Northern Europe
Cruise Embarkation Port
Reykjavik Cruise Port Guide: Embarkation, Getting There & Pre-Cruise Tips
Iceland
Ships dock at the Sundahöfn cruise terminal (also known as Reykjavik Harbour), located approximately 3 km east of the city centre.
Pre-Cruise Quick Take
| Best arrival plan | Fly in at least one day before sailing — Keflavik is not close enough for careless same-day arrival planning, especially with long-haul or connecting flights. |
| Main airport | Keflavik International Airport (KEF) |
| Best hotel area | Miðborg (downtown Reykjavik) is the best all-round base for a pre-cruise night: walkable, plenty of restaurants, and easy taxi access to the terminal. The Old Harbour area is also smart if you want a calmer waterfront feel and quick access to both central sights and the cruise port by car. |
| Terminal type | Pier |
| Port to city centre | About 3-5 km to central Reykjavik from main cruise piers; short taxi ride, limited walking practicality with luggage |
| Best time to cruise | May - September |
| Cruise lines | Seabourn, Princess Cruises, Viking Ocean Cruises, Explora Journeys, PONANT, Norwegian Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Oceania Cruises, AIDA Cruises, Silversea Cruises, Atlas Ocean Voyages, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Windstar, TUI Cruises |
Where to Stay Before Your Cruise
Same-day flights are one of the most common ways cruise trips go wrong. A delay or missed connection can leave you watching the ship sail without you. Arriving the night before removes that risk entirely.
Miðborg (downtown Reykjavik) is the best all-round base for a pre-cruise night: walkable, plenty of restaurants, and easy taxi access to the terminal. The Old Harbour area is also smart if you want a calmer waterfront feel and quick access to both central sights and the cruise port by car.
Pre-cruise hotel finder
Compare stays in Reykjavik
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Getting from the Airport to the Port
Reykjavik is served by Keflavik International Airport (KEF). Here are your transfer options with typical costs and travel times:
-
Taxi
~45-55 minDirect but expensive; easiest option if you have luggage and are heading straight from Keflavik to a hotel or terminal.
Book a transfer 5% off with code TPO5 at checkout -
Shuttle
~45-60 minAirport shuttle coaches are a common choice into Reykjavik, often with hotel-area drop-offs or transfer hubs.
Book a transfer 5% off with code TPO5 at checkout -
Bus
~70-100 minPublic bus options exist but are slower and less convenient with cruise luggage; better for budget travelers with time.
Book bus tickets
Details last checked May 2026
Reykjavik Cruise Terminal
Reykjavik uses pier facilities in the harbour area, with Skarfabakki handling many larger cruise turnarounds. Expect a straightforward terminal setup with luggage drop, check-in lines that move in waves, and clear port signage rather than a giant airport-style complex. Outside the gate, the area is mainly port infrastructure, roads, and transfer pickup points, not shops or sightseeing.
Ships dock at the Sundahöfn cruise terminal (also known as Reykjavik Harbour), located approximately 3 km east of the city centre.
Details last checked May 2026
Cruises from Reykjavik
HX Expeditions
14 Nights Greenland Cruise
Next: Sep 2026
Virgin Voyages
13 Nights Transatlantic Cruise
Next: Sep 2026
Silversea Cruises
15 Nights Arctic Cruise
Next: Sep 2026
HX Expeditions
12 Nights Greenland Cruise
Next: Sep 2026
Atlas Ocean Voyages
10 Nights Arctic Cruise
Next: Sep 2026
Explora Journeys
20 Nights Canada / New England Cruise
Next: Sep 2026
Explora Journeys
11 Nights Europe Cruise
Next: Sep 2026
Seabourn
15 Nights Canada Cruise
Next: Sep 2026
Planning a Northern Europe or Iceland cruise with a stop in Reykjavik, one of the world's most unique and dramatic port cities?
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Check The Port Traffic
See Which Ships Are in Port
If you are sailing from here, use the schedule to gauge how busy the terminal area may feel on your date, plus the ships, lines, and published call windows.
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
1
2
2 ships
3
2 ships
4
5
1 ship
6
1 ship
7
2 ships
8
2 ships
9
1 ship
10
11
1 ship
12
1 ship
13
14
15
16
1 ship
17
1 ship
18
1 ship
19
2 ships
20
2 ships
21
2 ships
22
23
2 ships
24
1 ship
25
26
2 ships
27
1 ship
28
1 ship
29
30
Quiet (1–2)
Busy (3–4)
Packed (5+)
0 scheduled calls
September 4, 2026
No scheduled cruise ship calls were found for this date selection. Pick a highlighted day on the calendar above, widen the range, or search for a different ship or line.
Things to Do Before or After Your Cruise
Have a few hours before embarkation or time after disembarkation? These activities work well when you don't need to rush back aboard.
1
Reykjavik Food Walk - Local Foodie Adventure in Iceland
Reykjavik's food culture runs deeper than the famous hot dog stand, and this walk takes you to the restaurants and counters that locals actually eat at — Icelandic lamb, fresh catch of the day, homemade ice cream from a family recipe kept off any tourist map. A guide who can tell you what you are eating and why it matters turns a meal into a way of actually understanding the city. Since you have the freedom of an embarkation stay rather than a timed port day, this is the kind of unhurried afternoon that makes a place feel real before or after your sailing.
