Is a Cruise the Best Way to See Iceland? Yes! Here's Why
It's no hyperbole, Iceland is one of the most jaw-dropping countries in the world. Just shy of the Arctic Circle, Iceland boasts a dramatic landscape of deep fjords, spectacular waterfalls and colossal glaciers that are easy to access from the ocean. If you're considering a vacation around Iceland, you might be wondering if a cruise is the best way to do it.
Small-ship, mainstream, luxury and expedition — every type of cruise line offers Iceland circumnavigations or partial circumnavigations, designed to showcase the island's epic wildlife and awe-inspiring geothermal activity. But is it the best way to go around this country that's roughly the size of Kentucky?
Spoiler alert: Yes, and here’s why we think so.
A Cruise Lets Someone Else Do the Navigating
One of the most popular ways to get around Iceland is by a road trip on the country’s famed Ring Road. But, if you're traveling in Iceland by car, driving potentially thousands of miles, you're not always going to be soaking in the scenery, since your focus will be on the road (and in Iceland, these can be very hard to pronounce).
On a cruise around Iceland, you can leave the navigation to someone else –the ship's Captain and officers –leaving you to take in gorgeous sunsets, scan for whales in the cool waters and marvel at the thrilling geological wonders of this magnificent country.
Vacation time is precious and a cruise offers the chance to maximize every day in a port with ships mostly sailing overnight. If you drive around Iceland, much of your time is, naturally, spent behind the wheel.
Not only that, but cruise ships offer an abundance of luxuries. Think treatments at the spa, some with plush thermal facilities, sophisticated bars and lounges and delicious food that often taps into local produce, offering travelers a far more comfortable way of going around Iceland. When you roadtrip around Iceland, you’re often limited to a guesthouse that may have a menu with only one or two options.
A Cruise Around Iceland Helps You Better Estimate Your Costs
Iceland is not the cheapest destination, and when you travel on land, costs for food, hotels and excursions can really add up. Particularly once you leave Reykjavik and are on the Ring Road, accommodations can be scarce, and expensive for what you get.
On a cruise, the main costs for your room and main dining room food are included in the fare. You can also choose to pre-pay items such as Wi-Fi, drinks and gratuities (just watch out for any hidden costs you might incur).
Unpack Just Once On a Cruise Around Iceland
A cruise also means you will only need to unpack and pack once during your vacation — unpacking when you arrive in your cabin and repacking before disembarking. If you travel around Iceland on land, chances are you'll book several lodgings in different locations that will require you to pack and unpack several times, too (especially since Iceland's weather often requires wet weather gear). And who needs that hassle on vacation?
Cruise Lines Offer Expert Destination Guides, Enrichment & Entertainment
From daily destination talks and insightful lectures on wildlife and photography, to live folk singers and themed movie nights, a cruise offers an enriching schedule of daily activities and entertainment onboard.
There might be yoga and morning stretch classes, and a fitness center for daily workouts. Some expedition and luxury lines are also equipped with Zodiacs and kayaks, plus high-tech photography equipment and libraries stocked with books about the destination.
Cruise Excursions in Iceland Are Bucket-List Worthy
A cruise around Iceland offers easy access to bucket-list worthy excursions — think whale watching, horseback riding, hiking to waterfalls, volcanoes and glaciers, kayaking in inky fjords and trips to geothermal spas.
Sure, you can tap into all of these great things to do in Iceland independently, too, but a cruise makes it far easier, with tickets, transfers and guided tours arranged. On expedition and luxury voyages, you’ll also find a selection of excursions included within the cost of your cruise, including Zodiac rides to see local wildlife, panoramic coach tours and mountain hikes. Some ships in Iceland, including Scenic Eclipse, even carry submarines, with underwater tours available in some destinations for an extra fee.
Wake Up In A Different Location Every Morning, Including Hard-To-Reach Hamlets
On a recent Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic circumnavigation of Iceland, pulling open our cabin curtain one morning revealed a dazzling view of Dynjandi, the largest waterfall in the Westfjords. A few days later, we were in Bakkagerði, a remote fjord on the east coast that's crammed with puffins and other migratory birds during summer.
Iceland might be relatively small, but some places are not as easy to reach by land, including the many faraway fjords that jut out into the ocean like the blades of a fern leaf. Most cruise lines sailing around Iceland, including Celebrity Cruises, Windstar and Crystal, stop in the Westfjords' town of Ísafjörður, an easy drive from Dynjandi waterfall and the region’s serrated mountains. Better still, some lines sail right into Arnarfjörður, such as Lindblad Expedition, with the waterfall in full view from the ship.
