Optional tours are available from most ports for an additional charge.
Itinerary
Day Rotterdam / AmsterdamDeparts 05:00 PM Rotterdam, the second largest city in the Netherlands, is located on both banks of the Nieuwe Maas, the southern arm of the Rhine, joined by the little River Rotte. Since the opening of the Europoort in 1966, Rotterdam has been the largest port in the world, and in consequence has developed into a gigantic commercial and industrial centre whose full potential is still very far from being realised.
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is located in the provinces of Noord-Holland. Including its ten outer suburbs, Amsterdam has a population of over one million inhabitants, forming the largest conurbation in what is known as âRandstad Hollandâ. The city is the hub and cornerstone of the Dutch economy thanks mainly to its importance as a commercial centre and the country's second largest port. Amsterdam is unusual in many ways, i.e. it has more than 2000 architectural monuments, world-class museums and historic canals, but also its unique and liberal atmosphere makes it stand out.
Day At Sea
Day Eidfjord, Norway / Scenic cruising HardangerfjordArrives 07:00 AM Departs 05:00 PM / Cruising "In the shadow of snowy peaks and near stunning blue-green fjords, Eidfjord is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful villages in Norway. Even though it has a population of less than 1,000, scores of visitors come here each year to bask in the area's natural splendor.
Hardangervidda, near Eidfjord, is Europe's largest mountain plateau as well as Norway's largest national park. Interestingly, the legendary polar explorer Roald Amundsen, who led the first expedition to reach the South Pole, and Fridtjof Nansen, who made the first successful crossing of the Greenland interior, both used Hardangervidda to prepare for their expeditions. Walking, hiking, cycling and cross-country skiing are popular, and the area is home to Europe's largest population of wild reindeer."
Scenic cruising Hardangerfjord
"From easy guided hikes and the summer-skiing resort on the Folgefonna glaciers to the serious hiking trails that encompass waterfalls and panoramic vistas, Norway's Hardangerfjord region offers truly exceptional outdoor experiences. Norway's Queen Sonja is known to favor the hiking trails around the village of Kinsarvik so much that a tough 16-kilometer (10-mile) hike is named after her.
Day Skjolden, Norway / Scenic cruising SognefjordArrives 09:00 AM Departs 06:00 PM / Cruising Located at the end of picturesque Lusterfjord with its emerald-green waters from melting glaciers, Skjolden is nestled between Norway's highest mountain range, Jotunheimen National Park and two glaciers. It is home to the wooden, 12th century Urnes Stave Church, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Scenic cruising Sognefjord
Norway's Sognefjord is the longest and deepest fjord in the world. Imagine 205 majestic winding kilometers (127 miles) of beautiful villages, centuries-old architecture including wooden stave churches, towering mountains with snow-covered peaks, cascading waterfalls and panoramic views. It is also a region known for its traditional food, folklore, music and rich culture. Set in the southern part of the country, centrally located at the heart of Fjord Norway (as the region is known), the fjord reaches depths of more than 1,308 meters (4,291 feet). It also soars to the sky, with rugged cliffs rising to more than 1,700 meters (5,577 feet). This is nature at its most dramatic. In fact, one of the Sognefjord's arms, the Nærøyfjord, is on UNESCO's World Heritage List. The Urnes Stave Church, which was build around 1130 is also included on UNESCO's World Heritage List. As the poet John Keats once wrote, âThe poetry of earth is never dead,â and within the Sognefjord lie many sonnets of life. Be inspired by its treasures. All you have to do is sit back and watch the spectacular wonder of this destination.
Day Andalsnes, NorwayArrives 10:00 AM Departs 08:00 PM Ã ndalsnes lies at the mouth of the Rauma River by the Romsdalsfjord, surrounded by stunning mountain scenery and cascading waterfalls. In Gudbrand Gorge, delight in whirlpools, which flank this plunging stream as it races through a 65-feet-deep gorge between Valldal and the legendary Troll's Path. The Stigfoss Waterfall plummets 591 feet into the Ister Valley, surrounded by three magnificent peaks. This spectacular scenic region also includes Trollveggan, a renowned climbing destination with a sheer rock face that rises 5,905 feet.
"When you sail the Trondheimsfjord, you sail along the route of the Vikings as they returned to their capital, Trondheim.
While not one of Norway's most famous fjords, the Trondheimsfjord nevertheless played an important role in the country's history.
Because it's ice-free year round, the Trondheimsfjord is home to a vast array of marine life and deepwater corals, and some of
Norway's most salmon-rich rivers empty into the fjord. East of the city of Trondheim the coastline becomes more rugged, yet quiet
beaches are common, most notably at Korsvika on the Lade Peninsula.
Air traffic is a common sight around the fjord, with both the Ãrland Airport and Trondheim's main Værnes Airport close to the water.
