Witnessing the spectacle of the northern lights is a bucket list experience for many travellers – and one of the best places to to experience the atmospheric phenomenon is from a cruise.
Getting a glimpse of the elusive celestial ballet requires a lot of factors fall into place. Clear viewing conditions, a great vantage point and a lot of patience are a must to watch the lights dance at their most visible between September and April.
A cruise can boost your chances though as there are lower levels of light pollution at sea.
To maximise your chances of a northern lights sighting, you’ll still need to head for locations with the latitude to host nature’s best performance, and chances of a successful sighting soar on the remote Arctic region.
Forget shivering on city-side snowscapes as you are ferried to and from by coach, and instead float far from light pollution on a cruise, gliding past giant ice cubes on luxury vessels beneath the dramatic backdrop of the aurora borealis.
There may even be expert astronomers and photographers on board to help spot and explain the solar-powered magnetic storms and some cruise lines also offer a money-back guarantee if there are no sightings on your sailing.
With cruises bound for Norway, Iceland, Canada and Greenland chasing the cosmic wisps of purple and green, here’s our guide to the sailings primed for illuminated skies.
Celebrity: Greenland & Iceland
Reykjavik, Iceland – Isafjordur, Iceland – Akureyri, Iceland – Prins Christian Sund (cruising) – Qaqortoq, Greenland – Corner Brook, Newfoundland – Sydney, Nova Scotia – Halifax, Nova Scotia – Boston, Massachusetts
Departing from Reykjavik, which has its own Northern Lights Center where you can learn about the aurora borealis, this 13-night Celebrity Cruises sailing aboardCelebrity Silhouette visits Iceland, Greenland and Canada – all perfect vantage points en route to Boston, Massachusetts.
Onboard the recently refurbished ship, you can enjoy Silhouttes’ grass-filled Lawn Club deck where you can play Croquet, Bocce, golf putting, Blongo or Baggo.
Departs 15 August 2025. From £2,153pp.
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Saga: Northern Lights and Festive Delights
Portsmouth – Bergen – Alesund – Narvik – Trondheim -Åndalsnes – Stavanger – Bremen – Portsmouth
Departing from Portsmouth, this 18-night sailing aboard Saga’s Spirit of Discovery is timed perfectly for the northern lights season in the Norwegian fjords as well as the opening of the Christmas markets on stops in Copenhagen and Bremen.
The over-50s cruise line includes four excursions in its fares, such as a tour of the Art Nouveau buildings of Ålesund and a search for the northern lights in Narvik.
When you are not gazing at the sky, on-board entertainment will be provided by legendary ice skating duo Jane Torvill and Christopher Dean, alongside singer and soap star Claire Sweeney.
Departs 29 November 2025. From £5,299pp.
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P&O Cruises: Norwegian Fjords
Southampton – Stavanger – Olden – Innvikfjorden (cruise-by) – Nordfjord (cruise-by) – Alesund – Haugesund – Southampton
Avoid the airport with P&O Cruises on a seven-night sailing aboard Iona out of Southampton. You can experience the beauty of the Norwegian fjords by day and try to spot the northern lights at night.
On-board there are four swimming pools including an indoor one in the SkyDome for those looking to keep warm during the often wet and windy Norwegian winter. Passengers can also enjoy the sports court and card room or catch a film in the cinema.
The ship has its own gin distillery in collaboration with Devon’s Salcombe Gin and you can raise a glass before enjoying live music curated by Gary Barlow at the 710 Club.
Departs 6 September 2025. From £779pp.
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Read more: The best cruise ships you should travel on in your lifetime
Hurtigruten: The North Cape Line
Oslo – Stavanger – Ålesund – Rørvik – Svolvær – Tromsø – Honningsvåg – Alta – Narvik – Åndalsnes – Bergen – Kristiansand – Oslo
Hurtigruten has been cruising the Norwegian coast since 1893 so it knows a thing or two about finding the northern lights.
This North Cape Line voyage heads for the scenery and clear skies of Norway, visiting 13 ports in 15 days, and even crosses the Arctic Circle.
The captain and crew will keep an eye out for the northern lights and if they do not occur in sight of your ship during your voyage, Hurtigruten will give you a six-day southbound or seven-day northbound Coastal Express cruise for free.
Departs 21 November 2025. From £2,510pp.
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Havila Voyages: Round Voyage
Bergen – Kirkenes – Bergen
Havila Voyages only launched in 2022 but is already making waves in the Nordic region with its eco-friendly ships that can last on battery power for up to four hours
This 12-day sailing visits 34 ports on a round voyage from Bergen. Stops include the North Cape and the Arctic Circle.
