Northern Lights

On assignment: Northern Lights adventure

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The cruise team for StuckatTheAirport.com is on a bucket list assignment in Norway with Viking Cruises.

Much of our time has been spent sailing fjords, bundling up for late-night treks to dark spaces in search of the Northern Lights, and visiting small museums.

One of the favorite museum stops has been the Polar Museum in Tromso, Norway.

A bust of famed explorer Roald Amundsen is outside the museum. And one of the main stories told inside the museum is that of Amundsen’s life and work in the polar regions at the beginning of the 20th century. 

“With the passage of the Northwest Passage, the journey to the South Pole, and the overflight over the North Pole, Amundsen seriously put Norway on the map as a leading nation in the exploration of the polar regions,” the museum rightly boasts.

Among the many objects on view in the museum, these two stood out.

 Amundsen was the first to successfully navigate the North-West Passage by boat, on a voyage that lasted from 1903 to 1906. This razor was with him on that trip. Below is a taxidermy dog, one of at least 20 that was on that ship.

More snaps and stories from this adventure will follow.

Alaska Airlines’ unusual Northern Lights sale

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Aurora Borealis near Fairbanks, Alaska. Photo by Andy Witteman via Alaska Airlines

If you want to see the Northern Lights this winter, then the Alaska Airlines science-based sale should be of interest.

The sale runs through January 17 for flights between the Lower 48 and both Fairbanks and Anchorage through February 12. Discounts of up to 35% are being tied to the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute’s aurora forecast.

The more intense the Northern Lights forecast; the more flyers will save on flights.

“Everyone loves a lighter fare,” said Natalie Bowman, Alaska Airlines’ managing director, marketing and advertising, “This is just the start of how we’ll use dynamic data in the future to appeal to our flyers’ passions.”

Here’s how it works:

Alaska Airlines harnesses Northern Lights forecast data for bucket list trip

Through January 17, fares will be discounted daily up to 35% depending on the Kp-index forecast during the travel time period.

Scientists use the Kp-index to help predict how visible the Northern Lights might be. Alaska will discount fares based on aurora intensity:

  • 0 to 3 Kp = 15% off
  • 4 to 5 Kp = 20% off
  • 6 to 7 Kp = 25% off
  • 8 to 9 Kp = 35% off

Want to know more about the Northen Lights before you pack up and go? The University of Fairbanks has an informative webpage on the Aurora seasons that include a real-time Aurora Tracker.

Ready to bundle up and book? On Tuesday evening rates were 20% off, based on the Aurora Forecast.