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In the Lofoten Islands, voted by National Geographic as one the of the most beautiful destinations in the world, we stroll through picturesque villages dotted with red and white fishers’ huts, surrounded by soaring granite peaks. Visit the Lofoten Seafood Center and learn about the impressive cod fisheries and perhaps sample some local seafood. See ancient rock carvings at the Alta Museum; learn about the science of the northern lights. To learn more about each port of call and our included as well as optional excursions, click on the individual days below. With mountains and fjords, as far as the eye can see, a trip on Narvik’s cable car offers stunning views, 650 metres above sea level. The 10-Night Alaska Gold Rush Adventure Cruisetour (2A Northbound) will take you deep into the interior of Alaska, where you can explore Gold Rush history.
Northern Lights also known as the Aurora Borealis
Search for the northern lights in style aboard Cunard’s stylish Queen Anne, the line’s first new ship in 12 years. The 12-night, round-trip Southampton sailing includes several days at sea to explore the 3,000-passenger vessel and indulge in the signature afternoon tea served by white-gloved waiters. You’ll visit Narvik, one of the world’s most northerly towns, where a ride on the cable car is the best way to experience breathtaking views over the fjords and Arctic landscape. Sailings from Southampton are also available on Cunard’s ocean liner and flagship Queen Mary 2. Popular regions for Northern Lights cruises and expeditions with Aurora Expeditions include Arctic destinations like Norway, Iceland and the Canadian Arctic.
Northern Lights Iceland
And with stops at this dramatic destination on a Northern Lights holiday with P&O Cruises, you can go in search of the aurora borealis as you sail along the stunning Norwegian coastline. In that case, the company will give you a free six-day southbound or seven-day northbound Original Coastal Express Class Voyage. Beyond the North Cape Express, the other auroral sailings (with the Northern Lights Promise) include the 12-day Original Coastal Express (the full scenic route that stops at all 34 ports twice, on the northbound and southbound route). We also have expert-led programs within the expedition, such as lectures or photography sessions, to enhance your understanding and capturing capabilities.
Included Activities
How To Plan A Memorable Norway Northern Lights Cruise In 2024 - Forbes
How To Plan A Memorable Norway Northern Lights Cruise In 2024.
Posted: Mon, 01 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
This leaves you with nearly 24 hours a day to catch a glimpse of the Lights.The fairly long periods of darkness in November and December offer an ideal opportunity to admire the Northern Lights. Furthermore, the Northern Lights can only be seen when there is little light disturbance. Technically there is no downtime when it comes to Auroras – the Sun is constantly sending out new waves of particles. However, since the Sun doesn’t completely set in the far north during the summer months your best bet of getting a good night’s view of the Northern Lights is from August through to April. Shimmering, twisting, and glowing in the Arctic night air, the Northern Lights are a beautiful reminder of our ever-ongoing relationship with our Sun. Solar winds bursting out from the Sun (in an event called a CME – Coronal Mass Ejection) carry charged particles through space for 2 to 5 days and into our upper atmosphere.
Passengers can opt-in for overnight wake-up calls, so they can get some sleep without worrying about missing a Northern Lights sighting. North Cape For a unique experience, why not try catching the Northern Lights from Europe’s northernmost point, on a mountain plateau 307m above sea level? This stunning location allows visitors the chance to do just that, but there’s also a lot more on offer at the North Cape. The fjords here are awe-inspiring, and opportunities for outdoor activities are plentiful (hiking, skiing and even surfing are all popular here). Animal lovers will also be excited to spot local sea eagles and puffins on a cruise through nearby Trollfjord. Cruisetours in Alaska can improve your odds of seeing the aurora because they get you to Fairbanks and other inland destinations in Alaska that tend to have more cloud-free skies than in the Inside Passage, where cruise ships sail.
This period, from late September to early April, offers extended darkness and clearer skies, enhancing the visibility of the Aurora Borealis. The absence of sunlight allows passengers to fully immerse themselves in the captivating light displays against the Arctic or sub-Arctic landscapes. Aurora Expeditions carefully schedules these voyages to coincide with peak Northern Lights activity, ensuring passengers have the best chances of experiencing this celestial spectacle in its full splendour. Considering the cruise line is named after the atmospheric phenomenon, it should come as no surprise that it offers a northern lights itinerary. At 19 to 22 days long, depending on the departure, there is plenty of time to hope for a northern lights appearance — or two, or three, or more. The longer itinerary continues with a visit to the Faroe Islands and disembarkation in Bergen, Norway.
