Viking Cruises - Search For The Northern Lights
Photo of the Northern Lights we took on our Tromso excursion!
Seeing the Northern Lights has always been on our bucket list and there really is no better way than experiencing it from the comfort of a luxurious Viking Cruise ship!
We chose to go in March in the Arctic Circle in Norway as that part of the year had historically high levels of Northern Lights activity combined with a good chance of clear skies. It was also the last opportunity to partake in some winter activities before the warmer spring weather.
Luckily, the weather mostly cooperated with us - apart from some windy conditions on the ocean, we were treated to a spectacular Northern Lights show and many blue sky days!
Here is a complete review of our Viking Cruise experience, from start to finish:
Cruise Itinerary
Day 1: London
We decided to arrive a couple of days early and explore the wonderful city of London. Staying in the center of the city at Covent Garden, it felt like walking through a movie set while we strolled through the elaborately decorated streets.
The Tube Underground is easy to use if you have Apple Pay - just swipe your phone at the gates!
Highlights include:
Big Ben
Tate Modern
Tower Bridge
Trafalgar Square
Oxford Street
Oh, and if you like Indian food, you absolutely must go to Dishooms!
Day 2: Sail the North Sea
And off we go!
The first day at sea is always a great time to explore and familiarize yourself with the ship.
For chillout areas we absolutely recommend checking out the Explorer’s Lounge, the indoor pool recliners facing the sides of the ship, the infinity pool at the rear of the ship, or the Library with the big recliner chairs.
The Nordic Spa area is one of our favorite parts of the ship with its ice room, sauna, and hot tub.
It’s also a good time to check out the Daily Schedule to see if there are any interesting activities. We loved attending the excellent talks in the Star Theater. On this day, there was a great talk about the Northern Lights!
Day 3: Lerwick, Scotland
Unfortunately, it was too windy for us to dock at Lerwick, so we had to sail past this port. We were very much looking forward to it because last time we were in Lerwick (pictured above) we saw plenty of Shetland ponies and puffins!
A side benefit is that we got to spend more time in the sauna and infinity pool!
Day 4: Sail the Norwegian Sea
I started to set a morning schedule which looked something like this:
Wake up early at 6 am
Use the spectacular and well-equipped gym
Get a double shot espresso w/ milk at the 1st-floor bar
Head up to the top deck to watch the sunrise
In the afternoon, we made sure to swing by Wintergreen for their lovely afternoon tea experience!
Day 5: Bodo, Norway
As much I loved the beautiful Viking ship, I was looking forward to exploring some of Norway! Unfortunately, there was too much wind to let us dock safely in Bodo, so that meant yet another sea day!
I attended another informative talk in the Star Theater and spent more time in the sauna!
Day 6: Tromso, Norway
Located inside the fjords and away from the windy conditions of the open sea, we were able to dock safely in Tromso!
It was so nice to be able to disembark and walk around on stable ground. We were also blessed with blue skies so we made it a point to walk around town a bit. Since it was Sunday, many stores were closed except for this tiny bar that also served reindeer hot dogs!
We continued to have good luck with the weather as the Northern Lights only is visible to people on the ground if there are no clouds. So during one of the Viking excursions that night we saw an explosion of color in the skies over Tromso for over three hours!
It was one of the most amazing things we’ve ever experienced - our guide kept saying that we were lucky to see such a sustained display of color!
A quick reality check on the Northern Lights though - the picture above is a long exposure (10+ seconds) where in reality it looks closer to a pale green cloud that is dancing around in the sky.
Day 7: Tromso, Norway
It started snowing super hard this day and as we never really get a good snowfall in San Francisco, we had some fun walking around town and throwing snowballs at each other!
It was also the first time I’ve put on my full snowboarding gear for quite some time! I can confirm I was toasty and my gear is still waterproof!
Day 8: Alta, Norway
Today we docked in Alta and we were very excited because that meant we were going to go snowmobiling in the Norwegian forest and then explore the amazing Ice Hotel!
The snowmobiles were pretty fun to drive as were drove around the snowy forests for about an hour. I was hoping to go a bit faster and do some ‘off-roading’ but this was geared towards beginners so the pace was nice and slow. Still fun though!
Next, we had about an hour to walk around the Ice Hotel which is constructed in the winter and has rooms you can stay in overnight! Some of the themed rooms were elegantly designed, all in ice of course. There was even an Ice Bar where you get drinks served in ice cups. We didn’t stay overnight though, it looked too cold and the beds in the ship are very comfortable! :)
Day 9: Alta, Norway
Another exciting day since we booked an excursion to visit a Husky sledding camp! On our visit, we learned that the dogs being bred here were world-class and that 14 of them were currently racing in the famous Iditarod race in Alaska!
