In Search of the Northern Lights

10 nights from £1,499pp departing Sunday 4th Jan 2026

Itinerary

Map

					Arrive	Depart
	4th04	JanJan	202626	Portsmouth, England, embark on the Borealis		Late PM
Portsmouth is one of the most densely populated cities in Southern England, and is unusual as most of its built-up area occupies Portsea Island, linked to the mainland by road and rail bridges. Although there is a Roman fort at nearby Portchester, occupied later by the Saxons and Normans, there was no settlement on the site of Portsmouth at the time of the 1086 Domesday Book. The town developed in medieval times and received its first charter in 1194 from King Richard I; soon afterwards it became a major naval base. It has the world’s oldest dry dock, and is home to several famous ships, including HMS Victory, HMS Warrior and the Mary Rose, raised from the Solent in 1982. Portsmouth remains an important naval base and is home to a large proportion of the British service fleet. The waterfront area is now dominated by the Spinnaker Tower, 560 feet high, the United Kingdom’s tallest building outside London. Other things to see in the city include the house where Charles Dickens was born, and the City Museum, which contains a permanent exhibition devoted to another famous writer, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who lived in the town.
	5th05	JanJan	202626	At Sea
	6th06	JanJan	202626	At Sea
	7th07	JanJan	202626	Ålesund, Norway	Early AM	Late PM
The coastal town of Ålesund is the commercial capital of the Møre og Romsdal district. But more important, it is noted for its characteristic Jugendstil (Art Nouveau) buildings, which some claim make Ålesund one of the most beautiful towns in Norway. This Art Nouveau style emerged when the town was completely rebuilt after a devastating fire in 1904 destroyed nearly 800 buildings and left 10,000 residents homeless. It is said that the fire started by a tipped oil lamp. Rebuilding was carried out with the help of many young, foreign architects who added their own flourishes to the architectural blend of German Jugendstil and Viking roots. Today, narrow streets are crammed with buildings topped with turrets, spires and gables that bear decorations of dragonheads and curlicues. As one of the few remaining Art Nouveau towns in the world, in 1998 Ålesund was awarded the coveted Houens National Memorial Prize for the preservation of its unique architecture.
	8th08	JanJan	202626	At Sea	Late AM	Late AM
	9th09	JanJan	202626	Narvik, Norway	Early AM	Late Night
At 68 degrees North, Narvik lies 140 miles inside the Arctic Circle. Its history as a settlement began in the Stone Age, and Vikings are also known to have lived in the area. The modern town came into existence in the 1870s to serve the needs of the iron industry. Iron ore is mined in neighbouring Sweden and, as an ice-free port, Narvik was chosen as the ideal export location. The LKAB mining corporation is still a major employer and landowner in the area, shipping some 25,000,000 tons of iron ore from the port annually. This industrial heritage has shaped the town and now forms the basis of some of its most popular tourist attractions. In 1883 a co-owned British-Swedish company was given permission to build a railway connecting the Swedish iron mines in Kiruna to Narvik. It opened in 1902 and the town, then christened Victoriahavn, grew up around it. Unfortunately much of Narvik was destroyed in World War II. Invaded by the Nazis on 9 April 1940, it was later retaken by the Allies, representing the first military defeat of Hitler’s troops, but was evacuated as part of Operation Alphabet when it came under German occupation again. The local war museum documents the turbulent history of this period.
	10th10	JanJan	202626	Bodø, Norway	Early AM	Late PM
The capital of Nordland is a peaceful city, but beneath the surface lies a fascinating and colourful military past. During the Cold War it was an important NATO base, stationing fighter jets to intercept Soviet naval vessels and aircraft. The situation culminated when Premier Kruschev threatened to destroy Bodø with nuclear weapons after a CIA U-2 spy plane bound for the city was shot down over the Soviet Union. You can learn more about the city's Cold War history at the Norwegian Aviation Museum, which is uniquely designed to resemble a biplane and houses an intact U-2 plane, a Spitfire, a rare Hønningstad C-5 polar seaplane and many other interesting exhibits. As well as its military heritage, Bodø boasts the world's strongest maelstrom at Saltstraumen, which attracts a host of visitors every year.
	11th11	JanJan	202626	At Sea
	12th12	JanJan	202626	Stavanger, Norway	Early AM	Early PM
Overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, Stavanger flourished in the 19th century as a fishing port. While other towns in Norway have suffered with the decline of this industry, Stavanger has kept its economy booming by diversifying, first into shipbuilding and now into oil. These two contrasting industries have created a city of two halves – a modern area of high-rise buildings and a historic centre with cobbled streets and old wooden houses. The city centre was the birthplace of Alexander Kielland, one of the great 19th-century Norwegian novelists. Stavanger Cathedral, dating from 1125, is an impressive building and the only medieval cathedral in Norway that has not been substantially altered since it was first built. From Stavanger you can explore the attractive blue waters of Lysefjord, surrounded by cliffs and striking rock formations, and also visit Hafrsfjord where the Viking King Harald won an important battle that started the Unification of Norway. Those preferring to explore on their own may wish to visit the interesting Petroleum Museum.
	13th13	JanJan	202626	At Sea
	14th14	JanJan	202626	Portsmouth, England, disembark the Borealis	Early AM
Portsmouth is one of the most densely populated cities in Southern England, and is unusual as most of its built-up area occupies Portsea Island, linked to the mainland by road and rail bridges. Although there is a Roman fort at nearby Portchester, occupied later by the Saxons and Normans, there was no settlement on the site of Portsmouth at the time of the 1086 Domesday Book. The town developed in medieval times and received its first charter in 1194 from King Richard I; soon afterwards it became a major naval base. It has the world’s oldest dry dock, and is home to several famous ships, including HMS Victory, HMS Warrior and the Mary Rose, raised from the Solent in 1982. Portsmouth remains an important naval base and is home to a large proportion of the British service fleet. The waterfront area is now dominated by the Spinnaker Tower, 560 feet high, the United Kingdom’s tallest building outside London. Other things to see in the city include the house where Charles Dickens was born, and the City Museum, which contains a permanent exhibition devoted to another famous writer, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who lived in the town.

