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However, the Northern Lights can still be enjoyed during a full moon, especially if the activity level is high. This might be a shipwide announcement, a special buzzer in the cabins, or even a wake-up call if you request it. The aurora borealis is the Northern Lights, visible in the Northern Hemisphere. The aurora australis, or Southern Lights, are the equivalent phenomenon in the Southern Hemisphere, visible in places like Antarctica, parts of Australia, and New Zealand. However, the aurora can appear in any direction, so the ship’s open decks, which offer broader views, are generally preferable. Many ships offer heated outdoor areas, loungers, and even blankets for comfort.
Denali National Park
The Northern Lights and Aurora Borealis are one and the same — most people call them Northern Lights, while the scientific name is Aurora Borealis. The northern lights happen when charged particles from the sun enter the atmosphere and collide with gas atoms in Earth's atmosphere. They occur all year long but are only visible when the sky is dark and clear. Here’s all you need to know to pick the best time to see northern lights in Alaska. Cruising in Alaska can range from viewing the highlights on a huge ship with the possibility of shore excursions to more distant locations to spending the majority of your stay in the wilderness. In the highlands, there are untouched forests, and massive glaciers are gently melting away to the sea.
Cruises To Tracy Arm, Alaska
For the best views, Holland America advises heading to higher ground in Anchorage, to vantage points like Glen Alps, the Knit River Valley and Point Woronzof. Yes, there are several apps and websites that provide real-time and forecast data on aurora activity. Some popular options include the Aurora Forecast, Space Weather Live, and the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center.
Specialized Northern Lights Cruises vs. Regular Cruises
A Northern Lights cruise takes the stress out of planning, lodging, and even transportation to destinations like Iceland, Alaska, and more. 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. If you’re interested in a cruise-only option and would prefer to arrange the land portion independently, consider this seven-day voyage on Nieuw Amsterdam.
Why This Cruise Is the Best Way to See the Northern Lights in Alaska - AFAR Media
Why This Cruise Is the Best Way to See the Northern Lights in Alaska.
Posted: Tue, 09 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
One of the benefits of sailing to Alaska later in the year is that it increases the chance of seeing the breathtaking Northern Lights, as these are much more likely to be witnessed during the fall and winter months. If you’re sailing on a 2021 cruise to Alaska, you might even have the chance to admire this natural phenomenon from the comfort of your private Veranda Stateroom or from one of the open-air decks on board. Expert guides double as concierges, tailoring a plan the day before based on your interests and preferences—and you’re free to join in on as many or as few activities as you please. The Alaska cruise season falls between May and September, with a few cruise lines extending the season from April to October. While the Northern Lights can be seen from late September to early April in Alaska, the equinox months – September and March – often have higher geomagnetic activity, which can lead to more vivid auroras. Generally, the Northern Lights themselves do not affect electronic equipment.
Testing the Waters with Dori: Late Season Alaska Cruising - Travel Market Report
Testing the Waters with Dori: Late Season Alaska Cruising.
Posted: Mon, 16 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Alaska is one of the best places in the world to see the aurora borealis — especially locations in the Interior and Arctic regions, such as Coldfoot, Wiseman, Utqiagvik (Barrow) and Nome. Fairbanks is regarded as a top location due to its position directly under the auroral oval, a ring-shaped area in the far north where aurora activity is generally concentrated. The Southcentral region of Alaska, where you’ll find Anchorage, Talkeetna and the Mat-Su Valley, also offers basecamps for northern lights viewing. Enjoy magnificent scenery and unique experiences on an Alaska cruise from Seattle in March 2024. The Port of Seattle welcomes only a few cruise ships throughout March 2024.
Alaska Northern Lights Cruises
There is also an Alaska igloo hotel 25 miles from Fairbanks, known as the Borealis Basecamp. 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. That said, some towns in Alaska are better for Aurora Borealis viewing than others. If you’d rather cruise to Alaska in summer, don’t expect to see the northern lights, but do soak up that midnight sunshine. Alaska cruises in 2024 include a pass by some tidewater glaciers including Glacier Bay, Hubbard Glacier. Tidewater glaciers are a type of glacier that flows directly into the sea and can calve violently into the water.
