Holland America Line will operate four Arctic voyages in October and November 2026, giving guests extended opportunities to see the northern lights during a period of heightened solar activity.
The Arctic Journey & Northern Lights itineraries aboard Rotterdam and Nieuw Statendam combine long hours of darkness at sea with overnight and extended port calls in northern Norway.
Prime conditions for aurora viewing
Scientists say increased solar activity is contributing to some of the strongest aurora displays seen in more than a decade.
Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of California San Diego, Adam Burgasser, said the coming northern autumn and winter offered particularly favourable viewing conditions.
“We’re currently in a period of heightened solar activity, making this one of the best times in years to see the northern lights,” he said.
Holland America Line says guests can experience more than 30 hours of darkness while docked in Arctic Norway on October departures and almost 60 hours during November sailings.
When combined with time at sea, travellers could have approximately 65 to 80 hours of darkness across a four-day period.
Extended stays in Tromsø and Alta
The voyages include extended visits and overnight stays in Tromsø and Alta, two of Norway’s leading aurora-viewing destinations.
Depending on the itinerary, guests can spend up to 36 hours in Tromsø and 30 hours in Alta, allowing time for daytime exploration and evening northern lights excursions.
Available experiences include a visit to a mountaintop aurora camp near Alta, guided photography and storytelling sessions, Sámi cultural encounters, reindeer activities and boat trips through the fjords surrounding Tromsø.
Guests can also register for onboard wake-up calls when the northern lights are visible, helping them take advantage of sightings during long stretches at sea.
Four departures in 2026
The Arctic Journey & Northern Lights program includes:
- Rotterdam: 14-day voyage from Rotterdam to Amsterdam, departing 4 October 2026
- Nieuw Statendam: 15-day voyage from Dover to Rotterdam, departing 16 October 2026
- Nieuw Statendam: 14-day round-trip voyage from Rotterdam, departing 17 October 2026
- Nieuw Statendam: 14-day round-trip voyage from Rotterdam, departing 7 November 2026
