The Cool Side of Summer

While much of the world is racing toward the equator come June, seasoned travelers are slipping on their light jackets, packing layers, and heading north. Because while the Mediterranean melts, Northern Europe shines in its own way: cool temperatures, fresh coastal air, rolling green hills, storybook cities, dramatic fjords, and almost endless summer light.

It’s the kind of place where you sip coffee under a wool blanket on a ship deck as the midnight sun kisses the horizon. Where you explore castles that inspired Disney legends, kayak next to waterfalls, or wander art galleries in cool, cobbled cities. And with Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Uniworld and Oceania Cruises as your guides, you can experience this cooler, quieter corner of the world in comfort, luxury, and style.

Here’s how to do summer the Northern way.

Where Cool Breezes Meet Grand Journeys

There’s a kind of magic that happens the further north you go. The light lingers just a little longer. The landscapes become more dramatic, more poetic. And time slows down, not because you have less to do, but because everything around you demands to be savored.

Now imagine experiencing this world, not from a stuffy tour bus or a crowded city, but aboard a floating palace, where your suite has a private balcony overlooking glacial cliffs, every gourmet meal is included, and every day brings a new port that feels like a dream.

This is Northern Europe with Regent Seven Seas Cruises.

NORWEGIAN SUMMER SOJOURN

Amsterdam ➝ Copenhagen | Seven Seas Navigator | 18 nights

25% savings when combined with a connecting voyage.

You start in Amsterdam, where the scent of fresh stroopwafels hangs in the air, and narrow canal houses reflect perfectly on the water. But soon, the city fades behind you, replaced by the wild serenity of Norway’s west coast.

One morning, you’re sipping coffee in your robe, watching a waterfall tumble into a fjord so still it mirrors the sky. That afternoon, you’re exploring a storybook village where locals sell handmade sweaters and smoked salmon on rye.

By the time you reach Copenhagen, alive with bicycles, hygge, and design, you’re not just refreshed… you’re transformed.

Highlights:

• Sail into the heart of Geirangerfjord, a place so cinematic it feels sacred
• Explore Bergen, Norway’s colorful, rain-kissed harbor town
• Taste local delicacies on land, then return to Michelin-level cuisine at sea
• Unlimited included excursions: think glacier hikes, Viking museums, and fjord safaris

GOLF SPOTLIGHT BY ANNIKA SORENSTAM

London ➝ Liverpool | Seven Seas Grandeur | 7 nights

40% off when booked by April 30

If your idea of peace is a perfectly manicured green with a coastal breeze in your hair, this is your cruise. But it’s not just about golf, it’s about standing where kings once stood, teeing off where legends have walked, and then ending the day with fine wine and sea views.

Highlights:

• Play at exclusive courses handpicked by Annika’s team
• Golf clinics and private events onboard
• Non-golfers enjoy cultural excursions: castles, coastlines, and cathedrals
• A ship that feels more like a private club than a cruise

EXPLORING NORTHERN HORIZONS

London ➝ Reykjavik | Seven Seas Grandeur | 10 nights

Free suite upgrade or $2,000 shipboard credit

This voyage is for the adventurer with a taste for elegance. You begin in London, but soon trade the bustle for windswept cliffs, misty moors, and eventually, Iceland’s volcanic majesty.

In the Shetland Islands, you might find yourself watching puffins dance along the coast. A few days later, you’re in Reykjavik, soaking in hot springs under a lavender sky. At night, you dine on reindeer carpaccio and watch the sun skim the horizon at midnight, never quite setting.

Highlights:

• Scottish whisky tastings and folklore storytelling
• Icelandic thermal lagoons and lava field explorations
• Wildlife encounters: whales, puffins, seals
• Small-ship intimacy with big-luxury polish

The Regent Difference

When you travel with Regent Seven Seas, you’re not checking off a list, you’re diving into moments that linger long after you’ve unpacked. Everything is taken care of, so you can fully embrace what the journey is meant to be: inspiring, relaxing, illuminating.

• All-suite, all-balcony accommodations
• Unlimited gourmet dining and fine wines
• Included shore excursions in every port
• Roundtrip air, gratuities, Wi-Fi, and transfers included
• Enrichment programs on culture, cuisine, photography, and more

This summer, skip the sweltering crowds. Choose the North. 

