Great video - good info and you hit the nail on so many things 🙂 Two notes about Qaqortoq: 1. Qaqortoq doesn't only take 40 ships as a maximum. The number the town can take is decided by how much the harbour can handle. Which means that the number just keep rising each year (except Corona). At the same time compared to other destinations the season is very short... late May to early October, but pretty much just July, August and September. With so many guests (more than 45.000 pax this year) coming in and with a town of aprox. 3.000 inhabitants, it puts a lot of strain on the people living here. Imagine to wake up in your own town and suddenly with a big ship (+3.000 pax) your town has 100% more people. So socioeconomic as you talk about it's problematic that the town gets 'invaded' so much and so often in summer. Especielly since some cruisers don't understand that when they show up with all their money and demands, that for instance the local choir can't preform... because they got a normal day job from 8-16 o'clock and with the cost of things here no one can earn a living just working around 40 days a year. Or why Qaqortoq Museums toilet isn't free, because we don't get it cleaned for free. Or why the hotel closes when ships come in... because selling a cup of coffee for hours of free wifi doesn't pay the bills. And so many other issues that masstourism brings to small societies. Ofcourse at the destination we are happy that people want to visit us and learn more about us, but sadly not all people have turned on the understanding-mode.. in short: Don't expect that Qaqortoq is like Nassau 🙂 2. The cost of excursions. A small commercial: A visit at Qaqortoq Museum gives you acces to the big Main Building (3 floors) that is the oldest building in Southgreenland dating back to 1804. It gives you acces to the very intestering Norse Museum about "Vikings" in Greenland. It gives you acces to the beautifull old red church from 1832. All that for 60 DKK, 10 dollar or 10 euro. Pretty good deal right? 🙂 Well, not for all - some even think it should be free. Not having an understanding-mode turned on for the economy in the country they are visiting :-/ Fun fact: For 60 DKK, 10 dollar or 10 euro in Greenland you can also bye 3 cucumbers. Just a little insight in the economy and prices here heh Greetings, Dan Ullerup, Museum Director Qaqortoq Museum
Thank you for the insight, Dan. I am so excited to visit your beautiful land via Royal Caribbean in September. I promise you reverence and respect for your culture and your land. Your museum sounds wonderful. I will try to stop there.
@@aprilwichman98 Sounds good - I'm no longer the Museum Director but I can ofcourse still highly recommend the museum. It's just 2 min. walk away from the tender drop-off and a big black building at the main square so it's pretty easy to find :-)
@@beachmom2001 You are welcome, but overtourism already has come to Qaqortoq. This year more than 60 ships were planned coming to Qaqortoq. And the numbers just keep rising... the goverment of Greenland is therefor working on increasing the price for cruiseships, where Greenland right now is among the cheaper ones in harbour prices etc.
Fun fact, Its not a long walk into down town Reykjavik and practically every street has a bus stop which runs every 15 mins. The cost is about $3.50 which you can ask the bus driver for a ticket to change buses which is included. You can also just ride the local bus all around town to site see and get dropped off where you got on. Glad you guys had fun. Loved seeing your videos🥰⚓️🇦🇽💙
We just did Iceland, an amazing experience. We have Greenland booked for 2025. As they say in Norway, “There in no such thing as bad weather only bad clothes. Thanks for the great video and information
@@billwareagle7047 looks great! May have to consider. Sailed on Rotterdam through Panama Canal this past October and loved it. Loved the ship and the crew and BB Kings was awesome!!!
@@yvonneyoung9148 We have sailed on HAL 22 times, we are going to Alaska for the 5th time in May. The Rotterdam is our favorite ship. One of our most memorable cruises was to Antarctica, 22 days. The scenery was so pristine and hard to describe.
You're welcome for the magnets - happy I could help! I agree so much with your video (was sitting here [in Reykjavik!] nodding my head along with your replay)! We had an overnight here and were the only ship! Very different experience. Miss you guys!
We did Iceland round trip from Copenhagen pre pandemic-no flies and no fog. The beauty of that itinerary was seeing the Shetland and Faroe Islands which were also unique. Recently did a 14 day Norway cruise which visited several ports above the arctic circle-experienced lots of rain and fog on that cruise. I think my main advice for that type of expected weather is to choose a ship with pool decks that include a solarium and a ship that has lots of interesting indoor venues like the ‘crows nest’. The ship we were on was more suited for fun in the sun rather than rain-there was so much outside space that was unusable due to the weather.
J&J, I just wanted to say what a great job you both do. This video was extremely helpful as we've got a 13-day Iceland-Norway-Denmark cruise coming up next year. Your "Good, Bad & Ugly" info will be super helpful as we journey higher than the 78th parallel! Keep the great content coming!
We were on this B2B cruise with you. I agree that the fog was depressing. Even though tested for Covid the day before turnover, I tested positive the first day of the second cruise. Eight days of quarantine, even in a balcony cabin, was very difficult with the cold and foggy weather. The first day we were actually able to enjoy the balcony was in Newfoundland.
