Get Ready

Our journey to the Land of Luminosity begins in:

The Vacayans are hard at work planning each and every detail of this amazing cruise. And of course, we’re super excited to share many of those details with you along the way. As we have new information to share, you’ll find it here.

We’ll also house an email archive on this page, too. This archive will feature all the trip-specific communications we have with you throughout your pre-cruise experience with us. That way, if you happen to lose a general email somewhere along the way, you’ll be able to find it right here.

And from party themes and entertainment previews, VACAYA’s mission is to give you everything you need with plenty of time to ensure a totally stress-free experience. Get ready for your vacaya!

We’re often asked, “What should we expect from a VACAYA Luxe experience?” Our Luxe vacations are a celebration of the wonders of our planet. They will reach the far corners of the globe – giving VACAYA guests an opportunity to expand their horizons in completely new ways.

The VACAYA Luxe rhythm is… Bold. Refined. Intimate. Exotic. Treasured. Calm. Cool. Grand. A chance to live life to the absolute fullest.

A GENERAL NOTE
AIRLINE DISCOUNTS
CURRENCY
EMAIL ARCHIVE
EXCURSIONS
HOTEL RECOMMENDATIONS
MEDICAL EQUIPMENT ONBOARD
PARTY THEMES
TRAVEL INSURANCE
WIFI ONBOARD

UPDATED 06.25.2020

Over a series of Zoom calls on June 20 and 21, 2020, booked guests elected to postpone our 2020 Iceland Cruise to September 1-8, 2021. Thank you to all who attended the calls. We are incredibly thankful we were able to come to an overwhelming consensus on the path forward during these unprecedented times.

This cruise has now OFFICIALLY been postponed contractually to September 1-8, 2021. 

As a VACAYA guest, special airfare discounts are available to you for flights to/from Reykjavík on Delta Air Lines, Delta Connection, and codeshare flights with Delta partners (must be Delta designated). The discounts are as follows:

For US and Canada flights to/from Reykjavík:

• Receive 10% off F, J, C, D, Y, P, and I class tickets
• Receive 5% off B, M, H, Q, K, and L class tickets
• Receive 2% off U, T, V, and X class tickets

International flights, not including Asia/Australia:

• Receive 10% off J, C, D, W, Y, B, and M class tickets
• Receive 5% off I, Z, H, Q, K, L, and U class tickets
• Receive 3% off T class tickets

International Transpacific flights from Asia/Australia:

• Receive 20% off J, C, W, and Y class tickets
• Receive 10% off D, I, B, M, H, Q, and K class tickets
• Receive 5% off Z, L, U, and T class tickets
• Receive 3% off X and V class tickets

International Transpacific flights from Tokyo’s Haneda Airport (HND):

• Receive 25% off J, C, W, and Y class tickets
• Receive 15% off D, I, B, M, H, Q, and K class tickets
• Receive 10% off Z, L, U, and T class tickets
• Receive 8% off X and V class tickets

To make an online reservation with Delta, click BOOK NOW just below:

You can also call Delta at 800.328.1111 (Monday-Friday, 7am-7:30pm Central Time). Be sure to use Meeting Code NMS3G when making your 2019 flight bookings via phone. For 2020 flights, use Meeting Code NMT4U. Please note there is no ticketing charge for working with a live Delta agent to book your flights.

Discounts will be available for flights to/from Reykjavík August 27-September 13, 2021.

The official currency of Iceland is the Krona and while Euros are sometimes accepted, you’re better off carrying Krona.

When purchasing Krona, the current exchange rate is:

1 USD = 123 ISK

1 ISK = 0.01 USD

For the latest exchange rates, we recommend https://www.xe.com.

You’ll find Krona-dispensing ATMs at the Airport and throughout the City Centers.

Ponant has created an exciting line-up of excursions for our voyage. It’s your chance to see the very best Iceland has to offer. Excursions can be purchased onboard. Each excursion has a minimum number of guests required to operate. Excursion offerings can change at any time, with or without notice.

SEPTEMBER 2 – ISAFJORDUR

ISAFJORDUR – Guided Walk on Vigur Island

ISAFJORDUR – Icelandic Encounters

ISAFJORDUR – Maritime Culture and Traditions

SEPTEMBER 4 – AKUREYRI

AKUREYRI – Incredible Lake Myvatn

AKUREYRI – Godafoss and Akureyri

AKUREYRI – Thermal Bath and Godafoss

SEPTEMBER 5 – SEYDISFJORDUR

SEYDISFJORDUR – Chasing Waterfalls

SEYDISFJORDUR – Scenic East

SEYDISFJORDUR – Skalanes Nature Reserve

SEPTEMBER 6 – HEIMAEY

HEIMAEY – Circumnavigation of Heimaey

HEIMAEY – Pompeii of the North

SEPTEMBER 7 – REYKJAVIK

REYKJAVIK – The Golden Circle

REYKJAVIK – Geothermal Landscape and Viking History

UPDATED 06.23.2020: With out 2020 Iceland Cruise postponed to 2021, we anticipate our Recommended Hotels will be bookable for the 2021 Cruise some time in October 2020 (it’s usually between 11-12 months before the trip dates). To make changes to existing hotel reservations booked through this portal, simply click through to make any necessary changes/cancellations. 

The Vacayans have worked with local hotel properties in Reykjavík to ensure you have the best available rates and/or the best available terms for each recommended property when you book through our website.

