This is a region overflowing with cultural treasures combined with the sort of spectacular scenery and natural phenomena guaranteed to stir your soul.
The sweeping vistas of the Norwegian fjords, all towering cliffs and cascading waterfalls tumbling hundreds of feet into dark brooding waters, are an unforgettable highlight, along with enchanting medieval towns of cobbled streets and elegant baroque churches strung along the coast of the Baltic Sea.
Scandinavia brings its own Nordic charm with centuries of history and a hygge lifestyle that acts as the perfect foil to the vast untamed landscapes. This is the Land of the Midnight Sun and the Northern Lights, where nature's power and appeal is startling.
Further north and deep into the Arctic Circle lies the kingdom of the polar bear, the Svalbard Archipelago and iceberg-strewn waters around the remote coasts of Greenland.
Closer to home are picturesque Channel ports, a clutch of quaint continental towns, and Britain's own bounty of timeless landscapes, sleepy coastal hamlets and maritime cities.
Norway tends to dominate cruises heading northwards from the UK, primarily due to its extraordinary collection of 1,000-plus fjords gouged deep into its rugged coastline.
Geirangerfjord is the main draw of Norwegian fjord itineraries, with others including Sognefjord, Norway's longest, plus Nordfjord and Hardangerfjord - famous for the Trolltunga rock formation, 700 metres high.
Ships don't necessarily dock at each fjord listed on itineraries, sometimes doing "sail-bys" to showcase the scenery, but one port that does demand a stop is the village of Flam, renowned for the Flåmsbana scenic railway that winds on a 12.5-mile heart-pounding route up the mountain.
Some Norwegian fjord sailings also include the atmospheric port city of Bergen and southern city of Stavanger, close to the much-photographed Pulpit Rock that rises 604m above Lysefjord.
Other Scandinavian sailings major on the capital cities of Oslo, Stockholm and Copenhagen, bolstered by smaller ports such as Visby on the Swedish isle of Gotland or Skagen in Denmark.
Some of these also feature on voyages to the Baltic Sea, which generally include the classic pairing of Tallinn in Estonia and Riga in Latvia, while another draw is Gdynia, the Polish port for Gdansk.
Until early 2022, another star of Baltic sailings was St Petersburg, but following Russia's invasion of Ukraine cruise lines have swapped it for smaller ports such as Bornholm in Denmark and the Estonian island of Saaremaa.
Cruises in the English Channel might include Guernsey, the Belgian port of Zeebrugge - gateway to the chocolate-box city of Bruges, along with Antwerp, Amsterdam and Le Havre, from where you can visit Paris.
Further west and you can expect to stop at the French fishing ports of Honfleur and St Malo or sail inland along the Garonne River to Bordeaux.
On UK voyages, expect to visit cities such as Liverpool, Belfast, Edinburgh and Glasgow, along with the Scottish Hebrides, Shetland Isles and Orkneys. Other destinations may include Falmouth, Portland, the Isles of Scilly, Dublin and Cork.
Amsterdam and Rotterdam are departure ports to Scandinavia, while Copenhagen and Stockholm are popular embarkation points for cruises to the Baltic Sea. Northern Lights/Midnight Sun voyages that go further north also depart from these two cities, along with Bergen.
Cruises to the Arctic tend to depart further north, from the likes of Tromso in northern Norway, Iceland's capital Reykjavik or Longyearbyen on Spitsbergen.
But there's a wide choice of sailings from UK ports, notably Southampton, but also Dover and Newcastle to these points and Iceland, with some Arctic sailings also departing from Scotland and Newcastle.
Cruising from the UK brings convenience, but on Baltic and Scandinavia sailings this involves crossing the North Sea, which may be rough in winter and can take one or two days. Channel cruises and UK voyages tend to depart from South Coast ports.
Channel cruises lend themselves to short breaks, a two-night hop to Amsterdam or Antwerp, for example, but most Scandinavian cruises tend to be one or two weeks, with Baltic cruises generally lasting for 14 nights. Some longer voyages of 21 nights or more combine Scandinavia with the Baltic Sea or Iceland, while Arctic sailings - especially if sailing from the UK - can be three weeks or more.
Arctic cruises unlock the door to one of the world's last wildernesses. At its heart lies the Svalbard archipelago and its capital Spitsbergen where polar bears roam and the sea throngs with whales and walrus. Sailings on small adventure ships explore these isles, with some intrepid voyages even making it to the North Pole or through the narrow channels of the Northwest Passage and the Canadian Arctic.
