My 2024 European Escapade - Part 11: Cruise, Days 6-7

I'm blogging about my recent trip to Scotland, England & beyond! Keep reading, or start from the very beginning!

July 5th

Today was another Sea Day. I woke up early and had some food I'd placed in my stateroom fridge the night before. Then I went down to the International Café on deck 5 to get some coffee. 

I took my coffee into the Princess Theater, intending to watch some presentations on some of the destinations we were looking forward to (Stockholm, Visby, Klaipeda, and Kristiansand). The theater was about 1/3 full when I got there. I sat down -- then moved a few minutes later, when someone nearby kept hacking. My new seat wasn't much better. It was as if I could feel the germs in the air. The presentations hadn't started yet, so I left. (It turns out technical difficulties prevented the event from happening at all. The presentations were later added to the stateroom TVs, and I ended up watching them after we'd hit up some of the ports!)

I ordered room service for an early lunch. I played on my 3DS a bit, then napped. Around 3pm I went down to one of the dining rooms for Afternoon Tea. I was seated at a table with four other people. We all made small talk and it was nice. 

I was planning to do a trivia session at 4pm, but the room it was in was way too crowded... there wasn't even anywhere to sit. That was fine, as I had a slight headache anyway. 

I watched part of a movie back in my room, and then around 7 went to the buffet for some dinner. I got pasta with tomato sauce and a veggie-soup-filled pastry puff which were so delicious, I went back for seconds. I left feeling very full!

Next I went to one of the lounges and watched part of the World Cup (Germany vs. Spain; Spain won.) I don't really ever watch soccer/football, but it's fun to do in a group. The game ran into overtime, so the trivia game that was supposed to be in that room got canceled.

I spent some time on the promenade deck listening to an audiobook and watching the sun set...

July 6th

Stockholm day! I woke up around 7:30, feeling... strangely tired. I had some coffee and then eventually went up to the buffet for some oatmeal and orange juice. I saw that we had already docked in Stockholm.

I got off the ship about 10. I tried to use Google maps to make my way to a bus stop and go into town, but I got mixed up and ended up making a big loop, returning to the ship. 

There were people selling tickets for one of the Hop On Hop Off sightseeing buses, so I thought hey, why not? Two separate companies run these kind of buses/tours in Stockholm and both of them use red buses -- not at all confusing!

The bus ride began...

I took the HOHO bus to Skansen, which had been the #1 place on my "to do" list. Skansen is an "open air museum," which kind of felt like a giant park mixed with a zoo mixed with a historical place you'd take kids on field trips. It was really cool. 

From one of the hills of Skansen, you could see the Caribbean Princess docked across the waterway!

So close, yet so far... and totally not walkable!

What's this?

Oh, just a slide shaped like a giant serpent!

I spent about 2 or 2 1/2 hours at Skansen, then returned to the HOHO bus stop. There were plenty more sights to see on that tour, so it was another hour or so before I was back at the ship. 

As I rode along, I noted that I didn't feel too well. I decided to take it easy this evening. I considered taking another loop on the HOHO circuit, but considering how long it would take, I thought it would be cutting it too close to the All-Aboard time, so I didn't. 

Views from the decks...

There was plenty to see as we pulled out of port...

Note how gray the sky had gotten. It had been so pretty this morning!

I am ultimately happy with what I chose to do in Stockholm, but I definitely want to go back someday... there's so much more to see! The city turned out to be way bigger than I was expecting.

Next up... Sea Days and ???