When it came time for a ride, we sat on slender wooden sleds and were pulled by six energetic Alaskan Husky Dogs! It was a very peaceful ride and along the way, the Husky Driver explained about the training and lives of the dogs. It was pretty neat to see the dogs speed up and slow down or go left and right depending on the driver’s commands.
Afterward, the main trainer took us inside to show us the current location of their racer in the Iditarod race based on the official website. She was about halfway through and in a good position to finish in the top 10!
We had some extra time after that to play with the husky dogs - they were all so well behaved and adorable!
Day 10: Narvik, Norway
Another city full of interesting outdoor excursions, the main draw here is the Polar Park where you can see Arctic Wolves, Polar Bears, Lynx Cats, and many other types of animals rarely seen in warmer climates.
We were pretty tired from the past couple of days so we just rested on the ship in our favorite areas - the infinity pool and the indoor sauna!
Day 11: Sail the Norwegian Sea
This was one of our last sea days and it was a bit rocky from the ocean waves, so we hung out on the lower decks to minimize our seasickness. This is a good time to remind everyone to bring motion sickness pills as you never really know if the open ocean will be calm or not.
Day 12: Bergen, Norway
The second-largest city in Norway and home to the UNESCO port area of the historical Hanseatic League - we loved the colorful and iconic townhouses on the water. They are an easy 10-minute walk from where the boat docks, so make sure to check them out!
Being a larger city, we appreciated the plentiful food, shopping, and entertainment options. There was a lovely outdoor market right on the docks with fresh jam, sausages, fish, and other local artisanal products.
There is also a big mall called Galleriet where you can find many shops as well as check some local products at the big grocery store in the basement. If you go, make sure to try some of the Røros cultured butter - it’s very delicious, rich, and soft due to its high-fat content.
Afterward, we had a last dinner at Manfredi’s on the ship and then left our luggage out in the hallway for delivery on the docks the next morning.
Day 13: Bergen, Norway
Time to say goodbye! We left our staterooms at 8 am and had a nice, orderly disembarkment at the docks. From there we walked to our hotel near the UNESCO port at the Radisson Blu. It was one of the most comfortable hotels we’ve stayed in - totally recommended!
Since we were staying overnight, we needed to get a COVID-19 antigen test to return back to the USA. We went to the Klinik Sperro to get it done - it was very fast and done in under 30 minutes.
The next morning we took a cab to the airport for around $40 USD. It’s possible to take an airport bus or rail for a bit cheaper, but since our flight was very early in the morning, the cab was the only option.
Pre-Trip Experience
Once you book your cruise - you can check out all the excursions, daily itinerary, and make spa/meal reservations on My Viking Journey.
Make sure to download and install the Viking Journey app on your phone to use while on the ship. I found it very useful to see the daily ship schedule, make reservations, and see the excursions.
I recommend booking airfare through Viking as they are able to find great deals and it’s just easier to let them handle the travel details, in case changes need to be made.
Another reason to book with them is that round trip transfers to and from the airport are included.
On Board Experience
Our ship was the Viking Venus, built in 2021, it still had that brand new car smell!
Like all the other ocean class ships, the Viking Venus is very spacious and luxurious with interesting artwork displayed throughout the ship.
Some of our favorite parts of the ship:
Heated Infinity Pool at the back of the ship - especially beautiful when sailing amongst the ice-capped fjords
Nordic Spa - the ice room, sauna, and hot tub
The recliners facing the ocean next to the indoor pool - perfect for zoning out and reading a book on those sailing days
1st-floor bar - I loved getting a double shot espresso with milk and a Boston Cream Donut every morning
Star Theater - there are interesting talks given each day by specialists in the field. On our ship, we had a Ph.D. giving talks on nature and an astrophysicist giving talks on the Northern Lights.
A birthday gift the crew left in our room!
But most importantly, the best part of any Viking experience is the amazing crew! The dining room waiters always remembered our names and the drinks we typically ordered while the daily room cleaners were over-the-top friendly and were so detail-oriented! It was pretty hard re-adjusting to ‘normal’ life after the cruise was over as the crew pampered each guest to the max!
Room Tour
Viking staterooms are known to be quite comfortable and spacious, and ours came as advertised!
The room had a comfortable king-size bed, plenty of closet space and drawers to pack away all your clothing, a large couch and working desk area, and an airy balcony to take in the refreshing Nordic air.
The bathroom, complete with heated floors, a large shower, and plenty of space was better than other cruise bathrooms I’ve been on.
There are both European and USA power outlets scattered throughout the room along with plenty of USB ports.
We also loved the generously sized flat-screen TV that we used all the time to check out the daily schedule, watch entertainment, and to see the live shows in the Star Theater.
There’s also an in-room refrigerator full of soft drinks, beer, and snacks - which get refilled daily for free during the room cleanings.
