Holland America sets a course to showcase the Northern Lights

With scientists reporting that with Earth currently experiencing heightened solar activity, the coming fall and winter seasons are among the best times to see the Northern Lights.

And to help travellers maximize their chances of witnessing the aurora, Holland America Line is sailing a series of Arctic Journey & Northern Lights voyages aboard Rotterdam and Nieuw Statendam in October and November 2026.

On those sailings, passengers can experience more than 30 hours of darkness while docked in Arctic Norway on October departures and nearly 60 hours on November sailings. When combined with time at sea, that grows to approximately 65 to 80 hours of darkness over a four-day period, creating exceptional opportunities to view the northern lights.

Highlights include extended calls and overnight stays in Tromsø and Alta, two of Norway’s premier northern lights destinations. Depending on the itinerary, guests can spend up to 36 hours in Tromsø and 30 hours in Alta, creating opportunities to experience the aurora ashore through a variety of activities and excursions. Guests can immerse themselves in Sámi culture, enjoy reindeer experiences and join guided northern lights adventures designed to maximize viewing opportunities.

Holland America Lines’ Arctic Journey & Northern Lights departures for 2026 include:

• Rotterdam — 14-Day Arctic Journey & Northern Lights, Rotterdam to Amsterdam, departing Oct. 4, 2026
• Nieuw Statendam — 15-Day Arctic Journey & Northern Lights, Dover (London) to Rotterdam, departing Oct. 16, 2026
• Nieuw Statendam — 14-Day Arctic Journey & Northern Lights, roundtrip Rotterdam, departing Oct. 17, 2026
• Nieuw Statendam — 14-Day Arctic Journey & Northern Lights, roundtrip Rotterdam, departing Nov. 7, 2026

For more, go to www.HollandAmerica.com .