Iglu Cruise has reported a surge in interest for Iceland, possibly sparked by recent sightings of the northern lights across the UK.
The cruise agency said Google Trends figures for searches made by Brits show a 40% year on year increase in cruises to Iceland during May.
Searches for “northern lights” increased by 9,900% compared to this time last year.
Dave Mills, chief commercial officer at Iglu Cruise, said: “Demand for Iceland has been growing steadily in recent years. The northern lights, the blue lagoon and Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach are just some of the world-famous sights to witness in Iceland.”
Iceland came top of the table for growth in searches this month among 24 European cruise destinations.
Greece was second in the table, with searches up by 32% compared to last year.
Mills said: “It is easily accessible, with regular flights to locations such as Athens, Rhodes and Corfu from many major airports.
“Part of the reason for this region’s continued popularity is that a cruise itinerary lends itself perfectly to Greek island hopping.”
Search trends for cruises to France are up by 16%, while searches for Spain cruises rose 14%.
Mills commented: “Demand for Spain is consistent year on year, with a huge number of different cruise types available all year round.”
Fifth on the table was Norway where searches for cruises increased by 9%.
Mills said: “The Norwegian fjords cruise season traditionally runs from May into September. More and more we are also seeing cruise itineraries dedicated to observing the northern lights that sail in the winter months, between November and March.”
Picture of northern lights in Iceland by Ken Phung/shutterstock.com