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Iceland - questions answered

karlth

By karlth,
in Northern Europe & Baltic Sea

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Nitemare

Nitemare

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My mother would like to take a cruise that has at least 3 stops in Iceland. She is primarily interested in seeing glaciers and volcanoes. She might be open to flying to Iceland for a guided bus tour. She will turn 90 years young this December and will need non-strenuous access to the sights. Travel dates will probably need to avoid July and August.(I travel with her and need to be able to celebrate our August 1st 45th wedding anniversary with my husband.) I'd appreciate any input and recommendations.

 

There are a few cruises with 3 stops in Iceland, but there are really only 2 cities there: Reykjavik and Akureyri, the other stop is usually in a beautiful but remote part of the country.

 

Bus tours or self-drive tours are great, read back in this thread as a few of us have posted detailed information on how to do this.

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Ram Cat Cruiser

Ram Cat Cruiser

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Just got back from cruise that stopped in Reykjavic and had a tour scheduled with this company. They had good reviews elsewhere, but don't know what happened this time. Got off ship, had to have another tour guide call the company to see where they were. Found them, and discovered the 16 passenger van, was a 40+ passenger bus filled with people from another ship. Got home and there was an email saying because of a change in departure time of our ship, our tour was going to leave one hour earlier. No change was made by our ship, and they knew the schedule when I booked the tour. Just be careful when picking a private tour company, and ask if tour is made up of people from your ship.

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cruisintwinsmom

cruisintwinsmom

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Blue Lagoon definitely will work in that time span. There are hourly (or nearly so) buses from the airport to the BL and back again. You could also explore Reykjavik (maybe take a whale or puffin cruise) during that time.

 

If you do the overnight option there are relatively cheap hotels in the towns near the airport, and you'd have plenty of time to do a Golden Circle tour on Saturday, if you start early.

 

Thank you! I'll look into the option of Gold Circle tour :) Which towns around the airport? TIA

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Nitemare

Nitemare

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Thank you! I'll look into the option of Gold Circle tour :) Which towns around the airport? TIA

 

Check a map. There are really only two options (one just north, the other on the south coast) and I'll spell them wrong if I try to go from memory

Edited by Nitemare
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cruisintwinsmom

cruisintwinsmom

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Check a map. There are really only two options (one just north, the other on the south coast) and I'll spell them wrong if I try to go from memory

 

http://www.travelmath.com/hotels-near/Keflavik,+Iceland

 

click on each hotel link and map (lower right) for view of location

 

one at least I found has airport shuttle.

 

Thank you! I will check them out. Your help is much appreciated!!!

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gottagocit Holiday Sharing Rare

gottagocit

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My mother would like to take a cruise that has at least 3 stops in Iceland. She is primarily interested in seeing glaciers and volcanoes. She might be open to flying to Iceland for a guided bus tour. She will turn 90 years young this December and will need non-strenuous access to the sights. Travel dates will probably need to avoid July and August.(I travel with her and need to be able to celebrate our August 1st 45th wedding anniversary with my husband.) I'd appreciate any input and recommendations.

 

We are booked on a voyage in just about 3 weeks that has three port stops in Iceland. It's on the Ruby Princess and leaves from Southampton, near London, and ends in NYC. Traveling north of the country it will also cross the arctic circle for a short time which is interesting.

 

We attempted to visit Iceland via ship last fall in the Emerald Princess on a transatlantic voyage but it and two other ports we're cancelled due to Atlantic storms. Hopefully this one won't repeat that.

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Alaskanb

Alaskanb

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We are just back from a 2 night stopover in Iceland. LHR-KEF-DEN.

We chose to stay at the Northern Light Inn at Grindavik as they have a shuttle service and are close to the Blue Lagoon. Very comfortable room, lounges, and good food. It is family-run and they use as much local food as possible. Breakfast is included. Our bed was like a European double twin and very comfortable.

