Win a trip to Santorini for two, $3,000Enter free
Skip to main content

Iceland Cruise Ports: What to Do in Each (And What to Book)

Iceland's cruise season is five months long and its ports are tiny - Isafjordur has 2,700 people and takes ships carrying more than that. Almost nothing is walkable to from the pier except the town itself, so what you book decides your day entirely. Here is what each port is actually good for, and where the money is well spent.

Check live cruise pricesCompare sailings, cabins and departure ports
By James9 min readPublished
Table of contents
A ship moored in Reykjavik harbour, Iceland, with mountains across the bay
Photo: Gordon Leggett · CC BY-SA 4.0

In Brief

What are the main Iceland cruise ports?

The main Iceland cruise ports are Reykjavik, Akureyri, Isafjordur and Seydisfjordur, with Grundarfjordur and Djupivogur on some itineraries. Reykjavik is the base for the Golden Circle and the Blue Lagoon, Akureyri is the gateway to Lake Myvatn and whale watching at Husavik, and the Westfjords port of Isafjordur is the wildest. The season runs early May to late September only, and excursions matter more here than almost anywhere because the landscapes are far from the piers.

Key takeaways

  • The Iceland cruise season is roughly early May to late September - nothing sails in winter.
  • Reykjavik's port is about 4km from the centre, so you need the shuttle or a taxi even for the town.
  • Book the Blue Lagoon and any Golden Circle trip ahead - the lagoon uses timed entry and sells out.
  • Akureyri is the best whale-watching port, and Husavik nearby is the most reliable in the country.
Check live cruise prices and datesCompare sailings, cabins and departure ports
  • Compare sailings and cabins
  • No booking fee
  • Prices on Trip.com

Iceland's cruise ports, and what each is worth

Iceland's ports are small and the scenery is inland, so the day is defined by what you book. These are ranked by how much a port day is genuinely worth.

  1. Reykjavik cruise port, Iceland

    Iceland

    1. Reykjavik

    The biggest choice of excursions, and the only real city.

    Most Iceland itineraries start, end or spend a long day here. It is the base for the Golden Circle - Thingvellir's continental rift, the Geysir hot springs and Gullfoss waterfall - which is the classic Iceland day out. The town itself has the Hallgrimskirkja church tower, the Harpa concert hall and a walkable centre of colourful houses.

    Book it right
    The cruise pier at Skarfabakki is about 4km from downtown, so budget for the shuttle or a taxi even if you only want the town. Book the Golden Circle or the Blue Lagoon well ahead - the lagoon requires a pre-booked timed slot and sells out, and it sits near the airport rather than the city, so allow the travel time.
    Typical time in port
    Often a full day or overnight
    Book Reykjavik excursions
    Best time to visit Iceland

  2. Iceland

    2. Akureyri

    The best port day in the north. Whales and Myvatn.

    Iceland's second city sits at the head of a long fjord, and it is the gateway to Lake Myvatn's volcanic landscape of pseudo-craters, lava fields and steaming geothermal ground, plus Godafoss waterfall on the way. Husavik, about an hour away, is the most reliable whale-watching town in Iceland.

    Book it right
    Choose one: Myvatn or Husavik whales. Both are full-day trips and you cannot do both. Myvatn is the better landscape day and includes the nature baths, a quieter alternative to the Blue Lagoon. If you have already whale-watched elsewhere, take Myvatn. Book either ahead; ship-day capacity is limited in a town this size.
    Typical time in port
    Usually 8am - 5pm
    Book Akureyri excursions
  3. Isafjordur cruise port, Iceland

    Iceland

    3. Isafjordur

    The wildest and most remote. Small town, big landscape.

    The capital of the Westfjords, a town of about 2,700 people wedged under steep mountains on a spit of land. This is the emptiest, most dramatic corner of Iceland, with sea kayaking in the fjord, hikes straight out of town and boat trips to the abandoned village of Hesteyri and puffin colonies.

