Iceland, Norway, and More Cruise!

There's a good reason that Iceland is considered a photographer's dream destination. Its terrain is visually stunning, offering views of lava flows, hot springs, unspoiled nature – and colorful, fascinating cities like Reykjavik. The world's most northerly capital brings together quaint villages, exciting museums, a flourishing music scene and restaurants that rival Europe's finest.

We head directly to the Dynjandi Waterfall. This waterfall is a majestic icon of the Westfjords. It is a series of seven waterfalls falling like a bridal veil from the edge of a cliff. We spend about an hour in this area before driving along and Arnarfjordur and the Dyrafjordur. The Arnafjordur is the longest Fjord in Iceland and is rumored to be home to sea monsters. On Dyrafjordur we visit the town of Thingeyri, one of the oldest settlements in the Westfjords. History tells us this is where the regional Viking assembly was held and it is also the first trading post of the Westfjords. We continue our adventure with an impressive view of the Westfjords Alps and a brief photo stop. All too soon it is time for us to return to our ship.

Nestled along the shores of one of the most breathtaking fjords in Iceland, Akureyri is the nation’s second largest urban area and a center of Icelandic folk culture. We head west from Akureyri along the Trollaskagi or Peninsula of the Trolls. It is one of the most spectacular sections of the Arctic Coast Way. The Arctic Coast Way encompasses 900 km of the North Icelandic coast, six peninsulas and six islands. We see some of Iceland's tallest mountains outside of the highlands and pass charming fishing villages. We stop at the towns of Hjalteyri, Hauganes, Dalvik and Siglufjordur. Siglufjordur was once known as the "herring capital of Iceland." As we take in all of the history, we are treated to beautiful views of the ocean and the many islands located along our route.

Seminars at Sea

We spend the day taking in the many scenic vistas in this area. We make stops for photos of the beautiful glaciers and enjoy spending time in this breathtaking area.

We start off with a visit to the Stavkirke Ørskog Church which has been in operation since 1873. This congregation existed for many centuries previously, but the church itself was built in 1873. We visit the picturesque valley of Valldal which is known for its fruit and beautiful alpine mountains. We go to Tafjord which is a village located on the end of the Tajforden. We stop and see the Gudbrandsjuvet waterfall. Our tour includes a journey along the Trollstigen, a serpentine mountain road. Throughout the day we make many stops to allow for photos and the opportunity to soak in the beautiful landscapes.

We experience the stunning landscape for which Norway is famous. We see waterfalls, fjords, steep mountains and fruit orchards. We get up close to four breathtaking waterfalls and we have the chance walk behind one of them. These falls include Fosen Bratte, Steindalsfossen, and Skjervsfossen. We travel along one of Norway's 18 scenic driving routes and are brought alongside the majestic Hardangerfjord, the fifth longest fjord in the world. Our tour includes a light snack for us to enjoy as we travel. Our guide will likely add some surprise stops to the tour.

Seminars at Sea

Experience a small part of Amsterdam as we stroll along, but look out for the bicyclists. Pedestrians do not have the right of way here. Our guide shares the history of Amsterdam as we walk to our canal boat. We board the boat and enjoy a guided tour of the canals of Amsterdam. We learn all about the unique houseboats and other watercraft as well as the unique aspects of the architecture of the buildings found along the waterway. Following our boat ride we head out to the countryside. Here we see the classic traditional windmills and get to go inside of a working one. We visit the historic town of Edam and enjoy its adorable homes and fairy tale canals. All too soon we head back to our cruise ship.

Tour of Ghent and Bruges.

Optional 2-night tour of London with hotel will be available. We attend church with a local congregation.