Winter Cruise in Norway: See the Northern Lights

Winter Cruise in Norway

Winter (Nov. to Feb.) is perhaps the most beautiful time to explore Norway´s coastline. Join us and discover landscapes covered in deep white snow reflecting polar twilight. Enjoy winter´s soft pastel colours during the day. It is also the best season to witness the northern lights!

Sailing along Norway’s coastline in winter is an indescribably beautiful experience. Pure white snow covers the landscape. The air is fresh, crisp and clear. Mountaintops silhouette against a backdrop of polar twilight, and clusters of cosy homes glow on the shoreline like fires in the distance.

While it may be the coldest of the Norwegian seasons, winter brings plenty of opportunities:

Witness the wondrous Aurora Borealis
Experience the magic of Norway´s white winter wonderland
Ride a snowmobile or dog sledge across the snowy tundra
See charming Christmas markets along Norway’s coast in late November and December

Travel to Norway during winter and experience true Arctic wildnerness - and the Northern Lights

The fantastic Northern Lights

Join us on an exploration of polar twilight that often also includes experiencing the elusive Aurora Borealis at night. Sailing with Hurtigruten, at sea and far away from light pollution, provides some of the best possibilities to view this magical celestial lightshow of ghostly green, red and dark purple.

Even regular daylight in the far north is remarkable. The low position of the sun renders beautiful subtle shades of light that reflect off the Arctic’s white surroundings.

Arctic winter wonder

Norway lights up during Christmas. Stroll the charming lanes and browse the stalls of traditional Christmas markets in coastal towns and cities in late November and December.

Follow in the footsteps of great explorers and venture out on North Cape while peering over the edge of the world. Or discover the splendid Arctic scenery and wonders of the far north during exciting shore excursions.

Excursions - dashing through the snow

Imagine crossing the snowy tundra on a snowmobile or sitting in a dog sledge behind a team of barking huskies. For those who prefer a more leisurely pace, there’s introductions to cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. These are just a few of the excursions Hurtigruten offer during winter.

Guide to the Northern Lights

Winter is peak Northern Lights season in Norway, which happens to be one of the best places in the world for aurora hunting.

And if you travel with Hurtigruten, we have a promise to you: We are 100% sure the Northern Lights will make an appearance on your 12-day Hurtigruten voyage.

But if they do not appear we will give you another 6 or 7-day Classic Voyage FREE OF CHARGE, so your Hurtigruten experience will be one with zero regrets.

Exquisite cuisine on board

As always, Hurtigruten takes full culinary advantage of sailing through one of the world’s most fantastic natural pantries.

The commitment to fresh food runs throughout the fleet - focusing on locally produced ingredients and as few transport miles as possible.

Many of the ingredients we use on board like fish and shellfish are, of course, sourced straight from the sea.

Read more about the food on board.

What to bring - packing for a winter cruise in Norway

It can get quite cold along the coast during winter, so we recommend you pack a thick winter jacket, hat, gloves, wool sweater, a scarf, winter boots with good grip, and pull-on spikes (for sale on board).

Experience real winter along the coast of Norway with Hurtigruten