Some Like It Hot … Some Prefer Not
When the promise of Caribbean sunburns and crowds have lost their luster, it may be time to head for cooler climates further north.
The Northern Sights of Norway
Savvy cruisers with a penchant for upscale travel will find a treasure trove of destinations to choose from in Seabourn Cruise Line’s catalogue of globetrotting itineraries. Few, however, would be as compelling as their summertime 14-day Majestic Fjords and North Cape itinerary aboard the impressive Seabourn Ovation.
Revealing picture-postcard beauty coupled with a collective introduction to Viking heritage, this captivating Norwegian adventure triumphs with enduring narrative and memories, outlasting any temporary tan garnered from a sojourn under the Mediterranean sun. Although the cruise actually begins and ends in Copenhagen, Denmark, the heart of the journey cuts through fogenshrouded mountains and delves into the hypnotic dreamscape of Norway’s fjords and coastal villages.
After the first day at sea soaking up the glamorous comforts of the ship, our arrival in Ålesund opens the activity playbook with an exhilarating climb of 418 steps to the lofty Aksla viewpoint, providing a peek at the fairytale dynamics of the city’s Art
Nouveau architecture. An alternative escape to the countryside ventures into the expansive scenery of Trollstigen, the mythical Land of the Trolls.
Norway’s lack of a defined western coastline forces the ship to weave its way through a segment of the country’s jigsaw puzzle of more than 50,000 sliced-and-diced islands, including the mountainous outpost islands known as Lofoten. The 4,500-person village of Svolvær displays the charm of a quaint fishing village dominated by the towering rock pinnacles of Svolværgeita, blessed by a wispy halo of clouds. With summer’s midnight sun refusing to take a bow, the pageantry of nature continues well into the evening as Seabourn Ovation squeezes its way into the narrow gorge of Trollfjord for a dazzling encore performance.
A wide range of excursions with varying degrees of interactivity is offered, but the zeal for stimulating exploits is best answered by the Ventures by Seabourn program, which here includes a series of zodiac, kayak, and hiking adventures. A squad of accomplished naturalists and professional speakers complete the experience with onboard presentations on ecology, culture, and history as part of the hallmark Seabourn Conversations agenda.
The sequestered city of Tromsø, the “Gateway to the Arctic,” exhibits contemporary Norwegian prosperity contrasted by seemingly little need for glamour. The Arctic’s inspiring topography and seclusion from populated chaos is exposed midway through the cruise as the expedition advances to the dramatic North Cape and the town of Honningsvåg, with its deeply colored buildings perfectly framing a harbor lined with fishing trawlers and their web of nets.
With another full week remaining, the ship sails southward through serene Nordfjord villages as well as Flåm, with its namesake railway adventure filling the bucket list with nostalgic train travel through the Flåmsdalen valley. The incredible afternoon navigation through Sognefjord’s visual majesty validates the remarkable popularity of the cruise itinerary.
The bustling port of Stavanger stands ready with the challenge of an intrepid hiking ascent to Pulpit Rock for the quintessential photo op, while the placid community of Farsund grants a farewell nod to the inescapable magic of Norway.
Beyond the amazing Nordic spectacles that command every waking moment, there is no avoiding the shine from the real gem of the cruise: the ship itself. The gorgeous optics of Norway complement the polished beauty of Seabourn Ovation, accompanied by a symphony of culinary creations that are orchestrated by a partnership with renowned chef Thomas Keller. Although his creative influence is felt to some degree in each of the ship’s dining venues, The Grill restaurant serves as a testament to his celebrated genius.
Seabourn Ovation is the latest opus in the emergence of Seabourn as a prestige brand and perpetuates its esteemed reputation where cruise tradition and chic design converge with no curtains to separate classes. It’s all first class, with balconied suite accommodations, complimentary premium wines and drinks, superbly trained staff, perfectly adorned public areas, and innumerable amenities all contributing to the concept that life benefits with a little splurging from time to time. If the superlatives of Seabourn luxury could talk, the conversation would never end.
With summer’s midnight sun refusing to take a bow, the pageantry of nature continues well into the evening as Seabourn
Ovation squeezes its way into the narrow gorge of Trollfjord for a dazzling encore performance.
The island of Surtsey only began forming in 1963 by an underwater volcanic eruption. A National Geographic cruise around this marvel of nature culminates with a port call to Heimaey, a town nearly destroyed by the eruption of Eldfell in 1973.