We are so sorry you tested positive for the second cruise! The fog really was an unfortunate sight for a little too long on our cruise. Something everyone should plan for pre-cruise for sure. 🌫
J&J, thank you for providing such an informative review of your Greenland/Icelandic cruise, and for providing such a detailed description of your trip’s good, bad, and unsightly (not necessarily ugly) aspects. My wife and I, along with another couple, are scheduled to cruise from Southampton to Reykjavik between September 11 and 26, during which we will be renewing our marital vows on our 33rd anniversary while at sea on 9/21 (which will also be my 67th birthday-pretty cool twofer I must say! 😁👍🏾). The only thing that you didn’t tell those of us watching your review is during which month(s) you trip occurred. Please let me know, if possible, so that I, my wife, and our friends will have a better idea of what to expect, weather-wise, in September. Again, thanks for your enthusiastic travelogue! Best, -Todd Irby
As always, your content is wonderful. Good to know about the weather, it can be so fickle anywhere, better to be prepared! Anyway, love your content, have been watching your vlogs for a while, catching up on older ones. First time I actually had a chance to see a live vlog. Keep up the good work. Even your "bad" isn't really bad. Hugs to you both. Praying for safety for our peeps in Florida.
Thank you for the excellent information. I thought I had done my homework for our upcoming August cruise --Iceland, Greenland, Newfoundland--but I was wrong. We will definitely be better prepared for that trip after watching your video!
Very helpful information: Next year, August we'll be sailing out of Copenhagen to Norway, Scotland, Ireland, Iceland, Greenland, Norway and back. Even your bad and ugly doesn't sound to bad. We've experienced some of the Fog, cancelations and rough seas before. So not a problem. The terrain & cost we'll take under consideration. And guess we had better stock up on Rain Gear.
Hi guys, we did 29 days Greenland, Iceland, Norway and beyond! Sold to us as 1 cruise! It was a back to back! Svalbard being 2 days, thats over night in Longyearbyen (2 days)! left Svalbard on our first night! Missed our 2 ports in Greenland, and missed Newfoundland as a tender. The seas were to rough😢 Ended up with 5 straight sea days! There is a plus to all this, Iceland WAS amazing 1 week circumnavigation amazing weather for the whole week, Norway was amazing as well! We are going to do west Canada in a couple of years, but not cruising! Greenland is not to be! It’s too much of a gamble especially when you are from Australia! Love your video ❤
Great video, guys! Glad to have the heads up about the flies. 🤗 Did a land tour of Iceland in March 2021 (east and south) and have an Iceland, Greenland, Canada cruise booked for September 2025. Really excited to see the northern part of the country.
Great informative video guys! Which month of the year did you go? I assume this was done summer of 2022 since daylight was 18 hours so I was surprised to hear that you guys saw the northern lights. Usually, they are only visible during the winter months. We are going on a Iceland/Greenland cruise in June 2023 and it would be great to see the northern lights.
Thank you for your informative video. We recently had some time in Iceland with a land extension via Viking. We were very fortunate to have perfect weather in Iceland and we absolutely loved it there. We are going back on a Viking cruise next June and will also see two Greenland ports. Your tips will be helpful for our planning.
Very helpful info in this video.....we are doing NYC to Bergen next year with stops in Greenland and Iceland. Your observations will help us to be prepared. Thank you.
Good Video with some interesting points made. We are going on an Iceland and Greenland cruise (eventually ending up in NYC) in August on Viking. We plan on arriving a few days early and staying in Reykjavik to get a feel for it. Seems like a nice small town.
Great video. Thank you for putting it together. I'm planning a cruise to Greenland in September and have a quick question. How much cash should I bring? Does everyone take credit cards to the point I don't really need any? I'm assuming my US dollars are not accepted. Thank you in advance for your advice!
I’m going on a carnival cruise to Greenland and Canada in august I’m curious about how the waters are. I know when I went to Hawaii the ship was really rocky
The light comes through my bedroom window curtains and also when I tent camp in the summer pretty early and I wear a eye mask to block out the sunlight
We did the Reykjavik to Boston leg(thanks for being very gracious to my travel companion ,she was so thrilled to meet you as she follows your vids!).Well presented loved the whole cruise and the Inbox Cafe in Qaqortoq was fantastic.People were great everywhere we went.We did encounter a few unpleasant people on board but that's life.Tested positive for Covid when we got to Halifax(ugh) but the crew was very accommodating. The mobility aboard ship was not an issue as the crew was very helpful.
Thanks Alan! It was great meeting you both! Inbox Cafe was SO delicious! 🤤 We are so sorry you tested positive towards the end but so glad to hear the crew were great handling it! 🥳 Thanks again for watching! 🤗
Some awesome footage ❤. can imagine the mood on the ship for. 12 sea days and nothing but fog but nothing you can do its just how the weather is ( some might be lucky than others ) Have a Good week 🥰
Iceland is incredible! So is Alaska, but in a different way. We would recommend starting with Alaska and then going to Iceland later on as Iceland cruises are typically much more expensive. 😊 Feel free to email us at jj@LoveLandAndSea.com and we will help you book best itineraries and best rates!
Happy to help! Thanks for watching!! We recommend looking at those coming from Europe over the U.S. as it may be a little more involved in Iceland and include an overnight in Reykjavik. 🥳
We did 24 days to Iceland and Greenland out of Boston in August on Holland America…16 different amazing ports (8 of them were tender ports). We were on the Nieuw Statendam and the entire trip was fabulous! Definitely need to bring the correct weather gear. Fortunately we didn’t have any issues with flies!
Hi guys! Thanks for sharing your experiences! I'm about taking a cruise to Greenland and Iceland (Jul 9th-21th) and I have no idea how the weather is in this period. Which period did you go there?
We have been on a Viking cruise around Iceland and you were spot on with your information, warnings :) and details that will make a trip like this more enjoyable for potential cruisers. We have now been to Iceland twice and we never go anywhere twice. If you would like to view the natural beauty of a magical place this would be an excellent choice.
great video info thank you very much! we are from spain and we just booked our Iceland & Greenland cruise for aug 2025 round trip from Southhampton! very excited! my question is if we can get off the ship without cruise excursion and explore by our selves? thank you!
