Guides
Iceland and Greenland Cruise from Reykjavik 2027: Route, Ports, Costs and Honest Line Comparison
At a glance
- Route type: a representative 10-night round trip from Reykjavik, three Iceland ports (Ísafjörður, Akureyri and Grundarfjörður), three Greenland calls (one of them scenic cruising), then back. It is labelled representative, not a published sailing.
- Best months: Greenland's cruise season is short and sits in the northern summer, as commonly described. Confirm exact departure dates on the line's page.
- Passport: U.S. citizens need no visa for Greenland tourism stays up to 90 days, and the passport should be valid at least 90 days beyond departure (checked Oct 13, 2026).
- Safety levels: Iceland Level 1, issued May 5, 2026 (checked Oct 13, 2026); the Denmark advisory (which covers Greenland) is Level 2, issued September 17, 2024 (checked Oct 13, 2026); the Greenland country page shows Level 2 dated October 29, 2024. The page dates differ, so check both before you go.
- The thing most people get wrong: Greenland ports are small settlements, usually reached by tender, with no big shore-excursion infrastructure. Weather and ice can change or cancel a call.
- Airport to ship: the Flybus quotes 45 minutes and lists a Vör/Skarfabakki cruise-terminal stop, 3,999 ISK for one adult on the booking form (checked Oct 13, 2026).
- Money: Iceland uses the króna (ISK); Greenland uses the Danish krone (DKK). Both are card-friendly in towns, but carry a little cash for small Greenland shops and check with your bank.
- Medical: care outside Reykjavik and Nuuk is limited, and evacuation can be expensive, so the State Department strongly recommends evacuation insurance (checked Oct 13, 2026).
Who this is for
This is for the traveler who wants fjords, icebergs and Norse ruins more than pool decks and casinos. It suits curious, reasonably mobile adults who can handle cold wind, wet gangways and tender boats. It is a poor fit if you need guaranteed port calls, or if stairs and uneven ground are a problem.
The route in brief
You start in Reykjavik and head up to the Westfjords town of Ísafjörður, then cross the Denmark Strait to southern Greenland. The signature moment is a day of scenic cruising through Prins Christian Sund, a long channel of glaciers and sheer walls, followed by calls at Nanortalik and Qaqortoq. After a sea day you reach Akureyri in the north of Iceland, then a sea day, a call on the Snæfellsnes peninsula and the return to Reykjavik. Three lines are commonly associated with this kind of itinerary: Celebrity, Viking and HX (Hurtigruten Expeditions). They are very different ships, compared in chapter 8 of the full guide. Their exact ports and dates differ, so treat our day list as a template.
Rough cost, three ways
We do not quote a sailing's cabin fare. Fill in the blanks from the line's own page:
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Plan your budget
Your trip budget worksheet
Prices change daily, so we don’t quote them. Fill this in from the official fare pages.
Your trip budget worksheet Item Your amount Lean: cruise fare $ port/government fees $ economy flights $ 2 hotel nights in Reykjavik $ -
Plan your budget
Your trip budget worksheet
Prices change daily, so we don’t quote them. Fill this in from the official fare pages.
Your trip budget worksheet Item Your amount Middle: the lean list + one paid excursion in Iceland and one in Greenland at $ each + drinks package or bar tab $ gratuities $ -
Plan your budget
Your trip budget worksheet
Prices change daily, so we don’t quote them. Fill this in from the official fare pages.
Your trip budget worksheet Item Your amount Comfortable: a larger cabin or a balcony fare $ all-inclusive extras $ pre- and post-cruise hotels (3 nights) $ travel insurance with evacuation cover $
Check what is included on each line's page: the three lines package things very differently.
Entry and documents basics
Bring a passport valid at least 90 days past your return date. No visas are needed for U.S. citizens for up to 90 days in Greenland. Iceland is in the Schengen area; confirm entry rules on the Iceland government site before you travel. Carry prescriptions in original packaging; not every U.S. medicine may be sold in Greenland, so bring what you need. Enroll in STEP.
Three free things
- Walk to Hallgrímskirkja, Reykjavik. The church's tower is 73 metres high (checked Oct 13, 2026); looking up at it from the street is free. (Photo: Hallgrímskirkja from Skólavörðustígur.)
- Sit by the water at Ísafjörður. The town sits on a spit in a steep-sided fjord, and the quay walk costs nothing. (Photo: Ísafjörður harbour and mountain.)
- Watch the icebergs from the deck in Prins Christian Sund. No ticket needed, just a windproof layer and a warm drink. (Photo: iceberg in Prins Christian Sund.)
What you will actually see
Expect long daylight in summer, big skies, cold wind on deck even in July, and a lot of waiting around on tender platforms. Icelandic ports are working harbours with easy bus and taxi options; Greenlandic ports are villages where the whole town fits in a short walk. The scenery is the product, so pack for being outside: a waterproof shell, a warm hat, gloves and a pair of waterproof walking shoes.
Three small costs people forget
Tenders to shore are typically included in the fare (confirm with your line), but a hot drink on a cold day on board is not. Wifi at sea is often paid and slow on expedition-style voyages, so decide in advance whether you want to be reachable. Travel insurance that covers medical evacuation is the one purchase worth making before you go, given the State Department language above. Confirm each of these in your booking.
Before you commit: three questions to ask the line
- Is Greenland actually on this sailing, and is Prins Christian Sund scheduled or only "if conditions allow"?
- How many of the Greenland calls are tendered, and what is the policy if the tender is cancelled?
- What is included in the fare (excursions, drinks, wifi, gratuities), and what is extra? Write the answers in the cost blanks above.
These three answers separate the lines more than any brochure photo does. Ask by phone or email and keep the reply.
A word on respect
Greenlandic towns are homes, not stages. Ask before photographing residents, keep to paths, and do not wander into private yards. Buying something small from a local shop does more good than a crowded group stop.
Where to go next
The full guide below covers the day-by-day route, every port, shore options, points and the cost sheet. It also links out to land content: see /guides/iceland-south-coast/, /guides/iceland-ring-road/ and /guides/iceland-winter/ rather than repeating it here.
This is the free lite guide. The full day-by-day guide, with maps, photo stops, rain plans and the points playbook, is part of PerkJolt All-Access.
Good to know before you go
Ports, itineraries, fees and entry rules move, and the cruise lines publish their sailings on pages that were not reachable when we checked. This guide was checked on 2026-10-13; confirm every sailing detail on the cruise line's own page and in your booking before you pay.