Seeing the twinkling northern lights twinkling in the sky might make you gasp because it’s really cool. The green colored ribbons look like something from space – and they are. Auroras occur when charged particles collide with Earth’s atmosphere.
Seeing the ethereal show, also known as the aurora borealis, is a bucket list experience for many tourists. Cruise ships can take you to places where your chances of catching Mother Nature’s special light show are enhanced.
Remember that seeing this scene does not involve a dynamic cruise director. Witnessing the northern lights requires clear and dark skies, late night viewing hours, enough sun activity for the colors to pop and a large dose of luck. Keep that in mind before you invest all of your cruise vacation hopes in this one experience.
Where can I see the northern lights on a cruise?
The lights are best viewed in the Northern Hemisphere and especially in areas of the so-called auroral oval, a ring-shaped area over temperate regions. In cruise terms, that means the best views are in northern Alaska (easily accessible on cruisetours), Norway, Iceland, Arctic Canada and parts of Greenland.
Just outside the auroral ring is all of Alaska. If you are traveling on the Inside Passage before April 21 or after Aug. 21 and you’re willing to wake up in the middle of the night (the lights are often visible in Alaska at midnight), there’s a chance you’ll see the aurora borealis.
Some cruise lines that operate in Alaska – including Holland America – have northern lights sign-up sheets so you don’t have to stay all night, every night, hoping to see a display. Put your name on the list, and you’ll get a wake-up call or knock on your cabin door if there’s aurora action. UnCruise Adventures will announce the sighting of the aurora over the intercom in your cabin. Plan to put on your clothes or shower quickly, as the lights may only appear for a few minutes. (And they can last a very long time.)
Princess Cruises offers northern lights wake-up calls to land-based accommodations that serve its guests.
Related: Peak solar activity predicted for 2024: Here are the best places around the world to see the northern lights
If you’re interested in where you can see the northern lights outside of Alaska, the Arctic town of Alta, Norway, calls itself the “City of the Northern Lights.”
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Alta’s features include the world’s first permanent aurora borealis observatory; was built there in 1899. An entire industry has sprung up around the lights, including such long beach trips as sleeping in a tent with viewing windows at a Sami dog camp. Alta is also home to the Northern Lights Cathedral, an architectural landmark.
Tromso is another Norwegian destination known as a hub for viewing the aurora borealis. At the end of January, there is a northern lights art festival with top artists of different genres of music.
Cunard Line and Hurtigruten are among the lines that visit northern Norway in autumn. However, the peak viewing season is from November to March (see below). Vikings also visit but in winter.
Iceland, Greenland and Arctic Canada appear on many cruises during the northern lights season, especially at the beginning of the season in August and September. Lines with ships there include Ponant, Quark Expeditions, Aurora Expeditions and National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions.
When can I see the northern lights on a cruise?
Due to sunset and sunrise at midnight early in the morning, it is too bright in the summer to see the northern lights in the mentioned areas, but the sun’s activity occurs throughout the year.
If you have a goal of seeing the aurora borealis at any of the places discussed here, it’s best to book until the fall when you can get a cruise. Norway is the only place with the best lights for winter hiking.
The lights tend to appear in the early morning hours – especially between 11pm and 3am – in Alaska. The advantage in Norway is that it is dark enough to see them for a long time in autumn and winter.
Do Alaska cruises improve my chances of seeing the lights?
Cruisetours in Alaska can improve your chances of seeing the aurora because they take you to Fairbanks and other places inland in Alaska that tend to have more clear skies than the Inside Passage, where cruise ships sail.
Although you may see the lights from Denali National Park & Preserve during viewing season, going to Fairbanks and points north will increase your chances.
Fairbanks tourism people like to boast that if you visit at least three nights between Aug. 21 and April 21, your chances of seeing the aurora borealis are over 90%. (That’s assuming you’re out and about in the evenings.)
Since your cruise tour may not be three nights, consider booking an extra hotel night before or after your cruise. Other things to do in this backcountry town (population: about 100,000; moose population: 16,000) include riverboat tours, golden panning and yoga with reindeer.
You can also see the lights of Canada’s Yukon Territory, including the gold-rich town of Dawson City, which is visited by some Holland America tourists.
Related: What’s the best way to view the northern lights? We tried to see them in the air, on land and at sea
Should I take a cruise just to see the northern lights?
Yes, but remember that this situation depends on the weather (a clear sky is necessary) and it is difficult to predict, despite the best efforts of scientists.
Viking has a winter cruise between Norway and London designed to track the lights in the Norwegian Sea during peak viewing periods – throughout the cruise but especially above the Arctic Circle in Tromso and Alta (where sailing stops overnight). It’s dark in these areas in the winter, which increases your chances.
Hurtigruten is so invested in its northern lights that it has hired northern lights astronomer Tom Kerss as a “super aurora runner.” He will serve as an on-board expert on designated Astronomy cruises, offering lectures and workshops for passengers.
The line is so sure to see the lights on its 11-day or longer cruises along the Norwegian coast from late September to March that the company has a guarantee called the Northern Lights Promise. If the deck officials don’t announce to everyone on board that the northern lights are happening, you can get a six or seven day trip on the Norwegian Coastal Express for free.
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