Yes! You most definitely can, though we recommend some research of things to do at port ahead of time as well as hours of operation for any business you wish to visit as they can be limited. 😊
Thank you for your honest review. This has been on my bucket list for a long time, I can already tell my partner would not enjoy this …but I’m sure I can find an adventurous friend!
This was a great video! I also have a 24 day Canada, Greenland, Iceland planned for August next year from my home port of Boston. ( different cruise line from yours) Your content will really help us prepare better for the trip. With 17 schedule ports to visit ( weather permitting) I am now researching which ones we actually will get off and explore. Would you guys go to every port scheduled? I am looking into things we can do without having to book pricey excursions and saving it for the places we really want to see. I’ll continue to be watching you!! Oh- one other question… did you need to have local currency for the different ports?
I'll be on the same cruise. I'm gathering information and ideas now. I've noticed that some of the cruise sponsored excursions are already getting picked over and sold out.
Love your videos! I am going to Greenland in August and signed up for the hike to the lake in Qaqortoq. It is listed as strenuous. How much of it is actually strenuous? I am 68 but have worked a very physical job for for 50 of those years.(I have purchased 2 bug nets on your recommendation) Also is it worth the hike? Thanks JJ
Thank you guys for this awesome video! I’m planning to do the iceland greenland cruise this year in July, probably with Norwegian. Which cruise did you go with? Did you book direct with the cruise ship?
We went with Celebrity and booked ourselves as we are Travel Agents! Email us at jj@lovelandandsea.com and we will find best cruise line as well as rates! 🥳
We have not cruised to Iceland, but we have been there twice on extended layovers going to Europe. Both times we were there the weather was HORRIBLE, but we did love Iceland. One of the highlights was horseback riding on the lava fields. The horses are totally different in Iceland- they are smaller and move with a different gait. Despite the rain (which managed to get inside our waterproof gear) it was a great experience. There are a number of interesting places to visit in Reykjavik ( museums and such) and the waterfalls in the National Parks are amazing. Driving in bad weather in Iceland is not for the feint of heart.
Yes, rain does do that, nothing is impermeable. We loved Iceland, had 3 days there on a cruise in Sept 2015 while on a Transatlantic, we loved it. Not bad weather either. We had to laugh as the tour took us to see the President’s house and the Americans were in shock as there is no fence, no guards and totally open. The Americans questioned it, the guide said they never have any problems there.
I am planning a cruise to Iceland for 2024. Would you recommend waiting until you get to those cruise ports to book excursions like you would for Norway?
No. Tours are not readily available at port. Though, we do recommend looking at outside excursion companies like Viator as often they are cheaper (and more diverse) than those through the cruise line. If it’s a long excursion or near all aboard times, then it would still make more sense to pay the premium of booking through the cruise line as some excursions are quite inland and away from port which could be a true risk for making it back onboard in time. ☺️
@@JJCruise i am in the first week . At off July what weather like and should i bring like whole socks and a north face coat . What places would u say the best in ice to visit would it be best to go to book the blue lagoon though the blue lagoon or tour place . Would be able to walk around after the lagoon is there any close where we won’t get lost . Thanks
Have you used tours/excursions from other companies local to Iceland? I'm worried about a tour that I booked in Isafjordur where the ship needs to be tendered.
Thanks so much! We are doing a Canada/ Greenland cruise next year. We bought a balcony room but after your video I’m second guessing it. Do you think it’s worth it to get a balcony room considering all the fog?
Yes! The Fjords of Greenland were stunning and for the amount of sea days on this cruise we were happy we had a balcony (even when there was fog in our view).
Awesome video and tips, guys! I’ll be doing this cruise on NCL in July. How far would you estimate is the walk to Goldafoss waterfall from where the tour bus stops? I do have some mobility issues but I’m not disabled. I can walk but need to sit and rest every 20 minutes or so. Are there benches where you can sit on the way to Goldafoss? Thank you so much once again for posting these videos with so many helpful tips!
Thanks for making this video, we just booked a last minute Boston to Greenland cruise for August. As a bucket list item we are excited and then I wondered, uh oh going to need some info on what to pack & what's different than a carribean cruise packing list? Love you guys, you give lots of little details that others don't and as a senior with accessible issues, not many channels address us & our "special needs"
Hi JJ thanks for sharing, am considering booking this SH Vega cruise for Iceland & Greenland for August. Glad you didn’t list motion sickness in your bad or ugly so all good on this cruise even though is a small ship? BTW Which month did you go?
Hi i am to iceland Ireland. It is first week in August . What best clothes to wear . I don’t if should bring a heavy coat or a north. Face coat And whole socks . I don’t no who the weather is there please help
That’s a tough one. On our sailing from NY to Reykjavik the audience was much older and mostly couples. I suppose it depends on how reliant you are on socializing with others as it may be less than usual (at least when it comes to our exact route). We loved our ports and would love to visit these ports again, so if you go for the ports you will have a good time!
We have an Iceland Greenland Norwegian Fjords cruise in August 2023. We are taking friends with us who have never cruised!😅 we only have one sea day so hopefully we won’t get depressed with the grey days. Can you recommend shore excursions? We are all adventurous!!!!
