North Cape Discovery

Stavanger is blessed with history and natural beauty. From the old port, the city radiates across a network of islands interlaced with graceful bridges. Stavanger's Romanesque cathedral and old medieval lanes blend beautifully with the modern city and spectacular countryside. Journey back in time on a tour of Utstein Cloister, a beautifully preserved Augustin Monastery from the Middle Ages.

Selected spring and summer Norwegian discoveries feature the town of Bodo, situated on a peninsula along a stretch of coastline in the north of the country, just inside the Arctic Circle.

At Tromso, you’re nearly 250 miles inside the Arctic Circle and one of the best places to see the Northern Lights. Clues to your location are everywhere; the bars are fully stocked with Arctic Beer and the Arctic Cathedral resembles a geometric glacier. Home to over 100 nationalities, the city offers a wealth of eateries serving the best native cuisine in the Arctic. Tromso features the Polaria Arctic Centre, where the exhibits recreate a polar bear den and an Arctic snowstorm. You might experience them for real from the cable cars that climb Mount Storsteinen.

Spend the morning today sailing through Arctic Norway. You’ll notice how the landscape and scenery is different from Bergen and the Helgeland Coast. The climate is usually a bit cooler too. Arriving in the small town of Honningsvåg in the late afternoon, you’ll visit one of the northernmost points in Europe as part of an included excursion. The scenic bus ride from Honningsvåg passes small bays and tiny villages, then crosses a mountain plateau before arriving at spectacular North Cape. At 71°10’21´N, it is just 2,100 kilometres away from the Geographic North Pole.

Today we visit one of the northernmost points in Europe, North Cape and is as far north as we go on this winter expedition cruise. Start the day by taking a scenic bus ride from the town of Honningsvåg. At 71°10’21´N, North Cape is just 2,100 km away from the Geographic North Pole. Stand at the edge of the cliff and gaze out on the sea. Only the Svalbard Archipelago separates you from the North Pole. North Cape feels like the end of the world. It’s also a great place to take stunning photos and there will be enough time to visit the North Cape Hall´s cinema, showing a short film about the North Cape Plateau, and there are several exhibits open to visitors. Back in Honningsvåg, you can opt to stroll about, past charming houses, shops and a church that was the only structure left standing at the end of World War II. This is the ship’s turning point and from here we start our return trip southward. Keep looking skyward!

Explore regal pomp and ceremony, Norwegian style. The wooden "Stiftsgarden" is the city's official royal residence and under Nidaros Cathedral's gleaming spire, monarchs are still crowned to this day. You can also ride the quaint sightseeing streetcar and or make interesting visits to open-air folk museums, a working ski jump and the Lokken Copper Mines.

Ålesund is renowned for its beautiful art nouveau architecture. This owes to a devastating fire that burned a large part of the city to the ground in 1904. The entire town was subsequently rebuilt in the fashionable art nouveau style of the time. Take the opportunity to wander Ålesund’s charming cobblestone streets and admire the numerous spires, towers and highly-ornate buildings. Norway is a seafood nation and Ålesund is its fisheries capital. Take the opportunity to visit the Norwegian Aquarium - built directly into the rocky coastline, the aquarium is also an architectural marvel. Due to excellent oceanic conditions along the Norwegian coast, the aquarium features a colourful and exciting range of fish and fauna, including octopus, seals and penguins.

The UK's premier passenger ship port, located in the picturesque English county of Hampshire, Southampton is a vibrant waterfront city, serviced by direct trains to London, an airport, and an international cruise terminal. Explore the city’s maritime heritage and links to RMS Titanic in the Sea City Museum, see contemporary British art in the Cultural Quarter, or walk the medieval walls in the Old Town. Further afield you’ll find The New Forest National Park, Winchester Cathedral, Stonehenge, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard and the Isle of Wight, while the city’s thriving craft beer and culinary scene will leave you spoilt for choice.