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Iceland - questions answered


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You can look up historical data, but the takeaway is blustery, windy, cold, wet, sunny, breezy, or any sequence of that every 10 minutes or so. Highs around 50's F, lows in the 40's.

 

The key is dressing in layers, with a waterproof top layer.

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What is the weather like the end of August or the month of September? I’ve been considering a cruise that has two ports in Iceland and two in Greenland.

 

 

 

We went out of Akureyri to Greenland in the second half of August last year. The crossing was rough and cold but okay if you have sea legs. Weather in Akureyri was cold and drizzly. Greenland had relatively mild weather much of the time... about 50. Layers is definitely the answer. It might start out chilly in the morning but if you are doing any hiking you will be peeling some layers off.

 

The prior year we were in Akureyri in June. The port was in fairly dense fog when we left on our excursion so I bundled up. As soon as we got to the interior, the sun came out and it was downright toasty.

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...
After browsing through the excellent Copenhagen thread I thought about starting one for Iceland as well:

 

 

 

I'm a regular cruiser that lives in Reykjavik, Iceland and not affiliated with any tour companies. So if you have any questions about the Icelandic ports of call and surrounding attractions feel free to ask.

 

 

 

Main port: Reykjavik (Capital).

 

Secondary ports: Akureyri (largest town in the north of Iceland), Seydisfjordur (a small town on the east coast) and Isafjordur (a town in the rugged northwestern part of Iceland).

 

 

 

Hi. We will be in Akureyri for one day. We are thinking of renting a car to drive to the waterfall and lake. We have about 7 hours. Is this doable? If we pass on the rental car, is there public transportation to get to the Gooafoss waterfall? Thank you so much!

 

 

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We are in Isafjordur for one day on cruise ship and looking at excursions. It seems apart from more local areas the main excursion is to visit Dynjandi. waterfall. Considering that tours I've found seem to be more expensive than other ports in Iceland and the time taken for the tour is there more than just a waterfall to see?

If anyone can give me some advice it would be appreciated.

Thanks

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Hi. We will be in Akureyri for one day. We are thinking of renting a car to drive to the waterfall and lake. We have about 7 hours. Is this doable? If we pass on the rental car, is there public transportation to get to the Gooafoss waterfall? Thank you so much!

 

 

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Lake Myvatn, I assume? And Gođafoss?Yes, we have done this, and more, in a day. The falls are 45 minutes out of town, and the lake is maybe another half hour. Both are on Rt 1, the ring road.

 

Near the lake is Dimmuborgir, a place with cool rock formations. And Hverfjall, a volcanic cone that makes for a great short climb/hike if you want to burn a few calories. The view from the top is really nice.

 

One other tip. As you are coming back from Myvatn, before you get back to Gođafoss, there is a great view of the falls from afar, as you approach them. Don't miss it.

 

Car rental is easy. Europecar has an "office" right at the pier.

 

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I can't answer for sure, but I'd be surprised if there was public transportation available. On TA, every time that question comes up, the locals say no. There's simply not enough "public" to need it, and the few bus routes available go to the middle of small villages, no where near tourist sites, for 1-2 stops per day.

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We are in Isafjordur for one day on cruise ship and looking at excursions. It seems apart from more local areas the main excursion is to visit Dynjandi. waterfall. Considering that tours I've found seem to be more expensive than other ports in Iceland and the time taken for the tour is there more than just a waterfall to see?

If anyone can give me some advice it would be appreciated.

Thanks

Depends on how much time you have.

 

You can do Isafjordur to Dynjandi and back (and yes, it's worth it) with an hour at the waterfall in about 5 hours.

 

If you have 12 hours total you can continue past Dynjandi to Latrabjarg, which are the cliffs with massive numbers of puffins, as that's another 3 hours each way. Also worth it.

 

Alternatively you can do a tour to Vigur Island where there are also Puffins and Eider Ducks and Arctic Terns, etc.

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I can't answer for sure, but I'd be surprised if there was public transportation available. On TA, every time that question comes up, the locals say no. There's simply not enough "public" to need it, and the few bus routes available go to the middle of small villages, no where near tourist sites, for 1-2 stops per day.

 

Correct. Definitely no public transport to tourist attractions

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We will be on a cruise July 2018 Silver Wind to various Icelandic Ports. Would greatly appreciate help with tour recommendations for the ports of Isafjordur (12N-6P), Akureyri (8A-4P), Seydisfjordur (9A- 12MN). Prefer to book excursions independent or as a small group from our Roll call but our Roll call is practically non-existent for our cruise. Typically we do not like the overpriced cruise ship excursions which only last 2-4 hours at best.

I have spent much time on TA reviewing the recommendations and the ones we like are cutting it close with our Port time or just not calling out to me. Any recommendations from past travelers to these Ports would be greatly appreciated. Just hubby and I traveling together.

