Cruise Itinerary

Welcome to Edinburgh, the administrative and cultural capital of Scotland. The present city had its origin in the 11th century.Towards the end of the Middle Ages, Edinburgh's development prompted the construction of two walls to encircle the settlement and to protect her citizens. Adversely, the walls inhibited expansion and contained the city for almost 250 years. After Scotland was joined with England in 1707, defense was no longer a key issue and the city began to spread beyond the protective walls. Edinburgh entered its golden age in the late 18th century and emerged as one of Europe's great intellectual capitals. Dominating the city from atop Castle Rock is the oldest and most prominent surviving structure, Edinburgh Castle. The Royal Mile links the castle with the 16th-century Holyroodhouse Palace, the official residence of the Queen when she visits Edinburgh. The Throne Room and the State Apartments, with their rich tapestries and period furnishings, are of particular interest. While major historic monuments are found in the Old Town, Georgian architecture characterizes the New Town, which is the heart of the city. Princes Street marks the dividing line between the old and new sections. Shops, hotels, clubs and restaurants line its northern side; the southern side is flanked by Princes Street Gardens. Edinburgh is first and foremost a cultural and educational center. Its university, the largest in Scotland, was founded in 1583; it became a famous center for medical studies. The city is also noted for its excellent galleries and museums as well as the annual Edinburgh Military Tattoo and the International Festival. The distance between Edinburgh and Rosyth is 14 miles, requiring a driving time of approximately 45 minutes.

With Norway possessing countless famous natural landmarks—its glorious fjords practically enjoy celebrity status—the town of Haugesund, in the southern county of Rogaland, can be overlooked despite its history as a center of the country’s Viking rulers. Norway’s first king, Harald Fairhair, whose rule began in the latter half of the 9th century, lived nearby, and he and several other early kings are buried in a mound here along the Karmsundet Strait. Today, Norwegians know the town as a cultural center with popular music and film festivals, as well as for being a beneficiary of Norway’s petroleum wealth. As in many Scandinavian port towns, a long row of handsome old commercial buildings line the Smedasundet waterfront; today, they house busy restaurants. A block inland, the Haraldsgata pedestrian street has a folk museum, the brick Our Savior’s Church and plenty of shopping. At the edge of town, a huge granite obelisk erected in 1872 commemorates the 1,000th anniversary of the seminal Battle of Hafrsfjord, when Harald Fairhair led his forces to victory and united Norway in the process. It is also easy to get from Haugesund to the massive glacier fields of Folgefonna National Park and to the 612-meter-high (2,008-foot) Langfoss waterfall.

Situated at the northern end of the Hardangerfjord – Norway’s second longest fjord – Ulvikafjord is surrounded by soaring mountains and lush-green valleys, and leads to the beautiful village of Ulvik. Be sure to have your camera to hand to take advantage of the fantastic photo opportunities as your ship slices through the still blue waters of the fjord.

The peaceful village of Olden has the perfect Fjordland cruise setting - nestling at the southern end of one branch of the beautiful Nordfjord and at the entrance to the gorgeous Oldedalen Valley. A lake in the valley has been turned a rich, deep green by the river pouring down the mountains from the vast, million-years-old Briksdal Glacier. Giant waterfalls also cascade down making the views even more spectacular as you travel through the valley to the foot of the glacier - one of the offshoots of the vast Jostedal Glacier now designated as a national park. Other tours head overland to the inner Nordfjord area with its wind-blown rocks, towering mountains and verdant valleys. Also in the area are folk and glacier museums, a skiing centre on the glacier plateau and northern Europe's deepest lake - Hornindalsvatnet.

Alesund's architecture is known far and wide. Turrets, spires, and other whimsical Art Nouveau architectural touches give the town its distinctive character like something from a fairytale. The scenic spectacle of the Geirangerfjord, one of Norway's best-known attractions, is just a stone's throw from this quaint little town.

Welcome to Edinburgh, the administrative and cultural capital of Scotland. The present city had its origin in the 11th century.Towards the end of the Middle Ages, Edinburgh's development prompted the construction of two walls to encircle the settlement and to protect her citizens. Adversely, the walls inhibited expansion and contained the city for almost 250 years. After Scotland was joined with England in 1707, defense was no longer a key issue and the city began to spread beyond the protective walls. Edinburgh entered its golden age in the late 18th century and emerged as one of Europe's great intellectual capitals. Dominating the city from atop Castle Rock is the oldest and most prominent surviving structure, Edinburgh Castle. The Royal Mile links the castle with the 16th-century Holyroodhouse Palace, the official residence of the Queen when she visits Edinburgh. The Throne Room and the State Apartments, with their rich tapestries and period furnishings, are of particular interest. While major historic monuments are found in the Old Town, Georgian architecture characterizes the New Town, which is the heart of the city. Princes Street marks the dividing line between the old and new sections. Shops, hotels, clubs and restaurants line its northern side; the southern side is flanked by Princes Street Gardens. Edinburgh is first and foremost a cultural and educational center. Its university, the largest in Scotland, was founded in 1583; it became a famous center for medical studies. The city is also noted for its excellent galleries and museums as well as the annual Edinburgh Military Tattoo and the International Festival. The distance between Edinburgh and Rosyth is 14 miles, requiring a driving time of approximately 45 minutes.