You can enjoy the views on deck or from the comfort of the observation lounge as you gaze through the glass ceiling. The ship will even alert you if there is a chance to see the northern lights and there is a money-back guarantee if they don’t appear during sailings between October and March.
Departs 28 September 2025. From £1,405pp.
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Cunard: Norway and Northern Lights
Southampton – Trondheim – Tromso – Alesund – Hamburg
Sail with an onboard astronomer on this 10-night sailing aboard Queen Mary 2 with Cunard.
It includes overnight stays in Trondheim and Tromsø, boosting the odds of seeing the northern lights.
There is also the usual luxury entertainment and activities, such as white glove afternoon teas and a chance to relax in the spa before catching an evening show.
Departs 7 November 2025. From £1,599pp.
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Fred Olsen: In search of the Northern Lights
Portsmouth – Ålesund – Narvik – Bodø – Stavanger – Portsmouth
Kick off the new year in search of the northern lights with Fred Olsen, another cruise line that knows the region well as it has Norwegian heritage dating back to 1848.
The cruise brand was started in Oslofjord, Norway, in 1848 when three Olsen brothers, Fredrik Christian, Petter and Andreas, began an international shipping company and the fifth generation of the family has transformed it into an established line running sailings from the UK.
This 10-night round-trip from Portsmouth aboard the aptly-named Borealis has plenty of opportunities for star spotting and includes an opportunity to meet the local Arctic Sámi community in Narvik.
When not making use of the on-board pool, restaurants and bars, activities on the ship include learning more about the stars and the northern lights from the resident astronomers and there are talks from freelance photographer Don Wales on how to get the best pictures.
Departs 4 January 2026. From £1,399pp.
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Viking: In search of the Northern Lights
London Tilbury – Amsterdam – Norwegian Inside Passage – Narvik – Tromsø – Alta – Norwegian Inside Passage – Bergen
Passengers can hear from a resident Viking Cruises historian onboard as they search for the northern lights during this 13-day sailing from London Tilbury. Lecture subjects include the Vikings and the history of navigation.
Viking is also currently offering reduced airfares and one complimentary shore excursion in every port of call including kayaking in Tromsø or learning about the unique architecture of Bergen.
Departs 8 February 2026. From £3,990pp.
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Ambassador: Norway’s Land of the Northern Lights
Stavanger – Kristiansund – Trondheim – Tromsø – Alta – Hammerfest – Harstad – Narvik – London Tilbury
Ambassador markets itself as premium-value, providing a great way to search for the northern lights without breaking the bank.
This 16-night sailing aboard Ambience includes a stop in popular Alta, an aurora borealis hotspot. There is also a visit to Tromsø in the Arctic Circle.
Ambience is a mid-sized ship with capacity for 1,400 passengers, providing plenty of space on deck to get a decent view of the northern lights. Onboard, you can enjoy British-themed bars such as Raffles, card and craft rooms and West End quality entertainment in The Palladium.
The cruise line is also currently offering ‘buy one get one free’ fares and 20 per cent off drinks packages.
Departs 18 October 2026. From £1,379pp.
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When is the best time of year to travel for the northern lights?
The darker the sky, the more chance you have of seeing the northern lights.
This means the winter months can be the best time to travel as the nights are longer, giving you more hours of darkness.
Late September to early April are often described as peak viewing times.
Which location offers the best sightings?
The best locations to see the northern lights are in areas with low levels of light pollution.
You can get decent northern lights sightings in Scottish islands such as Barra and Lewis but the hotspots tend to be in the Arctic regions including Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Finland.
Tromsø in Norway, at the heart of the aurora zone, is a popular spot for sightings.
Fairbanks in Alaska also has high levels of aurora activity.
Can you see the northern lights from the ship
The open decks of a cruise ship can be an ideal place to see the northern lights as you will be surrounded by dark sky.
You may even get a decent vantage point next to a window in an on-board bar, while some ships may have telescopes and provide binoculars.
Listen out for announcements as some captains will inform passengers from the bridge when there is a sighting, plus some brands even offer another free cruise if there is no appearance of the northern lights during your sailing.
How can I get the best deal?
Brands such as Fred Olsen, Viking, HX, Hurtigruten and Havila specialise in northern lights and Norway sailings but you can also get decent deals with cruise lines such as Celebrity, Cunard and MSC Cruises.
You can search for deals on the websites of individual cruise brands or sign up for newsletters. Websites such as Seascanner or the MyKindofCruise app can also help search for northern lights cruises.
Read more: The best Norwegian fjords cruise holidays
