Southampton, UK

The Southampton cruise port offers a city centre full of charm and a mix of old city walls plus a large modern shopping centre. With multiple restaurants, museums, cinemas and theatres there is plenty to be explored when in a cruise from Southampton. Time spent at embarkation and disembarkation ports may be limited which may restrict availability of shore excursions.

Haugesund, Norway

Haugesund, homeland of the Viking kings and birthplace of Norway, is a place where you can inhale the Viking spirit. Surrounded by beautiful coastline, spectacular waterfalls and majestic fjords it's no wonder the kings called this extraordinary setting home. Populated for thousands of years, you can walk in the footsteps of the great kings at the Nordvegen History Centre and travel back over 3,500 years. St Olav's Church, dating from 1250 AD, is a monument to the former days of glory, and next to the church stands one of Norway's tallest pillars, Virgin Mary's Sewing Needle. In nearby Rehaugene you can explore the 'Pyramids of the North' - six intriguing Bronze Age, earthen burial mounds. And if you are feeling like a spot of retail therapy, you're in luck - not only is Haugesund filled with charming markets it's also home to Norway's longest pedestrian street.

Flam, Norway

Sailing through Norway's beautiful Sognefjord, the worlds longest and deepest fjord, is one of the most memorable cruise experiences. Overlooked by snow-capped peaks and surrounded by cascading waterfalls, this is a sensational approach to the tiny village of Flam, which nestles in the innermost part of Sognefjord. But the fjord is not Flam's only claim to fame, it also has the extraordinary Flam Railway. A masterpiece of engineering, this rises more than 2,845ft above sea level in just 12 miles and the views are just as dramatic as the journey. There are a variety of other boat and road trips which promise more fantastic scenery along with visits to farms, mines, villages and isolated mountain lodges.

At Sea