Aurora Borealis Explore the Northern Lights

Table Of Content

• The North Cape Express: Full Voyage Bergen to Oslo
• Admire the Arctic’s winter splendour
• The Best Places to See the Northern Lights for the Experience of a Lifetime
• Learn from an aurora expert
• Sign Up for Special Offers
• Subscribe to our emails to be the first to know about special offers & new itineraries
• European and worldwide river cruises

Both of Fred Olsen’s Northern Lights cruises for this winter have sold out, so book ahead for the next available sailings. The 800-passenger Black Watch will embark from Southampton on a 14-night Northern Norway trip that also ties in with Samí National Day, celebrating the indigenous people of northern Scandinavia. Yes - you can view the Northern Lights on one of our Norwegian cruises, however we can't guarantee their appearance! The aurora borealis is near impossible to predict, but sightings are more likely on clear nights between October and March, and odds increase the further north you travel. Our series of onboard lectures continue as sail towards the wild coast of East Greenland. You will learn about sea ice, glaciers, the unique geology found in East Greenland and daring tales of European exploration.

The North Cape Express: Full Voyage Bergen to Oslo

Alaska in the winter is magic on its own, so when you add in the aurora borealis, you have yourself one handsome holiday. The state is enormous, so there is no shortage of places to catch the northern lights here, and you’ll find plenty of winter activities, like snowshoeing and dog sledding. If you want to see the northern lights in Scotland, for example, the best time to visit Scotland will be between November and February.

Admire the Arctic’s winter splendour

Technically, you can catch them in the summer, but they are easiest to see when it’s pitch black outside. Because winter nights are longer, there are more hours of darkness and more hours to potentially see those awe-inspiring ribbons of light in the sky. There are many places to view the lights in Norway, but the closer you get to the Arctic Circle, the better.

The Best Places to See the Northern Lights for the Experience of a Lifetime

Of course, sightings of the Northern Lights on your cruisetour depend entirely on natural circumstances, relying on weather, darkness, and a bit of magic. 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. Get up close to beautiful, picturesque landscapes on an Iceland and Ireland cruise from Southampton, England, which offers 14 nights of pure bliss on Celebrity Silhouette. On Celebrity, cruises to Alaska and Iceland just might yield sightings of Aurora Borealis. That said, even if you don’t see the Northern Lights during your cruise, there’s plenty to fall in love with in these exciting destinations, from incredible dog-sledding competitions to hiking along stunning fjords. The height of summer can be marred by heavy rainfall, while it’s possible to get sunburnt in the snow-covered conditions of February and March.

As well as seeing the Northern Lights from the deck, most aurora-themed cruises offer instruction on photography—which you can do with just your smartphone—as well as lectures and other astronomical activities. Set in the Scottish Highlands, Cairngorms provides a chance to catch the lights and enjoy the stunning scenery at the same time. However, you can use aurora forecasts, such as the one provided by the Space Weather Prediction Center, to help you catch the lights as you explore northern destinations. The northern lights appear in many shapes and colors, such as violets, reds, pinks and greens. Usually, the lights look like folds of cloth in the sky, while sometimes they can produce arcs that stretch as far as the eye can see.

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Lines cruising in these regions include Hurtigruten, Silversea, Lindblad Expeditions, Viking Cruises, Quark Expeditions, Adventure Canada, and others. Not only are cruises a great opportunity to see the lights, but they are also convenient because the staff keeps watch for you. You may enjoy looking up at the night sky, but you might not want to spend your entire night outside searching. Whether you’re on an Alaskan cruise, Arctic cruise or some other, it’s nice to have staff notifying you when to head out to catch the aurora. At the tiptop of Michigan’s lower peninsula is Headlands International Dark Sky Park, one of the best places to see the northern lights in the United States. Here, you’ll have 550 acres of wilderness to witness the aurora, though you won’t want to look for it deep in the forest, as the trees could block your view.

The North Cape Express: Full Voyage Oslo to Bergen

12 best northern lights cruises for a spectacular adventure - The Times

12 best northern lights cruises for a spectacular adventure.

Posted: Wed, 01 Nov 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

Found well within the Arctic Circle, these Norwegian islands are home to soaring mountain peaks, charming fishing villages and exciting Viking history. Home to over 100 nationalities, the city offers a wealth of eateries serving some of the best native cuisine in the Arctic. Rebuilt after a fire in 1904, Alesund is uniquely art nouveau in style (something of a rarity in Norway). It’s spread across a series of islands, best seen from the city’s famous Fjellstua viewpoint.

