The Icelandic Loop

8 days / 7 nights

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The Icelandic Loop

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The Icelandic Loop

Cruise The Arctic

from 8 August 2019 to 15 August 2019
8 days / 7 nights

Departure Port : Reykjavík
Arrival Port : Reykjavík

Ship : LE CHAMPLAIN

Ref : C080819

Other departure dates

from 29 July 2019 to 5 August 2019

from 15 August 2019 to 22 August 2019

from 22 August 2019 to 29 August 2019

PONANT takes you on a voyage of discovery in Iceland and the Arctic Circle for a truly exotic cruise on the trail of the Vikings.

For 8 days, Le Champlain will take you to extreme lands and breathtaking scenery. Glaciers, lava fields, geysers and steam baths – this is undoubtedly the place of all the superlatives.

You will embark in Reykjavik, the most northerly capital in the world. Houses with colourful roofs line its streets and this, coupled with the many ducks in its lake, produces a picture postcard setting. It boasts real cultural riches, particularly in contemporary art, notably with the Reykjavik Art Museum.

During the cruise, Le Champlain will cross the Arctic Circle, and sail towards the ice floe. You will then reach the small and remote island of Grímsey. This is the kingdom of birds such as guillemots and puffins. Its volcanic rock forms splendid basaltic columns in certain areas.

You will also call at Seydisfjördur, one of the most picturesque ports in the country and the gateway to a 1250-hectare nature reserve that is home to a multitude of birds.

To conclude you will discover Heimaey. The only inhabited island in the Westmann Islands, fishing is the main source of income in this exceptional site. You can admire its volcanoes and its almost-desert like landscapes.

Fare From * 5,070 €

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* Subject to availability.

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Highlights

• Discovery of Reykjavik, capital of Iceland.
• Optional Golden Circle excursion: the 3 most emblematic sites in Iceland.
• Crossing the Arctic circle.
• Landscapes: vast glaciers, breathtaking fjords, volcanic rock, basalt pillars, jagged cliffs and geysers.
• Wildlife: Atlantic puffins, Northern gannets, Arctic terns, Minke whales, humpback whales, Icelandic horses.
• A passionate lecturer on board.

Staterooms & Suites
LE CHAMPLAIN
Port of call & excursions
Formalities
Pre/Post & Overlands

Staterooms & Suites

Deluxe Stateroom
€9,080
€5,070
Not Available

Prestige stateroom Deck 4
€10,210
€5,680
Not Available

Prestige stateroom Deck 5
€10,720
€5,960
Not Available

Prestige Deck 6
€11,280
€6,260
Not Available

Deluxe Suite Deck 3
€15,900
€8,760
Not Available

Deluxe Suite Deck 5
€15,900
€8,760
Not Available

Deluxe Suite Deck 4
€15,900
€8,760
Not Available

Deluxe Suite Deck 6
€15,900
€8,760
Not Available

Prestige Suite Deck 5
€21,750
€11,920
Not Available

Prestige Suite Deck 6
€22,860
€12,520
Not Available

Privilege Suite Deck 6
€24,030
€13,150
Not Available

Privilege Suite Deck 5
€24,030
€13,150
Not Available

Grand Deluxe Suite Deck 5
€25,140
€13,750
Available

Grand Deluxe Suite Deck 6
€26,450
€14,460
Not Available

Owner's Suite
€30,010
€15,180
Available

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Choose your fare basis* :

Single Double

LE CHAMPLAIN

Featuring innovative and environmentally-friendly equipment, elegantly designed staterooms, spacious suites with large windows, and lounge areas that open onto the outside, this new limited-capacity yacht boasting just 92 staterooms and suites will offer you a truly unique cruising experience.

As the second ship in a new series that remains true to the Ponant spirit, Le Champlain will embody the unique atmosphere that is the cruise line’s hallmark: a subtle blend of refinement, intimacy and comfort.

Aboard this ship that flies the French flag, you will experience the incomparable pleasure of an intimate cruise, with the possibility of exploring an ever-increasing range of destinations in an ethnic-chic ambiance with luxury service.

Experience a luxurious setting where the accent is on authenticity and passion for travel.

Virtual tour

Port of call & excursions

Reykjavík

Embarkation 08/08/2019 from 16H00 to 17H00 . Departure 08/08/2019 at 18H00 .

