Longyearbyen - Hamburg

A flexible itinerary allows us to take advantage of favorable ice and weather conditions to travel through the northern stretches of Svalbard to points visited by famous polar explorers such as Andrée, Amundsen and Nobile. Destinations might include the narrow waterways and striking mountains of Krossfjord and Raudfjord. The ship may visit the historic settings of Ny Alesund, Ny London or Amsterdamoya. And of course, we hope to see distinctly Arctic wildlife from walrus hauled out in noisy groups on remote shorelines, to reindeer grazing alpine slopes, and from ptarmigan in their camouflaged hiding places, to mighty polar bears striding the shores in search of their next meal.

A flexible itinerary allows us to take advantage of favorable ice and weather conditions to travel through the northern stretches of Svalbard to points visited by famous polar explorers such as Andrée, Amundsen and Nobile. Destinations might include the narrow waterways and striking mountains of Krossfjord and Raudfjord. The ship may visit the historic settings of Ny Alesund, Ny London or Amsterdamoya. And of course, we hope to see distinctly Arctic wildlife from walrus hauled out in noisy groups on remote shorelines, to reindeer grazing alpine slopes, and from ptarmigan in their camouflaged hiding places, to mighty polar bears striding the shores in search of their next meal.

Ny-Ålesund is a small town in Oscar II Land on the island of Spitsbergen in Svalbard, Norway. It is situated on the Brøgger peninsula and on the shore of the bay of Kongsfjorden. The company town is owned and operated by Kings Bay, which provides facilities for permanent research institutes from ten countries.

Nestling between millennial glaciers and carved mountains, and considered to be “the crown of Arctic Norway”, Spitsbergen is a place that never sees the night. Your ship will take you closer to this fascinating archipelago and, more particularly, the Hornsund fjord. Considered to be Svalbard’s southernmost fjord, it is especially reputed to be its most stunning: at the end of its vast bay, 8 great glaciers slowly make their way down to the sea before giving way to the many icebergs elegantly drifting along its cold and mysterious waters.

Stand at the top of the world, on the remote and beautiful northern frontier of Europe. Watch as the sun dips gently, before seemingly changing its mind and hovering, sticking around to cast a glorious nocturnal golden light across cliffs that drop to churning waves. There's an ethereal, other-worldly atmosphere in mainland Europe's most northerly location - feel it in the troll folklore that swirls, and the barren tundra landscapes that unravel. View less In winter, the Northern Cape bathes in seemingly eternal darkness, while summer's months bring the Midnight Sun's ceaseless light. Set so far to the north that trees are unable to grow here, the visitor centre tells this remote, barren landscape's tales, and of its World War involvements. Nearby, encounter Norway's Sami indigenous people - learning of the methods they use to herd reindeer, before visiting authentic fishing villages - where locals have hauled spindly king crabs from the icy waters for generations. Head to the tip of Magerøya Island, for the obligatory photo with the skeletal globe sculpture, which stands looking out over the waters that stretch up towards the Arctic. It marks Europe's northernmost point, a full 71 degrees to the north. There are few more majestic places to witness the Northern Lights dancing across the sky than here, should you be so lucky. Back in your jumping-off point, Honningsvåg, indulge in a well-earned drink to toast your cape adventures or explore further afield with a visit to the millions of puffins that occupy the Gjesværstappan cliff.summer days. The village serves as the gateway to Arctic exploration and the beautiful Nordkapp Plateau, a destination that calls to all visitors of this region. Most of those who journey to Nordkapp (North Cape), the northernmost tip of Europe, are in it for a taste of this unique, otherworldly, rugged yet delicate landscape. You'll see an incredible treeless tundra, with crumbling mountains and sparse dwarf plants. The subarctic environment is very vulnerable, so don't disturb the plants. Walk only on marked trails and don't remove stones, leave car marks, or make campfires. Because the roads are closed in winter, the only access is from the tiny fishing village of Skarsvåg via Sno-Cat, a thump-and-bump ride that's as unforgettable as the desolate view.

When vacationing in Norway on an MSC Cruise, you can visit the largest complex of wooden buildings north of Trondheim, just four kilometres from the port, in the centre of Tromsø. One of the first attractions to visit during your MSC cruise of Northern Europe is Polaria. In this Arctic aquarium, you can watch the feeding, twice a day, of the sociable, peaceful bearded seals, and also admire the great variety of fish species that live in the Barents Sea and on the Svalbard. The most handsome building in Tromsø is undoubtedly the Arctic Cathedral, built in 1965. Its triangular prism shape, with its glass mosaics, mirrors the landscape of this remote region of Norway. Another excursion during your MSC cruise of Northern Europe will take you to the top of the mountain above Storsteinen with the Fjellheisen funicular to enjoy the view, 420 metres above, of the city and the lovely surrounding landscape. Here one also finds the northernmost botanical gardens in the world, where there are species of plants that, due to their climatic fragility, cannot grow at any other latitude, such as, for example, the Hymalayan blue poppy. Tromsø also hosts the northernmost university in the world, where you find a museum to give you an insight into northern Norway’s culture and environment, with particular attention to the Sami, to archeology, sacred art, geology and the phenomenon of the northern lights. The polar museum instead shows visitors the harsh life of Arctic explorers. It is fitted in the dock of an old construction built in 1830. For those who like a good beer, there’s a pub like the Ølhallen, which has remained unchanged since 1928. A site not to miss is the Lyngen, an incredible wooden church in the village of Lyngseidet.

