18 Night Cruise sailing from Dover roundtrip aboard Quest for Adventure.

Summer is the ideal time to glide through the Norway's beautiful waterways. Admire the shimmering landscapes and ice fields of Spitsbergen and arrive at Longyearbyen, the world's most northerly settlement. Immerse yourself in the floral beauty of Molde and observe Stavanger Domkirke, Norway's oldest cathedral, all under the gentle light of the 'midnight sun'.

Highlights of this cruise:

Stavanger
Overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, Stavanger flourished in the early 19th century as a centre for the fishing trade and while other towns and cities in Norway have suffered with the decline of the industry, Stavanger has managed to keep its economy booming by diversifying, first into ship building and now into oil.

These two contrasting industries have led to Stavanger being a city of two halves - it has a bustling and modern area of high-rise buildings and a historic old centre of warehouses, stock rooms, cobbled streets and clapboard residential buildings dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries.

The city centre has a range of shopping and dining opportunities but is also home to a number of historically significant attractions and was the birthplace of Alexander Kielland, one of the great 19th-century Norwegian novelists. Its cathedral, dating back to 1125, is an impressive building and the only cathedral in Norway to retain its original features.

From here you can explore the attractive blue waters of Lysefjord, surrounded by cliffs and striking rock formations, and visit Hafrsfjord where 29 small kingdoms were united to form the Kingdom of Norway in the 9th century. For those interested in learning more about oil excavation from the North Sea, an independent visit to the very informative Petroleum Museum is recommended.

Leknes
Located on the artic island archipelago of Lofoten, the natural surroundings of Leknes are regarded to be among the most stunning in Norway, with mountains, cliffs and white sandy beaches.

Longyearbyen
The Norwegian town of Longyearbyen is the capital of Spitzbergen - a remote island archipelago lying deep within the Arctic Circle, known by many as the 'land of the pointed mountains'.

Over 400 miles from mainland Norway and just 600 miles from the North Pole, the island is a spectacular frozen world of sparkling fjords, glaciers, ice floes and snow-capped peaks. Here you may spot an array of wildlife including minke whales, seals and reindeer.

Enjoy a revealing insight into how communities manage to cope in these desolate Arctic conditions and experience the magical 'midnight sun' where there is daylight 24 hours a day in the summer months. Perhaps visit the Gallery Svalbard to view the paintings by Kaare Tveter and collection of historic maps and local money, and a multimedia slide show on Spitsbergen.

Alternatively, why not check out the recently opened Airship Museum which relates the history and importance of the America, Norge and Italia arctic expedition airships from the pioneering days of 1907-1928.

Ny Alesund
Enter a landscape of snow-covered glaciers and craggy mountain peaks, where the haunting 'white nights' of summer bring an air of magic to the region.

The town was famously the starting point for the great Arctic expeditions and today it is an international research centre. Your visit here provides the perfect opportunity for you to look out for Arctic wildlife such as the polar bear.

Tromso
One of the oldest population centres in the north of Norway, Tromsr 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 and Wilderness Centre which is visited on one of our shore excursions in the area. Another history that is commemorated in the area is that of Norway's indigenous people - the Sami.

Visitors can learn about the traditions, heritage and struggle to preserve Sami culture at the Tromsr Museum. Nowadays, Tromsr is a charming mix of the old and the new with quaint wooden buildings sitting alongside contemporary architecture including the impressive and glacier-like Arctic cathedral with one of the largest stained glass windows in Europe.

A cable car runs to the top of Mount Storsteinen from where there are wonderful views of the city and surrounding countryside of forested peaks and reindeer pastures.

Founded on the island of Troms, it is more than five times the size of Norway's capital, Oslo, and is the world's northernmost university city located 200 miles inside the Arctic Circle.

Geiranger
Geiranger is located in the innermost part of the Geirangerfjord. This small village, with approximately 250 inhabitants, is one of Norway's most famous tourist resorts.

Geirangerfjord is one of Norway's most renowned fjords and is encircled by majestic snow-capped mountains, some towering between 3,000 and 5,000-feet high.

Nestling amid this breathtaking scenery is the Norwegian Fjord Centre, which is visited on one of the excursions from this port. It is the perfect way to appreciate Norwegian traditions and the country's natural splendour.

Bergen
Surrounded by mountains and sparkling fjords, the waterside city of Bergen has a spectacular setting. There has been a settlement here since medieval times and the colourful waterfront buildings of the Hanseatic Wharf, known as the Bryggen, are testament to its fascinating history of trade.

As Norway's best known medieval settlement, the Bryggen is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Our comprehensive selection of excursions allow you to discover the many sides of Bergen, such as the open-air fish market and narrow cobbled streets, as well as the city's open-air Old Bergen Museum. For a bird's eye view of the city a ride in the funicular to the summit of Mount Flryen is a must or even more spectacular, try sight-seeing from a seaplane.

Learn about one of Norway's most famous sons, the composer Edvard Grieg, whose former home, Troldhaugen, has been turned into a museum. Those who have visited the city previously may like to enjoy a taste of the Hardanger region or even venture as far as Flam to experience one of the world's most exciting train rides.