Travel and leisure
Cruises
The ultimate cruise experiences
When we asked our customers for their most memorable cruise highlights we didn't anticipate such an enthusiastic response. But you responded in your thousands
We almost gave you too much choice: how could you possibly decide between meeting Easter Island's ancient stone guardians or sailing around the Cape of Good Hope to be greeted by Table Mountain and the city of Cape Town sprawled beneath?
But you rose to the challenge and from a list of 46 spectacular cruise experiences you, our Saga customers, picked your ten favourites.
In the top ten, one country stood out - Norway. Customers were keen to highlight cruises which took in the awe-inspiring scenery of Norway, from stunning fjords to cruising under the midnight sun. Here, Mary Blain talks about that unique aspect of Norway's beauty, the Northern Lights.
One of the best ways to experience the magical Northern Lights is on a cruise around Norway. During the day you can weave close to shore and take in the glorious coastal scenery. In the evening, the glimmering lights of picturesque towns reflect in the water, and if you're lucky you may see the Aurora Borealis.
In Lapland, Kaamos is the special word for the polar night or winter darkness. This is the indigo blue of a star-studded sky where just a suggestion of daylight shimmers below the horizon. In this unsullied environment you are perfectly placed for seeing the amazing Northern Lights which illuminate the arctic and sub-arctic region.
This natural phenomenon varies in intensity and duration from just minutes to sometimes hours. Sightings cannot be guaranteed but there can be up to 200 displays a year. The Northern Lights appear when solar wind particles collide with air molecules in the earth's atmosphere, an occurance which generates up to 1,000,000 megawatts of electricity that is then transferred into light – varying from glowing layers of greenish yellow lights dancing in the distance to an array of reds, greens, blues and violets stretching across the sky. These celestial displays dance like curtains billowing in the wind and have inspired countless artists and poets, myths and legends.
Of course there's more to see in Norway than the night sky. In the town of Alta, where the world's first Northern Lights observatory was established in the 19th century, you can also enjoy a range of winter adventures and activities, including snowmobile safaris and reindeer racing at a Sami village where you can learn more about the Sami people, the lives of the herders and the importance of the reindeer to this area.
Heading out into the darkened landscape, you can experience dog-sledding in the Arctic wilderness. The silence of the forest appears even more pronounced in the darkness and makes the experience of waiting for a glimpse of the famous Northern Lights all the more memorable.
Travelling further south you arrive in Troms, once the headquarters of seal and walrus hunters and a starting point for Arctic expeditions. At the Troms Museum and the Arctic Cathedral you can find out more about the cultural and historical backdrop of one of Norway's oldest towns, and there is also a cable car up Mount Storsteinen which is well worth the journey.
Continuing along the coast to Molde, known as the 'Town of Roses', visitors will discover a tranquil region of breathtaking scenery that enticed the writer Ibsen to make his home there. From Molde there is also a popular excursion to Trollstigen which follows the hairpin bends of the 'Troll Path' through a dramatic mountainous landscape.
Other highlights of the Norwegian coast include the hamlet of Olden on the edge of Nordfjord, a region of incredible natural beauty, and Flam, from where you can board a train for a thrilling excursion on the Flam Railway along some of the world's steepest tracks - up to 1:18 gradient in places.
