Iceland's Natural Beauty General - 2022

[LindaS272]

3 minutes ago, gramfrog said:

Golden circle is awesome. We've been there a few times. But try pronouncing the national park where it's at, Thingvillir or whatever hahaha.

Cameron Hewitt gives Icelandic pronunciation lessons in this Rick Steve’s video on Iceland. We watched it last night—it’s pretty good!

 

Edited May 25, 2021 by LindaS272

[librarylady19]

There are definitely some great opportunities to see more of Iceland than you would on a land trip with this cruise I think (no driving!!). I'm especially excited for the Day 2 shorex to Reykjanes Peninsula (hope to see the volcano) and the Vigur Island and Heimaney boat trips. Hoping to see puffins, and more!!

BTW, if you missed today's Viking TV presentation by the very informative and entertaining geologist Dr. Tony Waltham (who will be onboard also) be sure to catch the recording. 

https://www.viking.tv/tv/this-week-on-viking-tv/tuesdays/see-how-ice-and-snow-shaped-iceland-s-landscapes-with-dr-tony-waltham

Edited May 25, 2021 by librarylady19

[StuLaurie]

Someone has posted on another site that for their cruise July 3rd additional times for paid and included tours have opened up. I can not confirm this as my excursions have not opened up yet but for those of you who have booked tours it might not be a bad idea to look and see for your cruise. 

[Peregrina651]

21 minutes ago, StuLaurie said:

Someone has posted on another site that for their cruise July 3rd additional times for paid and included tours have opened up. I can not confirm this as my excursions have not opened up yet but for those of you who have booked tours it might not be a bad idea to look and see for your cruise. 

 

Confirming that more spaces have been added for my July 3 sailing.  Hopefully, this bodes well for subsequent sailings openings with enough capacity.  

[Seaharvest]

31 minutes ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

Confirming that more spaces have been added for my July 3 sailing.  Hopefully, this bodes well for subsequent sailings openings with enough capacity.  

That was my thought as well. But I still just want them to open. 

[ValarieDennis]

16 hours ago, Dukefan said:

We gererally book our two highest priority excursions - then checkout.  Then book our three next most important excursions and again check out. Finally we book all our remaining excusions and check out.   This sytem has worked will on every Viking cruise as we have been lucky enough to always (knock on wood) get our choices.  This works well mainly because most folks go after the same excusions.  For example on this cruise, I would guess the Golden Circle (Reykjavik) and Northern Iceland's Natural Treasures (Akureyri) were probably two excursions that went fast.

We did the Golden Circle in Feb. 2020, so we're going to pass this time. We're going to try for Waterfall/Farm in Akureyri, Scenic East Iceland by Foot in Djuplvogur and the Hike to Eldfell Mountain. Does anyone know which of the included tours is required?

[Mpc524]

21 hours ago, StuLaurie said:

Clay, what would you suggest when our excursions do become available to book. Should I add all the paid excursions first and check out and then go back in and add the included excursions?  I’m just wondering if I am able to add something to my cart could it then become sold out before I can complete the purchase. 
 

Thanks

Yes! We are on 7/3 and lost some before we checked out! 

[Peregrina651]

Since there have been some additions since SantaFe1 posted this at the beginning of May, I thought that maybe it was time to update. They are in reverse order.

 

Heimaey

 

DJUPIVOGUR

 

SEYDISFJORDUR

 

AKUREYRI

 

 

ISAFJORDUR

 

REYKJAVIK

Edited May 26, 2021 by Peregrina651

[MarkTapley]

This is great!  Thanks for reposting the list.  Saves a lot of searching time.

[SantaFe1]

Thank you, Peregrina.  And you did a much better job!

[MarkTapley]

@Peregrina651, when did you “grab” these screen shots compared to the date the excursions appeared on MVJ?

 

I’m asking because I only see 4 “sold out” optional excursions, out of 26 total optional excursions on offer.  This could give those of us waiting for excursions to appear some hope that they won’t all be sold out in the first nanosecond.

 

 Thanks.

[oldgeez]

Thanks Peregrina.

Looks like the opportunity for more than one excursion per port is limited to Reykjavik. All other ports look like they have all excursions in the AM or in the PM (plus all day excursions)

[TayanaLorna]

1 hour ago, ValarieDennis said:

We did the Golden Circle in Feb. 2020, so we're going to pass this time. We're going to try for Waterfall/Farm in Akureyri, Scenic East Iceland by Foot in Djuplvogur and the Hike to Eldfell Mountain. Does anyone know which of the included tours is required?

Re Hike to Eldfell, I too was wondering which of the included tours it followed.  

 

[Peregrina651]

27 minutes ago, MarkTapley said:

@Peregrina651, when did you “grab” these screen shots compared to the date the excursions appeared on MVJ?

 

I’m asking because I only see 4 “sold out” optional excursions, out of 26 total optional excursions on offer.  This could give those of us waiting for excursions to appear some hope that they won’t all be sold out in the first nanosecond.

 

 Thanks.

 

Mark, just a few minutes before I posted them this morning. Our tours were posted on May 7. Yesterday, they added more capacity to many of the tours. Plus they have added a couple of tours in the interim -- like some missing included tours.