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We will be on a cruise July 2018 Silver Wind to various Icelandic Ports. Would greatly appreciate help with tour recommendations for the ports of Isafjordur (12N-6P), Akureyri (8A-4P), Seydisfjordur (9A- 12MN). Prefer to book excursions independent or as a small group from our Roll call but our Roll call is practically non-existent for our cruise. Typically we do not like the overpriced cruise ship excursions which only last 2-4 hours at best.

 

I have spent much time on TA reviewing the recommendations and the ones we like are cutting it close with our Port time or just not calling out to me. Any recommendations from past travelers to these Ports would be greatly appreciated. Just hubby and I traveling together.

 

 

 

Not sure if you have enough time but we had a fantastic tour from Akureyri with a group organized from our ship.

https://www.iceak.is/iceak-s04

 

We enjoyed just walking around town in Isafjordur. There were excursions to see birds and wildlife, but we felt this was our chance to taste some local food and drink some Icelandic beer.

 

 

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Be aware that Isafjordur has a population of 2,600, and Seydisfjordur has a whopping 700. There will be fewer options than your average European port excursions. Akureyri, the second largest city in Iceland, has 18,000, with more options for things to do.

 

Try the TA Iceland forum to look for recommendations, particularly for the smaller ports.

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We are also visiting Iceland in July and have done quite a bit of research. We decided to book FAB tours as the reviews are excellent and also they use 16 seat mini buses rather than the large coaches used by the ship. I emailed them with a couple of questions and they got back to me quick quickly.

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  • 1 month later...

I have just returned from the Celebrity Eclipse and felt to compare to share my positive experience with Saga Travel.

We enjoyed a fantastic six hour tour from Akureyri Port to Lake Myvatn for 18 passengers.

 

I decided to arrange a group through Cruise Critic, and initially Saga wanted me to pre pay for 18 people, which I was reluctant to do. (the price around USD85 - very reasonable for the region, compared to the same tour offered by the ship)

 

After some too-ing and fro-ing Saga sent a link for payment to each individual to pay the company direct, which every did within days. This really worked well. Everyone showed up and I did not risk being out of pocket.

 

I would I recommend the tour and the company without reservation.

 

Hope this info is useful, didn't want to break any rules but to share some recent info, about a seemingly obscure port

Edited by downundermatt
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I have just returned from the Celebrity Eclipse and felt to compare to share my positive experience with Saga Travel.

We enjoyed a fantastic six hour tour from Akureyri Port to Lake Myvatn for 18 passengers.

 

I decided to arrange a group through Cruise Critic, and initially Saga wanted me to pre pay for 18 people, which I was reluctant to do. (the price around USD85 - very reasonable for the region, compared to the same tour offered by the ship)

 

After some too-ing and fro-ing Saga sent a link for payment to each individual to pay the company direct, which every did within days. This really worked well. Everyone showed up and I did not risk being out of pocket.

 

I would I recommend the tour and the company without reservation.

 

Hope this info is useful, didn't want to break any rules but to share some recent info, about a seemingly obscure port

Thank you for your review. I would love to do this tour on my upcoming trip. I have had a look on their website but I can not see a tour similar to yours around that price. Was it especially created for group and did you have to guarantee 18 passengers?

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Hi Aloha3

 

Saga Tour tailor made a tour based on our 1030 arrival and each couple payed 17,100 ISK direct to Saga in advance (USD164 for two) This was based on 18 pax , They also quoted for twelve pax but the cost was much higher (still much cheaper than the ship)

 

I found it really easy to get 18 pax, I liked the fact people payed direct because it took the pressure of me (people changing their minds) and put the responsibility on each party. (I wasn't trying to locate 18 people on board for stressing over payment)

 

I suggest you email them - tomorrow is what they sent me, and we had a great day.

 

Good Luck

 

Service: Private Lake Mývatn from Akureyri Port

Pick up: Akureyri Harbour @ 10.45

Departure: @11:00

Duration: 5 - 6 hrs

Highlights: Goðafoss Waterfall ● Skútustaðagígar Pseudo Craters ● Dimmuborgir Lava Formations ● The Rift Between the Eurasian & American Continents ● Mt. Námafjall

Witness the Wonders of Lake Mývatn

We begin our day by stopping at Goðafoss Waterfall on our way to Lake Mývatn. Goðafoss plays an important role in the Icelandic history, particularly in connection with the introduction of Christianity. We keep on going to the mystic Dimmuborgir Lava Fields (Dark Cities) full of lava-pillars and formations that are rich of mystic sagas and tails. We come to the warm underground river in Grjótagjá Rift and head to the geothermal area of Hverir with boiling mud pools, steaming fumaroles and sulphur pits. We then return back to Akureyri in time for your ship’s departure.

