Geysers, a milky-blue lagoon and a rocket-shaped church, all in one day
Reykjavik is the world’s northernmost capital and the gateway to the Golden Circle, the Blue Lagoon and the newer Sky Lagoon on the edge of town. Big ships dock at Skarfabakki, where the new Vör terminal opened in May 2026 about 2.5 miles east of downtown (the free port shuttle ended in 2026, so your line runs its own or you taxi), while small ships tie up at the Old Harbour a 10 minute walk from Hallgrímskirkja and the Laugavegur shopping street. SmartCruiser lists every cruise that calls at Reykjavik from every line, priced with taxes and fees included, with the sailings that carry SmartCruiser bonus onboard credit or instant savings at the top.
Three ways to do Reykjavik
Drive the Golden Circle, soak in a lagoon, or walk the city and the harbor; the buttons filter the list of sailings below.
The Golden Circle
- Þingvellir, where the American and European plates pull apart and Iceland’s parliament met in 930
- Strokkur geyser erupting every 5 to 10 minutes and the two-tier Gullfoss waterfall
- 7 to 8 hours by coach; about 17,000 to 18,000 ISK independent from the terminal, 17,000 to 25,000 ISK through the ship
Best for: first-timers, families, anyone with a 9 hour call
Blue Lagoon or Sky Lagoon
- Blue Lagoon: the milky-blue silica pools in a lava field 45 to 50 minutes from the pier, Comfort entry from about 11,990 ISK plus transfer, 4 to 5 hours all in
- Sky Lagoon: a cliff-edge infinity pool over the bay in Kópavogur, 20 minutes from the ship, Saman pass about 13,990 ISK with the seven-step ritual
- Both are timed entry and sell out on ship days, so book before you sail
Best for: couples, spa lovers, shorter calls (Sky Lagoon)
The city and the Old Harbour
- Hallgrímskirkja tower (about 1,500 ISK) for the view over the tin-roofed town, then Laugavegur and the Harpa concert hall on the water
- Whale watching from the Old Harbour, 3 hours, about $90 to $105
- Perlan’s ice cave and 360 degree deck, the Sun Voyager sculpture and a hot dog at Bæjarins Beztu
Best for: repeat visitors, walkers, budget days
Reykjavik cruises: SmartCruiser picks first
Every cruise that calls at Reykjavik from every line, priced live with taxes, fees and port expenses included. The picks at the top are sailings where booking with SmartCruiser gets you something extra: instant savings or bonus onboard credit. Below them, every other sailing that stops here, with full sorting by home port, line, month, length and price.
SmartCruiser picks
Sorted by what you save, biggest firstEvery cruise that calls at Reykjavik
Stack any filters, then pick a sortPrices are per person, double occupancy, in US dollars, and include cruise fare, taxes, fees and port expenses as published by the cruise line at the moment you load this page. Fares are capacity controlled and change daily; the fare is confirmed when you book. Flights, hotels and transfers are extra unless the line’s offer says otherwise. SmartCruiser instant savings and bonus onboard credit are provided by SmartCruiser on top of the cruise line’s price and are not available when booking direct; amounts are per stateroom, vary by stateroom category and are shown for the lowest category offered. Special SmartCruiser rates are pricing SmartCruiser holds on that sailing for its clients, with extra onboard credit; you book your own stateroom and travel on your own. Senior fares apply to guests 55 and over; resident fares need proof of residency in a listed state or province at check-in; police and fire fares apply to active or retired police, fire and EMT personnel with ID. Qualifier-fare savings are measured against the best fare the cruise line offers the general public for the same stateroom category on the day the list was pulled, updated weekly.
Home ports that sail to Reykjavik
Pick a home port and the list above filters to cruises leaving from there; Reykjavik is both a stop on the Iceland and Norway loops from Britain and Europe and the start of round-Iceland voyages.
Things to do in Reykjavik
Pick one big thing outside town and one small thing in it; Iceland prices mean the free sights are worth more here than anywhere.
Which lines call at Reykjavik?
More than 20 lines and nearly 60 ships called in 2026, often two or three a day in July; these are the ones Americans sail most.
When to go
Reykjavik is cool, windy and changeable in every month; June to August are the mildest and driest and carry nearly all the cruise calls, with the midnight sun in June and July.
Reykjavik questions we answer every day
Where do cruise ships dock in Reykjavik and how far is it to downtown?
Most ships, and every large one, dock at Skarfabakki in the Sundahöfn harbor, where the new Vör terminal opened in May 2026, about 2.5 miles (4 km) east of the center: a 7 minute drive or a 40 to 50 minute walk along the shore path. On busy days a second ship goes to the Korngarður quay next door. Small ships (Windstar, Seabourn, Viking on some calls) use Miðbakki at the Old Harbour, 5 minutes from Harpa and 15 from Hallgrímskirkja on foot. Nobody tenders.
Is there a shuttle from Skarfabakki, and what do taxis cost?
The port’s free shuttle ended before the 2026 season, so check your ship’s daily program: most lines run a paid shuttle to Harpa, typically about $15 to $20 round trip. A metered taxi to downtown is about 4,000 to 5,000 ISK (roughly $30 to $38) and queues form at the terminal when two ships are in; pre-booked sedans cost more. City bus 16 stops near the terminal (pay in the Strætó app or by card), and e-scooters are everywhere in summer.
What currency and language, and will my phone work?
Iceland uses the króna (about 130 to 140 ISK to the dollar) and is effectively cashless; tap a card or phone for the bus, the hot dog stand and the lagoons, and do not bother changing money. Everyone speaks English. Reykjavik stays on Greenwich Mean Time all year, so it is 4 hours ahead of US Eastern in summer, and US plans with international roaming work well. Iceland adds a cruise passenger fee of about 1,600 ISK per day in 2026, which your line bills to your onboard account.
Is Reykjavik safe?
Yes. Iceland is at the State Department’s lowest advisory level and is usually ranked the safest country in the world. The honest cautions are natural: weather that changes by the hour (bring a waterproof shell even in July), slippery rock at the waterfalls, and the Reykjanes volcanic zone near the Blue Lagoon, which has erupted several times since 2023 and occasionally closes the lagoon and its road; the city itself is 25 miles away and unaffected.
What is the best excursion, and should I book through the ship?
On a first call, the Golden Circle; it is the Iceland you came for. Book it through the ship on calls under 10 hours or when your ship leaves the same evening, because the loop is 150 miles of driving and the line guarantees your return. Independent small-group tours meet you at the Vör terminal and cost less on an overnight call. Sky Lagoon is the easy independent half day; the Blue Lagoon is a ship tour or a pre-booked transfer, never a drop-in.
Do I need a passport?
Yes. Every Iceland cruise requires a valid passport, and we recommend six months of validity beyond your return date. Iceland is in the Schengen zone, where the EU’s biometric entry and exit system is being phased in from 2026, so allow a few extra minutes at your first Schengen arrival.
Are taxes and fees included in the prices here?
Yes. Every price on this page includes the cruise fare, taxes, fees and port expenses. Flights, hotels, shore excursions and gratuities are extra.
Talk to a Reykjavik cruise specialist
We know which sailings overnight in Reykjavik, which ones dock at the Old Harbour and how long a call the Golden Circle needs, so call us to check availability and book the Iceland sailing that fits. Monday to Thursday 9 to 6, Friday 9 to 5, Saturday 10 to 6 ET.