«
CRUICE NORTH 2014
27
Steady course for
winter cruise
The reason for this growth is the fact that
there are no other places in the world as
far north as this where one can travel on
a safe and comfortable winter cruise right
up to 71 °N and still sail in ice-free and
safe waters.
Bodø, Narvik, Sortland, Tromsø, Alta
and the entire voyage up to the North
Cape received calls from four different
British shipping lines in February and
March 2014. This accounts for a total
42 cruise calls. “However, the important
thing is not the number of calls, but
the number of days and nights the
cruise ships spend at the various cruise
destinations,” says Managing Director
of Cruise Northern Norway and Svalbard
(CNNS), Erik Joachimsen.
When P & O’s “Oriana” visited Northern Norway with
nearly 2,000 passengers on board in February and
March 2014, this was a milestone for winter cruising in
the region. She is namely the largest ship to ever visit
the northernmost part of Europe in winter. Now, more
cruise lines are sailing northwards.
The Hunt for the Northern Lights
What makes cruise lines sail all the
way up to latitude 70 °N in the middle
of the winter, facing darkness and cold
weather?
There are lots of other warmer and
sunnier places to call at during this time
of the year. The answer is: The Northern
Lights or Aurora Borealis. This natural
phenomenon has been a magnet for
adventurous tourists in recent years,
and the interest has skyrocketed.
Visiting the Arctic to chase the
Northern Lights is now regarded as “the
next thing to do”.
The Northern Lights have become the
unique selling point for winter cruising
in the north. This natural phenomenon
is not as accessible in any other parts of
the world as it is in the north of Norway.
All ports are situated in the “Aurora
zone”, where magnetic fields play with
the energy from the atmosphere.
EXOTIC AND PROFITABLE
“Fortunately, our destinations have a
wide range of shorex alternatives and the
capacity to give all the passengers exotic
and unique experiences.”
The passengers are willing to pay well
for experiences that fall into the “once in
a lifetime” category. The likelihood that
the passengers will return is low, although
there is no doubt some passengers will
return to the region.
The sale of shore excursions during
winter calls is very high, and far above
the figures for ordinary summer cruises.
Winter cruise is profitable because it is a
“once in a lifetime” experience.
“The passengers are willing to pay more
per shorex, simply because it’s very exotic
and because it feels much safer to buy
an organized tour when moving around
in the dark and cold. The passengers also
have plenty of time since there are several
overnight calls. They take the opportunity
to buy several shore excursions during the
calls,” says Henriette Bismo Eilertsen of
North Adventure in Alta.
Most of the remaining cruise
destinations in Northern Norway are
now working to be in a position to supply
winter adventures under a joint umbrella:
“Chasing the Northern Lights”.
Bodø, which had not previously had a
winter cruise call, received its three first
winter calls in 2014. The North Cape is
also a newcomer in winter cruise traffic.
Moreover, Narvik and Sortland
(Vesterålen) are both experiencing
increasing demand from the cruise
Facts:
Aurora Borealis
– The Northern Lights
An aurora is a natural light display in the sky, particularly in the Arctic and
Antarctic, caused by the collision of energetic charged particles with atoms in
the high altitude atmosphere. In northern latitudes, the effect is known as the
Aurora Borealis. Auroras seen near the magnetic pole may be high overhead,
but from farther away, they illuminate the northern horizon as a greenish glow
or sometimes a faint red. Discrete auroras often display magnetic field lines or
curtain-like structures, and can change within seconds or glow unchanged for
hours, most often in fluorescent green.
