Cruises to Akureyri

117 Reviews
Akureyri (Photo:Bildagentur Zoonar GmbH/Shutterstock)

About Cruising to Akureyri

The second-largest city in the country (yet still small, with fewer than 18,000 residents), Akureyri has become a regular stop for cruise ships sailing to Iceland on a Norwegian fjords cruise, as well as those on transatlantic repositionings.

Located on Iceland's longest fjord, Eyjafjordur, Akureyri has been settled since Vikings arrived in the 9th century and has long been dominant in fishing, thanks to an ice-free port. Although cruise ships only visit during the summer, the town has a healthy winter tourism scene, with several ski resorts close by. Thus, you'll find many outdoor clothing stores, as well as restaurants, cafes and bars, in the city's downtown.

A call in Akureyri provides cruisers with a cute town to explore and makes a perfect gateway to northern Iceland's geothermal phenomena. Lake Myvatn, home to bubbling hotpots, thermal baths, craters and lava formations, is less than two hours away. For a once-in-a-lifetime experience, consider a flightseeing trip over this geothermal wonderland; if an eruption is going on, you might even see lava spurting into the air (as tourists did in fall 2014, when a fissure developed in nearby Holuhraun).

Akureyri is also a good place to hire an independent tour operator for outdoor pursuits, such as whale watching, horseback riding, hiking and Jeep adventures. Or you can rent a car and explore the country's Ring Road. Make sure you wear layers and bring a raincoat; Iceland's weather is notoriously fickle even though Akureyri generally has warmer temperatures than other parts of the island.

  • More about Akureyri

  • Why Cruise to Akureyri?

  • Akureyri Cruise Port Facilities?

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Nieuw Statendam
Nieuw Statendam

7 Night
Norwegian & Icelandic Fjords

269 Reviews
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Celebrity Eclipse
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Greenland & Iceland Cruise

1,949 Reviews
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Cruise Critic Favorite
Celebrity Eclipse
E C  Aerial Miami433 R

12 Night
Greenland & Iceland Cruise

1,949 Reviews
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Celebrity Silhouette
Celebrity  Silhouette  Exterior  Image

12 Night
Greenland & Iceland Cruise

2,101 Reviews
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11 Night
Iceland & Scotland

205 Reviews
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11 Night
Iceland & Ireland

2,101 Reviews
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7 Night
Iceland Intensive Cruise

2,101 Reviews
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21 Night
Viking Passage

1,028 Reviews
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12 Night
Iceland & Scotland

1,643 Reviews
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10 Night
Europe - Iceland

334 Reviews
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15 Night
Iceland & Ireland Cruise

1,643 Reviews
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9 Night
Transatlantic Cruise

726 Reviews
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14 Night
Europe - Iceland

2,583 Reviews
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11 Night
Europe - Iceland

334 Reviews
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10 Night
Europe - Iceland

2,583 Reviews
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More about Akureyri

Why Cruise to Akureyri?

Cons:

Although Akureyri has its charms, it's better to book a tour of the wilds of Iceland than to spend all of your time hanging around town

Bottom Line:

Akureyri is a fantastic port from which to embark on geothermal adventures in Iceland. Walk into town, book a tour and go

Akureyri Cruise Port Facilities?

The dock area has a visitor's center with a souvenir shop, free Wi-Fi and restrooms. The terminal is an easy, 10-minute walk from downtown Akureyri, and buses, taxis and tours are able to pick up passengers right outside the dock.

Good to Know?

It's not called Iceland for nothing; bring lots of layers, as well as a hat and scarf, because the wind can make the air feel much chillier than the temperature reads.

Getting Around?

On Foot: Akureyri is extremely walkable. The town center is less than 10 minutes from the cruise port.

By Taxi: Taxis, located on the street across from the cruise terminal parking lot, are available for two- to six-hour private tours. Prices are displayed on a street placard and include gratuity; Iceland is not a tipping culture.

By Car: The Lake Myvatn area has many sites you can visit on your own if you have a car. Europcar has a rental office within the cruise terminal, and familiar brands such as Dollar, Thrifty, Budget and Avis are a short walk away (as well as the Icelandic company Icelandcar). Reservations are recommended in the prime summer months (June, July and August).

Currency & Best Way to Get Money?

Currency is the Icelandic krona; prices are given in ISK (if you're from the U.S., you'll find them startlingly high, particularly for food). Several banks, including Landsbankinn (1 Strandgotu) and Islandbanki (14 Skipagotu), have ATMs. Almost all shops and restaurants take credit cards.

Language?

Icelandic is considered one of the most difficult languages to learn. But don't worry: Everyone in the tourist trade speaks English.

Where You're Docked?

Akureyri's cruise terminal is sheltered within Iceland's longest fjord, Eyjafjordur. The dock can handle up to three ships at a time.


Akureyri Cruise Reviews
Akureyri was a stunner of a town with abundant art (I was even lucky enough to catch the opening of a local artist’s show), myriad bars and restaurants (Guinness on tap… yay!) and a thermal pool complex that was the Read More
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steveky
I wish we had a bit more time here. Our excursion took most of the day. Akureyri is too large to walk around much, so a ship shuttle would have been nice.Read More
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MkeCruzn
I had been on a bus tour around Iceland before and had visited most of the sights around Akureyri. I wanted to go to the forest lagoon, so I booked on a tour with Saga Travel that visited the Laufas Turf Houses, GodaRead More
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Yaya_in_Oz
Because the port of Isafjordur was missed, the ship arrived in Akureyri at 4 PM the day before it was originally scheduled. This allowed us to book a non-ship excursion for midnight whale watching. This was fun, a biRead More
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WEGL81

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