San Francisco to Oslo (via Amsterdam) - Day 1-2 - July 2-3, 2023

 

Fjord View from our Hotel
We left SFO on an 1:55 PM flight to Amsterdam (KLM Airlines).  We were flying business class and our flight was comfortable...well as comfortable as a 10 hr 15 min flight can be.   After landing in Amsterdam we had 4+ hours to make our connection to Oslo, however when we got to passport control we were shocked by the length of the line figuring it might take that long to get through.  EU passengers can go right through but our line...which seemed to mostly consist of Americans was lengthy.  But I guess the Dutch are efficient, as all booths were manned and the line moved quickly.  

Our flight to Oslo was just under 2 hours and we were met at the airport by a Viking rep.  We went to our hotel by bus along with others on our pre-cruise excursion...more on this later.

We are staying at the Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel which has 37 floors and is the 2nd highest building in Norway (there is a factory 3 meters higher.)

After arriving we were given our keys and schedule.  There is a bank of 8 elevators labeled A-H and there are panels on the wall where you enter the floor of your room and then scan your key card...the panel then indicates what elevator to take (A-H).  You get in the elevator, the door closes and takes you right up to your floor (no buttons in the elevator)...new system for us.

So we get to 5th floor with our key cards for room 523.  Neither one works on the door...just get a red light.  We head back to the 1st floor and get new cards.  We go back upstairs and the same thing happens.  We head back down, they once again give us new cards but send someone up with us.  The same thing happens.  He then calls security and he comes with a master key.  He opens the door and it's dark inside but someone calls out...the room is already occupied!!!!

They apologize and tell us this should never happen but don't really know what happened.  We head back downstairs and they assign us a new room...an upgraded room on the 28th floor with a panoramic view of the fjord, in what we learned is one of the most expensive cities in the world.

At this point, after 20+ hours of travel and a time change putting us 9 hours ahead of California, we are glad just to have a room.  We manage to stay up until 8 PM in an attempt to adjust to the new time.
Location: Oslo, Norway

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