Christmas Northern Lights Cruise with Fred. Olsen and Go Stargazing
Sunday 22nd December 2024 to Sunday 5th January 2025
Departing from Port of Southampton
White Star Way, Southampton, Hampshire, SO14 3GG
Embark on an Arctic wilderness expedition that promises an unforgettable encounter with the ethereal Northern Lights, adding a touch of enchantment to your festive season. This voyage is a celestial odyssey, where the brilliance of the Northern Lights takes centre stage, igniting the skies with their mesmerising dance.
As you gather to celebrate Christmas Day aboard the ship, every detail is meticulously attended to, allowing you to immerse yourself in the joy of the season. Yet, the Arctic’s allure beckons, and on Boxing Day, a maritime tradition awaits—the crossing of the Arctic Circle, a moment that lends an extra layer of enchantment to your journey.
Overnight stays in Tromsø and Alta offer an extended opportunity to seek out the Northern Lights. A celestial spectacle of unparalleled beauty, the dance of colours across the Arctic sky is an experience that transcends words.
Let the magic of the Northern Lights and the Arctic’s embrace envelop you on this extraordinary voyage.”
On this Northern Lights Cruise, you’ll be joined by an experienced astronomer from Go Stargazing for guided night sky tours under light pollution-free skies as part of Fred. Olsen’s Sky at Sea signature experience.
- Explore the night skies on deck with an astronomer from Go Stargazing.
- Learn how our ancestors interpreted the sky with a laser-guided tour of the constellations.
- Given the current high activity of the Sun (close to the ‘solar maximum’), it’s the best time to see the Northern Lights for several years. Displays may be intense and bright, especially if the skies are cloud-free!
- As this cruise encompasses a new Moon period, the skies will be at their darkest. It’s the best time for observing stars, including the Milky Way and the Aurora.
- We should notice that the stars in the northern part of the sky get higher up as we cruise north – by observing the famous pole star (which would be directly overhead at the north pole), we can work out our latitude!
- Saturn will be visible when the skies darken until it sets in the West late evening. Binoculars may allow viewing some of the planet’s Moons and famous ring system.
- Jupiter will shine bright and can be observed as soon as darkness falls. See the Moons of Jupiter using binoculars and watch how they change position in relation to the giant planet during the cruise.
- Mars will be visible towards the East from mid-evening, its bright colour making it unmistakable. The planet’s proximity to the Beehive open star cluster should look resplendent in binoculars.
- There are lots to see in the winter skies, including the constellations of Cygnus, Pegasus, Cassiopeia, Perseus and Taurus, all well placed for observing mid-evening; it’s a great time of year for stargazing.
- The recognisable constellation of Orion will rise from the East, its famous nebulae being easily visible to the naked eye and even better through binoculars.
- View the most distant object that can be seen with just your eyes — the Andromeda Galaxy. Our astronomer will show you how to find it using binoculars, a trick you can take home!
- If you are on the deck looking for Santa flying home to Lapland on Christmas morning, look towards the East for the elusive Mercury, which will be at its greatest elongation from the Sun.
- Shooting stars or meteors are always a possibility if the sky is clear! The Ursids meteor shower peaks on the first night of our cruise, although this is a minor shower producing 5-10 meteors per hour.
The map plots the course of this cruise. As you travel away from light pollution, a breathtaking canvas of stars unfolds above. The sky becomes a sanctuary of twinkling constellations, captivating stargazers with its celestial wonders. Guided by a Go Stargazing astronomer, you'll learn to navigate the skies and immerse yourself in their beauty.
Cruise organiser
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines is organising this cruise
Please contact Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines directly for more details regarding this cruise.
Email: [email protected]
Website: Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines
Twitter: @FredOlsenCruise
Facebook: Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines
Cruise booking
For full details on how to attend this cruise, including how to book, please see the cruise's official website.
Visit cruise websiteCruise darkness
The below chart shows if and when the skies will be at their darkest during this cruise. Moonlight is shown in light yellow and the Sun's twilight in light blue. Midnight on the date shown is shown as a white line with sunset to the left and sunrise the next morning to the right. A black background with stars shows the best times for stargazing.
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