A Northern Europe cruise promises an unforgettable cultural journey.
Can a Northern Europe Cruise combine the captivating Northern Lights, the scenic beauty of the Norwegian coastline, and the cultural delights of the Baltic capitals? We say yes! Spend your days cruising through untamed fjords, marvelling at medieval castles, strolling through charming coastal towns, and drinking in the unique charm of a Northern Europe cruise.
Cruise to a dream-like destination brimming with history, culture, and jaw-dropping scenery with a Northern European cruise. Sail through serene waters, exploring crumbling castles in medieval towns, enchanting grand palaces, and the soaring dunes and magical lakes in Northern Europe. A European cruise promises a journey of wonder and discovery that will prove fairy tales do come true.
Experience Northern Europe cruise itineraries that showcase the best of this captivating region, from the intricate old-world streets of Bruges to the extraordinary architecture of Copenhagen and the rugged, untamed beauty of the waterfront cities of Sweden and Finland. Each port of call offers a melting pot of history, culture, and natural wonder, ensuring there’s always something new and exciting to discover.
There has never been a better time to treat yourself to the ultimate Northern Europe cruise adventure on the ultimate luxury liner.
A Northern Europe cruise will take you to some of the most iconic ports where you can revel in the storybook charm of Stockholm with its archipelago of islands or lose yourself in Amsterdam’s glittering and vibrant nightlife and historic sites. And if that isn’t enough to tame your spirit, the dramatic landscapes of Iceland are perfect for exploring geysers, waterfalls, and hot springs.
The decks are almost as dynamic as the land, with eateries, entertainment, live music, and night-long festivities. If you’re after something more low-key, take a midnight stroll under the crisp moonlight, spend the afternoon languishing with the ocean stretched out before you, or take a nap while the gentle lapping of the waves carries you away.
You’re also in for a culinary exploration as you indulge in the freshest seafood from the Baltic Sea, sit back and savour a traditional Scandinavian feast in Norway, or treat yourself to the sugary delights of Dutch pancakes as you approach Amsterdam. The Viking heritage is alive and well at sea, so feast like they did in the past as you make memories that last long after tomorrow.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best month to take a Northern European cruise?
Northern Europe is enchanting at any time of year, but May to September is the best period. You’ll enjoy long, bright days and almost 24 hours of daylight in June.
Is there a cruise that goes to Norway and Sweden?
On Scandinavian cruise tours, you can visit Sweden, Denmark and Norway on the same trip. You could spend a week visiting the three Scandinavian countries, or stay for longer to explore the region at leisure and even incorporate other destinations into your tour.
What are the Best Northern Europe cruises for families?
Norway, as well as Northern Europe City Escapes visiting Germany, Netherlands and Belgium, as well as Christmas Market river cruises
Ports you might visit
Ajaccio
Ajaccio offers the chance to retrace the renowned footsteps of Napoleon Bonaparte. Visiting the house where he was born, brimming with Bonaparte family documents and portraits, you can ponder the journey that made him one of Europe's most feared and notorious leaders. Admire Tino Rossi harbour - a postcard scene of pastel façades, brightly painted fishing boats and rustling palms - named after the local tenor and film star.
Akranes, Iceland
Picturesque Akranes sits at the base of Akrafjall mountain on the tip of a small peninsula separating the Hvalfjörður and Borgarfjörður fjords. On a clear day you can see across to Reykjavik, just 40km or so away. This area of western Iceland was settled during the 9th century, although the town didn’t take shape until the mid-1800s, born from the fishing industry that still dominates the local economy. Today around 7,000 people live in Akranes — a major metropolis by Iceland standards — and the surrounding coastline is rich with birdlife. The Akranes Folk Museum offers insight into the town’s heritage with exhibits. Visitors can soak in the Guðlaug thermal pool or comb popular Langisandur Beach; the Breiðin lighthouse offers breath-taking views. Akranes has a proud football (soccer) tradition, and its team, Íþróttabandalag Akraness, is recognized as one of the country’s best.
Amsterdam
Strikingly beautiful, this city is famed for its concentric canals crossed by humpbacked bridges, and cyclist-friendly avenues of tall trees and gabled houses. Savour the charming sites of this beautiful city on foot, a canal boat tour or get a bike for the most authentic experience. Known as The Venice of the North', Amsterdam's bustling canals, world-famous museums and historical sights are a must-see.
Basel, Switzerland
Located along the Rhine River, Basel sits at the point where French, German and Swiss borders meet, marking the gateway to the Swiss Rhineland.
