Why Iceland Should Be Your Next Cruise Port

Most people think of Iceland as a winter destination. Chasing northern lights, standing in the dark, hoping the clouds part. That version of Iceland is real, but it is not the only one. Summer in Iceland is something else entirely, and cruise ships are starting to figure that out.

Iceland sits at the intersection of the North Atlantic and Arctic Ocean, which sounds uncomfortable but is actually remarkable. The Gulf Stream keeps coastal temperatures surprisingly mild in summer. July averages around 55 degrees Fahrenheit in Reykjavik. Pack a real jacket and you will be fine.

Here is something most travelers miss. Reykjavik is the common port, and it deserves your time, but the smaller ports are where Iceland gets interesting. Akureyri sits at the top of a fjord in northern Iceland and gives you access to Lake Myvatn, which looks like what would happen if the moon had geysers. Very few cruise itineraries skip Reykjavik for Akureyri. The ones that include both are worth seeking out.

The other thing most people do not know is that Iceland has no native land predators. No bears, no wolves, nothing that wants to eat you. Hiking here feels genuinely different when that fact settles in. It changes how you move through the landscape. You can wander off a trail and the only thing judging you is an Icelandic horse.

Itineraries into Iceland tend to run in late spring through early fall. Some loop through the British Isles. Others connect to Greenland or the Faroe Islands, which are destinations that most Americans have never seriously considered and probably should. If you want help building a trip around Iceland or the North Atlantic, that is exactly the kind of thing we sort out every day.

Fair winds and following seas,
Captain Steve