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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. While there’s no guaranteed formula for the perfect viewing, these tips and tricks can certainly enhance your chances and overall experience.
The North Cape Express: Full Voyage from Oslo to Bergen 2024-2025
We generally attempt up to two landings or Zodiac excursions per day, including cruising along spectacular ice cliffs, following whales feeding near the surface. A general rule is that the further north you go, the better your chances of seeing the Northern Lights. Norway is perhaps the most popular country for a Northern Lights cruise, though Iceland is also a good choice. Cunard offers cruises within the Arctic Circle visiting the Norwegian city of Tromsø, which is a known place to view the aurora borealis.
In Search of the Northern Lights
On many cruises, when passengers or crew spot northern lights, they make ship-wide announcements. Because the northern lights often appear late at night or very early in the morning, some ships offer opt-in wake up calls for this purpose. Beyond the rewards of seeing the northern lights, the bonuses of winter season Northern Lights cruises are the stunning contrasts of scenery and the variety of onshore activities. Ports vary greatly from industrial centers and fjord villages to picturesque coastal towns and remote outposts on barren, frozen coasts. Cross the Arctic Circle on a 15-night itinerary available on Saga’s two 999-passenger ships, Spirit of Adventure and Spirit of Discovery.
Aurora Expeditions
Depending on where you live, there are also convenient sailings with longer voyages from Southampton, Portsmouth and Newcastle. Though it may not technically constitute an expedition experience, our sailing along the Norwegian coast in early February attracted the hearty adventure set. Passengers sported expedition jackets from the likes of Viking, Silversea, Seabourn and Lindblad Expeditions, adorned with patches and logos from voyages to Antarctica and the Far Arctic.
Night Iceland and Ireland Cruise to See the Northern Lights
Next, guests will visit the Lofoten islands, considered one of the most visually stunning parts of Norway, before visiting Hardangerfjord, the second longest fjord in the country, to learn more about Viking history. Popular regions for Northern Lights cruises and expeditions with Aurora Expeditions include Arctic destinations like Norway, Iceland and the Canadian Arctic. These Arctic regions, located near the magnetic poles, offer optimal conditions for observing the Northern Lights.
It’s also the site of Scoresbysund, the most extensive fjord system in the world, and the glaciers here are the birthplace of many of the icebergs you see in the Arctic. Because it’s an expedition sailing, guests typically get off the boat two or three times per day for excursions, be that for Zodiac rides between bobbing bits of icebergs, hiking among reindeer, kayaking in the fjords, or perhaps even doing a polar plunge. Because it’s often chilly in this part of the world (especially at night), each passenger is given a waterproof polar expedition jacket upon arrival. 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). Crossing the Denmark Strait to Iceland, search for whale blows and photograph the many seabirds that trail our ship in the ever-present arctic winds.
The spectacular northern lights is a natural phenomenon that is most commonly seen in the sky above the Arctic Circle, between late autumn and early spring. As we are near North Cape in northern Norway, keep a close watch in hope of witnessing this dazzling spectacle in the night sky. The North Cape is located at a latitude of 71° 10´ 21 and is Europe’s northernmost point.
Viking River Cruises
Hurtigruten Northern Lights Promise Extended to Benefit Cruisers - Matador Network
Hurtigruten Northern Lights Promise Extended to Benefit Cruisers.
Posted: Wed, 20 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
In fact, when this happens, you might be treated to a unique Northern Lights spectacle that only happens on cloudy nights. 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." A cruise around this island offers more than just an aurora spectacle – it’s a deep dive into nature’s wonders and the heart of Viking legacy.
Northern Lights cruise: An ultimate guide for 2023 - Good Housekeeping uk
Northern Lights cruise: An ultimate guide for 2023.
Posted: Wed, 25 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Unveiling Iceland’s Secret Treasures – Beyond the Golden Circle
Deep fjords and narrow channels, flanked by sharp ice-clad peaks soaring up to 2,000 metres (6,562 feet), and glaciers birthing gigantic icebergs that drift throughout the fjord system, combine to create breathtaking scenes. Crossing south of the Arctic Circle, we visit the Vega archipelago, which became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014. Vega Island is fantastic for birdwatching and here eider ducks are the main attraction, where they are raised for their down, which at one point accounted for one third of the islanders’ income. The islanders still make houses for the birds to nest in and in return, the ducks provide valuable down when they and their chicks leave the nests to continue their lives at sea. The archipelago reflects a traditional way of life that has not changed for more than 1,500 years.
They came with hiking boots and Nordic walking sticks and crampons and the heavy winter gear of experienced modern-day polar explorers. In other cities, Viking offers late-night excursions that take passengers deeper into the countryside to darker spots with clearer skies to help increase the likelihood of spotting the elusive aurora. The following two days are at sea, taking in the beauty of the Norwegian coast as the vessel makes for its disembarkation city, Bergen. From there, it’s onward to Rørvik, an ancient fishing town, and then Lødingen, a village known for its place amongst the fjords. There, guests can take an excursion to visit a Sámi village and learn about the Indigenous and semi-nomadic reindeer herders. Then it’s back down to Tromsø, where guests can visit the Polar Museum, go snowshoeing, or try one of the world’s northernmost breweries, Mack Bryggeri.
Seeing the Northern Lights is one of those magical experiences on nearly every traveler’s bucket list due to the surreal way light moves in waves of green color across the nighttime sky. When the northern lights do appear, "more than likely the ship will turn off most of the exterior lights," Weber says. "But you can prepare as soon as you board the ship by scouting out the darkest spot outside, and up top on the ship." That may be away from the ship stairways and public rooms. Bridgett Quinn Weber, an advisor with Cruise Specialists who works with expedition cruises offered the advice below. Aurora Expeditions’ 22-day Northern Lights Explorer itinerary starts in Kirkenes, a small town in far northeastern Norway, stays close to the coastlines of the Arctic Circle, and skirts around the Norwegian and Greenland seas, and ends in Bergen.
But, as its unofficial title of the ‘Arctic capital’ suggests, it’s also a vibrant and atmospheric hub of culture and cuisine, with tons of exemplary restaurants and cafés to sample. 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. All-inclusive cruises offer a unique vantage point, as they can navigate to areas with minimal light pollution and often provide unrivaled panoramic views. The vast expanse of Russia, with its storied history and awe-inspiring landscapes, offers a number of crucial ports for Northern Lights cruises. From the vibrant cities of the west coast to the remote Arctic regions, Canada’s cruise ports offer a tapestry of experiences. As you embark from these ports, the promise of the dancing Northern Lights on the horizon adds to the allure of the Great White North’s vast and varied landscapes.
If the lights appear during the night, the crew will play an announcement over the in-cabin TVs (meaning guests need to leave their TVs on all night to hear it). During sightings, staff circulates trays of hot beverages, like cocoa and toddies, to help guests stay warm on deck. Havila Voyages is so confident guests will see the Northern Lights on Nordic sailings between October and March, it offers a guarantee. The superb wildlife-viewing opportunities are endless in the astonishingly biodiverse nature reserves we visit. Kayaks offer a unique opportunity to view marine and land mammals, coral reefs, tropical fish, sea birds and an astonishing range of rainforest birds. We will bring our snorkelling gear with us during our paddles and take advantage of any opportunities to view marine life up close.
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