    Book it right
    The town takes 30 minutes to see, so book something. Kayaking in the fjord and the boat to Hesteyri are the standouts and both have small capacity. Weather cancels more excursions here than anywhere else in Iceland, so have a plan B, and the town's museum and bakery make a decent one.
    Typical time in port
    Usually 8am - 5pm
    Book Isafjordur excursions
  4. Seydisfjordur cruise port, Iceland

    Iceland

    4. Seydisfjordur

    Tender port

    The prettiest arrival in Iceland. Tiny, and that is the point.

    A village of a few hundred at the end of a long east-coast fjord, with a famous rainbow-painted street leading to a blue church, wooden Norwegian-style houses and waterfalls down the valley walls. The sail in at dawn is one of the best approaches on any Iceland itinerary.

    Book it right
    Do not overbook here. The village is genuinely lovely to walk and photograph, and an hour or two covers it. Excursions run to Egilsstadir and the surrounding valleys, and the hike up to Vestdalsfoss is good if the weather holds. Be on deck for the sail in and out - that is the highlight.
    Typical time in port
    Usually 8am - 4pm
    Book Seydisfjordur excursions

  5. Iceland

    5. Grundarfjordur

    Tender port

    One famous mountain, and not much else in town.

    A small harbour on the Snaefellsnes peninsula, in the shadow of Kirkjufell - the arrowhead mountain beside a waterfall that is the most photographed spot in Iceland. The peninsula behind it is often called Iceland in miniature, with a glacier, black beaches, lava fields and seabird cliffs in a short drive.

    Book it right
    Kirkjufell is a few kilometres from the pier and the classic photo spot is at the waterfall, not the town. A peninsula tour is the right call here because the good landscapes are spread along the coast road. In town itself there is very little, so do not plan on a self-guided day.
    Book Grundarfjordur excursions

Best time for an Iceland cruise

Iceland's cruise season is short. The month you sail changes daylight, wildlife and price more than it changes temperature, which stays cool throughout.

MonthWhat it's likeWorth knowing
MayCool, quiet, cheapestSeason opens. Fewer ships, lower fares, snow still on the highlands. Some highland roads and tours not yet running.
JuneMidnight sunNear-24-hour daylight around the solstice and peak puffin season. The best month for landscapes; prices climb.
JulyWarmest and busiestHighs around 13-15°C, everything open, best whale activity - and the most ships per port and the highest prices.
AugustWarm, still brightExcellent conditions with slightly fewer crowds than July. Puffins leave through the month.
SeptemberDarker, cheaperNorthern lights become possible as nights return, autumn colour in the fjords, lowest late-season fares. Weather turns more changeable.

Iceland cruise excursions: where the money is worth spending

Iceland is the region where booking an excursion matters most, and the reason is geography. The landscapes people come for - waterfalls, geysers, lava fields, glacier lagoons - are one to three hours inland from ports with populations in the hundreds. There is no walking off the ship into scenery, and public transport in these towns effectively does not exist.

That said, independent operators in Reykjavik and Akureyri are plentiful and usually cheaper than the ship's version, and both towns have enough competition that quality is high. In the small ports - Isafjordur, Seydisfjordur, Grundarfjordur - capacity is genuinely limited and the ship's excursions may be most of what is available, so book early either way.

The one to plan around is the Blue Lagoon. It uses pre-booked timed entry, sells out in season, and sits near Keflavik airport rather than Reykjavik, so it eats a large part of a port day in travel. If your ship is only in Reykjavik briefly, the Sky Lagoon closer to town or the Myvatn Nature Baths in the north are better uses of the time.

  • Book the Blue Lagoon's timed entry well ahead, and check the travel time from your pier.
  • In small ports, capacity is limited - book early rather than deciding on the day.
  • Weather cancels excursions here more than anywhere; keep a plan B for each port.
  • Choose one big trip per port. Nothing in Iceland can be doubled up in a day.

What to pack for an Iceland cruise

Layers and genuinely waterproof outerwear, whatever the month. Summer highs sit around 12 to 15°C, but Iceland's weather changes hour to hour and the wind is the part people underestimate - it is what makes 12°C feel considerably colder on an exposed clifftop.

