Day 1 – Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Departs 03:00 pm.

The largest port in Europe, Rotterdam is an intriguing mix of the old and the new. The city’s lineage is ancient – Count Willem III granted city rights to the sleepy fishing village on the Rotte in 1328, yet much of the city dates from the six decades following the end of World War II. An important industrial center and a major European port, Rotterdam was among the first targets of the Nazi blitzkrieg against the West. On May 14, 1940, the German Luftwaffe firebombed the city, Rotterdam was gutted. The post-war years saw a slow rebuilding but by the early 1960s the maze of port facilities extended all the way to the North Sea. Today, this city of over half a million is the economic powerhouse, not just of the Netherlands but of Northern Europe.The Nazi bombardment of 1940 gutted most of the old city. As a result, Rotterdam’s architecture is an intriguing mix of old and new: modern glass skyscrapers often stand adjacent to 19th- and 18th-century buildings.

Day 2 – At Sea

Day 3 – Eidfjord, Norway

Arrives 08:00 am, departs 05:00 pm.

Day 3 – Scenic cruising Hardangerfjord

Day 4 – At Sea

Day 5 – Alesund, Norway

Arrives 08:00 am, departs 05:00 pm.

Day 6 – Trondheim, Norway

Arrives 08:00 am, departs 05:00 pm.

Trondheim is the third largest – and second oldest – city in Norway. The town was originally called Kaupangen upon its founding in 997 A.D. by Viking king Olav Tryggvason. The city commands the trade routes linking Southern Norway with the fjord lands to the north. Trondheim quickly became a major commercial and cultural center – the city served as Norway’s royal capital.Trondheim’s old city features broad avenues and attractive 17th-century wood buildings – a legacy of the rebuilding that followed a disastrous fire that leveled the city in 1681.

Day 7 – Andalsnes, Norway

Arrives 08:00 am, departs 05:00 pm.

Day 7 – Scenic cruising Romsdalsfjord

Day 8 – Olden, Norway

Arrives 07:00 am, departs 04:00 pm.

By the mid-19th century, European travelers were cruising the waters of the Nordfjord and visiting the village of Olden. The Romantic Movement inspired this new taste for dramatic landscape – and Norway had plenty of dramatic landscape. Then as now, travelers were impressed, moved, and not frequently overwhelmed by the stark contrast between peaceful rural farmsteads and a towering wilderness of mountain peaks and glaciers.For many years Olden was home to American landscape artist William H. Singer (1868-1943). Scion of a Pittsburgh steel family, Singer provided Olden with a road and a regional hospital.

Day 8 – Scenic Cruising Nordfjord

Day 9 – Stavanger, Norway

Arrives 09:00 am, departs 06:00 pm.

Norway’s fourth largest city, Stavanger lies at the mouth of the Gandsfjord. The old port, attests to the sea’s enduring role in Norwegian history. Here, Vikings once sailed on voyages of conquest and exploration. In later centuries, the port served as a major hub for Norway’s mercantile and fishing fleets. By the mid-20th century, however, Stavanger had fallen on hard times as the fishing grounds dwindled. In 1969, the discovery of North Sea oil opened a new chapter in Stavanger’s history.At the “Sword in the Rock” Monument, three giant crossed Viking swords commemorate King Harald Fair Hair’s unification of Norway in 872 following his victory at the Battle of Hafrsfjord.

Day 10 – Mandal (Kristiansand), Norway

Arrives 08:00 am, departs 05:00 pm.

Day 11 – Oslo, Norway

Arrives 08:00 am.

Forest-clad slopes plummet to an island-studded fjord. Welcome to Oslo, Scandinavia’s oldest capital city. The commercial center of Norway, Oslo has been a major trading port for over a millennium. Its harbor is crowded with shipping that ranges from cruise ships to workaday shrimp boats. Though a relatively modest city in size – some 550,000 Norwegians call it home – Oslo is one of the largest capital cities in the world in terms of area. The hills and lakes of its outlying countryside are a paradise for lovers of winter sports. And the city itself boasts a sophisticated, yet cozy charm, with a blend of 19th- and 20th-century buildings, many decorated with woodcarvings and bright frescoes, and wide avenues dotted with public squares and parks.Oslo is the least populous capital in Scandinavia. The city offers excellent theater, great cafés and quality shopping.

Day 12 – Oslo, Norway

Departs 04:00 pm.

Forest-clad slopes plummet to an island-studded fjord. Welcome to Oslo, Scandinavia’s oldest capital city. The commercial center of Norway, Oslo has been a major trading port for over a millennium. Its harbor is crowded with shipping that ranges from cruise ships to workaday shrimp boats. Though a relatively modest city in size – some 550,000 Norwegians call it home – Oslo is one of the largest capital cities in the world in terms of area. The hills and lakes of its outlying countryside are a paradise for lovers of winter sports. And the city itself boasts a sophisticated, yet cozy charm, with a blend of 19th- and 20th-century buildings, many decorated with woodcarvings and bright frescoes, and wide avenues dotted with public squares and parks.Oslo is the least populous capital in Scandinavia. The city offers excellent theater, great cafés and quality shopping.

Day 12 – Scenic cruising Oslofjord

Day 13 – At Sea

Day 14 – Dover (for London), England

Arrives 07:00 am, departs 06:00 pm.

Visible for miles from sea, the White Cliffs of Dover are an instantly recognizable symbol of England. Modern highways make Dover the doorstep to London – Britain’s ever-fascinating capital. Visitors to this great city have a wealth of pleasures to choose from. Explore the notorious Tower of London and view the Crown Jewels. Visit Windsor Castle or see Westminster Abbey. The choices are fascinating and endless. Dover is also your gateway to Kent’s green countryside, dotted with old medieval towns and castles.Dover has played a major role in world history since the days of the Norman invasion. Today 13th century Dover Castle dominates a harbour filled with cross-channel ferries and merchant and passenger shipping.

Day 15 – Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Arrives 07:00 am.

The largest port in Europe, Rotterdam is an intriguing mix of the old and the new. The city’s lineage is ancient – Count Willem III granted city rights to the sleepy fishing village on the Rotte in 1328, yet much of the city dates from the six decades following the end of World War II. An important industrial center and a major European port, Rotterdam was among the first targets of the Nazi blitzkrieg against the West. On May 14, 1940, the German Luftwaffe firebombed the city, Rotterdam was gutted. The post-war years saw a slow rebuilding but by the early 1960s the maze of port facilities extended all the way to the North Sea. Today, this city of over half a million is the economic powerhouse, not just of the Netherlands but of Northern Europe.The Nazi bombardment of 1940 gutted most of the old city. As a result, Rotterdam’s architecture is an intriguing mix of old and new: modern glass skyscrapers often stand adjacent to 19th- and 18th-century buildings.