Cruises to see the Northern Lights

[Finders]

:confused:Hi there, hope someone can help before I go mad trying to find a suitable cruise!!

We would like to go see the lights in February/March 2016 to celebrate my husband's retirement & are looking at a cruise as one of the options. There are so many conflicting reviews that I've got so bogged down with it all.

I might mention that we've never been on a cruise before & now feeling like giving up on it as I seem to spy all my time on the internet & just when I think I've found something I see bad reviews.

I would be very grateful if anyone can help. Thanks

[Kamloops50]

:confused:Hi there, hope someone can help before I go mad trying to find a suitable cruise!!

We would like to go see the lights in February/March 2016 to celebrate my husband's retirement & are looking at a cruise as one of the options. There are so many conflicting reviews that I've got so bogged down with it all.

I might mention that we've never been on a cruise before & now feeling like giving up on it as I seem to spy all my time on the internet & just when I think I've found something I see bad reviews.

I would be very grateful if anyone can help. Thanks

 

First of all. There probably aren't any cruises that will take you to the Northern Lights in Feb or Mar. That said if you take the Hurtginen (SP) up the coast of Norway you might see them, Hurtginen is a working ferry that goes right to the Northern most tip of Norway.

[Finders]

Thanks, have looked at Hurtigruten,I know they are working boats but they have mixed reviews, love em or hate em!!!![emoji6]

[Sea Green]

P&O have Norway and the Northern Lights Cruises in Feb & March next year -

 

http://www.pocruises.com/find-and-book/cruise-search-results/?departuremonths=201602&regionids=21

 

Bear in mind P&O prices can drop hugely closer to the sail date.

[Finders]

Thanks, will have a look.

[Sea Green]

Theres Fred Olsen too, so keep on hunting and I'm sure youll find something!

 

http://www.fredolsencruises.com/places-we-visit/cruise-holiday/snow-shoes-and-ski-doos-L1603?continent=Europe&country=norway-cruises&referrer=11&isback=1

[Darcy15]

Did a Hurtigruten trip a few years ago, mid February time.

 

Glad I went, as I fulfilled a dream of seeing the aurora - 3 nights out of 5

 

........but I would never do it again. Definitely a working ferry rather than a cruise, and oh boy the coast of Norway is rough at that time of year and I was as green as the aurora for a lot of the time :eek:

[Essiesmom]

Cruise & Maritime and Saga Cruises have cruises in Feb/Mar. next year. Go to http://www.cruisetimetables.com and choose ports in Norway from the middle list (destinations). Then the months you have available. It will tell you who is calling and their itineraries. EM

[Finders]

Thanks, will look into this as well.

[donaldsc]

If you really want to see the Northern Lights, a cruise is not the way to do it. Go to Fairbanks in the winter (make sure to time it with the Ice Carving Festival) and then book 4 or 5 nights at Chena Hot Springs. I did that and I had 4 days of clear cloudless moonless nights with wonderful aurora. Or else, book a trip to Iceland at the same time. With either option, make sure to book several days at least at wherever you go to make sure that you have a greater chance to see good aurora.

 

When you decide when to go, make sure to pick days when there will be little or no moon out as the moonlight can interfere with the best aurora viewing.

 

DON

Edited May 19, 2015 by donaldsc

[Finders]

Thanks, think I might be the same, it's one of my worries Darcy15 [emoji53]

[dsrdsrdsr]

Thanks, think I might be the same, it's one of my worries Darcy15 [emoji53]

 

You'd be unlucky to have really rough seas, because (apart from the bit beyond the North Cape) much of the voyage is sheltered by islands or fjords. I or my family have been three times in February, and only once had rough stuff, and only round the North Cape.

[Hlitner]

Ok, so here is a tale of woe regarding the Northern Lights. About 2 years ago we met a couple (frequent travelers) on a cruise who told us that they had long wanted to see the Northern Lights. So a few years ago they booked a 2 week cruise on a Hurtigruten ship (this is line that cruises the coast of Norway) during the winter. That cruise cost them a lot of money not to mention the cost of getting to Bergen. So they cruised up and down the Norwegian coast in the freezing winter months and it just happened to be overcast for the entire two weeks of their journey. They were heartbroken and returned home without even seeing a star much less the Northern Lights. So sad.

 

Hank

[navybankerteacher]

There is no such thing as a sure thing - especially at sea. Weather or solar conditions can frequently leave a large area with no auroral displays for weeks at a time - you want to be sure that you will enjoy the cruise regardless.

