Top 10 Fjords to Cruise Along
No matter if you know them as a Fjord, Fiord or Fyord, these incredible natural wonders are long and narrow inlets that are often banked by steep cliffs that were created by a glacier.
If the thought of that was all that you needed to know that a fjord cruise holiday was the right choice to you, there is so much more to these incredible natural wonders as they often offer the chance to see icebergs, waterfalls, small and remote villages, incredible wildlife including whales, birds of prey, and seals, and majestic glaciers but perhaps the best aspect of cruising along a fjord is that you can never be sure of what you will see next as every visit is different.
Another great aspect of fjords is that they offer normally perfectly flat surface to cruise along so if you suffer seasickness, you have nothing to worry about and with ships having to travel slowly down the narrow way of fjords, you get plenty of time to take photos to make sure you always remember the moment.
If you were to ask 100 people to name where a Fjord is, the vast majority would likely answer Norway and that is not too surprising as the word actually comes from the Norwegian language and the country is home to many of the world’s most stunning fjords but Fjords can be found around the world with our picks of the top 10 coming from a number of different continents.
Fjords can actually be found on the coastlines of places such as Alaska, Antarctica, Chile, British Columbia, Greenland, Denmark, Faro Islands, Ireland, Iceland, Kamchatka, Kerguelen Islands, Norway, New Zealand, Novaya Zemlya, Labrador, Newfoundland, Quebec, Nunavut, Scotland, South Georgia Island, Staten Island (in Argentina) and along the coast of the State of Washington in the Pacific North West.
Of course, with 1000’s and 1000’s of Fjords worldwide, with over 1000 found in Norway, not all are suitable for cruising, but if you are wanting a Fjord cruise, here are our pick of the best and links to our guides for more information.
Our Top 10 Fjords to Cruise Along
Sognefjord, Norway
Sognefjord, or Sognefjorden as it is known in certain parts of Norway, is always a highlight of any cruise holiday to Norway as not only is the Fjord amongst one of the most stunningly beautiful but it also offers access to top destinations such as Flam, where you can enjoy a ride on its iconic railway.
Nicknamed the ‘King of Fjords’, Sognefjord lives up to that moniker as it is the largest and deepest Fjord in the country and stretches over 200 kilometres (nearly 130 miles) inland, with many off shoots allowing access to a number of towns and villages.
No matter where you are heading for a day of exploring in, you can be assured of hour after hour of sailing past huge mountains, beautiful waterfalls and even the odd glacier.
Boka Kotorska, Kotor, Montenegro
If the idea of cruising down a Fjord sounds like a fantastic experience for you aside from the fact that the vast majority of them are in cold weather locations, do not worry!
Known locally as the Boka Kotorska or translated as the ‘Bay of Koto’ the stunning entrance into the historic city of Kotor may not be the longest Fjord on this list but it is one of the most stunning and offers a chance to visit the UNESCO Heritage site of Kotor.
This Fjord runs inland off of the Adriatic Sea, so you can enjoy a visit to Boka Kotorska whilst sailing through the Med, the Adriatic and/or around the Greek Islands.
Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska, USA
The Kenai Fjords National Park just outside of Seward and near to the capital city of Anchorage in Alaska, may not have the longest or deepest Fjords in the world and unlike many of this list, it is not a singular Fjord, but the national park is well worth its placing on this list.
The sheer size of the region, covering around 700,000 acres (over 1000 square miles), the park contains numerous Fjords (with many of them been accessible by cruise ships), glaciers the immense Harding Icefield and numerous islands.
Every trip to the region is different but visitors can expect to see many icebergs, lots of whales including humpbacks, killer whales, seals, sea otters and even moose, brown bears, and black bears if you keep an eye on land.
Prince Christian Sound, Greenland
If the idea of isolation, peace, quiet and nature is your idea of a great day on a ship, a trip to along the Prince Christian Sound in Greenland is one that is perfect for you and one that will be an experience that will live long in the memory even for those who may never have heard of this artic Fjord.