Wiseman is located in Alaska’s Brooks Range, about 15 miles north of Coldfoot Camp, 60 miles north of the Arctic Circle and 270 miles from Fairbanks. The community sits directly under the auroral oval, making it one of the best places in Alaska to view the northern lights. You can expect to see the spectacle in the sky in Wiseman about 250 nights a year, especially between late August and mid-April. Fairbanks, known as the Golden Heart of Alaska, sits at 65 degrees north latitude, making it an excellent choice for aurora hunters, especially first-timers. It’s easily accessible and offers plenty of accommodations, restaurants and other unique attractions. You can also be outside of Fairbanks within minutes to find excellent northern lights viewing locales.
As one of the main ports, Seattle is an excellent starting point for an Alaska or Pacific Northwest cruise. Take an Alaska cruise from Seattle in March 2024 and explore one of the world’s most beautiful locations. Wonderful nature, wilderness, glaciers, forests, rivers, and mountains, as well as whales, bears, wolves, and eagles, all combine to create a stunning experience for those on an Alaskan cruise from Seattle. Expect to learn about the Arctic night sky, visit the Northern Lights Planetarium in Tromsø and see the Northern Lights.
Yes, several cruise lines offer itineraries specifically tailored for aurora viewing, often incorporating experts, lectures, and workshops related to the phenomenon. A small-ship Alaska cruise is one of the most intensive ways to explore Alaska’s coast. Several cruise lines, like American Cruise Lines, Lindblad Expeditions, and UnCruise Adventures, offer small ship Alaska cruises. As well as seeing the Northern Lights from the deck, most aurora-themed cruises offer instruction on photography—which you can do with just your smartphone—as well as lectures and other astronomical activities. Some even give you a wake-up call if the aurora appears while you’re sleeping.
Getting to the Arctic Circle to see the Northern Lights can be challenging. It passes through remote parts of eight countries—the U.S. (Alaska), Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia—but it's frozen at 65 degrees north. With over 27,000 glaciers, Alaska is one of the best places to see these majestic pieces of nature up close. Join an adventure of a lifetime aboard the Aleutian Ballad, as seen on Discovery Channel’s - The Deadliest Catch.
Pay airfare for one guest, and you'll automatically lock-in roundtrip flights for two. Secure these savings online by choosing your nearest airport in step one of your cruise booking, and enjoy air-to-sea made easy. We'll coordinate your roundtrip flights, and transportation between the airport and cruise port. Norwegian Cruise Line kicks off the 2024 Alaska cruise season when Norwegian Bliss sets sail on a weeklong, roundtrip itinerary from Seattle; she will be the only ship sailing in Alaska the first two weeks of spring. Balcony cabins are still available on the season’s inaugural sailing at a discounted fare of $1,029 per person. We sailed roundtrip from Juneau, and while I’ve visited the capital city during the busy summer months, I found the restaurants, bars, and shops much less crowded, reliably filled with locals for the most part.
Many cruise ships are equipped to cater to passengers with mobility issues, offering accessible areas from which you can view the aurora. It’s essential to discuss any requirements with the cruise line ahead of booking. The northern lights— known to science enthusiasts as the aurora borealis— are like a colorful dance party in the sky.
Scan the surrounding waters on your way to Juneau for glimpses of wildlife from the North Star®, the tallest viewing deck on a cruise ship. We have more Alaska cruise port departures featuring Glacier Bay National Park than any other cruise line. All Alaska cruises include one or more glacier-viewing days, and you’ll get closer to ‘the giants’ on ships perfectly sized for the Great Land. In 2021, our cruises to Alaska will be sailing later than usual, kicking off the season in late July and ending in early October. These exciting seven-night itineraries stop in stunning Alaskan ports, such as Ketchikan and Juneau, and spend a day sailing close to the majestic Dawes Glacier, a once-in-a-lifetime experience for many travelers. 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.
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