Set sail from Dover

Your Norwegian fjord adventure begins

Your expedition cruise begins in Dover, aboard MS Maud. The Norwegian fjords are 'some of the most exceptional natural beauty in the world' according to UNESCO, and in springtime, they're spectacular.

Get settled in as we bid farewell to the White Cliffs of Dover. Enjoy the views from deck or in the Explorer Lounge & Bar, and meet your Expedition Team, who'll be your guides for the next three weeks.

You can spend some time getting to know the onboard comforts and amenities, like the gym, sauna and hot tubs. Or visit the Science Center and discover more about the fjords before we reach Norway.

Potter around Harlingen

Experience the Frisian port city of Harlingen

You can walk or bike around Harlingen – a city of canals, pretty harbours and home to the last traditional pottery factory in the Netherlands. One of the 11 cities of Friesland, it lies on the shores of the Wadden Sea, a UNESCO World Heritage area.

In the Old Town, look out for heritage sites like the 46 Stumbling Stones, memorialising 46 Jewish residents murdered during the Nazi occupation.

Around the old harbours of Noorderhaven and Zuiderhaven, you'll find traditional sailing ships and historic warehouses. The reproduction of Arctic explorer William Barents' expedition ship is nearby, as is the Harlingen Aardewerk Museum, showcasing Frisian pottery.

Norway bound

Relax at sea as we travel to Norway and the fjords

Enjoy a relaxing day at sea. Take in the fresh spring air on deck, enjoy delicious food in one of our onboard restaurants, or get to know your fellow adventurers.

This is a great day to talk to your dedicated Expedition Team. Picked for their extensive knowledge of Norway, their enthusiasm is infectious. Join them for a daily onboard lecture, perhaps on the fjord landscapes we’ll be seeing soon.

You can also get involved in one of our Citizen Science projects – by looking up at the clouds and recording what you see, you can help NASA understand how clouds respond to a changing climate.

Beautiful Bergen

Visit UNESCO-listed Bryggen and Mount Fløyen

Surrounded by seven mountains and the sea, Bergen, the charming old capital, is one of Norway’s most picturesque cities.

Stroll through the UNESCO-listed Bryggen district and discover its colourful wooden wharfs dating back to the 14th century. Across from Bryggen, you'll find the city's famous fish market. From there, explore the cobbled streets on foot, stopping at artisanal boutiques and cafés.

You'll enjoy an included excursion to Mount Fløyen. Take the funicular railway up to the summit for amazing views over the city. If there’s time, we might even venture into the alpine forest for a short hike. 

Scenic Hjørundfjorden

Explore forests, pastures and pristine waters

Part of the UNESCO-designated Fjords Norway area, Hjørundfjorden is surrounded by the Sunnmøre Alps. It’s one of the most scenic fjords in Norway and largely undiscovered by other cruise lines. We anchor close to one of two fjord settlements, Urke or Sæbø, and go ashore in small expedition boats to experience Norwegian nature and culture.

Enjoy at your own pace or join one of our optional excursions. These include a guided walk among the villages to discover the area’s history and nature. You can also experience incredible views on a mountain hike or soak in the silence while kayaking in the still fjord waters.

Towards the Arctic Circle

The Seven Sisters en route to Arctic Norway

As we continue cruising up Norway's west coast, keep your eyes on the scenery as we pass Helgeland county and its thousands of islands.

You'll sail past the Seven Sisters mountain range and Torghatten mountain, with its distinct hole right through the middle. As we near the end of the Northern Lights season, there's still a chance that the aurora will appear. Once we cross the Arctic Circle, those chances increase.

Your Expedition Team will continue their onboard lectures. Discover more about local folklore, or the Norwegian passion for the outdoors, known as friluftsliv. You can also pick up tips from the professional onboard photographer on landscape composition.

Discover Lofoten

Majestic peaks, sheltered bays and pristine beaches

Today you'll explore the famed Lofoten Islands. With breathtaking scenery and pretty fishing villages, the archipelago is unlike anything you’ve seen.

We land in idyllic Reine. Its iconic red fishing huts, known as rorbuer, dotted against a granite-peak backdrop, make this one of Norway's most-photographed sites.

