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Of course, we also make time for your own shore excursions and wildlife encounters. 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. Experience the true side of Greenland’s west coast with our partner Arctic Umiaq Line. Like us, they have a long history of serving local passengers and communities, and sail to places that most visitors to Greenland never see. 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.
Don't Be Afraid to Take a Hurtigruten Cruise Through Frozen Norway to See the Northern Lights - Fodor's Travel
Don't Be Afraid to Take a Hurtigruten Cruise Through Frozen Norway to See the Northern Lights.
Posted: Mon, 08 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Viking reviews of shore excursions
The 6 Best Cruises for Northern Lights Viewing - AFAR Media
The 6 Best Cruises for Northern Lights Viewing.
Posted: Fri, 05 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Sailing to and from Southampton, P&O runs dedicated northern lights cruises on its adult-only ship Aurora. During these 12-night sailings you’ll sail along the dramatic coast of Norway to the fringes of the Arctic Circle and also visit the country’s beautiful fjords, including 550m-deep Romsdalsfjord. On a shore tour in Alta you’ll meet a northern lights expert who monitors the skies and aurora borealis forecast beforehand to help pick the best location for the day. Havila Voyages is so sure that guests will see psychedelic coronas of light in the night sky that the Norwegian cruise line offers a “Northern Lights promise” on any of its 12-day Round Voyages, taking place from October 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025.
Viking Ocean Cruises
Some cruises offer guests opportunities to spend a night in a snow-ice hotel and visit wildlife sanctuaries where wolves, wolverines, musk oxen, elk, reindeer, and other Arctic mammals might be spotted. And in some ports, cruise guests may learn about and visit with some of Norway’s indigenous Sámi people who, under Norwegian law, are generally the only people in Norway who may own and herd reindeer. Both Hurtigruten Expeditions and the Hurtigruten’s Norwegian Coastal Express, offer a good number of itineraries that showcase the Northern Lights. The Coastal Express serves as both a passenger cruise line and a lifeline for Norwegian coastal residents and these working ships transport locals’ cars, fjord towns’ freight and up to 1,000 total passengers on any given day. There’s a chance of seeing the Northern Lights anywhere within the auroral zone – a 1,500-mile radius of the magnetic north pole.
Northern Lights Norway
A Hurtigruten voyage along Norway’s coast is one of the best ways to see a life-defining display of the aurora borealis. 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. Each small group of kayakers (up to 10 per guide) will have their own intimate exploration of the small hidden bays and coasts that are inaccessible to Zodiacs.
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. Taking a cruise to the Northern Lights is a special experience, offering the chance to see the colourful Aurora Borealis in the skies above your smaller ship. To marvel at the ethereal beauty of the aurora borealis is, for many, a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Popular Scandinavian Cruise Itineraries
It’ll probably come as no surprise to learn that Norway can be quite chilly in the winter months when the Northern Lights are at their peak. To make sure you’re protected from the elements, pack lots of warm layers such as fleece jackets and woolly jumpers, which will shield you from the crisp and frosty temperatures. And don't forget to bring along gloves, hats, scarves and thermal socks so you can stay warm as you search for the Northern Lights under Norway’s dark skies. Because of the late-setting and early-rising midnight sun, it's way too light during the summer to see the northern lights in the destinations mentioned, though solar activity takes place year-round. Tromso is another Norwegian destination known as a hub for aurora borealis viewing.
After a leisurely breakfast, check-out of your room before commencing an excursion of Kirkenes and surrounds. Transfer to the pier for embarkation in the late afternoon, when you will have time to settle into your cabin before attending our mandatory safety briefings, and enjoy the thrill of departure as we ‘throw the lines’ and set sail. Officially certified proof of vaccination and booster will be required ahead of travel and we will require that it be emailed to Aurora no later than 15 days prior to departure. Book confidently with our Northern Lights Promise – get a free trip if the lights don't appear on select voyages (Ts&Cs apply). For the first time, we sail to or from the capital Oslo, journeying between Norway’s southernmost point and its northernmost.
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). With longer hours with dark skies and clear night skies, the Westfjords and North Iceland are the best regions to head to if you want to catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights.
Northern lights cruises: A guide to chasing the aurora borealis at sea
The new kid on the block along the Norwegian coast is Havila Voyages, which has a fleet of four eco-friendly ships that launched in 2022. 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. Create a very personal souvenir as you go in search of the northern lights with an art session on Bolette and Borealis; watercolour classes to help you capture the awe-inspiring night-time display are held aboard both ships in the Olsen Art Studio. You can book a nine-night sailing on Balmoral out of Newcastle — a shorter than typical trip due to the closer proximity of the departure point to Norway.
The next day will be in Narvik, a fishing village that can trace its history to the Stone Age but that has held township status only since the early 20th century. There travelers can ride the Ofoten Railway for a day trip to Sweden, hike to Frostisen Glacier, or ski at the Narvikfjellet ski resort. The final port town on the itinerary is Stavanger, where the most popular attractions relate to the community’s maritime history. Quark Expeditions’ Northern Lights–themed sailings begin and end in Iceland, where sightings of the dancing aurora borealis are common in winter.
Remember that seeing these lights doesn't involve a cruise director flipping on a switch. Witnessing the northern lights in their prime requires clear and dark skies, sometimes late-night viewing hours, enough solar activity for the colors to appear and a big dose of luck. Keep that in mind before you place all your cruise vacation hopes on this one experience.
Whether you prefer the action-packed ships of Royal Caribbean or MSC, or the smaller ships that can sail along narrower fjords, there will be a Norwegian fjords itinerary for you. One such trip is this 12-night itinerary from Celebrity Cruises, which includes a visit to both Visby and Tallinn. Other highlights include a visit to Stockholm and Copenhagen, including an overnight stop in the latter.
Take an exhilarating ride through snow covered pine forests before learning how these magnificent creatures are trained. While we can’t guarantee you’ll see the Northern Lights on your cruisetour, we can promise you’ll walk away with a deep appreciation for Alaska’s rugged wilderness, flora, fauna, and rich history. Cruisetours like the 13-Night Great Frontier Expedition (8A Northbound) and the 13-Night Grand Heartland Adventure (7A Northbound) show Alaska’s many majestic sides. Board a glass-domed rail car, called the Wilderness Express, to Fairbanks, and soak up picturesque views every step of the way.
If you want to explore modern Scandinavia while gaining access to some of the region’s best museums, such an itinerary is a perfect choice. 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. Unlike much of central Europe, where you can travel through many countries and only have to use the euro as currency, the Scandinavian countries within the Northern Lights region use their own version of the krone. If you’re travelling on a cruise holiday to see the Northern Lights in Norway, be sure to bring enough krone for the amount of time you’ll be there.
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