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After choosing Europe for our cruise, then browsing itineraries and consulting our family and work calendars, we decided on a destination that would work for all of us: Norway. We landed at

Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, dropped our bags at the hotel and set off on our preplanned exploration, popping into shops that caught our attention along the way. I’d been to Amsterdam before,

but experiencing the city with Melissa and Stephanie made it feel like it was my first time in the city too. A few weeks before our trip, Melissa had bought tickets for the Anne Frank House

and Stephanie had found the perfect canal cruise, complete with wine and cheese. We were a bit disappointed that our day in the city was gray and drizzly, but we put on our raincoats and

didn’t let the weather stop us. It was fun to watch my friends’ faces light up seeing the vibrant tulips in bloom in storefronts and planters throughout the city and — making sure to look

both ways twice before crossing streets — watching people whiz by on their bicycles. After an expectedly somber visit to the Anne Frank House, I attempted to cheer Stephanie and Melissa up

with french fries from a charismatic vendor I had found during a previous visit. With his large-rimmed glasses and vivacious personality, he didn’t disappoint as he handed us cones of fries

(mine drenched in mayonnaise, ketchup for my girlfriends). The next day we took the train to Rotterdam to board, well, the _Rotterdam_. We were surprised to find our veranda cabin had plenty

of room for the three of us, and we quickly felt right at home. After settling in, it was time to explore the ship. Walking the corridors and public spaces, Melissa was in awe of all we

found, from the shops to the pools, restaurants and bars. We weren’t onboard long before she decided that she may just be able to get her family, including her twin teenage girls, on a

cruise after all. Arriving at Eidfjord, our first port of call, Stephanie and Melissa both remarked on how small it was, jokingly wondering how the locals “get their Amazon packages.” Our

subsequent ports of call were even smaller, until we reached Bergen. Hoping for a Nordic spa experience to enjoy during the cruise, I had found a day spa in Geiranger where we could cold

plunge, soak in hydrotherapy pools and let any of our remaining cares slip away with massages. Unfortunately, the day before our arrival, the spa and most of Geiranger had a power outage —

thwarting the hydrotherapy portion of our day. Undeterred, we simply sat in the quiet of the relaxation room, allowing the peace of the surrounding mountains to wash over us before and after

our massages.