In summer 2028, Valiant Lady will become the first Virgin Voyages ship to sail in Scandinavia and the Baltic, with Amsterdam serving as its homeport for four round-trip Northern Europe itineraries.

Bookings for the new season opened August 14, 2026. The Scandinavia and Baltic program includes a dedicated seven-night Norwegian fjords itinerary and an 11-night voyage combining the fjords with an Arctic Circle crossing.

For Virgin Voyages, which has built its reputation on adults-only ships, unconventional dining and a less formal approach to cruising, the move represents a significant expansion into a region dominated by established cruise brands.

Virgin Voyages Heads To The Norwegian Fjords

Departing Amsterdam on July 31, 2028, the seven-night Norwegian Fjords itinerary will visit four destinations on Norway’s west coast: Molde, Nordfjordeid, Flåm and Bergen.

It is a compact itinerary, but one that provides a broad introduction to fjord Norway.

Bergen is one of Norway’s biggest cruise ports and a natural inclusion thanks to its colorful Bryggen waterfront, mountain viewpoints and long maritime history.

Flåm is another familiar name to cruise travelers. The tiny village sits at the end of the Aurlandsfjord, a branch of the vast Sognefjord, and is best known for the Flåm Railway, which climbs from sea level into the mountains on its way to the main Oslo-Bergen rail line.

Molde and Nordfjordeid provide a slightly different flavor. Molde offers panoramic views across the surrounding mountains and is a popular jumping-off point for road trips including the Atlantic Ocean Road.

Nordfjordeid has grown considerably as a cruise destination in recent years. The small town is home to the Sagastad Viking center and is within excursion distance of some of the Nordfjord region’s best-known scenery.

All four ports will be maiden calls for Virgin Voyages. In fact, Norway is almost entirely new territory for the cruise line, with Oslo also set for its first Virgin calls on separate Scandinavia itineraries.

Virgin Voyages Goes North Of The Arctic Circle

Perhaps the most intriguing itinerary of the season comes immediately after the line’s Norwegian fjords and Scandinavia cruises. Valiant Lady will depart Amsterdam on an 11-night Arctic Circle and Norwegian Fjords cruise.

After a call at Bergen, the ship will cross the Arctic Circle before visiting Tromsø and Honningsvåg in far northern Norway. It will then head south again via Trondheim, Åndalsnes and Olden.

Honningsvåg serves as the cruise gateway to North Cape, while Tromsø combines Arctic history and culture with a lively small city atmosphere.

The return journey also features some of Norway’s strongest cruise destinations. Trondheim offers more than 1,000 years of history centered on Nidaros Cathedral, while Åndalsnes is surrounded by steep mountains and is the starting point for trips to the serpentine mountain road Trollstigen and on the scenic Rauma Railway.

Virgin is planning to mark the journey north with an onboard Arctic Circle crossing ceremony. The cruise line is also promoting a midnight sun deck party, although by mid-August the true midnight sun season will have ended at several of the destinations on the itinerary.

A New Kind Of Norway Cruise?

Virgin’s arrival adds another option to an increasingly diverse Norwegian cruise market, at a time when cruise lines are committing more ships and itineraries to Northern Europe for the seasons ahead.

Its ships carry up to approximately 2,700 passengers, placing Virgin firmly within the mainstream ocean cruise sector rather than the small-ship or expedition market often associated with Arctic itineraries.

Yet the onboard experience is notably different from many of the cruise lines already well established in Norway.

Virgin Voyages operates exclusively for adults aged 18 and over. Its ships have no traditional main dining room or buffet, while much of the dining, Wi-Fi, entertainment and group fitness programming is included in the cruise fare.

The company has also built a reputation around contemporary design, nightlife and a more relaxed attitude to cruise traditions such as formal evenings.

Virgin Voyages CEO Nirmal Saverimuttu said the increasing number of repeat guests had given the company confidence to continue expanding into new regions, describing Northern Europe as a logical next step.

The wider 2028 program also includes Oslo, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Gdańsk, Hamburg and Aarhus, with 15 maiden ports across the season.

For those already familiar with Virgin Voyages, though, the Norway cruise itineraries may be the most intriguing addition of all.

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This article was originally published on Forbes.com