Tromso, Norway - Norway, Fjords & Baltic Cruises

Enjoy a short sightseeing tour of Tromsø before heading towards Sommarøy Island - Summer Island. Cross the Sandnessund Bridge that connects the city of Tromsø with Kvaløy Island, and pass beautiful scenery and several cultural monuments. Reaching Sommarøy, see the beautiful white beaches and rugged mountains that surround the Island; the biggest fishing village of Tromsø with 300 inhabitants.

Enjoy a guided walking tour of this vibrant coastal community, where fishing and hunting has always been the livelihood. See the fishing boats in the pretty harbour and take in the stunning views, with the big Senja Island to the south, the coastal landscapes to the north and the endless ocean to the west. During your visit learn about life on the island, and enjoy refreshments of tea or coffee and waffles at the local restaurant.

Your return trip to Tromsø along the narrow Kattfjord will be scenic, passing the majestic Blåmann, the highest peak on Kvaløy Island.


This excursion will operate by coach. There is approximately 30 minutes of guided walking on the island, which is optional. The walking is on flat, even ground. The order of highlights may vary.

Begin your panoramic discovery of the ‘Capital of the North’ with a drive towards the centre of town, a charming blend of old and new. Modest wooden houses sit alongside the modern architecture of this university city. You will pass Tromsø Church, one of the largest wooden churches in the north. Continuing around the forest-clad island, which is five times the size of Oslo, reach the 4,002 foot long Sandnessund Bridge, which connects Troms Island with Kvaløya (Whale Island). Here you will find Tromsø’s most modern suburb set against a backdrop of impressive mountain peaks.

Returning to Troms Island, the university will come into view. This is the world’s northernmost university, with students from all over Norway and abroad. The next landmark is the Northern Lights Planetarium.

Just over the Tromsø Sound lies the beautiful Tromsdalen Parish Church, also known as the Arctic Cathedral. During this tour you will pass many homes and gardens, with a great variety of colourful flowers, which you may be surprised to see at this latitude.


This excursion will operate by coach. All sightseeing will be done from the coach with no stops being made. Guests who opt to remain in town at the end of the tour will be responsible for making their own way back to the ship.

Your journey will take you to the Northern Norway Science Centre where you’ll be shown to the comfortable Planetarium to watch an amazing ‘Experience the Aurora’ film. This film takes you on a colourful journey of the elusive ‘Aurora Borealis’, more commonly referred to as the Northern Lights. You’ll be able to experience the beauty, majesty and thrill of the Northern Lights as experienced by those who live around the Arctic Circle. Seven months of winter skywatching, thousands of photographs and hundreds of hours of video footage (mostly shot in the Tromsø region), have been condensed into the world's first all dome 360 degree, high resolution movie of this fascinating phenomenon.

After your Northern Lights experience, you’ll visit the interesting Polar Museum situated in the old Custom House. The museum has preserved records from bygone times when Tromsø had rich traditions in hunting and expeditions. The museum also shows a great part of the equipment, skis, tents etc. that the explorer Roald Amundsen used on his South Pole expedition.

Before returning to your ship, embark on a sightseeing drive around the main highlights of Tromsø which includes a stop at the ultra-modern structure of the Arctic Cathedral. The Cathedral’s architecture symbolizes the immense strength of the pack ice in the Arctic Ocean, whilst the interior is dominated by the beautiful stained glass-window picturing the Return of Christ.


This excursion will operate by coach. Museums in Norway do not have information displayed in English. If a religious ceremony is taking place in the Cathedral then only an exterior visit will be possible. Please note it is not possible to see the actual Aurora Borealis as it is only visible during the winter evenings. The Polar Museum is not wheelchair accessible and there are 22 steps to access the first floor.

A warm welcome awaits you at the Tromsø Wilderness Centre where Tove Sørensen and Tore Albrigtsen live with their three children and more than 100 Alaskan huskies. Tove regularly takes part in the Finnmark Race with her dogs - a race of 621 miles. Tore has also crossed Greenland on skis and has taken part in the world’s longest dog race. Tore is, in fact, the only person to have completed this race with only one dog. You are sure to be fascinated by the vivid account of their various expeditions, illustrated by a DVD show, and you will also have the opportunity to say ‘hello’ to the dogs.

The Polaria Centre shows the polar areas and the Barents region through a series of interesting exhibitions. A spectacular film, shown on a 225° wide screen and taken with five cameras, gives an insight into Spitsbergen, its wildlife and its fauna. The interesting aquarium displays the indigenous sea life, while curious seals look down from above as you pass through a tunnel beneath one of the tanks.


This excursion will operate by coach and on foot. There is a gravelled path at the Wilderness Centre and some uneven ground. Please wear clothing to accommodate muddy paws; the huskies like to be friendly and may jump up at you. The huskies change their fur in the summer, which can often make them appear scruffy; rest assured that these working animals are very well taken care of. It is not guaranteed that both Tore and Tove will be present.

A drive through Tromsø takes you towards the university area, where the northernmost university in the world is situated. You’ll pass the Northern Lights Planetarium, Sandnessund Bridge and the Island of Kvaløy before arriving at the polar environmental centre of Polaria.

The Polaria Centre, a fascinating building resembling huge ice blocks, shows the polar areas and the Barents region through a series of interesting exhibitions, an aquarium and a spectacular film. As you proceed along the ‘Arctic Walkway’, you’ll experience the simulated elements of Arctic nature - a snowstorm, a dozing polar bear, the tundra and the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights). In the aquarium, the main attraction is the arctic bearded seals.

Returning to the city centre, you’ll cross the Tromsø Bridge, linking Troms Island with the mainland for a visit to the Arctic Cathedral.

The ultra-modern architecture of the Arctic Cathedral symbolises the Northern Lights as well as the ‘period of darkness’. The interior is dominated by the beautiful stained glass-window covering the eastern wall, picturing the Return of Christ. The Church was inaugurated in 1965 and is a typical example of a ‘boathouse-church’.


This excursion will operate by coach and on foot. There are some stairs and steps to be negotiated at the Arctic Cathedral and Polaria. Lifts are not available. The Cathedral can close at short notice for religious ceremonies, in which case only an exterior visit will be conducted. The tour involves a tunnel.