I follow you on IG, so I've been waiting for this review! I appreciate your candor. It's important to give a realistic view of what you're going to get. Especially because I imagine this trip isn't inexpensive! PS. You'd need a crane to get me out of a place called Beerspa. 🤭🍻
Is there a better time to go when it wouldn't be so foggy and less flies? I went East coast Maritimes, Maine in 2016 in September and hurricane Rose was right behind us. Yucky weather with lots of fog. But when l went to Alaska in July I got sunburn from hot tubbing every day!
Great question! Since the summer season is so short, cruise season is really limited to just a few summer months. Thus, from what we learned from our new Iceland and Greenland friends, it really doesn’t change as that is their typical summer (cruise season) weather. We did get some awesome days of sun while in Iceland and Greenland but they all said that was rare. 😅
we spent a week in Iceland, it was an amazing trip but are interested in doing the Greenland/Iceland Cruise (or just Greenland) You guys mentioned that Royal now has a cruise that goes to Greenland - I could not find it. Can you tell me where to look?
The seas were a little rocky but not too bad compared to the Tasman Sea in between Australia and New Zealand or theBay of Biscay up by the UK. Of course, any sea can become rocky with a harsh storm or wind gusts so never a for sure thing. 😅
We went to St Petersburg on a Baltic cruise in Aug 2019, and so had two days there. We did the excursion with SPB Tours which I and our Travel Agent can thoroughly recommend. For US$199 each they took us around for two full long days. Excellent.
Which cruise ? And when? Did princess Canada/Greenland wearer nasty zero sunsets and no Aura even mixed Nuuk stilled loved and want to try again with Iceland
Great video - good info and you hit the nail on so many things 🙂
Two notes about Qaqortoq:
1. Qaqortoq doesn't only take 40 ships as a maximum. The number the town can take is decided by how much the harbour can handle. Which means that the number just keep rising each year (except Corona). At the same time compared to other destinations the season is very short... late May to early October, but pretty much just July, August and September.
With so many guests (more than 45.000 pax this year) coming in and with a town of aprox. 3.000 inhabitants, it puts a lot of strain on the people living here. Imagine to wake up in your own town and suddenly with a big ship (+3.000 pax) your town has 100% more people.
So socioeconomic as you talk about it's problematic that the town gets 'invaded' so much and so often in summer.
Especielly since some cruisers don't understand that when they show up with all their money and demands, that for instance the local choir can't preform... because they got a normal day job from 8-16 o'clock and with the cost of things here no one can earn a living just working around 40 days a year. Or why Qaqortoq Museums toilet isn't free, because we don't get it cleaned for free. Or why the hotel closes when ships come in... because selling a cup of coffee for hours of free wifi doesn't pay the bills. And so many other issues that masstourism brings to small societies.
Ofcourse at the destination we are happy that people want to visit us and learn more about us, but sadly not all people have turned on the understanding-mode.. in short: Don't expect that Qaqortoq is like Nassau 🙂
2. The cost of excursions. A small commercial: A visit at Qaqortoq Museum gives you acces to the big Main Building (3 floors) that is the oldest building in Southgreenland dating back to 1804. It gives you acces to the very intestering Norse Museum about "Vikings" in Greenland. It gives you acces to the beautifull old red church from 1832.
All that for 60 DKK, 10 dollar or 10 euro. Pretty good deal right? 🙂
Well, not for all - some even think it should be free. Not having an understanding-mode turned on for the economy in the country they are visiting :-/
Fun fact: For 60 DKK, 10 dollar or 10 euro in Greenland you can also bye 3 cucumbers. Just a little insight in the economy and prices here heh
Greetings,
Dan Ullerup, Museum Director
Qaqortoq Museum
Thank you for the insight, Dan. I am so excited to visit your beautiful land via Royal Caribbean in September. I promise you reverence and respect for your culture and your land. Your museum sounds wonderful. I will try to stop there.
@@aprilwichman98 Sounds good - I'm no longer the Museum Director but I can ofcourse still highly recommend the museum. It's just 2 min. walk away from the tender drop-off and a big black building at the main square so it's pretty easy to find :-)
Thank you for this information. I hope that overtourism doesn't come to Greenland. I will be coming to Greenland and Qaqortoq in September
@@beachmom2001 You are welcome, but overtourism already has come to Qaqortoq. This year more than 60 ships were planned coming to Qaqortoq. And the numbers just keep rising... the goverment of Greenland is therefor working on increasing the price for cruiseships, where Greenland right now is among the cheaper ones in harbour prices etc.
We are coming to your town in July and looking forward to visiting your museum. $10 is cheap so you won’t find complaints from us. I agree with you
Fun fact, Its not a long walk into down town Reykjavik and practically every street has a bus stop which runs every 15 mins. The cost is about $3.50 which you can ask the bus driver for a ticket to change buses which is included. You can also just ride the local bus all around town to site see and get dropped off where you got on. Glad you guys had fun. Loved seeing your videos🥰⚓️🇦🇽💙
Thanks for the tip!! 🤗🥳
I know I say it every time but thank you for always bringing up how accessible things are! It means a lot that you take the time recognize us ❤️❤️
We are so happy to do so! ❤️🤗
We just did Iceland, an amazing experience. We have Greenland booked for 2025. As they say in Norway, “There in no such thing as bad weather only bad clothes. Thanks for the great video and information
Which cruise did you book?
@@yvonneyoung9148 We are booked for June 29 - July 26 2025 on the Nieuw Statendam HAL.
@@billwareagle7047 looks great! May have to consider. Sailed on Rotterdam through Panama Canal this past October and loved it. Loved the ship and the crew and BB Kings was awesome!!!
