Silver Spirit Iceland Boarding Time Today

[gcornell]

Lots of confusion and lack of info on current boarding times so wanted to share.  Just boarded the Spirit in Iceland today.  Final papers said boarding at 2pm. We got to the pier at 12:10, checked in and we eating lunch by 12:20. 

[gcornell]

Also I highly recommend the Alda Hotel.  Right in the heart of downtown and a true 4 star property in terms of rooms, amenities, bedding, lobby and service.   

[highplanesdrifters]

Just now, gcornell said:

Also I highly recommend the Alda Hotel.  Right in the heart of downtown and a true 4 star property in terms of rooms, amenities, bedding, lobby and service.   

 

Good to know.  Always tough to find a good place in Reykjavik especially something that isn't booked.

[gcornell]

2 minutes ago, highplanesdrifters said:

 

Good to know.  Always tough to find a good place in Reykjavik especially something that isn't booked.

Thanks. Agreed.  I booked about a year out and got a great rate on Booking.com.  They still had rooms available as of last week but were about 25% higher than when I booked. 

[highplanesdrifters]

Just now, gcornell said:

Thanks. Agreed.  I booked about a year out and got a great rate on Booking.com.  They still had rooms available as of last week but were about 25% higher than when I booked. 

 

Just checked it out.  Looks clean and and very nice!

 

We like The Pearl in Reykjavik but really like The Retreat at Blue Lagoon.  Although the latter is very iffy these days for volcanic reasons.🤯

 

We spent one night at the Center Hotel Arnarhvoll. It was one night too many. Nice rooftop bar though.

 

[Port Power]

2 hours ago, highplanesdrifters said:

 

Just checked it out.  Looks clean and and very nice!

 

We like The Pearl in Reykjavik but really like The Retreat at Blue Lagoon.  Although the latter is very iffy these days for volcanic reasons.🤯

 

We spent one night at the Center Hotel Arnarhvoll. It was one night too many. Nice rooftop bar though.

 

And now there is the Reykjavik Edition, the first 5-star hotel in Reykjavik. Right next to the port, so extremely central.  Wonderful food and bars, including a roof top bar which has great views.

 

3 hours ago, gcornell said:

Lots of confusion and lack of info on current boarding times so wanted to share.  Just boarded the Spirit in Iceland today.  Final papers said boarding at 2pm. We got to the pier at 12:10, checked in and we eating lunch by 12:20. 

 

Boarding time is always given as 2:00pm.  Sometimes extra time is needed for a thorough sanitisation if there has been illness onboard, etc.  It also avoids having too many passengers arriving at the same time as most regular SS cruisers know they can check in earlier.

[AusMum]

Was just reading this today, as we are off to Iceland in August. Am glad The Endeavour only has 200 passengers - these 2,500 passenger cruise ships must be tough for such small communities

 

https://www.icelandreview.com/news/seydisfjordur-cruise-ship-traffic-has-locals-asking-for-assistance/

 

[highplanesdrifters]

3 hours ago, Port Power said:

And now there is the Reykjavik Edition, the first 5-star hotel in Reykjavik. Right next to the port, so extremely central.  Wonderful food and bars, including a roof top bar which has great views.

 

Great! Had my eye on that too. Nice to get your review. 😃

[highplanesdrifters]

2 hours ago, AusMum said:

Was just reading this today, as we are off to Iceland in August. Am glad The Endeavour only has 200 passengers - these 2,500 passenger cruise ships must be tough for such small communities

 

https://www.icelandreview.com/news/seydisfjordur-cruise-ship-traffic-has-locals-asking-for-assistance/

 

 

Last time we were there in 2022 our driver happened to own the company.  He said they were expecting a 30% increase in cruise traffic and there was no way the country was ready. He said his company was already stretched to its limits.

 

Thanks for the article.

[AusMum]

18 hours ago, highplanesdrifters said:

 

Last time we were there in 2022 our driver happened to own the company.  He said they were expecting a 30% increase in cruise traffic and there was no way the country was ready. He said his company was already stretched to its limits.

 

Thanks for the article.

It's difficult to judge others, as I am off to Iceland as well.  I do believe doing our research has helped us to make better choices like giving places like The Blue Lagoon a miss.  I've just finished a travel and tourism course to become a travel consultant, and we had an entire unit on sustainability that encouraged us to think about over tourism, its impact, and some alternatives

[highplanesdrifters]

Just now, AusMum said:

giving places like The Blue Lagoon a miss. 

 

The Blue Lagoon might be a miss, but The Retreat at the Blue Lagoon should not be.

[gcornell]

When I travel to new places I want to do everything at least once especially since I bring my teens along and want them to experience the world to form their own opinions.  We arrived at Blue Lagoon at 8am and it was almost empty and very enjoyable. We left at Noon and it was a madhouse. At least 100x more people.  That would have completely changed the experience. 

[AusMum]

On 7/6/2024 at 1:19 AM, gcornell said:

When I travel to new places I want to do everything at least once especially since I bring my teens along and want them to experience the world to form their own opinions.  We arrived at Blue Lagoon at 8am and it was almost empty and very enjoyable. We left at Noon and it was a madhouse. At least 100x more people.  That would have completely changed the experience. 

If it was 'natural' it might have more appeal, but it is man-made.  I have a heated pool and a spa in my back garden, and am only moments away from deserted beaches, so not expecting it to be as much as a novelty as it might be to others.  I would rather spend my time seeing natural water falls etc

[les37b]

12 midday is common for boarding to start but never guaranteed. 2pm seems to be the standard time they start you can start. Probably a sensible move as all those in the know, wont arrive at 2 with everyone else and making bigger queues!

 

My cruise last year from Reykjavik on Viking, I was able to board at 10am, then approx 25mins later, I had boarded, did my lifejacket drill, checked in and back off to do the private tour I'd got booked. (I needed to do this to check in my luggage and hand luggage I didn't want to lug around to Gulfoss.) I was actually planning to hike from the trail 18km to the active volcano, but it got put out the day before I arrived in Iceland, so revisited Gulfoss instead.

 

 

[Port Power]

3 hours ago, AusMum said:

If it was 'natural' it might have more appeal, but it is man-made.  I have a heated pool and a spa in my back garden, and am only moments away from deserted beaches, so not expecting it to be as much as a novelty as it might be to others.  I would rather spend my time seeing natural water falls etc

I think the point of the lagoons is the natural thermally heated water from the volcanic system, not the actual facility that holds the water.  It is not chlorinated water from the mains!  I quite enjoyed Star Lagoon, which also included a sauna room and steam room and salt scrub.  It was well managed and drinks were limited to three, with a wrist band to be scanned as proof.  The view of the sea was lovely.

[AusMum]

22 hours ago, Port Power said:

I think the point of the lagoons is the natural thermally heated water from the volcanic system, not the actual facility that holds the water.  It is not chlorinated water from the mains!  I quite enjoyed Star Lagoon, which also included a sauna room and steam room and salt scrub.  It was well managed and drinks were limited to three, with a wrist band to be scanned as proof.  The view of the sea was lovely.

Did you realise Bicton Baths are thermally heated?  also a beautiful view, but a place we take for granted.

 

https://swimmingholeheaven.com/wa-warmpools.htm

[gcornell]

We enjoyed them. Pyramids are man made and we found them mesmerizing.