Scandaweigian Christmas

Oslo, Rotterdam, and Copenhagen on the P&O Aurora Read more

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Trip start
December 19, 2025
Scandaweigian Christmas
Straight outta Southampton
December 19, 2025 in England ⋅ 🌙 9 °C
An unusually adventurous journey down to Southampton as Ben noticed the bonnet on my car wasn't latching properly, prompting an unplanned hard shoulder stop. In Southampton, we visited our traditional start-of-holiday pub, and enjoyed a couple of pints at the Dancing Man before taxi-ing to Mayflower Terminal. Mum and Kev entertained the shore staff, having accidentally printed their boarding passes in A3!

Our lovely cabin overlooks the Terrace Pool, and after we unpacked we wandered the ship, reacquainting ourselves. We sailed out of Southampton earlier than we'd expect normally, which meant we got some beautiful sunset views. Dinner was on a shared table of 8 which is a bit disappointing but the food was fabulous.Read more
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Scandaweigian Christmas
At Sea in the North Sea
December 20, 2025, North Sea ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C
Breakfast in bed to start the day, before going and hearing a talk from a former prison governor. We spent a relaxing day between the cabin and the ship facilities, playing a few games of crib over a pint in the Crow's Nest, before the black tie Celebration Evening. A free drink in Carmen's for the Captain's welcome, before a fantastic dinner made for a lovely evening. We hadn't realised we were so late into Copenhagen tomorrow, not arriving until 3pm. However hopefully it'll make for an interesting sail into port.Read more
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Scandaweigian Christmas
Al(most) at Sea
December 21, 2025, Kattegat ⋅ ☁️ 6 °C
We were surprised that we didn't port today until 3pm in Copenhagen. Mildly irritating given that P&O ports are almost always 9-5. Worse still, we depart at 3pm tomorrow, and all the museums are shut on Mondays!!

But, we took the opportunity to have a lazy, almost-at-sea day. We enjoyed breakfast in a window seat of the waiter-service restaurant, crib in the Crow's Nest and lunch overlooking the stern in the Pennant Bar. Creative Waves onboard crafters had an afternoon origami class and we walked away with hearts , frogs, butterflies and more, all whilst enjoying a pint and the sail into Copenhagen port.Read more
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Scandaweigian Christmas
Copenhagen by night
December 21, 2025 in Denmark ⋅ ☁️ 5 °C
Docked north of the city centre, we passed the famous Little Mermaid statue on the walk into Copenhagen. The streets were quiet as we passed Frederick's Kirke, until we reached King's Square, where we met seemingly everyone! The bars along Nyhavn, and the square and its ice rink and Christmas food and drink stalls were all teeming with people under the amazing lights of the surrounding department stores and hotels. Following the main shopping street, we wandered towards Parliament at the Christianborg Slot (palace). Looping back through the colourful buildings of Nyhavn, we followed the waterfront back to the ship for a more affordable pint than was available in the city!Read more
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Scandaweigian Christmas
Copenhagen by light
December 22, 2025 in Denmark ⋅ ☁️ 5 °C
The daylight didn't break until gone 8am, and when it finally did, we headed out to explore the city by day. Closer to our ship than the Little Mermaid, is the Genetically Modified Paradise sculpture garden by Bjørn Nørgaard, with his 'Ugly Sister' on a rock in the harbour. The Kastellet, a star-shaped fortress was interesting to walk through, as one of Europe's oldest functioning military bases. It housed an interesting visitor centre showing the role of the Danish military since 1948, and a lovely walk around the ramparts. Walking into town on a more westerly road meant we passed the ochre houses of the Nybord district on our way to Rosenborg Slot (Palace), home to the Danish crown jewels. At the far side of the park, we were treated to seeing the King's Guard playing and marching out of the park and towards town, so we followed along as far as the King's Square - quite the sight!Read more
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Scandaweigian Christmas
Copenhagen Radhus
December 22, 2025 in Denmark ⋅ ☁️ 6 °C
In the southwestern part of the city, we visited the beautiful Copenhagen city hall, home to Jens Olsen's intricate world clock; one of the cogs on this clock won't complete a revolution for more than 25,000 years! The architecture inside was fascinating, especially the beautiful spiral staircases. Off a nearby street, we passed the Circusbyningen (Circus Building) with its lovely friezes of horse-racing surrounding the top. Heading north, we visited the Torvehallerne food market, and then onto the Rundetårn, before heading back through the Nybord district to the ship. 16km round, a well-deserved pint was in order!Read more
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Scandaweigian Christmas
The city of Oslo
December 23, 2025 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ -1 °C
We sailed north overnight from Copenhagen, through the Oslofjord to the Norweigan capital city. An early breakfast up in the Pennant Bar meant we could watch the sail in as the dawn broke. Whilst we are overnight in Oslo, most things are closed tomorrow as it it Christmas Eve, so we had to plan our day more carefully. Starting our from our port at the Opera House, we passed some saunas and, horrifyingly, a chap leaving the sauna in shorts and diving into the icy water beyond despite the 0° temperature!