You’ll have total control of your reservation from our hotels page – able to book, view, or cancel your reservation at any time. Be sure to review each property’s terms and conditions (including cancellation policies) on our booking page; they vary from hotel to hotel. To fit your individual needs, select your specific dates on each page’s interactive calendar. No minimum stay required.

To enhance your pre- and post-cruise experiences, the following properties are recommended by VACAYA:

REYKJAVÍK, ICELAND

FULL SERVICE:

101 hotel – Hverfisgata 10, Reykjavik, 101

Hotel Odinsve – Þórsgata 1, Reykjavik, 101

BOOK YOUR REYKJAVÍK HOTEL HERE TODAY

Displayed rates are the best available rates at the time of booking.

If you’d prefer to book one of our recommended hotels through your travel agent instead, just let your agent know the hotel name and dates you’d like and they’ll be able to secure it for you directly with the property. Just remember that rates and policies will vary from those found using VACAYA’s online hotel booking tool.

UPDATED 06.19.2020

Ponant is renowned to have health care’s latest generation of equipment onboard their ships.

They also go beyond industry standards with the following additional provisions:

1. The onboard Medical Team consists of one Physician and one Nurse, but the team can be scaled up at any time, if required. The inhouse Medical Team is available 24/7.
2. Rapid diagnostic medical equipment in an isolated environment, with mobile laboratory terminals, allowing to test all common infectious diseases, potentially dangerous or contagious, tropical diseases, as well as cardiac distress syndromes.
3. “Shore-hospital-like” professional diagnostic equipment: ultrasound, radiology, and blood biological analysis.
4. Facilities for the management of respiratory distress
   • 3x 40ltr bottles of O2 to last 80 hours to 5 ltr/min or 200 to 2 ltr/min distributed in fixed general circuit
   • 5 portable 5-l bottles to last 6 hours to 2 ltr/mm
   • 1 O2 extractor
   • 2 respirators
   • Intubation kits
   • Intubation drugs
   • Resuscitation solute
5. Pharmacy, which has been leveled up with specific Covid-19 dotation
6. Specific training and drills performed regularly
7. EVASAN (evacuation) plan ready at all times in case of emergency
8. Infrastructure
   • 1 resuscitation bed
   • 1 intra-hospital isolation room

Additional COVID Considerations

Continuous Control of Temperatures: Two thermic cameras will check the body temperature of all passengers and crew when passing by. Both will be placed at maximum transit points of guests and crew.

Two PCR Test Biologic Devices available onboard, with enough reactant for testing all guests.

The PCR testing of guests and crew will be implemented only if necessary. The doctor will be in charge for conducting the sampling and use of machine for testing. The positive results of diagnosis will be shared with CCMM (Maritime Medical Coordination Center in Toulouse, France), who will decide the next steps for managing the patient and their evacuation.

Isolation Staterooms: 5 staterooms are being held as “isolation rooms” in case of quarantine needs.

UPDATED 06.23.2020: We’ll keep our 2020 party themes in place for our 2021 Cruise. 

It’s Night One and there’s no ZOOM around! We are face-to-face again (maybe wearing masks, who knows?), but we’re all together… finally! Do you even remember how to mix and mingle? If not, no worries. We’ve got you covered. Come ready to meet all of your fellow passengers with a little something that lets us know where you’re from!

Today, we’ve crossed the Arctic Circle where the sun barely sets. That can only mean one thing… it’s time for Iceland’s red-hot White Nights! So give us your best all-white or Aurora Borealis-green outfit, grab a drink, and let’s all hit the upper decks to enjoy the otherworldly glow. If all the conditions are right, the chances are about 50/50 we might see the Northern Lights, so we’ve got our fingers, toes, and every other appendage crossed!

Inspired by all of Iceland’s beautiful glaciers, snow-capped mountains, fjords, and icy waterfalls, ICE ICE BABY is a musical journey back to the 90s. Today, we’ll celebrate with some of your favorite 90s songs along with your favorite cocktails… over ice, of course.

With many of you hitting the Blue Lagoon over the next few days (and if you’re not, what?!?), today we celebrate the gorgeousness of everything we’ve seen. And we do it wrapped in blue and with endless hope for never-ending clear blue skies ahead.

If you purchased Travel Insurance through VACAYA for our 2020 Iceland Cruise and would like to update your policy to our new 2021 dates, you can submit a policy modification request via TravelGuard’s online modification form. Modification requests must be submitted prior to the original travel dates (in this case before August 30, 2020). Through this form, you can also change or add any pre- or post-cruise travel days or add additional trip costs (flights, hotel, etc.). Adding coverage for other items beyond your cruise (if that’s all that was covered in your original policy) may incur additional premium costs.

If you have questions, we encourage you to visit TravelGuard’s Resource Center, where you’ll find answers to many frequently asked questions. You can also speak with a licensed TravelGuard insurance agent by calling 800.826.5248.

While complimentary WiFi was not included with our 2020 charter contract, we were able to renegotiate that point for 2021. For our 2021 sailing, complimentary WiFi will be INCLUDED for all guests ship-wide.

Emails from VACAYA about our 2020 Summer in Iceland Cruise will be posted here.

May 1, 2020 – 120 Days Before Sailing

June 14, 2020 – IMPORTANT Information About Your Iceland Cruise

June 18, 2020 – Ponant Releases Safety Protocols

June 22, 2020 – Guests elect to postpone the 2020 Iceland Cruise to September 1-8, 2021

June 30, 2020 – Official Notification of our Postponement to 2021