Its Thursday. The day we get on the ship but we got a couple things to do first so after breakfast Ryan and I head out to do some last minute shopping and a stop at Westerkerk. A quick check tells us the 'normal' line of around the block is still there at Anne Frank's house so we stop at the church instead. Real pretty candle holder in there and we find this is where Rembrandt was interred. Thank you long line.
The ride over to the ship isn't far but farther than I would like to drag all our luggage.We are over there in no time. On the ride over we see the skinniest house in Amsterdam. Went by so fast we couldn't take a picture and no, we weren't speeding. 
The boarding process went seamlessly and we were invited to try the Tuscan Grill for dinner, without the cover charge. I never say no to that kind of stuff. Room and staff are great. As we eat dinner, we pass through a lock to get to the sea. Neat to watch the ship rise up like that. Overall it take 4 hours or so to get to the open ocean so its a very scenic ride for the evening. Dinner is on the top floor so we have a great view of all around. 
 
Friday is a day at sea. nice to just sit back and relax with nothing pressing going on. Its a cold, windy rough day at sea. I go walking in the morning and actually worry about being blown over so I stay to the inside of the deck. The highlight of the day was going to the Naturalist lecture on Marine Mammals and getting Gelato. Then we turned on the news. The car bomb has gone off in Oslo. Then the shooting on Utyea island. The full extent of both won't be known for a few days but it is surreal going there after having said to so many people that nothing ever happens in Norway. Its as safe as you can get. When we land at Stavanger the next day, places are just putting the flags at half staff. A festival that was to take place is canceled. An overall somber tone settles in as more information comes out. We can't help but feel for a nation in mourning.