Five natural wonders to enjoy from a cruise

By Lesley Bellew

What’s the best place to experience Mother Nature’s wonders? It has to be from a cruise ship, sailing into parts of the world that might otherwise be beyond your reach.

Cruise memories I cherish include dancing on the deck under the midnight sun in Norway; and in winter, huddling round a fire and drinking hot chocolate to brave below-zero temperatures, while the northern lights fluttered in the Arctic sky.

There have been scenic sailings, too, that have delivered great moments of awe: transiting Prince Christian Sound in Greenland, with icebergs, waterfalls, glaciers and mountains all vying for attention along the route, should be on everyone’s bucket-list.

All of these natural wonders can be experienced in the safe and comfortable environment of a cruise ship, or on a cruise excursion, with experts sharing their knowledge while guests witness extraordinary sights.

So, whatever natural wonders are on your wish-list, combining your adventure with the comfort of a cruise makes complete sense, especially when you can sail from UK without having the hassle of an airport, take as much luggage as you like and have a shared chauffeur to drive you door-to-door – which is all rather wonderful, too.

Here are my top five picks:

Magic of the Midnight Sun

The midnight sun’s pinkish-gold sky is totally mesmerising – and no matter how many times you have been told, or read, about Norway’s 24 hours of daylight in summer, it’s a totally surreal experience.

After an al fresco dinner you can walk around the Promenade Deck as the sea glitters under the soft, natural light or spill out of the lounge to dance with perhaps a glass of something sparkling to celebrate being at sea under the midnight sun.

It is not just the all-night-long views that are amazing – there are many unmissable daytime wonders to witness from a sightseeing cruise along Lysefjord for views of the 600-metre Pulpit Rock to sailing into the Lofoten Islands with and the most eye-wateringly stunning mountain scenery.

17-night Norway and the Midnight Sun cruise on Spirit of Adventure departs Dover on 19 June 2026.

Look for the Northern Lights

Clear, dark skies are needed for the greatest chance of viewing the northern lights and being on a cruise ship, away from light pollution, really helps up the odds.

Expect a real buzz of excitement when crossing the Arctic Circle as everyone around the ship will be talking about the aurora borealis – guests chat in the lift, during afternoon tea and in the spa wondering if they will be the lucky ones to experience a night-sky spectacular.

Your cruise ship takes guests to areas where local experts have predicted activity. An overnight call in Alta, above the Arctic Circle, gives extra time to find a prime position to watch the skies for solar activity.

The northern lights can sometimes be seen from the top deck of a ship or while touring on land. Each time the pulsating aurora will be completely different – some constantly glow and fade, while others appear like green silk scarves fluttering across the sky. There might be stronger shapes such as a bridge or even magenta and green curtains that appear to open and close.

Some cruises offer plenty more Arctic adventures including dog-sledding through the snow or meeting the Sami people to learn about their nomadic lifestyle in this frozen wonderland. You could even join a reindeer sledding excursion (which is much more gentle than the faster dog sledge rides).

17-night Northern Lights and Arctic Vistas cruise on Spirit of Discovery departs Portsmouth on 20 February 2027

Witness the Total Solar Eclipse

A cruise ship is a “front row” position for guests to the view the Total Solar Eclipse off the Moroccan coast, in August 2027.

Before reaching Gibraltar, sail to a prime spot for watching the solar eclipse off the Moroccan Coast. Once in Gibraltar, you can head to the Upper Rock where St Michael’s Cave features stalagmites and stalagtites formed over thousands of years ago.

Another highlight is the Isles of Scilly where guests take the ship’s tender to the sub-tropical Tresco Abbey Gardens to explore as part of the included tour. If there is free time, find the nearby The New Inn which serves a locally made rose geranium gin and Troytown Farm rose geranium ice creams. Small, but otherwise perfectly formed natural wonders.

16-night Portuguese Gems and the Solar Eclipse on Spirit of Adventure departs Dover on 25 July 2027

Wonders of the night skies

The sky’s the limit for stargazers on sailings to Funchal, Madeira, where an overnight stay in the port means time to stay out late to view the dark night skies.

The island’s low light pollution, high altitude and clear skies can provide a clear view of the Milky Way, constellations, galaxies, planets and star clusters.

With an expert pointing out the wonders of the galaxy expect to acquire a new appreciation for the beauty and grandeur of the universe.

By day, join wonderful tours to explore the verdant, mountainous island, wander in beautiful gardens or opt to explore the island by jeep.

There are four Saga sailings that include overnight stays in Funchal, Madeira:

• 14-night Best of the Canaries on Spirit of Discovery departing Portsmouth 6 December 2026
• 15-night Canary Island Wonders on Spirit of Adventure, departing Portsmouth on 7 December 2027
• 14-night Casablanca and Canary Island Duo on Spirit of Discovery, departing Portsmouth on 6 January 2027
• 15-night Canary Island Sunshine on Spirit of Discovery, departing Portsmouth on 20 January 2027

Greenland and Iceland Adventure

The best way, if not the only way, to experience the five-hour sailing through Prince Christian Sound is by cruise ship. It’s a spectacular journey, passing icebergs, glaciers, waterfalls and mountains along the 60-mile channel which separates Greenland from the Cape Farewell Archipelago.

This unforgettable experience starts by being out on deck at dawn to see red sun rise over the water and spending the rest of the day soaking up the mesmerising views.

Sailing along this spectacular waterway, there is little sign of life except for the tiny Inuit village of Aappilattoq, where 100 people live in colourful wooden houses perched on the edge of the water.

On reaching Greenland’s southernmost town Nanortalik (which means Place of Polar Bears) with a popular of around 1,000 inhabitants, cruise guests feel very far from home, especially when learning that the locals hunt for polar bears to feed their families.

Saga’s own Spirit of Discovery’s Greenland and Iceland Adventure in July 2027 also features the Land of Ice and Fire. Iceland is like nowhere else on earth and from the capital, Reykjavik, a Golden Circle tour gives guests the opportunity to witness the most extraordinary sights from beautiful Thingvellir National Park to Geysir Strokkur, an active fountain geyser, and Gullfoss Waterfall, a two-tier 32-metre-high waterfall on the Hvítá river.

19-night Greenland and Iceland Adventure on Spirit of Discovery departing Dover on 27 July 2027