Iceland’s capital stretches along the edge of a vast bay in the west of the country. Perlan, the “Pearl of Reykjavík”, a museum located on ’Oskjuhlið hill, offers a panoramic view of the lush, green landscapes. A little further, one can easily spot the signpost showing the way to the evangelical Hallgrímskirkja church, and to the historical centre where one can stroll along the Skólavördustígur and the Laugavegur, two lively streets with charming small shops. For some relaxation just outside of the city, visitors have the opportunity to visit the Reykjanes peninsula and its famous thermal lagoons of the Blue Lagoon.

9 August 2019 – Isafjördur

Arrival 09/08/2019 midday. Departure 09/08/2019 early evening.

Your ship will take you to the heart of the fjords of North-West Iceland, a wild land of lost valleys and steep cliffs, where man struggles to survive. In this very isolated region we find the Isafjörður fjord, undoubtedly one of the most beautiful in the country, mainly for its relief, forged by many very ancient basaltic flows. The town of Isafjörður, which nestles at the back of its fjord, between imposing mountains, is a delightful little town that lives exclusively from fishing. The capital of the Western fjords, its old wooden houses bear witness to its past as a major fishing port.

See available excursions

9 August 2019 – Crossing the Arctic Circle

Arrival 09/08/2019. Departure 09/08/2019.

On board your ship, cross the mythical line of the Arctic Circle. This famous parallel runs at around 66° 33’ latitude north. Often considered the gateway to the Arctic, it is simply the latitude from which it is possible to observe the midnight sun at least once in the year. Once over the Circle, during the summer months, you will therefore be able to sail in permanent daylight and the low light that is so particular to the polar regions. A unique moment, which will doubtless remain one of the highlights of your cruise.

10 August 2019 – Sailing around the island of Grímsey

Arrival 10/08/2019. Departure 10/08/2019.

Grímsey is a small island located 40 km North of mainland Iceland. It was formed by volcanic rock that has generated majestic basalt pillars. The island has been inhabited since the Vikings came to Iceland and legend has it that it is named after the colonial sailor Grìmur, who sailed from the region of Sogn in Norway. This site is home to fabulous wildlife, with many bird colonies having chosen to nest along the jagged cliffs, such as the ‘‘clowns of the sea’’ known as the Atlantic Puffins. While many travellers come here in order to cross the invisible line into the Arctic Circle, the island is also famed as a place to observe the midnight sun.

10 August 2019 – Grímsey

Arrival 10/08/2019 midday. Departure 10/08/2019 early evening.

Grimsey is the northernmost island of Iceland surging from the Arctic ocean, with the Arctic circle running through the island. Its contrasted contours are surprising. From Grímseyjarhreppur, the island’s only town located on the west coast, then heading due south, you can take in the beauty of the hillsides, lushly carpeted with moss and grass. On the rest of the coastline, imposing basalt cliffs inhabited by sea birds stand proud.

11 August 2019 – Akureyri

Arrival 11/08/2019 early morning. Departure 11/08/2019 late afternoon.

The elegant city of Akureyri is located very close to the Arctic circle, tucked away in the Eyjafjörður fjord. It displays a stunning palette of colours: blue waters in the harbour, bronze mountain ash on the squares and brightly-coloured houses in the historical centre. As you walk along the cobbled streets, you’ll come across rows of terraces with wooden furniture. A vast stairway cut into the hillside leads up to the emblematic feature of the town, namely the Akureyrarkirkja church. The very beautiful botanical garden made possible by a microclimate offers the opportunity to discover the Icelandic flora as well as plants from all over the world.

See available excursions

12 August 2019 – Seydisfjördur

Arrival 12/08/2019 midday. Departure 12/08/2019 late afternoon.

At the end of your journey through the heart of a very beautiful 17-km-long fjord, discover Seyðisfjörður, on the north-east coast of Iceland. Its typically Scandinavian, colourful houses and small blue church stand in the middle of an enchanting setting, between rivers and waterfalls. The village, surrounded on all sides by mountains with snow-topped peaks, has around 700 inhabitants. This small fishing port with a very picturesque charm is not far from Skálanes, a nature reserve of more than 1,000 hectares that is home to about fifty bird species. This port of call combines nature and culture, with wonderment guaranteed.

See available excursions

13 August 2019 – Heimaey, Vestmannaeyjar

Arrival 13/08/2019 mid afternoon. Departure 13/08/2019 evening.

This land seated off the southern coast of Iceland is the largest of the Vestmann islands, and is the only inhabited island in the archipelago. The steep Edfell volcanoes and the green prairies of Herjólfsdalur offer rich contrast of nature. On the Stórhöfði road, look out over grey sand beaches and cliffs carved out by the Arctic ocean. From here, you can also see the bronze landscapes of the mountaintops. You could visit Eldheimar, an ultra-modern and interactive museum which traces the volcanic eruption has experienced Heimaey in 1973.

