Amsterdam, The Netherlands - Amsterdam is a great city in which to discover the charms of northern Europe. The graceful canals of its central district are lined with beautiful gabled houses. It's many grand art museums display masterpieces of Rembrandt and Vermeer, and the largest collection of Van Gogh's work is found here. Fine food is also easy to find along with ample opportunities for shopping (including excellent vintage finds). This great city is well worth a day or two's stay before or after your cruise.

At Sea - Cruising - Cruising

Alesund, Norway - The picturesque Art Nouveau town of Älesund has a beautiful setting across several islands stretching out into the sea, and is situated at the very entrance to the world heritage listed Geirangerfjord. The town is also an excellent starting point for round trips to some of Norway's most popular tourist attractions. Ålesund is internationally renowned for its unique architecture in the Art Nouveau style. The town was devastated by fire a winter's night in 1904, laying 850 houses in ashes and leaving 10.000 people homeless. During a remarkably short period of time, the new Ålesund was rebuilt in the unique architectural style, especially significant from 1890-1910, with a myriad of turrets, spires and medieval ornaments. The Art Nouveau Centre portrays the town's unique position in Norwegian architectural history.

Olden, Norway - As well as being surrounded by immense natural beauty - think emerald lakes, towering mountains and cascading waterfalls - this fjord village of approximately 500 inhabitants once hosted American portrait and landscape artist John Singer Sargent (1856-1925), whose "Singerheimen" home is about a mile from the pier. Olden is mainly a gateway to outdoor activities, such as fishing or boating in the chilly teal-colored, glacier-fed waters of Oldevatnet Lake.

Molde, Norway - All of the stunning beauty you associate with Norway is on display in Molde, a city roughly 400 kilometers (240 miles) north of Bergen with white clapboard houses sitting alongside a sparkling fjord. On a clear day, more than 200 peaks are visible from this part of the Romsdal Peninsula. (The Varden Viewpoint, 10 minutes by car from the center of town, is the best place to take in the breathtaking panorama.) Even when the weather is less cooperative, there is plenty to do, with cozy cafés, boutiques selling woolen sweaters and the Romsdal Museum, an open-air folk museum where you can literally stroll through the region’s history and traditional homes. Molde is also one end of one of Norway’s most beautiful coastal drives, the Atlantic Ocean Road (in Norwegian, the Atlanterhavsvegen), which crosses spectacular bridges and a number of islands.

Stavanger, Norway - Perched on Norway's dramatic western coast, Stavenger is a city full of historic architecture, quaint cafes and ocean views. Check out Gamle Stavanger, the picturesque old town, where you'll find well-preserved wooden buildings dating back to the 18th century painted in unique pastel hues. Learn more about the Vikings at the Museum of Archaeology, or visit 12th-century Stavanger Cathedral — thanks to a series of rebuilding efforts over the years, it features architectural elements from Romanesque to ornate Baroque. Then, take the short trip to Prekestol, the "Preacher's Pulpit," a rocky natural viewing point overlooking Lyse Fjord.