Norway: Northern Lights Cruises – The Astronomy Voyage

Fly into Norway’s second largest city and transfer to the ship. Locate your cabin and familiarise yourself with the ship’s on-board facilities. Time permitting, take the opportunity to explore the fabulous sights of Bergen. This evening, enjoy a welcome dinner as Northern Lights cruises begin their exciting voyage along the striking coastline of Norway.

This morning the ship docks at the pretty port of Ålesund where you can disembark and spend some time admiring its unusual Art Nouveau architecture. Later, Northern Lights cruises continue northwards past rugged cliffs and towering mountains as you look to the skies for a glimpse of the Aurora Borealis.

The medieval city of Trondheim is steeped in Viking history. Delve into its colourful past in one of the city’s intriguing museums. Make sure you also visit the impressive Nidaros Cathedral, the most important Gothic church in all of Norway.

Celebrated for their outstanding natural beauty, this pretty archipelago is located just off the mainland. Northern Lights cruises dock twice today, firstly at Bodø where you can choose from a selection of optional excursions and secondly at Svolvær, the principal town of the Lofoten Islands. Having now crossed the Arctic Circle, your chances of seeing the beautiful Aurora are greatly increased.

Arriving in the Arctic Capital, these particular Northern Lights cruises have a special treat in store for guests today. As well as the chance to go sightseeing in this popular city, there is also a visit to the Northern Lights Planetarium included in the tour. The Planetarium is linked closely with the university in Tromsø, the most northerly university in the world, and there are a number of displays dedicated to the science of the Aurora Borealis.

The ship docks at Hammerfest early in the morning before continuing the journey to Honningsvåg, the gateway to the North Cape. There is an optional excursion to this incredible place where you can enjoy the sensation of standing at the northernmost tip of mainland Europe. An impressive sculpture of a globe perches atop the 300 metre high plateau and there is a visitor centre with informative displays about this part of the world.

Just a few nautical miles away from the Russian border, Northern Lights cruises dock at Kirkenes before making the return voyage south. Admire the beauty of a true winter wonderland as thick snow blankets the ground and the pale sunlight makes the ice crystals glisten. Choose one of the optional excursions to get the most out of your time in Kirkenes.

Today you will get the opportunity to see Hammerfest during the daylight, the town which claims to be the most northerly in Europe. Take in the views of the colourful wooden houses set against a snowy mountainous backdrop before Northern Lights cruises continue once again to Tromsø, arriving there just in time for you to experience a midnight concert at the stunning Arctic Cathedral.

Relish a second opportunity to witness the beauty of the Lofoten Islands, this time in glorious daylight. See if you can spot some of the native wildlife such as whales and sea eagles, and keep an eye out for the monument of a globe which marks the border into the Arctic Circle. The chances of seeing the Northern Lights are still very good, despite Northern Lights cruises travelling further southwards.

This morning we sail past the incredible Seven Sisters, an awe-inspiring sight of seven towering mountains that form a chain rising over a kilometre high. Later in the day, Northern Lights cruises dock at Rørvik where you can spend some time in the fascinating maritime museum.

Arriving once again in what was once the Viking capital of Norway, Northern Lights cruises terminate. Bid farewell to your fellow astronomers and transfer to the airport for your flight home.