The cruise-line pages in this article show Norway-plus-Iceland sailings of 10 to 15 days, counted as nights or days depending on the page. They start or end in Southampton, Bergen, Reykjavík or Copenhagen, and most are one-way ("open-jaw"). The Norway half is mostly fjord ports such as Bergen, Ålesund and Geiranger; one Viking route also goes to the Arctic north. The Iceland half is mostly Ísafjörður, Akureyri and Reykjavík. If you hold a Chinese passport, you need a Schengen visa for both countries, and some stops (Svalbard, the Faroe Islands) bring extra rules.
The 2026 season is over. Several pages show only 2027 or 2028 sailings, and the Celebrity and Viking pages show no sailing dates. Dates, ports and ships change by year and by departure, so confirm them with the cruise line before you plan around a route.
One voyage, two countries: the itineraries
Each row is "as shown on the page named". Celebrity, Viking and Princess say their ports or itinerary can change.
| Cruise line and route (name on the page) | Page and year shown | Start → end | Length (as the page counts it) | Norwegian ports | Icelandic ports |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Celebrity Cruises: Iceland & Norway Glaciers & Fjords (ship: Celebrity Beyond) | Celebrity itinerary page; no year or dates | Southampton, round trip | 14 nights | Haugesund, Nordfjordeid, Flåm, Bergen, Ålesund | Reykjavík, Ísafjörður, Akureyri |
| Viking: Iceland & Norway's Arctic Explorer | Viking page headed "2028 Itinerary – Bergen to Reykjavík"; no dates | Bergen → Reykjavík | 15 days | Bergen (2 days), Geiranger, Narvik, Lofoten (Leknes), Tromsø, Honningsvåg (North Cape); also Longyearbyen, Svalbard (2 days) | Ísafjörður, Reykjavík |
| Viking: Iceland & Norway's Arctic Explorer | Viking page headed "2027 Itinerary – Reykjavík to Bergen"; no dates | Reykjavík → Bergen | 15 days | Honningsvåg (North Cape), Tromsø, Lofoten (Leknes), Narvik, Geiranger, Bergen (2 days); also Longyearbyen, Svalbard (2 days) | Reykjavík, Ísafjörður |
| Viking: Iceland's Majestic Landscapes | Viking page headed "2027 Itinerary – Bergen to Reykjavík"; no dates | Bergen → Reykjavík | 13 days | Bergen (2 days), Flåm, Ålesund, Geiranger; also Tórshavn, Faroe Islands | Seyðisfjörður, Akureyri, Ísafjörður, Reykjavík (2 days) |
| Viking: Iceland's Majestic Landscapes | Viking page headed "2027 Itinerary – Reykjavík to Bergen"; no dates | Reykjavík → Bergen | 13 days | Geiranger, Ålesund, Flåm, Bergen (2 days); also Tórshavn, Faroe Islands | Reykjavík (2 days), Ísafjörður, Akureyri, Seyðisfjörður |
| Princess Cruises: Norwegian & Icelandic Fjords | Princess news release dated 6 January 2026; departure 10 July 2027 | Copenhagen → Reykjavík | 10 nights | Kristiansand, Stavanger, Nordfjordeid, Molde | Akureyri, Ísafjörður, Grundarfjörður |
| Norwegian Cruise Line: Norwegian Star "Extraordinary Journeys" | NCL newsroom release on 2026 spring and summer sailings (May to September 2026, now over) | Open-jaw; starts in Reykjavík or Southampton | 10 or 11 days | Leirvik (Stord), on select 10-day sailings; first call on the 21 May 2026 voyage | Reykjavík (overnight on the 11-day sailings) |
Notes on the table:
- Celebrity's port list also has sea days and a call at Kirkwall, Scotland, before the return to Southampton.
- Viking's Arctic Explorer and Majestic Landscapes are different products with different stops. Viking's two pages for each route list the same ports in reverse order.