@@yvonneyoung9148 We have sailed on HAL 22 times, we are going to Alaska for the 5th time in May. The Rotterdam is our favorite ship. One of our most memorable cruises was to Antarctica, 22 days. The scenery was so pristine and hard to describe.
We are booked on the same cruise HAL to Iceland and Greenland for the 28days!
I can’t wait!
Thanks guys for the information and the magnet idea!
You're welcome for the magnets - happy I could help! I agree so much with your video (was sitting here [in Reykjavik!] nodding my head along with your replay)! We had an overnight here and were the only ship! Very different experience. Miss you guys!
Thanks Nancy for watching!! Enjoy Iceland Round 2!! 🥳
We did Iceland round trip from Copenhagen pre pandemic-no flies and no fog. The beauty of that itinerary was seeing the Shetland and Faroe Islands which were also unique. Recently did a 14 day Norway cruise which visited several ports above the arctic circle-experienced lots of rain and fog on that cruise. I think my main advice for that type of expected weather is to choose a ship with pool decks that include a solarium and a ship that has lots of interesting indoor venues like the ‘crows nest’. The ship we were on was more suited for fun in the sun rather than rain-there was so much outside space that was unusable due to the weather.
Which month did you go?
J&J, I just wanted to say what a great job you both do. This video was extremely helpful as we've got a 13-day Iceland-Norway-Denmark cruise coming up next year. Your "Good, Bad & Ugly" info will be super helpful as we journey higher than the 78th parallel! Keep the great content coming!
What ship were you on?
We were on this B2B cruise with you. I agree that the fog was depressing. Even though tested for Covid the day before turnover, I tested positive the first day of the second cruise. Eight days of quarantine, even in a balcony cabin, was very difficult with the cold and foggy weather. The first day we were actually able to enjoy the balcony was in Newfoundland.
We are so sorry you tested positive for the second cruise! The fog really was an unfortunate sight for a little too long on our cruise. Something everyone should plan for pre-cruise for sure. 🌫
What cruise line did you take?
Celebrity Summit
So many helpful tips as we are sailing Aug. 24. When was this cruise that you saw the Northern Lights?
@@lisat6872 Late August, so you might get lucky!
J&J, thank you for providing such an informative review of your Greenland/Icelandic cruise, and for providing such a detailed description of your trip’s good, bad, and unsightly (not necessarily ugly) aspects. My wife and I, along with another couple, are scheduled to cruise from Southampton to Reykjavik between September 11 and 26, during which we will be renewing our marital vows on our 33rd anniversary while at sea on 9/21 (which will also be my 67th birthday-pretty cool twofer I must say! 😁👍🏾). The only thing that you didn’t tell those of us watching your review is during which month(s) you trip occurred. Please let me know, if possible, so that I, my wife, and our friends will have a better idea of what to expect, weather-wise, in September. Again, thanks for your enthusiastic travelogue!
Best, -Todd Irby
This is really helpful, I’ve never been to either. Thanks guys! 🎉❤
Thanks @Emma Cruises for watching! 🤗❤️
Great video guys, lots of good tips. Which month did you go? We booked one in July next year
As always, your content is wonderful. Good to know about the weather, it can be so fickle anywhere, better to be prepared! Anyway, love your content, have been watching your vlogs for a while, catching up on older ones. First time I actually had a chance to see a live vlog. Keep up the good work. Even your "bad" isn't really bad. Hugs to you both. Praying for safety for our peeps in Florida.
Thanks Pamela!! We are happy to hear you enjoy our content! 🤗🥳
Thank you for the information, we just booked an Iceland cruise today for 2025. Will be more prepared thanks to you 😊
What month did you travel?
Thank you for the excellent information. I thought I had done my homework for our upcoming August cruise --Iceland, Greenland, Newfoundland--but I was wrong. We will definitely be better prepared for that trip after watching your video!
We are taking the August 21st cruise --Iceland, Greenland, Newfoundland- back to NYC. Agree this will help.
Very helpful information: Next year, August we'll be sailing out of Copenhagen to Norway, Scotland, Ireland, Iceland, Greenland, Norway and back. Even your bad and ugly doesn't sound to bad. We've experienced some of the Fog, cancelations and rough seas before. So not a problem. The terrain & cost we'll take under consideration. And guess we had better stock up on Rain Gear.
Yes! Rain Gear is definitely necessary but otherwise sounds like you will have a blast! 🥳
Hi guys, we did 29 days Greenland, Iceland, Norway and beyond! Sold to us as 1 cruise! It was a back to back! Svalbard being 2 days, thats over night in Longyearbyen (2 days)! left Svalbard on our first night! Missed our 2 ports in Greenland, and missed Newfoundland as a tender. The seas were to rough😢 Ended up with 5 straight sea days! There is a plus to all this, Iceland WAS amazing 1 week circumnavigation amazing weather for the whole week, Norway was amazing as well! We are going to do west Canada in a couple of years, but not cruising! Greenland is not to be! It’s too much of a gamble especially when you are from Australia! Love your video ❤
So sorry you missed Greenland due to weather! Definitely a risk with these remote areas. 😌
Yes definitely safety first and the captain was so sorry and did try for a another landing but it wasn’t meant to be ❤️
Great video - Your overview made me all the more excited to book. Thank you!
Iceland has so much to see on the interior. Much better on a land tour in my opinion. Loved our land tour
Thanks for the heads up about islafjordor as might be cancelled. I plan on buying walking sticks for Goddfoss falls.😊
Happy to help!