A Storybook Cruise Above the Heat

When the summer sun starts to beat down hard, when the sidewalks feel too hot to touch and even the ocean feels more like bathwater than refreshment, that’s your sign to head north. Way north.

Picture this:

It’s early morning in Amsterdam. The air is crisp and clean, and you’re holding a hot espresso on the open-air deck of the S.S. Victoria. Windmills spin lazily in the distance. The scent of fresh tulips drifts in from the shore. You’re wrapped in a blanket, watching the countryside roll by like a painted canvas. There’s not a bead of sweat in sight. Just pure, quiet beauty.

Uniworld’s Northern Europe cruises are about slipping through the backdoors of Europe: along rivers that whisper secrets, into towns that time forgot, and past landscapes that bloom with meaning.

The ships? Floating art galleries. The crew? More attentive than your favorite barista. The pace? Just right.Here’s how to escape the heat in style.

Holland & Belgium at Tulip Time

Brussels to Amsterdam | 8 Days | S.S. Victoria | Rhine

Spring and early summer in the Low Countries are like walking through an Impressionist painting. This cruise is your chance to catch the tail end of tulip season, with bright blooms still lining the waterways like nature’s confetti.

A Few Cool Moments You’ll Love:

• Wander flower markets where the air smells like fresh petals and warm waffles.
• Take a canal ride through Bruges, wrapped in a light scarf, glass of wine in hand.
• Explore the edgy-meets-elegant streets of Amsterdam—by foot, bike, or boat.

This trip isn’t just a cruise—it’s a bouquet of color, culture, and calm.

Rhine, Moselle & Belgium Grand Discovery

Basel to Brussels | 15 Days | S.S. Victoria | Rhine, Moselle

Two weeks, six countries, and every day a cooler breeze than the last. You’ll sail through the shaded vineyards of Germany, the charming medieval towns of France and Belgium, and the elegant cities of Switzerland—all with your wine glass never far from full.

What You’ll Experience:

• Sip Rieslings under a grapevine trellis in the Moselle Valley
• Stroll Luxembourg’s fortified old town in the soft evening light
• Dine on Alsatian tarte flambée as you cruise past a 14th-century castle
• Shop at artisan markets where the cheese is local and the linen handwoven

This cruise is perfect for travelers who want to taste as much as they see—with a cool river breeze as their constant companion.

Castles Along the Rhine

Basel to Amsterdam | 8 Days | S.S. Antoinette, S.S. Elisabeth, S.S. Victoria | Rhine

If you grew up dreaming of castles on cliffs and storybook villages by the river, this cruise is the adult version of your childhood fairy tale—minus the heat and crowds.You’ll drift past over 30 castles, each more magnificent than the last. There’s a glass of regional wine in your hand and a string quartet playing softly in the lounge. It’s warm enough for a light jacket. Perfect for romance. Ideal for daydreaming.

Trip Highlights:

• Tour the gothic cathedral of Cologne without wiping sweat from your brow
• Wander Rüdesheim’s quiet cobblestone lanes and pop into hidden wine cellars
• Enjoy panoramic views of Germany and France from Alsace’s border towns
• End in Amsterdam, where summer feels like spring and the canal cafes stay lively into the long, golden dusk

Ultimate European Journey

Amsterdam to Bucharest | 24 Days | River Duchess, River Princess, S.S. Beatrice | Rhine, Main, Danube

This epic, once-in-a-lifetime journey takes you through eight countries, from the tulip-lined canals of the Netherlands to the medieval fortresses of Romania. It’s slow, steady, sweeping, an experience where each day offers a new culture, a new taste, a new sky.

What You’ll Love Most:

• Starting in breezy Amsterdam and sailing east into untouched corners of Europe
• Watching the architecture evolve from Baroque to Byzantine
• Strolling the Danube Promenade in Budapest as musicians play under amber-lit bridges
• Visiting Balkan towns where time seems to move a little slower—and cooler

This is the cruise for those who want to see it all, while staying cool, calm, and absolutely spoiled.

Why Uniworld is Your Ultimate Summer Escape:

• Climate Control by Nature: Cool rivers, shaded decks, and northern breezes, no artificial AC needed
• All-Inclusive Luxury: Every detail is taken care of, so you can focus on sipping, strolling, and soaking it all in
• Cultural Immersion: No surface-level sightseeing here, get personal with local flavors, history, and stories
• Stylish Ships: Designed like boutique hotels, with art, antiques, and cozy reading corners to retreat to

Your Summer Reset Starts on the River

When the world is melting, Northern Europe stays cool. And there’s no better way to explore its riverside wonders than with Uniworld. From tulips to timber-framed towns, wine valleys to wandering waterways, you’ll experience the soul of Europe, without breaking a sweat.So pack your layers, grab your journal, and leave the sunscreen behind.

