The city center is a charming mix of old city walls and a large modern shopping centre. With multiple restaurants, museums, cinemas and theatres there is plenty to be explored. Time spent at embarkation and disembarkation ports may be limited which may restrict availability of shore excursions.

A visit to Stavanger is like a step back in time, with its rich landscape, enchanting fjords and wonderful mixture of old against new. Littered with 19-century buildings, its beautiful old quarter is the perfect place to transport yourself back in time to the historic days of prosperity. Situated in the heart of the city is Stavanger’s 12th century cathedral, the only church to have retained all its original features since its construction in the Middle Ages. Discover Pulpit Rock, hanging 1,800 feet above the Lysefjord below – when you step out to admire the views, you’ll feel on top of the world.

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.

Because it was completely rebuilt after being destroyed by fire in 1904, Alesund looks quite different to other Norwegian towns along the country’s west coast now better known as simply ‘Fjordland’.

Stretching across three islands at the mouth of the magnificent Geirangerfjord, Alesunds architecture is now an eclectic mixture of mock-Gothic and neo-classical with more than a dash of Art Nouveau. Turrets and spires dot the skyline and you can trace the towns trend setting style development at the Art Nouveau Centre, one of several fascinating museums in the town. The pick is the open-air Sunnmre while the Atlantic Sea-Park is also worth a visit as one of the largest aquariums in northern Europe.

The history and daily life of Norway’s modern capital is inextricably linked to the sea, and what better way could there be to approach Oslo than by ship? Enjoying one of the highest standards of living in the world, this beautiful city has a profusion of historic sights to explore including the Royal Palace, the National Theatre and a wonderful array of Art museums. Southwest of the city is Bygdøy Peninsula and the famous Kon Tiki Museum, home to Thor Heyerdahl’s raft, where you can learn all about Norway’s maritime past. Or celebrate traditional ways of life with a visit to the Folk Museum.

Skagen is a world of windswept beauty, a finger of reef where sun-bleached dunes meet swathes of pastel sky. Denmark’s most northerly town on the tip of the peninsula is famed for fishing (you won’t find a tastier shrimp salad on homemade rye), while its poetic seascapes and luminous evening light has inspired many an Impressionist artist. Skagen’s main attraction is the sandy Skaw (after which the town is named) at Grenen Beach – a tapered spit where two worlds literally collide. Here, the north seas of Skagerrak and Kattegat meet, crashing together in the middle, but always look separate. While standing for the obligatory photograph with a foot in each sea, you’ll often spot whales and seals, and in springtime follow the swoop and fall of hundreds of rare migrating birds. Such natural beauty is the inspiration for many local artists. Browse their wares in the abundant galleries, jewellery and craft shops.

The Polish city and increasingly popular Baltic cruise port of Gdynia is only 80 years old but some of its churches and palaces date back as far as the 13th Century. The main Kocluszki Square is the hub, with many open-air concerts, festivals and other events taking place there during the summer. But the jewel in this region’s crown is undoubtedly the former Hanseatic city of Gdansk (once Danzig) which also found more recent fame as the birthplace of the Polish freedom movement, Solidarity. The pedestrianised Old Town centre is a wonderful place to wander, shop or enjoy a coffee before exploring its many historic sights, of which the 13th century gothic Oliwa Cathedral with its fabulous rococo organs is probably the pick.

Wonderful, wonderful Copenhagen was the adopted home of Hans Christian Andersen – commemorated in the waterfront sculpture of his Little Mermaid. And, true to the spirit of its most famous resident, Copenhagen has a fairytale magic all of its own.

Discover the beauty of the Copenhagen cruises while visiting the delightful Tivoli Gardens, where you can soar above the city in a hot air balloon suspended from a Ferris Wheel. Stroll down leafy byways as dusk falls and hundreds of lights twinkle through the trees or in the shops and cafés of Stroget, Europe’s longest pedestrianised shopping street.

With a variety of destinations to explore, cruises to Copenhagen have plenty to offer. Enjoy another stroll along the Nyhavn Canal, browsing the market stalls and looking at the fine old sailing ships moored near its banks. You will find more history at the magnificent Christiansborg Palace, the National Museum – home to fascinating Viking relics – and at Kronberg Castle – the former Elsinore of Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’.

On the banks of the Elbe River, 70 miles inland from Travemünde, lies the city of Hamburg. This cruise destination was once a one-time Hanseatic League port, which was founded over 1,000 years ago. Cruises to Hamburg have plenty to offer. The city’s two Alster lakes, hundreds of canals and spacious parks, the grandeur of its church steeples and great City Hall belfry, its sense of energy and confidence – all contribute to the subtle appeal of the imposing city.

The city center is a charming mix of old city walls and a large modern shopping centre. With multiple restaurants, museums, cinemas and theatres there is plenty to be explored. Time spent at embarkation and disembarkation ports may be limited which may restrict availability of shore excursions.