Known to many as Prins Christians Sund, the channel sits on the southern coast of Greenland and separate the mainland from Sammisog (Christian IV Island) and the Cape Farewell Archipelago but for those cruising along it, it is the incredible barren mountains that flank either side and the glaciers and icebergs that you come across that will be the highlight.
The winding Fjord often looks like you are getting lots in a maze with lots of other channels, islands and giant ice bergs seemingly getting in your way.
Eyjafjordur, Iceland
Eyjafjordur, which translates as Island Fjord, is not only one of the longest Fjords in Iceland but it also offers access to Akureyri, one of the country’s largest and most popular cities for tourists.
The Fjord is located in north central region part of Iceland, which is often an area overlooked with most holidaymakers heading to the populous south-west but with snow topped mountains flanking both sides of the Fjord and with huge waterfalls, glaciers and volcanoes awaiting you when you reach shore, this Fjord is always a highlight of any visit to Iceland.
Geirangerfjord, Norway
As you would expect, the Geirangerfjord is a Norwegian Fjord that ends at the small but stunning village of Geiranger, and that is what helps to make the Fjord so popular with cruise lines and with cruisers.
Not only does the Fjord offer 15 kilometres of beautiful scenery including huge mountains, glaciers, waterfalls, and lots of wildlife but the Fjord is also home to the incredible Seven Sisters waterfall that is a must see and it is something that is always amongst the most Instagramable moments of any Fjord cruise.
Tierra del Fuego, Chile
The Tierra del Fuego region of Chile is home to the incredible Chilean Fjords, which includes the Almirantazgo Fjord but the region is home to many Fjords, mountains, islands, and other areas of stunning natural beauty but for many it is the incredible wildlife found in the area that makes for a memorable South American holiday.
On your cruise journey along the Argentina/Chile border, you will likely see many birds of prey, whales, dolphins, porpoises, penguins, sea lions and more.
Milford Sound, New Zealand
The Milford Sound, also known locally as Piopiotahi, is one of the most popular Fiords in New Zealand and it is easy to see why.
Found on the countries South Island in the Fiordland National Park, the Fjord is also part of the Piopiotahi Marine Reserve and the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage site which not only helps protect its incredible natural beauty but it also makes sure that you will always enjoy the Fjord at its best and that you will be able to take in lots of the areas wildlife including birds of prey, whales, dolphins, penguins and more.
Howe Sound, Vancouver, Canada
Whilst the Howe Sound may not be a Fjord in its own right, it joins a network of Fjords to the northwest of Vancouver in the entrance to the iconic Inside Passage.
The sound is triangular in shape and contains a number of islands, some of which are mountainous, as are the shores that surround the sound, which helps to give an overall feel of a Fjord before you even enter the actual Fjords that run off of the sound.
Just as with the whole of the Pacific North West and Western Canada, the whole of the sound is a wash with natural beauty and lots of wildlife.
Inside Passage, Alaska
Talking of the Inside Passage, it would be amiss to miss it out of a list such as this one.
Once more, it is not technically a Fjord but it does give access to many Fjords and links the Pacific North West of the United States and Canada to the main part of Alaska via the North American Fjordland.
The region is one of the most popular cruise destination in the world thanks to the incredible scenery enjoyed 24 hours a day and no matter where your port of call is, their will lots of chances to take in the local culture, the local wildlife and to enjoy many great attractions including the White Pass Railway.
For many visitors it is the chance to view mountain after mountain after mountain as you sail down the many Fjords and passageway in the inside passage that is the highlights of a trip as you are never far from a huge waterfall, a glacier or even an icefield.
If you are a lover of wildlife, the Alaskan coast offers lots of opportunities to spot whales, orca’s, dolphin, porpoises, birds of prey, sea otters, bears, moose and much more.
