Iceland vs. Greenland?

[LVSue]

We're looking at 2 cruises similar to Voyage of the Vikings. One, Northern Isles, has 3 Norway stops and 3 Iceland stops, but no Greenland. Viking Passage has one Norway, one Iceland and 3 Greenland. So my question to those of you who have visited these places: which one would appeal to you? More Iceland and Norway, or Greenland plus short stays in the other places?

Edited March 26, 2014 by LVSue

[catl331]

One, Northern Isles, has 3 Norway stops and 3 Iceland stops, but no Greenland. Viking Passage has one Norway, one Iceland and 3 Greenland.

We haven't been to either yet (we're on the Aug Viking Passage) but I wanted to point out that the V.P. has just 2 Greenland stops plus a little "cruising only", and the Iceland stop is overnight, so IMO that's like two stops. From what we've read we're much more interested in Iceland. It doesn't sound like there's much to see at the Greenland stops. Edited March 26, 2014 by catl331

[sapper1]

The spectacular part of Greenland is the scenic cruising in Prins Christian Sund. We were lucky and struck a good day, weather wise. The ship will give it a pass if the weather is not ideal. So you could choose Greenland over Iceland and wind up seeing neither. We did anchor the next day off a small town where were totally surrounded by enormous icebergs. We did not bother going ashore.

 

Iceland was an experience not to be missed. I could not begin to describe the rugged beauty of the sort that would be hard to describe. Old lava fields everywhere. Even the golf course was built through a lava field.

We took an excursion to the Blue Lagoon and an area where the mud boils.

If we had had another day we would have visited the waterfall, the name of which escapes me. I could easily go back and spend a week in Iceland.

 

Having been both places and having to make a choice of which to visit, Iceland would win hands down.

[catl331]

If we had had another day we would have visited the waterfall, the name of which escapes me.

Gullfoss

 

Here are some Iceland webcams I've been watching, one of which is Gullfoss

http://www.livefromiceland.is/

Edited March 26, 2014 by catl331

[cruisemom42]

I very much want to visit Greenland due to its haunting history of the Viking "Greenlanders":

 

http://archive.archaeology.org/online/features/greenland/

 

I fully realize there is not much remaining, but I enjoy visiting the places where such history happened... I have a lot less interest in Iceland.

 

HOWEVER, as someone else already pointed out, the weather plays a big role in whether you will even get to land in Greenland on any particular day. I've read reviews of cruises for years and it seems like the odds are probably only slightly better than 50-50 that you will get to stop in Greenland.

 

For that reason, I expect to do a land trip one day, probably covering both.

[user8]

I have been to all three places plus I used to live in Norway. In my opinion, Norway has both of the other places beat for beauty and scenery. Of the other two, I liked Iceland best. Hope this helps a little bit.

 

Lee

[visagrunt]

I would certainly recommend Iceland over Greenland.

 

While there is much that is unique in Greenland, all of its communities are small, and the attractions are fewer and farther between. Iceland, on the other hand, has a larger population with which to support a wider range of activities.

[RuthC]

I've been all over the north country more times than I can count. I love Norway, and never tire of it. The same place is very different in changed weather conditions, and you feel a real mood shift.

 

I happen to enjoy the Greenland ports, but frankly they are all pretty much the same. They are small settlements, isolated from each other except by sea or air, and seem isolated from the world. It's an experience to be there while imagining how people live out there lives in this world.

The sail through Prins Christian Sund is very pretty. There's a small settlement there that looks as if it is cut off from the rest of the world (or at least was before satellites). I can't imagine living out my life there.

 

Iceland north and south are two totally different landscapes, so are different experiences. I love the northern part of the country. They have green there!

 

Were this my choice, I would take the cruise with Norway, and plan a cruise with at least one stop in Greenland some other time.

But either way you cannot go wrong.

[Ray in NH]

We're looking at 2 cruises similar to Voyage of the Vikings. One, Northern Isles, has 3 Norway stops and 3 Iceland stops, but no Greenland. Viking Passage has one Norway, one Iceland and 3 Greenland. So my question to those of you who have visited these places: which one would appeal to you? More Iceland and Norway, or Greenland plus short stays in the other places?

