A few years ago I wrote an article about a European cruise on Oceania lines that sailed from Italy to Sweden, with stops along the way including St. Petersburg in Russia. Just recently we took a 12-day cruise on another Oceania ship that was a perfect mix of European countries and cities.

By coincidence the trip began in Amsterdam the very night of the World Cup soccer finals between the Netherlands (Holland) and Spain. The city was aglow with revelry, everyone wearing orange, horns blasting, people partying in the streets.

And that was before the game. As the ship sailed out of Amsterdam, most of the crew and guests were glued to the large-screen TV in the lounge. Spain won, but the next day in Rotterdam you would hardly know there had been a huge game the night before that transfixed the whole country.

From Rotterdam we took a day tour to the cities of Delft and the Hague, where the International Court sits. We were not allowed inside the gates, but we had a long photo opportunity during which I told some of my fellow guests that my friend and Maine lawyer, Ralph Lancaster, argued a case in that very court involving the boundaries of the United States and Canada as they applied to fishing grounds off the coast of Maine.

I thought of him, driving through the special security gates to argue a case of international proportions. We then went to Delft and a tour of a porcelain factory that makes beautiful tiles of all sizes and costs. There are some tours whose only purpose is to sell stuff, but this was very interesting. Delft itself was a clean, pleasant city that one could easily return to.

From Rotterdam we sailed to one of my favorite places anywhere, the Kiel Canal. In the last voyage it rained for the 10-hour transit, but this time we had a bright, sunny summer day. The fields were ablaze with bright colors and the sky a perfect blue with fluffy clouds. Every scene was a painting or postcard, and people ran alongside the canal waving to us.

“Fans” of the ship took pictures as we passed under high bridges, beside boisterous taverns, and near quiet country towns. The Kiel Canal runs along the top of Germany for a quick route to Denmark, Sweden, Poland and Russia.

Our next stop was Copenhagen, easily one of my wife’s favorite cities and the home of famous Tivoli Gardens, perhaps the world’s most beautiful amusement park. We spent the morning at the park and the afternoon exploring castle grounds and botanical gardens. The Little Mermaid was on loan to China, but a perfect replica was on display at Tivoli Gardens.

From Copenhagen we sailed to Gothenburg, Sweden, an active city that is a seaport gateway to that country. Our tour took us to fishing villages, which I thought would be like Boothbay Harbor or Peggy’s Cove in Nova Scotia. Wrong. These small villages were working communities primarily, with very few tourist amenities. I was somewhat disappointed because I assumed Sweden would have picture-worthy fishing villages, and would have preferred to spend the day in Gothenburg, which was bustling with Swedish citizens whom I found to be attractive, well dressed, considerate and fun to watch go about their lives. I could see why Sweden is often in the top 10 of the Miss Universe pageant.

Next stop, Oslo, Norway, another fantastic city. Just sailing into Oslo was fun, as we had to navigate the length of a long fjord just to get there. Once in Oslo there was much to do. We chose the hop-on-and-off bus tour that stops at all the good spots, including Kon Tiki, the raft made famous in the 1950s by Thor Heyerdahl. We made a brief visit to the Nobel Peace Prize Museum, which was right near our ship, had a few oysters on the waterfront, and the ship headed for the North Sea for our voyage south.

We spent two days in Belgium, where visits to Brugges and Brussels were repeats for us but pleasant nonetheless. Then we sailed for the destination I was looking forward to: Le Havre, France, for a day’s visit to the D-Day areas of Normandy. I could write a whole article about this place of history, but suffice it to say that if you were a fan of “Band of Brothers,” “Saving Private Ryan” or any movie from the ’50s on World War II, you would enjoy this place. The American cemetery visit alone would make one ponder for a long time how much World War II will have a continuing impact on world history.

Our lunch at a typical French farm, which had an American Army Jeep in the driveway, was well received. Next stop: St. Malo, France, a beautiful medieval fortress town about an hour away from the famous island of Mont St. Michele which was well worth the visit. I could easily spend two or three days in that wonderful and magical part of France.

Our final stop before sailing to the White Cliffs of Dover was Portland, England, where we were greeted by the mayor and a colorful town crier. I told the mayor of my connections to Portland, Maine, and he was quick to point out that he had a plaque of our city in his office.

On the final day we looked out our window to see a sight that is familiar, yet very awe-inspiring: the white cliffs of Dover. We had breakfast with that scenery, and then it was off to Heathrow, one of the world’s busiest airports, for the flight home. 

Ellsworth T. “Derry” Rundlett III is a Portland lawyer who lives in Cape Elizabeth.