The walk towards the Royal Palace passed the Oslo Cathedral with its 1500sq.m. decorated ceiling. The architecture is quite different to Copenhagen which had more Georgian-style buildings against Oslo's starker and more modern buildings with cleaner lines. We stopped at our second Parliament of the trip, the Stortinget, and down into the nearby Christmas market where open fires were welcomed by frozen hands. Beyond, the 19th Century Royal Palace was an opportunity to take some fabulous photos of the royal guards.Read more
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Scandaweigian Christmas
Oslo Rådhus and harbour
December 23, 2025 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ -1 °C
Walking towards the waterfront, the Oslo Rådhus was a surprising find. We came upon thr building from the west, and circled it to get to the impressive main facade. The courtyard contains 16 wooden friezes by Dagfin Werenskiold showing scenes from Norse mythology and the Poetic Edda. Inside, the building is a riot of colour and murals, and is both beautifully kept and freely accessible. Over the road, the Amundsen Bryggeri was a micro-brewery, and so we swallowed the Norweigan prices for a lovely lunchtime beer. We had planned on visiting the nearby National Museum, but feeling we'd seen plenty, we passed this by and the Nobel Peace Centre, visiting the more-than-700-years-old Akershus Fortress which has never been taken by a foreign enemy. Although Quisling was both proclaimed "Minister President" here during World War II, and subsequently shot as a traitor to Norway here after the war. The fortress had beautiful views over the Oslofjord. Leaving via the 17th Century drawbridge, we finished our 12km walk as we headed back to the ship only an hour or so before darkness falls at about 4pm.Read more
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Scandaweigian Christmas
Frognerseteren, Oslo
December 24, 2025 in Norway ⋅ ☀️ -4 °C
After a restaurant breakfast, we grabbed a metro up the hills of Oslo to Frognerseteren. A swift 35 minute journey saw us out of the city and surrounded by snow-covered trees overlooking the Oslofjord. The sun came out on our journey and by the time we reached the fjord was bathed in beautiful sunshine. The Øvresetertjern Lake at the top was completely frozen barring a small hole at the bottom of the ladder on the dock. Whilst I sent Ben off so I could take a photo he was joined by a native Norweigan who promptly stripped off and got into the freezing water!