Included

● Fully guided private tour

● Transport

Not included:

● Refreshments

Edited by downundermatt
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We will be in Akureyi soon and have joined with a group from our rollcall to use Traveling Viking Tours...Lot's of research has been done on this tour company...very excited for this port call.

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After browsing through the excellent Copenhagen thread I thought about starting one for Iceland as well:

 

 

 

I'm a regular cruiser that lives in Reykjavik, Iceland and not affiliated with any tour companies. So if you have any questions about the Icelandic ports of call and surrounding attractions feel free to ask.

 

 

 

Main port: Reykjavik (Capital).

 

Secondary ports: Akureyri (largest town in the north of Iceland), Seydisfjordur (a small town on the east coast) and Isafjordur (a town in the rugged northwestern part of Iceland).

 

 

 

Loved Iceland. Went in May 2016 and drove the circle tour around the island. Seydisfjordur was great. What a view from above! Only disappointment was the restaurant we planned on having lunch was closed. Just ate at a gas station nearby. Looking forward to this cruise in 2019. Want to see Akureyri again. Still thinking about what to do in Reykjavik.

 

Glenn

 

 

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We're staying in Iceland for 5 days/4 nites after a Norway/North Cape cruise. We're all set for tours to Golden Circle, South Coast and Reykjanes Peninsula but we're debating some other options for a full day in Reykjavik. Specifically we're looking at the Express Puffin Tour operated by Whale Safari. It's a RIB tour direct to the puffin grounds and doesn't include any whale-watching. Has anyone done a puffin tour in mid-July? Comments? We're also considering the Reykjavik Food Walk, which is pretty expensive for a short food tour but gets excellent reviews on Trip Advisor. Does anyone have first-hand experience? Many thanks!

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Hi Aloha3

 

Saga Tour tailor made a tour based on our 1030 arrival and each couple payed 17,100 ISK direct to Saga in advance (USD164 for two) This was based on 18 pax , They also quoted for twelve pax but the cost was much higher (still much cheaper than the ship)

 

I found it really easy to get 18 pax, I liked the fact people payed direct because it took the pressure of me (people changing their minds) and put the responsibility on each party. (I wasn't trying to locate 18 people on board for stressing over payment)

 

I suggest you email them - tomorrow is what they sent me, and we had a great day.

 

Good Luck

 

Service: Private Lake Mývatn from Akureyri Port

Pick up: Akureyri Harbour @ 10.45

Departure: @11:00

Duration: 5 - 6 hrs

Highlights: Goðafoss Waterfall ● Skútustaðagígar Pseudo Craters ● Dimmuborgir Lava Formations ● The Rift Between the Eurasian & American Continents ● Mt. Námafjall

Witness the Wonders of Lake Mývatn

We begin our day by stopping at Goðafoss Waterfall on our way to Lake Mývatn. Goðafoss plays an important role in the Icelandic history, particularly in connection with the introduction of Christianity. We keep on going to the mystic Dimmuborgir Lava Fields (Dark Cities) full of lava-pillars and formations that are rich of mystic sagas and tails. We come to the warm underground river in Grjótagjá Rift and head to the geothermal area of Hverir with boiling mud pools, steaming fumaroles and sulphur pits. We then return back to Akureyri in time for your ship’s departure.

Included

● Fully guided private tour

● Transport

Not included:

● Refreshments

 

Hi, thank you for your post, would you mind sharing how much it would have been for 12 people, I would appreciate it. :)

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Hi - the amount they quoted was ISK 133900 for twelve pax (USD128) just bare in mind this was quoted in February and I think there has been some currency adjustments over three months.

 

Good Luck - this tour was truly a highlight at a great price.

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Hi - the amount they quoted was ISK 133900 for twelve pax (USD128) just bare in mind this was quoted in February and I think there has been some currency adjustments over three months.

 

Good Luck - this tour was truly a highlight at a great price.

 

Thank you so much for the info. I am currently agonizing over whether we should just book a rental car & go ourselves, or book a private tour, we enjoy hiking & I worry that on a guided tour there won't be enough free time to hike up to waterfalls, etc. First world problems, right? ;)

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Thank you so much for the info. I am currently agonizing over whether we should just book a rental car & go ourselves, or book a private tour, we enjoy hiking & I worry that on a guided tour there won't be enough free time to hike up to waterfalls, etc. First world problems, right? ;)
Akureyri is easy on your own if you don't mind driving. There is way more to do than you can fit into one day but you can try... We like to DIY so we can spend as much or as little time as we want in places, and remain flexible.

 

Europecar has a rental office right at the Akureyri pier so pickup and drop off are easy. We've done this port twice and rented both times. The first time was 2008 but I don't have my pictures uploaded anywhere. The second time was August 2014 and I have details and pictures in my cruise review (link also below).

 

Enjoy, whatever you decide.

 

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