Nordic Navigator – From Scotland’s Isles to Norway’s Wilds

Start your adventure in Scotland’s largest city, Glasgow which is overflowing with historic landmarks and a vibrant culture. The distinct architecture is reminiscent classic 19th-century fused together with modern early 20th-century dubbed ‘Glasgow Style’. The checkerboard layout makes the city easy to navigate with lively street entertainment around every corner.

Your expedition begins on Scotland's west coast

Your expedition begins in Fairlie, a small coastal village on the Firth of Clyde. Ahead lies a journey from Scotland’s wild islands to the snow-covered landscapes of Arctic Norway. 

If time allows before boarding, take a stroll along the waterfront and explore the village. Then settle into your cabin, meet your Expedition Team and get ready for the adventure ahead.  

In bustling Kirkwall, the main town on Orkney, there's plenty to see in the narrow, winding streets extending from the harbor. The cathedral and some museums are highlights.

Discover Norse heritage in Kirkwall 

Today we visit Kirkwall, the vibrant, Viking-influenced capital of the Orkney Islands, easily explored on foot. 

Start with the majestic St Magnus Cathedral, built from the region's distinctive red sandstone, and admire the stone ruins of the adjacent Earl's Palace, a once-grand Renaissance building. The Neolithic settlement of Skara Brae is also just a short bus ride away. 

Whisky lovers will appreciate the excellent single malts from Highland Park and Scapa distilleries. If gin is more your thing, the Orkney Distillery produces small-batch spirits with local botanicals. 

Founded by Dutch fishermen in the 17th century, Lerwick today is a busy town and administrative center. Handsome stone buildings—known as lodberries—line the harbor; they provided loading bays for goods, some of them illegal. The town's twisting flagstone lanes and harbor once heaved with activity, and Lerwick is still an active port today. This is also where most visitors to Shetland dock, spilling out of cruise ships, allowing passengers to walk around the town.

Discover Scotland's most northerly inhabited isles

Today we reach the most northern outpost of the British Isles, docking the capital of Scotland’s Shetland Islands, Lerwick. These islands have a rich heritage, and local people are justifiably proud of it. You’ll see references to monuments and times past wherever you go.  

After our crossing of the Norwegian Sea, find your land legs again walking around this friendly Victorian-influenced fishing town. Wander around the town’s narrow lanes and discover little shops selling locally made products such as whiskies, woollen sweaters and fudge. By the old waterfront you’ll find the Shetland Museum, charting the area's rich history. Nearby you can see Fort Charlotte and the regal-looking Town Hall.

Discover Norway's second-largest glacier

Today we sail into Holandsfjord, off the rugged Helgeland coast, making our way towards the Svartisen glacier, which straddles the Arctic Circle. Raise a glass to commemorate the crossing, then head ashore with the Expedition Team. From a jetty landing, they'll lead you on a hike that culminates in a panoramic view of this extraordinary ice field.

Covering around 370 square kilometres with 60 glacier 'tongues', Svartisen is Norway's second-largest glacier. Its name means 'black ice', and it's made up of two separate glaciers, Vestisen and Østisen, divided by the Vesterdalen valley. Look closely: the ice ranges from turquoise to dark blue, but never quite as black as the name suggests.

Svolvær and a polar plunge

Anticipation builds as we reach the Lofoten Islands, a winter wonderland of snowcapped peaks rising straight from the sea, narrow fjords, and picturesque fishing villages tucked along them. This iconic coastline is best explored with small ships like MS Spitsbergen.

As we navigate these waters, you'll learn about Lofotfisket, the local fisheries that have sustained these communities for centuries, meeting the people who still make their living from the Arctic sea.

In Svolvær, Lofoten's harbour town, another bespoke experience awaits: a Nordic Sauna and Polar Plunge. Embrace this revitalising Norwegian tradition as you warm up in a waterside sauna before plunging into the icy Arctic waters of Vestfjorden.