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Solar wind is basically a stream of charged particles that escape the sun and distort the earth’s magnetic field as it approaches. When these charged particles enter the earth’s atmosphere, the planet’s magnetic field deflects them toward either the North Pole or South Pole. They “excite” gases in our atmosphere and make them glow, kind of like how gas lights up in a fluorescent tube. If you’re not able to journey to the Lapland region, you may be able to see the lights closer to Helsinki, Finland’s largest city. You can take an excursion to the Hankasalmi Observatory to watch the lights, located in central Finland, or try Observatory Hill Park or the Ursa Observatory in the city. During the daylight hours, there’s plenty to keep you busy in Tromsø, from feeding seals at the Polaria aquarium, to visiting the iconic Arctic Cathedral.

The line has a variety of options to sail part or all of the way along the classic route from Bergen to Kirkenes and back, with the round trip taking 11 nights. Observation lounges have glass roofs and reclining chairs to view the Arctic sky and you can push a button on the cabin telephone to be woken up in the night if the lights appear. It also has a northern lights promise — if the phenomenon doesn’t appear during a 12-day sailing, passengers get a free week-long voyage. It’s never a guarantee that the Northern Lights will appear—it’s all dependent on the strength of geomagnetic storms on the sun and how clear the sky is where you are. One of the highlights is visiting the Inuit village Ittoqqortoormiit, the region’s most isolated and northernmost permanent settlement, with its gregarious locals and scores of Greenlandic sled dogs.

Scotland isn’t just a prime aurora-viewing spot; it’s a great winter vacation destination overall. Immerse yourself in a true north adventure on this 21-day excursion with Aurora Expeditions (the name says it all!). Sail all the way from Reykjavik, Iceland to St John's, Canada, while taking in stunning, one-of-a-kind panoramas that will leave you breathless. This adventurous expedition spans three incredible coastlines where guests can experience Inuit culture, the Viking history of the North Atlantic and (weather willing) the northern lights. Keep an eye out for whales and seals on your Zodiac-cruise to the secluded south coast of Iceland, which hosts the largest Atlantic puffin colony in the world.

Where, When And Why To Go On A Northern Lights Cruise In 2024 - Forbes

Where, When And Why To Go On A Northern Lights Cruise In 2024.

Posted: Thu, 07 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]

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. Here we enjoy a short walk, visit the North Cape Hall and perhaps sample some local treats. Then it’s on to Tromsø, Norway’s northernmost city, for two days of Arctic adventures, before sailing to Atla, a town known for its bluebird days (ideal for Northern Lights viewing later) and ancient rock carvings for two days. 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.

After another day at sea, guests will reach Tromsø, a city 250 miles inside the Arctic Circle with famously consistent Northern Lights displays. Guests can stop by the Arctic Cathedral (which resembles a geometric glacier), visit the Polaria Arctic Center, or perhaps take a cable car to the top of Mount Storsteinen. 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. Cruise lines operating in Alaska, such as Holland America, Princess Cruises and UnCruise Adventures, have northern lights sign-up sheets so you don't have to stay up all night, every night, hoping to see the phenomenon. Put your name on the list, and you'll get a wake-up call or knock on your cabin door should there be aurora action. Plan to put on your clothes or bathrobe quickly — the lights may only appear for a few minutes, or they could last considerably longer.

Viking runs the itinerary multiple times from January through March in 2025 and 2026. After departing London, guests spend a day in Amsterdam, where they can stroll along the canals, admiring the architecture and indulging in alfresco coffee and stroopwafel breaks. Then, after crossing the North Sea, the ship cruises the scenic Norwegian Inside Passage, a protected shipping lane that runs from the southern tip of Norway to Russia (though Viking guests will only go as far north as Tromsø). Quark Expeditions’ Northern Lights–themed sailings begin and end in Iceland, where sightings of the dancing aurora borealis are common in winter.

This 12-day cruise by Hurtigruten ($3,078 per person, Feb 2, Sept 28, Oct 27 and Nov 25, 2024) from Bergen, Norway, voyages along the Norwegian coast with lectures from an army of renowned astronomers (including aurora expert Tom Kerss). Expect to learn about the Arctic night sky, visit the Northern Lights Planetarium in Tromsø and see the Northern Lights. If you don’t, Hurtigruten will give you a free six or seven-day cruise for the next Northern Lights season. If you want to head abroad to catch the light show but don’t want to go all the way to Europe, Canada is an excellent choice.

The region’s love of the outdoors lifestyle means active experiences are easy to find, both through cruise line excursions and independent operators. For those interested in Viking history, look out for smaller ship itineraries featuring Visby on the wonderful island of Gotland. Such itineraries tend to be shorter, and are a great introduction to both cruising and Scandinavia, with limited sea days and plenty to see and do while in port.