Day 1 - Travel to London Tilbury and Embark
Your holiday begins as you travel to London Tilbury to board your ship on the River Thames, just to the east of London. Once you’ve checked in and settled into your cabin, you’ll have time to explore the decks, find your favourite lounge, and ease into life on board before the adventure properly starts.
As evening comes around, you can enjoy dinner, take in the first bit of onboard entertainment, and soak up that “first night” buzz as you get ready for the days ahead. It’s a relaxed start, but you can already feel the journey building towards Norway’s coastline and the Arctic north.
Day 2 - At Sea
Your first full day at sea is perfect for finding your rhythm on Ambition. It’s a great time to explore properly, from the lounges and bars to quieter corners like the library or card room, so you can work out what kind of cruise day you enjoy most.
Food-wise, you can keep it easy and relaxed, with plenty of choice across the ship from the main restaurants to more casual options. With no plans to rush off the ship, it’s the kind of day where a long breakfast and a slow wander on deck feels like the main event.
Day 3 - At Sea
This sea day is a brilliant one for wellness and “feel good” time. Ambition has a gym and pool areas, plus hot tubs, so you can start the day active, then slow it right down with a dip or a soak while you watch the sea roll by.
If you’re more in the mood for switching off, the Green Sea Spa is made for days like this, with calming spaces and the option of treatments if you fancy a proper bit of holiday indulgence. It’s an easy way to feel refreshed before the ports begin.
Day 4 - Ålesund, Norway
Ålesund is one of those ports that feels instantly pretty, with its waterfront setting and the Art Nouveau architecture that gives the town its distinctive look. It’s ideal for a free day because you can simply wander, take photos, and enjoy a calm pace without needing a packed plan.
For the best views, many visitors head up to Mount Aksla, where you get a wide panorama over the town, surrounding islands, and the Sunnmøre Alps in the distance. It’s a brilliant “camera roll” kind of stop, and it really shows you why this part of Norway is so special.
Day 5 - Trondheim, Norway
Trondheim is a historic Norwegian city that’s easy to enjoy at your own pace, with a nice mix of big landmark sights and everyday city atmosphere. A lot of people start with Nidaros Cathedral, then drift through the surrounding streets to take in the river setting and the relaxed café culture.
If you like a viewpoint with a bit of story behind it, Kristiansten Fortress is a popular choice, and Bakklandet is perfect for a gentle wander through colourful, characterful streets. It’s a city that rewards doing “a bit of everything” without feeling rushed.
Day 6 - At Sea
A sea day mid-cruise is ideal for trying something you might not usually do. Ambition runs a full programme during the day, which can include enrichment-style sessions, talks, and activities you can dip in and out of without committing to anything too full-on.
Later on, you can balance that with easy downtime - a quiet hour in the library, a game in the card room, or a gentle stroll on deck with the crisp Norwegian air as you continue your journey north.
Day 7 - Tromsø, Norway
Tromsø has a great feel to it, lively and walkable, with a proper Arctic edge as you head further north. It’s widely known as a strong base for northern lights experiences, and March is a time when many visitors still come for that mix of winter atmosphere and a bit more daylight.
With a free day, people often choose a simple “city and views” plan: visit the Arctic Cathedral, take the Fjellheisen cable car for panoramic views over Tromsø and the surrounding landscape, then enjoy the harbour area for shops, cafés and a warm-up stop.
Day 8 - Alta, Norway
Alta feels more remote, with that real sense of northern Norway and wide-open landscapes. If you like culture and history, the Rock Art of Alta is a major draw, recognised by UNESCO, and the museum also has indoor exhibitions that are open year-round.
It’s also a place many people associate with the northern lights, so there’s a special atmosphere to simply being this far north, even if your day is kept relaxed. Whether you spend your time exploring the museum side of Alta or just taking in the crisp Arctic air, it’s a port that feels genuinely different.
Day 9 - At Sea
After a run of ports, this is a reset day. It’s perfect for a slower morning, a relaxed lunch, and some proper “nothing on the schedule” time, whether that’s sitting in a lounge with sea views or grabbing a coffee and watching the horizon.
If you want something a bit different, this is a great day for the onboard extras that people often forget about at first - having a browse in the shops, popping into the photo gallery, or getting a few photos taken while you’re looking fresh and relaxed.
Day 10 - Narvik, Norway
Narvik is surrounded by mountains and fjords, so the scenery is a big part of the day even before you do anything else. One of the most popular choices is the Narvikfjellet cable car, which gives you a sweeping view over the Ofotfjord, the town, and the rugged landscape that frames it all.
If you’d rather keep things closer to town, Narvik also has a strong Second World War story, and it’s the sort of place where a short visit can still feel meaningful. It’s a “fresh air and big views” port, with plenty of options that don’t need a strict timetable.
Photo: Jan-Arne Pettersen - Narvikfjellet
Day 11 - Bodø, Norway
Bodø is known for dramatic coastal nature and that crisp northern light, and it’s a great port if you want something outdoorsy without overcomplicating the day. The standout nearby experience is Saltstraumen, a famous tidal current just outside the city that’s often described as one of the strongest in the world.
If you prefer something you can do at a steadier pace, Bodø also has the Norwegian Aviation Museum, which is a strong choice for a couple of hours ashore, especially if the weather is a bit sharp. It’s a really good “choose your own day” port: nature, culture, or a bit of both.
Photo - Ernst Furuhatt
Day 12 - At Sea
This is a lovely day to make the most of the food side of cruising. With full board included, you can take your time over meals, enjoy the changing options, and even treat it like a mini “food tour” across the venues as you settle into the pace of the ship.
If you fancy making it feel a bit more special, Ambition also has speciality dining options for a supplement, so you can turn the evening into a proper occasion without needing a reason beyond “why not?”.
Day 13 - Geiranger, Cruise Geirangerfjord
This is the day many people talk about afterwards. You’ll cruise into Geirangerfjord, a UNESCO World Heritage fjord landscape, with steep-sided mountains, waterfalls and classic Norwegian fjord scenery that looks unreal from the deck.
Once you tender ashore in Geiranger, you can keep it simple with a gentle wander in the village and waterfront viewpoints, or focus on soaking up the scenery from whichever angle you choose. Even if you do very little on land, the fjord cruising itself feels like the main event.
Day 14 - At Sea
After the fjord day, this is a great sea day to keep things light and enjoyable. You can spend the afternoon popping between lounges and bars, then let the evening entertainment do the rest, with live shows and music creating a proper cruise-night atmosphere.
The best bit is you can shape the night exactly how you want it - a theatre show, a few drinks and live music, or something quieter with a relaxed end to the day. It’s all there, without ever needing to leave the ship.
Day 15 - At Sea
Your final sea day is the one where people usually soak up their favourite parts of the ship one last time. It’s perfect for a final wander on deck, a last dip in the pool or hot tub, and a slower pace that lets the whole trip sink in as you sail back towards the Thames.
Then in the evening, it’s a lovely chance to enjoy that “last night on board” feeling - one more good meal, one more show or lounge session, and a relaxed finish before arriving back into Tilbury the next day.
Day 16 - London Tilbury and Return Home
After breakfast, you’ll arrive back into London Tilbury and disembark from your ship, bringing your Norwegian voyage to a close. There’s something really satisfying about sailing back into the Thames after reaching so far north and seeing so many different coastal landscapes.
Once everyone is safely ashore, you’ll rejoin your coach for the journey home, with plenty of stories, photos, and “can you believe that view?” moments to look back on.
