It was early August when I received an email from Holland America promoting a 7-Day Norwegian Fjords cruise. My mother and I love cruises, with our last sailing on Cunard’s MS Queen Elizabeth in 2014, when they premiered Justice Is Mind onboard. This sailing would be on the MS Nieuw Statendam, a Pinnacle-class cruise ship. As neither my mother nor I have been to Norway, and we’ve always wanted to see the fjords, it was an easy decision to book. It was also off-season, which is when we prefer to travel.

After arriving in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, we transferred for a two-night stay in Rotterdam before our cruise set sail on Saturday. Rotterdam is a glorious Dutch city with so much to see and offer, from surviving 16th-century structures (before WWII) to contemporary designs that place it firmly in the 21st century; one of the highlights of our trip was a visit to the historic Kinderdijk windmills. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, we spent most of the day exploring and learning about their importance in Dutch history. Returning to Rotterdam, we had dinner in the former Holland America Line building. The Art Nouveau building features two wonderful restaurants and a hotel.

As this is the first time we have sailed with Holland America, we were both wondering what the experience would be like. From the ship itself to the service onboard, Holland America is now my favorite cruise line. First, they have organization and customer service down to a fault. Second, the cuisine (no matter where you dine) and onboard programming were five stars.

Our first port of call was Eidfjord, Norway. There is something magical about sailing through a fjord in the early morning hours with clouds floating halfway up  their majestic steep sides. A walking tour started the day with a short bus visit to the magnificent Vøringsfossen Waterfall that included the Norwegian Nature Centre Tour. I could have explored the trails and outlying areas all day, but we had a ship to catch!

Our second port of call was in Olden, Norway. For the landscapes alone, this was my favorite port of call. After a few hours of a drive around Olden, I took the Loen Skylift up to Mount Hoven, which brought us up over 3,000 feet. To say the views on this clear, windless day were stunning would be a vast understatement. Once you reach the top of what is one of the steepest aerial tramways in the world, they have a terrific restaurant, souvenir shop, and observation points. What I liked were the many trails that radiated from the top of the mountain, with signs directing you to other fjords. For me, I found a trail that took me to the highest point in the time I had and took a moment to take in the luscious view, along with the peace and quiet that came with it. An experience I will never forget.

The third port of call brought us to Alesund, Norway. It was here that you could climb the 418 steps to the top of Mount Aksla. I’m glad I did this first thing when the ship docked, as I noticed on our walking tour later that those stairs get crowded. The views of the town with our ship in port were yet another picturesque moment during our cruise. While the weather is historically relatively poor this time of year in Norway, we were thankful for gloriously sunny days. A walking tour in the afternoon of the town and its Art Nouveau history was a delight.

But it was our fourth and final port of call that was unique in its own right, Bergen, Norway. The second largest city in Norway (after Oslo), the waterfront district alone is just one of the many reasons to visit this ancient city that was founded in 1070 AD. Visiting the colorful gabled timber houses with their Hanseatic history is a must. The unevenness of the structures and narrow passageways create a unique atmosphere while visiting the many interesting shops that inhabit the structures. Of course, it was our Ulriken Cable Car ride to the top of Mount Ulriken that presented just striking views of the city below, along with our ship that could fit in the palm of our hands! After enjoying some coffee and pastry in their well-appointed restaurant, it was time for the requisite photos to truly take in the view.

After some local shopping in Bergen, we boarded our ship for a day at sea on our way back to Rotterdam and return to the United States. My mother and I have taken several cruises, and while each offered its own adventure and experience, we both agreed that our experience in Norway, the Netherlands, and on the Nieuw Statendam was of such splendor and organization that it easily came in as number one on our list.

Takk for at du leste!