Cruising with Iceland Wide Open
Despite the fact that Iceland lies in the remote North Atlantic, in close proximity to nowhere, the island nation is enjoying unprecedented popularity. The multi-textured dynamics of imposing volcanoes, geothermal hot springs, dramatic waterfalls, frozen glaciers, and coastal cliffs, all teeming with wildlife, contribute to the country’s energized allure.
National Geographic, paired alongside Lindblad Expeditions, fuels intrepid wanderlust with a complete circumnavigation of the island aboard National Geographic
Explorer. Armed with an arsenal of exploration options, a team of experts in various fields provides enthusiastic guidance for adventures that expound on every dimension of Iceland’s spectacular optics and potent volatility.
The capital city of Reykjavík leverages its convenient air connections to make it the expedition’s natural launchpad. Prior to boarding the ship, guests are treated to an overview excursion introducing the city’s role in Iceland’s cultural narrative and touristic appeal. With over half of the country’s entire population living in the city, this is the largest port visited on an otherwise remote journey into unconnected Iceland.
While the ship may not offer aspirations of being a floating playground of frivolity, it nevertheless provides far more than you would expect from an expeditionary vessel. There are no nights of casinos, production shows, or partying till the wee hours; come dawn, it’s fulltime engagement with our planet’s call for exploration.
The curtain rises on the opening scene of the cruise with a visit to the pastoral Flatey island, hoisted atop rock cliffs that provide shelter for breeding puffins and doubling as a summer home to thousands of other aviary species (and even a few dozen humans).
The promise of communing with nature is delivered each day with an allout assault on dramatic waterfalls that cast magical mists over rocky ravines, zodiac and bicycle journeys, and treks to glaciers and volcanic craters. It’s a formula of serendipitous exploration fused with structured and well-planned excursions. For cultural inspiration, interaction with locals is encouraged
by visits to isolated villages offering musical presentations and a farmer’s demonstration with eider duck down.
Devoid of commercialized distractions, the port of Ísafjördur serves up superb alternatives to simplistic sightseeing, and the village of Siglufjördur offers a postmortem tribute to a beloved fish with the remarkable Herring Museum.
Goðafoss, the omnipotent waterfall of the gods, awaits on a full-day excursion from Akureyri that hits all of the touch points of iconic Iceland. Volcanic craters, lava flows, and the bubbling mud pools of Hverarönd all expose the island’s geothermal hot spots, and a late evening cruise celebration heralds an entrance into the Arctic Circle.
The diverse dynamics of Iceland come into play with the arrival into Djúpivogur as the focus moves from the warmth and power of Earth’s inner core to the cold blanket of ice. An amphibious vehicle transports guests through a maze of blue icebergs escaping the grasp of Vatnajökull, the largest glacier in Europe.
While the glacier has evolved over thousands of years of ice accumulation, the island of Surtsey only began forming in 1963 by an underwater volcanic eruption, making it the world’s newest island. A cruise around this marvel of nature culminates with a port call to Heimaey, a town nearly destroyed by the eruption of Eldfell in 1973. The Eldheimar Museum recalls the event in detail, depicting the heroic efforts of the townspeople in preventing the harbor from being completely overrun by the massive lava flow.
The visual kaleidoscope of Iceland’s natural phenomena is not something you can absorb in a half- or even a full-day shore excursion; for that reason, National Geographic’s professional naturalists conduct supplementary onboard programs that amplify the adventures ashore, detailing every aspect of nature’s grandeur. Each night, experts in their respective fields discuss fascinating topics that recap what has been and will be encountered.
Although the spotlights are intensely trained on the complimentary excursions and attractions ashore, it’s just as easy to focus on the attributes of the ship. The modern decor elements of the spacious staterooms and the open feeling of the main lounge provide evidence of insightful design. High atop the ship, the windowed observation lounge and the exceptionally well-stocked library afford front row seats to the passing spectacles. A late afternoon in the wellness center sauna or a therapeutic massage after a day of hiking is just what any doctor would order, and paying a visit to the gym and its assortment of workout equipment mitigates the indulgent bounty of exquisite meals with emphasis on locally sourced products.
The ship’s open-bridge policy is a shining example of the warm hospitality and welcoming ambiance of the staff and crew. This cruise experience is not about trying to reinvent cruising, but how to blend it into National Geographic’s mission of unveiling nature’s influence on the planet to every guest.
As if ripped from the pages of the iconic magazine, the images of Iceland reveal a centerfold spread of destination immersion.