Zodiac experience in Iceland and Greenland

[kjbacon]

We are taking our first Seabourn cruise this summer, Path of Discoveries, and could use some help choosing excursions, please. We are fine with our European choices but after that, I’m floundering! How would you describe the zodiac experience? I am not one to enjoy speedboats but from my searches, it does not appear that’s the style of the zodiac tours. We have never been to Iceland or Greenland so any excursion suggestions would be greatly appreciated, thank you!

[Fletcher]

Can you say exactly when and which ship?  'Path of Discoveries' doesn't exist on the Seabourn website.

 

Zodiac trips are exhilarating and get you seriously close to wildlife etc.  The crew are experts in helping people in and out of the boats.  They can go very fast on occasions and just dawdle when necessary.  It all depends in the situation.   In cold weather zones you need to have the right kit and learn some fairly basic things about how to sit and how to land on a beach in  the surf.  

[rallydave]

52 minutes ago, kjbacon said:

We are taking our first Seabourn cruise this summer, Path of Discoveries, and could use some help choosing excursions, please. We are fine with our European choices but after that, I’m floundering! How would you describe the zodiac experience? I am not one to enjoy speedboats but from my searches, it does not appear that’s the style of the zodiac tours. We have never been to Iceland or Greenland so any excursion suggestions would be greatly appreciated, thank you!

Believe excursions to these countries are new to Seabourn so not expecting much help from others.  We are booked on Pursuit in 2023 to both countries and are expecting to do mostly Zodiac excursions which are included in most ports.  The ports are so small walking should work in most cases.

 

We did Antarctica with Seabourn a few years ago and did the Zodiacs.  Not at all like a speedboat.  YOu sit on the sides with feet inside the boat and doubt they do much more than 10 MPH.  DW and I had no issues at all with the Zodiacs and expect the same in Iceland/Greenland.

 

There might be some interesting excursions in Iceland, we did 5 nights there on our way to a Norway cruise.  Three all day tours from Reykjavik and the scenery was wonderful.  Did the Blue Lagoon on our own being dropped off at the end of the last tour so paid on our own and had dinner at the Restaurant which was wonderful.  Saw the Blue Lagoon tour on the website and $800 is beyond belief and would never pay that.  The lagoon is near the airport and about 45 minutes from town.  There ae busses from Reykjavik and return so believe you could do that on your own, nice day tour if you have a day. before or after your cruise.  Iceland is much more expensive than Norway which is expensive as well.  Hope to see some ideas and will view what our cruise has once posted.

[kjbacon]

23 minutes ago, Fletcher said:

Can you say exactly when and which ship?  'Path of Discoveries' doesn't exist on the Seabourn website.

 

Zodiac trips are exhilarating and get you seriously close to wildlife etc.  The crew are experts in helping people in and out of the boats.  They can go very fast on occasions and just dawdle when necessary.  It all depends in the situation.   In cold weather zones you need to have the right kit and learn some fairly basic things about how to sit and how to land on a beach in  the surf.  

It’s the 38 day Path of the Discoveries on July 22, 2022 from Barcelona to Montreal. So excited!! It sounds like the zodiac tours will be perfect for us. Thanks for helping 😀 

[cruiseej]

On expedition ships, you only go ashore on zodiacs. Quest is a classic ship which plays an expedition ship  part of the year! Your cruise likely has just a few days where the zodiacs will be used — and I wouldn't hesitate to book such excursions. Our first experience with zodiacs was on a Seabourn cruise on the coast of Norway. We've subsequently done a Greenland cruise on a Silversea ship where zodiacs were used extensively. Even my parents in their mid 80's managed fine on the zodiacs on that trip. The crew is expert at showing you and helping you get in and out of the zodiacs. Unless you have significant mobility issues or a very bad back, you'll likely do well on zodiac excursions. They're a lot of fun (and not a the jet boat "look how fast we can go" way).