A cruise around Iceland puts you right in front of the country's mind-bending wildlife and scenery. Sure, you could drive for hours or waste time at airports catching internal flights and organizing rental cars, but a cruise cuts all of that out.
A Cruise Can Navigate Iceland's Unpredictable Weather
If the weather turns bad in Iceland, roads may close until it’s safe to pass. Cruises can be impacted by bad weather, too, but your ship will simply change course, tweak an itinerary or, if necessary, skip a port.
On our Iceland circumnavigation, while on a day-long excursion to Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon in the southeast, the weather turned without warning. As a result, we were unable to return to our ship in the port of Djupivogur, 90 minutes away, as the only road back was close. Instead, our ship sailed to us, picking us up from the fishing town of Höfn.
If we were staying on land, we would have been faced with scrambling to change our plans and find alternative accommodation. Cruise vessels on the other hand are well-equipped to deal with adverse weather.
Visit Remote Islands Seamlessly On a Cruise Around Iceland
Iceland is dotted with small, isolated islands, such as Vigur in the cetacean-filled Ísafjarðardjúp fjord in the Westfjords; Grimsey on the Arctic Circle; and the volcanic Westman Islands off the south coast. What’s the best way to reach these nature-rich, Icelandic communities? By cruise ship.
On our recent sailing around Iceland, we anchored off Grimsey, where we witnessed a pod of dolphins, puffins flapping above sea cliffs and northern fulmars gliding alongside our ship, before hiking to the island’s Arctic Circle marker.
Traveling to Iceland’s far-flung islands otherwise requires long ferry journeys, with often irregular services from the mainland. The crossing to Grimsey, for example, takes three hours from the port of Dalvik, though the ferry service isn’t available every day (even during summertime it only runs five days) — or at all if the sea becomes too lively.
Iceland Circumnavigations Typically Start and Finish in Reykjavik
Reykjavik is a wonderful city filled with world-beating museums, eye-popping street art, independent boutiques and dynamic restaurants. In fact, Reykjavik has a thriving food and drinks scene, with food tours, micro-breweries, food halls and fine-dining restaurants to discover. Since Iceland circumnavigations start and finish here, there is ample opportunity to tag on a pre- or post-cruise extension (some cruise lines, such as Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Viking, offer this). Some itineraries also include overnight stays in Reykjavik to give passengers more time here.
With extra time to explore, you could visit Reykjavik’s famous Hallgrímskirkja church, take in a performance at Harpa concert hall or unwind at the Blue Lagoon geothermal spa. You could even join a pre- or post-cruise coach tour of Iceland’s Golden Circle, a 190-mile circuit covering Thingvellir National Park, Geysir geothermal area and Gullfoss waterfall.
There's a Cruise Around Iceland To Suit Every Type Of Traveler
From small-ship cruise lines such as Windstar, to adults-only premium line Viking and expedition specialist HX (Hurtigruten Expeditions), there is a cruise line in Iceland to suit every type of traveler.
Celebrity Cruises, Scenic, Ponant, Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Oceania are also among the lines offering circumnavigations of Iceland. Other lines — including Princess, Seabourn, Norwegian and Carnival — offer partial around-Iceland sailings, which might skip one coast (usually the south and/or east).
The breadth of lines sailing around Iceland also means there's a variety of itineraries to choose from, too, including some that also loop in the Faroe Islands, Greenland or Norway.
Whether you're seeking all-out luxury with caviar and butler service, a family vacation on an action-packed ship or a cruise that puts wildlife front and center of the voyage, you'll find a ship and itinerary to meet your needs.
One Exception: Northern Lights (Choose Norway Instead)
If seeing the northern lights in Iceland is high on your bucket list, a cruise might not be the right choice for you. The northern lights are visible from late September to March, while Iceland’s cruise season operates during summer, making it highly unlikely you’ll see them on a cruise.
There still is a great cruise option if you want to see the northern lights though -- Norway! More cruise lines, such as Viking, Havila and HX are running winter cruises from Norway where you're more than likely to see them.
Bottom Line: A Cruise is the Best Way to See Iceland
Ultimately, though, a cruise is a far more comfortable and relaxing way to get around Iceland. Traveling to a new destination every day or every couple of days by road is intense. With sometimes unpredictable weather thrown into the mix, too, a cruise is the best way to go around this extraordinary island.