Northern Europe Cruises For Every Traveler

Northern Europe cruises offer the best way to tour this incredible destination. With a wide variety of experiences available, you will see there is something out there for every traveler: From multigenerational families to luxury seekers, adventure chasers, and beyond.

Let’s dive deep into the various experiences offered by our favorite cruise lines, and don’t forget to contact your travel advisor afterward, we guarantee this post is going to make you want to book your own adventure soon!

Northern Europe Cruises for Families

Northern Europe cruises are a fantastic way to create unforgettable family memories. With a wide range of activities and experiences, there’s something for everyone. Cruise lines offer a variety of family-friendly amenities and programs, including educational shore excursions, interactive cultural encounters, and engaging activities for all ages. 

Northern European cruises for families offer onboard kids’ clubs with supervised activities, family-friendly entertainment, and more – so adults can relax, while children have fun and learn. 

Our favorite Northern European cruises for families include:

• Princess Cruises

Known for their family-friendly programs, Princess Cruises offers a variety of activities for all ages. From exciting shore excursions to onboard entertainment, there’s always something to do.

• Holland America Line

A great choice for families seeking a more relaxed and refined cruise experience. Holland America Line offers a range of family-friendly amenities, including kids’ programs, teen centers, and family-friendly dining options. 

• Celebrity Cruises 

A luxury cruise line that caters to families with a wide range of interests. Celebrity Cruises offers a variety of family-friendly activities, including interactive science centers, game rooms, and movie theaters.

Luxury Scandinavian Cruises

Luxury Scandinavian cruises offer an extraordinary blend of comfort, cultural immersion, and breathtaking natural beauty. These high-end voyages transform traditional cruising through world-class gourmet dining featuring locally sourced Nordic ingredients, meticulously crafted menus, and culinary experiences that tell the story of Scandinavian gastronomy.

Enjoy spacious suites featuring panoramic ocean views, private verandas perfect for wildlife watching, advanced spa facilities, and personalized service that anticipates your every desire. From remembering your preferred coffee preparation to arranging bespoke shore excursions, these cruises offer more than transportation—they create extraordinary experiences that connect travelers deeply with Scandinavia’s remarkable landscapes and cultures.

Our favorite luxury Scandinavian cruises include:

• Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Regent Seven Seas’ all-inclusive Scandinavian voyages epitomize luxury, with comprehensive shore excursions in every port and ultra-spacious all-suite accommodations. Regent’s Nordic itineraries focus on immersive experiences, featuring expert-led cultural tours, gourmet dining highlighting local cuisines, and intimate access to fjords and coastal communities that larger ships cannot navigate.

• Oceania Cruises

Renowned for culinary excellence, Oceania brings a gastronomic approach to Scandinavian cruising. Their mid-sized ships provide an intimate atmosphere with Marina and Riviera featuring hands-on cooking classes, destination-inspired menus, and carefully curated shore excursions that dive deep into the cultural and natural landscapes of Norway, Sweden, and Denmark.

• Viking Cruises

Viking Ocean Cruises has revolutionized Scandinavian cruising with its culturally immersive approach, offering extensive educational programs about Nordic history and contemporary culture. Their modern ships provide elegant Scandinavian design, enrichment programs, and comprehensive itineraries exploring well-known destinations and hidden coastal gems.

• Azamara Cruises

Azamara distinguishes itself with longer port stays and night touring options, allowing travelers to experience Scandinavian destinations beyond typical daytime excursions. Their destination-immersion philosophy means more time exploring local markets, enjoying evening cultural performances, and providing unique experiences like midnight sun viewing and Northern Lights expeditions.

• Cunard

Cunard Line blends classic maritime tradition with modern luxury. Their Northern Europe cruises focus on comprehensive cultural experiences, featuring onboard historians, cultural lecturers, and meticulously planned shore excursions that provide deep insights into Scandinavian history, culture, and natural landscapes.

