Video- Reindeer Sledge Ride with the Sami. 

On a recent voyage on the Ambassador Ambission, we had an Amazing time visiting the Sami Tribe in 
Øvre Alta, its about 1 hour ride to thier campsite/village where we meet the local familys in the tribe and got a warm greating, kids were sledging down hill and with it being a Sunday the other members of the tribe went to a prity church just acrosss the road from where we were dropped off,

We were split into 3 groups because the reindeer were set up to pull 6 sleighs at a time, so we went into the traditional Lavvu tent with a large, warm fire with coffee pots heating up. Reindeer hides covered the floor to sit on, and benches were along the sides. After having been given some coffee/tea and a slice of homemade cake, we sampled Reindeer meat and got a brief culture talk about how the Sami Tribe roam the area with their herds and about the clothes they wear to keep themselves warm in the freezing cold, and it was cold on this day, minus 6 degrees with a windfactor dropping it even further.

Dawn and I getting photobombed by a Reindeer

After the visit to the Lavvu, it was our turn for the Reindeer Sledge ride. We climbed onto the sledge and had fabulous blankets covering our legs and chest, and the mandatory photo taken in the sledge, and getting photobombed by a cute Reindeer. The sledge ride started, and we were glad of the blanket as we went through the snow around the camp and the area adjacent. The lead Reindeer had a bell around its neck, and this made all the others follow that reindeer. It was quite a smooth ride with the odd bump and slide in the snow, but it was worth it to create this lifelong memory, and I loved every minute.

After that Amazing 

sledge ride, we were invited to try our luck doing a laso on some Reindeer antlers, and after the demo, it looked quite easy, but with everything, there’s a technique for throwing the laso. After a few attempts, some of which we will never mention,  we got the hang of the throw and distance, and we could laso the antlers quite consistently.
There are other facities avaiable such as a shop that sell hand made goods by the local Sami including bracelets, necklets and even Anter knifes. There are Toilets available 
The Sami are a wonderful tribe, and their outfits make any photo opportunity look a lot better. Add a reindeer, and it’s a perfect Kodak moment.
I have done a quick video of the ride, which shows the reindeer and the photobomber doing the same on the video, 

Click the image or follow this link to view the short video. Thank you.https://youtu.be/dQaqUuCUOrM?si=jDaGDOobJZrefeKj

Norwegian Bliss Completes Drydock in Europe

Norwegian Bliss arriving into Southampton port, photo credit Spacejunkie2 Flickr account,

The Norwegian Bliss is currently returning to the United States following a drydock in Europe.

With the project done, the Norwegian Cruise Line vessel embarked on a trans-Atlantic crossing in England on Feb. 2, 2025.

Sailing from Southampton to Miami, the 13-night cruise is scheduled to make visits to destinations in Spain, France and Portugal before arriving in Florida.

The ship is then set to offer a weeklong cruise in the Caribbean before repositioning to the West Coast ahead of a summer deployment in Alaska and Canada.

As part of its two-week refurbishment project in Damen at Brest, the Norwegian Bliss underwent technical updates and routine maintenance, as well as class work.

The 2018-built ship also saw the creation of new public areas and venues onboard, including the Horizon Park.

Making its fleetwide debut onboard the Bliss, the new outdoor area serves as an entertainment and gathering space that offers lawn games, giant Jenga, reclining loungers for sunbathing and more.

The vessel underwent updates to its food and beverage offerings as well, with the expansion of two popular speciality dining restaurants: Cagney’s Steakhouse and Teppanyaki.

Palomar, which is described by Norwegian Cruise Line as an elevated seafood specialty dining venue, also made its debut on the ship.

After being first introduced on the Norwegian Prima in 2022, the restaurant replaced Ocean Blue onboard the Norwegian Bliss.

Other changes include updates to the vessel’s stateroom offerings, with the introduction of three-bedroom Premiere Owner’s Suites created in The Haven ship-within-a-ship complex.

These top-tier suites now include three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and a separate dining room, in addition to fully refurbished living areas, master bedrooms and outdoor balcony furnishings.

Similar to its sister ships, the Norwegian Encore and the Norwegian Joy, the Norwegian Bliss also saw part of its Observation Lounge being replaced with 26 new balcony cabins.

Norwegian Encore Arrives at Damen for Refit

The Norwegian Encore arrived in France this week for a major refurbishment at the Damen shipyard in Brest.

Over the next two weeks, the Norwegian Cruise Line vessel is scheduled to undergo significant work on its public areas and staterooms.

According to the company, the project follows guest feedback and will include the creation of new features, as well as the addition of more cabins.

One of the main changes coming to the Norwegian Encore is the debut of Spice H2O. The adults-only complimentary sun deck will be created in the area currently occupied by the ship’s laser tag arena.

The enhancements will also include the expansion of two of Norwegian’s popular speciality dining venues, Cagney’s Steakhouse and Teppanyaki.

Both restaurants will offer greater capacity by taking over the footprint of Los Lobos and Coco’s, respectively.

The Norwegian Encore is also seeing the addition of 24 new balcony cabins, which will take over a part of the ship’s Observation Lounge.

Other changes include updates to Haven’s Premier Owner’s Suites. The two staterooms will be expanded to include a new bedroom, a fully renovated living room, and a new separate dining room.

In addition, work on the vessel’s technical side includes planned routine maintenance, class inspections, and upgrades to various systems.

Following the shipyard stay, the Norwegian Encore is scheduled to resume revenue service on December 3, 2024.

The 2019-built vessel welcomes guests back for a 12-night trans-Atlantic crossing that sails from Southampton, England, to Miami, Florida.

During the 2024-25 winter season, the Encore is scheduled to offer a series of seven-night cruises to the Eastern Caribbean and the Bahamas, departing from PortMiami.

The itineraries feature a visit to Norwegian’s private island destination of Great Stirrup Cay, as well as St. Thomas, Tortola and more.