Iceland or Svalbard?

[Lilac Trees]

Hello.

 

This is going to be our first cruise trip and we'd like to experience the arctic. It's hard to decide between the two.

 

REYKJAVIK TO REYKJAVIK (Silversea / Silver Spirit)
TROMSØ TO LONGYEARBYEN (Silversea / Silver Wind)

 

From the point of ship, I prefer Silver Spirit better than Silver Wind especially veranda suite seems to be smaller in Silver Wind. 

 

There's quite price difference between the two and I'm not so sure if Svalbard with Silver Wind would be worth.

 

Could you share your thoughts or experiences on this if anyone cruised to the destination?

 

Thank you.

[FlyerTalker]

There aren't polar bears in Iceland, but there are in Svalbard.

 

[RachelG]

Have done both multiple times.  They are totally different though if you really want an Arctic experience, you need to do Svalbard.  You will have the possibility of seeing polar bears there plus a lot of ice.  Iceland is beautiful, but no ice or polar bears. It is countryside and geysers, waterfalls, volcanos and lots of small towns and villages, which are pretty few (really only one) in Svalbard.

[jpalbny]

RachelG beat me to it and I agree with her. Svalbard IS the Arctic. Iceland is a great trip but it's not the Arctic. In fact only a part of the tiny island of Grimsey lies above the Arctic Circle; the rest of Iceland is to the south.

 

If you go to Svalbard you may get to the 80th parallel or even a bit higher depending on ice conditions. And you'll have continuous daylight (except when it's cloudy).

 

Here are reviews of both trips which should give you some idea of what to expect on each itinerary:

 

Iceland, with pictures (from Rachel too; she was on this trip with us!):

 

And our Svalbard trip from 2011. This was before I had learned how to post pictures.

 

 

Pictures from the Svalbard trip can be found here:

 

https://jpalbny.smugmug.com/Svalbard-and-Tromso-August-2011/

 

[FlyerTalker]

3 hours ago, RachelG said:

Iceland is beautiful, but no ice or polar bears.

 

Beg to differ.

 

On my several trips to Iceland, I have seen plenty of ice.  Have even done crampon hiking on one of their glaciers, along with seeing several others on 4x4 tours.  And FWIW, the Jökulsárlón lagoon abuts a glacier and is filled with icebergs.  You can take a boat ride among the icebergs and up to the glacier face.

 

 

[RachelG]

56 minutes ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

Beg to differ.

 

On my several trips to Iceland, I have seen plenty of ice.  Have even done crampon hiking on one of their glaciers, along with seeing several others on 4x4 tours.  And FWIW, the Jökulsárlón lagoon abuts a glacier and is filled with icebergs.  You can take a boat ride among the icebergs and up to the glacier face.

 

 

I should been more clear.  Yes, there are glaciers in Iceland, but not the same as sailing for hours through dense icebergs with the captain having to cleverly figure out a path through and possibly having to change the entire north Part of the trip due to ice.  Which happened in Svalbard.

i love Iceland.  Would go back in a heartbeat.  But if you want real Arctic, go to Svalbard.

[Host Jazzbeau]

It should also be noted that the parts of Iceland that have lots of ice are not that easy to visit from a cruise ship.  Few itineraries plan a true circumnavigation; fewer still plan to stop at Hofn with access to the glacial lagoon – and weather can cancel even those plans as it did for our 'circumnavigation' on Ponant in 2019.  I see that Ponant doesn't even try for circumnavigation any more because of these problems.  If you want to see ice in Iceland, you are much better off with a land tour than a cruise.

[AusMum]

We are doing a cruise from Reykjavik  that goes up the east coast of Greenland.  We are doing Iceland via road.

[RachelG]

3 hours ago, AusMum said:

We are doing a cruise from Reykjavik  that goes up the east coast of Greenland.  We are doing Iceland via road.

East coast of Greenland is stunning.  

[pavementends]

20 hours ago, FlyerTalker said:

There aren't polar bears in Iceland, but there are in Svalbard.

 

On the other hand there are volcanos in Iceland but not in Svalbard.

 

OP should do both. And if possible get north of Svalbard.

[alithecat]

The other factor to consider is the type of cruise you want. Silver Spirit is a Classic ship. Dress is more formal, you dock or take tenders to shore, shore excursions are often bus rides to attractions. Silver Wind is an Expedition ship. More casual, more adventurous, zodiacs to shore, hiking, more remote locations. Both are good but different styles of vacation.

[Lilac Trees]

On 8/16/2023 at 5:32 AM, jpalbny said:

RachelG beat me to it and I agree with her. Svalbard IS the Arctic. Iceland is a great trip but it's not the Arctic. In fact only a part of the tiny island of Grimsey lies above the Arctic Circle; the rest of Iceland is to the south.

 

If you go to Svalbard you may get to the 80th parallel or even a bit higher depending on ice conditions. And you'll have continuous daylight (except when it's cloudy).

 

Here are reviews of both trips which should give you some idea of what to expect on each itinerary:

 

Iceland, with pictures (from Rachel too; she was on this trip with us!):

 

And our Svalbard trip from 2011. This was before I had learned how to post pictures.

 

 

Pictures from the Svalbard trip can be found here:

 

https://jpalbny.smugmug.com/Svalbard-and-Tromso-August-2011/

 

This is amazing! You did both of cruise that I was curious.

I didn't know that there was a tiny island which lies above the Arctic. I thought that entire Iceland is under the Arctic. Learnt something new.

I'm reading your reviews. That's very helpful. Thank you so much.

 

[Lilac Trees]

Thank you all very much for your advice. This time, we will go for Svalbard. Because, we want to experience the Arctic. We will save Iceland for next time.

[spinnaker2]

I have been to Svalbard. (Next for us, will be Iceland and Greenland). Svalbard is humbling and gives you goosebumps. Literally and figuratively.

Some photos to whet your appetite. Alas the Explorer, that quirky old dame, is no longer with Silversea. Been replaced by some younger models…

 

Edited August 19, 2023 by spinnaker2

[jpalbny]

Lovely pictures Spins!

Edited August 19, 2023 by jpalbny

[spinnaker2]

Thanks JP.