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Nordic Visitor can tailor your Norway cruise itinerary to include a stay at the Snow Hotel in Kirkenes, Hurtigruten and Havila's northern hub. You can also explore charming coastal cities like Ålesund on your own during port calls or simply relax and enjoy the comfortable amenities on board your cruise ship. Chase the northern lights on a tour in other arctic destinations, including northern Scandinavia, Iceland and Greenland. During summer the air temperature in the Antarctic Peninsula, Greenland and Spitsbergen are generally above freezing but can range from -4°C to +5°C / 24.8°F to 41°F. The water temperature in the polar regions is close to freezing and winds sweep off the glaciers, making paddling a chilling experience. In South Georgia, there are stronger winds and swells than in Antarctica.
Hurtigruten: The Classic Roundtrip Voyage
Places located near the Arctic Circle such as northern Norway, Iceland and Greenland, are some of the best places in the world to witness this stunning light show. Head to the very top of the world to set sail into one of the most unexplored regions on the planet with Silversea. Cruise from the isolated Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard to Tromsø, the north-most tip of mainland Norway (and a popular aurora site), via Bear Island. Gaze on alien landscapes of towering mountains, fjords and snow-filled wonderlands. The abundance of wildlife—like birds, polar bears, walrus and more—won’t fail to astonish. Throughout the journey, guests will learn about the land, wildlife, botany, culture and history of this unparalleled region thanks to special lecture presentations by knowledgeable onboard Expedition Team members.
DAY 4
The excited, ionised atoms that enter our atmosphere through the poles emit light which, when emitted on a large scale, causes the phenomenon of the Southern and Northern Lights. Northern Lights experiences are best with a dark sky as the aurora is not strong enough to outshine the sunlight. In true expedition style, we encourage exploration and adventure on our Northern Lights tours. Aurora Expeditions’ Northern Lights cruises offer flexibility in challenging environments in a way that puts you amongst the action to see and do as much as possible. Our Northern Lights adventures will take you across the seas, seeking out the Northern Lights in multiple countries and landscapes. To increase your chances of seeing the lights we move to different locations around the Arctic Circle, ensuring all bases are covered.
Find your voyage
Additionally, most Alaska cruises are concentrated around the collection of islands in the state’s southeast region, which is a little too far south for good auroral displays (though they do happen occasionally). Furthermore, Nordic Visitor has long-standing professional relationships with local tour operators, which are carefully selected by our staff and are recognized for consistent, quality service. The further north you go in the northern hemisphere, the better for seeing the northern lights.
Northern Lights Circle Tour
Guests will also have the unique opportunity to visit the UNESCO World Heritage site Glacier Bay National Park, while members of the National Park Service come onboard to offer commentary on this stunning refuge. There, guests spend their days scanning the dizzying cliff sides for puffins, guillemots, and razorbills, and their nights scanning the sky for signs of the aurora. The ship then crosses the Arctic Circle as it heads to Greenland, where it spends seven days patrolling the remote northeast coast. This wild tundra is home to reindeer, arctic hares, and 40 percent of the world’s musk ox population.
Sea Kayaking in Scotland
The following two days are at sea, taking in the beauty of the Norwegian coast as the vessel makes for its disembarkation city, Bergen. The Norwegian-owned Havila Voyages operates four newer environmentally friendlier coastal cruise ships that carry both people and cargo between Bergen and Kirkenes, year-round. The hybrid ships run on liquified natural gas and, for up to four hours, on 86-ton battery packs, for emissions-free sailing (the packs can be charged in ports with clean electricity).
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. 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.
Cruising through Kong Oskar Fjord, we marvel at the geological beauty of the mountains. We will then head south along the coast of Liverpool Land, with our passage dependent on ice conditions. The huge Beerenberg volcano is the world’s northernmost active volcano, last erupting in 1985.
Top Cruises to See the Northern Lights - Norway - TripSavvy
Top Cruises to See the Northern Lights - Norway.
Posted: Tue, 31 Dec 2019 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Quick facts about Hurtigruten & Havila
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. Itinerary and shore excursions are subject to change and may vary by departure. Sail the North Sea, central to Europe’s history, from Viking voyages to oil drilling. Prices & information will be available during the tour booking process.
After departing Southampton, the first stop on this cruise will be in Ålesund, Norway, to spend a day exploring its art nouveau architecture. 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. 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).
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]
In 2021, our cruises to Alaska will be sailing later than usual, kicking off the season in late July and ending in early October. These exciting seven-night itineraries stop in stunning Alaskan ports, such as Ketchikan and Juneau, and spend a day sailing close to the majestic Dawes Glacier, a once-in-a-lifetime experience for many travelers. 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.
Alaska also affords ample opportunity to spy the northern lights (especially in August and September). Cunard offers a trip from Vancouver, Canada up to Alaska’s Inside Passage and majestic Glacier Bay, then on finally to California via a leisurely coastal cruise. Spend the days pondering the myriad marvels of Alaska’s islets, bays and fjords; and spend the nights searching the skies for the mystical aurora borealis. The voyage also features full days in numerous popular ports like Juneau, Ketchikan and Icy Strait Point.
Iceland, Greenland, and polar regions around the Northwest Passage promote some of their active, adventurous cruises around the equinoxes in September and March as northern lights viewing opportunities as well. Lines cruising in these regions include Hurtigruten, Silversea, Lindblad Expeditions, Viking Cruises, Quark Expeditions, Adventure Canada, and others. Midsize and small cruise ship companies offer a variety of Arctic Circle sails during prime northern lights viewing months. While this list is not inclusive, lines to choose from include Hurtigruten, Viking, Cunard, Quark, P&O, Silversea, Fred. 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 best time of year for a Norway Northern Lights cruise is between September to March. The peak Northern Lights season for Norway, is November through until February. The best cruise destinations for seeing the Northern Lights include destinations along the Arctic Circle, such as, Norway, Iceland, Greenland, Finland, Sweden, Alaska and Canada. There is a wide range of cruise lines that offer Northern Lights cruises, such as, Princess, Celebrity, Cunard Cruises, Holland America Line, P&O Cruises, Royal Caribbean, MSC Cruises and Ambassador.
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. The wintery conditions that come with the Northern Lights season open up a few different travel options. Snow shoeing, sleigh rides and sledding are ideal ways to try out some more traditional winter travel methods. Though the thrilling speed of a skidoo ride gets you from A to B a little faster.
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