And, luckily for you, we have a number of Northern Lights cruise holidays during these months to maximise your chances of spotting this mesmerising light show in all its glory. An aurora is a natural light display that can appear as brilliant green, yellow, red, blue and purple light patterns, spirals or dynamic flickers covering the night sky. The aurora borealis originates on the sun’s surface with a massive explosion of electromagnetic matter, which projects a stream of charged particles known as solar wind into space. When these particles approach Earth a few nights later, they distort our magnetic field.
Why Chase the Northern Lights at Sea?
This flexibility increases your chances of seeing the lights in all their glory multiple times during your voyage. If the Northern Lights are nature’s most spectacular theatre, then a cruise ship is undoubtedly the front row seat you’ve been dreaming of. You might be surprised to learn that the Northern Lights are happening all the time – yes, even right now. While this phenomenon happens constantly, they’re only really visible mostly between September and April in the best places to see the Northern Lights. And this is especially true in the Nordic region when the nights are at their longest. You’ll have a good chance of seeing the Northern Lights while sailing Aurora Expeditions’ 132-passenger Greg Mortimer through Norway, Iceland, and Greenland.
The Colors of the Night
There are lots of areas with superb viewing potential, but those mentioned below are worth a standalone visit too, so you’re guaranteed an unforgettable trip regardless of whether the lights come out to shine or not. Embarking on a Northern Lights cruise is an exciting adventure filled with anticipation. As you set sail or dream of your first cruise or next adventure, carry with you the stories, the landscapes, and the luminescent memories of the Northern Lights. Here’s to clear skies, bright stars, and a horizon illuminated with colors beyond imagination. With each port offering its unique blend of history, culture, and nature, cruisers are in for an unparalleled Alaskan experience.
A whole industry has sprung up around the lights, including such extravagant shore excursions as an overnight in a tent with viewing windows at a Sami dog-sledding camp. From witnessing wildlife like polar bears and seals to visiting quaint Arctic towns, a Northern Lights cruise often transcends the lights themselves. If cloud cover threatens your viewing experience, the ship can navigate to clearer skies. Cunard is known for bringing aboard subject experts, astronomers, and night-sky photographers who add extra color and insights to the sky-transforming glory of the Northern Lights.
Whether you catch the lights or not, be sure to make the most of Tromsø’s other big draws, such as the architectural marvel that is the Arctic Cathedral, which is easy to visit on a Princess excursion. This well-documented phenomenon, caused by electrically charged particles from the sun entering the Earth’s atmosphere, is a truly incredible sight, with brightly coloured trails and swirling patterns engulfing the night sky. While you may see the lights from Denali National Park and Preserve during the viewing season, Fairbanks and points farther north are where you can increase your odds. If you're interested in where to see the northern lights outside Alaska, the Arctic city of Alta, Norway, calls itself "The City of Northern Lights."
The sailings will take place on the expedition vessel Greg Mortimer, which can hold 132 passengers in 79 cabins (most have private balconies for auroral viewing). The psychedelic light show that paints the night sky with multicolored neon streams, scientifically known as the aurora borealis, is an experience worth chasing for many. For the best chance of seeing the swirling spectacle, travelers should head to the northernmost climes on a cloudless night between late August and mid-April.
Being an awe-inspiring sight, it’s only natural that the Northern Lights would play a large role in a wide variety of cultures. If you have a UK passport, you don’t need a visa to go on a cruise to see the Northern Lights in Norway (or anywhere else in Scandinavia). But please remember you must have a passport that’s valid for at least three months longer than the date you plan to leave this region. While Cunard’s 2,996-passenger Queen Anne will offer oodles of nightly performances once it launches in 2024, one of the most dazzling shows could be the one Mother Nature puts on. The auroral oval, a band that hugs the northernmost latitudes where auroral activity has the highest concentration, covers most of Alaska and Iceland, southern Greenland, and the northernmost parts of Canada, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia. Want to book flights and accommodation with us or simply want some additional information?
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