3h
2
Iceland South Coast Full Day Small-Group Tour from Reykjavik
Standing at the foot of Skógafoss, close enough that the spray reaches you, while Eyjafjallajökull sits on the horizon — the volcano whose name stopped European air travel — is the kind of Icelandic landscape that explains why people come this far north. The small-group minibus format means you are not watching the glacier through a coach window, and hotel pickup means no logistics on arrival or departure day. If you have time on either side of your cruise, the South Coast is the Iceland that stays with you.
10h
Our picks for your time ashore
3
Walk central Reykjavik and the waterfront
The best low-effort pre-cruise plan. You can cover the harbour edge, central shopping streets, and a few classic city views without committing to a full excursion.
4
Old Harbour area
A practical place for a meal, coffee, and a feel for the city without overdoing it. Good if you arrive tired and want something easy on your first evening.
5
Hallgrimskirkja and the surrounding streets
One of the simplest landmark stops before boarding. Even if you skip going up the tower, the area gives you a quick Reykjavik look without needing much time.
Show 3 more things to do in Reykjavik
6
Harpa and the waterfront district
Easy architecture-and-harbour stop that works well in poor weather because it is central and simple. Best paired with a short city walk rather than treated as a major outing.
7
Perlan
A stronger choice than random shopping if you have a half day and want one proper attraction. Good views, indoor exhibits, and decent backup when weather is ugly.
8
Sky Lagoon or a geothermal spa stop
A very good pre- or post-cruise splurge if timing works, especially after a long flight or before heading home. Just do not cut embarkation timing too fine.
Near the Cruise Port
Check which pier your ship uses
Reykjavik embarkations often use Skarfabakki or another harbour berth, not a downtown promenade. Verify the exact terminal with your cruise line before ordering a transfer.
Book dinner if arriving on a busy summer evening
Reykjavik is small and popular in peak season. If your flight lands late, a reservation saves you wandering hungry with luggage and bad weather.
Safety, Accessibility & Practical Details
Arrive the day before
This is the big one. Long-haul flights, weather, and the airport distance make same-day arrival an unnecessary gamble.
Do not plan long walks with bags
Even if the map looks manageable, wind, rain, and uneven distances make luggage hauling a bad idea here. Use a taxi or arranged transfer on embarkation day.
Treat downtown and the port as separate zones
Stay where the restaurants and sights are, then transfer to the terminal when it is time. Hanging around the port area early does not improve the experience.
Cards beat cash
Iceland is extremely card-friendly. You generally do not need much local cash for a short pre-cruise stay.
Keep cruise documents easy to reach
Airport-to-hotel-to-port days involve repeated checks of passports, boarding documents, and luggage tags. Keep them organized and not buried in a suitcase.
Use vehicles strategically
Central sightseeing is compact, but hills and weather can wear people out fast. Save your energy for the city and use taxis for airport and terminal transfers.
Weather & Best Time to Cruise
Peak cruise months are cool rather than warm, with fast-changing wind, drizzle, and bright long days in summer. Conditions are usually easiest from late spring into summer. Winter is far rougher for flight and road reliability, and even in peak season you should pack layers and rain protection.
Best season: May - September
Frequently Asked Questions
Keflavik International Airport (KEF) is the main airport for cruise passengers. It is about 50 km from Reykjavik, so plan roughly 45-55 minutes by car in normal conditions.
Yes, and this is one port where that advice matters. The airport is not right by the port, flight disruptions are possible, and Iceland weather can turn quickly.
Downtown Reykjavik (Miðborg) is the easiest all-round choice for restaurants, walkability, and sightseeing. The Old Harbour area is also a good pick if you want a quieter waterfront base with easy taxi access to the terminal.
Taxi is the simplest direct option, while airport shuttles are common for getting into central Reykjavik first. If you are staying overnight, it usually makes more sense to go to your hotel, then take a taxi to the terminal on embarkation day.
Reykjavik is used by mainstream and premium lines like Celebrity, Holland America, Princess, Cunard, Viking, Silversea, Regent, and Azamara, plus expedition operators such as Hurtigruten, Ponant, Lindblad, Aurora and Quark. Exact schedules vary by season.
Yes, but keep it compact unless you have a full extra day. Central Reykjavik, the old harbour, Hallgrimskirkja, Harpa, Perlan, and a geothermal spa are the easiest worthwhile options.
Downtown Reykjavik is walkable, but the main cruise berths are not always in the middle of the sights. With luggage, most passengers should use a taxi rather than try to walk between hotel and terminal.
Reykjavik is generally very safe for visitors, with weather and logistics being the bigger problems than crime. If you need parking or luggage storage, check current arrangements with your cruise line, terminal operator, or hotel because policies and availability can vary.
✉ Sailing to Reykjavik? Get your port-day plan
Tell us your sail date and we’ll email you a short Reykjavik plan about 60 days out — when the good excursions start selling out — plus a final checklist 2 weeks before. Two emails, then done. We’ll send one note to confirm it’s really you — unsubscribe anytime.
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