Thanks for sharing the good, bad and ugly things about cruising to Iceland
Thanks for watching! 🥳
Great video! Love your description of how friendly the locals are … but did anyone bring you a pie? 😉
Great video, guys! Glad to have the heads up about the flies. 🤗 Did a land tour of Iceland in March 2021 (east and south) and have an Iceland, Greenland, Canada cruise booked for September 2025. Really excited to see the northern part of the country.
I appreciated your thoughtful and practical commentary!
Thanks Amelia!
Causing on prima Aug/sept for my honeymoon. Praying i can see the northern lights 🙏. Thanks for all the info!
The Northern Lights are spectacular!! We are 🤞🏽 for you! ☺️
Heading to Iceland on the Carnival Pride July 30th can't wait!
Enjoy! 🥳
Great informative video guys! Which month of the year did you go? I assume this was done summer of 2022 since daylight was 18 hours so I was surprised to hear that you guys saw the northern lights. Usually, they are only visible during the winter months. We are going on a Iceland/Greenland cruise in June 2023 and it would be great to see the northern lights.
We went August 2022! Northern Lights are always such a crapshoot but we were lucky enough to see them twice! 🥳
Thank you for your informative video. We recently had some time in Iceland with a land extension via Viking. We were very fortunate to have perfect weather in Iceland and we absolutely loved it there. We are going back on a Viking cruise next June and will also see two Greenland ports. Your tips will be helpful for our planning.
Very helpful info in this video.....we are doing NYC to Bergen next year with stops in Greenland and Iceland. Your observations will help us to be prepared. Thank you.
So happy this video helped get you prepped!! 🥳
Thank you guys. Great review. I have not been there yet, but I am interested in those hot baths.
Thanks Maria for watching! We hope you get a chance to go! 🥳
Good Video with some interesting points made. We are going on an Iceland and Greenland cruise (eventually ending up in NYC) in August on Viking. We plan on arriving a few days early and staying in Reykjavik to get a feel for it. Seems like a nice small town.
Thank you for your review that was so thorough.
We are so glad to hear!! Thanks for watching! 🤗🥳
Great video. Thank you for putting it together.
I'm planning a cruise to Greenland in September and have a quick question.
How much cash should I bring? Does everyone take credit cards to the point I don't really need any? I'm assuming my US dollars are not accepted.
Thank you in advance for your advice!
I’m going on a carnival cruise to Greenland and Canada in august I’m curious about how the waters are. I know when I went to Hawaii the ship was really rocky
It can be rough, but really the fog was more of an issue than the waters for our sailing.
The light comes through my bedroom window curtains and also when I tent camp in the summer pretty early and I wear a eye mask to block out the sunlight
OMG, thanks guys for this honest review....i'm heading to iceland next month yay! bringing my vessi's with me (not sponsored) lol.
Loved this video, new subscriber. Which cruise line did you take?
We did the Reykjavik to Boston leg(thanks for being very gracious to my travel companion ,she was so thrilled to meet you as she follows your vids!).Well presented loved the whole cruise and the Inbox Cafe in Qaqortoq was fantastic.People were great everywhere we went.We did encounter a few unpleasant people on board but that's life.Tested positive for Covid when we got to Halifax(ugh) but the crew was very accommodating. The mobility aboard ship was not an issue as the crew was very helpful.
Thanks Alan! It was great meeting you both! Inbox Cafe was SO delicious! 🤤
We are so sorry you tested positive towards the end but so glad to hear the crew were great handling it! 🥳
Thanks again for watching! 🤗
Excellent and insightful observations.
Some awesome footage ❤. can imagine the mood on the ship for. 12 sea days and nothing but fog but nothing you can do its just how the weather is ( some might be lucky than others )
Have a Good week 🥰
Thanks for watching and commenting! Very true on the luck of the draw with weather. Heading there from Europe instead of the U.S. May be better. 👍🏽
We are looking into Iceland instead of Alaska.... which do you prefer?
Iceland is incredible! So is Alaska, but in a different way. We would recommend starting with Alaska and then going to Iceland later on as Iceland cruises are typically much more expensive. 😊
Feel free to email us at jj@LoveLandAndSea.com and we will help you book best itineraries and best rates!
Thank you guys for the very informative review. We are thinking about Iceland and Greenland itinerary but we haven't found one we like yet.
Happy to help! Thanks for watching!!
We recommend looking at those coming from Europe over the U.S. as it may be a little more involved in Iceland and include an overnight in Reykjavik. 🥳
@@JJCruise Thank you guys!
We did 24 days to Iceland and Greenland out of Boston in August on Holland America…16 different amazing ports (8 of them were tender ports). We were on the Nieuw Statendam and the entire trip was fabulous! Definitely need to bring the correct weather gear. Fortunately we didn’t have any issues with flies!
We’re you able to enjoy the cruises amenities? Like the pools and such? Or was the weather so bad (or cold) you couldn’t?
We had a couple days out of NYC/NJ where it was hot enough for a pool. ☀️
We are currently up to 70 ships that are welcome to visit our port if they don't run into ice in Qaqortoq Greenland .
Hi guys! Thanks for sharing your experiences! I'm about taking a cruise to Greenland and Iceland (Jul 9th-21th) and I have no idea how the weather is in this period. Which period did you go there?
Thank you for saving me a lot of money.
Which cruise line is best to use for this trip? I’m thinking about Celebrity but I’m still unsure.
