Norwegian Explorer - 11 nights, August 2013

The United Kingdom's premier passenger ship port, Southampton was home to the great transatlantic liners of yesteryear. The port serves as your gateway to Southern England’s magnificent historic sites, national landmarks, charming villages as well as the great metropolis of London. Southampton is the ideal starting or ending point for a memorable voyage.

Established by Charlemagne, Hamburg owes much of its architecture to the rebuilding done in the late 19th and early 20th centuries after a massive fire. World War II also inflicted severe damage, but the city's medieval character is still evident thanks to post-war restorations. Water is a wonderful feature here – as you’ll notice when you arrive along the River Elbe, investigate quirky historic districts by canal and glide past highly desirable addresses lining the Alster lakes.

Unlock this fascinating ‘Gateway to the Fjords’, Norway’s second-largest city, Bergen is home to over 200,000 people. Maritime trade and oil industry are still vital to the city’s economy. Visit medieval wooden houses on the waterfront and peek inside the workshops of local painters, weavers and craftsmen where works of art – some better than others – await discovery.

This small village is one of the most visited locales in Norway’s fjord lands. If you love waterfalls, you’re in the right place. In steep, stunning Geirangerfjord, the Seven Sisters -Geirangers scenic waterfalls, forever woo the Suitor, another cascade on the opposite shore. A tour to Mount Dalsnibba (1500m high) presents views of this spectacular area in unrivalled glory.

When you leave this peaceful village on the picturesque Nordfjord, you’ll do so with any number of breathtaking visions etched into your memory. Giant waterfalls thunder down, mineral-rich Lake Lovatn glints with a milky turquoise sheen, and the Kjenndalen Glacier reveals a green-tinged glow.

Stavanger is blessed with history and natural beauty. From the old port, the city radiates across a network of islands interlaced with graceful bridges. Stavanger's Romanesque cathedral and old medieval lanes blend beautifully with the modern city and spectacular countryside. Journey back in time on a tour of Utstein Cloister, a beautifully preserved Augustin Monastery from the Middle Ages.

Established by Charlemagne, Hamburg owes much of its architecture to the rebuilding done in the late 19th and early 20th centuries after a massive fire. World War II also inflicted severe damage, but the city's medieval character is still evident thanks to post-war restorations. Water is a wonderful feature here – as you’ll notice when you arrive along the River Elbe, investigate quirky historic districts by canal and glide past highly desirable addresses lining the Alster lakes.

The United Kingdom's premier passenger ship port, Southampton was home to the great transatlantic liners of yesteryear. The port serves as your gateway to Southern England’s magnificent historic sites, national landmarks, charming villages as well as the great metropolis of London. Southampton is the ideal starting or ending point for a memorable voyage.