[Fletcher]

10 hours ago, kjbacon said:

It’s the 38 day Path of the Discoveries on July 22, 2022 from Barcelona to Montreal. So excited!! It sounds like the zodiac tours will be perfect for us. Thanks for helping 😀 

Ah yes, I've found it.  The Quest is our favourite ship and that's an interesting itinerary.  Although it's a moderately large ship, the Quest adapts well to the expedition style (I was on board for Antarctica a few years ago).  One tip I would suggest is that on 18 August you will be in Qaqortoq where I recommend you book the excursion to Hvalsey church ruins.  A glorious trip up a fjord and the World Heritage Site at the end.  We had the place entirely to ourselves.  We also had miraculous weather with the temps in the high 50s.

 

 

Edited February 8, 2022 by Fletcher

[kjbacon]

3 hours ago, Fletcher said:

Ah yes, I've found it.  The Quest is our favourite ship and that's an interesting itinerary.  Although it's a moderately large ship, the Quest adapts well to the expedition style (I was on board for Antarctica a few years ago).  One tip I would suggest is that on 18 August you will be in Qaqortoq where I recommend you book the excursion to Hvalsey church ruins.  A glorious trip up a fjord and the World Heritage Site at the end.  We had the place entirely to ourselves.  We also had miraculous weather with the temps in the high 50s.

 

 

If I could ask more about this excursion… I had booked this excursion months ago and now as I’m reviewing my choices, this is one of the ones that I was considering changing. Your recommendation has me reconsidering my reconsideration!! I’m concerned that I have too many zodiac tours booked and that I should have more variety. Your opinion is very helpful, thank you.

[restlesssoul]

We did Reykjavik to Montreal via Greenland a couple of years ago. For what it's worth here's a link to my blog post.

https://www.johnandgwyn.com/post/2018/10/09/reykjavik-to-montreal-seabourn-quest-aug-6-30th-2018

[kjbacon]

17 hours ago, restlesssoul said:

We did Reykjavik to Montreal via Greenland a couple of years ago. For what it's worth here's a link to my blog post.

https://www.johnandgwyn.com/post/2018/10/09/reykjavik-to-montreal-seabourn-quest-aug-6-30th-2018

Thank you. Sounds like you had some disappointing weather. We aren’t doing as many ports as you in Greenland but I’m still wondering if we are doing too many zodiac tours in Iceland and Greenland. Still, it’s all about wildlife nature there and the zodiacs are the best way to see that.

[Fletcher]

My cruise to Greenland was on the Regent Seven Seas Navigator which sailed from Montreal to Iceland. No zodiacs on that ship.  Wildlife sightings were disappointing and Greenland was . . .  well, not what I expected at all.   Here is a link to my Cruise Critic blog - read which bits you fancy and there is also a link to my photos.

 

[restlesssoul]

6 hours ago, kjbacon said:

Thank you. Sounds like you had some disappointing weather. We aren’t doing as many ports as you in Greenland but I’m still wondering if we are doing too many zodiac tours in Iceland and Greenland. Still, it’s all about wildlife nature there and the zodiacs are the best way to see that.

What are the ports of call/stops in Iceland? We have done 3 self-drive trips to Iceland. Our son/wife did a cruise a few years back so can share his comments. Summary of our trips can be found on same website as I previously sent.

[kjbacon]

19 hours ago, Fletcher said:

My cruise to Greenland was on the Regent Seven Seas Navigator which sailed from Montreal to Iceland. No zodiacs on that ship.  Wildlife sightings were disappointing and Greenland was . . .  well, not what I expected at all.   Here is a link to my Cruise Critic blog - read which bits you fancy and there is also a link to my photos.

 

Thank you for posting this link, I truly enjoyed reading your thread for the good humor as well as the good tips! I’ll be so disappointed if our wildlife sightings are as slim as yours. We are usually Regent cruisers and this will be our first Seabourn experience.

[kjbacon]

15 hours ago, restlesssoul said:

What are the ports of call/stops in Iceland? We have done 3 self-drive trips to Iceland. Our son/wife did a cruise a few years back so can share his comments. Summary of our trips can be found on same website as I previously sent.

