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Making an informed decision ensures you get the most out of this once-in-a-lifetime journey. While each cruise line may have its unique Alaska cruise itinerary, there are common routes that most Northern Lights cruises in Alaska follow. While there are several ways to chase the Northern Lights, a cruise offers distinct benefits. Alaska, with its vast expanses of untouched landscapes and clear skies, stands as one of the world’s premier destinations for aurora chasers. If you see the Northern Lights in Alaska (lucky duck), it’s a faux pas to wave, whistle, or call out—according to legend, that drives them away.
Arctic Circle Fly, Drive and Overnight Adventures
It will seasonally become a time with the skies are covered with a soft, darkened blanket hovering over the city. Denali National Park is another good option in early spring or fall, as it’s far enough north and free from light pollution. If the stars align and the conditions are ripe for the show, try to find a clear viewing path, free of buildings and forest and facing north, as that’s where the activity starts.
How to Increase Your Chances of Seeing the Lights?
The Northern Lights, also known as the aurora borealis, are a natural light display predominantly seen in high-latitude regions around the Arctic and Antarctic. They result from charged particles from the sun colliding with the Earth’s atmosphere, producing colorful displays of green, pink, purple, red, and blue lights. 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.
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Alaska's northern lights season is between late August and late April, peaking in March. However, the season is defined more by its long, dark nights than by solar activity. While many travelers think they have to head to Canada or Scandinavia to see the northern lights, you can actually spot this phenomenon without leaving the United States.
The Best Time to Cruise Alaska Month by Month - Royal Caribbean Blog
The Best Time to Cruise Alaska Month by Month.
Posted: Thu, 05 Jan 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
You’ll also have the chance to take advantage of the camps many winter activities like dogsledding, snowmachining, snowshoeing, and fat-tire biking. Norwegian Encore will call on Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay and Ketchikan (Ward Cove) in Alaska. The Mill at Ward Cove near Ketchikan is a newly built cruise ship port that serves as a jumping-off point for outdoor activities in the Tongass National Forest, from hiking and biking to kayaking and sea cycling. You can even pick up souvenirs, grab a bite to eat and sample a cold Alaska brew at the mill. The cruise itinerary also includes one day at sea and a stop in Victoria, British Columbia, before you disembark in Seattle.
Whether or not you’re lucky enough to witness the aurora borealis, your adventure to the Great Land will be just as enlightening and colorful as Alaska’s iconic skies. An Alaskan cruise with the opportunity to witness the Northern Lights is an extraordinary adventure that combines the rugged beauty of Alaska’s wilderness with the ethereal display of the Aurora Borealis. By choosing the right time of year, monitoring solar activity, and selecting an optimal cruise route, you can maximize your chances of experiencing this magical natural phenomenon. During the winter season, Alaska experiences long nights and relatively clear skies, creating optimal conditions for Northern Lights sightings. The absence of daylight allows for darker skies, making it easier to spot the ethereal glow of the Aurora Borealis. The months of December to March are especially popular for viewing the Northern Lights, as the nights are longer, increasing your chances of witnessing this celestial spectacle.
No matter your itinerary, UnCruise helps guests witness incredible creatures in their natural habitats, creating memories that will last a lifetime. Alaska’s magnetic pull is undeniable, drawing adventurous travelers eager to explore its vast wilderness and rugged landscapes. More than 25 years ago, it was also the launching pad for UnCruise Adventures, which started with a single yacht in Alaska. Today, UnCruise’s Alaska expeditions are renowned for non-stop action, adventure, and exploration.
September is an ideal month to watch for the spectacle in the sky as the nights start getting longer and darker. The elusive display is most likely to appear on crystal-clear evenings between midnight and 4 a.m. While you can see incredible light shows in Anchorage, consider an extended tour of Fairbanks or the Interior that takes you away from light pollution (such as to Denali National Park & Preserve). The optimal time to go on a cruise to see the Alaska Northern Lights is when the daylight slips away.
