8 Scandinavian Cruises for Any Time Frame

Finding it hard to squeeze a full-length Scandinavian cruise into your visit? You could always spend an evening cruising Norway's Oslo fjord on a traditional wooden sailing ship with Viator's three-hour sunset mini-cruise. You'll see the Akershus Fortress and Oslo Opera House, all for only $54 USD per person.

Viator also offers a 14-hour tour from Reykjavik, Iceland, which takes you to see the Skogarfoss waterfall, Skaftafell National Park,​ the desert of Skeidarasandur, Oraefajokull glacier, and Jokulsarlon via coach bus. After the visit to the lagoon, a relaxing boat cruise follows. This day trip costs $146 USD per person and the cruise portion is not included during the months of October, March, and April.

Explore the capital cities of Copenhagen, Denmark, and Oslo, Norway, on this four-day adventure through Scandinavia. The $265 USD tour includes two nights of hotel accommodations with an overnight ferry crossing from Copenhagen to Oslo. Authentic Scandinavia also offers capital tours from five to 18 days, which can include the capital cities of Helsinki, Stockholm, and Tallinn, along with the Russian cities of St. Petersburg and Moscow.

Your ship will depart from Copenhagen, Denmark, and make its way down the Norwegian coast, stopping in the scenic cities of Stavanger, Bergen, Alesund, and Geiranger before cruising back to Copenhagen. Experience Norway's Old-World charm, ​​medieval and Art Noveau architecture, and natural beauty on this eight-day trip with Royal Caribbean, $999 USD per person.

You'll board Royal Caribbean's Serenade of the Seas in Copenhagen, Denmark, then set sail for Stockholm, Tallinn, St. Petersburg, and Helsinki before returning to Copenhagen. Highlights of the eight-day trip ($849 USD) include Sweden's medieval Old Town, the 13th-century castle where Estonia's parliament meets, architectural masterpieces in St. Petersburg, and the grand Helsinki Cathedral.

If seeing the Northern Lights is on your bucket list, this Viking Ocean Cruises winter excursion to far-north Norway is a wonderful way to do so. This smaller vessel—holding only 930 guests—takes you to stops within the Arctic Circle: Bodø, Tromsø, Alta, and Narvik. Highlights include snowy landscapes, sled dog rides, stunning cathedrals, and of course the mesmerizing Northern Lights. This tour starts in London and ends in Bergen, Norway. Prices begin at $4,599 USD.

This 19-day cruise by Holland America starts and ends in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, with stops in Copenhagen, Berlin, Tallinn, St. Petersburg, Helsinki, and multiple ports in Norway. Starting at $5,000 USD, the cruise showcases pristine fjords, Viking history, and an interesting lesson in the region's royalty.

If you have the time, this 20-day Windstar Cruise is the trip of a lifetime. You'll depart from Edinburgh, Scotland, and pass through Bergen, Oslo, Copenhagen, Tallinn, Helsinki, St. Petersburg, and Stockholm, passing through fjords, evergreen forests, waterfalls, glaciers, and more. Highlights of this weeks-long adventure include kayaking through Alesund’s Archipelago, an overnight stay in St. Petersburg, and Klaipeda’s Witches Hill. Prospective cruisers can request a quote online.