Northern Lights Expedition Cruise from Dover – 15 days

Goodbye Blighty

All aboard at Dover! MS Maud is here, ready and waiting to bring you north to Norway´s magical landscapes on the hunt for one of nature’s greatest spectacles: The Northern Lights.

And Relax!

This day at sea gives you all the time you need to ease into your journey. You’ll definitely want to start enjoying onboard facilities like the hot tubs, sauna, and indoor gym. But you’ll likely also be striking up a camaraderie with the Expedition Team as well as other crew members and guests.

In the morning, you’ll get your first glimpse of the Norwegian coast as small islands and mountains appear on the horizon. We’ll leave the North Sea and enter scenic straits and fjords on our way to the Hanseatic city of Bergen. Depending on the weather when crossing the North Sea, we aim to arrive in Bergen in the afternoon. As our first port of call in Norway, and one of the country’s most picturesque cities, Bergen won’t disappoint.

We start the day with some scenic cruising into Nordfjord, passing Hornelen, Europe’s highest sea cliff, early in the morning. The fjord run offs from Jostedalsbreen, Europe’s largest mainland glacier, and flows west into the ocean just south of the Stadlandet peninsula.

Today you can spend time in the ship’s lounge, soaking in a hot tub, or out on deck. Whatever you do, don’t take your eyes off the scenery as we sail through Helgeland county and the thousands of islands of the lowland area. Pick out the peaks of the Seven Sisters mountain range, thought to be the petrified bodies of seven troll sisters caught out at sunrise. You’ll likely be amazed at Torghatten mountain too, with its distinct hole right through the middle. Local legend states that the mountain was in fact the troll-king’s hat which turned to stone when it was pierced through by an arrow.

There are just a few places on Earth where you can sail north of the Arctic Circle in wintertime. The Norwegian coast is one of them. The ship will officially cross over the Arctic Circle sometime in the morning. To mark the occasion in the tradition of Norwegian sailors, we’ll be inviting you out on deck for a special ceremony. Exactly what happens is something you’ll just have to find out on your cruise!

There are just a few places on Earth where you can sail north of the Arctic Circle in wintertime. The Norwegian coast is one of them. The ship will officially cross over the Arctic Circle sometime in the morning. To mark the occasion in the tradition of Norwegian sailors, we’ll be inviting you out on deck for a special ceremony. Exactly what happens is something you’ll just have to find out on your cruise!

Alta lies in the vast wilderness of Finnmark county, well above the Arctic Circle at 70 degrees north. Welcome to the turning point of your expedition and to one of the northernmost towns in the world with a population over 10,000. We’ll arrive here in the early afternoon and plan to stay past midnight to stargaze and watch for the aurora in Alta’s usually clear skies. The town is directly beneath the Auroral Oval, a zone known for consistent Northern Lights activity. If the heavens aren’t overcast, and the conditions are right, you might well be in for quite the show…

It’s time to explore Tromsø, capital of the Arctic. But before we do, we’ll be on the watch for humpback whales out on deck or in the Explorer Lounge. Families of these gentle giants are known to frequent the winter waters here, feeding on the abundant herring. The Expedition Team will also be on the lookout and alert you to any sightings.

In the morning, we dock into the picture-perfect fishing village of Reine back in the Lofoten Islands. This is where red-painted rorbuer cling to a string of islands beneath sharp granite mountain ranges. The 450-metre tall Reinebringen is one of the most distinctive peaks, particularly dramatic when layered with snow. The combination of setting and colour makes Reine one of the most photographed landscapes in all of Norway. You’ll be hoping the Northern Lights are active above the village when we are there, completing the composition of your own photo of this piece of paradise.

Part of being on an expedition is knowing how to enjoy the moment; taking time out to reconnect with nature and the world around you. So, settle into a sofa in the panoramic Explorer Lounge or soak in a hot tub out on deck, sit back and simply take in the serene scenery that rolls quietly by. We’ll be passing through the Vega archipelago today, made up of some 6,500 islands, islets, and skerries.

We welcome you to the little fishing village of Kalvåg, situated far out on the coastline with the open North Sea to the west. Its name literally means ‘Frozen Bay’ in the Old Norse. This probably gives you an indication that it isn’t always possible for our ship to make a landing here and that it does depends on the local weather and sea conditions at the time.

Your final day of exploration begins as we arrive at Mosterøyand Klosterøy in the morning, two of the myriads of islands that lie around the city of Stavanger. The islands are relatively exposed to the sea and so our going ashore here will be decided based on how kind the waves and wind are on the day.

Your expedition is fast coming to an end. By this stage of your journey, you’ll have made friends with your fellow explorers, finding that you have much in common in terms of your interests and passion for nature. You can spend time chatting with them over a snack at the bistro-like Fredheim, perhaps recalling the best moments of your expedition together. Enjoy drinks at the Explorer Bar while swapping friendly banter and stories of past adventures. You might even catch a couple of the crew and Expedition Team here too.

We pass the white cliffs of Dover during the early morning hours and dock at the city’s harbour. After a final breakfast, it’ll be time to say a fond farewell to the ship, the Captain, crew, Expedition Team, and your new-found friends.