From City of Discovery to the land of the midnight sun
Imagine a place where the sun shines 24 hours a day. It sounds like the perfect holiday destination. And getting there has never been easier, thanks to the launch of a new cruise next summer.
For the first time, holidaymakers will be able to travel to Norway’s Land of the Midnight Sun direct from Dundee and back again on the magnificent Magellan ship, thanks to the launch of the 11-day trip by DC Thomson Travel in collaboration with Cruise & Maritime Voyages.
The ship leaves from the city’s waterfront, which boasts the stunning V&A Museum, on June 27, 2021 and will journey to the far northern Arctic regions of Norway, offering voyagers the chance to visit the North Cape – the northernmost point in Europe.
The tour promises long days when the sun never sets, allowing breathtaking views across mountainscapes, glaciers and fjords.
And an opportunity to enjoy the warmth and hospitality of charming Norwegian towns and villages.
The luxurious Magellan is one of the smaller vessels in the cruising world but this means she can negotiate tight spaces, letting you see the best of the fjords.
She has a capacity of around 1,250, but the 700 cabins are spread over nine spacious decks served by eight lifts, so there’s plenty of room to stretch out and relax.
There’s no chance of going hungry, with a great choice of dining rooms, bistros, bars and even a casino. And there are lots of activities to keep you entertained each day.
Exploring the vessel is the best way to spend the first day at sea. Then it’s on to the first stop of Kristiansund.
Situated on four different islands, this city is certainly unique. In fact, it’s in the middle of the sea.A tiny boat can whisk you between them in minutes. And it’s worth asking the skipper to let you off at the Milnbrygga wharf, where you can visit the Norwegian Klipfish Museum.
Kristiansund was partly built on fishing, and especially the klipfish – split and salted cod that were traditionally dried on the cliffs along the coast.
Then it’s back to the dock for another day riding the waves before three days on dry land exploring Leknes, Honningsvaag and Tromso.
Prepare to be blown away by the dramatic scenery in Leknes, part of the Lofoten Islands, capture stunning photographs at the North Cape Plateau and see the Northern Lights from Tromso, Norway’s gateway to the Arctic.
Magellan will also glide through splendid scenery, as it travels the fjords of Nordfjord, Romsdalfjord and Boknafjord and stop at Andalsnes, a city of just 3,000 inhabitants, which lies at the mouth of the river Rauma. Surrounded by mountains up to 1,800m high, with Trolltindene, Vengetindene and Romsdalshorn as the most prominent,Andalsnes bustles with tourists keen to breathe in its beauty.The ship will also dock in Stavanger, famed for its wooden houses as well as The Pulpit Rock, which Lonely Planet once named “the world’s most breathtaking viewing platform”.
After a whirlwind tour of this gorgeous part of the world, it’s back to Dundee on July 8, 2021, to disembark and spend hours gazing at some of the most stunning holiday photos you’ll ever be fortunate enough to take and reminisce about the spectacular Scandi adventure.
This voyage comes in the wave of success of DC Thomson Travel’s inaugural cruise showcasing the Best of Norway and Scottish Isles, which leaves later this year. Unlike the 2020 cruise, which sails from Dundee and finishes in Greenock, the 2021 departure will see passengers leave and return to the City of Discovery. Coach transfers are available from across Scotland to Dundee, so the new departure is convenient for all.
Chris Coates, group commercial director for Cruise & Maritime Voyages, said: “We are very pleased to launch another great sailing with DC Thomson. The popularity of the first cruise we launched proves that there is a real demand from Scottish readers to sail from a regional Scottish port.”
The journey will once again evoke nostalgic memories of the days when DC Thomson Travel’s parent company, DC Thomson ran a famous shipping line in the 1800s.