In Search of Northern Lights January

[sissy2000]

We have booked the In Search of Northern Lights cruise for January of 2023.  It is the only month we can go, but now I am getting nervous about the VERY short days and the cold.  We can bundle up for the cold but would love to  hear from someone who did this cruise in January and how it worked out.   Did you still get to see the scenery?  Was it so cold it was miserable (I know January is the coldest month), etc.

[Moonlion]

There is no daylight in northern Norway until around the middle of January, although it is not total darkness with civil and nautical twilight.  Check out this website which shows hours of daylight for Alta, the city furthest north on the Northern Lights cruise: https://www.timeanddate.com/sun/norway/alta.  The further south you go, the more daylight you will experience (you can enter other cities in that website).  We went on the January 24th Northern Light cruise.  When we were in Alta on January 28-29th, there was about 4 hours of daylight, but it didn't get really dark until around 3 PM or so.  We saw some spectacular scenery on our cruise and of course lots of opportunity to experience the Northern Lights. 

 

On our cruise, the high was around 20Fin Alta and Tromso, and was warmer the further south we went. Bergen was a balmy 35-40F.  The coldest we experienced was minus 18F in the inland areas around Alta... now, that was cold! 

[twodjs]

In Search of the Northern Lights Cruise was magical - one of our very favorite cruises! We were there a couple of years ago in January. Beautiful scenery! Saw the most spectacular display of Northern Lights out on the top deck of our ship about an hour out of Tromso! We visited an ice hotel, took a gondola to the top of the mountain for amazing views and did several other excursions. One day the sun peaked over the horizon for just a couple of minutes but that is part of the magic.  And it is a tradition that every home leaves a light on in a window. Do buy appropriate clothes for cold weather and you'll be fine. We even enjoyed the hot tub on the back of the ship in the snow! Viking does a great job! 

[sissy2000]

Thank you so much!  I am feeling better and even excited about our cruise!

 

[Frenchberet]

We did this cruise in mid February 2019.  It was colder in Ohio that week than it was in the Arctic!  Dress appropriately for “winter weather” and you’ll be fine.  Our favorite excursions involved meeting the Sami people, reindeer stew, and sled riding with the huskies.  
 

We did not see the northern lights.  Other cruises during January and February report that they did see the lights so I guess we were just unlucky.  If we were to do it again, we’d arrange a private or small group excursion.

[millybess]

You really don't have to travel so far to see the Northern Lights.  When I lived in Banff, I saw them frequently -- mostly in the winter and early spring.

[ChiefLnc7]

My wife and I missed this cruise early this year due because of so many hoops to jump through for COVID testing, but have rebooked for January 31, 2023 departing Bergen and ending in Tilbury, Enland.  Pre cruise packet in Bergen.  Hoping that all goes according to plans and that we do not have to bug our AAA travel agent too much between now and then.  Also pray that entry to Norway and US eases up a bit.

Anyone else on this cruise that we might touch base with to see how they are progressing?  We will be leaving from Boston and have pre-cruise jitters but are excited about using the booked cruise before it was too late.

 

[The Other Tom]

1 hour ago, ChiefLnc7 said:

Anyone else on this cruise that we might touch base with to see how they are progressing? 

 

Looks like there's an active roll call for this cruise.

 

[JMichigan]

We are going on this cruise to as well as my son and his wife! I’ve read that the low light makes it festive, Like it feels at Christmas time with sparkly lights and candles.

[ppeckham]

On 2/13/2022 at 12:23 AM, twodjs said:

In Search of the Northern Lights Cruise was magical - one of our very favorite cruises! We were there a couple of years ago in January. Beautiful scenery! Saw the most spectacular display of Northern Lights out on the top deck of our ship about an hour out of Tromso! We visited an ice hotel, took a gondola to the top of the mountain for amazing views and did several other excursions. One day the sun peaked over the horizon for just a couple of minutes but that is part of the magic.  And it is a tradition that every home leaves a light on in a window. Do buy appropriate clothes for cold weather and you'll be fine. We even enjoyed the hot tub on the back of the ship in the snow! Viking does a great job! 

Twodjs,

Where did you do the ice hotel?  Was it an excursion through the ship?  We are going on the 31-Jan-23 sailing.  I saw somewhere an excursion where you can spend the night at an ice hotel.  Obviously it was at a port where we remained overnight.  Now I wish I had captured the information.

 

Phyllis

[anaco_angler]

14 hours ago, ppeckham said:

Twodjs,

Where did you do the ice hotel?  Was it an excursion through the ship?  We are going on the 31-Jan-23 sailing.  I saw somewhere an excursion where you can spend the night at an ice hotel.  Obviously it was at a port where we remained overnight.  Now I wish I had captured the information.

 

Phyllis

Phylis, check post #34 on the Jan 31, 2023 roll call for a list of shore excursions from the 2022 NL sailings. You should fund the ice hotel excursion there.

Dennis

[sissy2000]

On 2/12/2022 at 10:23 PM, twodjs said:

In Search of the Northern Lights Cruise was magical - one of our very favorite cruises! We were there a couple of years ago in January. Beautiful scenery! Saw the most spectacular display of Northern Lights out on the top deck of our ship about an hour out of Tromso! We visited an ice hotel, took a gondola to the top of the mountain for amazing views and did several other excursions. One day the sun peaked over the horizon for just a couple of minutes but that is part of the magic.  And it is a tradition that every home leaves a light on in a window. Do buy appropriate clothes for cold weather and you'll be fine. We even enjoyed the hot tub on the back of the ship in the snow! Viking does a great job! 

Do you have to spend the night at the ice hotel, or can you just go and see it?  Silly question, but is it very cold sleeping there?  Uncomfortably cold?

 

[rbslos18]

On 4/17/2022 at 9:54 AM, ChiefLnc7 said:

My wife and I missed this cruise early this year due because of so many hoops to jump through for COVID testing, but have rebooked for January 31, 2023 departing Bergen and ending in Tilbury, Enland. 

 

See you onboard!!!

[Kitekat]

On 5/6/2022 at 4:05 PM, sissy2000 said:

Do you have to spend the night at the ice hotel, or can you just go and see it?  Silly question, but is it very cold sleeping there?  Uncomfortably cold?

 

I believe that there is an excursion to/from the ice hotel by skidoo which might allow you a look around. It's certainly worth it as it is very pretty inside.

 

The temperature in the annually built ice section is -7 to  -4 Celsius (19 to 25 Fahrenheit). It is cold but you have two sleeping bags which we found made us far too hot! I was comfortable with one and just my feet zipped into the second.

 

What might be more problematic is having to cross to the main building for any bathroom trips. It's a bit of  a nuisance at three in the morning getting sufficiently dressed to pad through the ice section and across the open passage way to the main block and then back again.

 

That said, it was a great experience but I wouldn't repeat it.