Celestial Norway & Iceland

IJmuiden's proximity to capital Amsterdam means many guests use this port town as a stopping off point, but look further afield and you'll find vast beaches with a plethora of wind and water sports on offer, as well as walking and cycling in the lovely National Park Zuid-Kennemerland. You can visit Old-IJmuiden to explore country estates and ancient ruins, with remnants of fortifications and underground bunkers, and see the largest sea lock in the world! Alternatively, Haarlem's lovely cafés, canals, cobbled streets and bars are only a 30-minute train journey away.

Renowned for its boisterous nightlife, passionate football fans and shipbuilding heritage, Newcastle has been reinvented in recent years as a forward-looking cultural hub. Key to this has been the BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, the centrepiece of the rejuvenated Gateshead Quays.

The ‘granite city’ of Aberdeen is flush with money from the North Sea oil boom, and boasts cultural attractions including the fascinating Maritime Museum and the Aberdeen Art Gallery. Head out into the countryside and you’ll find magnificent castles, wild mountain scenery and whisky distilleries aplenty.

Invergordon’s deep natural harbour makes it a popular jumping off point for the Scottish Highlands, and most cruise ship visitors will head inland on excursions to Loch Ness, Culloden battlefield or the nearby city of Inverness, capital of the Highlands.

The flat, windswept Orkney Islands, just off the northeast coast of Scotland, have a distinctive Scandinavian heritage that’s discernible in everything from the unusual place names to the ancient Norse architecture of the capital, Kirkwall. Don’t miss the Ring of Brodgar, a fascinating Neolithic stone circle.

Lerwick is the only town of any size in the Shetland islands, and originally grew up around the herring trade. Highlights include the charming 18th century architecture along the waterfront and the informative Shetland Museum, which provides an excellent introduction to the history and culture of the islands.

The little town of Måløy is a major fishing port, on the sheltered eastern side of Vågsøy island. Nearby sights include the Kannesteinen rock, sculpted by the sea into a bizarre mushroom-like shape, while further afield is the Jostedalsbreen National Park, home to continental Europe’s largest glacier.

Seyðisfjörður is one of the highlights of Iceland’s Eastfjords, a cute collection of colourful houses at the head of a dramatic fjord. The backdrop of snowy mountains and cascading waterfalls makes this one of the most picturesque ports in Iceland, and the town is surprisingly cosmopolitan.

Akureyri is Iceland’s second city, though with just 18,000 inhabitants it’s really more of a small town. Situated on the north coast at the head of Iceland’s largest fjord, it’s a cute and quirky place that also serves as a base from which to explore the bubbling mud pools and lunar landscapes around Lake Mývatn.

Ísafjörður is the largest town in Iceland’s wild Westfjords, dramatically located on a spit of sand hemmed in by mountains on three sides. The town itself is fairly low key, and the main attraction is exploring the surrounding landscapes, such as the spectacular Hornstrandir Peninsula.

The little fishing town of Grundarfjörður enjoys a picturesque setting on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, surrounded by dramatic volcanic peaks and gushing waterfalls. The nearby Snæfellsjökull volcano, capped by a glacier, was made famous by Jules Verne in ‘Journey to the Centre of the Earth’.

Capital of Iceland and gateway to this extraordinary volcanic island, modern Reykjavík is home to an impressive collection of interesting attractions and places of historic significance. Visit the impressive Hallgrímskirkja church, relax in a thermal pool, potter around the old harbour, and enjoy 24 hour daylight in the summer months.