Small Ship Northern European Cruises

Small ship cruising transforms the traditional cruise experience, offering travelers an unparalleled opportunity to explore Northern European destinations with unprecedented intimacy and access. Unlike massive cruise liners, these vessels can navigate narrow fjords, dock in smaller ports, and provide a more personalized journey that feels more like a private yacht adventure than a standard cruise vacation.

Small ship Northern European Cruises we recommend

• Windstar Cruises

Windstar Cruises’ small ship Northern Europe cruises captures the romance of maritime travel. Their small ships can slip into hidden harbors and coastal towns larger vessels cannot reach, offering guests an authentic and immersive Scandinavian experience. With typically fewer than 350 passengers, Windstar provides an almost private yacht-like atmosphere with exceptional personalized service and carefully curated shore excursions.

• Ritz Carlton Yacht Collection

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection is the newest entrant to small ship cruising, which represents the pinnacle of luxury maritime travel. Their vessels are essentially floating boutique hotels, offering suite-style accommodations, Michelin-level dining, and hyper-personalized service. Their Northern Europe cruises specialize in exclusive experiences, from private zodiac excursions in Norwegian fjords to curated cultural encounters in remote coastal communities.

• Ponant Cruises

Ponant Cruises offers an ultra-luxurious small ship Northern Europe cruise experience, combining French maritime elegance with intimate expedition-style voyages. Their boutique vessels, accommodating just 184-264 passengers, provide an exclusive gateway to Scandinavian and Arctic destinations. Enjoy refined amenities, gourmet French cuisine, and expertly guided shore excursions revealing the region’s pristine landscapes, rich maritime history, and unique cultural heritage. 

Northern Europe Cruise Expedition Experiences

Expedition cruising in Northern Europe represents the pinnacle of adventure travel, combining scientific exploration, cultural immersion, and extraordinary wildlife encounters. These specialized voyages go far beyond traditional cruising, offering travelers an opportunity to explore some of the world’s most remote and pristine environments with expert guidance and unparalleled access.

• Hurtigruten Expeditions

Hurtigruten Expeditions stands as the quintessential Norwegian expedition cruise line, with a legacy spanning over 130 years of coastal navigation. Equipped with state-of-the-art expedition vessels, Hurtigruten sails with a professional expedition team of marine biologists, geologists, and local experts, allowing you to truly dig deep into your destination. 

• Silversea Expeditions

Silversea elevates expedition cruising to a luxurious art form, combining rigorous scientific exploration with five-star comfort. Their Northern European expeditions focus on offering the best wildlife viewing opportunities, expert-led lectures, field research, and excursions to remote coastal areas. Their high-end accommodations and gourmet dining provide the ultimate luxury onboard, being the perfect cruise line for savvy travelers who want to live a true adventure, without sacrificing comfort.

• Scenic Cruises

Scenic brings cutting-edge technology to expedition cruising, with super yachts Scenic Eclipse I and II,  designed specifically for extreme environments. Their Northern European expeditions feature helicopter and submarine excursions, ultra-luxe all-suite accommodations, and personalized exploration experiences – not to mention a complimentary whiskey bar with more than 130 different premium bottles from around the world. 

• Seabourn Cruises

Seabourn specializes in ultra-luxury expedition-style cruising through Scandinavian waters, offering exceptional personalized service and innovative itineraries. Their smaller ships excel at accessing remote Norwegian fjords, providing zodiac excursions, wildlife viewing opportunities, and onboard lectures that provide rich context about the region’s natural and cultural heritage.

• Ponant Cruises

Regarding polar regions, Ponant’s Le Commandant Charcot turns expedition cruising into an ultra-luxury experience. Known for its environmentally conscious approach and French hospitality, Ponant provides sophisticated expedition cruising with expert guides, gourmet dining, and all-inclusive amenities. With a ship designed to navigate challenging waters, breaking the ice to reach places other ships cannot, it provides access to unique destinations with exceptional comfort and style.

Ready to book your Northern Europe cruise? Our travel advisors are waiting for your call!