- Princess's 2027 voyage also calls at Skagen, between Kristiansand and Stavanger. Princess's own Norway & Iceland page lists Haugesund, Skjolden and Ålesund as featured Norwegian ports, and Reykjavík, Akureyri, Ísafjörður, Grundarfjörður and Seyðisfjörður as featured Icelandic ports. It says port locations are subject to change.
- The NCL release names no Norwegian or Icelandic port besides those in the row, and the 2026 sailings it describes are over.
A sea-and-land package, not a ship itinerary. Hurtigruten's "Grand Nordic Adventure – Finland, Norway & Iceland" is a 19-day guided tour: Helsinki, rail to Kirkenes, the Coastal Express ship from Kirkenes to Bergen, a flight from Bergen to Reykjavík, then a six-day guided land tour of Iceland. The page shows a July 2027 sailing and four departures. You never sail from Norway to Iceland on this one.
What you see in Norway, and what you see in Iceland
The fjords you reach from these ports are different kinds of place, and each tourist board describes its own side only. Neither compares itself with the other, so this article does not rank them.
| Norway (Visit Norway) | Iceland (Visit Iceland unless noted) | |
|---|---|---|
| Fjords named | UNESCO has listed the fjords of Fjord Norway, exemplified by the Geirangerfjord and the Nærøyfjord | The Westfjords (steep mountains, deep fjords, in the northwest corner away from the Ring Road); Eyjafjörður at Akureyri; Seyðisfjörður, at the end of an 11-mile fjord in East Iceland |
| What the page highlights | Geiranger's waterfalls: the Seven Sisters, the Suitor and the Bridal Veil | Látrabjarg, described as Europe's largest bird cliff with over a million seabirds including puffins; hot pools in the Westfjords |
| Wildlife on the page | Seals, porpoises and fish in the fjords; eagles and other birds above | Whale-watching in Eyjafjörður (tours about two hours over summer; humpback and minke whales expected) |
| Port set-up | Gudvangen (Nærøyfjord) and Geiranger are among the most popular cruise ports in Scandinavia, says Visit Norway | Princess: at Ísafjörður ships pull into the harbour, but some excursions may involve tendering; at Akureyri the dock is a few minutes' walk from the centre; at Seyðisfjörður the pier is in the middle of town |
Some more detail from the pages:
- Norway. On Visit Norway's page, fjord expert Øyvind Heen says the most dramatic fjords are in fact side arms: Geirangerfjord, Aurlandsfjord, Nærøyfjord and Lysefjord. That is his opinion. Viking's pages also call Geirangerfjord "UNESCO-listed". Visit Norway's fjord facts page says the Sognefjorden is Norway's longest fjord, stretching 205 kilometres from Solund in the west to Skjolden; Skjolden is one of the Norwegian ports on Princess's Norway & Iceland page.
- Iceland. Visit Iceland says Ísafjörður is by far the largest town in the Westfjords and "Iceland's third busiest port of call for cruise ships", with about 70 per cent of harbour revenue from tourism. The page gives no year. It calls Akureyri "the capital of Iceland's north", and on the Eastfjords page it describes Seyðisfjörður as the town where Iceland's only international ferry arrives.
- Where the routes overlap. Viking's two Arctic Explorer routes and Celebrity's route all call at Ísafjörður; Celebrity also calls at Akureyri. Viking's Majestic Landscapes calls at Ísafjörður, Akureyri and Seyðisfjörður.
When to go
The cruise lines' pages decide which months a given sailing runs. The pages in this article show May to September 2026 (NCL) and July 2027 (Princess, Hurtigruten). The Celebrity and Viking pages give no months. Celebrity's separate Norway page says its Norwegian fjord cruises sail May to August and last 7 to 9 nights, which is a statement about those Norway-only cruises.
