Iceland cruisesup to -32%

Where do Iceland cruises go?

Iceland sits at the meeting point of several of the most compelling cruise routes in the northern hemisphere. Most voyages call at Reykjavik, the country’s dramatic capital, and then push on — into the Arctic, across the North Atlantic, south through the Norwegian fjords, or around the British Isles. The result is a destination that suits explorers, culture travellers and anyone who wants a voyage with genuine distance to it. Sailings range from focused 5-night trips to grand 64-night expeditions, with a median around 14 nights — long enough to cover real ground.

Most sailings available through CruiseAway are one-way voyages. That is worth knowing before you plan: a one-way itinerary means you fly into one port and out of another, which is actually one of the pleasures of this route — you are not retracing your steps. Our team can connect both ends for you with flights, transfers and a hotel night either side.

The main regions — what’s sailing and where

Arctic Ocean

The Arctic is the busiest single region in this mix. These are true expedition-style voyages, using small, purpose-built ships to push into waters that larger cruise ships cannot reach. The landscapes are stark and vast, the wildlife encounters are genuine, and the light — especially in autumn — does things a camera struggles to capture. If you want the Iceland that most tourists never see, this is it.

Transatlantic crossings

A large share of Iceland sailings are transatlantic voyages — among the most satisfying itineraries available at sea. Typically they depart from one side of the Atlantic and finish on the other, calling at Iceland en route. Finishing in New York or Boston is common; so is ending in Southampton or Amsterdam. If you have ever wanted to cross an ocean under your own steam, these voyages deliver it without the monotony of a featureless crossing, because Iceland itself becomes the highlight of the middle leg. Our team books the return flight from the disembarkation city as part of the same holiday.

Norway and the fjords

Sailings that combine Iceland with Norway give you two of Europe’s most dramatic coastlines in one voyage. The Norwegian fjords are a natural companion to Iceland — similar landscapes, similar scale, and an itinerary that flows logically between the two. Many of these voyages embark or disembark at Southampton, which is straightforward to reach with a short domestic connection from Australia.

British Isles circuits

Several itineraries fold Iceland into a wider British Isles arc, sailing around the coastlines of the UK and Ireland before heading north. These work particularly well as longer voyages — two weeks or more — where the variety of ports keeps the experience feeling fresh throughout. Southampton sailings in 2027 offer a good selection in this style.

Which ports do Iceland cruises depart from?

Reykjavik is the main embarkation point — it handles the largest share of departures and arrivals in this mix. Beyond Iceland itself, sailings depart from Southampton, Copenhagen, New York, Amsterdam and Rotterdam. Because every port is overseas from Australia, every voyage here is a fly-cruise — and that is exactly what our team is set up for. We book the whole thing: international flights, pre-cruise hotels, transfers and the cruise itself, as a single booking. Boston appears as both a departure and a disembarkation port on transatlantic routes.

Iceland wonders

Iceland rewards a cruise in a way that few destinations do. Ashore, you have geysers, volcanic landscapes, waterfalls and — depending on the time of year — the northern lights. At sea, the approach to the Icelandic coast is itself dramatic: the island rises sharply from the water, its peaks often cloud-capped, its fjords giving the ship somewhere to shelter and explore. A cruise gives you the ability to see multiple parts of the island without the logistics of driving between them, and to combine Iceland with neighbouring countries that are similarly spectacular.

The voyages here are almost entirely ocean cruises — this is deep-water, open-sea sailing, not river or coastal day-hopping. Voyages cover serious distances, which is part of the appeal. If you want a trip that genuinely takes you somewhere, an Iceland cruise delivers.

The best time to visit

Sailings to Iceland run from autumn through to the following year, with itineraries designed around what the season offers. Autumn departures bring dramatic skies and the possibility of seeing the northern lights on Arctic-routed voyages. The transatlantic itineraries tend to concentrate later in the sailing calendar, when Atlantic crossings become a natural way to reposition ships between seasons. Whatever time of year you’re considering, our cruise experts can tell you which departures work best for the experience you’re after — Arctic wildlife, northern lights, or simply a grand ocean voyage.

What’s included in your fare?

What your fare covers depends on the cruise line and the fare tier you choose — and the difference between tiers can be significant. Here is what to know by line:

Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line offers a base fare that covers the cruise itself, with packages available to add on. Their bundled fare tiers include a premium beverage package, a speciality dining package, Wi-Fi and shore excursion credits per port — a useful combination on longer voyages where dining variety and connectivity matter. Our experts can tell you which tier gives the best value for your specific itinerary.

Explora Journeys

Explora Journeys offers Sky & Sea fare tiers that bundle the voyage with international return flights in economy class, private transfers and hotel stays — an airport-to-airport package that removes the planning burden almost entirely. For Australian travellers who want everything sorted in one booking, this is worth a close look. Check our grand voyage options if you’re drawn to an extended itinerary.

