Northern Europe Cruise Guide

Reykjavik is a popular port of call on northern European cruises. Credit: Helgi Halldórsson,  license

Northern Europe cruises often visit ports of call in Iceland, Norway and the United Kingdom.

A search on a major travel booking site showed 78 cruises over a 12-month period.

These cruises range from as few as two nights to as many as 14 nights and sometimes more. Prices usually range between $100 and $200 a night with discounts common.

Out of 78 cruises, only one lasted one to two nights. The others:

• 3 to 5 nights - 7 cruises
• 6 to 9 nights - 20
• 10 to 14 nights - 37
• 15+ nights - 13

The popularity of cruises lasting 10 nights or more is unusual compared to other cruise destinations such as the Caribbean and the Mediterranean. There, the most popular cruises are usually six to nine nights.

Where the cruises go depend on their departure ports. The departure ports include:

• Reykjavik, Iceland - 23 cruises
• Southampton, England - 12
• Kiel, Germany - 12
• Amsterdam, Netherlands - 8
• Warnemunde, Germany - 6
• Bremerhaven, Germany - 5
• Copenhagen, Denmark - 3
• Tromso, Norway - 3
• Hamburg, Germany - 2
• Dublin, Ireland - 2
• Oslo, Norway - 2

Reykjavik cruises typically circle the island and don’t go toward other northern European countries.

In contrast, short-term cruises out of Southampton may visit nearby European coastal ports in Belgium and the Netherlands while long cruises may visit only ports in Iceland and the United Kingdom.

Cruises out of German ports such as Kiel, Warnemunde, Bemberhaven and Hamburg often concentrate on ports along the Norwegian coastline. The same is true of cruises out of Oslo.

Amsterdam is the home of cruises that usually last 12 to 14 nights and visit ports around Iceland and the United Kingdom.

Cruises from Norway are longer and often visit Iceland, Greenland and the United Kingdom.

Baltic Cruises Mostly in Summer

Baltic Sea cruises usually depart from Copenhagen in Denmark or Stockholm in Sweden.

Mediterranean Cruise Port Overview

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