Some destinations are made to be visited by sea. These are locations which are difficult to access by road or air, and whose beauty is enhanced when seen from the water. One such destination is , Scandinavia, which you will find featured in a range of summer month cruise programmes from a variety of lines.

Not to be confused with Baltic itineraries which take you around Denmark and into the Baltic Sea, with itineraries focussed on the artistic heritage of the Baltic Capitals (in particular St Petersburg), Scandinavian cruises focus on natural beauty and wildlife, and the core of such an itinerary is normally the Norwegian Fjords.

From the backbone of mountains shared by Norway and Sweden come rivers that feed the many lakes on both sides. Norway continues as a high, rugged plateau, falling abruptly to a coastline broken by fjords and islands.

Whilst Oslo is the capital, located in the south at the north of the vast natural harbour which is Oslo fjord, which separates the southern lands of Telemark from the low-lying lakelands of Sweden, any journey to the Norwegian Fjords will be far more likely to feature Bergen, Norway’s ancient capital, located on the west coast. Very picturesque with its wooden houses and wharves, cobbled streets and busy harbour.

From Bergen, you would expect your next visit to be a fjord cruise, for example the length of the stunningly beautiful Sognefjord to the north. Cruising the fjords is a magical and unforgettable experience. These long fingers of water travelling as much as 100 miles inland have been gouged out of the rock by glaciers, and their sheer sides are indicative of the mighty power of the ice which created them. Protected from the open sea, their water is glassily smooth, and the experience of sitting on deck on the limpid waters, enjoying the silence and immensity of the landscape, as you watch waterfalls tumble down the sheer rock faces, and a tiny car in the distance climbing the coast road, settlements far from civilisation accessible only by boat, and, in the springtime in particular, an incredible profusion of beautiful flowers, is quite unforgettable. In this timeless landscape you can picture your own captain dreaming of running away to sea as a young boy, or indeed in the far mists of time the Vikings setting forth on their intrepid voyages of exploration.

Some itineraries focus on this region, and you will find some 7 night Norwegian Fjord options. Others take you further afield for a rather different experience.

As you travel northwards up the Norwegian coast, you will find it appears more rugged and hostile – in the grips of ice and snow for many months of the year, there is much bare rock and scrubby vegetation, and the isolated islands feature incredible rock formations gouged out by the elements, and a profusion of birdlife which you will find fascinating. Intriguing, too, are the remote northern cities such as Bodo and Tromso. When you cross the Arctic Circle, you reach the Land of the Midnight Sun – in the height of the summer you will see the disc of the sun hover above the horizon as you go to bed at midnight, and many find this constant daylight exhilarating and rejuvenating.

Far in Norway’s north you reach the rock which is the North Cape – beyond this is Russia and the Arctic Ocean. Many itineraries include the option to disembark at Kirkenes for a visit to the Russian border – not quite such an alien experience as it was some twenty years ago.

Many North Cape cruises then take you back on your southwards journey, visiting some of the coastal towns and islands you missed on the way up. Others take you further north still across the Barents Sea to Svalbard and Spitsbergen, where you may be lucky enough to see polar bears and other Arctic wildlife.

Alternatively, you may journey further west to the fascinating volcanic island of Iceland, with its vibrant capital Reykjavik, incredible scenery and hot springs. And just occasionally you will find an itinerary which takes you further west still to the frozen wastes and glacier clogged bays of Greenland, with just a few coastal settlements enjoying the luxury of the brief summer thaw.

There is a strong affinity between the British and the Norwegians, and British people can expect a warm welcome from their Norwegian hosts when they visit. English is widely spoken, and so fluently it must put us to shame. The Norwegian people have a huge sense of pride in their beautiful country, and love to welcome visitors and show it off. For this reason it is particularly enjoyable to cruise to Norway on a ship with a Norwegian captain – he will take it upon himself to ensure that you appreciate every aspect of his beloved homeland.

The British will appreciate the difficulties of answering the question ‘What’s the weather like?’ We know all too well the vagaries of a northern climate, when April can be warm and sunny, and July cold and wet. The answer is, of course, ‘who knows’! But there are some key factors to bear in mind, which are that early in the season (May) after the thaw, the waterfalls are at their most spectacular, as are the wild flowers, and in the height of the season (longest day 21 June) the days are long, and you sometimes have the amazing experience, having endured a long days of mists and rain, of seeing the sun break through at 11 o’clock at night.

For those who want an authentic Norwegian experience, the Norwegian Coastal Voyage, or Hurtigruten, is the option for you. Every single day of the year one of the working ships of the Coastal Voyage fleet leaves Bergen on a twelve day round trip to Kirkenes and back again, carrying mail and supplies to numerous towns, villages and settlements along the coast. In the winter months this can be their only contact with the outside world. The ships, far larger and more luxurious than they once were, are nevertheless operating largely as ferries, stopping frequently but sometimes only for an hour or two, and giving the passenger lots of opportunity to soak up the local atmosphere and watch the day to day life of the Norwegian economy. The food is Norwegian buffet style, and passengers come and go as they embark and disembark in each port of call. Alcohol, as throughout Norway, is expensive.

A number of ships operate a variety of itineraries, and as always you should take advice to ensure you are choosing one to match your tastes. But we feel honour bound in an article about Scandinavia to mention Fred. Olsen, Norwegian owned and operated from the UK, for its Scandinavian expertise, intimate and friendly traditional British style, excellent choice of itineraries, and the excellent value for money it represents.