The city center is a charming mix of old city walls and a large modern shopping centre. With multiple restaurants, museums, cinemas and theatres there is plenty to be explored. Time spent at embarkation and disembarkation ports may be limited which may restrict availability of shore excursions.

Haugesund, homeland of the Viking kings and birthplace of Norway, is a place where you can inhale the Viking spirit. Surrounded by beautiful coastline, spectacular waterfalls and majestic fjords its no wonder the kings called this extraordinary setting home. Populated for thousands of years, you can walk in the footsteps of the great kings at the Nordvegen History Centre and travel back over 3,500 years. St Olavs Church, dating from 1250 AD, is a monument to the former days of glory, and next to the church stands one of Norways tallest pillars, Virgin Marys Sewing Needle. In nearby Rehaugene you can explore the Pyramids of the North – six intriguing Bronze Age, earthen burial mounds. And if you are feeling like a spot of retail therapy, youre in luck – not only is Haugesund filled with charming markets its also home to Norways longest pedestrian street.

The peaceful village of Olden has the perfect Fjordland cruise setting – nestling at the southern end of one branch of the beautiful Nordfjord and at the entrance to the gorgeous Oldedalen Valley. A lake in the valley has been turned a rich, deep green by the river pouring down the mountains from the vast, million-years-old Briksdal Glacier. Giant waterfalls also cascade down making the views even more spectacular as you travel through the valley to the foot of the glacier – one of the offshoots of the vast Jostedal Glacier now designated as a national park. Other tours head overland to the inner Nordfjord area with its wind-blown rocks, towering mountains and verdant valleys. Also in the area are folk and glacier museums, a skiing centre on the glacier plateau and northern Europes deepest lake – Hornindalsvatnet.

Because it was completely rebuilt after being destroyed by fire in 1904, Alesund looks quite different to other Norwegian towns along the countrys west coast now better known as simply Fjordland. Stretching across three islands at the mouth of the magnificent Geirangerfjord, Alesunds architecture is now an eclectic mixture of mock-Gothic and neo-classical with more than a dash of Art Nouveau. Turrets and spires dot the skyline and you can trace the towns trend setting style development at the Art Nouveau Centre, one of several fascinating museums in the town. The pick is the open-air Sunnmre while the Atlantic Sea-Park is also worth a visit as one of the largest aquariums in northern Europe.

The history and daily life of Norways modern capital is inextricably linked to the sea, and what better way could there be to approach Oslo than by ship? Enjoying one of the highest standards of living in the world, this beautiful city has a profusion of historic sights to explore including the Royal Palace, the National Theatre and a wonderful array of Art museums. Southwest of the city is Bygdøy Peninsula and the famous Kon Tiki Museum, home to Thor Heyerdahls raft, where you can learn all about Norways maritime past. Or celebrate traditional ways of life with a visit to the Folk Museum.

The history and daily life of Norways modern capital is inextricably linked to the sea, and what better way could there be to approach Oslo than by ship? Enjoying one of the highest standards of living in the world, this beautiful city has a profusion of historic sights to explore including the Royal Palace, the National Theatre and a wonderful array of Art museums. Southwest of the city is Bygdøy Peninsula and the famous Kon Tiki Museum, home to Thor Heyerdahls raft, where you can learn all about Norways maritime past. Or celebrate traditional ways of life with a visit to the Folk Museum.

From Gdynia visit the city of Gdansk – formerly known as Danzig. A mish-mash of architectural styles greets you as you find buildings and monuments dating back from Gothic to Renaissance to the Baroque periods. The beautiful monuments, historic gateways, imposing towers and medieval streets bring alive the mood of a Hanse merchants settlement. Take a tour of the city and see the amazing Oliwa Cathedral with its beautiful pipe organ and visit Westerplatte where in September 1939 the first shots of the Second World War were fired.

Wonderful, wonderful Copenhagen was the adopted home of Hans Christian Andersen – commemorated in the waterfront sculpture of his Little Mermaid. And, true to the spirit of its most famous resident, Copenhagen has a fairytale magic all of its own. Discover the beauty of the Copenhagen cruises while visiting the delightful Tivoli Gardens, where you can soar above the city in a hot air balloon suspended from a Ferris Wheel. Stroll down leafy byways as dusk falls and hundreds of lights twinkle through the trees or in the shops and cafés of Stroget, Europes longest pedestrianised shopping street. With a variety of destinations to explore, cruises to Copenhagen have plenty to offer. Enjoy another stroll along the Nyhavn Canal, browsing the market stalls and looking at the fine old sailing ships moored near its banks. You will find more history at the magnificent Christiansborg Palace, the National Museum – home to fascinating Viking relics – and at Kronberg Castle – the former Elsinore of Shakespeares Hamlet.

On the banks of the Elbe River, 70 miles inland from Travemünde, lies the city of Hamburg. This cruise destination was once a one-time Hanseatic League port, which was founded over 1,000 years ago. Cruises to Hamburg have plenty to offer. The city’s two Alster lakes, hundreds of canals and spacious parks, the grandeur of its church steeples and great City Hall belfry, its sense of energy and confidence – all contribute to the subtle appeal of the imposing city.

The city center is a charming mix of old city walls and a large modern shopping centre. With multiple restaurants, museums, cinemas and theatres there is plenty to be explored. Time spent at embarkation and disembarkation ports may be limited which may restrict availability of shore excursions.