Scandinavia
Holidays admiring the fjords of Norway are a favourite amongst thousands of cruise enthusiasts, thanks to the long light evenings, unique scenery and charm filled ports of call.
Many seasoned travellers prefer to visit the area on a small or midsize ship. The majority of the ports are little more than a tiny fishing town or village perched on the edge of a scenic inlet, backed by majestic tree covered mountains. The intimate lifestyle on board a smaller vessel and the easy going atmosphere ashore blend well together.
Many people choosing to cruise in the area prefer to view the scenery from a private balcony which, in such circumstances, is well worth paying extra for.
Hurtigruten, formerly Norwegian Coastal Voyage, offers long and short itineraries in the region and operates 11 vessels along this beautiful coast. The operator provides passengers with the chance to visit ports never seen by many larger cruise ships and has a total of 34 ports of call on its agenda. In the winter months, between November and March, there are voyages to view the magnificent and unique Northern Lights.
Beyond the fjords, in midsummer, many operators provide an itinerary to the Land of the Midnight Sun, crossing the Arctic Circle. It is possible to skirt the North Cape and Finnmark before arriving in Russia's Murmansk.
Many of the smaller ports on the itinerary of cruise liners, such as Skjolden and Flam, require entry by tender. Less agile passengers may wish to stay on board and admire the scenery from the ship.
Alcoholic beverages ashore tend to be prohibitively expensive in Norway. In addition, travelling by land between the various towns and villages is very time consuming and costly. Enjoying this beautiful region by ship does not only ensure excellent value for money but offers a host of natural wonders which are only visible from the sea.
Iceland has also become a favourite destination in recent years and many itineraries include a call at the remote port of Torshavn in the Faroe Islands. Occasionally, an operator offers a detour to rarely visited Spitzbergen, which is part of the little known Svalbard Glacier region.
- Bergen, Norway
- Eidford, Norway
- Geiranger, Norway
- Oslo, Norway
- Reykjavik, Iceland
- Skjolden, Norway
- Stavanger, Norway
- Spitzbergen, Norway
- Torshavn, Faroe Islands
Which cruise lines go there?
Cruise operators with Round the World itineraries include:
- Celebrity
- Cunard
- Fred Olsen
- Holland America
- P & O
- Princess
- Royal Caribbean