All tips are appreciated! Our stops are: Heimaey, Reykjavik, Vigur, Isafjordur, cruising Prince Christian Sound, Qaqortog, and Paamiut.

 

I am concerned that I’ve booked too

many zodiac tours since I have one booked everywhere except in Reykjavik where we are doing the Best of the Golden Circle.

[highplanesdrifters]

3 hours ago, kjbacon said:

 

 

I am concerned that I’ve booked too

many zodiac tours since I have one booked everywhere except in Reykjavik where we are doing the Best of the Golden Circle.

We tend to over book our Zodiac/Kayak trips knowing that due to weather some will be canceled. Once we are on board we get a better feel about the excursions from the tour/expedition directors and adjust appropriately.  I believe you have 48 hours to cancel with no penalty. 

 

There is a great pizza place in Isafjourdor, Cafe Riis. In Reykjavik check out Krua Thai and Grillmarkaourinn.

[whogo]

On 2/12/2022 at 8:35 AM, Fletcher said:

Here is a link to my Cruise Critic blog - read which bits you fancy and there is also a link to my photos.

Great blog, great photos, thanks for the link, Fletcher.

[restlesssoul]

On 2/13/2022 at 6:02 AM, kjbacon said:

All tips are appreciated! Our stops are: Heimaey, Reykjavik, Vigur, Isafjordur, cruising Prince Christian Sound, Qaqortog, and Paamiut.

 

I am concerned that I’ve booked too

many zodiac tours since I have one booked everywhere except in Reykjavik where we are doing the Best of the Golden Circle.

Iceland is all about the scenery: mountains, valleys, waterfalls and fjords, as well of course the puffins and other birdlife. For me Heimaey is all about the volcanic eruption and if you want to see puffins they nest very close to town. If it is a choice between land & zodiac I would choose land. But if you have time to do both then all well and good. The local Island Circumnavigation tour also looks interesting. Vigur Island is listed on the itinerary as "Seabourn Ventures Activity", meaning that only those on the zodiac tour will experience Vigur Island, so I would definitely do that one. I haven't been to Vigur but my son went there & he enjoyed it. And, you should have time after rejoining the ship to look around Isafjordur at your own pace as it isn't very big. As for land based tours in Isafjordur, the only tour that would interest me is to Dynjandi, which is one of the prettiest waterfalls in Iceland (see day 6 of my blog on West Fjords July 2021) but the ships tour is ridiculously expensive. The Sudavik/Arctic Fox center for me isn't worth it, when we visited they had one fox but it was asleep and couldn't see it. Having said that, my son took his two young children and they enjoyed it. Aside from a pretty church I didn't see much else in Sudavik.  Again, the zodiac in Prince Christian Sound is a Venture Activity, meaning those that don't do it sit at anchor waiting for the zodiac tours to finish (as we did), so, if you have never seen a glacier up close it might be a nice experience. There isn't much in Qaqortoq and I think that Fletcher has already recommended Hvalsey ruins, so I would say keep that one. You'll probably have plenty of time on yr return to look around the town. The zodiac tour in Paamiut might be interesting depending on where they take you (you can see the wreck in the picture on my blog) and you will probably have time to "do" the town afterwards yourself.  Note, when we were there the icebergs were a long way off. Basically it comes down to what your interests are, and as you are probably only going to visit most of these places once, you naturally want to get the full experience.  Hope this helps.