We have been on a Viking cruise around Iceland and you were spot on with your information, warnings :) and details that will make a trip like this more enjoyable for potential cruisers. We have now been to Iceland twice and we never go anywhere twice. If you would like to view the natural beauty of a magical place this would be an excellent choice.
Thanks for watching and commenting your similar experiences!! Such epic beauty worth some of the warnings or ugly.
great video info thank you very much! we are from spain and we just booked our Iceland & Greenland cruise for aug 2025 round trip from Southhampton! very excited! my question is if we can get off the ship without cruise excursion and explore by our selves? thank you!
Yes! You most definitely can, though we recommend some research of things to do at port ahead of time as well as hours of operation for any business you wish to visit as they can be limited. 😊
I'll be cruising on the Prima from NYC to Iceland next year. Wish it was a bit longer and stopped in Greenland.
Have a wonderful cruise!! Some epic places to visit that us for sure! 🥳
A bucket list cruise for me.
Definitely worth the list!
Thanks for the great review. Definitely a bucket list journey.
Thanks Mary for watching and commenting!! 🤗
Awesome video, thank you!
Thanks Mike for watching!
Thank you for your honest review. This has been on my bucket list for a long time, I can already tell my partner would not enjoy this …but I’m sure I can find an adventurous friend!
Yes!! Find an Iceland buddy!! It’s worth it 🥳
Yes!! Find an Iceland buddy!! It’s worth it 🥳
This was a great video! I also have a 24 day Canada, Greenland, Iceland planned for August next year from my home port of Boston. ( different cruise line from yours) Your content will really help us prepare better for the trip. With 17 schedule ports to visit ( weather permitting) I am now researching which ones we actually will get off and explore. Would you guys go to every port scheduled? I am looking into things we can do without having to book pricey excursions and saving it for the places we really want to see. I’ll continue to be watching you!!
Oh- one other question… did you need to have local currency for the different ports?
I'll be on the same cruise. I'm gathering information and ideas now. I've noticed that some of the cruise sponsored excursions are already getting picked over and sold out.
We want to do this cruise. Which cruise line?
Which cruise line is this cruise on? We are interested in this cruise.
@@yvonneyoung9148 Holland America - Volendam
What time of year was your cruise?
Booked to Greenland for Next September on the Legend, I now have added a few things to the list for this trip.
Have a wonderful Greenland Cruise! 🇬🇱
We’re booked on the September Greenland cruise too. I’m so excited!
Booked for Iceland cruise in July 2026 🤞🏼
What month did you guys go?
Love your videos! I am going to Greenland in August and signed up for the hike to the lake in Qaqortoq. It is listed as strenuous. How much of it is actually strenuous? I am 68 but have worked a very physical job for for 50 of those years.(I have purchased 2 bug nets on your recommendation) Also is it worth the hike?
Thanks JJ
Thank you guys for this awesome video! I’m planning to do the iceland greenland cruise this year in July, probably with Norwegian. Which cruise did you go with? Did you book direct with the cruise ship?
We went with Celebrity and booked ourselves as we are Travel Agents! Email us at jj@lovelandandsea.com and we will find best cruise line as well as rates! 🥳
@@JJCruise Thank you so much!
Booked for Greenland. Thank you for the tips. They will help!
Thanks for watching! Have an epic cruise!! 🥳
I really want to see these places.
Hello from Lisbon, which month did you visit Iceland and Greenland?
We have not cruised to Iceland, but we have been there twice on extended layovers going to Europe. Both times we were there the weather was HORRIBLE, but we did love Iceland. One of the highlights was horseback riding on the lava fields. The horses are totally different in Iceland- they are smaller and move with a different gait. Despite the rain (which managed to get inside our waterproof gear) it was a great experience. There are a number of interesting places to visit in Reykjavik ( museums and such) and the waterfalls in the National Parks are amazing. Driving in bad weather in Iceland is not for the feint of heart.
Yes, rain does do that, nothing is impermeable. We loved Iceland, had 3 days there on a cruise in Sept 2015 while on a Transatlantic, we loved it. Not bad weather either. We had to laugh as the tour took us to see the President’s house and the Americans were in shock as there is no fence, no guards and totally open. The Americans questioned it, the guide said they never have any problems there.
Just book I eland & Greenland cruise for August 2025. Thanks for the tips.
What a great video. We are planning Iceland and Scotland for 2025. Trying to pick which cruise line. We are pretty loyal to royal.
Going in June 2025. Thanks for all the great info!!
great to see this we are really looking forward to it. We are going through there in 2024 on a 110day princess world cruise
That is one epic cruise!! Enjoy! 🥳
what the hell? 110 days? What price?
I am planning a cruise to Iceland for 2024. Would you recommend waiting until you get to those cruise ports to book excursions like you would for Norway?
No. Tours are not readily available at port. Though, we do recommend looking at outside excursion companies like Viator as often they are cheaper (and more diverse) than those through the cruise line.
If it’s a long excursion or near all aboard times, then it would still make more sense to pay the premium of booking through the cruise line as some excursions are quite inland and away from port which could be a true risk for making it back onboard in time. ☺️
@@JJCruise i am in the first week . At off July what weather like and should i bring like whole socks and a north face coat . What places would u say the best in ice to visit would it be best to go to book the blue lagoon though the blue lagoon or tour place . Would be able to walk around after the lagoon is there any close where we won’t get lost . Thanks
Hey Guys Great Video. Did you see many kids on this exact sailing?
No, very few kids. Maybe 5-10 at most.
question did you book your excursions with a particular local person and if so, who may I ask
Great trip. Will add to our travel list 😲
What ship were you on for this B2B cruise?
