, rain

...that it is real. North Cape is colder and wetter with rather bleak landscape but still very dramatic. Shops are OK but quite expensive. Pint of beer £1.20. Wine from £11.50 a bottle, all transactions on board settled at end of cruise against a credit card pre-authorisation. We over did the excursions. Half day are about £35 with a full day at £70. Some of them could be done better under your own steam. For example Tromso, if you want to see the Arctic Cathedral or Cable car viewing point are easy walks from the courtesy bus drop off. Avoid the town tours and go explore yourself. I can't wait to travel with Thomson cruises again. Next year the Baltic I think.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Ship, food, service
Disadvantages: bathroom, rain

...that it is real. North Cape is colder and wetter with rather bleak landscape but still very dramatic. Shops are OK but quite expensive. Pint of beer £1.20. Wine from £11.50 a bottle, all transactions on board settled at end of cruise against a credit card pre-authorisation. We over did the excursions. Half day are about £35 with a full day at £70. Some of them could be done better under your own steam. For example Tromso, if you want to see the Arctic Cathedral or Cable car viewing point are easy walks from the courtesy bus drop off. Avoid the town tours and go explore yourself. I can't wait to travel with Thomson cruises again. Next year the Baltic I think.... Read review

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Advantages: Beautiful scenery, snow capped mountains
Disadvantages: Very expensive and a lack of sunlight

...In January of this year we set off to Norway in search of the ethereal Northern Lights. Tromso is known as an execllent place for viewing the lights - you have a 50% chance of seeing them on a clear night - but make sure you go in the winter when there's a lot more night time in which to see them! We flew to Oslo first and then changed to take internal flights to Tromso itself - a mere 150km journey between the 2 airports! Tromso is a small university town surrounded by mountains that lies in the Arctic Circle. It has several 'most northern' claims including brewery and Burger King! We stayed in a log cabin across the bridge from the town centre. It was a peaceful setting, the thick layer of snow on the ground muffled all sounds, even cars seemed to purr along the roads. Coupled with the dominating mountains the town had a magical... Read review

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Advantages: Central, interesting and striking
Disadvantages: Crowded, lack of information

...The Cathedral Square sits right in the middle of the Kremlin, and contains as the name suggests sevaral cathedrals. All in one area are five cathedrals/churches, one famous bell tower and a palace. Entrance fee to the cathedrals are included in the entrance ticket to the Kremlin, although this may not be very clear while trying to acquire one in the hut outside the entrance! Apart from the Cathedral of the Archangel, the Church of Twelve Apostles, Cathedral of the Assumption, Cathedral of the Deposition of the Robe and Cathedral of the Annunciation, the square is also home to the Ivan the great Bell Tower, a beautiful octagonal structure that, when it was finished in 1600, was the tallest building in Russia. Behind it lies the 200 tonne Tsar Bell, which broke in two during the fire in 1737 and never got put to use. Opposite the bell... Read review

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