Home / Ports / Reykjavik · Updated November 2, 2026

Reykjavik cruise port: are excursions cheaper than the ship?

Quick answer

Yes, in most cases: ship excursions in Reykjavik cost more than independent tours of the same type. Ship markup: NCL +114% (typical saving $338 per person), prices checked November 2026.

  • Pier: ships dock at Skarfabakki cruise pier.
  • Nearest sight: Hallgrímskirkja, about 2.9 km (~10 min by road).
  • Be back by: 60 minutes before departure at the pier; all-aboard is usually 30 minutes before departure.
  • Cheapest independent option: city / island tour, median $51 per person.
  • Watch out: Golden Circle tours take 6 to 8 hours and weather can slow the roads.

Reykjavik, Iceland (Europe). Skarfabakki is about 4 km from the city centre. Most big Icelandic sights are long day trips, so check the tour length against your port time.

Pier
Ships dock
Skarfabakki cruise pier
Lines calling
Royal Caribbean, NCL, MSC
ship prices recorded for NCL
Nearest sight
Hallgrímskirkja
~10 min by road

All cruise lines side by side

Tour typeRoyal CaribbeanNCLMSCIndependentSafety
Flightseeing–$956–$6084/5
Catamaran / sail & snorkel–––$1105/5
ATV / buggy / jeep–$680–$2425/5
Ruins / history–$260–$505/5
Food & tasting–––$1465/5
Beach break / beach club–$365–$2023/5
Nature / waterfall / park–$542–$1383/5
City / island tour–––$515/5

Median adult price per tour type. A dash means that line's prices for Reykjavik were not shown publicly when we checked, or there was no close independent match.

Royal Caribbean in Reykjavik NCL in Reykjavik MSC in Reykjavik

Sailing with Royal Caribbean or MSC?

Royal Caribbean and MSC only show excursion prices inside your booked cruise planner, so we cannot list them. Compare your planner's price with the independent column above, and use NCL's Reykjavik prices as a reference for what ships typically charge here. The calculator lets you type in your planner's price.

Independent Reykjavik tours we compared

These are the GetYourGuide tours behind each independent price, in GetYourGuide's own relevance order. Prices are per person "from" prices in USD.

Flightseeing: 5 tours from $501
Catamaran / sail & snorkel: 3 tours from $104
ATV / buggy / jeep: 5 tours from $166
Ruins / history: 1 tour from $50
Food & tasting: 5 tours from $134
Beach break / beach club: 5 tours from $119
Nature / waterfall / park: 5 tours from $95
City / island tour: 5 tours from $49

Distance from the pier

From the pier toStraight lineApprox. travel time
Hallgrímskirkja2.9 km~10 min by road
Blue Lagoon41.5 km~95 min by road
Þingvellir National Park37.9 km~85 min by road

Distances are measured from Skarfabakki cruise pier. Travel times are estimates for normal traffic, not including ferries or tender queues.

All-aboard and buffer rules

Ships here dock alongside. All-aboard is normally 30 minutes before departure on Royal Caribbean, Carnival, NCL and MSC (check your daily planner). Plan to be back at the pier at least 60 minutes before the ship sails.

Tours that need extra margin here

Calculate your latest safe return time

Reykjavik questions

Are Reykjavik excursions cheaper than booking through the cruise ship?

Usually yes. Comparable independent tours cost about $338 less per person than NCL excursions on average (+114% ship markup across 4 tour types).

Is it safe to book an independent excursion in Reykjavik?

Generally yes: ships dock alongside, so be back at the pier at least 60 minutes before departure. Golden Circle tours take 6 to 8 hours and weather can slow the roads.

How far is the Reykjavik cruise port from Hallgrímskirkja?

About 2.9 km in a straight line, roughly 10 minutes by road from Skarfabakki cruise pier.

How far is the Reykjavik cruise port from Blue Lagoon?

About 41.5 km in a straight line, roughly 95 minutes by road from Skarfabakki cruise pier.

How far is the Reykjavik cruise port from Þingvellir National Park?

About 37.9 km in a straight line, roughly 85 minutes by road from Skarfabakki cruise pier.

What time should I be back on the ship in Reykjavik?

All-aboard is usually 30 minutes before the published departure time on Royal Caribbean, Carnival, NCL and MSC. Build in at least another 30 minutes on top for traffic.

Best Reykjavik excursions, ranked

Famous sights from Reykjavik

Golden Circle: ship vs independent Blue Lagoon: ship vs independent

Tour types in Reykjavik

Flightseeing Catamaran / sail & snorkel ATV / buggy / jeep Ruins / history Food & tasting Beach break / beach club Nature / waterfall / park City / island tour

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