After departing Reine, we’ll sail along the towering Lofoten wall to Svolvær.  The islands, steep mountains, beautiful beaches and bays are simply breathtaking. Choose from a number of exciting optional activities, or explore the many shops, galleries, cafés and restaurants.

Tromsø the Arctic gateway

Experience the delights of Tromsø

This small, cosmopolitan city has plenty of fascinating sights to discover. You can even visit the world’s northernmost brewery, Mack Bryggeri.

You'll visit the Polar Museum on an included excursion, where you'll discover the city’s heritage as a base for famous trappers and legendary explorers including Roald Amundsen.

With its huge stained-glass window, be sure to stop off at the Arctic Cathedral, one of the most striking landmarks in Tromsø. You can also take the Fjellheisen cable car to the top of Mount Fløyfjellet for incredible views. If you're lucky, you may even see the Northern Lights.

Arctic Alta, Aurora city

Enjoy winter activities snowmobiling in Alta

Alta lies directly beneath the Auroral Oval. If conditions are right, you could be in for quite a show. Learn more about the aurora on a visit to the modern Northern Lights Cathedral, where you'll be treated to a classical concert and an interactive exhibition on Northern Lights research. 

Lying 70º north of the Arctic Circle, Alta usually remains snow-covered in spring. So you'll be able to enjoy optional excursions like a snowmobiling tour, mountain hiking or riding fat bikes in the hills. Or you can visit one of Alta's many dogsledding teams before we rejoin the ship and continue our expedition cruise to the North Cape.

The North Cape

Visit the North Cape at the top of world

From the small town of Honningsvåg, enjoy a scenic bus ride past tiny villages and across a mountain plateau to the North Cape, just 1,300 miles from the Geographic North Pole.

Enjoy cliff-edge views across the sparkling sea, then take a selfie at the Globe Monument before visiting North Cape Hall’s exhibits on the cape’s history.  

Back in Honningsvåg, enjoy a stroll by the pretty harbour, browsing the charming shops, houses and church. Or sample king crab at one of the many local fish restaurants. This is the ship’s turning point. From here, we begin our trip southbound. 

Senja: miniature Norway

Welcome to ruggedly beautiful Senja

We visit Senja, a lesser-travelled island – perhaps due to its remoteness – that features on CNN’s Top 10 list of ’World’s Most Beautiful Islands’. 

Nicknamed 'Miniature Norway' due to the diversity of its landscapes, Senja's northern coastline has sandy beaches, clear turquoise waters and lofty mountains. Southern Senja and Ånderdalen National Park offers rocky coastline and pine forests, while you'll find rolling hills and birch forests to the east.

The captain will decide on the best location to drop anchor so you can go ashore and explore. There's plenty of things to do in Senja – just ask our Expedition Team about our optional excursions.

The port of Narvik

Fascinating World War II history in Narvik

Narvik enjoys a spectacular setting, on a peninsula surrounded by three fjords – Ofotfjorden, Rombaken and Beisfjorden.

An important port for transporting Swedish iron, Narvik was a strategic target for Germany during World War II. Visit the Narvik War Museum and learn about the Allied troops' liberation of the town.

You can also enjoy a range of optional excursions here, including: a cable car to the top of Mount Narvik; hiking, snowshoeing or kayaking on the fjords; a visit to Polarparken to see wolves, bears, lynx and moose; meeting indigenous Sámi and learning about their culture; or ice-fishing in the small lakes.

Rest and relaxation

Enjoy the tranquillity of a day at sea

Part of being on an expedition is enjoying the moment and reconnecting with our surroundings. Today, it's time to settle in and enjoy the view as we pass through the picturesque Vega archipelago.

Find out more about the area from fascinating lectures by our Expedition Team. Or take part in one of our Citizen Science projects in our Science Center.

Work up a sweat in the gym – or in the sauna if that sounds like too much effort. Perhaps catch up on that travel journal you said you’d keep, or go through the pictures you’ve taken so far. Whatever you choose to do, today is your day.

The heights of Romsdalen

Breathtaking mountain scenery in tiny Åndalsnes

Today we sail into beautiful Romsdalsfjorden, framed by mountain peaks dusted with snow.

We start at Åndalsnes, a tiny settlement used as a basecamp for exploring Romsdalsfjorden. Its most famous sight is majestic Trollveggen, the tallest vertical rock face in Europe. You'll also find the starkly modern building housing the Norwegian Mountaineering Centre, where we'll visit on today's included activity.

