Crystal Endeavor is extending her inaugural season in Iceland with two new September sailings. The voyages replace previously scheduled itineraries that included calls in Norway, which has now imposed new travel restrictions.
Crystal Expedition Cruises is adding two new September voyages exploring the Land of Fire and Ice for Crystal Endeavor. The first voyage is a 10-night Luxury Iceland Expedition scheduled to embark September 5 round-trip from Reykjavík. The company also added a new 13-night voyage Iceland to the Thames River: Isles of the North Atlantic. This voyage will begin on September 15 with an overnight in Reykjavík before departing to explore Iceland, the Arctic Circle, Faroe Islands, Orkney Islands and Shetland Islands, with a call in remote Fair Isle, concluding with overnight calls in Edinburgh (Leith), where Crystal Endeavor will dock for the night just steps from the Royal Yacht Britannica followed by a cruise up the River Thames to dock in the heart of London.
“Iceland has proven to be an exceptional destination for the launch of Crystal Endeavor’s expedition experiences with abundant opportunities for sea kayaking, Zodiac cruising, waterfall and volcano viewing and nature hikes including across the Arctic Circle,” said Jack Anderson, president of Crystal. “The feedback we are receiving from guests is that they’ve been thrilled with Iceland as a destination and the unique up-close adventures we are able to launch directly from the ship as well as the extraordinary wildlife encounters. Additionally, Reykjavík offers travelers convenient air options, just six hours from New York City and three hours from London, with frequent non-stop flights from many major cities in the U.S. and Europe.”
The new, and sixth in the series, 10-night Luxury Iceland Expedition voyage replaces the previously scheduled 10-night Journey of Vikings: Iceland & Norway voyage, to now feature bold adventures circumnavigating Iceland and the chance to witness the famed Dynjandi and Goðafoss Waterfalls. Beginning with an overnight in Reykjavík, calls include Flatey Island, Latrabjarg Cliffs, Ísafjörður, Vigur Island, Siglufjörður, Akureyri, Grimsey Island (Arctic Circle), Seyðisfjörður, Djúpivogur, Vestmannaeyjar (Heimaey Island), and cruise Surtsey Island.
Guests on this Luxury Iceland Expedition itinerary will have the chance to experience remote Flatey Island with its colorful village and wandering sheep, the rugged and dramatic beauty of the Westfjords, and even a walk along the Arctic Circle during a call on Grimsey Island. Seyðisfjörður’s spectacular fjords offer protected waters for kayaking, while Heimaey’s wonderland of caves and rock formations makes for exciting Zodiac excursions. Guests can join a 4×4 adventure through the Valley of the Waterfalls in Djúpivogur and will cruise alongside the UNESCO-listed Surtsey Island, to view the world’s youngest island, born by underwater eruption in 1963.
The new 13-night voyage Iceland to the Thames River: Isles of the North Atlantic replaces the originally scheduled Norwegian Fjords & Scottish Isles with a revised itinerary exchanging calls in Norway with an overnight in Reykjavík and calls in Ísafjörður, Grimsey Island, and Seyðisfjörður, Iceland; as well as an exploration of the Faroe Islands; and a new call in Fair Isle, Shetland Islands. Originally scheduled calls in Lerwick, Shetland Islands and Kirkwall, Orkney Islands as well as overnights in Edinburgh (Leith) and London remain.
The 13-night voyage offers guests the chance for Icelandic adventures, from Reykjavík’s famed Blue Lagoon to helicopter flightseeing above an active volcano, whale-watching, waterfall hikes, sea kayaking, and nature walks along the Arctic Circle. Collectors of rare experiences will appreciate the chance to visit Fair Isle, Shetland Islands, the most remote of the UK’s permanently inhabited islands. Fair Isle is known for its namesake sweaters and as one of the best places to see rare birds who use the island as a stop on their spring and autumn migrations. Kirkwall boasts the 12th century St. Magnus Cathedral and its churchyard of ancient tombstones, and the archipelagos of the Faroe, Shetland and Orkney Islands all present the promise of exciting expedition adventures.