Iceland is another star of the Nordic cruise scene with sailings focusing on the island or combining it with Greenland, which is starting to appear more frequently in itineraries.
Northern Lights or Midnight Sun voyages tend to follow Norway's coast further northwards into the Arctic Circle and sailing to Honningsvag near the North Cape and onwards to Tromso, Alesund, the Lofoten Islands and Kirkenes at the top of Norway, just a few miles from the Russian border.
The Norwegian fjords are rich cruising grounds for the main brands and especially those, such as P&O Cruises, Cunard, Princess Cruises, Celebrity Cruises and MSC Cruises, that base ships in the UK. Some, such as Norwegian Cruise Line, also include sailings to Iceland.
The Baltic and Scandinavia attract a similar line-up, along with the smaller ships of premium and luxury lines such as Oceania Cruises, Silversea and Regent Seven Seas Cruises.
However, there's a different flavour on the hybrid cruise/passenger ships of Norwegian lines Hurtigruten and Havila Voyages which both run regular working services along Norway's coast between Bergen and Kirkenes year-round, delivering goods and carrying locals, along with cruise passengers, to towns and tiny settlements enroute.
The waters off Norway are also frequented by a variety of smaller adventure ships, featured in the UK by specialist companies including Aqua-Firma and the Small Cruise Ship Collection.
Around the British Isles, many mainstream lines offer UK cruises, but aside from these are a plethora of smaller boutique companies, such as Hebridean Island Cruises - a former favourite of the late Queen who chartered its 50-passenger ship Hebridean Princess - which sails into the nooks and crannies of Scotland's Western Isles.
Alternatives include the Majestic Line, with a fleet of small vessels including two converted fishing boats carrying up to 12 guests, Hebrides Cruises, St Hilda Sea Adventures and Red Moon Cruises.
For an even more atmospheric way to explore the British coastline, jump aboard one of the tall ships and classic yachts of VentureSail Holidays which sail Scottish waters, the West Country coastline, Isles of Scilly and the Channel Isles.
The Arctic is attracting growing interest from established mainstream lines such as Ponant, Silversea, Seabourn and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises that have their own expedition ships, in addition to established adventure specialists including Quark Expeditions, OneOcean Expeditions and AE Expeditions.
Summer, when days are longer and temperatures warmer, is the natural time to cruise to Scandinavia and the Baltic. This is peak Midnight Sun territory, when cruises northwards experience 24-hour daylight. The main season for sailings to these regions, around the UK and to Channel ports runs from April to October, though winter departures are bolstered by Christmas market cruises at Channel ports in December.
Sailings to the Norwegian fjords generally operate from May to September, though cruises to northern Norway run year-round thanks to the proliferation of Northern Lights and Arctic adventure cruises. However, sailings further north to Svalbard and Greenland only run during the summer months.
Northern Europe is regarded as a reasonably safe region, though visitors should always be vigilant of petty crimes and scams, especially in tourist spots, and avoid unfamiliar neighbourhoods away from the main centres of some larger cities.
If you want to make the most of Norway's adventures - dog and reindeer sledding, snowmobile safaris, visiting Sami reindeer herders - you'll need to dig deep as Norway can be notoriously expensive and these activities are not cheap.
Particularly on Arctic adventures where the terrain can be challenging and excursions can be strenuous, while on Baltic and Scandinavian sailings walking tours are often the best way to explore localities and there's plenty of scope for cycling and hiking trips.
Conditions in Northern Europe can be famously fickle even in summer, veering from heatwaves to chills, so be prepared for everything and pack plenty of layers.
When it comes to admiring scenery and any passing marine life, whether it's along the UK coast or the Norwegian fjords, your ship is often the best vantage point so don't forget binoculars (though some ships provide them).
Add an extra interest by choosing from the various themed cruises around the UK and Channel ports focusing on celebrated gardens, horticulture, gastronomy and wine. Alternatively, try walking and photography-themed cruises.
Chase the northern lights on one of Hurtigruten's Norwegian coastal voyages between Bergen and Kirkenes that visit 34 ports and more than 100 fjords. Northbound journeys between January and March also include an overnight stay at the Snowhotel in Kirkenes. Prices for the eight-day package start at £1,946pp for a January 11, 2024, departure. Flights extra (020 3993 9134).