Svolvær and a polar plunge

Anticipation builds as we reach the Lofoten Islands, a winter wonderland of snowcapped peaks rising straight from the sea, narrow fjords, and picturesque fishing villages tucked along them. This iconic coastline is best explored with small ships like MS Spitsbergen.

As we navigate these waters, you'll learn about Lofotfisket, the local fisheries that have sustained these communities for centuries, meeting the people who still make their living from the Arctic sea.

In Svolvær, Lofoten's harbour town, another bespoke experience awaits: a Nordic Sauna and Polar Plunge. Embrace this revitalising Norwegian tradition as you warm up in a waterside sauna before plunging into the icy Arctic waters of Vestfjorden.

Enjoy an exclusive adventure

As we sail towards Vesterålen, an archipelago of rolling moorlands and mountains. Here, the Expedition Team will chart the day's route based on conditions and opportunities, ensuring we make the most of what the region has to offer. If conditions allow, we'll venture into Trollfjord, where narrow waters are framed by sheer-sided cliffs. Or we'll cruise between rugged peaks through the Raftsundet Strait. And as we navigate dramatic fjords, the mountains rise so close to the ship you'll feel like you could reach out and touch them. In Stokmarknes, you'll enjoy the bespoke experience: Into the Night, An Evening at the Museum. The Hurtigruten Museum opens exclusively for our group, where you'll see the preserved MS Finnmarken, a 1956 coastal express ship, and historical exhibitions tracing Hurtigruten's heritage along Norway's coast.

Enjoy an exclusive adventure

As we sail towards Vesterålen, an archipelago of rolling moorlands and mountains. Here, the Expedition Team will chart the day's route based on conditions and opportunities, ensuring we make the most of what the region has to offer. If conditions allow, we'll venture into Trollfjord, where narrow waters are framed by sheer-sided cliffs. Or we'll cruise between rugged peaks through the Raftsundet Strait. And as we navigate dramatic fjords, the mountains rise so close to the ship you'll feel like you could reach out and touch them. In Stokmarknes, you'll enjoy the bespoke experience: Into the Night, An Evening at the Museum. The Hurtigruten Museum opens exclusively for our group, where you'll see the preserved MS Finnmarken, a 1956 coastal express ship, and historical exhibitions tracing Hurtigruten's heritage along Norway's coast.

Discover Norway in miniature 

Senja is Norway's second-largest island, sometimes called Norway in miniature. With its rugged mountains, sandy beaches, dark forests, and idyllic fishing villages, it's easy to see how it earned the name. Keep an eye out for reindeer wandering the landscape as you go.

We plan to visit a local community and experience some warm Scandinavian hospitality, learning about ancient Viking culture and what modern life looks like in these remote villages during the winter months.

With its centre located on the island of Tromsø, the municipality of Tromsø is more than five times the size of Norway’s capital, Oslo, and is the world’s northernmost university city. Lying 200 miles inside the Arctic Circle, it is known as the 'Gateway to the Arctic' because it was used as a starting point for hunters looking for Arctic foxes, polar bears and seals. In the 19th century it was a base for explorers on Arctic expeditions – a history that is remembered in the city’s Polar Museum, which you can visit on an excursion. Also commemorated in the area is the history of Norway’s indigenous people, the Sami. Visitors can learn about the traditions, heritage and modern preservation of the Sami culture at the Tromsø Museum. Nowadays, Tromsø is a charming mix of old and new, with wooden buildings sitting alongside contemporary architecture such as the impressive glacier-like Arctic Cathedral, which features one of the largest stained glass windows in Europe. Looking down on the city is Mount Storsteinen, and a cable car runs to the top, giving wonderful views over the surrounding countryside of forested peaks and reindeer pastures.

Goodbye in the gateway to the Arctic

Your expedition ends in Tromsø, a city with a proud history of Arctic exploration. Around 350 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle, it's a fitting place to bring your journey to a close. If you have time after disembarking, ride the Fjellheisen cable car for wide views over the city and surrounding mountains. Visit the striking Arctic Cathedral or settle into a cosy café before your onward journey.