2
www.cruiseexperts.org DESTINATION GUIDES NORTHERN LIGHTS Norway is well known for its maritime heritage and this is no different when it comes to cruise. There are few lines who wouldn’t recommend a tour of Norway as a perfect voyage and its universal appeal has meant that the majority of cruise lines operate in the area. As the fjords of Norway are deep water this creates the unique proposition of a coast line where nearly every port is accessible to all but the largest ships and gives many larger cruise lines the opportunity to visit smaller ports with a more exclusive vibe. The Norwegian port authorities are well aware of this and much has been invested to make sure that as many ships as possible can dock in these locations. This includes the world’s first extendable piers or SeaWalks at some of the ports. Itineraries vary in destination and length but due to the proximity to Great Britain, ex-UK voyages as short as 7 days are entirely possible. The Norwegian line Hurtigruten also offers unique voyages up and down this stunning coastline and is used as a genuine mode of transport for supplies, cars and people throughout Norway. At the most northerly point of the country lies Tromso and the Nordkapp, both of which are on the gateway to the Arctic Circle. Svalbard is a part of Norway and viewings of Walruses, Seals, a number of Seabirds and Polar Bears are not out of the question in this region and in fact are often expected. As the name of this section suggests a key attraction of Norway and the north is the stunning Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights. This brilliant phenomenon can be seen in the north across the winter and is one of the natural wonders of the world, with the lights seemingly dancing across the sky. The lack of man-made light means that on dark nights, sea voyages are the best way to see this incredible effect. History Unlike much of the rest of Europe, the history of Norway has not been dictated by the great Empires such as Rome and Greece, but instead by the local tribes which later came to dominate much of Northern Europe as the Vikings. While trade took place which increased the wealth and power leading to this later greatness, the Norwegians were markedly different using their own alphabet, runes, and dictating trade of their resources through the control of their powerful chieftains. The exchanges of resources also included some fighting as mercenaries for Rome.

NORTHERN LIGHTS - Amazon Web Services · the stunning Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights. This brilliant phenomenon can be seen in the north across the winter and is one of the natural

  • Upload
    others

  • View
    3

  • Download
    0

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

Page 1: NORTHERN LIGHTS - Amazon Web Services · the stunning Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights. This brilliant phenomenon can be seen in the north across the winter and is one of the natural

www.cruiseexperts.org

DESTINATION GUIDES

NORTHERN LIGHTSNorway is well known for its maritime heritage and this is no different when it comes to cruise. There are few lines who wouldn’t recommend a tour of Norway as a perfect voyage and its universal appeal has meant that the majority of cruise lines operate in the area. As the fjords of Norway are deep water this creates the unique proposition of a coast line where nearly every port is accessible to all but the largest ships and gives many larger cruise lines the opportunity to visit smaller ports with a more exclusive vibe.

The Norwegian port authorities are well aware of this and much has been invested to make sure that as many ships as possible can dock in these locations. This includes the world’s first extendable piers or SeaWalks at some of the ports. Itineraries vary in destination and length but due to the proximity to Great Britain, ex-UK voyages as short as 7 days are entirely possible. The Norwegian line Hurtigruten also offers unique voyages up and down this stunning coastline and is used as a genuine mode of transport for supplies, cars and people throughout Norway. At the most northerly point of the country lies Tromso and the Nordkapp, both of which are on the gateway to the Arctic Circle. Svalbard is a part of Norway and viewings of Walruses, Seals, a number of Seabirds and Polar Bears are not out of the question in this region and in fact are often expected.

As the name of this section suggests a key attraction of Norway and the north is the stunning Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights. This brilliant phenomenon can be seen in the north across the winter and is one of the natural wonders of the world, with the lights seemingly dancing across the sky. The lack of man-made light means that on dark nights, sea voyages are the best way to see this incredible effect.

