Port: Akureryi, Iceland (Day Nine of HAL Nieuw Statendam Nordics Cruise)
This is an overview of my ninth day of the Holland America Nordics cruise. If you are wanting to see more details on how I spent my day in Akureyri, read this post about my days in this charming Northern Iceland town.
THE DAILY
DAY IN PORT
One of the ways that Holland America really sets itself apart from other cruise lines is with the port talks and Q&A sessions that the cruise and travel director gives re the port stops.
Bonus was that some of these were streamed to the staterooms so I could watch from the comfort of my own bed (and explains the weird shadow here!)
While I have been to Akureyri before, it was still unbelievably helpful to have been given this map with so much info. I am able to use my T-Mobile plan internationally otherwise I would have really relied on this resource.
Akureyri Botanical Gardens (Lystigarður Akureyrar) – Breakfast @ LYST + Explore
So many things I love wrapped up in the experience at LYST cafe. Scandi architecture + lovely location and vibe within the botanic gardens + tasty food and delicious coffee. Much needed as a reset after a terrible morning…
If you like plants or botanic gardens at all, this is such a special place and I highly encourage you to go. It’s mind boggling that this is only 50 km south of the Arctic Circle…and the variety and beauty of the flora is something to behold. Plus it’s rare to have something like this be free especially in a pricey place like Iceland!
Beautiful tip: for less crowds, start as early as possible. When I first go to the gardens around 9:50, there were only a handful of people that I encountered on the way here and only one group within the gardens. But by 10:30, tour groups on buses had started arriving plus those arriving by foot. When I left around noon, it was a completely different experience since it was no longer quiet and peaceful with the number of people in the space.
Akureyri Town
Akureyri is such a cute and charming place – falling in #loveakureyri
My favorite part of travel is meeting and connecting with people and after the very frustrating and horrible interaction from this morning, it is nice to be able to make a friend and turn the day around. Life is so unexpected and beautiful sometimes…but unfortunately my time in this Northern Icelandic town is coming to an end and I have to get back on the ship.
BACK ON THE SHIP
Whale watching from the cruise ship
I am catching a small bite to eat in the Lido deck area so I can watch some Euro24 as well and this happens! Reminding me that many times in life, you need to be open to the universe to be at the right place and the right time…
Eyjafjörður is Iceland’s longest fjord is known for attracting humpback and other large whales for summer feeding which makes Akureyri one of the best places in Iceland to take spot whales so it does very rarely happen on cruise ships.
Hidden Gem – Sauna
My favorite spot on the ship happens to be a hidden gem – there’s a free sauna aboard the Nieuw Statendam! Being able to sauna whilst on a Nordic cruise just hits different but then you have windows allowing for some incredible views. This is the last piece of what I needed to help restore my soul. Not quite ready to socialize – I head back to my cabin and curl up with a book. Quite unexpected how much I am enjoying this Holland America cruise – but maybe it shouldn’t have been such a surprise, in some ways, this is all exactly up my alley.
