The journey begins

Location:Hamburg

The voyage starts in Hamburg, where Nordstjernen was “born” in 1956, 60 years ago. In the afternoon we depart and sail downwards along the beautiful Elbe river towards open sea. Elbe is a bustling port and we can expect to see vessels of many types.

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Location: Esbjerg and at sea

This morning we enter the port of Esbjerg in Denmark. This is a busy port on the west side of Denmark, well known for its numerous fishing vessels and busy with traffic to/from the renewable industry. In the afternoon we sail further towards Norwegian borders.

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Location:Lysefjord, Stavanger and Hardangerfjord

We start the day sailing into the magnificent Lysefjord, known for its scenic highlights, including the world-renowned Preikestolen or Pulpit Rock. Then, you have the opportunity to explore the city of Stavanger, the oil capital of Norway.

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Location:Hardanger and Bergen

We cruise towards Bergen where we will sail via Karmsundet and into Hardangerfjord. Very early in the morning we will pass Lukksundet on our way to Bergen.

Enjoy the day in this international city with small-town charm, surrounded by seven mountains. Stroll through the picturesque streets of Bergen and enjoy the well-known and famous sites like Håkon’s Hall and Rosenkrantz Tower, St. Mary’s Church, Bergen Harbour and the famous fish market. Bergen was founded in 1070, and we recommend a visit to the UNESCO World Heritage famous houses of “Bryggen” (the wharf).

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Location: Flåm, Nærøyfjord and Gudvangen

Beautiful Flåm is situated in the innermost part of the Aurlandsfjord, a fjord feeding in to the 204 kilometre-long, and up to 1.308 metre-deep, Sognefjord. Surrounded by steep mountainsides, roaring waterfalls and deep valleys, Flåm is a paradise for everyone looking for a one-of-a-kind experience with nature. We really recommend you to try the Flåm Railway - an incredible train journey from the mountain station at Myrdal on the Bergen Railway, down to Flåm station nestled in the innermost corner of the Aurlandfjord. The train journey provides some of Norway's wildest and most magnificent scenery. Alternatively we suggest a walk on your own in the village of Flåm.

We keep sailing towards Gudvangen in Nærøyfjorden. Here you can enjoy the view of the steep mountains covered with snow, wild waterfalls and vivid cultural landscapes with tiny farms clinging to the mountainsides. Being one of the candidates for the World Heritage List of UNESCO, the Nærøyfjord is 17 kilometres long and only 250 metres wide at its most narrow.

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Location: Geirangerfjord and Ålesund

The Geirangerfjord is called the most beautiful fjord in the world - and for good reasons. Here you will find scenery that will leave you breathless and, among other sights, we will see the famous waterfalls named “The Seven Sisters”. We keep sailing to Ålesund, whose beautiful Art Nouveau architecture is known far and wide. The myriad of turrets, spires and beautiful ornamentation that give the town its distinctive character are like something from a fairytale. We go on land, and may participate in a guided tour in the city or we may spend the time on land on our own.

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Location: Trondheim

Trondheim holds a special place in Norwegian history and culture. It was the first capital of Norway, and is still the city where new kings receive their ceremonial blessing. Today Trondheim is a modern city, a centre of knowledge with a highly respected university, many popular colleges and a research community ranking among the best in Europe. The well-known cathedral Nidarosdomen is only one of many sights well worth visiting in Trondheim.

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Location: Lofoten and Trollfjorden

Beautiful Reine is the first place we get a glimpse of in Lofoten. We sail slowly to watch and admire this spectacular area, including the 100 kilometre-long Lofoten Wall which rises from the sea. It's a seemingly solid, jagged mountain range, which shelters the many fishing stations, including Stamsund and Svolvær, from the sea to the west.

