The trip
Overview
Iceland by ship solves what Iceland by car cannot: the distances. The island's best coastal towns are spread around a 1,300-kilometre ring road, but a nine-night sailing out of Reykjavik can reach the Westfjords, the north coast around Akureyri and the east fjords without a single hotel change or long drive. Possible calls include Ísafjörður, Akureyri, Húsavík, Seyðisfjörður and the Westman Islands — the mix depends on the sailing, and the routing we confirm always matches it.
These itineraries sit between classic cruising and expedition travel. Smaller ships dominate, excursions lean towards nature — whale watching out of Húsavík, the Lake Mývatn volcanic area from Akureyri, puffin cliffs on Heimaey in season — and the emphasis is on landscape rather than nightlife. Weather shapes every day in Iceland; itineraries can flex, and we say so plainly rather than promising the impossible.
From the UAE, connect through a European hub to Keflavík. Add Reykjavik nights and a Golden Circle day before boarding, because the interior is the one thing the ship cannot show you.
Highlights
- ✦Possible calls at Ísafjörður, Akureyri, Húsavík and Seyðisfjörður
- ✦Whale-watching waters off the north coast, with sightings never guaranteed
- ✦Waterfalls, geothermal fields and volcanic coastline excursions
- ✦Small-ship atmosphere with landscape-first days
- ✦Reykjavik and Golden Circle time built around the sailing
Who it suits
- ●Nature-first travellers who want Iceland without the ring-road driving
- ●Couples and friends escaping the UAE summer for single-digit-to-teens temperatures
- ●Photographers — the coastal light in June and July barely switches off
Why this journey works
- ✓A ship reaches Iceland's far-flung coastal towns without daily repacking
- ✓Summer sailings coincide exactly with the UAE's hottest months
- ✓Small-ship itineraries include scenic coastline a road trip never sees
Day by day
Days 1–2
Reykjavik before the ship
Fly from the UAE via a European hub to Keflavík. We build in at least one pre-cruise night for the Blue Lagoon or Sky Lagoon and a first look at Reykjavik's compact centre — harbour, Hallgrímskirkja, an excellent food scene — before boarding on day two.
Days 3–8
Around the coast
The sailing works around the island, with calls drawn from Ísafjörður in the Westfjords, Akureyri beneath its long fjord, Húsavík for whale watching, Seyðisfjörður's painted timber town in the east, and Heimaey in the Westman Islands, plus scenic coastal cruising between them. Shore days mix short town walks with bigger nature excursions — Goðafoss and Mývatn from Akureyri are the standouts. Weather and sea conditions can reorder or substitute ports; that flexibility is part of Iceland, not a flaw in the plan.
Days 9–10
Reykjavik return and home
Back to Reykjavik, disembark after breakfast, and either fly home through your European hub or stay a final night for the Golden Circle — Þingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss — if you did not fit it in at the start.
Possible ports of call
Expedition-style route inspiration — ship, ports and call order are confirmed at quote stage and can flex with weather.
When to go
Iceland circumnavigations run in a short window, roughly June to August, with a few May and September departures. Even midsummer days can be cold, wet and windy at sea — pack proper layers and a waterproof shell. Whale sightings peak in summer but are never guaranteed, and captains adjust routes for weather; treat the itinerary as a plan, not a contract.
Planning around seasons, regions and style? Read the full Iceland destination guide →
What’s included
- ✓Cruise fare for the selected sailing and cabin category
- ✓Return flights from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Reykjavik via a European hub
- ✓Transfers between Keflavík airport and the port
- ✓Main-restaurant dining on board
- ✓PCT travel consultant support before and during travel
Not included
- —Shore excursions
- —Drinks packages unless quoted
- —Gratuities where the cruise line charges them
- —Travel insurance
- —Visas where required
Ways to extend it
- +Two extra Reykjavik nights with a Golden Circle private day
- +Add the south-coast waterfalls and black beach by road before flying home
- +Combine with two London or Copenhagen nights at the connection point
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