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Reykjavik Iceland


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There are very limited "public" transportation options in Iceland. As noted, though, there are frequent departures to the Blue Lagoon thru the link posted. It leaves from the main bus terminal in town.

 

I've not cruised into Iceland before, however, so perhaps someone can chime in on how to get to the bus terminal from the port. Reykjavik is small, so even a taxi would not cost much I wouldn't think.

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  • 1 month later...
The website for Blue Lagoon includes a bus schedule from Reykjavik

 

http://www.bluelagoon.com/transportation-schedule/

 

We used them last year. We also bought our tickets in advance through the Blue Lagoon website, http://www.bluelagoon.com/. They are not kidding when they say to book in advance. We walked right in but people without tickets had to wait quite a while.

 

Going back to the subject of transportation, the bus company picked us up at the port - ask for a pickup at Skarfabakki. We waited at the far side of the gift shop right by the ship. A bus picked us up and took us to a central location where we climbed on another bus, waited a short while then went out to the lagoon. Just be aware that if you purchase a ticket for the 9:00 bus, they're referring to the main bus. You should be waiting at the dock at 8:30. As we lazed about the lagoon, we chatted with others from the cruise and we all decided to head back at the same time. Since there were quite a few of us, the driver took us all the way back to the ship directly.

 

You can also take a ship excursion but it doesn't give you much time in the lagoon and it's way, way more expensive.

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I am using Grey Line tours for Reykiavik (Delicious Golden Circle tour) and noticed that they have pick-up from the port. Blue Lagoon is possible too and I believe that small vans pick you up at the dock gate (across the street) and takes you to main bus terminal. It seems that you then take a hourly or scheduled bus back to terminal and then van to cruise terminal. Leave plenty of time. I had Blue Lagoon on the list of must-do's until I read how the chemicals naturally in the water after discharge from the utility plant (geyser water heavy in minerals that some claim are of great health benefit and others claim make your hair like straw and skin very dry for days. I have super sensitive skin so not trying it. Also it is a man-made lagoon but well situated to look like it was a natural lagoon. Have fun whatever you choose.

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Prices do seem to be very high. When I told one guide that $1000 a day for guide with car was out of my price range he replied that due to high prices for the vehicle, insurance, and all goods plus taxes that was the going rate. Does not change the fact that it is out of my budget but that I have to go from private to bus. Taxi would be somewhat the same with high expenses. Blue Lagoon is Over hour away from capital-- nearer the airport than anything else. Hope you find a way to visit what you want to do

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I am using Grey Line tours for Reykiavik (Delicious Golden Circle tour) and noticed that they have pick-up from the port. Blue Lagoon is possible too and I believe that small vans pick you up at the dock gate (across the street) and takes you to main bus terminal. It seems that you then take a hourly or scheduled bus back to terminal and then van to cruise terminal. Leave plenty of time.

 

Using a tour company is the easiest way to get there. They will pick you up in a shuttle at the port and take you to the main bus station. From there you will catch a bus that drops off at the Blue Lagoon. You'll get back to port the same way. The busses to the Blue Lagoon run every hour from the main bus terminal. For the return trip to the ship you would catch a bus from the Blue Lagoon at :15 past the hour.

 

If you'd rather not book through a tour company you can book transportation from the bus station to Blue Lagoon when you purchase your Blue Lagoon ticket (ahead of time) but getting from the port to the main bus station would be your responsibility.

 

Whether you go with a tour company or not, taking the bus from the main station to the Blue Lagoon is about the only way to get there without breaking the bank.

Edited by idahospud
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Prices do seem to be very high. When I told one guide that $1000 a day for guide with car was out of my price range he replied that due to high prices for the vehicle, insurance, and all goods plus taxes that was the going rate. Does not change the fact that it is out of my budget but that I have to go from private to bus. Taxi would be somewhat the same with high expenses. Blue Lagoon is Over hour away from capital-- nearer the airport than anything else. Hope you find a way to visit what you want to do

 

It depends what you're getting for your $1000. That price should get you a "Superjeep" (basically, a smaller monster truck) that can ford rivers, drive up mountainsides, and cross glaciers. The two of us did a half day Super Jeep tour out of Vik and did all those things for $500 and we thought it was well worth it. And we HATE to pay for excursions, but these were unique things. If your $1000 is just a guy in a car or van taking you around the Golden Circle etc for a day then you're overpaying and can easily find a better price.

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The water in the Blue Lagoon has silica. The power plant next door is geothermal, so unless they are doing things to the water, it probably just discharges back out into the lagoon with the same minerals it had when it came out of the ground. Is silica considered a heavy mineral?

 

Yes to the hair-like-straw! If you go, bring hair oil and use it after you get out. Even leaving the conditioner in while in the lagoon, it doesn't stay in forever. We were petting Icelandic horses, who stay out year round. My BL hair felt just like their manes!

 

Be advised that the Blue Lagoon requires pre-booking, especially in the summer. If you are not going as part of an organized excursion, you can book tickets online. I would assume Reykjavik Excursions, (as well as Grey Line) who does many/most of the Blue Lagoon transports from the airport and Reykjavik would have cruise ship excursions so would recommend contacting them.

 

The restaurant at the BL is fantastic as well, if you are looking for an exceptional meal.

 

https://www.re.is

Edited by ljandgb
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  • 7 months later...

We're thinking of booking through the Blue Lagoon website our transportation from the airport to BL on our way to Reykjavik. Will there be taxi's readily available at BL for transport on to Reykjavik? I am thinking the bus could leave us stranded too far from how hotel with our luggage and would rather pay for the convenience.

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  • 2 months later...

Thanks for the BL information provided. I just called Viator that checked with their Reykjavik provider who said they could provide shuttle pick-up at the cruise port for the price advertised on the Viator website. This probably means stopping at the various hotels in Reykjavik in route to pick-up other visitors unless we have enough from the port itself. The roundtrip shuttle price with BL admission is approximately $30 more than Reykjavik Excursions. You have to call Viator directly to make the arrangements to get the port pick-up at the cruise terminal. I will check the other options specified here too.

 

Anyone have experience with Viator (or Grey Line) for the Blue Lagoon? The Viator website indicates they take you all the way to the BL - no mention of the main bus station - but I didn't confirm that.

 

If our scheduled port arrival time is 8am, what would you recommend as the earliest shuttle pick-up at the port? 9am? 10am?

 

We have been to the BL as part of a tour in route, but with the tour, entrance into/exit from the BL, the pre- and post-showers once at the BL, etc., it only gave us around 1.25 hours in the lagoon itself which meant no time to eat and very limited time to read BL information, photo and gaze at the lava fields, and shop there. We are hoping to spent basically the whole day there on our cruise day there this summer.

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I can't give you tips from a cruise, as I've only ever gone from the airport. If you're planning on spending all day there, consider the in water massage. It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Not so much for the massage itself, as for the weightlessness and solitude, warm water and blue sky. Words really can't describe it.

 

The Lava restaurant there is amazing.

 

If it's an overnight port stay, you can splurge and stay in the hotel there, which has a private pool and a fantastic breakfast.

 

I went with a friend last year and spent the first day of our land trip there. Totally worth it!

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The BL is closing for a week in April to enlarge the pool and increase the number of spa treatment offerings so this might get easier to book in the future.

 

We were unimpressed with Lava restaurant for the price. I can give you the name of a place about 20 minutes south that we like much better (very fresh fish). Have stayed at the hotel twice, first time the b'fast was average (3 years ago). Much better this past summer.

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