 

SOLD OUT appears on this screen only if there is one departure time for the tour. Otherwise, you have to click on the learn more and then to the drop down for picking a time to see if it is actually sold out. It is kind of misleading.

 

I have not checked out any of the tours to see what is actually sold out at this point. I just grabbed the screen shots so that folks could see what tours were on offer and what the prices are.

 

My gut says that one of the things that Viking has learned from the first three cruises is that they totally underestimated demand and hopefully that will be rectified before things are posted.

 

7 minutes ago, oldgeez said:

Thanks Peregrina.

Looks like the opportunity for more than one excursion per port is limited to Reykjavik. All other ports look like they have all excursions in the AM or in the PM (plus all day excursions)

 

If you look carefully, you will see that we have booked two tours in every port except Akureyri where we have an all day tour and Heimaey where we are only in port for 6 hours.

 

I booked the optional tours first and then signed up for the included tours.

 

11 minutes ago, TayanaLorna said:

Re Hike to Eldfell, I too was wondering which of the included tours it followed.  

 

 

"Heimaey on Foot" 

[Seaharvest]

1 hour ago, Peregrina651 said:

Since there have been some additions since SantaFe1 posted this at the beginning of May, I thought that maybe it was time to update. They are in reverse order.

 

Heimaey

 

DJUPIVOGUR

 

SEYDISFJORDUR

 

AKUREYRI

 

 

ISAFJORDUR

 

REYKJAVIK

Thank you, that is helpful. 

[MarkTapley]

47 minutes ago, Peregrina651 said:

SOLD OUT appears on this screen only if there is one departure time for the tour. Otherwise, you have to click on the learn more and then to the drop down for picking a time to see if it is actually sold out. It is kind of misleading.

Yes, and also unnecessarily complicated.  Recall someone else posting that (perhaps it was you).  My hopes are dashed!

[madrone]

1 hour ago, MarkTapley said:

@Peregrina651, when did you “grab” these screen shots compared to the date the excursions appeared on MVJ?

 

I’m asking because I only see 4 “sold out” optional excursions, out of 26 total optional excursions on offer.  This could give those of us waiting for excursions to appear some hope that they won’t all be sold out in the first nanosecond.

 

 Thanks.

Problem is, at least on my MV some of them say sold out at first glance but some others don't say sold out until you click on them for more information.  Not sure why.

 

[Envelope21]

3 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

My gut says that one of the things that Viking has learned from the first three cruises is that they totally underestimated demand and hopefully that will be rectified before things are posted.

 

 

That is probably true. But what did they expect when the only way to get off the ship is to book a tour? Of COURSE there is going to be a huge demand!

[Peregrina651]

1 hour ago, madrone said:

Problem is, at least on my MV some of them say sold out at first glance but some others don't say sold out until you click on them for more information.  Not sure why.

 

 

If there is only one departure time, it will say sold out on the main screen.  If there is more than one departure time, you have to click on learn more and check the times before you can figure out if it is sold out. 

 

Why is it this way? Because the computer programming lacks the instructions needed to do the job.  Will it be fixed? Probably not; it's low priority compared to the other jobs that need to get done.  

[stilltrucking]

20 minutes ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

 If there is more than one departure time, you have to click on learn more and check the times before you can figure out if it is sold out.  

Maybe.  July 10 sailing:   MVJ tells me on the main screen that Wildlife of Heimaey by Boat is sold out.  But there are two departures (presumably *both* sold out, since the Learn More screen also says sold out and I can't select either departure). 

But I keep hoping and checking.

[AKexplorer]

According to today's viking TV show it was stated that they do not do the hot baths on the tours in Reykjavik since they are too crowded. They offer them later in the cruise at a place where it is not as crowded. I am not sure how that impacts a visit to the Blue Lagoon but something for people hoping to go there to double check.

[TayanaLorna]

4 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

Mark, just a few minutes before I posted them this morning. Our tours were posted on May 7. Yesterday, they added more capacity to many of the tours. Plus they have added a couple of tours in the interim -- like some missing included tours.

 

SOLD OUT appears on this screen only if there is one departure time for the tour. Otherwise, you have to click on the learn more and then to the drop down for picking a time to see if it is actually sold out. It is kind of misleading.

 

I have not checked out any of the tours to see what is actually sold out at this point. I just grabbed the screen shots so that folks could see what tours were on offer and what the prices are.

 

My gut says that one of the things that Viking has learned from the first three cruises is that they totally underestimated demand and hopefully that will be rectified before things are posted.

 

 

If you look carefully, you will see that we have booked two tours in every port except Akureyri where we have an all day tour and Heimaey where we are only in port for 6 hours.

 

I booked the optional tours first and then signed up for the included tours.

 

 

"Heimaey on Foot" 

On foot...thats what i figured.  Thx.

[Clay Clayton]

Wow-I didn’t realize how early Iceland became the land of the midnight sun!

[Peregrina651]

15 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

Wow-I didn’t realize how early Iceland became the land of the midnight sun!

 

 

At this point, the solstice is less than a month away.

[DaveSJ711]

Notice how the temperatures are warming up, too. They look positively toasty for Reykjavik. Who needs Bermuda for fun in the sun when you have Iceland!