See available excursions

14 August 2019 – Reykjavík

Arrival 14/08/2019 early morning. Departure 14/08/2019.

See available excursions

Reykjavík

Disembarkation 15/08/2019 at 00H00 .

Formalities

The information below is current but subject to change at any time without advance notice from government authorities. Please consult your respective government agencies for visa and health information.
Passport valid for at least six (6) months beyond the completion of your trip. Passport must contain at least two completely clear, blank, unused visa pages for each visa required, not including any amendment pages. Visa pages with stains or ink from other pages in the passport are not usable. Guests who deviate from the scheduled embarkation or disembarkation port should research the foreign entry requirements for the port country. Due to government regulations, regrettably, PONANT will have to deny boarding to any guest who fails to obtain the appropriate travel documentation for this trip.
Warning about the use of drones: the use of drones aboard PONANT ships, whether they are sailing at sea, at a port of call or anchored, is strictly forbidden. The use of drones on land in the Arctic and Antarctic regions is also strictly forbidden by international polar regulations. In other regions, it may be possible to use drones on land if permission has been obtained from the relevant authorities of each country and each region travelled through, as well as a pilot’s licence that should be obtained from your home country. Passengers are responsible for obtaining these permits; they should be able to present them at all times. Passengers who do not obtain these authorisations expose themselves to the risk of legal proceedings.

Pre/Post & Overlands

After your cruise
15/08/2019 – Icelandic Landscapes

290.00 € ^**
More information

Travel with peace of mind as PONANT organises your transfer day time between your port of disembarkation and the airport.
Reykjavik
After disembarkation procedures have been completed, you will board your coach heading for South Iceland. You will reach the area of the volcano Eyjafjallajökull located among spectacular scenery of glaciers, mountains and black sandy beaches.
You will start your visit with the Lava Centre. It is an interactive, high-tech educational exhibition depicting volcanic activity earthquakes and the creation of Iceland over a million of years. You will get the chance to examine the various volcanos, eruptions and lava flows, volcanic and rift systems, faults and glacial floods in the exhibition and cinema.
You will then go to the Seljalandsfoss Waterfall. This waterfall is very picturesque; it runs down the cliff in an unusually green setting. It is 200 feet high with a foot path behind it. This will be a remarkable opportunity to see this beautiful waterfall from a different and rare perspective as you walk behind the crashing, falling waters of Seljalandsfoss.
Lunch will be served in a local restaurant. You will taste Icelandic dishes during your lunch.
You will then visit the Skógar Folk Museum which preserves the cultural heritage of Southern Iceland through its collection. You will see how Icelanders lived and worked in the past. Inside there are numerous items on display, split into different sections such as Fisheries and Agriculture for example. Outside, you will find the reconstruction of a traditional Icelandic homestead with a peat farm, an old church and a wooden house. Before leaving the village, you will stop at Skógafoss Waterfall situated on the River Skógá. This waterfall is 203.42 feet high and 82.02 feet wide, it is one of the most famous waterfalls in Iceland. According to the legend, the first Viking settler in the area, Prasi Pórólfsson, buried a treasure behind the waterfall. The chest was found several years later by a child who only had time to take some of the treasure, which is now in the museum in Skógar. Your coach will head back to Reykjavik. You will enjoy time at leisure in town, (dinner is on your own) before being transferred to Keflavík International Airport.
Your programme includes:
Lunch and beverages package (1 soft drink or light beer + 1 tea or coffee).
Transfers and visits as mentioned in the programme.
Services of a local English-speaking guide.
Your programme does not include:
Tips for the driver and local guide.
Personal expenses.
Other services not mentioned in the programme.
Duration of the visits is given as a guide only. The order of the visits may be reversed. To know your PONANT flight schedule, please contact your travel advisor; it is also indicated on your electronic ticket included in your travel documents.
Less details
Before your cruise
08/08/2019 – Transfer to the pier of Reykjavik

40.00 € ^**
More information

Travel with peace of mind as PONANT organises your transfer between the airport and your port of embarkation.
Reykjavik
Meet at Reykjavik airport in the arrival hall. Look for PONANT sign. You will be greeted by our local representative off the flight selected by PONANT.
You will depart the airport by coach and be directly transferred to the pier to embark on your ship.
Your programme includes :
Transfers as mentioned in the programme.
English speaking assistance.
Your programme does not include :
Tips for the driver and local guide.
Personal expenses
Other services not mentioned in the programme.
To know your PONANT flight schedule, please contact your travel agent ; it is also indicated on your electronic ticket included in your travel documents.
Less details
During your cruise
14/08/2019 – Glacier Adventure

310.00 € ^**
More information

This overland must be prebooked and prepaid at least 60 days prior to your cruise. Any reservation made after this deadline will be confirmed on board based on availability. A minimum of participants must be booked to operate this tour. 100% of total cost for cancellations made less than 60 days before departure.

