What’s it really like?

Surreal. That’s probably the best word to describe your first glimpse of sun at a time when you should be sleeping. And combined with a healthy dose of jet lag, you may feel a little loopy. It might sound counterintuitive to wear your sunglasses at night (unless you’re Corey Hart), but you’re going to need a good pair of shades. Your eyes may be sensitive to the constant brightness. And, while the curtains on ships in this region are generally excellent, light sleepers should pack an eye mask.

When you do finally convince yourself to get some shut-eye, it will feel like you’re going down for a short snooze versus a full night’s sleep. You can kiss your Circadian rhythm goodbye (you know, your body’s internal clock that senses when it’s time to wake up and when it’s time to go to sleep). While you probably won’t completely adjust by the end of your trip, the prospect of going to bed while the sun is up does get easier after a few days.

The constant light is an invitation to explore, meaning you’ll find yourself up later than you should be to, say, attend a midnight concert in Tromsø's Arctic Cathedral. For the people who live in this corner of the world, the Midnight Sun is an opportunity to get outside and enjoy nature (remember, it’s completely dark here for two months in the winter, and very cold). So it’s the perfect time of year for a hike along a glacier or a kayaking trip.