Princess Cruises

Princess offers a Standard fare (cruise only) and a Plus tier that adds 4 casual dining meals per voyage, beverages up to a daily limit, MedallionNet® Max Wi-Fi, pre-paid crew appreciation, unlimited digital photos plus 3 prints, and reserved theatre seating. For a 14-night voyage, the Plus tier removes a lot of the small on-board spending decisions that can otherwise add up.

Which ships sail to Iceland?

Several well-matched ships operate Iceland itineraries, ranging from intimate expedition vessels to mid-sized ocean ships with a strong sense of character. Below are the ships with the most sailings in this mix.

Seabourn Pursuit

Seabourn Pursuit carries just 264 passengers, which gives it an intimacy most ocean ships cannot offer. Every cabin has a private balcony, and the ship is built for expedition-style voyaging — meaning it goes to the places a larger vessel cannot reach. On board, the Seabourn Conversations programme brings destination experts and scientists to the lounge to brief passengers on what they are about to see ashore. If you want the Arctic done properly, this is a strong choice. See the Seabourn Pursuit cabins and deck plans for full grade detail — including the Grand Wintergarden Suite, which runs to 115 m² with a private hot tub and a separate living area that seats 4 for dinner.

Seabourn Venture

Seabourn Venture is the expedition ship in the small-ship luxury category that goes furthest into the ice. It carries 2 onboard submarines — actual submersibles that go beneath the surface — along with double sea kayaks, mountain bikes and e-bikes. An expedition team of 27 specialists accompanies every voyage. This is for travellers who want to do things, not just see them. Review the Seabourn Venture cabins and deck plans before you book.

Seabourn Quest

With 450 guests on board, Seabourn Quest is slightly larger than its sister expedition ships but still operates at a scale where the service stays personal and unhurried. Every suite opens onto a private balcony, and the ship’s social heart — Seabourn Square — is an open lounge that feels more like a private yacht club than an ocean liner. Fine wines are poured without asking. See the Seabourn Quest cabin and deck guide for suite configurations.

Rotterdam

Holland America Line‘s Rotterdam carries the name of 6 ships before her — a lineage stretching back 150 years — and she sails with a character that reflects it. On board, the Music Walk brings Billboard, Rolling Stone and BB King Blues Club together in one dedicated space, while the Tamarind restaurant serves Southeast Asian cuisine — Vietnamese pho, Japanese-inspired dishes — that stands out even by land-based standards. Holland America’s pace is unhurried, with proper restaurant dining and attentive service rather than the relentless motion of a larger ship.

Rotterdam’s cabin range runs from compact interiors to a single Pinnacle Suite:

• Inside cabin (I) — 13 m², sleeps 3, spread across decks 1–8 for a choice of lower quieter positions or more central access
• Family outside cabin (FA) — 20.6 m², sleeps 5, larger than standard ocean-view cabins with additional storage
• Spa Balcony cabin (VQ) — 21.2 m², sleeps 3, full-height private balcony for morning coffee or evening sun
• Signature Suite (SS) — 36 m², sleeps 3, seating area with full-height windows opening to a private veranda
• Pinnacle Suite (PS) — 120 m², sleeps 4, the ship’s single most exclusive address with private living, dining and sleeping throughout

See the full Rotterdam cabin and deck plan guide before you decide.

Zuiderdam

Zuiderdam is Holland America’s art ship — every corridor and public space carries original artworks reflecting the pageantry of Venetian Carnival, chosen to give the interiors a sense of place rather than the generic styling of many ocean ships. Most staterooms look out to sea, and most have a private verandah — the kind of space that comes at a premium on many comparable ships. Review the Zuiderdam cabin grades and deck plans for the full picture.

Iceland cruise deals — what discounts are available?

Some sailings carry a reduction from the price previously listed for that cabin grade. Discounts reach up to 30% on individual departures, though that represents a single sailing — most reduced fares sit closer to 7% off. Fare types such as early-saver and last-minute offers appear across the range, and our cruise experts monitor availability as it changes. The Best Price Guarantee means that if you find a lower published fare for the same sailing after booking, we will match it.

Around half the sailings in this mix are all-inclusive in style, with drinks, dining and sometimes gratuities bundled into the fare. On a 14-night voyage, that makes the total cost considerably more predictable. Our team will show you exactly what each fare tier covers before you commit.

Make it a complete holiday

Because Iceland is a long way from Australia, most travellers want to make the most of the trip by spending a few nights ashore before or after the cruise. Our team can build that in — international flights, a hotel in Reykjavik, transfers from the airport to the ship, and any tours you want to book before you board. If your cruise ends in New York, Boston or Rotterdam, we can arrange the return leg from there too. A DreamAway Package bundles everything — cruise, flights, hotels and transfers — into one booking, so you have a single point of contact for the whole trip.

We are ocean cruise specialists and members of CLIA and ATAS, which means you are booking through a professionally accredited team that works with these cruise lines every day. Prices start from A$1,572 pp* for sailings departing from late 2026 onwards.

*Prices are per person based on 2 people sharing, and are subject to change. This price is not kept up to date and therefore does not reflect live pricing and availability. Prices and any discounts shown were checked on 14 October 2026.