Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis

[born-to-cruise]

Unsure if there are threads associated with Northern Lights or Aurora Borialis....my search failed to find one.

 

The question is: What cruise to take to enable guests see the Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis while on ship or on land? To see Aurora Borealis on a shore excursion is acceptable and land tour is not an option.

 

Thank you in advance to all respondents........

 

Born-To-Cruise

Past Cruises: 12-RCI, 3-Carnival and 1-Celebrity

(funds permitting, always looking forward to great cruises)

Edited December 16, 2016 by born-to-cruise

[SPacificbound]

The best time to see Aurora Borialis is in the coldest winter. Sometimes starting in late September, but you will need to go to at least Fairbanks.

[OhJinkies]

Hurtigruten offers some Nordic & Arctic cruises to see the northern lights. You may want to check out their website.

 

 

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[easyboy]

Hurtigruten offers some Nordic & Arctic cruises to see the northern lights. You may want to check out their website.

Thanks for the info. Northern Lights has been on my bucket list in particular the Igloo Resort in Finland and a mountain tour in Iceland. Hurtigruten seems like a nice option.

[Saab4444]

P&O cruises and Fred Olsen cruises also offer Northern Light cruises in Winter from UK to Norway.

 

 

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[sddsddean]

My brother did a land trip to see them which was fairly cheap. He found out why. The moon was full that week, so almost impossible to see them, (certainly didn't get the full effect), so if you go, make sure it is near a new moon so the sky is nice and dark.

 

Simon

[easyboy]

P&O cruises and Fred Olsen cruises also offer Northern Light cruises in Winter from UK to Norway.

Will take a look on that too. We are eyeing for a 2018 schedule.

[easyboy]

My brother did a land trip to see them which was fairly cheap. He found out why. The moon was full that week, so almost impossible to see them, (certainly didn't get the full effect), so if you go, make sure it is near a new moon so the sky is nice and dark.

A friend who went to Finland also didn't get to see it over their 3 day stay due to being cloudy. We were originally planning for a land tour in Iceland sometime in May where they say there is a good chance to see it around 2am.

[Paulxyz2004]

As the question was about Cruises. I´ve been able to see some on a transatlantic North of Iceland in September.

 

Unfortunately you Need several factors for it to happen.

 

The further up North you are the better your Chances. Ideally you are North of the northern polar circle. You Need clear weather (no Clouds). As Little light polution as possible, which out on the ocean is a good place, but then a cruise ship is a bright spot in that dark. The cruise I was on the Captain agreed to turn off the lights on the top deck. Last but not least times with High sun activity increase the aurea borealis to Show up.

[Norwaylady]

During the winter season it is easier to find northern light.

As stated before, Hurtigruten is great. If you take it from Tromsø-Tromsø it is a great possibility to see northern light. If you dont see northern lights on this tour it means that it has been heavy cloudy all the way.....

 

Northern light has cycles of 7years. So it depends from year to year how strong it is. Last winter was i prime year. We had northern light in Oslo during the hole winter. That is not normal. So it was a very good year:D:D:D

So this winter and next it will be a little less, but still you will see it and is is nice. So next top will be in 7years.

 

 

Just keep in mind that Hurtigruten is a cruise, but also a local boat. So it is totally different from cruising on "real" cruise lines. The food is good, only local food: fish, crab, reindeer etc.

 

The picture is taken at Mo i Rana-town 13.october 2016. It is taken whit my camera from the garden to my parents in-law.

It is spectacular and we are never tired of the view:)

[Desert Cruizers]

We will be in Norway late October including Oslo & Kristiansand but were told we may not see them. Our cruise will also include two Iceland ports.

[genteelarts]

Several years ago we saw a fantastic display of the aurora on board the Serenade the night we left Reykjavik, Iceland. It was a WB transatlantic, the night of September 10.

 

The aurora is a result of ionized atmosphere created by sunspot activity. Sunspot activity has an average nine-year cycle, and right now we're coming into the low end of the nine-year cycle. For the next couple of years, the aurora will not be as frequent or as brilliant, and some scientists are predicting this cycle may be 11 years. We saw the aurora when it was at the peak of a nine-year cycle.

 

There are certain times of the year where the odds of seeing the aurora is more common. October-November and February-March are often good months. We were lucky to see it in September.

 

Sunspot activity, a dark, clear night, geographic location and good luck are all factors. NO tour can guarantee you'll see them. Enjoy them when you do; they're amazing!

[Norwaylady]

We will be in Norway late October including Oslo & Kristiansand but were told we may not see them. Our cruise will also include two Iceland ports.

 

It is good chance of seeing northern lights at Iceland. You are further north then in Oslo and Kristiansand. When you pass the polar circle it is more and not to much light pollution, as in the citys.

It is not normal that you will have northern lights in Oslo. But last winter was over the topp good, this due to the 7years cycle and it was a top year.

If the weather is clear, it is very possible to see it on the cruise in october:)

 

Enjoy your cruise:D

[jelliot4]

In general you need to be north, have solar wind hitting the earths magnetic field and the darker the better

 

The water in the picture is Lake Superior near Houghton Michigan in the Upper peninsula. This was last September

 

 

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