Breisach
Breisach is located in one of the warmest parts of Germany, across the river from French Alsace, which is famous for its wine-growing. But Breisach, too, can boast about its wine: it is home to Europe’s largest cellars, with a storage capacity of more than 160 million liters. The most prominent landmark of Breisach is the Romanesque-Gothic St. Stephen’s Cathedral, built between the 12th and 13th centuries. Its two towers are visible from throughout the city and from the Rhine.
Brussels (from Zeebrugge)
Zeebrugge is your gateway to Brussels, Bruges and Ghent. The old capital of the Duchy of Burgundy, Brussels is famed for its fine cuisine and is also capital of the European Union. Bruges and Ghent are perhaps the best-preserved cities in Northern Europe. Bruges is a fairy-tale city where medieval edifices, proud bridges and overhanging trees admire their beautiful reflections in glassy canals. Around its waterways quaint cobbled streets lead you to markets, museums and churches.
Budapest, Hungary
Riverside beauty and a vibrant cultural scene blend together in Budapest to form one of Europe’s most rewarding cities. Hungary’s enchanting capital straddles the banks of the Danube, with traditional hillside Buda on one side and modern Pest on the other. By day, astounding art nouveau buildings, castles and palaces set the stage for awe-inspiring strolls and long soaks in thermal spas. By night, a nostalgic glow settles in as the city’s lights dance on Danube waters, the Chain Bridge uniting it all as a dramatic centrepiece.
Cannes
Here on the French Riviera, Cannes is known for its beaches, chic boutiques and elegant nightspots around La Croisette promenade. It was a sleepy harbour until 1834, when Lord Brougham stayed here on his travels to Italy and began its transformation into a fashionable resort. It’s now home to the famous film festival and the immortalised handprints of A-list movie stars.
Cherbourg
Cherbourg is a town steeped in seafaring history. Located in Normandy, there's a rich past for you to explore, as well as some fantastic restaurants and cafes to relax in while you sample the views of the beautiful and dramatic coastline.
Cologne
An intriguing mix of old and new, Cologne reveals its Roman heritage in the city layout and ancient ruins that lie scattered through the town.
Cowes, Isle of Wight, England
The Georgian harbor town of Cowes, situated on the Isle of Wight, has been the home of international yacht racing since 1815. It is famous for Cowes Week, the largest and longest-running sailing regatta on earth. The Isle of Whyte was once a favored retreat of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Osborne House still retains a large collection of their royal possessions, photography and art.
Djupivogur, Iceland
Djúpivogur is a very small, quaint town of some 456 people, located in East Iceland in Berufjörður fjord. Towering, pyramid-shaped Mount Búlandstindur dominates the landscape, rising to 3,510’ (1,069 m). It is a place of unspoiled nature, with quiet lagoons and a tranquil harbour populated by colourful fishing boats. The area is well-known for the diversity of birdlife, especially in nearby Búlandsnes Bird Sanctuary where most of Iceland’s bird species can be observed.
Douarnenez, France
Douarnenez and its four harbors were the center of the sardine canning industry during the 19th and early 20th centuries. While trade has dropped off, signs of the town’s fishing heritage are everywhere – from its cozy fishermen’s cottages to the aptly named Chemin de la Sardine, the main route through Douarnenez’s buzzy center. Follow the waterfront promenade along the Quai du Port-Rhu to the Port-Musée, where you can step aboard a traditional lobster boat, barge and British tug at anchor.
Eyjafjordur, Iceland
On your journey from Akureyri, experience the beauty of Eyjafjordur as your cruise through Iceland’s longest fjord.
Enjoying a wealth of wildlife due to its fertile waters, it is one of the best places in Iceland for whale and puffin watching.
Gdynia
Gdynia is one of the youngest Polish cities. Its port is the gateway to Poland and a landmark of Gdynia. The port of Gdynia ranks among the best in the Baltic region. Gdynia offers beautiful, sandy beaches and is the largest is in the city centre - close to the Marina, Skwer Ko_ciuszki, and Kamienna Gra.
Giverny & Vernon
Vernon's cobblestone streets are reminiscent of the Middle Ages, and some of the half-timbered houses feature magnificent wooden carvings.
Grundarfjordur, Iceland
The charming small fishing village of Grundarfjörður is located in the middle of the Snæfellsnes Peninsula and thus provides easy access to Stykkishólmur, Snæfellsbær and the Snæfellsnes National Park. Its best-known landmark is undoubtedly the peak of Mt. Kirkjufell. Translated as ‘church mountain,’ Kirkjufell is the most easily recognizable peak, and one of the most photographed mountains in Iceland. During summer months a Viking Village is built in the centre of town where Viking re-enactments occur quite regularly. The surrounding sea is rich with birdlife & marine life throughout the year.
