Cruises in northern Europe for 2014

Baltic cities

A typical Baltic route includes the capitals — Copenhagen, Stockholm,
Helsinki, Tallinn and Russia’s masterpiece, St Petersburg, where a two-day
stop is almost standard.

Each of these cities offers a plethora of grand historic buildings and
monuments that can be explored on foot, although guided excursions are
recommended in Russia — not least because it eliminates visa issues.

Cruising leisurely between these destinations on a 10-to 14-night cruise makes
light work of logistics, and plenty of competition among cruise lines keeps
prices at a reasonable level.

A number of ships make additional port calls at Oslo (Norway), Gothenburg
(Sweden) or Warnemünde (for a fairly lengthy trip to Berlin), but if you
have already done the well-trodden route and want to see new places,
consider taking a short flight to join a smaller ship — Seabourn and Oceania
Cruises offer a good choice of itineraries. Ports of call may include the
Hanseatic town of Visby on the Swedish island of Gotland; Helsingborg in
southern Sweden; Klaipeda on Lithuania’s coast; and Gdansk in Poland, which
may conjure images of industrial strife but is in fact a truly beautiful
city.

Norwegian fjords

The spectacularly narrow topography of Norway’s fjords means there is a
limited number of ports — some of them mere hamlets — where larger ships can
stop; often, access ashore is by tender.

However, that does not mean those who have sailed these slender channels can
automatically tick the region off their list, because the cruise lines often
refresh their itineraries.

First-timers should put Flåm (for its mountain railway), Olden (for easy
access to the glaciers) and Geiranger (sheer scenic perfection) on their
wish-list; if you’ve visited these, look for routes that perhaps cover
Hardangerfjord and Lysefjord further south. Fred Olsen Cruise Lines and
Holland America Line have good selections, with durations from one to two
weeks.

Norway’s Hurtigruten fleet sails daily up and down the Norwegian coast. The
ships only poke their bows into a couple of fjords, although they do call at
34 ports, most of which are never visited by cruise ships.

Whatever style of vessel you choose, “close-up” views from open decks of sheer
cliffs, hanging valleys and waterfalls make a fjord trip a must-do voyage
for every cruiser.

The North Cape and beyond

Norway’s top end, the icy wonderland of Spitsbergen, which lies tantalisingly
close to the North Pole, and the mysterious White Sea are all fertile ground
for adventurous cruisers.

Several large cruise lines now make journeys from the UK up to Honningsvåg,
from where it’s a short coach journey to the cliffs that mark the limit of
mainland Europe, the North Cape. On the way, they call at a few coastal and
fjord destinations, and often visit the Lofoten Islands, whose saw-tooth
mountains and deep bays push them high up the wish-list in terms of
spectacular scenery.

Voyages of Discovery and Saga are among those that offer trips from UK ports
in midsummer to take advantage of the midnight sun. And if you can’t make up
your mind between the Baltic and the fjords, and still wish to visit the
North Cape, Seabourn has a three-week itinerary that does the lot.

Spitsbergen is the realm of the polar bear and, until recently, was the
exclusive domain of expedition ships. These are still the best way to travel
if you’re seeking a true exploration of these captivatingly wild islands,
but a number of cruise ships now trundle up there after visiting Norway.
Ports of call are limited but there is usually a decent amount of sailing
among fjords and glaciers.

You can even do this in style with luxury line Regent Seven Seas Cruises, or
less expensively with MSC Cruises. Both feature a full day in the island’s
capital, Longyearbyen.

Rounding the top of Norway, the border with Russia is crossed and the
coastline dips southwards into the little-known White Sea. Few vessels make
it this far but those that do call at the Russian outpost cities of Murmansk
and Archangel; itineraries offered by Noble Caledonia and Silversea should
whet the appetite.

Iceland, The Faroes and Greenland

With its spouting geysers, enormous lava fields and thundering waterfalls,
Iceland has been increasing in popularity as a tourist destination over the
past decade. Today a surprising number of cruise ships head to the middle of
the North Atlantic to visit this island that is still being moulded by
violent volcanic activity.

Many voyages combine Iceland with a tour of either some Scottish ports or the
Norwegian fjords. A stop in the Faroe Islands, situated halfway between
Scotland and Iceland, is frequently featured, and many passengers cite this
otherworldly archipelago as the surprise highlight of their holiday.

Greenland, too, is increasing in popularity, with cruises starting in Iceland
before heading across to this immense island, or taking in both countries on
a longer itinerary.

Iceland’s capital Reykjavik and the town of Akureyri in the north are the
classic ports of call for larger ships and the range of excursions cruisers
can take from both is ample for a decent taster of this remarkable country.

Celebrity Cruises and Royal Caribbean International both offer summer
itineraries that combine Iceland with Norway’s fjords. Cruise
Maritime Voyages offers departures from London Tilbury, Bristol, Liverpool
and Greenock, which include five stops in Iceland, along with the Faroes.
Princess Cruises has an interesting 14-day trip from Dover that covers the
Shetland Islands, the Faroe Islands, Iceland and Norway.

If you’ve always wanted to make an in-depth exploration of Iceland and prefer
not to do so by car, Noble Caledonia offers a comprehensive circumnavigation
of the island on one of its small luxury vessels.

As for Greenland, if you wish to sail around the sensational iceberg-choked
Disko Bay on the west coast, you’re best off flying out

and joining an expedition cruise — Quark offers some excellent itineraries.
The southern tip of the country holds particular appeal, not least the
stunning Prince Christian Sound. This giant, barely populated landmass is
one of the world’s last great wildernesses that can now

be visited in comfort. Consider itineraries from Silversea, Oceania Cruises
and Fred Olsen Cruise Lines.

Wherever you choose to travel in northern seas, if you’re concerned that a
trip may involve fleeces and hot toddies, even in midsummer, you may be
relieved to know that temperatures can reach the 80s (although you should
always be prepared for squalls). Pack sensibly, and a voyage to this
pristine world could be your most memorable yet.

MSC Cruises offers a 14-night Northern Europe round trip from Hamburg,
departing June 13, 2014, visiting the Norwegian fjords, the North Cape and
Spitsbergen. From £1,598pp excluding flights (0844 561 1955; msccruises.co.uk).

Noble Caledonia offers a 12-night Epic Iceland cruise from Leith to
Reykjavik, departing June 3, 2014, also visiting Orkney and the Faroe
Islands. From £4,595pp, including flight from Reykjavik (020 7752 0000; noble-caledonia.co.uk).

Princess Cruises offers a 14-night Iceland and Norway round trip from
Dover, departing July 6, 2014, visiting the Shetland Islands, Faroe Islands,
Iceland and Norway. From £2,725pp (0845 075 0031; princess.com).

Seabourn offers an 11-night Baltic Capitals and Russia cruise from
Stockholm to Copenhagen, departing June 10, 2014, with calls including
Visby, Klaipeda and Gdansk. From £4,071pp excluding flights (0843 373 2000; seabourn.com).

Telegraph Cruise Show

John Wilmott will be talking about voyages to the fjords, Iceland and the
Baltic at this weekend’s Telegraph Cruise Show. Visit the Destinations Stage
at ExCeL London today (Saturday), at 12pm and 4pm.

The Telegraph Cruise Show is on Friday January 10, Saturday 11 and
Sunday 12 at ExCeL London. See telegraph.co.uk/cruiseshow
for more information.

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