[kjbacon]

23 hours ago, restlesssoul said:

Iceland is all about the scenery: mountains, valleys, waterfalls and fjords, as well of course the puffins and other birdlife. For me Heimaey is all about the volcanic eruption and if you want to see puffins they nest very close to town. If it is a choice between land & zodiac I would choose land. But if you have time to do both then all well and good. The local Island Circumnavigation tour also looks interesting. Vigur Island is listed on the itinerary as "Seabourn Ventures Activity", meaning that only those on the zodiac tour will experience Vigur Island, so I would definitely do that one. I haven't been to Vigur but my son went there & he enjoyed it. And, you should have time after rejoining the ship to look around Isafjordur at your own pace as it isn't very big. As for land based tours in Isafjordur, the only tour that would interest me is to Dynjandi, which is one of the prettiest waterfalls in Iceland (see day 6 of my blog on West Fjords July 2021) but the ships tour is ridiculously expensive. The Sudavik/Arctic Fox center for me isn't worth it, when we visited they had one fox but it was asleep and couldn't see it. Having said that, my son took his two young children and they enjoyed it. Aside from a pretty church I didn't see much else in Sudavik.  Again, the zodiac in Prince Christian Sound is a Venture Activity, meaning those that don't do it sit at anchor waiting for the zodiac tours to finish (as we did), so, if you have never seen a glacier up close it might be a nice experience. There isn't much in Qaqortoq and I think that Fletcher has already recommended Hvalsey ruins, so I would say keep that one. You'll probably have plenty of time on yr return to look around the town. The zodiac tour in Paamiut might be interesting depending on where they take you (you can see the wreck in the picture on my blog) and you will probably have time to "do" the town afterwards yourself.  Note, when we were there the icebergs were a long way off. Basically it comes down to what your interests are, and as you are probably only going to visit most of these places once, you naturally want to get the full experience.  Hope this helps.

I cannot thank you enough for taking the time to do this for me! This is exactly what I needed and you are much appreciated!!

[hoosier74]

Hi there kjbacon....We will be joining you in London (after having rebooked from the Baltic).  There is a not very active roll call on the London- Montreal segment.  Thanks for the advice on the tours Fletcher.  We've been on Ventures in Alaska and all that has been said is true.  I would heed the advice from the website on the water proof pants. We found them useful.  But there may not be whales splashing around in Iceland!

[kjbacon]

19 hours ago, hoosier74 said:

Hi there kjbacon....We will be joining you in London (after having rebooked from the Baltic).  There is a not very active roll call on the London- Montreal segment.  Thanks for the advice on the tours Fletcher.  We've been on Ventures in Alaska and all that has been said is true.  I would heed the advice from the website on the water proof pants. We found them useful.  But there may not be whales splashing around in Iceland!

Hello Hoosier, thanks for the tip on the waterproof pants. We are going to need lots of gear for this exciting itinerary! Have you booked any excursions yet?

[hoosier74]

No bacon....no excursions yet.  We just booked last Friday and have been getting logistics straightened out (transfer of $$ for booking, air, hotels).  I'll probably start with the excursions this weekend.  I know a few for sure...distillery in Mull, Golden circle, Giant's Causeway.  Probably the ones Fletcher recommended.  

[Fred arbuthnot]

Having done the Qaqortoq to Hvalsey Zodiac trip, I would recommend wearing waterproof outer garments such as rain coat (with hood), rain pants and waterproof shoes (possibly over the ankle hiking boots).  At speed, the Zodiac will tend to splash water over the side and into the Zodiac itself, and onto your hips/legs/feet.  The trip to Hvalsey is about 30 minutes and it can be a long, cold trip if you are wet.  A watch cap is also recommended to keep your head warm, even with the rain hood up as a windbreaker.  The temperature highs might be in the mid 50's (or 12-14 C).  It can be a long, cold ride.  When I was there on the Quest in 2016,  Seabourn had to schedule three different tours (several Zodiacs each tour) to accommodate all the passengers that wanted to see Hvalsey.  If I remember correctly, there were about 8 - 10 people per Zodiac and Seabourn even stationed one of the speakers there at the site that day to give some commentary and answer questions.

All things considered, I would wear waterproof clothing for any Zodiac trip in cool or cold climates.

I would also second Fletcher's recommendation to take this tour.  When do think you will return?

Edited March 3, 2022 by Fred arbuthnot

[kjbacon]

Thank you for this very helpful info! We are on our first cruise with Oceania, on the Riviera and truly enjoying it. 
 

That said, my mind is in the tropics now so will be back to this board soon.