Most people think of Iceland as a bucket list item they will get to someday. Someday usually means never. But summer departures are being booked now, and Iceland in July and August is something that genuinely earns the word remarkable.
The midnight sun is real. You can stand on deck at 11 p.m. and watch the light do something completely unreasonable over the water. It does not get dark. Your sleep schedule will suffer. It is worth it.
Here is what most travelers do not know. The port of Akureyri, in northern Iceland, often gets skipped by people focused entirely on Reykjavik. That is a mistake. Akureyri sits at the head of a long fjord and gives you access to whale watching, geothermal pools, and a town small enough to actually feel like somewhere. Reykjavik is great. Akureyri is where you start to understand the country.
The other thing worth knowing is that Iceland cruise itineraries vary a lot. Some ships do a quick two or three port loop. Others combine Iceland with the Faroe Islands or Greenland, which turns the whole trip into something much harder to explain at dinner parties back home. The Faroe Islands alone look like they were designed by someone who had never seen a real landscape and just started painting. In a good way.
Late spring and early summer departures still have availability. Fall is also gaining traction for travelers chasing the northern lights, though aurora sightings are never guaranteed. Anyone who tells you otherwise is selling something.
If Iceland has been sitting on your list for a few years, this is a reasonable time to stop thinking about it. If you want help comparing itineraries and finding the right fit, that is exactly what we do.
Fair winds and following seas,
Captain Steve
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