We live in Venice, Florida, where August and September are brutally hot and muggy. Those are the two months that we are happiest to leave home and travel somewhere that requires a sweater. So, we found an August (2026) 15 night itinerary on one of Oceania’s newer ships, the Vista. The cruise we chose was “Northern Europe cruise on Oceania Vista,” which mostly visited smaller cities and out of the way places we had not been. We liked that it avoided major cities for the most part, and was more off the beaten path. The trip ended up being one of our favorite “wandering cruise” trips.
We started in Northern Ireland, so first we flew through London and into Belfast. If you’ve never visited Belfast, it’s a lively city and has more to see than many travelers realize. We’ve been to Belfast before, it’s fun to explore! Hotel-wise, I recommend the historic Europa Hotel, a beautifully restored four-star hotel known as ‘the world’s most bombed hotel’ after being repeatedly targeted during The Troubles. It’s comfortable and has a perfect central location. We spent one night, and the next day boarded the Oceania Vista for our 15 night cruise.
For the next 15 nights we cooled off from Florida’s blazing temperatures while we explored the tiny villages and stunning landscapes of Scotland, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Norway and Denmark.
Ports of Call for Oceania Vista’s Northern Europe cruise
- Douglas, Isle of Man – Victorian charm, coastal beauty, and a delightfully independent spirit.
- Greencastle, Ireland – A colorful fishing village perched at the wild edge of Donegal.
- Ullapool, Scotland – A storybook Highland harbor surrounded by mountains and sea. I want to stay the entire summer!
- Scrabster, Scotland – Scotland’s rugged far north, where dramatic coastlines steal the show.
- Invergordon, Scotland – Your gateway to Highland castles, lochs, and legendary scenery.
- Kristiansand, Norway – A Norwegian waterfront city filled with whitewashed buildings.
- Copenhagen, Denmark – Effortlessly stylish, wonderfully walkable, and unmistakably Danish. Such buildings!
- Warnemünde, Germany – A breezy Baltic seaside town with wide beaches and maritime character.
- Rønne, Denmark – A sleeper for us – we just loved the island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea. It’s worth a week of exploring.
- Aarhus, Denmark – Viking history, cutting-edge culture, a very artsy place, lots of youthful energy.
- Southampton, UK – We debarked here, in the huge port an hour or so outside of London.
We enjoyed the far north Scottish Highlands with its stunning landscapes and oceanscapes, and temperatures in the 60’s. We were glad to be visiting more out-of-the-way and less crowded destinations. If you like that, too, a similar destination is for you.
Sadly, Oceania isn’t going to repeat this exact Northern Europe cruise on Oceania Vista next year. However, there are two options I recommend on the same beautiful ship that would be similar.
The first is an 11 day itinerary that begins in Southampton (outside London), July 5 to July 16. It’s on the Vista, with ports of call in Edinburgh, Invergorden, the Orkney Islands, Portree on the Isle of Skye, Glasgow, Belfast (Northern Ireland), Cork, Dublin, and ending at Le Havre (outside Paris).
The second is 15 nights, August 7 to August 21, from Stockholm to Iceland’s Reykjavik. This is another itinerary with cooler temperatures, and better timing since it’s in August. This cruise takes you from Stockholm to Visby, Sweden. It then goes to Ronne and Copenhagen, Denmark. Then you are back in Sweden for a stop in Gothenburg, and off to Norway for 4 ports of call before crossing over to Iceland to visit 4 ports there.
Of the two, I would do the August trip for a few reasons.
- It’s a better bang for your buck if you are flying to Europe to stay two weeks instead of one. Flights are not cheap anymore, so make it last.
- The ports of call are sure to keep you away from the hot summer sun at home.
- You get 2 weeks away, and we all can use that downtime for our health – mentally and physically.
I strongly recommend that you talk to me, and make your deposit now for summer 2027. Booking early generally gives you the best choice of staterooms and access to the best available offers and amenities. That’s what I am here for, to advise you about the best way to book. Plus, get your vacation on your calendar now and protect that time away!
We found Oceania’s Vista comfortable, beautiful and easy to settle into. We ate very well aboard Vista, with four included specialty restaurants providing plenty of variety. Please email sue@travelchangeslife.com or set up a time to talk with me in my virtual Google meeting room by picking a time here.
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