This summer, float north instead of frying south.

Where Summer Feels Like a Breath of Fresh Air

Let’s be honest, summer can be a lot. The heat, the crowds, the sunscreen melting off your face before you even get to lunch. If that sounds familiar, maybe it’s time to flip the script. Instead of chasing the sun, chase the cool.

Oceania Cruises gets it. Their Northern Europe voyages are made for people who want something different, something easier, cooler, and way more delicious. Think crisp breezes instead of heatwaves, seafood dinners on open decks, and long, glowing evenings under the midnight sun.

Here are a few dreamy itineraries that’ll have you wondering why you ever thought summer needed to be hot in the first place.

Reykjavik to Edinburgh

14 Days | Aboard Oceania Sirena

This one kicks off in Iceland’s capital and wraps up in storybook Edinburgh. In between, you’ll cruise past volcanic coastlines, puffin-covered cliffs, and the rugged Faroe Islands, with stops in charming little ports that feel like well-kept secrets.

You’ll wake up to misty mountains, explore tiny fishing villages, and maybe even spot a whale or two from your balcony. Then it’s back onboard for Nordic-inspired dishes and a cocktail as you watch the sun dip behind the sea.

London to Oslo

14 Days | Aboard Oceania Vista

Start your summer in London, float through Amsterdam and the Scottish Highlands, and end in sleek, design-forward Oslo. This trip mixes old-world charm with Scandinavian cool, and it’s a great pick if you want culture, history, and natural beauty in one go.

One day you’re having tea in a castle courtyard, the next you’re hiking to a waterfall in Norway. And the best part? No need to repack your bags even once.

Reykjavik to Reykjavik

10 Days | Aboard Oceania Insignia

This one’s for the Iceland lovers or anyone who’s always wanted to go. It’s a full loop around the island, so you get the full range: fjords, volcanoes, hot springs, black sand beaches, and more.

Every day brings a new postcard-worthy view. You’ll visit towns you’ve never heard of but will never forget, and in the evening? Cozy dinners, sunset strolls, and maybe a nightcap under a sky that never quite goes dark.

London to Stockholm

24 Days | Aboard Oceania Vista

Ready to really slow down and soak it all in? This extended cruise is your ticket to a no-rush summer. You’ll float from the UK to France, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Norway, Finland, and end in gorgeous Stockholm.

Think of it like a highlight reel of Northern Europe castles, cobblestone streets, seaside towns, and more. It’s long enough that you never feel rushed and packed with places you’ll want to come back to.

 The Food is Next-Level

• This isn’t just about where you go, it’s about what you taste along the way. Oceania is famous for its food, and for good reason:
• Grab a spot in one of their Culinary Discovery Tours, shop local markets, take a cooking class, and learn to plate like a pro
• Enjoy open-seating dining in restaurants led by world-class chefs 
• And don’t worry if you’re more of a “burger by the pool” type, they’ve got you covered too 

So… Why Not Go North?

Summer doesn’t have to mean sweating through crowds and baking in the sun. Heading north is the cooler, calmer way to travel. Think fresh air, long golden evenings, and landscapes that feel like they belong in a storybook.

With Norwegian Adventures, Regent Seven Seas, Uniworld, and Oceania Cruises, you can explore it all in comfort and style, no swelter, just stunning views and memorable moments.

So skip the heat. Go where summer feels like a breath of fresh air.

Why Book with a Travel Advisor?

Planning a summer escape to Northern Europe sounds dreamy, but figuring out the when, where, and how can be a lot. That’s where a travel advisor comes in.

Whether you’re craving the cool fjords of Norway, a castle-filled river cruise, or an Icelandic adventure under the midnight sun, a travel advisor helps you make the most of it. They know the best sailings, the most scenic routes, and those tucked-away gems that don’t show up in search engines.

They’ll handle the details, from matching you with the right cruise or custom itinerary to making sure your travel feels seamless from start to finish. All you have to do is pack a few cozy layers and get ready to relax.