'I went on the ultimate 'cool-cation' on a cruise around the Norwegian fjords'

We’re in Haugesund on Norway’s west coast, described as ‘the home’ of the country and the seat of the former Viking kings. “Bloody hell, that’s cold,” my fiancé shouts as he joins me in the water just off the North Sea.

While there are no Vikings around on this particular May afternoon, there is a gaggle of cruise ship passengers ready for a dip in the 10-degree Celsius strait, a short walk from where our ship, the Iona, has docked.

It feels far colder as I climb in with slightly nervous laughter, much to the amusement of passing tourists on the pier, but thankfully a cosy wood-fired sauna is only a short scramble up the ladder away.

Haugesund is the first of four port stops on the seven-day P&O voyage around the Norwegian fjords, where each morning brings a new, breathtaking view of the valleys formed by melting glaciers.

Sailing from Southampton with more than 5,000 other guests, the ship is a floating town centre in its own right at 344 metres in length, with 30 bars and restaurants, duty-free shops, four swimming pools and a variety of entertainment venues, including a four screen cinema.

As the ship waits in port before leaving England, my husband-to-be James and I explore and begin to learn the many tricks of being at sea – including that the colour of the lifts tells you where on the boat you are, and that both “port” and “left” have four letters, which helps us navigate our whereabouts on-board.

We find our way to our cabin for the week, a comfortable suite with a balcony looking out to sea, and a conservatory in case of rain or snow that we are fortunate enough to miss.

Although narrower than a usual hotel room, the approximately 270-square ft cabin doesn’t feel cramped.

There’s a gentle vibration as we head through the English Channel and up the North Sea towards the Norwegian coast, with a more noticeable sway on the top decks, but once we enter calmer waters on the second day of the voyage, it’s sometimes easy to forget you’re not on land.

That is, of course, until you look out of a window or stand in the ship’s grand atrium and watch the endless sea, forest-filled coasts or the millennia-old towering stone on each side of a fjord.

The weather during our week is a perfect mix of sun and largely clear skies but with cooler temperatures, moving between 10 to 20 degrees.

The bracing sea breezes are a welcome change from the stuffy heat of home, and makes getting out of a heated pool on deck far more invigorating.

After Haugesund, we awake in our second stop, the town of Ålesund, and embark on a tour around the winding roads and art nouveau buildings, mostly built after a devastating fire in 1904.

Our guide Sigrun cheerfully tells us that the town’s name translates to “eel-strait”, adding: “The canal in our centre looks a bit like an eel, so we are very original with the names.”

She later tells our group how Norway used to be a Swedish colony, “so if something goes wrong, we usually blame it on the Swedish”.

We also learn about the many bunkers in the town which were used in the resistance during the Nazi occupation of Norway, either as shortcuts or for hiding ammunition, though many have since been boarded up “to stop teenagers hiding in there to smoke”.

In complete contrast to our history learnings on dry land, back on the ship I’m serenaded by Nineties pop icon Chesney Hawkes.

We’re in the Limelight Club, the cosy live music venue on board, where after a three-course meal, Hawkes performs superbly.

During his finale rendition of his 1991 hit The One and Only, he approaches our table, takes my hand and sings – much to my shock and James’ glee.

After recovering from my close encounter the night before, we wake up before sunrise to join dozens of our fellow passengers on the top deck, marvelling at the views as we approach the village of Olden, nestled deep in the heart of one of the fjords with a population of only around 600 people.

Leaving the Iona in the background, we head up to the Briksdal Glacier, where dazzlingly clear water and another astonishing view await.

As most of the group begins the hour-long hike to the top of the mountain, we opt for a lovingly named “troll car”, a small green jeep that trundles up a path surrounded by lush greenery and waterfalls while saving our aching feet.

After taking many photos and indulging in some shopping at the port, we say farewell to the Olden locals who see us off, before we dress up for our evening dinner, a six-course Norwegian tasting menu.

The food in Epicurean, the ship’s fine dining restaurant, includes a smoked, flaky rainbow trout and a surprising but delicious cream cheese ice cream.

As a couple with a serious nut allergy, going out to dinner anywhere can be a daunting process, but the staff’s dedication to keeping us safe is clear throughout the journey – with a chef even making me a nut-free butter chicken to also accommodate my terrible spice tolerance.

The ease of simply waking up at your next destination still has not worn off as we arrive in our fourth and final stop of Stavanger, where we head into the city to pick through the second-hand shops of the Fargegaten, a street of rainbow-coloured buildings.

Our final excursion takes us on a small boat tour around the Lysefjord, past salmon farms and through more valleys – with a stop at a fjord-side cafe for Norwegian waffles with sour cream and jam.

The Iona offers plenty to do for guests of all ages. I delight in besting James repeatedly at shuffleboard, though he gets his own back at ping pong, and the occasional North Sea winds do not stop either of us from having several dips in the pools.

The sight of our disembarkation instructions on our final day is sadder than expected – we have become somewhat accustomed to the glorious views that awaited us each morning as we open the curtains.

How to book: Norwegian Fjords with P&O Cruises: Southampton roundtrip on Iona, including calls to Stavanger, Olden, Hellesylt and Haugesund, start from £779pp, based on two sharing an inside cabin, including full-board dining, live entertainment and kids’ clubs. Visit pocruises.com.

Our new ‘Travel Destinations’ series includes trips to France, Tuscany, Norway, Lake Como and the delightful simplicity of a short cruise • Plus: More travel in The Yorkshire Post Magazine on Saturday.