Northern Lights in Norway

[MagnoliaBlossom]

We are booked on the Star 5/30/25.   We depart Reykjavik and will be far north of the Arctic Circle in Longyearbyen (Spitsbergen) n 6/5 -6.  Being so close to the solstice is it possible we might see the northern lights?  We were in Iceland in August and B2Bers on our cruise said they had seen them the week before.  Being a southern girl, I would love to see them.  If not, well, there’s always National Geographic. 🤗

[hawkeyetlse]

Close to the summer solstice is bad news, because it won't get dark enough to see the lights. Plus the full moon is on June 11 in 2025, so that's extra bad.

[Charles4515]

42 minutes ago, MagnoliaBlossom said:

We are booked on the Star 5/30/25.   We depart Reykjavik and will be far north of the Arctic Circle in Longyearbyen (Spitsbergen) n 6/5 -6.  Being so close to the solstice is it possible we might see the northern lights?  We were in Iceland in August and B2Bers on our cruise said they had seen them the week before.  Being a southern girl, I would love to see them.  If not, well, there’s always National Geographic. 🤗

Almost 24 hours of daylight then. You won’t see the northern lights! 

[The Other Tom]

Yeah, you have to have a clear sky and be able to see stars before you can see the N. Lights.  

Viking is the only line I know of that does a N. Light cruise.  Of course you could always do a land tour but it's really best to be north of the artic circle with good weather.  That's sometimes a rare combination.  

[MagnoliaBlossom]

I assumed this would not be ideal for the lights due to the amount of light but not being knowledgeable about these things just wondered if such phenomena every happened during the midnight sun.  My science teacher would be so ashamed of me 😢

[bluesea777]

1 hour ago, The Other Tom said:

Yeah, you have to have a clear sky and be able to see stars before you can see the N. Lights.  

Viking is the only line I know of that does a N. Light cruise.  Of course you could always do a land tour but it's really best to be north of the artic circle with good weather.  That's sometimes a rare combination.  

Hurtigruten also. 
 

 

[Charles4515]

1 hour ago, MagnoliaBlossom said:

I assumed this would not be ideal for the lights due to the amount of light but not being knowledgeable about these things just wondered if such phenomena every happened during the midnight sun.  My science teacher would be so ashamed of me 😢

You can only see the northern lights after it gets dark. It won’t get dark during the months of midnight sun in the arctic. I took a Norway cruise in early July a few years ago that went to the arctic and it never got dark 24 hours. It was called a midnight sun cruise. The sun does not set. There is too much light to see the northern lights. 

Edited April 2, 2023 by Charles4515

[julig22]

Took the Summer Solstice cruise in 2019 - RT from London, farthest north we went was Honningsvag, did not go to Spitsbergen. Definitely no northern lights, the sun never set, fascinating to watch.

 

The trip was wonderful but my best memory was in Hammerfest because at the time there was a rogue Beluga whale in the harbor - they named him Hvaldimir.  His actual history is only speculation but he showed up with a harness that said St. Petersburg and responds to hand signals and interacts with people.  Apparently he's now moved on somewhat (the city didn't really want him to stay) but it was an amazing experience.

 

My question would be about the likelihood of seeing polar bears in Spitsbergen?

 

[masspector]

20 hours ago, bluesea777 said:

Hurtigruten also. 
 

 

I spoke to one of their reps at a travel show and she said that their northern lights cruise guarantees you will see them or they give you another free cruise to come back and try again.  Of course, they are more expensive than NCL but she described the line as more like Viking with on board historians, etc so it is more of a learning cruise too.

[spotfish]

There are many web sites that track Aurora forecasts also other great info from NOAA

 

https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/aurora-30-minute-forecast

https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/aurora-viewline-tonight-and-tomorrow-night-experimental

https://www.aurorahunter.com/northern-lights-forecast.html

[TrumpyNor]

As others have pointed out, unfortunately it will not be possible to see the northern lights/aka Aurora Borealis during your cruise. The fact is that the northern lights actually happens year round, but they are "invisible" because of the "lack of darkness". But the 24 hours sunshine/day light you will experience can also be fascinating and "exotic".

I am pretty certain your cruise will be a great and different experience anyway. 😊