We did a Golden Circle tour that included the Fontana Baths (http://www.fontana.is) with Reykyavik Excursions --you can make arrangements for pick-up with them via e-mail. What they do is put you on a Golden Circle full-day tour bus, drop you off after Geysir and Gulfoss, and have the afternoon Golden Circle tour pick you up after about 90 mins of soaking. You then go to Pingvellir with that group. We were returned to the hotel on their next bus to the Blue Lagoon --it actually waited 10 minutes for us!

After really enjoying the Fontana baths we decided not to go to the Blue Lagoon.

We had a beautiful clear two days to see parts of this fascinating country.

Re KEF. There are two cafes in the departure area. I had a delicious vegetarian lasagna and salad from one --DH had a hot dog from the other!

Edited by Alaskanb
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itsanita Great Review Rare

itsanita

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We are just back from a 2 night stopover in Iceland. LHR-KEF-DEN.

We chose to stay at the Northern Light Inn at Grindavik as they have a shuttle service and are close to the Blue Lagoon. Very comfortable room, lounges, and good food. It is family-run and they use as much local food as possible. Breakfast is included. Our bed was like a European double twin and very comfortable.

We did a Golden Circle tour that included the Fontana Baths (http://www.fontana.is) with Reykyavik Excursions --you can make arrangements for pick-up with them via e-mail. What they do is put you on a Golden Circle full-day tour bus, drop you off after Geysir and Gulfoss, and have the afternoon Golden Circle tour pick you up after about 90 mins of soaking. You then go to Pingvellir with that group. We were returned to the hotel on their next bus to the Blue Lagoon --it actually waited 10 minutes for us!

After really enjoying the Fontana baths we decided not to go to the Blue Lagoon.

We had a beautiful clear two days to see parts of this fascinating country.

Re KEF. There are two cafes in the departure area. I had a delicious vegetarian lasagna and salad from one --DH had a hot dog from the other!

 

Can you tell me what tour company you used? I googled Reykyavik Excursions, but several different companies came up. We will be arriving in the afternoon, so will be looking for a company that might be willing to tweak their tour for us!

thanks

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Nitemare

Nitemare

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I heard Detifloss falls are closed due flooding. Is Gotflloss ( sp?) also ? I am considering canceling our car rental if it is.

 

Detifoss is in the Northeast, near the Volcano. Golden Circle attractions (including Gullfoss) are in the Southwest, near Reykjavik, and won't be affected by this at all.

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3Kittens

3Kittens

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This is a current interactive map, many roads in that area are closed (north/northeast), but a few still open. http://www.vegagerdin.is/english

I don't know your exact approach for the falls, so it would depend on which way you enter the falls area. The west road (862) is paved, and the east gravel (864)

I was under the impression the roads closed d/t volcanic unrest were mainly mountain roads. Their concern is for flooding. I don't think I would want to be at Dettifoss if that happened:eek: but then again I would like to see it before and after:rolleyes:

Hard decision to make re cancelling car. I think I would bite the bullet and chance being able to get there, and if not, well then, I would eat the cost of the car rental:( (I will be in this same situation in 10 months:D Once in a lifetime chance :confused::confused:

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  • 4 weeks later...
TMLAalum

TMLAalum

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We are still in the planning stages for our stopover in Reykjavik in early May. We'll be renting a car. If we stay 2 nights in Iceland, we would do the Golden Circle tour and spend time in the city. Is it critical to add a 3rd day, and if so, how might we spend it?

 

Thanks!

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Nitemare

Nitemare

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You could spend 2 weeks in Iceland and still have more to see!

 

if you added a third night, I'd suggest you take the Ring Road (route 1) down towards Vik to see the majestic waterfalls on that route, the black sand beaches, and the glacier that you can pretty much drive up to.

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TMLAalum

TMLAalum

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We visited Iceland and Norway on a cruise in June this year.

 

Here is my blog post.

http://guitar123foodandtravel.blogspot.sg/p/adventure-of-seas-iceland-norway-cruise.html

 

Godafoss was great. So was Gullfoss. Didn't go to Detifoss.

 

Your photos of the Premier Inn West Quay are very helpful since we've booked the same along with the meal deal!

 

Will be enjoying your photos out of Reykjavik very shortly!!

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