Oh and your room gets cleaned up to three times a day which includes your bed getting made, all your clothes folded, and everything cleaned to a sparkling shine! I have to admit after this trip, it was hard going back home and having to make my own bed every morning!
Meals
The steak at Manfredi’s
If you’re worried about the quality of food on cruises, you don’t have to fret when it comes to Viking since they have some of the best food I’ve tasted on a cruise!
World Cafe
Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner - we loved heading to this buffet-style restaurant with amazing views from all sides. They consistently had delicious food from all parts of the world, with my favorite being the Indian food, usually at lunch.
If you like seafood, at dinner there were always steamed king crab legs, freshly made sushi, and on various days there were scallops, soft shell crabs, British style Fish n Chips, Norwegian Salmon, Lobster, and much more.
The dessert station at the World Cafe was always a hit with a great collection of freshly made pies, tarts, cookies, and a rotating selection of delicious gelato.
Manfredi’s
Only open for dinner, this is one of the best places to eat on the ship if you want a fancier meal. It’s an Italian-inspired menu with plenty of standouts!
Our favorites were:
Caprese Salad - hard to beat tomato, mozzarella, and basil!
Asparagus with poached egg and polenta - a great way to get some greens in
Bistecca Florentina - one their most popular dishes, this ribeye steak is tender, delicious, and full of flavor
Capellini Scampi - another great pasta dish - its buttery, lemony and has big pieces of shrimp
Grilled Asparagus - perfectly grilled asparagus, we usually ordered 3x on one plate
Tiramisu - probably our favorite dessert on the ship!
Nutella Panna Cotta - the second favorite dessert on the ship!
Mamsens - If you love waffles, this is the place to go! They make the waffles fresh and top them with fresh berries, whipped cream, and Norwegian brown cheese. I called this my ‘second breakfast’, as we found ourselves here an hour after breakfast almost every day.
Chef’s Table - This special restaurant serves a five-course tasting menu that changes every three days. On our cruise, they specialized in British food, Asian food, and Norwegian food. We preferred the menu items at the other restaurants, but your own mileage may vary!
The Restaurant - this is another sit-down restaurant serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They serve similar items to the World Cafe, but in a more formal setting. We went once or twice on ocean days as it was on a lower deck and better for motion sickness. Otherwise, we preferred the casual digs of the World Cafe more.
Room Service - one of the highlights of any cruise is getting food delivered to your room at all hours right? Viking does a great job with this and although we thought we’d use it more - we definitely loved the delicious guacamole and chips, NY Steak and fries, and Burgers we got at 3 am in the morning!
Excursions/Tours
At each stop, there was a selection of excursions. Most were paid excursions but with all Viking cruises, there was always a free excursion at each stop.
The free excursions are usually bus tours around the area lasting between 2-5 hours, depending on how far they drive you.
On this trip, the excursions we decided to pay for were the Northern Lights Bus Hunt, Snowmobiling / Ice Hotel, and Husky Sledding.
We didn’t do any of the free excursions on this trip as we chose to walk around town on foot, but plenty of the cruise guests did the free excursions.
All in all, the excursions were well organized with knowledgeable and friendly hosts - I’d recommend both of the paid and free excursions for sure!
Ocean Cruises vs River Cruises
As we’ve done both Ocean and River cruises, here’s our breakdown of the differences:
Ocean Cruise:
Much more space with nicer amenities such as the infinity pool, a large modern gym, the Ice Room/Sauna, and more sitting areas
Fancier dining options such as Manfredi’s Restaurant and Mamsen’s
Open sea means a higher chance of motion sickness, but the sunrises and sunsets are simply incredible
Can’t dock in small areas, so you’ll mostly be visiting areas along the ocean side.
Sometimes there’s a line to disembark with the sheer number of passengers on board.
River Cruise:
A smaller, more intimate setting where you’ll have a higher chance of socializing with other guests.
Rivers are more stable, so you don’t have to deal with seasickness
Opportunity to dock in smaller spaces, so there’s a higher chance of being close to the center of the city.
Fewer amenities compared to the ocean cruise boats - for example, our river cruise in Russia didn’t have a gym, sauna, or pool.
Easier to disembark with fewer people on board
Best Ocean Cruises
Just in case you can’t decide, here are some of our best picks for Viking Ocean Cruises. We found that these represented a good slice of the world:
Southeast Asia - If you’ve always wanted to see this exotic part of the world in a luxurious way, definitely go with this cruise.
Into the Midnight Sun - A similar itinerary to the Northern Lights cruise, this one is done in a warmer part of the year where you can really explore each port without fear of the elements. Plus, you get to see the amazing Midnight Sun! Check out our review of the Midnight Sun cruise here.
Mediterranean Odyssey - A timeless itinerary exploring some of the best parts of the Mediterranean!