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The modern sculpture was created by Jon Gunnar Arnason, an Iceland native, and pays homage to the promise of discovery, progress and freedom. This lounge is set up with many small ‘rooms’ and areas to sit that felt quite private. There is also atrium seating on the two levels above the living room that offer quiet areas to sit and talk. – Lounges – There are a lot of wonderful little spots all over the ship where passengers may relax and enjoy a libation, but we will just point out a few of them. For any cruises listed, Cruise Critic does not guarantee any specific rates or prices.
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Yes, there was signage at the elevators and seats blocked off at bars and in lounges. Although, there were no skipping of tables in the Restaurant or other specialty restaurants. There were also no seats blocked off in the theater or on tour buses.
Viking Iceland’s Natural Beauty Cruise Review
It was obviously well researched, but the “story” seemed to get a little lost. It was certainly a lot of information to process for the close to 50 minute presentation. Getting a brief safety and operational overview first, we then set off on an exhilarating adventure traversing the trails and black beaches of the rugged Icelandic coast.
Day 5 – Iceland’s Natural Beauty Cruise Review
Since we never write about places we haven’t been ourselves, you can be sure that everything you read and pictures you see are things we have actually seen and done. We hope you enjoy the travel experiences and tips we share on this site. Mývatn Volcanic Lake Area – After leaving Godafoss Fall, we proceeded to the Mývatn Volcanic Lake Area to view the Skútustadir pseudo craters. These impressive craters were not created by volcanic eruptions.
Sadly, there were only two gnomes left, and neither met her approval. With a few cruisers ahead of us, we waited approximately 10 minutes to be sat at an oceanview table for two at the very aft of the restaurant. Similar to other luxury cruise lines, all restaurants are complimentary, including the specialty Italian restaurant Manfredi’s and the Chef’s Table.
Witness the Northern Lights
We had two brief minke whale sightings and a large pod of dolphins. So, we did have some success with the trip, but we weren’t able to time any good photos. Another long day of two shore excursions awaited us in Akureyri tomorrow. Ahead of the trip, we secured one of the complimentary city tours and a second afternoon tour to nearby Vigur Island. This location is great for bird watchers, and more importantly puffins.
Viking Ocean Reykjavik Cruise Reviews
In Search of The Northern Lights is Viking’s 13-day ocean voyage in the Arctic, sailing between London (Tilbury) and Bergen via the Norwegian fjords. Multiple departures will operate from January to March 2025, regarded as the best time to see the lights. Viking also requires that guests wear face masks while moving about the ship. Guests can remove their masks once seated in a venue and/or while outside.
Visit Laugavegur, the main shopping street, then head toward the striking Hallgrímskirkja Church. You could also explore the galleries and museums dotted around the city. Seydisfjördur enjoys a mountainous setting at the end of a fjord. It traces its origins to the early days of Viking settlements.
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Viking Cruises’ 2025 Newbuild to be Named Viking Vesta - Cruise Industry News
Viking Cruises’ 2025 Newbuild to be Named Viking Vesta.
Posted: Thu, 18 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
The scenery is stunning with its volcanic landscapes, moss-covered clifftops and picturesque homes with brightly colored rooftops. A number of breathtaking natural sights are a result of the volcanic eruption that took place here in 1973, which saw the evacuation of all 5,000 residents to the mainland. Each summer, millions of puffins pay a visit and countless other species migrate here to feed and breed. Several efforts are underway to protect the wealth of wildlife, from puffins to the gentle giants of the sea. Whether you are planning a road trip across North America or have an urban European adventure in mind, our goal is to provide you with sensible, useful travel advice.
So, we are excited to share with you the incredible experience we had this past July. The itinerary is similar to the others, though with fewer port stops; the cruises are a day or 2 shorter, since the ship is back in Reykjavik every week. You’ll find 2 pools, a premium Nordic spa, a sports deck, and several lounges. The Star won’t match the amenities on larger ships; there’s no casino here. Still, you’ll find the most offerings on this ship for an Iceland circumnavigation cruise. Finally, there is social distancing on the ship; however, this protocol was a bit inconsistent.
You can also enjoy the geothermal waters at Geosea, which overlooks Skjálfandi bay, and pep yourself up with a beer at the local microbrewery. Learn about the fishing traditions in Europe’s westernmost village. You can even enjoy a dip in the town’s outdoor pool, which features wonderful fjord views.
We were seated at a table for 2 immediately after checking-in. Of course, I found some time for a quick snack at the World Café as well. Similar to our previous experience with Viking, I found the buffet to be among the best of any cruise line. In-depth talks on history, climate change, sustainability, wildlife, Earth science, culture, and other topics specific to the destination you are visiting are held here. Learning more about each subject is certain to enhance your expedition experience. Your Iceland expedition cruise starts in Reykjavík, a city full of art, culture, and history.
Sailing in to the fjord on a cloudless beautiful morning offered more incredible views. Disembarking in Djúpivogur provided our first opportunity to take the tenders to shore. The tendering process was very organized and the trip was short and smooth. Dynjandi Waterfall – We departed early in the morning for our 5-hour excursion to the Dynjandi Falls. Only a few miles out of town we entered a tunnel through the mountains. Unlike other tunnels we had been in, this tunnel was more than 6 miles long and even had an intersection with another road right in the middle of the tunnel.
But in this article, we are recapping only the activities and excursions that we selected for our itinerary. We just wanted to take a moment to address the question of the weather in Iceland. During our trip, lows ranged from 48 F to 54 F and the highs were from about 55 F to 62 F. We were lucky in that it only rained one day while we were sailing and we had almost no significant winds during the entire trip.
Lunch consisted of delicious cream of white asparagus soup along with a main course of perfectly poached salmon. Of course, we had to try some local Icelandic Gullfoss beer to go with lunch! Laugavegur Street – A few blocks from the church you will find Laugavegur Street. It so happens that Laugavegur Street is one of the oldest in the city, and is remembered for being the route that locals took to reach the hot springs for washing laundry. If you feel like doing a little shopping, be sure to walk the length of the Laugavegur. You will find all sorts of shops, including typical tourist souvenir stores to upscale clothing stores and galleries.
An Icelandic fisherman dressed in old-fashioned, traditional fishing gear, gave us a short lecture on what it was like back in the day. It was fascinating to hear his stories and to see the replicas of some of the buildings from times past. At 11 AM we boarded our bus for a short tour of Reykjavik, on the way to the ship. The tour was quite helpful since it provided the orientation we needed when we ventured out on our own later that day. Once on board, we were given a temperature check and some brief COVID-related information. We were issued our contact tracing devices and then proceeded to our stateroom.
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