Questions about circumnavigation of Iceland

Hi - I am contemplating the above referenced Iceland cruise and would like to know if it is possible to see sites without taking the Windstar excursions - Can anyone help me with this? I don't mind taking a few but not at every port - Thanks!

I am going on the Pride to Iceland on 7/24/17 and would like to do some touring without using the Windstar tours.

There is some chat about this on the roll calls. Consensus seems to be that there isn't much available for a decent price beyond the WS excursions.

will you be on the same cruise? I would like to share a minivan with others and do our own touring.

I was on this cruise last July. Aside from Reykjavik, all of the ports were very small towns. There didn't seem to be any opportunities for options outside of the Windstar excursions, however the excursions we took were very good. They took us to all kinds of places that would require some sort of transportation. Another benefit is that each excursion had a tour guide who provided a great deal of information about the location and country in general. I did not notice any car rental places in the ports we visited. Iceland is a very unique country.

I was on this cruise last July. Aside from Reykjavik, all of the ports were very small towns. There didn't seem to be any opportunities for options outside of the Windstar excursions, however the excursions we took were very good. They took us to all kinds of places that would require some sort of transportation. Another benefit is that each excursion had a tour guide who provided a great deal of information about the location and country in general. I did not notice any car rental places in the ports we visited. Iceland is a very unique country.

We are avid WS cruisers contemplating Iceland for next summer. Trying to decide if cruise is best option for this country or land tour by car might allow us to see more. Your thoughts? Do you feel like you really "saw" Iceland? Thanks!

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A few years back my youngest son and his girlfriend rented a car and spent 8 days in Iceland. They camped and hiked throughout the entire country. Their photos were spectacular and they had an amazing time. That being said, it was a very different trip than a WS cruise but very doable.

About 25 years ago we drove all over both islands of NZ for almost a month. Never would have seen much other than coast if we had been on a ship. Now we are obviously much older and not roughing it! I'm curious about how much we might miss by sticking to cruising although circumnavigation with good tours might be a good answer. We have non stop now from Tampa so it's pretty tempting. Cruise itself is one of the more expensive ones and tours, at least private ones, are much higher than we've paid in Europe and UK. Not sure of the WS tour pricing. Just in the research phase and hope to get some input from those who have done the itinerary.

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Another thing to consider is how expensive Iceland is to stay on land for any extended period. The hotels and meals were pricey. We spent two nights in Reykjavik at just over $300/night prior to the cruise and went to the Blue Lagoon and did the Golden Circle Tour. Both were amazing!

The shore excursions we took allowed us to see quite a bit. We did not go too far interior, but if you look at a map to see where the tours actually go, you may find you will see a lot. Not only that, but will have a local guide who will provide a lot of knowledge about the island and its history, folklore, etc. and be able to answer any questions you have.

If you decide to do it on your own and rent a car, be sure to map out where there will be hotels. The "towns" and service areas were far apart.

The "Private Event" on this cruise was very good.

Hi - I am contemplating the above referenced Iceland cruise and would like to know if it is possible to see sites without taking the Windstar excursions - Can anyone help me with this? I don't mind taking a few but not at every port - Thanks!

Hi, My husband and I were on this cruise last July and had a great time. We had some shipboard credit and used it for a couple of the ship's excursions. But, we also did several excursions through travel agencies on-line for some of the ports at a much better price (check on tripadvisor). The travel agencies are very good at coordinating with the cruise schedule and we had no problems. As noted by others, the ports are small and even with excursions we had time to explore the port cities. We also had two days up front and went to the Blue Lagoon with an on-line pre-purchased package and then two days after the cruise and rented a car and drove the Golden Circle and along the coast to Vik. Whatever you decide it should be a great trip! Enjoy!

Thanks for sharing. Do you remember the names of the travel agencies you used for booking? And for which ports?

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Thanks for sharing. Do you remember the names of the travel agencies you used for booking? And for which ports?

 

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On Heimaey Island we were with Eyja Tours - Puffin and Volcano - with pre-booking we met at pier and paid in cash (they may take cc) for about $114 for two. In Akureyri, we used Fab Travel for tour to Godafoss, Lake Myvatn and a thermal spa - we pre-booked and paid by cc at the meeting point. It was about $220 for two. Both tours were well organized and went to the same places as the ship tours on a slightly different schedule. I hope this helps.

Thanks so much.

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