Jan Madeus

Honningsvåg to the North Cape on your own: the local bus from the pier against the ship’s excursion price, what the ticket does and does not cover, and the king crab alternative.

Tromsø above the Arctic Circle — northern lights from September to April, the Fjellheisen cable car, the Arctic Cathedral, and where to sleep and eat without overspending.

Sailing into Norway’s Geirangerfjord — a UNESCO World Heritage site where cliffs rise 1,400 metres from the water and the Seven Sisters waterfall drops beside the ship.

Åndalsnes at the head of the Isfjord — Norway’s alpine town, ringed by 87 peaks above 1,500 m, with the Romsdalshorn and the Trollveggen rock face within easy reach.

Ulvik on the Hardangerfjord — mist over the Ulvikafjord at dawn, the Hardanger Bridge, orchard country and one of the quieter corners of the Norwegian fjordlands.

Måløy on Vågsøy, at the mouth of the Nordfjord: the Kannesteinen rock, the Vågsberget trading post, the fishing harbour and the 1941 commando raid.

A day spent walking above the Geirangerfjord — trails climbing from the village to viewpoints over the water, past waterfalls and long-abandoned mountain farms.

Flåm at the innermost end of the Aurlandsfjord and the Stegastein platform 650 metres above it — the drive up, the view down, and how to fit both into one day.

Bergen on your own: from Skolten it is 5–15 minutes on foot to Bryggen, the Fløibanen runs every 10 minutes for 200 NOK return, and the whole centre is walkable.