This super four-wheel drive tour starts with a visit to Iceland’s first National Park Thingvellir, where the oldest still existing parliament in the world was founded and assembled through centuries in a grandiose landscape. Thingvellir is also very important from a geological point of view.
The route ascends to an elevation of 700 metres (2,300 feet) above sea level over Kaldidalur, a valley-like, rocky and barren defile between the snow-capped Ok (1,198 m – 3,930 ft) and Langjokull Glacier (1,355 m - 4,445 ft). This spectacular glacier is a continuous, solid shield of ice, in places up to 900 metres (2,950 ft) in thickness and about 1,000 square kilometres (386 sq. miles) in area, the country’s second biggest field of ice.
Continuing on, in heated snow four-wheel drive vehicle with covered bodyworks, into the icy world of the glacier. On board our vehicle, we will drive on the glacier as it is suited for travelling around the wonder-world of ice. After returning from this marvellous adventure we have our light lunch break (buffet).
The route continues into the Borgarfjordur district, visiting the extraordinarily beautiful waterfalls Hraunfossar and Barnafoss, where water emerges in many small falls from beneath a lava field. Drive past Reykholt where the 13thcentury historian and Prose Edda writer, Snorri Sturluson, lived. Next, we stop at Deildartunguhver, Europe’s mightiest hot spring with high-spouting spurts of boiling water. Continuing over mountain ridges and through pretty lake dotted valleys towards one of the longest fjords of the country, the scenic Hvalfjordur fjord and driving along the shores back to Reykjavik.

We recommend you wear warm clothes and good walking shoes. This excursion is not recommended for persons suffering from back problems. A minimum of 10 participants is required to operate this tour. Please be aware that this excursion is obviously completely subject to weather conditions.
Less details
14/08/2019 – Inside the Volcano

390.00 € ^**
More information

This overland must be pre-booked and prepaid at least 60 days prior to your cruise. Any reservation made after this deadline will be confirmed on board based on availability. A minimum of participants must be booked in order to operate this tour. 100% of total cost will be billed for cancellations made less than 60 days before departure.
Thrihnukagigur volcano is dormant – it last erupted over 4,000 years ago. There are no indications of it erupting again in the near future. The volcano name, mostly unpronounceable for anyone other than locals, would be directly translated as “Three Peaks Crater”. The beauty of the crater mostly consists in the various colouration found inside it and its enormous – and to some extent intimidating – size. To put it in context, the ground space is equivalent to almost three full-sized basketball courts planted next to each other and the height is such that it would easily fit full sized Statue of Liberty into the chamber.
Thrihnukagigur volcano lies in the Blafjoll mountains, just a 30-minute drive from Reykjavik. Once you reach the Blafjoll Mountains’ cabin, you will leave your transportation behind and begin an easy and very scenic hike through the lava fields to reach the opening of the crater (approx. 40 minutes). At the base camp, you will be divided into smaller groups of 4–5 people. This is the maximum number allowed on the open elevator that will lift you inside the magma chamber of the dormant volcano. The descent is approx. 120 metres (400 ft) long and takes approx 7–8 minutes each way. Once at the base, you will spend approximately 30 minutes on the ground in the magma chamber.
You can wait for your turn while enjoying a tasty bowl of traditional Icelandic meat soup, as well as hot coffee, tea or chocolate, offered free of charge at the nearby base camp close to the crater opening.
After this incredible experience, you will hike back to your transportation and return to the pier and your ship.
All safety gear and equipment necessary for the descent are included. All equipment and processes have been tested extensively and approved by the administration of Occupational Safety and Health in Iceland. Before accessing the open elevator, you must wear a helmet and the required harness, which will be provided on the spot. Several guides, all highly trained and experienced mountain guides and cave explorers, will be with you at all times. We recommend you wear good hiking shoes and warm outdoor clothing. Temperature inside the crater is about 5 to 6 °C. Children must be at least 12 years old to participate and be accompanied by a parent. This overland is limited to 18 participants. it will be conducted in English only and isn’t exclusive to PONANT passengers.

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Your packages

08/08/2019 – Flights From/To Paris (Economic Class) + Transfer to the pier of Reykjavik (Pre) + Icelandic Landscapes (Post)

1210.00 € ^**