Visit Iceland says the cruise ship season runs generally from May to September, with trips from four nights to 10 days. Here is what each tourist board says by season.
| Period | Visit Norway (fjords) | Visit Iceland and Princess |
|---|---|---|
| March | Winter (November to March): snow and winter fjord cruises, but some activities and accommodation may be closed | Visit Iceland: the March and September equinoxes are good for northern lights. Princess: its "Search for the Northern Lights" itineraries are timed for March and October |
| April to May | Melting snow feeds the waterfalls; fewer tourists than in summer | Visit Iceland: April days run from 13 hours of daylight to 16; puffins arrive at the start of May and stay to mid-August |
| June to August | Peak season, often the best weather; tourist infrastructure must be booked in advance | Visit Iceland: true summer is June to August. June is arguably the most stable month, with the lowest average rainfall (7–14 °C); July is usually the warmest (8–15 °C); August is similar, with rain rising toward the end |
| September to October | Autumn colours, fewer tourists; fjord cruises still possible but there may be fewer departures | Visit Iceland: lots of campsites open only May to September, and some museums and restaurants may close in the shoulder seasons |
Daylight. Visit Iceland says daylight can stretch close to 24 hours in summer and the sky never fully darkens at the height of the season. It gives about 20–21 hours of daylight in Reykjavík and nearly 23.5 hours in Akureyri through June, 18–20 hours in July, and 18 falling to 14.5 hours across August. Princess says late June to early July is when the sun barely sets. The Visit Norway pages in this article give no daylight hours, so do not carry Iceland's figures over to Bergen or Geiranger.
Spring and autumn. Visit Norway says autumn fjord cruises are still possible but may run fewer departures. Its season list does not mention cruises in spring. The dated Norway-plus-Iceland sailings on these pages fall in May to September 2026 and July 2027. Princess says its northern-lights itineraries are timed for March and October; its page does not say whether they also call in Norway. It also says North Atlantic seas can be rough. Visit Iceland's September-equinox comment is about Iceland in general, not about these cruises.
Where these cruises start and end
On the pages in this article, Celebrity starts and ends in Southampton. Viking runs Bergen to Reykjavík and the reverse. NCL's 2026 Norwegian Star sailings were open-jaw, starting in Reykjavík or Southampton. Princess's 2027 voyage runs Copenhagen to Reykjavík. Hurtigruten's tour runs Helsinki to Reykjavík.
An open-jaw route means you start and finish in different places. For you, that means a one-way flight into one airport and a one-way flight out of another. You can add hotel nights at either end. NCL's release says its open-jaw sailings let guests extend on land before or after. Viking's pages list pre- and post-cruise extensions in Bergen and Reykjavík, each shown as 2 nights, and say extensions vary by itinerary. Hurtigruten's page says international flights are not included in its tour, and you arrange your own travel to Helsinki and from Reykjavík. The flight from Bergen to Reykjavík is included.
Visit Norway says international cruise lines start from many European ports, and that a cruise starting and ending in Norway gives you a couple of extra days inland. Visit Iceland's arrival page says many cruises circumnavigate Iceland and some stop in the Faroe Islands. Reykjavík's port, Faxaflói Ports, calls itself a turnaround hub for cruise passengers. Its page says a new passenger terminal was to open in spring 2026; the page does not say whether it has opened. Princess names Skarfabakki, Miðbakki and Kornagarður as Reykjavík's cruise terminals.
