DAY 1: Dover, UK.
Join your cruise ship, Balmoral, at Dover. Your cruise is full board from dinner this evening until breakfast on day 8. Your ship departs at 4.30pm, latest embarkation is at 2.30pm. (D)

DAY 2: At sea.
A full day to relax on board as Balmoral cruises north towards Bergen. Enjoy the chance to unwind on deck and admire the stunning seascapes or make the most of your cruise ship's many leisure activities and amenities. (B, L, D)

DAY 3: Bergen.
Known as the 'gateway to the Norwegian fjords' and the 'city of seven hills', charming Bergen gives a glimpse of the wonders to come. This beautiful city, birthplace of Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg and original capital of Norway, bursts with history, culture and picture-postcard charm as it sits, dotted amongst the steep, surrounding mountain slopes creating an amphitheatre effect around the harbour front. Wander amidst the labyrinth of quaint cobbled streets, crooked medieval houses, tiny porticoed shops, and bustling cafés and museums. View the statue of Grieg standing proudly in the beautiful city park and admire Bryggen Wharf, a UNESCO World Heritage site, with its brightly painted Hanseatic merchants' houses and animated harbourside cafés, famed for their fish and seafood delicacies. Perhaps enjoy an optional funicular railway ride to the summit of Mount Floeyen, whose peaks tower 1,000 feet above the city, to admire spellbinding views over the city and the surrounding seascape of lovely, tiny islands. (B, L, D)

DAY 4: Olden.
Sitting at the head of the spectacular inner arm of the Nordfjord, the charming and peaceful village of Olden enjoys a fairytale setting. The awe-inspiring scenery around the town seems to have fallen straight from the pages of a storybook, with lush green pastures, mystical, mirror-glass lakes and sparkling waterfalls cascading down from high ice fields. The most remarkable sight of all is the vast and spectacular Jostedals Glacier, the largest in mainland Europe. Once seen, its sheer scale and surreal beauty is likely to stay with you forever. (B, L, D)

DAY 5: Flam.
Nestled amidst precipitous mountain slopes dotted with green farmland and tumbling waterfalls, Flam is a delightful small town set on a tranquil tributary at the southern end of the Sognefjord - Norway's longest fjord. The highlight of today is an optional shore excursion to Flam, home to Norway's oldest church - built in 1667, for a chance to ride on the famous, twisting Flam Railway: one of the world's greatest train journeys. Begin in the Myrdal Valley Gorge and enjoy a 40-minute trip as you spiral nearly 3,000 feet up a steep, partially-tunnelled track to the mountain station of Myrdal for views over snow-capped peaks, dramatic waterfalls, remote hill farms and deep, river-filled ravines. At the top, spend time enjoying the dizzying views before descending back down to the town. (B, L, D)

DAY 6: Eidfjord.
After cruising along one of Norway's most beautiful stretches of water, arrive in Eidfjord, a tiny, tranquil village in the serene Hardangerfjord, located on the mouth of the Ejo River. Today, don't miss an optional excursion to explore the Hardangervidda Nature Centre at the upper end of Eidfjord Lake, with its stunning exhibits, aquarium and wide-screen media showcases on the Hardangervidda National Park. This breathtaking National Park is the largest in Norway and is inhabited by a significant number of protected wildlife, including moose, fox and the largest wild reindeer population in Europe. It is also home to the rare mountain cloudberry plant, which only grows at high altitudes. A wild and raw natural canvas, the Park is made up of the magnificent 750 metre-high Hardangervidda mountain plateau, together with lunar-style fells, racing rivers, sheer cliffs and spectacular waterfalls - all of which have to be seen to be believed. (B, L, D)

DAY 7: At sea.
Relax on board, enjoying views from the deck and the many facilities Balmoral offers. (B, L, D)

DAY 8: Dover, UK.
Arrive in Dover and disembark early this morning after breakfast on board.
(B)