The most affordable option on this list, British cruise line P&O operates 12-day sailings to Norway year-round, but during the auroral season, there's a strong chance you'll see the northern lights while onboard. Guests embark in Southampton, England, before sailing north to Norway, traveling as far north as Tromsø, well north of the Arctic Circle. We recommend splurging on a room with windows for the best northern lights viewing options. However, those in interior cabins can always run up on deck — which you should do anyway to witness the full grandeur of the atmospheric phenomenon. If you don't have two or three weeks to take off work to go northern lights watching, consider Oceanwide Expeditions' eight-day aurora borealis sailings from Iceland to Greenland and back.
June 21, for instance, is known for the Midnight Sun, not to mention warmer days for offshore excursions and exploration, especially through Denali National Park as part of the Alaska Cruisetours package. 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. Here are a few examples of 2022 and 2023 itineraries that offer northern lights-themed cruises. Seeing the northern lights on a cruise isn’t guaranteed (although at least one cruise line, Hurtigruten, does issue a guarantee for certain cruises. See below). But you will increase your odds of seeing the northern lights by being in the right place in the Arctic Circle at the right time.
Best Time to Visit Alaska in 2023 When Is the Best Time to Go to Alaska? Trusted Since 1922 - Reader's Digest
Best Time to Visit Alaska in 2023 When Is the Best Time to Go to Alaska? Trusted Since 1922.
Posted: Mon, 18 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
From mid-November through March, you can check into a lodge or look for the lights each night as you try a different activity, like ice fishing or dogsledding. And if you’re on an aurora quest from mid-August to mid-September, (Fall) there’s still time to enjoy summer activities, like visiting Denali National Park or taking a glacier cruise. 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.
Although the center is a short distance from town, it is far enough away so that you won’t have to worry about light pollution interrupting your view as you stand gazing under the vast, starlit sky. Non-photographers are welcome to enjoy the show and have their photo taken. The city has a variety of aurora-viewing venues, from a number of scenic drives and parks to cozy cabins and lodges. With the airport located just a short drive away, visitors can fly into Fairbanks and be at a world-class aurora-viewing venue in less than an hour. You may find yourself so entranced with the Northern Lights phenomenon that you forget where you are.
The adventure begins in Akureyri, the unofficial capital of north Iceland, before heading for Greenland's breathtaking Scoresby Sund, the largest fjord system in the world. If you do have a little more time, you can opt for the 13-day Spitsbergen - Northeast Greenland - Aurora Borealis itinerary, which embarks in the Svalbard archipelago before sailing to Greenland and down to Iceland. Both take place in the late summer into early fall, as darkness returns to the skies in the Arctic. Rates for the eight-day itinerary start from $4,600 per person for the 2023 sailings.
A survey by the Discovery Channel noted that seeing Aurora Borealis made it to more "bucket lists" than any other travel adventure. And it truly is an adventure - because its appearance from one sighting to the next is never the same. I like to think that chasing the Borealis similar to the adrenaline rush of storm-chasers who follow tornadoes - except, you're chasing a natural beauty, rather than a destructive force.
Viewing the Alaska northern lights takes the right timing, the right location, and the right conditions. The supernal shimmer of emerald and violet begins with a few streaks, and then breaks out into a graceful ballet. Spectators gaze at the sky in awe, or snap photos well into the middle of the night. The northern lights, or aurora borealis, is a top-listed experience on many travelers’ bucket lists. But like most things in nature, they might not show, even if you visit Alaska at the best time.
Here’s everything you need to know about seeing the Northern Lights on an Alaska cruise. If you prefer milder temperatures and longer daylight hours, early fall and late spring can also provide opportunities to witness the Northern Lights in Alaska. September and April offer a balance between relatively mild weather conditions and darker nights, giving you a chance to catch a glimpse of the dancing lights.
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