Hamburg
Established by Charlemagne, Hamburg owes much of its architecture to the rebuilding done in the late 19th and early 20th centuries after a massive fire. World War II also inflicted severe damage, but the city's medieval character is still evident thanks to post-war restorations. Water is a wonderful feature here - as you'll notice when you arrive along the River Elbe, investigate quirky historic districts by canal and glide past highly desirable addresses lining the Alster lakes.
Heimaey, Westman Islands
Heimaey Island is the largest in the Westman Islands located 6,5km off the south-west coast of Iceland. One of the most visually impressive islands in Iceland, it is ringed by tall, vertical sea cliffs many hundreds of feet high. Heimaey is also the home to over eight million Atlantic puffins, more nesting puffins than anywhere else on earth. A local story tells that puffin chicks, taking their first flights at night, often become stranded in the village streets, where the local children rescue them and set them free the next day.
In 1973 the island received the nickname, ‘Pompeii of the North’ when a volcanic eruption and lava flow destroyed half the town. This caused a crisis when the town’s only harbour was nearly blocked by advancing lava. Nowadays it is a lively place with a vibrant culture and over four thousand residents.
Hrisey, Iceland
Journey past the remote island of Hrisey, widely hailed as “The Pearl of Eyjafjordur”, due to its beauty and tranquility.
The island itself is about seven kilometres long and 2,5 kilometres wide yet is rich in birdlife and a haven for more than 40 species of birds.
Isafjordur, Iceland
The Westfjords in northwest Iceland is a remote and sparsely populated peninsula of steep, tall mountains cut by dozens of fjords. The raw and untamed natural landscape around Ísafjörður is characterized by a subarctic environment. A colourful show of blooming tundra wildflowers carpets the mountain slopes and valleys during the short, cool summer. Keep your binoculars handy. Iceland's western fjords are prime whale watching waters and, if your luck's in, you may just spot a tell-tale spout of water.
Kiel
Kiel is very much a maritime city and sits at the eastern end of the Kiel Canal, the world's busiest artificial waterway, linking the Baltic Sea with the North Sea. See the sluice gates and mighty ships up close as they transit through the canal. The sights around Keil can be enjoyed by bicycle. Pick one up right by the pier and you're ready to cycle off along the beautiful promenade and Kiel Fjord.
Kinderdijk
The South Holland village community of Kinderdijk includes a set of 19 windmills and other ingenious technologies built in the 18th century to control flooding.
Klaipeda
Standing on the coast of the Baltic Sea, Klaipeda is Lithuania's third largest city and its largest port. Klaipeda sits on the northern end of the Curonian Spit, a 98-kilometre long peninsula less than 4 kilometres wide, and narrower than half a kilometre in places. The spit separates the Baltic Sea from the Curonian Lagoon and has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its fragile ecosystem. As well as dunes, it has swathes of pine forest, replanted to stabilise the spit, that are populated by deer, elk and wild boar, and just a handful of villages.
Lerwick, Shetland Islands, UK
Lerwick, Britain's most northerly town, and is a small, bustling, cosmopolitan seaport with a population of over 7,000 people and fine architecture. Shetland Museum, located on Hay's Dock, is an award- winning attraction.
Les Andelys
Les Andelys is a commune in France, located in the Normandy region. The city is divided into a large and small part (Le Petit Andely and Le Grand Andely). At the same time, the small part is located directly on the Seine River. The northern character of the country is also reflected in the architecture of the municipality. This can be seen, for example, in the 13th century Notre-Dame Cathedral. The amusement park Tolysland is popular with young and old.
Mantes-la-Jolie
Formerly known as Mantes-sur-Seine for its picturesque location on the winding Seine River, Mantes-la-Jolie translates into “Mantes the Pretty.”
Normandy Beaches
Normandy’s legendary D-Day Beaches bear witness to the heroism of the troops who landed here in World War II.
Paris
Founded in 1517 as a port to serve Paris, Le Havre remains your gateway to the City of Light. Paris is one of the most romantic destinations in the world. Over the centuries, Parisian culture has been built on the wings of inspiration. Music, film, architecture, literature, dance and the visual arts all have their brilliant place in the museums, theatres and remarkably preserved buildings. Behold Notre Dame Cathedral, shrouded in gothic splendour and folklore. Weave among priceless artworks in the sensational Louvre, and along the Champs Élysées toward the Arc de Triomphe. Then let that undisputed Parisian icon, the Eiffel Tower, leave its own vivid impression.
Riga
Sitting on the Baltic Sea at the mouth of the River Daugava, Riga is the enchanting capital of Latvia, and the largest city among the Baltic States. You can visit on certain cruise itineraries around Baltic shores.
The House of the Blackheads is probably Riga's most emblematic postcard-friendly landmark, and its ornate red-brick faade will no doubt make it into many of your photos too. Inside is just as lavishly spectacular with banqueting rooms and conference halls that are unforgettably opulent.
