Witness The Iconic Northern Lights On This Cruise Line That Promises Views

For many of us, seeing the northern lights is on our travel bucket list. But unless you live near the Arctic Circle year-round, it will take some work and luck to see them. There are solar activity predictions, but there's no 100% guarantee when it comes to Mother Nature. When you have a limited time frame for your vacation, and you're booking far in advance, you may have to take the gamble that you could end up returning home disappointed. But there's one cruise line that's helping ensure that its passengers see the northern lights — Hurtigruten. The company is based in Norway, one of those destinations that give you a better chance of seeing those sometimes elusive northern lights. They will give you a free six or seven-night cruise with them if you don't see the northern lights.

Of course, there are some caveats. On their website, they outline the free cruise offer. You have to be on one of their 11-day or more cruises, it has to be the right time of year to see the northern lights (late September through March), and there can't have been any auroral activity visible from the ship in general — it can't just be that you didn't see the lights, they can't have happened at all.

Hurtigruten has been in business since 1893, and was originally created to help give Norwegians living along the coast better access to goods and more freedom of movement. Since then, they've expanded, and they have nine ships.  While some cruise lines have thousands of people on board, all of the Hurtigruten ships are for fewer than 500 passengers, allowing for a more intimate experience.

Their aptly named "Follow the northern lights" routes will give you a good chance of seeing those incredible dancing ribbons of light. Taking you along the coasts of Norway and Finland over two weeks between December and March, you should have lots of good viewing options. They have staff on the lookout, and they'll give a ship-wide announcement if the lights are out.

They also have an "Astronomy Voyage," which heads north into the Arctic Circle over the two-week voyage. So if you're looking for a chance to both see the northern lights and learn more about the cosmos from experts along the way, this would be a perfect fit. While seeing the lights might one of your main reasons for booking, you can also expect to marvel at the beautiful scenery throughout the day, along with all kinds of excursion options, like kayaking, museum visits, and cultural hikes.

Cruises in general are a particularly great place to see the lights, since you're far away from the ambient light of cities. There are some other ways that you can maximize your chances of seeing the northern lights on your cruise, even if it isn't with Hurtigruten. If you can't make it to Europe, Alaska cruises can be a great choice. Make sure to book for the winter months, as nights will be longer with more time to see the lights –  a voyage timed near the autumnal or vernal equinox may give you an even better chance.

Get an app on your phone that will alert you to the possibility of auroral activity in your area so you don't end up sleeping through the colorful spectacle. Keep in mind that you may get an alert but not see anything when you go outside. If so, take pictures with your phone — you might be able to see the sky lighting up that way since your phone camera is more sensitive than your eye.