Northern Europe consists of the Scandinavian peninsula, the peninsula of Jutland, the Baltic plain that lies to the east and the many islands that lie offshore from mainland northern Europe, Greenland and the main European continent. The area is defined by the volcanic islands of the far northwest, notably Iceland and Jan Mayen, the mountainous western seaboard, extending from the mountainous sections of Great Britain & Ireland to the Scandinavian mountains, the central north mountains and hills of Sweden (which are the foothills of the Scandinavian mountains) and the large eastern plain, which contains, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Finland.

A cruise through Northern Europe is a truly cultural experience set to the backdrop of some of the world’s most beautiful scenery.

Experience the magical land of icy fjords, jagged mountains, and immense glaciers on an Arctic adventure cruise. Icebreakers cut through the dense polar ice to access areas previously visited by only the most daring explorers.

Comfortable expedition vessels glide travelers beyond the Arctic Circle through dramatic ice floes to walk in the footsteps of the Vikings or marvel at the breaching of a humpback whale. A trip to the Arctic offers rare wildlife, intense natural beauty and unique cultures that have survived in one of the most extreme environments on Earth.

Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europeoccupying the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, as well as Jan Mayen, the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island (is not subject to the Antarctic Treaty). Norway has a total area of 385,252 square kilometres (148,747 sq mi) and a population of about 4.9 million. It is the second least densely populated country in Europe. The majority of the country shares a border to the east with Sweden; its northernmost region is bordered by Finland to the south and Russia to the east; in its south Norway borders the Skagerrak Strait, across which Denmark is situated. The capital city of Norway is Oslo. Norway's extensive coastline, facing the North Atlantic Ocean and the Barents Sea, is home to its famous fjords.