Northern Lights

[beanozak]

We wish to cruise to see the Northern Lights, a few questions on this subject.

 

 

:confused:

1. Where is the best place to see them, e.g. which cruise would be best.

 

2. When is the best time of the year to see them?

 

3. Which cruise line offers the best place to see them?

 

4. Has anyone been on one of these cruises, did you see the lights?

 

Thanks for your help and advice that I am sure I will receive.:D

[1025cruise]

Unfortunately, a cruise vacation is not in your future.

 

The season for the northern lights normally doesn't equate with the season's the cruise ships are sailing. In addition, they don't go far enough north.

[rvsullivan]

If you could cruise Alaska or the Arctic in winter you would do fine. However, cruise season does not match up with the lights. I've seen them as early as November in the North Country, but by then the cruise season is over.:cool:

[Krazy Kruizers]

Wishful thinking -- you need to be way away from the cruise ships -- further up north -- winter time.

[Alibobs]

A friend has just come back from a Fred Olsen cruise which was originally called "In search of the Northern Lights" FO changed the name of the cruise but they saw them. Check the Fred forums

[LHT28]

Try Hurtigruten cruise line

not your typical cruise but you can see the Northern lights October to March

[navybankerteacher]

The odds are against seeing tghem on a cruise - they ordinarily appear between end of October and the middle of February - peaking around December 21, when they have (very rarely) been seen from as far south as Virginia.

[mikewrit]

All true, but we had a glorious diisplay for the NCL Star off Point Spencer on a late July night in 2006 -- great sweeping, shimmering draperies in bright green flickering to gold. Lasted nearly an hour around midnight.

[sandm]

Another option is to fly to Reyjkavik Iceland and spend a week there. It is a 2-3 hour flight from England and is a wonderful place to see.

 

We went in November and saw a spectacular show of northern lights plus all the beauty Iceland has to offer.

 

Visit the website tripadvisor and go to Iceland. It is a sister site of cruisecritic and a wealth of information.

[Putterdude]

They are seldom seen from a cruise ship in coastal Alaska .... but that does not mean they are not seen. This year and next with the peak in solar storms there will be increased sightings.

[jocap]

My neighbour has seen them from Hurtigruten cruises in December.....she said there were not many aboard, so the officers and staff joined the passengers each night.

Jo.

[chipmaster]

March is a good time, you can see things like this, it was a wee bit chilly, not too many cruises up in this region at this time of the year, notice the white stuff?

 

We wish to cruise to see the Northern Lights, a few questions on this subject.

 

 

:confused:

1. Where is the best place to see them, e.g. which cruise would be best.

 

2. When is the best time of the year to see them?

 

3. Which cruise line offers the best place to see them?

 

4. Has anyone been on one of these cruises, did you see the lights?

 

Thanks for your help and advice that I am sure I will receive.:D

[Scottie Girl]

Saga are doing two 14 night cruises in February & March 2013 on the "Saga Sapphire" 2013 is the best year to see them as the are at their peak so you could be really lucky.

Cruise sails from Southampton.

[Hoyaheel]

We saw them in Fairbanks AK in September 2007. We flew there to visit family & have a land trip before we started a cruise in Anchorage (well, Whittier).

 

We weren't expecting to see them but we were VERY pleasantly surprised! We also so LOTS of wildlife AND had great weather ;-)

[squarevanman]

On the Hurtigruten this January they were seen 6 nights running. Last year in March only 1 night and in February 2010 one small whisp gone before passengers got out on deck.

[Skipskatta]

If you want to see the Northern Lights, it's Norway and Hurtigruten:

http://www.hurtigruten.com/Norway/Voyages/Classic-Hurtigruten-Voyages/Winter-Norway-Coastal-Voyages/