Rouen
The city of Rouen is the historic capital of Normandy and is best known for Joan of Arc. In the museum "Joan of Arc" you can find an insight into her life and her tragic death in Rouen. Also worth seeing are the botanical gardens, the cathedral "Notre Dame" and the monastery "Saint-Georges de Boscherville". Very popular is also a visit to the clock tower in the charming downtown area of the town.
Seydisfjordur, Iceland
The remote town of Seydisfjördur is perched at the end of a narrow twisting fjord in East Iceland. A very picturesque village of 700 people, it is known for its thriving arts scene and large number of resident artists. Tourism is on the rise as well, as its natural setting of mountains and waterfalls is simply breath-taking. Surrounded by impressive 1,085m tall snow-capped mountains, Seydisfjördur is home to the Technical Museum of Iceland and hosts populations of both eider ducks and Atlantic puffins. It was settled by Norwegian fishermen in 1848 and quickly became an important trading centre between Iceland and Europe. It is known throughout Iceland for its colourful Norwegian-style wooden houses.
Speyer
Speyer’s charming, shop-lined main street is overlooked by the impressive clock tower of its Altpörtel, the Old Town Gate.
St Helier, Jersey
Jersey is a Crown dependency. It has formal relationships with, but is not part of the European Union nor the United Kingdom. As might be expected, its setting between those two has shaped a great deal of its history. The medieval castle of Mont Orgueil overlooking Gorey Harbour is a mute testament to the shifting political tides that have washed the island, as are the elaborate works created during the German occupation between 1940 and 1945.
St Raphael
Located in the Var area of south-eastern France, the coastal commune of St Raphael is the perfect base for exploring all the region has to offer. A stop at St Raphael allows you to explore this naturally beautiful and diverse area of France and discover it at your own pace.
St Tropez
St Tropez has become synonymous with Côte d’Azur chic. First came the artists, and works by Matisse reside in the museum of art. Over the decades, the A-listers followed. Tall waterside houses line up with façades of dusky yellows and oranges, gleaming yachts bob lazily in the marina, and the narrow cobbled lanes of the old town make a pleasant place to stroll.
Tallinn
With preserved medieval walls, cobbled squares and towering spires, Tallinn is a fairytale city. Walk the walls and view the towers with fanciful names like "Fat Margaret" and "Peek in the Kitchen." See a colourful folk dance and perhaps shop for fine leather-bound books - a speciality.
Torshavn
There are few smaller capital cities in the world than Torshavn, whose name - literally 'Thor's harbour' - suggests its Viking heritage. It has plenty of character, especially the colourfully painted wooden houses of the old town with turfed roofs, and their modern counterpart - the Norse House constructed from gleaming glass with a grassy top.
Travemunde
The town of Travemunde was originally a 12th Century fortress on the Baltic shore of Lubeck Bay, northern Germany. Now affectionately nicknamed “Lubeck’s most beautiful daughter,” this port on your Northern Europe Cruise is more famous today for its sailing, golfing, great food and the annual Sand World sculpture festival.
Villefranche
Set within a beautiful natural bay, Villefranche is a step back in time. The charm and romance of its old town lies in the colourful buildings and peaceful pace of life. The public gardens of the Citadelle, art museums and cafes cast a laid-back spell, while the Riviera's grand names of Nice, Antibes, Cannes and Monte Carlo are all within easy reach.
Vopnafjordur, Iceland
The bay of Vopnafjörður was first settled by Vikings in the late 9th century. Little is known about the history of Vopnafjörður after Iceland lost its independence to Norway in 1264. This is an area of truly rugged, natural beauty. Devoid of trees and carpeted in thick mosses, the landscape surrounding Vopnafjörður is typical of the extreme east coast of Iceland. Gljúfursárfoss, a graceful, cascading waterfall plunges into a very dramatic gorge. It is one of the best known waterfalls in this part of the country. A highlight of Icelandic culture and lifestyle is the Bustarfell Folk Museum. Bustarfell is a quaint group of six houses, many centuries old, constructed in the traditional Icelandic farm style. The brown wooden houses, gabled in red with grass-grown roofs, is one of the oldest and best preserved farms of its kind in Iceland.
Warnemunde
Glimpse into this resort's fishing village origins at the Warnemunde Local History Museum housed in an 18th century cottage, or admire its beautiful brick lighthouse.
Zeebrugge (tours from Bruges)
Understand that Zeebrugge literally means Bruges-on-Sea and you immediately appreciate why this ferry port is also Belgium's major cruise port. A medieval jewel on the North Sea, the charming city of Bruges is just 10 miles away.