Have you used tours/excursions from other companies local to Iceland? I'm worried about a tour that I booked in Isafjordur where the ship needs to be tendered.
Thanks so much! We are doing a Canada/ Greenland cruise next year. We bought a balcony room but after your video I’m second guessing it. Do you think it’s worth it to get a balcony room considering all the fog?
Yes! The Fjords of Greenland were stunning and for the amount of sea days on this cruise we were happy we had a balcony (even when there was fog in our view).
Awesome video and tips, guys! I’ll be doing this cruise on NCL in July. How far would you estimate is the walk to Goldafoss waterfall from where the tour bus stops? I do have some mobility issues but I’m not disabled. I can walk but need to sit and rest every 20 minutes or so. Are there benches where you can sit on the way to Goldafoss? Thank you so much once again for posting these videos with so many helpful tips!
Thank you, another honest video!😊
Thanks for watching and commenting Mercy! 🤗
What ship did you travel on
Thanks for making this video, we just booked a last minute Boston to Greenland cruise for August. As a bucket list item we are excited and then I wondered, uh oh going to need some info on what to pack & what's different than a carribean cruise packing list? Love you guys, you give lots of little details that others don't and as a senior with accessible issues, not many channels address us & our "special needs"
@PM-ul8jt Emerald Princess
Can you just walk and enjoy the port in some ports or do you need to do excursions?
You can walk into port at some but there is a lot more to offer just a 30-60 minute ride away as well. ☺️
Hi JJ thanks for sharing, am considering booking this SH Vega cruise for Iceland & Greenland for August. Glad you didn’t list motion sickness in your bad or ugly so all good on this cruise even though is a small ship? BTW Which month did you go?
We went in August. We didn’t have issues with motion but it is always possible.
Sending Love and Hope to Everyone still in the Fort Myers Florida area❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
We are hunkered down ourselves in the Orlando area. Stay Safe everyone! ❤
praying for my grandma in Mount Dora Florida
Hi i am to iceland Ireland. It is first week in August . What best clothes to wear . I don’t if should bring a heavy coat or a north. Face coat And whole socks . I don’t no who the weather is there please help
Im thinking about doing this for my 40th birthday in 2024 in July. Do you think it would be good for a solo cruiser?
That’s a tough one. On our sailing from NY to Reykjavik the audience was much older and mostly couples.
I suppose it depends on how reliant you are on socializing with others as it may be less than usual (at least when it comes to our exact route).
We loved our ports and would love to visit these ports again, so if you go for the ports you will have a good time!
We have an Iceland Greenland Norwegian Fjords cruise in August 2023. We are taking friends with us who have never cruised!😅 we only have one sea day so hopefully we won’t get depressed with the grey days.
Can you recommend shore excursions? We are all adventurous!!!!
Have an amazing, epic cruise!! That’s one heck of a first cruise!! 🥳
What month did you do this trip? 🙂🙂
August 😊
Seems like you got the best of both worlds - northern lights AND long daylight.
What time of the year was this?
I follow you on IG, so I've been waiting for this review! I appreciate your candor. It's important to give a realistic view of what you're going to get. Especially because I imagine this trip isn't inexpensive!
PS. You'd need a crane to get me out of a place called Beerspa. 🤭🍻
Thanks Lisa! We were definitely trying to savor every last minute at BeerSpa 🍻 😉
I'd love to see Iceland and Greenland. I'd accept the bad for most of it look fantastic.
You had me at “beer spa”, where do I sign up?? 😊
Is there a better time to go when it wouldn't be so foggy and less flies? I went East coast Maritimes, Maine in 2016 in September and hurricane Rose was right behind us. Yucky weather with lots of fog. But when l went to Alaska in July I got sunburn from hot tubbing every day!
Great question! Since the summer season is so short, cruise season is really limited to just a few summer months. Thus, from what we learned from our new Iceland and Greenland friends, it really doesn’t change as that is their typical summer (cruise season) weather.
We did get some awesome days of sun while in Iceland and Greenland but they all said that was rare. 😅
What month did you go on this cruise?
August ☺️
we spent a week in Iceland, it was an amazing trip but are interested in doing the Greenland/Iceland Cruise (or just Greenland) You guys mentioned that Royal now has a cruise that goes to Greenland - I could not find it. Can you tell me where to look?
Do you experience rough seas crossing from Iceland to Greenland? Any passengers seasick?
The seas were a little rocky but not too bad compared to the Tasman Sea in between Australia and New Zealand or theBay of Biscay up by the UK.
Of course, any sea can become rocky with a harsh storm or wind gusts so never a for sure thing. 😅
We went to Russia and the shore excursions were at Least 400 each per day
Prices can be steep!! Definitely always good to know pre-cruise for planning purposes.
We went to St Petersburg on a Baltic cruise in Aug 2019, and so had two days there. We did the excursion with SPB Tours which I and our Travel Agent can thoroughly recommend. For US$199 each they took us around for two full long days. Excellent.
400 what?
Which cruise ? And when? Did princess Canada/Greenland wearer nasty zero sunsets and no Aura even mixed Nuuk stilled loved and want to try again with Iceland
Ugh meant to typeWeather nasty missed Nuuk. Lucy me found great fly head net on Amazon. Pack of 2 $15
I felt the same way visiting Lanzarote in the Canary Islands. I hope you guys get to see it sometime. It has unreal scenery.
We hope we see it one day too!
Oh, good point about the fog....we are going one way....yay......