[Lerin]

Considering your only goal is to see the Auroras, you may want to take a land tour to Norway or other Arctic region close to your home. Either that, or be ok with taking a cruise and possibly not seeing the lights at all.

 

We've taken 2 Alaska cruises and met a couple who were quite saddened to not see any whales, bears or moose. It was a bucket list item and didn't happen. Ruined their whole trip. We also didn't see any animals, but didn't care because there were a zillion other things we did get to do.

Edited May 20, 2015 by Lerin

[Piggeldy]

So they cruised up and down the Norwegian coast in the freezing winter months and it just happened to be overcast for the entire two weeks of their journey. They were heartbroken and returned home without even seeing a star much less the Northern Lights. So sad.

 

Our honeymoon was a roundtrip on Hurtigruten's Trollfjord in December. It was mostly raining (3° & rain was not what we had expected in Northern Norway in winter...), we had winterstorms that were so bad we could only make one quick stop at Stamsund to let people off and missed Svolvær, Stokmarknes and Sortland on the way north (the spray was hitting the windows of the observation lounge on deck 8). Northern Lights happened once during dinner (by the time we were up on deck they were over) and once right after dinner... when my husband was in the shower and missed them :D I tried to call him on his mobile phone but he didn't hear it so no Northern Lights for him.

 

Still, the whole trip was amazing! The light was amazing (when it wasn't raining, cloudy or foggy). We were 7 or 8 round trip passengers. The service was great. The food was good. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Not if Northern Lights were my priority though.

 

[DH got to see beautiful auroras last August (!) when we were in Iceland though. That made up for it.]

[gaelsail]

Hurtigruten have their N Lights promise at the moment

[GottaKnowWhen]

Hurtigruten have their N Lights promise at the moment

 

So there I was, idly looking through Cruise Critic while sipping my morning coffee and thinking about the work I should be doing. And I made the mistake of opening this thread. Even worse, I read your note, clicked the link. Thanks? A half hour later I have browsed their site, ordered brochures, and added another must-do voyage to my list of critical budget items.

Edited May 20, 2015 by GottaKnowWhen

[donaldsc]

Hurtigruten have their N Lights promise at the moment

 

I would want to read the fine print on that offer very very very carefully.

 

DON

[Darcy15]

 

From my Hurtigruten trip

[Hlitner]

Hurtigruten have their N Lights promise at the moment

 

But even that "promise" does not promise that you will see the Northern Lights. For many of us it costs a lot of money just to get to the Hurtigruten embarkation ports. If the weather is lousy and they give us a free week cruise it will cost us thousands of dollars for that "free" cruise. But we do think their guarantee is a great marketing idea.

 

Hank

[AlaskaNurse]

If you really want to see the Northern Lights, a cruise is not the way to do it. Go to Fairbanks in the winter (make sure to time it with the Ice Carving Festival) and then book 4 or 5 nights at Chena Hot Springs. I did that and I had 4 days of clear cloudless moonless nights with wonderful aurora. Or else, book a trip to Iceland at the same time. With either option, make sure to book several days at least at wherever you go to make sure that you have a greater chance to see good aurora.

 

When you decide when to go, make sure to pick days when there will be little or no moon out as the moonlight can interfere with the best aurora viewing.

 

DON

 

As a Alaska resident I certainly agree with the above. Fairbanks in Feb/March is the best time to see the Northern Lights and the Ice Carvings are not to be missed!

[GottaKnowWhen]

But even that "promise" does not promise that you will see the Northern Lights. For many of us it costs a lot of money just to get to the Hurtigruten embarkation ports. If the weather is lousy and they give us a free week cruise it will cost us thousands of dollars for that "free" cruise. But we do think their guarantee is a great marketing idea.

 

Hank

 

I would be glad to have this sort of guarantee attached to such a trip. At worst I would get another few days in which I would have some chance of seeing the lights.

 

And note that their marketing is aimed at the UK not the US. UK residents will be paying far far less for their airfare.

 

I think this is a good deal and have it penciled in to consider for early 2017 or 2018.

[Illyria]

We went to Iceland to see Northern Lights and didn't see any...but several people (and online news) confirmed that 2 days prior to our visit, they had absolutely beautiful aurora activity. And then we went to Alaska (Fairbanks) in September, and again we were told that 2 days prior, they had historic levels of solar activity, which resulted in spectacular aurora, they even had an article and pictures in the local free newspaper.

 

So basically you want to go somewhere 2 days before we go, and you're guaranteed to see it :D

[Finders]

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