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So pack your warmest clothes, grab your camera, and get ready to be captivated by nature’s own light show in the Alaskan winter nights. We also have expert-led programs within the expedition, such as lectures or photography sessions, to enhance your understanding and capturing capabilities. With longer hours with dark skies and clear night skies, the Westfjords and North Iceland are the best regions to head to if you want to catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights. There are many fantastic remote locations in South Iceland where you can witness the aurora, including the popular Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon.
What Countries Do You Visit On a Northern Lights Cruise?
While the Gulf of Alaska Route may not have the same level of coastal communities as the Inside Passage, it offers the advantage of darker skies, away from the city lights. This provides an ideal setting for witnessing the Aurora Borealis in its full glory. The Gulf of Alaska also offers opportunities to see stunning glaciers and icebergs, adding to the overall allure of the journey. Looking for a luxurious experience while chasing the mesmerizing Aurora Borealis? This renowned cruise line offers an unforgettable journey through the Alaskan waters, providing an excellent opportunity to witness the magical dance of the Northern Lights.
What is the best cruise to see the Northern Lights?
They’re created when ions (electrically-charged particles) from the sun enter the Earth’s outer atmosphere. Those particles begin to glow and put on some of the most beautiful natural displays known to man. That means there are a lot of clouds, which interfere with the clear skies we mentioned earlier as being necessary to see the lights.
Best Time to Experience the Aurora Borealis in Alaska
The Aurora Borealis, commonly known as the Northern Lights, is not just a beautiful display but also a complex natural phenomenon steeped in science and lore. At its core, this mesmerizing light show is the result of collisions between electrically charged particles from the sun that enter the Earth’s atmosphere. Anchorage also witnesses tantalizing displays, just not as frequently as Fairbanks and Denali as it’s farther south. If you’re in Anchorage and the conditions are ideal, head to a higher elevation. Glen Alps, Point Woronzof, and the Knit River Valley offer decent vantage points—some face north with no pesky mountain peaks in the way. Alaska is by far the best place to see the northern lights in the U.S., though they have been reported as far south as Honolulu.
The Top 10 Shore Excursions for Alaskan Cruises - Travel Noire
The Top 10 Shore Excursions for Alaskan Cruises.
Posted: Tue, 13 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
However, finding a spot with minimal light interference from the ship is crucial. Choosing the right cruise, preparing adequately, and embracing all the adventures en route ensures not just a glimpse of this celestial marvel but a comprehensive, enriching travel experience. While the Northern Lights might be the star attraction, the state offers countless other wonders that resonate with its wild spirit and cultural richness. Your Alaskan adventure can be as diverse and enriching as you choose to make it. Traveling with UnCruise also grants exclusive access to remote areas, as their ships, with capacities ranging from 22 to 86 guests, navigate areas where larger vessels can’t. UnCruise guests visiting Glacier Bay National Park get a rare opportunity to set foot on land and explore the “outback,” a privilege granted to less than one percent of total park visitors.
For that reason, the absolute best time to see them is in March, around the time of the new moon and the Spring Equinox. The skies have to be dark enough for the lights to be visible, as we’ve established. The Northern Lights, also known by their scientific name Aurora Borealis, are a beautiful display of different-colored lights seen in the night sky.
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve
Iceland, Greenland, and polar regions around the Northwest Passage promote some of their active, adventurous cruises around the equinoxes in September and March as northern lights viewing opportunities as well. Lines cruising in these regions include Hurtigruten, Silversea, Lindblad Expeditions, Viking Cruises, Quark Expeditions, Adventure Canada, and others. Cunard’s Norway and Northern Lights cruise is a 12-day roundtrip along Norway’s coastline from Southampton, England on Queen Mary 2, or Queen Victoria ships. Guest speakers, astronomers and award-winning photographers are usually on board to join guests on deck to each evening to scan for and enjoy the northern lights show. Find out the best time to see the northern lights on your Alaska cruise and what Alaska locations offer the best viewing. In 2021, our cruises to Alaska will be sailing later than usual, kicking off the season in late July and ending in early October.
However, the Northern Lights can still be enjoyed during a full moon, especially if the activity level is high. When the northern lights do appear, "more than likely the ship will turn off most of the exterior lights," Weber says. "But you can prepare as soon as you board the ship by scouting out the darkest spot outside, and up top on the ship." That may be away from the ship stairways and public rooms.
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The northern lights, or aurora borealis, aren’t predictable, but they are more likely to display during high solar activity cycles. The sun alternates between a high activity cycle and low activity cycle every eleven years or so. Watch the Kp-index, an aurora activity indicator to find out when conditions are ideal. The northern lights and aurora borealis are one and the same — most people call them northern lights, while the scientific name is aurora borealis.
You’re also more likely to see them if you visit in colder months, as the most brilliant displays occur both in dark and cold environments. Because it’s a scientific phenomenon beyond the comprehension of modern science, you can only truly predict occurrences of the Northern Lights roughly two hours before they happen. Get up close to beautiful, picturesque landscapes on an Iceland and Ireland cruise from Southampton, England, which offers 14 nights of pure bliss on Celebrity Silhouette. Dreaming about seeing the Northern Lights is easy; figuring out the logistics of viewing those shimmering colors in the nighttime sky aren’t so simple. A Northern Lights cruise takes the stress out of planning, lodging, and even transportation to destinations like Iceland, Alaska, and more. Although you may not be guaranteed a sighting, it’s important to note that anytime is a great time to take a cruise to Alaska.
Following a day packed with adventure, guests can relax with hot toddies on deck or join nighttime expeditions to remote vantage points, ensuring the best chances of witnessing the astonishing aurora. For many travelers, catching a glimpse of the spectacular aurora borealis is the dream of a lifetime. Don’t miss out on the chance to see them this year as the sun’s cycle reaches solar maximum, ensuring the best viewing opportunities for the next 11 years, especially during the spring and fall. Plus, there’s no place better than Alaska for stargazing, where vast skies and minimal light pollution create the perfect setting for nature’s light show.
The less-fun news is that there’s no guarantee you’ll see the lights— the show could easily be upstaged by a cloudy sky, a full moon, or even a weaker solar cycle. The fresh arctic air and the bright night sky alone will likely fill your cup. Even if you don’t catch a glimpse, you’ll still have every chance to kick back and experience everything that makes Alaska such a cruise-worthy destination.
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