Grimsey Island Day Trip from Akureyri (Iceland) - Can you book air on your own??

[Susie B.]

We'll be in Akureyri (Iceland) from aprox 7:30am-4pm on a Sunday in August. Celebrity offers an excursion but we're wondering if we can book the air on our own. I can't seem to find an online resource to book the air ourselves. Anybody with experience know more?

[DogLover]

Hi there. We have first hand experience with this ... kind of. Short story long, we were on the May 28 Eclipse sailing and booked directly with Air Iceland Connect for flights and a tour of Grimsey. Please be aware that there is VERY limited taxi service in Akureyri, one company. By the time we got off the ship to get to the airport, there were literally NO taxis available to take us. It was cold and windy, so walking was out of the question. Distance from cruise port to airport is about 4 miles. The dispatcher at BSO taxi gave her keys to a local and he gave us a ride to the airport for our flight in her private car (very nice gesture!)

 

We checked in, waited in the very cozy terminal until our flight was called and boarded the plane. As soon as we got settled in the very small aircraft, the pilot told us cross winds on Grimsey were too strong for landing. We were instructed to deplane and wait until weather conditions improved. An hour later with NO update, we (along with others in our predicament) determined we could not make it to Grimsey, tour and back prior to ship departure. Air Iceland told us we'd be issued a refund as time was not on our side. We did receive a prompt refund in about one week. I should mention that the flight never went, and the second group of Celebrity shore excursions folks didn't go, either.

 

At this point, we picked up the phone to the one and only taxi company and were told it would be a substantial wait (no time estimate given) for taxi availability back to the port. Meanwhile, the first group of Celebrity shore excursion folks returned and we were able to get a ride back to the port with the shore excursion bus.

 

It is doable and when we booked, it was a substantial savings over the Celebrity shore excursion price. However, logistics in this particular port are not amenable to independent arrangements. I did try to reach out to BSO taxi by email prior to our trip, but never got an answer.

 

Here is the link to Air Iceland Connect if you wish to peruse the option:

https://www.airicelandconnect.com/tours/iceland/beyond-the-arctic-aey

 

Also, please feel free to email me at beach61 (at) cox (dot) net if I can answer any other questions.

Sharon

[Ashland]

We were also on the May 28th Eclipse sailing. OP if you decide against the Grimsey option I can suggest what we did and that was a private tour with Traveling Vikings with some from our rollcall. This worked out great for our group and we all had a wonderful port stop in Akureyri.

[Susie B.]

Hi there. We have first hand experience with this ... kind of. Short story long, we were on the May 28 Eclipse sailing and booked directly with Air Iceland Connect for flights and a tour of Grimsey. Please be aware that there is VERY limited taxi service in Akureyri, one company. By the time we got off the ship to get to the airport, there were literally NO taxis available to take us. It was cold and windy, so walking was out of the question. Distance from cruise port to airport is about 4 miles. The dispatcher at BSO taxi gave her keys to a local and he gave us a ride to the airport for our flight in her private car (very nice gesture!)

 

 

 

We checked in, waited in the very cozy terminal until our flight was called and boarded the plane. As soon as we got settled in the very small aircraft, the pilot told us cross winds on Grimsey were too strong for landing. We were instructed to deplane and wait until weather conditions improved. An hour later with NO update, we (along with others in our predicament) determined we could not make it to Grimsey, tour and back prior to ship departure. Air Iceland told us we'd be issued a refund as time was not on our side. We did receive a prompt refund in about one week. I should mention that the flight never went, and the second group of Celebrity shore excursions folks didn't go, either.

 

 

 

At this point, we picked up the phone to the one and only taxi company and were told it would be a substantial wait (no time estimate given) for taxi availability back to the port. Meanwhile, the first group of Celebrity shore excursion folks returned and we were able to get a ride back to the port with the shore excursion bus.

 

 

 

It is doable and when we booked, it was a substantial savings over the Celebrity shore excursion price. However, logistics in this particular port are not amenable to independent arrangements. I did try to reach out to BSO taxi by email prior to our trip, but never got an answer.

 

 

 

Here is the link to Air Iceland Connect if you wish to peruse the option:

 

https://www.airicelandconnect.com/tours/iceland/beyond-the-arctic-aey

 

 

 

Also, please feel free to email me at beach61 (at) cox (dot) net if I can answer any other questions.

 

Sharon

 

 

 

DogLover, Thank you so much for sharing all your information. I’m sorry you were not able to make it there after all your efforts. We will book the excursion through Celebrity. I hope the weather cooperates. Thanks again!

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[DogLover]

DogLover, Thank you so much for sharing all your information. I’m sorry you were not able to make it there after all your efforts. We will book the excursion through Celebrity. I hope the weather cooperates. Thanks again!

 

No worries, Susie. I really hope the weather is in your favor and you are able to make the flight. Just an FYI, if you have a choice on time, do book the earliest option available. Our understanding is regardless of time of year, winds generally increase later in the day in the area.

 

Enjoy your cruise!!

[KirkNC]

Thanks for your story. We looked long and hard at doing this ourselves before reading your experience and the difficulty in getting to the airport was the reason we said no, well that and the total cost just to spend an hour on Grimsey.