After visiting Svolvær we head north towards the beautiful Trollfjorden and the Vesterålen region. In addition to the dramatic geography, Trollfjorden is well known for the battle in 1880 between fishermen using the new steamboats and the fishermen still using the traditional boats (rowing and sailing boats). Trollfjorden is located on the west side of Raftsundet, between the two regions Vesterålen and Lofoten. The fjord is 2 kilometres long, 100 metres wide at the mouth of the fjord, and with a maximum depth of 62 metres.

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Location: Tromsø

We pass Bjarkøy, just outside Harstad. This municipality consists of 365 islands, and all of them are varied and special in its own way. The nature varies from great mountains to hills, woods and bare rock faces. In the summer you can enjoy one of the beautiful white beaches out here. At the northern side of Bjarkøy we find the bird cliffs named Krykkjeberg. Up to 10.000 birds are nesting here, and we’re crossing the strait to experience the fantastic bird life at close range.

Prepare to be surprised by the city of Tromsø, the Gateway to the Arctic. With the most Northern Lights in the world, 2 months of Midnight Sun, a lively, colourful downtown rich in Arctic history, surrounded by the drama of the Lyngen Alps, blue fjords and hundreds of islands, Tromsø is a gem of a city just 2000 km from the North Pole.

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Location: Honningsvåg

Honningsvåg states to be the northernmost town, situated at the latitude of 71° north. The municipality reaches out over 924 km² of grandiose and harsh coastal nature. Here you find Europe’s northernmost point, the North Cape, which rises to a majestic 308 meters above the Barents Sea. North Cape has always been an important point of orientation for sailors in the northern areas and a big attraction for people from all over the world.

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Location: Norwegian coast

Enjoy a relaxing day sailing around the cape, leaving the Norwegian coast behind as we head towards Svalbard. On board there will be an exciting lecture programme detailing the region's polar history and flora and fauna waiting for us at the archipelago.

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Location: Longyearbyen and Barentsburg

We arrive at the Norwegian settlement often referred to as the capital of Svalbard. Here you’ll find all the amenities of a modern small town – situated in a fantastic Arctic landscape. The history of Longyearbyen is very much the history of coal mining and the remnants of the area's mining heritage can be seen everywhere.

The voyage continues to the Russian settlement, Barentsburg. Here, there will be opportunities to visit the Pomor Museum and see a lively folklore show.

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Location: Woodfjord, Liefdefjord, Moffen and 80° North

If the ice conditions allow, the day will be spent cruising towards the Monaco Glacier. If we are lucky, we may spot polar bears hunting for food. If the ice conditions are favourable, we will also sail past 80° North and on towards Moffen, an island that often plays host to walruses. On our way south, we will pass the beautiful Magdalenefjord during the night.

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Location: Krossfjord, Kongsfjord and Ny-Ålesund

Day 14 comprises a visit to Kongsfjord, the largest fjord on the north-west coast. We may also visit the adjacent fjord, Krossfjord. The landscape here varies from large tundra plains to alpine peaks with dramatic glaciers tumbling into the ocean. At the end of Kongsfjord, you’ll see the majestic Kongsbreen glacier. Later, we call on Ny-Ålesund, one of the world’s northernmost year-round communities. Previously a coal-mining community, it now houses an advanced High Arctic research station. Ny Ålesund was the starting point for numerous expeditions towards the North Pole. Names like Amundsen, Ellsworth and Nobile are strongly linked to this place and even today you can see the mast that the airship 'Norge' was moored to before her departure on the first trans-polar flight. A number of countries run their own national research stations here, and there is always plenty of research activity taking place over the summer months.

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Location: Longyearbyen

Located in central Spitsbergen, the Isfjord is the most extensive fjord system on Svalbard. We will spend the morning in the heart of the fjord, as we sail towards Longyearbyen. The landscape changes constantly – marvel at the immense U-shaped valleys, carved out of the mountains by the giant glaciers that covered the area some ten thousand years ago. We arrive in Longyearbyen on Friday morning at 1000 where our memorable adventure comes to an end.