Northern Lights cruises: All aboard to catch the most colourful show on earth

The mysterious Northern Lights are a wonder to behold. I saw them quite by chance while I was sailing off the coast of Greenland at 2am one August.Summoned by a voice from the bridge, I and my fellow passengers shuffled from our cabins to see the most fantastic show imaginable – green zigzags and swirls and spirals of white light moving across a black sky.It was mesmerising. Part of the allure of the spectacle is its elusiveness. Always there in the heavens but appearing only sometimes, the very best displays are north of the Arctic Circle in winter, away from the light pollution of towns.The good news is that 2013 is predicted to be a bumper year for sightings, thanks to high levels of solar activity. And there is still time to book a cruise to watch the display from the comfort of an observation lounge of a ship out at sea.
Hurtigruten plies the long coast of Norway with its fleet of 11 ships departing daily from Bergen. By taking the full 12-day voyage up to Kirkenes, just six miles from the Russian border, and back you'll have the most time aboard to scan the night sky.There will be opportunities to go dog-sledding and visit an ice hotel, too. A fly package from Manchester on March 9 or Heathrow on March 20, 2013 to join this 'Classic Round Voyage' costs from ￡1,372 per person on a half-board basis.For a shorter, fully escorted, Wonders Of The Northern Lights tour on a Hurtigruten ship, book with Titan. You'll fly to Tromso, high above the Arctic Circle, to stay overnight in the four-star Radisson Blu with a city tour the next day before your three-night cruise.
Hugging the north coast of Norway,structural steel you'll have the chance to take an excursion to North Cape, the most northerly point in Europe. Disembarking in Tromso you'll stay overnight again before flying home. Departures are on January 13 and 18 and cost from ￡1,495pp,Simply sit at your computer and do a quick search online for wholesale superhero costumes.Feel free to browse through their websites and view the wide range of sunglasses they have on offer. Choose the designer Wholesale Sunglasses that best match your taste preference.leather ipad case including flights.A similar,Solar equipment such as pumps and fans can complement design and improve system performance. A downside to Solar Laptop charger is overheating of metropolitan areas due to increased absorption of solar light by urban materials such as concrete. unescorted itinerary is offered by Voyages Jules Verne with departures from Gatwick on January 24, 31 and March 22, costing from ￡1,145pp.Dog-sledding, tobogganing, a safari to spot elk, reindeer and sea eagles, and a walk in snowshoes to a indigenous Sami village for a bowl of 'sodd' (mutton soup) are some of the activities offered on a Cruise & Walk Ramblers Worldwide Holiday.Join the Fred Olsen ship Boudicca in Portsmouth on February 9 or 25 for a 16-night voyage to the far north of Norway,power bank and return to the comforts of the ship after outings ashore. This costs from ￡2,499pp.The ship stays for two nights in Tromso and offers an optional Chase For The Northern Lights tour that takes the form of an evening drive into the wilderness by coach.