The Avid Cruiser

IT IS LATER THAN YOU THINK — near midnight, in fact, when our ship entered Norway’s Troll Fjord. The day before, we had crossed the Arctic Circle, entering the mysterious “Land of the Midnight Sun.” At these latitudes the sun only lingers, then slides across the horizon, never dipping below during most of July. So even a late-night arrival at Troll Fjord greets passengers with sunlight.

The tiny fjord forms a basin ?anked by walls of rock covered with snow, greenery and cascading waterfalls. There is only one way in and one way out. A highlight on most Norwegian Coastal Voyages’ itineraries, Troll Fjord is home to the mythical trolls of Scandinavian folklore. We saw none, but we did sip cups of Troll Soup, a tradition on NCV.

Billed as “The World’s Most Beautiful Voyage,” NCV began making coastal voyages more than 100 years ago to serve essentially as a mail boat. Today, the year-round cruises still serve as a lifeline along Norway’s spectacular coast.

Photo by Mike Louagie

Some of the most picturesque scenery in the world is reachable only via cruise ship, from the fjords of Norway to the fall foliage of New England, from the active Kilauea volcano to the mystical glaciers of Antarctica. And while some destinations are reachable from land, there’s no more breathtaking or unique perspective than from the sea. Continue Reading »