HistoryUnlike much of the rest of Europe, the history of Norway has not been dictated by the great Empires such as Rome and Greece, but instead by the local tribes which later came to dominate much of Northern Europe as the Vikings. While trade took place which increased the wealth and power leading to this later greatness, the Norwegians were markedly different using their own alphabet, runes, and dictating trade of their resources through the control of their powerful chieftains. The exchanges of resources also included some fighting as mercenaries for Rome.

Page 2: NORTHERN LIGHTS - Amazon Web Services · the stunning Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights. This brilliant phenomenon can be seen in the north across the winter and is one of the natural

Key PortsBergen, NorwayTrondheim, NorwayTromso, NorwayKirkenes, NorwayReykjavik, IcelandLongyearbyen, Svalbard, Norway

Key AttractionsArctic CathedralTromso

BryggenBergen

Nordkapp SculptureNorth Cape

Blue LagoonReykjavik

Wildlife & GlaciersSvalbard

Nidaros CathedralTrondheim

Best Times to Go It is important to note that while the Winter is the best time to see the Northern Lights, inclement weather in this region can make passages difficult and obstruct visibility & enjoyment. For those who just wish to see the region as opposed to the Aurora Borealis, the summer is also fascinating, especially in the Arctic as guests can experience the Midnight

Sun.

Peak Season: October to May (For Northern Lights)Shoulder Season: June/September

Key InformationLanguages: Norwegian, English Widely Spoken – Icelandic in Iceland

Currencies: Norway Krone/Icelandic Krona

Visa Required: No for EU Nationals

www.cruiseexperts.org

With the increasing of Norwegian power through trade and colonisation, accompanied by a series of brutal raids on their neighbours, the country went through a period of significant advancement that has since become known as the Viking age. With their advanced chain mail armour and a frenzied belief that those who died in battle would be honoured higher than they ever could be in life, the Vikings advanced out across Northern Europe searching for land to cultivate which resulted in their claiming of Iceland and many of the Hebridean Islands. Their exploration was seemingly unlimited and the Icelander Leif Ericson is widely regarded as the first European to land in North America nearly 500 years before the arrival of Christopher Columbus.

Across the Middle Ages Christianity came to Norway and this led to peace and stability in Norway’s relations with the rest of Europe, subsequently increasing trade and starting the Golden Age of Norway. However the Black Death ravaged Norway in the 1400’s, wiping out a third of the population and reducing the wealth of the country. By the time the disease had passed the country had been unified with Denmark and was ostensibly under the control of the powerful Hanseatic League. The first union of what is now known as Scandinavia was unsuccessful for Norway as the decision to wage war on Germany led to widespread trade blockades and rebellions across the country. However, despite this the Norwegians were too weak to withdraw from the union and consequently remained at war.

The union of Denmark and Norway continued for many centuries but Norway was not able to regain the power that it had held during its golden age. In the 1800’s the invasion of Norway by Sweden led to a new union, in which the Norwegians were yet again the weaker party. However, by the early 1900’s the union had been dissolved by a unanimous vote of Norwegian parliament and a new king was appointed, hopefully leading to a new age. Through the adventures of Roald Amundsen, Fridtjof Nandsen and Otto Svedrup, Norway again become known as pioneers and explorers and Amundsen became the first to reach the South Pole in 1911. After a shocking invasion during the Second World War, despite its declared neutrality, Norway surrendered and came under German control. Following this the country became far more nationalist and started to promote the Scandinavian agenda and the development of Norway in a significant way. The country experienced its highest level of growth ever and this was expanded when oil was discovered in the 1960’s. Since then Norway has become a major exporter of oil across the globe and consequently is a key economic power within the European Economic Area.

CuisineAs a fairly isolated nation and one that’s climate dictates it cannot be overly dependent on livestock, much of the Norwegian cuisine has been developed based on what raw materials are available. Much of the produce that is available is cured, using the processes of drying, salting, smoking and fermenting and this is often fish or game meat. Key to the Norwegian diet and worth trying also is the staple grovbrød which is similar to whole wheat bread but darker. Most meals in Norway will include bread, especially breakfast and lunch.