Following a footpath to Holmenkollen, we were graced with blue skies, snow crunching underfoot, and beautiful forests.Read more
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Scandaweigian Christmas
Holmenkollen, Oslo
December 24, 2025 in Norway ⋅ ☀️ -4 °C
A 40-ish minute walk from Frogseteren led us to Holmenkollen and the massive Olympic ski jump over Oslo. Passing along tree-lined footpaths, the Holmenkollen area gives stunning views down the Oslofjord, not least on a such glorious sunny day. The train back was less than half and hour, seeing us easily back in time for all aboard at 1.30pm.Read more
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Scandaweigian Christmas
Oslo Sailway
December 24, 2025 in Norway ⋅ 🌙 -3 °C
A Christmas Eve sailaway from Oslo through the beautiful Oslofjord!
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Scandaweigian Christmas
Christmas at Sea
December 25, 2025 ⋅ 🌬 6 °C
A lazy Christmas day at sea, with a bucks fizz breakfast to start. A few games in Anderson's, a talk from The Governor about women in prison, a bit of cabin time, and a fabulous Christmas dinner. We even stopped by Carmen's to watch Headliners Theatre Company perform for the evening, and they were very impressive. However, we are both now SO full!Read more
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Scandaweigian Christmas
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A cold morning in Amsterdam
December 26, 2025 in the Netherlands ⋅ ☀️ 1 °C
Rotterdam was a balmy -1° air temperature as we shivered our way through to the station as the sun came up. Amsterdam wasn't much warmer but the sun was out in a bright blue sky. We walked the western canals past the beautiful canal houses and to the flower market, before a brief shopping stop at the Delft store. We past the narrowest facade in Amsterdam on the way, barely wider than the front door! More canals took us through the red light distract and past the Oude Kerk. In trying to find a pub, I clearly conducted the same Google search as when we were here last time as we ended up in the same bar on the western canals! Of all the stops, Amsterdam has been the least clean, and the smell of cannabis hangs frequently in the air. However the canals are pretty and the beer is good!Read more
Traveler I should have put an order in!!
2wReply
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Scandaweigian Christmas
Delft
December 26, 2025 in the Netherlands ⋅ ☀️ 2 °C
A quick diversion on the way back Amsterdam to see Delft, its canals, and its very wonky church. Alas the brouhuis was not open so we couldn't even have a beer to warm us up!
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Scandaweigian Christmas
Rotterdam
December 26, 2025 in the Netherlands ⋅ 🌙 1 °C
As dusk fell, we walked back through Rotterdam to the ship via the Cube Houses, the Markthal, and a beautiful sunset from the Erasmus Bridge. 24km walking, three cities, and only one beer...time for a drink!
(Photos of Erasmus Bridge were from the morning)Read more
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Scandaweigian Christmas
Delfshaven, Rotterdam
December 27, 2025 in the Netherlands ⋅ ☁️ 2 °C
The fog that rolled in over breakfast was incredible, transforming the clear Rotterdam skyline into nothing! So we decided on a more leisurely day today, and trammed across Rotterdam to historic suburb of Delfshaven. Looking more like canal houses of the Netherlands than we were used to for Rotterdam, it was a beautiful place to visit, complete with iconic windmills. Apparently it was the place the Speedwell left from with the Puritans headed for America, but the ship only made it as far as Cornwall, whilst the Mayflower carried on. The Pelgrims Brewery there has tasty beers named after this event too.Read more
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Scandaweigian Christmas
Kaapse Brewery
December 27, 2025 in the Netherlands ⋅ ☁️ 4 °C
Grabbing a tram back to the heart of Rotterdam, we stopped at the "Santa Claus" statue, which looks rather more risqué than the supposed Santa holding a Christmas tree! I found a fabulous shop selling local artists work before a tram took us back to the ship. On the harbour behind the ship was the Kaapse brewery, which was our final stop of the holiday where I had a sour that made Ben screw up his face! He rather preferred his session.

After dinner on the ship, we popped into the silent disco before grabbing our Christmas Day gin present from P&O and watching the late night sailaway from Rotterdam.Read more
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Scandaweigian Christmas
Homeward bound
December 29, 2025 in England ⋅ ⛅ 3 °C
After a leisurely day at sea spent drinking, playing crib, and eating, we hit port in Southampton. We spent almost the whole of yesterday making the laziest approach ever through the English Channel, and heard the final talk from the Governor about HMP Belmarsh. And now we're home, its definitely gone too quickly!Read more
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Trip end
December 29, 2025