Tuesday, April 23, 2024

How to See the Northern Lights in Alaska Viewing Guide

cruise to see northern lights

Over the course of 13 days, a luxurious Viking ocean ship transports guests from London to Amsterdam, then all the way up the coast of Norway and north of the Arctic Circle, before returning back south to the Norwegian city of Bergen. (Although some sailings operate in reverse.) The Norwegian fjords themselves are a sight to behold — and if they're paired with the northern lights, that's all the better! The sailings run from January to March when daylight is limited in the Arctic Circle, making for prime aurora opportunities. Rates start from $4,999 per person in 2023, and it should be noted that Viking is an adults-only cruise line. Northern Lights cruises and expeditions with Aurora Expeditions offer a range of captivating activities.

Norway And Northern Lights, 12 nights, Oct 15 2024

Do Yourself A Favor And Book A Small Ship Cruise To Norway ASAP - Men's Journal

Do Yourself A Favor And Book A Small Ship Cruise To Norway ASAP.

Posted: Fri, 09 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Enjoy sweeping views as you sail along Norway’s coast, one of the world’s longest shorelines. 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. You’ll have a good chance of seeing the Northern Lights while sailing Aurora Expeditions’ 132-passenger Greg Mortimer through Norway, Iceland, and Greenland. These are some of the cruises that offer you a solid chance of seeing the Northern Lights. You should be fit enough to paddle for up to three hours and climb between moving Zodiacs on the water.

Cabins, Prices & Offers

Cunard Line and Hurtigruten are among the lines that visit northern Norway in the fall. 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. If you are on a cruise in the Inside Passage before April 21 or after Aug. 21 and are willing to be awake in the middle of the night (the lights tend to appear in Alaska after midnight), there's a chance you'll see the aurora borealis.

Viking

To marvel at the ethereal beauty of the aurora borealis is, for many, a once-in-a-lifetime experience. 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.

Best Place to See Northern Lights in Norway

We plan to visit Hornstrandir peninsula, one of Iceland’s remotest and most pristine regions, which is filled with deep and dramatic fjords, towering bird cliffs, stunning natural beauty and opportunities for wildlife encounters. Enjoy the bountiful silence and magnificent landscapes seen by the few adventurers that make their way here. In Húsavik, we hope to have magical encounters with the many whales that visit this part of Iceland, known as the country’s whale-watching capital. 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.

cruise to see northern lights

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]

The ‘auroral zone’ starts in Northern Norway just above the Lofoten Islands and extends up the coast to the North Cape (Nordkapp) and beyond. You will observe the same light display from anywhere in this region, but from a different angle. Some of our favourite places in Northern Norway to witness the Northern Lights include Tromsø, Kirkenes, the Lofoten Islands, Bodø and the North Cape. Our Northern Lights cruise sticks to the aurora zone in the Arctic Circle, but seeing the lights dance is only one part of your Northern Lights adventure. Passengers can opt-in for overnight wake-up calls, so they can get some sleep without worrying about missing a Northern Lights sighting.

Cruises sail to and from Portsmouth and to increase your odds of seeing the light show there’s an overnight stay in Tromso, where you can visit the Polar Museum or embark on an exhilarating husky or reindeer sledding ride. You’ll be joined by experts from the conservation charity Orca who will be out on deck to host seabird and wildlife spotting sessions. 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. The best northern lights cruises provide plenty of opportunities for passengers to learn about, celebrate and, of course, see the northern lights. But there will also be activities geared to exploring parts of the world filled with many other natural, cultural, and man-made wonders.

Viking Resident Historian

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. Here’s all you need to know to pick the best time to see northern lights in Alaska. You might be surprised to learn that the Northern Lights are happening all the time – yes, even right now.

Norway And Northern Lights, 26 nights, Oct 25 2024

Our Northern Lights expeditions provide a mix of comfort and adventure; for those willing to explore the Arctic the memories will last a lifetime. Norway is often the first country that comes to mind when people think of the Northern Lights. The Northern Lights are a prominent feature of the night sky throughout the country and have even influenced folklore and indigenous culture. Because Norway is so long, the seasons change at different times, with summer lasting longer in the south and winter lasting longer in the north.

cruise to see northern lights

That said, being in the right place at the right time of year increases the odds. 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. Sail the North Sea, central to Europe’s history, from Viking voyages to oil drilling. Havila Voyages and HX both offer a Northern Lights promise on cruises that depart from the scenic town of Bergen, Norway.

One of the latest cruise lines to launch sailings to seek out the aurora is Ambassador. It’s the first British cruise line to do so in more than a decade and has convenient, value-for-money, round-trip voyages from Tilbury, Bristol, Newcastle and Dundee. These include a 14-night sailing on its recently launched second ship, the 1,200-passenger Ambition. Highlights include visits to former Viking strongholds Haugesund and Trondheim, and Arctic Circle calls in Alta, Narvik and Bodo. Choose how you hunt for the northern lights this 13-night trip to and from Southampton on the 3,140-passenger Caribbean Princess. The alternative viewing spot is a longer trip to a camp site to look for Mother Nature’s marvel.

Found well within the Arctic Circle, these Norwegian islands are home to soaring mountain peaks, charming fishing villages and exciting Viking history. Each of our cruises has been carefully designed for you to get the very best out of your time on board; and now you can enhance your cruise to make it even more special. As well as our Signature Experiences, there are a host of other treats to enjoy on board our ships. In addition to our Signature Experiences, we have a selection of lovely Treats & Pastimes for you to enjoy when on board. Head into the wilderness to a frozen lake where you will enjoy a spot of ice fishing with a local, surrounded by the spectacular Arctic landscape. Beautiful Balmoral is small enough to navigate some of Europe’s most picturesque waterways so guests can enjoy hours of scenic cruising.

This is because Greenland’s population is tiny and scattered across small, remote communities, so it has minimal light pollution. Not many Northern Lights tours go to Greenland but Aurora Expeditions Northern Lights cruises explore using a small expedition ship which makes it easy to visit the prime locations in Greenland to see the Northern Lights. Enrichment is an important component of our expeditions – we hope that you will leave changed and become lifelong ambassadors for the natural world and the wild, important destinations we visit. Your world-class Expedition Team will be on hand to answer your questions about the aurora borealis and how it comes to appear in the night sky, Arctic wildlife, geological formations and the history of the places we visit. To get a proper view of the lights, you need to escape the light pollution and get away from the city.

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