Top cruise deals to the fjords

Summer will be late in Norway, if the weather during my visit this week is anything to go by. Sailing on board Saga Pearl II (seen above in Eidfjord) we have faced a mixture of weather; enjoying some sunny days and enduring bitterly cold winds and the occasional snow shower.
The scenery is still magnificent – as it will be for passengers on a host of cruise ships visiting the fjords during the next few months – and the extra meltwater will make the waterfalls even more spectacular.
There is still limited availability on Fred Olsen’s Braemar, departing from Dover on June 11 and visiting Bergen, Eidfjord, Kristiansand and Oslo. Late-saver fares for the seven-night cruise start at £599 per person for a twin-bedded outside cabin. Go to www.fredolsencruises.co.uk or call 01473 742424.
P&O’s Artemis sails from Southampton to Stavanger, Molde, Trondheim, Tromso, Honnigsvag (for North Cape), Hammerfest, the Lofoten Islands, Bergen and Eidfjord on July 4. Fares for this 14-night voyage start at £1,199 per person in an outside cabin. Go to www.gillscruise.com or call 08456 58 23 23.
Monday is Norway’s National Day and to mark the occasion, Hurtigruten – the Norwegian Coastal Express – is offering a £50 Marks & Spencer’s voucher to anyone booking a classic a seven-day Voyage North, from Bergen to Kirkenes, calling at a total of 34 ports; the same trip in the opposite direction, or a 12-day round voyage which returns to Bergen.
Book online at www.hurtigruten.co.uk, or call 020 8846 2666 for more information. Bookings must be made between today and May 22.
Still in northern Europe, Grand Princess sails from Southampton on July 3 to Zeebrugge, Copenhagen, Helsingborg and Oslo. Fares for the seven-night cruise start at £699 per person. Go to www.virginholidayscruises.co.uk or call 0871 781 9893.
And Fred Olsen’s Black Watch sails on a 16-night Baltic and Lapland cruise from Southampton to Skagen, Stockholm, Sundsvall, Lulea, Kemi, Helsinki, St Petersburg (for an overnight stay) and Gdynia. Fares for this June 30 departure start at £1,249 based on two sharing an inside cabin. Go to www.fredolsencruises.co.uk or call 01473 742424.
For something warmer, Thomson Destiny sails on a seven-night cruise from Palma, Majorca to Villefranche, Livorno, Civitavecchia, Ajaccio and Palamos. Fares for the June 5 departure, including return flights, from £539. Go to www.cruise118.com or call 0800 280 2614.
New to cruising? Go to www.discover-cruises.co.uk for advice on ships and destinations.