 

Not knowing your preferences, nor your expectation of future cruising, it is difficult to give an answer that would do your spending fairness.

 

Iceland has more variety, but Greenland is quite unique, as are parts of Iceland. Iceland is much easier to get to than is Greenland, and probably less expensive?

 

Since you asked, "What would appeal to you? This "you (me) would say, if I knew this would be my last opportunity to see either of these two fascinating places, I would choose Greenland.

 

Others may totally disagree, and I cannot fault them for that.

 

Ray in NH - expressing one man's opinion

[Katie333]

We were lucky enough to get to Iceland (2 ports), Greenland and Norway in one cruise. It was fabulous!

 

We decided we could move to Iceland and be happy to live there. It's beautiful and interesting. Greenland was a once in a lifetime opportunity and our captain really worked hard to get us ashore. It was amazing to say we had been there but truly not much to do.

 

Norway we also loved, and would enjoy going back there again. Bergen was a beautiful town.

 

Greenland was very nearly a miss, and to take a chance and not make it there is about 50/50 according to our captain.

[joysav]

We are going to do both and the Baltic as well .

 

I have always been a believer in Climate Change and want to go to

Green Land to see Global Warming in Action

 

Interestingly a recent Article in New Scientist stated that Greenland

will rise out of the Sea a couple of meters when the Ice finally all melts

which is probably a lot sooner than people expect.

 

newscientist.com Sea-levels-rise-and-rise-is-down-to-melting-ice-sheets

 

Google new+scientist+greenland+rises+ice+melts

 

.

[LVSue]

Thank you all for your responses! I am not surprised by any of them.

 

VP does not overnight in Reykjavik next year, just a day stop. Neither does NI, though it seems to circle the island. Part of VP are Canadian/NE ports. NI is strictly a round-trip from Harwich.

 

As you can tell, there are many pluses and minuses for each trip: big ship (Eurodam), small ship (Ryndam), TA vs RT Heathrow. But I am beginning to think the NI, with its concentration on Northern Europe might be preferable.

[pbnjrockette]

We've done land tours of Iceland with a 3 day trip to Greenland. While Greenland was fascinating and not to be missed, Iceland for sure is the country to visit especially if there are several stops since each area is so different. For a small country it has glaciers, waterfalls, hot springs, geysers, earthquake fissures even vast areas of barren nothing ness that look like the moon!

[Minoushka]

Greenland has amazing icebergs

Loved it

[Storylady]

I would do the Eurodam tour that includes the three port calls in Greenland including the sailing of Prince Christain Sund as it offers a new port of call for HAL in Greenland. Paamiut (Frederikshab). A quick look at the photos make it seem like it will be a great port to visit. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.

 

Only thing that I would be concerned about this particular cruise is how late the Eurodam is coming back to the US. Will some of the Greenland ports and Prince Christian Sund be open or closed with ice in September?

 

You might want to take the safe route and do Norway and Iceland where you are more likely not to have cancelled port calls.

[comcox]

You might consider flying over on Icelandair (from Seattle or Denver) which offers free stopovers in Reykjavik. My husband did this on is way to Norway for a cruise and in essence picked up an additional port. They sell a variety of packages that include accommodations and tours for stopovers.

[rkacruiser]

Norway, Greenland, and Iceland are all interesting places to visit.

 

A surprising highlight for me on the Eurodam's re-positioning cruise this past September was Greenland. The several hours of cruising through Prins Christian Sund was a delight. The ship entered at one end of the Sound and exited at the other end. The geological formations observed along the waterway were amazing to behold. Weather was cold and rainy. But hot clam chowder served in sourdough bread bowls on deck and in the Crow's Nest were welcome as we did our sightseeing.

 

That night, the Captain positioned the ship near the village of Nanortalik over night and had the officers on the Bridge maneuver the ship within a square mile box to avoid icebergs that were moving in that area. (He did not want to sail in that area at night because of the icebergs, the Captain told us.)

 

The visit to Nanortalik was a delight as well. A small, isolated fishing village where there was a well done cultural show performed for us at their community center (a small fee was charged) and paved paths to walk with a small church to visit. It was the most authenic, non-touristy place we visited on the entire Baltic and re-positioning cruises. While it was tempting to not go ashore--drizzle, fog, cold--I am so glad that I did!