WHAT DO CITIZENS OF SEYDISFJOROUR DO FOR FUN?

[2old4this]

Seriously, Island Princess docks their on 27 July 2020 for an entire day.  An entire day.  2,000 passengers crowd ashore to engage a little town made up small shops, a main street with a church, and with the tourists looking to discover a little more of Iceland.  It will indeed be a LITTLE more.  Not too far out of town and a small hike up a hill is the waterfall.  From the photos floating around on the Internet, this Seydisfjorour gives the description RURAL a bad reputation.

 

I have to ask, what do Seydisfjorour-ians do for fun when cruise ships aren't in town?  What do they classify as excitement on say, a saturday night?  Do the locals buy their home made crafts and sweaters from each other?  Do they have a drug abuse problem or crime history at all?  Having served on the board of directors for my town's Chamber of Commerce, I see a need for the Seydisfjorour Chamber to step up with some sort of portside greeting.  How about four Seydisfjorour-ian males dressed as warriors from Norway doing the "Dance of the Vikings?"  It would help . . . temporarily.

[LDVinNC]

It looks like a charming place to me.  No need to make fun of it.

[mcrcruiser]

Yes looks like a place we would enjoy walking about & talking with the locals ,if they spoke English ,to get a better sense of their culture & habits 

[RMMariner]

Would love to stop there. I hope to cycle around Iceland in the next couple of years. Towns like this are what would make the trip incredible.

 

I can see why some might find it boring, but I think it looks amazing.

Edited January 4, 2020 by RMMariner

[milogurd]

I'd bet they would have a great time telling us how to pronounce SEYDISFJOROUR.

[gottagocit]

Maybe they love their peaceful little town just the way it is and have no interest in changing a single thing. If so why would they want encourage many more ships carrying 2,000, 4,000 or more passengers to make stops there and disrupt their quiet oasis many more times per year. 

[NMTraveller]

To engage a small town?  LOL

 

I plan to go an excursion that visits 

 

• Seyðisfjörður
• Borgarfjörður Eystri
• Hafnarhólmi

I am just glad that they let us visit their piece of paradise.

Edited January 5, 2020 by NMTraveller

[Sauer-kraut]

Iceland has a devastating alcohol abuse problem amongst it's inhabitants.  

[ljandgb]

No need to disparage the small hamlets that make up almost ALL of Iceland's villages.  At 12,000 Akureyri is the second largest "city" in Iceland.  It all gets smaller from there.

 

But that is exactly why I think an Iceland cruise is the wrong way to see the country.  There's not enough in each little port to do much, and there just isn't enough infrastructure to support 2,000 people/day during the very short cruise season.

[kaisatsu]

On 1/4/2020 at 6:52 PM, 2old4this said:

I have to ask, what do Seydisfjorour-ians do for fun when cruise ships aren't in town?

Go to the pub. Watch TV. Hang out with friends. Enjoy a hike. Go boating. Read a book. Go to the swimming pool. Golf. Netflix and chill.

[2old4this]

7 minutes ago, kaisatsu said:

Go to the pub. Watch TV. Hang out with friends. Enjoy a hike. Go boating. Read a book. Go to the swimming pool. Golf. Netflix and chill.

THE pub?  One friggin' pub?  No movie House?  No library?  How about a first aid station?  One hike to the falls ought to be about enough.  This cruise stop for 2 K people ought to be a real fun day.

[2old4this]

On 1/4/2020 at 12:09 PM, gottagocit said:

Maybe they love their peaceful little town just the way it is and have no interest in changing a single thing. If so why would they want encourage many more ships carrying 2,000, 4,000 or more passengers to make stops there and disrupt their quiet oasis many more times per year. 

Money drives things here, there, and everywhere.  The town has opened their inlet to cruise ships, at least the Island Princess, which tells me their merchants want more business, not less.  In just a few hours our spending will change things for many people living there.  I'm hoping for a change in my expectation on going ashore.  Perhaps we will be greeted and treated in such ways we leave there impressed with what we found.

[2old4this]

9 hours ago, ljandgb said:

No need to disparage the small hamlets that make up almost ALL of Iceland's villages.  At 12,000 Akureyri is the second largest "city" in Iceland.  It all gets smaller from there.

 

But that is exactly why I think an Iceland cruise is the wrong way to see the country.  There's not enough in each little port to do much, and there just isn't enough infrastructure to support 2,000 people/day during the very short cruise season.

 

9 hours ago, ljandgb said:

No need to disparage the small hamlets that make up almost ALL of Iceland's villages.  At 12,000 Akureyri is the second largest "city" in Iceland.  It all gets smaller from there.

 

But that is exactly why I think an Iceland cruise is the wrong way to see the country.  There's not enough in each little port to do much, and there just isn't enough infrastructure to support 2,000 people/day during the very short cruise season.

I agree with ljabbdg that to see Iceland, it is probably best by car or bus and bike for the more hearty.  Taking the time to see the nation up close using wheels.  Most of us on Island Princess, I dare say, are completing our bucket list travels by cruising Iceland and seeing it from a distance.  That done, we look to Greenland with small cities, too.

Edited January 6, 2020 by 2old4this
Spell

[kaisatsu]

10 hours ago, 2old4this said:

THE pub?  One friggin' pub?  No movie House?  No library?  How about a first aid station?  One hike to the falls ought to be about enough.  This cruise stop for 2 K people ought to be a real fun day.

I would guess they drive over to Egilsstaðir for a lot of things.

 

What kind of town of 650 people have you lived in that has a cinema?! I grew up in a town of 20,000 and we still had to drive 20 minutes to go to the movies! But for what it's worth, they do actually have a movie house: http://www.bookiceland.is/austur/seydisfjordur/seydisfjardarbio/

 

I would assume that most people choose to visit east Iceland for the scenery, so if you're struggling to find other hiking routes besides the falls, here are a few resources to consider:

• https://www.alltrails.com/explore?b_tl_lat=65.29038239559301&b_tl_lng=-14.170475006103516&b_br_lat=65.22097315828101&b_br_lng=-13.898735046386719
• https://www.east.is/en/what-to-see-and-do/a-walk-on-the-east-side

 

If you're interested in the location of libraries and other municipal services, you can find some useful information here: https://www.east.is/en/what-to-see-and-do/services And there is a health care center located at Suðurgata 8, if you don't want to make the trip to Egilsstaðir: http://www.hsa.is/index.php/starfsstoedhvar/seydhisfjoerdhur

Edited January 6, 2020 by kaisatsu

[Danish viking]

Wooow, what what a disrepectful post. 

 

Why even bother travelling. 

[ljandgb]

As a person who lives is a very small rural town, what we lack in amenities we more than make up with a strong sense of community.  It's a great place to raise kids.

 

For the OP, it sounds like you'll be happier not getting off the ship.  There's much more to "do" onboard.

[Nitemare]

It's a great little town and most of the inhabitants speak great English.

 

I wonder about Loomis, though  . . .

[ski ww]

Isn't it nice to see how other people live.  That's whats great about cruising you get to experience the difference between your life and other cultures. Get off and enjoy the scenery.