Borealis

Launch Year

1997

Refit Year

2015

Tonnage

61,849

Capacity

1,360

Cabins

702

Accessible

The images shown are for illustration purposes only and may not be an exact representation of what you find on the ship.

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Holiday Summary

	10 nights aboard the Borealis
	Evening entertainment
	Tea & coffee facilities in cabin
	Welcome and farewell cocktail parties
	Drinks packages available
	Complimentary tea & coffee during the day and early evening.
	Daily on-board activities
	Port Taxes and Fees
	ABTA and ATOL Protection*

Interior staterooms from		£1,499pp
G	Superior Interior	£1,649pp
H	Interior Cabin	£1,599pp
I	Interior Cabin	£1,499pp
N	Single Interior	£2,499pp
M	Single Superior	£2,699pp

Oceanview staterooms from		£1,699pp
CO	Sup Ocean Fully Obst	£1,999pp
B	Superior Ocean View	£2,199pp
BD	Wheelchair Adapted
C	Superior Ocean View	£2,099pp
D	Ocean View Cabin	£1,899pp
E	Ocean View Cabin	£1,799pp
F	Ocean View Cabin	£1,699pp
FD	Wheelchair Adapted
K	Single Ocean View	£3,299pp

Balcony staterooms from		£2,699pp
TC	Terrace Cabin	£2,699pp
TCD	Wheelchair Adapted

Suite staterooms from		£3,299pp
PS	Premier Suite	£4,299pp
PSD	Wheelchair Adapted
BJ	Balcony Junior Suite	£3,299pp
BJD	Wheelchair Adapted
BS	Balcony Suite	£3,399pp
JB	Single Balcony Suite	£4,499pp
OW	Olsen Suite	£5,599pp