8 of the best Norwegian fjords cruise holidays

Yahoo

31-01-2025

If picturesque views and clear waters float your boat, then a cruise along the Norwegian fjords could be worth considering for your next holiday.
There are more than 1,700 named fjords in Norway, made up of mesmerising green cliffs, clear waters and dramatic waterfalls. The best views can be obtained from the water, making a Norwegian fjords cruise an ideal holiday option.
You could watch the sunset on deck in the winter or stay up for the midnight sun in the summer. There will also be ample opportunities to see the northern lights, with clearer skies from a ship compared to the shore.
Passengers will get to visit colourful and historic villages and take rigs to get up-close to the waterfalls. You can even hop on a cable car to the top of some of the mountains to experience dramatic aerial views.
Many cruise ships visit the fjords, giving sailors choices of luxury and adult-only iteniraries or kid-friendly voyages to share the views and memories with all members of the family.
Here are some of the best Norwegian fjords cruises for 2025.
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Set off from Southampton for the Norwegian fjords via Bruges for a 12-night round trip. A day feasting on chocolate and waffles will help prepare for a feast for the eyes once you hit the fjords.
The Nordic adventure starts in Flam on the world's longest and deepest fjord and the voyage also includes a day sailing through the Arctic Circle.
This will give passengers social media-worthy pictures of both green and snow-packed mountains.
The 2,900-capacity Celebrity Apex is a great ship to experience the Norwegian fjords from, especially if you grab a table in the Magic Carpet restaurant and bar. Its glass platform goes up and down on the side of the ship, providing unique scenic views.
Departs 5 June. From £1,801pp.
Start from Portsmouth for a 16-night adventure to enjoy the Norwegian fjords by day and search for the northern lights at night. Sailing aboard Saga Cruises' Spirit of Discovery, you will get two sea days to settle in before reaching northern lights hotspot Alesund.
The over-50s brand includes four excursions in its fares such as a visit to the Arctic Cathedral – an aluminium structure in the shape of an iceberg in Tromso – and entry to the Northern Lights Cathedral and borealis museum in Alta.
Representatives from conservation charity Orca will also be onboard, helping guests spot and learn about local wildlife.
Departs 24 February. From £4,699pp.
Depart from the convenient UK port of Southampton with P&O Cruises.
Many of the ships in the P&O Cruises fleet visit the Nordic region. But this seven-day sailing aboard Iona gives you the best of both worlds when it comes to the fjords.
Port stops include former European Capital of Culture Stavanger and Olden, where passengers can visit the biggest glacier in mainland Europe, Jostedalsbreen. The sites and scenery of the fjords can also be enjoyed on land or from Iona's 41 metre-long luminous glass-roofed SkyDome.
The ship also has four pools, a multiplex cinema and eight dining venues covering international flavours such as Indian and Mediterranean cuisine. There is even a British gastropub, The Keel & Cow.
As a British brand, passengers also have the convenience of English plug sockets and being able to pay in sterling onboard.
Departs 3 May. From £779pp.
Start with scenery and end in the sun on this 14-day sailing with Scenic. This voyage starts from Bergen in Norway before visiting Stavanger, where passengers can take a three-hour boat ride through the majestic Lysefjord. The cruise finishes in the warmer climate of Lisbon via Vilagarcía de Arousa in Spain.
With capacity for 228 passengers, Scenic provides a small luxury ship experience with suites and a personalised butler service for every cruiser.
The ship's size means it can get closer to the fjords and you can even enjoy views from the ship's bridge.
Departs 11 September. From £11,004 per person.
Fancy a whiste-stop tour of Norway? Hurtigruten has four-day sailings that visit 16 ports along Norway's west coast including the Arctic Circle.
The packed schedule will take you to the picturesque fishing villages of Lofoten Islands and along the famous seascapes of the Helgeland coast.
Regular departures 2025. From £517pp.
Fred Olsen has Norwegian heritage, making it a great brand to visit the fjords with.
This nine-night sailing from Southampton aboard Balmoral is also a good way to see the fjords. It is the smallest ship in the fleet, meaning you can get close to the clearwaters and must-see locations such as the 612 metre-high Langfoss Waterfall in Akrafjorden,
You will also find the Olsen Art Studio onboard, where passengers are welcome to paint pictures of the scenery as they sail.
Departs 1 April. From £1,088pp.
Ambassador Cruise Line is adult-only for much of the year but does offer a few multi-generational sailings so that grandparents, parents, kids and grandkids can spend quality time together.
There is no kids' club on board, with a focus on family activities. Enjoying the scenery of the Norwegian fjords is a great shared experience for all members of the family and this seven-night sailing from Dundee could be the perfect summer holiday treat.
Sailing aboard Ambassador's newest ship Ambition, the cruise visits the towering mountains and cascading waterfalls of Eidfjord, as well as the colourful houses of Bergen and Flam, where a trip through the mountains on the Flam Railway is sure to generate multi-generational memories.
Departs 31 July. From £1,369pp.
Viking Cruises is another Norwegian brand bringing a genuine Nordic experience to the fjords. Its ships even have a resident historian onboard and the subjects on this eight-day sailing include lectures on the mediieval defence network known as the Hanseatic League, as well as the Vikings.
That should get your imagination going as you enjoy the historical waters that these people once sailed and the scenery they saw in places such Kristiansand, Stavanger and Flam.
Departs 24 August. From £7,490pp.
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