(One runway at Værnes, in fact, extends out into the fjord, causing quite the unnerving experience for passengers landing there the
first time.) "
Day At Sea
Day Hammerfest, NorwayArrives 08:00 AM Departs 06:00 PM "In keeping with much of northern Norway, the natural setting of Hammerfest is simply stunning with everything from alpine terrain to delicate shorelines. From May 17 to July 28, the midnight sun lights up the fjords, islands and skerries no matter what time of day.
Settled because of its natural harbor, Hammerfest has a long history of maritime activity. For decades the town has functioned as a home base for the Barents Sea fishing fleet, driving the local trade and commerce. Modern Hammerfest relies just as much on the Snøhvit Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Plant, one of the most energy-efficient LNG facilities in the world. Watch out for it on Melkøya Island as your ship approaches Hammerfest. During the Second World War, Nazi Germany used the Hammerfest region as a base for its North Sea submarine fleet. The old town was subsequently destroyed leaving just the small Hauen Chapel, which still stands next to the new Hammerfest Church. "
Day Honningsvag, Norway / Scenic Cruising North CapeArrives 08:00 AM Departs 06:00 PM / Cruising "For many travelers, the sparsely populated settlement of Honningsvåg is nothing more than a pit stop en route to the North Cape, the
northernmost point of continental Europe. (The North Cape is rightly an iconic bucket-list destination with postcard views across the
open ocean.) But amidst its colorful buildings, Honningsvåg has a lively cultural life powered by local spirit and an economy driven
by shipping through the Barents Sea, which is ice-free year round thanks to the warming influences of the Gulf Stream. The town's
several notable cultural institutions include a museum and a busy cultural center.
Honningsvåg is also a terrific base for exploring the rest of rugged arctic Norway, whether on foot, all-terrain vehicle or on the
water. Back in town, be sure to stop by the statue of Bamse, the Saint Bernard dog that became the mascot of the Free Norwegian Forces
during World War II. The city was destroyed in bombing during the war and the harrowing experiences of that period are documented at
the church, which gave temporary shelter to the residents."
Scenic Cruising North Cape
Day At Sea
Day At Sea
Day Bergen, NorwayArrives 08:00 AM Departs 05:00 PM Beautiful Bergen, Norway's second-largest city, is one of the most popular ports of call on a cruise up the fjords. Step off the ship into the medieval Bryggen wharf area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979, where small boats line the harbor and wooden gabled buildings stand proud along the waterfront. Bergen's rich maritime tradition goes back nearly 1,000 years, including the years the town played an important part in the Hanseatic League, the trading empire that dominated maritime commerce in the region between the 14th and 18th centuries. The city is one of Europe's oldest settlements, and its cobblestone streets and narrow alleyways lead to emerald-green parks, medieval cathedrals and stone fortresses that kept enemies at bay centuries ago. It's also eminently walkable, with historic buildings and excellent markets selling everything from fish and produce to trinkets and souvenirs.
Day Stavanger, NorwayArrives 08:00 AM Departs 06:00 PM "Before this port city on Norway's western coast earned its status as the epicenter of âblack goldâ and the extraction of North Sea oil, it was a shipbuilding and fish-canning town. Fuelled by its wealth as one of the world's top energy capitals, it's now home to top-notch fusion restaurants and a bustling nightlife that caters to a never-ending influx of expatriates.
Amidst this financial boom, though, Stavanger has managed to hold on to its heritage and soul: Archaeological museums and reconstructed settlements pay due reverence to the city's Viking past. The cobblestoned Old Town is a well-preserved core of white wooden cottages near an Anglo-Norman cathedral, the oldest in Norway. Natural beauty abounds, too, with the nearby Lysefjord and its impressive Preikestolen (âThe Pulpit Rockâ) drawing a steady stream of visitors during the summer.
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Day At Sea
Day Rotterdam, The NetherlandsArrives 07:00 AM The Netherlandsââ¬â¢ second-largest city and Europeââ¬â¢s busiest port is home to some of the 20th and 21st centuries' most important architectural feats, which is particularly impressive when you consider that nearly all of Rotterdam was razed to the ground during World War II. Sometimes referred to as ââ¬ÅManhattan-on-the-Maas,ââ¬Â the city lives up to its reputation as a forward-looking metropolis with fascinating design and some of the Netherlands' finest museums and most trendy shops.
Marvel at buildings by starchitects Rem Koolhaas and Norman Foster or get lost in the maze of gabled homes in historic Delfshaven, the point from which the Pilgrims set sail for the New World aboard the Speedwell in 1620. In the postwar years, Rotterdam has also become one of the most diverse cities on the continent as waves of migrants from elsewhere in Europe, North Africa and Turkey have come to work in the shipping industry, concentrated here thanks to the cityââ¬â¢s location on the deltas of the Rhine and Maas rivers. With its sweeping harbor and massive Europoort, the city has quickly grown to become the largest port in all of Europe.