Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings isn't always known for its caviar dinners and complimentary Champagne. But to some wealthy cruisers, these luxuries could be synonymous with the company.
How To Plan A Memorable Norway Northern Lights Cruise In 2024
01.01.2024 - 21:07 / forbes.com
Planning a northern lights cruise to Norway in 2024 is expected to offer some of the best opportunities in years to witness one of nature's most spectacular displays.
One of our world’s most intriguing natural phenomena, colorful aurora borealis displays are caused by particles released by the Sun interacting with the Earth’s magnetic field. Either this year or next is expected to be the so-called ‘solar maximum’, when the Sun’s activity is at its strongest.
This is already evident in the more frequent and intense aurora displays visible in the northern skies. In the last months of 2023, the skies of Northern Norway were lit up with mesmerizing ribbons of green, purple, and pink, at a more intense level than usual. In fact, so powerful were the aurora displays that they were seen from remote parts of the English countryside.
Aurora hunting from a cruise ship offers many advantages over land-based tours. Firstly, the ship is always moving, so even if there’s thick cloud overhead things might look very different in just half an hour. Out at sea, cruise passengers are away from the artificial light of the cities, enhancing any potential aurora sighting.
Meanwhile, passengers can enjoy sightings of hardy winter wildlife and snow-dusted landscapes, providing a stark yet beautiful contrast to the delicate dance overhead.
Yet with winter weather and likely bone-chilling temperatures, there’s a lot to understand about northern lights cruises before you hand over your credit card.
First and foremost, it’s critical to understand what you’re actually going to see on a northern lights cruise. The expectation of hearing an announcement, peeking out of the door, and seeing the sky filled with vivid green isn’t a realistic one.
Photography is a big part of the reason here. Modern cameras are so much better at detecting light and especially color at night than the human eye. It can take many minutes for the human eye to adjust to ‘night vision’, and even then, color can be difficult for many people to distinguish.
Although cameras with a long exposure pick out the vibrant colors, many people complain that an aurora sighting looks milky, or in the cases of some weaker displays, like a cloud.
Yet the longer you spend watching a display unfold, the more you will appreciate the movement, and the pulsing colors. After a few minutes, you’ll begin to understand all the myths and legends that are linked to the aurora from various cultures around the world.
This means that to experience the aurora at its best, you’ll need to be prepared to wrap up warm and spend a long time outside in the dark. Of course, even then there is no guarantee you’ll see anything at all. If thick cloud hangs overhead, you’ll see nothing regardless
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