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DATES & PRICES
| Ship Outside | Ship Balcony |
|---|---|
Accommodation DetailsA cabin with a window or porthole to view the outside. |
Accommodation DetailsA cabin featuring a verandah, or balcony, that allows you to step outside without going to a public deck. |
DATES & PRICES
| Ship Outside | Ship Balcony |
|---|---|
Accommodation DetailsA cabin with a window or porthole to view the outside. |
Accommodation DetailsA cabin featuring a verandah, or balcony, that allows you to step outside without going to a public deck. |
An amazing trip! We highly recommend!
Ship and hotel was great. Excursions were great til we caught Covid due to lack of honesty and testing from other travelers outside of Road Scholar. Isolation in cabin was deplorable.
Red group Leader was Ingiveig. Blue (our group leader) Birgitta Program No. 21877Program Date: Jul 17 - Jul 29, 2022 James Weldy I have 3 issues with this trip. First, Having 2 groups meant meals and some events were not group specific. I felt that took away from the group intimacy that we have experienced in the past. Second it was near impossible to ask Birgitta a question about what he had said and get a clear response. Added to this He was not careful to be sure he spoke to the entire group, beginning at the airport where his instructions were said facing away from much of the group and then not repeated. Third When My wife tested positive for covid we were told to stay in our cabin for the next 3 days. The ventilation in the room did not provide enough air to maintain an acceptable room temperature. No attempt was made to allow us out of the room for fresh air. The museum’s and natural wonders were nice to see and usually the local guides were clear and informative.
Iceland is a magnificent country, and this itinerary allows you to see a lot of the country. Although most attractions are nature-focused, there were some cultural highlights as well. Both leaders Inga and Birgir, and the local guides were all excellent in the information they provided. Except for one night with somewhat heavy waves, being on the ship was convenient and pleasant.
False information given about tour size; beginning of tour plagued by disorganization on RS part; RS has strained relationships with Icelandic organizations
This a wonderful trip. This was our second trip to Iceland. We were able to see the parts of the Island we missed on our first trip.
I would rate this only AVERAGE or a little less. The boat was fine and the leaders were very supportive and attentive to participants' needs. I am disappointed in Road Scholar itself. I like science and this trip had MINIMAL science. I can suggest 3 topics that had very little coverage from the science aspect: the blue lagoon, glacial ice and other topics, the ecology of that denuded land (NO wildlife but birds and what the government is doing about this) which I am sure is NOT the natural ecology. Each of these deserves at least an hour's lecture (or more) BY A SCIENTIST. Also, the boat had an excursion to ride Icelandic horses. This occurred at the time RS drove most of a day to ride a boat for half an hour around a glacial lagoon. Twice I have kayaked among glacial ice and it was great and I learned MORE about the ice than on this trip. I would happily have paid extra for the horseback ride, but I heard of it TOO LATE. So my suggestions: (1) Pass out, just after boarding the boat, a LIST of OTHER EXCURSIONS we could substitute for RS's - what we could do/see, what RS excursion we would have to give up, what extra cost to us. This would alert us to what we might want to substitute. (2) A separate section in you trip descriptions for "LEARNING OBJECTIVES" - a simple list such as (a) intro to Icelandic language and (b) history and current Icelandic culture. This trip should be notable for it's LACK of any scientific objectives. This would have helped me rule the trip out and decide to go to Iceland some other way.
We had a wonderful time on this trip. Getting to see the entire island without having to pack and unpack multiple times was a huge benefit. The weather was cool and rainy, but we were prepared for it so it didn't impact our enjoyment. It also made the sunny days that much more enjoyable. Luckily the seas were favorable, so we were able to take all of the planned Zodiac outings, including to the "puffin" island.
This trip needs a lot of work to bring it up to RoadScholar standards.
This program was largely based aboard the Ocean Diamond and was the first voyage after being in port since the onset of the pandemic. The ship had undergone major renovations right up until a few days before we sailed. It was well appointed, but we experienced frequent major disruptions to several on-board systems, including heating/cooling, water, food preparation and dining room service. Crew had been let go for the pandemic and new crew members were still familiarizing themselves with on-board operations. Covid spread among the passengers in spite of stepped up cleaning and sanitizing routines and disrupted boarding flights back to the US at the end of the program, although these regulations have since been rescinded. The program itself was well organized with full days and our local guides, Harpa and Groa, were excellent. They provided very useful information at orientation, including that credit cards are widely accepted all over the country and there is little or no need to change currency. We were fortunate with weather, but clothing for rain, wind and chilly weather is usually a must for comfort. The Icelandic people are warm, friendly, and casual and English is widely spoken. The itinerary was for the most part set by the ship in terms of stops and excursions, with a few exceptions for our RS group. Expedition guides based aboard ship were excellent and provided informative lectures and guiding in the field. Circumnavigating the island offered the opportunity to see many of the country's notable attractions and beautiful scenery. Lectures about Iceland's geology, history and culture were good, but I wish we had had more detailed information about the production of geothermal energy.
If you have visited Reykjavik and driven the Golden Circle you have not seen enough of Iceland! Iceland is so much more and the "Fire and Ice: A Circumnavigation of Mystical Iceland" lets you experience all the regions of Iceland. If Iceland is on your bucket list this trip is great!
This was a great trip for scenery and birding. We were unlucky in that the weather did not cooperate -- too much rain and cold, down to 2 deg C one morning. So be prepared for any weather.
Highly recommend this program! Iceland is a fascinating country and this program provides an opportunity to explore a lot of it.
Fire and Ice was all I hoped it would be and more. Our guide, Inga, was excellent and took the trip to the next level. Iceland was stunning, interesting, and truly a memorable experience.