Step out on a "Footloose to the Atlantic Isles" walking-themed sailing with Hebridean Island Cruises that visits Scotland's Outer Isles of South Uist and Barra along with the Atlantic specks of Tiree, Colonsay, Islay and Jura. Highlights include Barra's unique beach airport Traigh Mhor, Colonsay House Gardens on Colonsay and stopping for a wee dram at the Kilchoman Distillery on Islay. The seven-night round-trip cruise from Oban, which includes two gala dinners, departs September 12 and costs from £5,490pp (01756 704704).
If gurgling geysers and thundering waterfalls are your thing, then sail with Norwegian Cruise Line from Southampton to the Land of Fire and Ice. This 14-night round-trip voyage arrives in Iceland's capital Reykjavik for an overnight stop before exploring the country further at Isafjordur and Akureyri. The southbound journey is enlivened by its route along Norway's coastline that includes Geiranger and the fjord-side town of Olden. This "Reykjavik, Belfast & Paris" sailing on Norwegian Prima departs September 17, from £2,423pp (0333 241 2319).
This 12-night Baltic Sea sailing from Southampton to Copenhagen with Oceania Cruises ticks off the main cities of Tallinn and Riga along the Baltic coast mixing them with Scandinavian big-hitters Stockholm, Copenhagen and Helsinki in addition to the medieval treasure trove of Visby on the Swedish isle of Gotland. Departing on July 11, it costs from £3,082pp (0345 505 1920).
A line-up of animal encounters await on this Wildlife Explorer voyage around the Hebridean island of Mull with The Majestic Line where guests can spot golden eagles, otters, seals and red deer. This year's departures are sold out, but there is availability on 2024 departures between April and September. Prices for the six-night round-trip cruise from Oban start at £2,400pp, departing on April 20, 2024, (01369 707951).
Ride the ocean waves to the Scilly Isles and soak up the romance of being on tall ship Blue Clipper as you help to hoist sails and keep watch, or simply relax and relish the views. The schooner takes 12 guests and has its own crew and chef who rustles up meals three times a day along with home-baked bread and cakes. The seven-night round-trip sailing from Falmouth starts with a 10-12 hour crossing to the Scillies before spending the week hopping between the 55 islands in this Atlantic archipelago. Departing on August 6 or 15, 2024, it costs from £2,305pp (01872 847288).
Polar bears could become your companions - at a safe distance - on this voyage through the awe-inspiring mountains and fjords of the Svalbard Archipelago with AE Expeditions. This voyage offers a more in-depth taste of these isolated Norwegian islands and a chance to track the fearsome predators on pack ice as far as 80 degrees north. You'll get to visit old whaling settlements and breath-taking glaciers and spot an impressive array of birdlife along with walruses and beluga whales. The 14-night exploration, which includes an overnight hotel stay in Longyearbyen from where the cruise starts and ends, departs on June 10, 2024, costing from £10,075. Flights extra (0333 252 5383).
Scandinavia is home turf for Viking Cruises with its Norwegian heritage and this 29-day voyage combines Scandinavian cities, Norway's fjords and the Baltic Sea with the British Isles. Highlights on the UK stretch include Holyhead, Liverpool and Belfast plus the Shetland and Orkney isles, while Norwegian fjords are featured at Eidfjord and the Scandinavian cities of Oslo and Copenhagen are visited along with Gdansk. There are several departures, which run between Greenwich or Tilbury and Stockholm, from April to August 2024. Prices from £10,990pp, including flights (0800 298 9700).
Explore the west coast of this Danish territory which carries the crown as the world's largest island. A vast icy wilderness of deep craggy fjords, sprawling glaciers and hulking icebergs, this Quark Expeditions sailing explores Greenland's iconic regions such as Disko Bay and Uummanaq Fjord, explored by helicopter, mountain bike and on kayaking and hiking trips. The 11-night package starts in Reykjavik, from where guests fly to Kangerlussuaq in Greenland to embark their ship for the nine-night voyage. It includes overnight stays in the Icelandic capital pre and post cruise and departs July 14 and July 23, 2024, costing from £8,050pp. Flights to/from Reykjavik are not included (0808 258 9014).
Stick to home shores on this six-night Saga Cruises voyage along the Cornish coast to the Scilly Isles with a visit to Tresco Abbey and its renowned gardens. Following this first stop, the return leg is pepped up by calls at Falmouth, Fowey and Dorset's Isle of Portland. This round-trip cruise from Dover departs August 28 and costs from £2,656pp (0808 258 3022).
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