For stunning views across Åndalsnes and Romsdalsfjorden, ride the Romsdal Gondola to the mountain station high above the fjord.

Green Geirangerfjorden

The ‘Jewel in the Crown’ of the Norwegian fjords

Spring is arguably the best season to see Geirangerfjorden, as the snow melts and deep emerald greens swathe the fairytale landscape. Head out on deck to admire the fjord's seven famous waterfalls, the most well-known being Brudesløret – the Bridal Veil.

In the evening, we'll cruise into Ålesund. This small town clings to the shores of a thin island chain, and its photogenic waterfront buildings, once wharfs and warehouses, are painted in pastel shades. You can join a guided walk through its cobblestone streets, where you'll learn about the town's history and see its ornate architecture and Art Deco buildings.

Views from Mount Hoven

Enjoy the glacial beauty of Nordfjorden

In the morning we’ll enter Nordfjorden, the sixth longest fjord in Norway. Aside from breathtaking glaciers and fjords, you’ll see mountains, fertile valleys and beautiful sandy beaches. 

We'll dock in the fjord, and you'll be taken on expedition boats to Loen. Here, you can take Skylift – one of the world's steepest cable cars – to the top of Mount Hoven, for spectacular views.

Join our Expedition Team on optional excursions. Take a guided hike along alpine trails or explore the fjord by kayak. You can also visit the impressive Briksdalsbreen Glacier before we bid farewell to the fjords of the north.

Wild Værlandet

A patchwork of tiny islands full of remarkable wildlife

Look out for seals, otters, porpoises, eagles and deer as we explore the area around windswept Værlandet.

At only 3.5 square miles, Værlandet is small, even by Norwegian standards. Often overlooked by cruise ships, the 200-strong local community survive largely on fishing and a little tourism, which is why we make a point of coming here. We'll try to anchor the ship off one of the islands, as expedition boats take you to land.

Optional excursions here are more intimate. You can enjoy a bike tour of Stornese; go hiking on Hilliers Island; or kayak between islets and fishing boats.

Norway's longest fjord

The tiny village where a glacier meets Sognefjorden

Stretching 127 miles inland from the coast, we plan to cruise deep into Sognefjorden's interior, to visit the idyllic village of Fjærland.   

Only about 300 people live here, and when you go ashore, you’ll discover just how charming and quaint this little village is. A designated Norwegian Book Town, second-hand book shops and stands can be found around every corner.

This is also where Sognefjorden meets one of Norway’s best-known glaciers, Jostedalsbreen. Enjoy an included visit to the Norwegian Glacier Museum and learn more about how these rivers of ice are formed.

Cosy Egersund

A beautiful town of wooden houses and ancient runes

You’ll love the cosy feel of Egersund, with its brightly coloured, wooden houses – so different to traditional, white-painted Norwegian homes.

People have lived here since the Stone Age, and you can even find ancient runes carved into rocks nearby. It’s also one of the best natural harbours in Norway – as a fishing town, Egersund used to land more fish than anywhere else in the country.

The best way to explore is on foot. You can take an optional hike in the hills or enjoy exploring the town centre on your own. For panoramic views, hike to the viewpoint at Varberg, a short walk from the centre.

Reflections of Norway

Enjoy your last day at sea

As we cruise back towards Dover, our adventure is drawing to a close. Out on deck, you might spot seabirds and perhaps even dolphins, which occasionally like to follow us along.

Make the most of your day on board MS Maud. You may want to soak in the hot tub, work out in the gym, make use of the Science Center, or enjoy the views over a drink in the Explorer Lounge.

Don’t miss the Expedition Team as they wrap up the journey with a review of the highlights of our memorable expedition cruise to the fjords of Norway and beyond.

Arrival in Dover

The white cliffs of Dover greet you as your cruise ends

Your expedition cruise to the west coast fjords comes to a close. You'll arrive in Dover during the early morning hours and dock at the harbour. After breakfast, it’s time to leave MS Maud, your home-from-home for the past three weeks, and say goodbye to friends you've made.

We hope you'll take with you unforgettable memories of Norway’s magnificent fjords and coastal communities, new knowledge about the region, and will be ready for another adventure with us soon.