Waterproof walking shoes or light boots matter more than anything else in the bag. Most excursions involve walking on wet lava rock, gravel paths or muddy trails, and trainers are miserable in that. Bring a hat and gloves even in July for the whale-watching boats and the exposed viewpoints.

Two Iceland-specific items: swimwear, because the geothermal pools and lagoons are a highlight and you will regret not having it, and a proper eye mask if you sail in June, when it barely gets dark and cabins with a window stay bright at midnight.

  • Waterproof jacket and trousers - wind-driven rain is the norm, and umbrellas are useless.
  • Waterproof walking shoes or boots for wet lava and gravel paths.
  • Swimwear for the lagoons and geothermal pools.
  • An eye mask for June and July sailings, when the nights barely get dark.

How Iceland cruise itineraries work

Two shapes dominate. Circumnavigations sail around Iceland over a week or more, calling at Reykjavik plus a mix of Akureyri, Isafjordur, Seydisfjordur and the smaller harbours - the fullest picture of the country and the best choice if Iceland is the trip.

The alternative is Iceland as part of a wider northern route, usually combined with Norway, the Faroe Islands, Greenland or the British Isles. These sailings typically call at only two or three Icelandic ports, most often Reykjavik and Akureyri, and give you a taste rather than the country.

One practical point worth checking before booking: whether your Reykjavik call is an overnight. Iceland's capital is the one port where an evening in town genuinely adds something, and an overnight also makes the Blue Lagoon far easier to fit in without losing a whole sightseeing day.

Frequently asked questions

Reykjavik, Akureyri, Isafjordur and Seydisfjordur are the four you will see most, with Grundarfjordur on the Snaefellsnes peninsula and Djupivogur in the east on some itineraries. Reykjavik is the only one that is a real city and the base for the Golden Circle and the Blue Lagoon. Akureyri in the north opens up Lake Myvatn and the whale-watching town of Husavik. Isafjordur and Seydisfjordur are villages - beautiful, remote, and dependent on whatever excursion you have booked.

The season runs early May to late September and nothing sails outside it. June and July are the peak: near-endless daylight around the solstice, puffins on the cliffs, everything open, and the highest prices and most ships. May is the cheapest and quietest with snow still on the highlands, though some inland tours are not yet running. September brings a real chance of northern lights as the nights return, autumn colour in the fjords and the lowest late-season fares, at the cost of more changeable weather.

More than almost anywhere else, yes. Iceland's ports are tiny and the landscapes are inland - the Golden Circle, Lake Myvatn and the glacier country are all one to three hours from a pier, with effectively no public transport from these towns. Reykjavik's port is even 4km from its own city centre. In the small ports like Isafjordur and Seydisfjordur the town takes half an hour to see, so an unbooked day there is a wasted one. Book at least one thing in every port.

It depends on your port timing. The Blue Lagoon requires pre-booked timed entry, sells out in season, and sits closer to Keflavik airport than to Reykjavik, so between transfers and the visit it consumes a large part of a port day. If your ship is in Reykjavik overnight or for a long day, it works well. If your call is short, the Sky Lagoon just outside central Reykjavik gives you the same geothermal soak with far less travel, and in the north the Myvatn Nature Baths are quieter and cheaper than either.

Cooler than most people pack for. Summer highs sit around 12 to 15°C in the ports, and it can be several degrees colder on deck, on a whale-watching boat or at an exposed waterfall. The bigger factor is wind and rain rather than temperature - Iceland's weather changes hour to hour, and wind-driven rain makes 12°C feel far colder. Waterproof outerwear, a warm mid-layer, hat and gloves are worth carrying even in July, along with waterproof shoes for wet lava and gravel paths.

Akureyri gives the best port day for most people: it opens up Lake Myvatn's volcanic landscapes and Godafoss waterfall, or the whale watching at Husavik, and it is a pleasant small city in its own right. Reykjavik offers the widest choice of excursions and is the only genuine city, but its port sits 4km out and the headline trips eat the whole day in travel. For sheer drama, Isafjordur in the Westfjords and the sail into Seydisfjordur are the most memorable, even though the towns themselves are tiny.

Continue Planning Your Trip

Photo credits (3)

Photos via Wikimedia Commons, used under their respective licences.