The wildlife park is in a gorgeous green and fertile valley in the north of the island. They take in and rehabilitate injured and orphaned animals. One of the main attractions is the Tasmanian Devils. Here are some Tassie babies:

The babies were indoors, but outside is a habitat for the adults.

They were feeding an animal leg of some sort — the devils eat the whole thing, bones and all.

Because the weather was so hot, the little guys were a bit lethargic, so we didn’t get to hear the famous “Tassie Scream”, but it was fantastic being able to see them at such close range.

Here is my view from the cabin:

Pre-Cruise: We arrived in Copenhagen at 7 am on a sunny and warm July day, and had a mini-van waiting for us — with three adults and three big suitcases, that is the way to go. After considerable research, I had chosen the Copenhagen Marriott for our pre-cruise night. Too many reviews of other hotels indicated tiny rooms, noise problems and non-existent air conditioning. Imagine how relieved and delighted we were to find that our room was ready for us and we could go right up and relax after the long flight! The bed was heavenly, with quality sheets and a fluffy duvet. And the water from the tap was so good that we didn’t have to buy bottled water — usually a must for me.

Embarkation: We paid $100 per person for early embarkation and were on the ship, sipping champagne and being escorted to our cabin within five minutes of arriving at the pier at 10:30am. Although there is no guarantee that your cabin will be ready, ours was.

Cabin: Our cabin was a veranda suite and it was just large enough for two people and a tiny bit cramped for three people. The veranda was small — again, just large enough for two people. It had two upright chairs and a tiny round table. The closet was walk-in and had more than enough space for all our clothes, plus good quality bathrobes and slippers for our use during the cruise. American appliances will work in the cabin — no adapters or converters are necessary.

Regina, the cabin stewardess was wonderful. She made sure we had the choice of toiletries we requested (Neutrogena and Bulgari Green Tea), clean fresh bed linen, a neat and orderly cabin, and all the diet coke, rum and champagne we could possibly want. And she managed to look after us without coming to the cabin when it was occupied. Regina is perfection.

The most glaring glitch, if you can call it that, is that the towels on Sliver Cloud are old, yellowed and very rough. However, if you are looking for exfoliation after your shower, you are sure to be pleased!

Service: Very good. Cheerful pleasant staff always ready to go out of their way to please you.

The ship: The Silver Cloud is in fine shape and did not seem to be tired or dirty in any way. The elevators were very speedy and we never had to wait for them. They’ve got some kind of elevator mojo going, for sure.

Sometimes the smoking room could have used a little more attention in terms of drink service and ashtray emptying, but most of the time everything was splendid.

Food: Bland. Really bland. I’m not a “foodie” sort of ferret and have no interest in caviar or truffles and so forth, so I’m not whining about the fois gras, but the food was very poor. To give three examples, the sea bass was very stinky both times it was served and the wiener schnitzel had too much breading and no flavor. One night we had hamburgers from room service and they were absolutely flavorless! I don’t even care for highly spiced foods, but every night was a disappointment with one exception: lasagna night. This was the best lasagna I’ve ever had, including in Italy. But every other night I left the table hungry and disappointed. I’m sorry to say that this was the worst, most tasteless food in all my thirty cruises.

Stay tuned for my next post, which will be about the shore excursions!

If you have the chance to visit Norway, don’t hesitate — it is wonderful!

I give you: Windstar, the alternative to the typical cruise ship experience.

After 8 or 9 cruises with Windstar, I can attest to the relaxed yet refined atmosphere you will find on board. (continued below the fold)

The Ships (Wind Star and Wind Spirit): The ships are sleek and beautiful, especially when the computer operated sails are unfurled. They can slip into smaller ports that the larger ships cannot, so your itinerary will include more out-of-the-way charming places. You can really feel as if you are on your own yacht. Many times I have indulged in this fantasy while alone on deck when everyone else was downstairs showering for dinner. (I have not sailed on the larger Wind Surf as it’s a bit big for my taste at 300+ passengers, so this review only concerns the two smaller ships, Wind Star and Wind Spirit.)

– Passengers: If the ship is full, it maxes out at–wait for it–148 passengers. This means no crowds, no lines for meals or tenders, there will always be a seat in the lounge and a lounge chair on deck for you. There are rarely children aboard. Your fellow passengers are here to relax and explore new places. They are not here to drink themselves sick and be loud and obnoxious. They are relaxed and interesting. There are no belly-flop contests on Windstar.

– Cabins: The cabins are very well designed and much thought has been put into the comfort and convenience of the passenger. I always notice and appreciate the beautiful teak wood in the cabins, as well as the more than ample storage space. The showers are always hot with strong water pressure, and they are large enough so the shower curtain doesn’t cling to your wet legs.

– Dress Code: “Casual elegance” is both the dress code and the ambiance of the Wind Spirit and Wind Star. The most dressy evening clothing for the ladies is a nice summer dress and for the gentlemen, khakis and a short sleeved button front shirt or polo shirt.

– Dining: For breakfast and lunch you can have a sit-down meal in the dining room or enjoy the buffet in the Veranda Lounge where you can eat indoors or out. Dinner in the dining room is open seating and you can dine alone or with others — whatever you feel like on a particular evening. Stroll in any time between 7 and 9 and dine at your leisure. Nobody will be rushing you along so they can set the table for the next seating. Your table is yours for as long as you want it and your dinner companions are whomever you choose.

– Entertainment: During the day, if the sports deck is down, you can kayak, water-ski, snorkel or ride the banana boat. At night you have a tiny casino, a three piece band and a pianist. And the moon and the stars and the feeling that you are on your own private yacht.

Is it any wonder that Windstar has one of the highest repeat guest rates in the cruise industry? They just “get it”, and I know I will sail with them more in the future.