Svolvaer is located in Lofoten on the south coast of Austvagoy, facing the open sea to the south, and with mountains immediately to the north. The most famous mountain, Svolværgeita, was first climbed in 1910. Svolvaer is partly located on smaller islands, such as Svinøya, connected to the main island by way of the Svinoy Bridge. Sheltered by the mountains to the north and west, the Svolvær area has less fog and experiences somewhat higher daytime temperatures in summer than the western part of Lofoten, but the same mountains also create more orographic precipitation on rainy days. Svolvær offers the atmosphere of a harbour, a small town and art simultaneously. This is a bustling trading and communications centre with ferry, sea and air connections.

Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2005, Geirangerfjord is part of the West Norwegian Fjords. Located in the south-west of Norway, to the north-east of Bergen, the fjord stretches from Stavanger in the south to Andalsnes, 500 km north-east. It is one of the longest and deepest fjords in the world and considered to be one of the most spectacular landscapes on the planet. You will admire the exceptional natural beauty of its narrow and steep-sided crystalline rock walls, rising to a height of 1,400 m and extending 500 m below sea level. Numerous waterfalls are part of the great variety of natural terrestrial and marine phenomena to be found at this site.

Bergen’s maritime tradition is age old and your MSC Cruise of Northern Europe will lay anchor in a setting which exudes history. An excursion on land will give you the opportunity to visit the Hanseatic quarter, where you find the oldest buildings in Bergen, built along the Bryggen docks, one of the most active and lively parts of town. Included by UNESCO amongst the world heritage sites, this quarter has preserved the old buildings of the port, and is, with its narrow alleys and dark, open galleries, one of the best preserved Medieval boroughs of the country. A vacation in Norway with an MSC cruise will give you the opportunity to explore this fascinating land. A visit to the Hanseatic Museum and the Schøtstuene, the merchant navy league assembly will help you get to better know this intriguing town. Håkon Hall in the royal palace built by King Håkon Håkonsson in the mid-14th century and the adjacent Rosenkrantz tower (1270) reflect to this day the power of the Hanseatic League in the Middle Ages. All this can be admired also from above with a ride on the Fløibanen funicular, that takes you up to the peaks of Mount Fløyen, from which it is worth walking down on foot: after crossing landscapes of rare beauty you will find yourself in the lively bustle of the fish market. You can take a walk amidst the wooden homes built on the side of the hill and along the long smau, the narrow passages typical of Bergen. Take time to visit the original wooden church of Fantoft, built in 1150 but transferred here only in 1882. Along the shores of Lake Lille Lungegårdsvann you find many art galleries and a museum with a collection of paintings by Edward Munch. In Troldhaugen instead, there is the museum-home of the most famous Norwegian composer, Edvard Grieg, who worked and lived here in a small cottage on Lake Nordås.

Located between the North Sea and the Baltic Sea, Hamburg will fascinate you from the moment you first set eyes on its elegant and austere buildings looking onto the port, one of the largest in Europe. When you reach this destination on an MSC Cruise of Northern Europe, you can get a taste of its glorious history. Hamburg is a cosmopolitan, wealthy and fashionable city, with an aggressive economy, that still prides itself of the title “free Hanseatic city”. It has, in fact, never cut its umbilical cord with maritime trade that has its heart in the port where your cruise liner will be waiting for you. Many tourist come here to visit the Reeperbahn, the red light district, but if you want to take in the atmosphere of the city, you shouldn’t miss an excursion to Speicherstadt (Warehouse Town), where the cobbled streets, gables and turrets combine to make the area on the other side of Zollkanal (Tax Canal) a world apart from the city opposite. Another city icon, St Michaelis, at the western edge of the city centre by Ludwig-Erhard-Strasse, is Hamburg’s iconic church and no wonder. More than any other building, the “Michael” mirrors the city’s irrepressible spirit. Burned down after a lightning strike in1750, it was rebuilt in Baroque style under Ernst Georg Sonnin but it again accidently caught fire in1906. In 1945, the Allies obliterated the roof and decor of church number three. Reconstructed again to Sonnin’s plans, it is now the finest Baroque church in North Germany. Probably the most gratifying attraction during an excursion on an MSC Cruise is the scenery you can admire from one of the best views over Hamburg: the 360-degree panorama takes in Speicherstadt, the container port and shipping on the Elbe, the Alster lakes, and the five spires of the churches and Rathaus.