Visas if you hold a Chinese passport
| Stop on these routes | What the official pages say |
|---|---|
| Norway and Iceland | Norway's embassy in Beijing says citizens of China must apply for a visitor's visa, valid for up to 90 days in any 180 days in Norway or other Schengen countries. Iceland's embassy in Beijing says citizens of China need a Schengen visa to travel to Iceland. |
| Svalbard (Longyearbyen, on Viking's Arctic Explorer) | Svalbard is outside Schengen. The Governor of Svalbard (page updated 15 June 2026) says Norway requires no visa to enter Svalbard itself, but if you need a visa for Norway or Schengen you must have one for the travel via Norway or Schengen to and from Svalbard, with permission for two entries. Norway's embassy page says travel to Svalbard needs a visa with two or more entries: multiple entries are needed when you leave and re-enter Schengen during the trip, and it asks you to document your itinerary clearly so the embassy can see this. |
| Faroe Islands (Tórshavn, on Viking's Majestic Landscapes) | The Danish Immigration Service (page last updated 4 September 2026) says a Danish or other Schengen visa is not valid for entry to the Faroe Islands. A visa-required traveller needs a visa that states it is valid for the Faroe Islands, applied for at a Danish mission or another office that processes visa applications on behalf of Denmark. The Danish foreign ministry page (dated 20 March 2025) says the same, and advises tourists travelling through Iceland to apply for a special visa to the Faroe Islands through a Danish embassy in their home country. Neither Danish page names China or mentions cruise passengers who only make a port call. |
| Kirkwall, Scotland (Celebrity) | None of the official pages in this article covers entry rules for Scotland or the UK. |
Which embassy. Norway's embassy page says that if your trip covers several Schengen countries, you apply to the embassy of the main destination. Purpose counts more than length; if purpose and days are the same in each country, the country where you pass passport control into Schengen is responsible. Norway handles applications only from people going mainly to Norway, or to a country Norway represents in the country where they live. These pages do not say how a cruise counts as "main destination", so ask the cruise line and the relevant embassy before booking a route with Longyearbyen, Tórshavn or Kirkwall. The Norway page describes how a Schengen visa application is processed; it does not cover a whole cruise.
Timing. Norway's embassy page gives two figures for processing: its reminder box says up to 45 days from when the application reaches the embassy in Beijing, and its waiting-time section says normally up to 15 calendar days, or up to 45 when the case goes to the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration. It says to apply as a rule no later than 15 days before travel, recommends at least four weeks, and allows applications up to six months before departure. It advises you not to pay for bookings or buy tickets before the visa is issued. Fingerprints are required unless collected within the last 59 months. Iceland's embassy says processing is currently up to 45 days when all documents are present, and applications can be lodged up to six months before travel. It advises applying early for the peak season it names as March to June.
Appointments and documents. The two embassies describe appointments differently. Norway's page says you should be able to find an appointment at VFS within 3 working days. Iceland's consular page says getting a time slot at VFS Global may currently be difficult, and its visa page says it can take several days. Norway's page lists a visa fee of EUR 90 (EUR 45 for children aged 6 to 11, no fee under six), with a separate VFS service fee, and a passport valid for at least three months after your planned departure from the Schengen area. Visit Iceland's passport page says residents outside the Schengen area need a passport valid for at least three months beyond the date of entry.
The embassy and cruise-line pages cited here do not say whether a visa is checked at a cruise terminal, how a cruise counts toward your days, or whether these cruise lines handle visas for passengers.
Norway's zero-emission rules for the World Heritage fjords
The Norwegian Maritime Authority's circular (14 April 2025) says passenger ships under 10,000 gross tonnage must be zero-emission in the World Heritage fjords from 1 January 2026; passenger ships may use biogas as an alternative fuel, and shore power is mandatory where available. Passenger ships of 10,000 gross tonnage and above follow from 1 January 2032. Visit Norway says Norway has over 50 ports along its coastline but not all can be reached by international ships, because of strict rules to limit emissions in the World Heritage fjords.
The official pages do not give the gross tonnage of the ships on these routes, or say how the rule applies to a particular ship. So this article does not name any line as allowed or restricted. Before you book a route with Geiranger, ask the cruise line for the ship's gross tonnage and whether the Geirangerfjord is a port call or a scenic sail-by on your departure.
Which should you choose
- You want Svalbard, the North Cape and northern Norway. Viking's Arctic Explorer is the route on these pages that calls at Longyearbyen, Honningsvåg, Tromsø, Lofoten and Narvik. The Governor of Svalbard and Norway's embassy say that if you need a Schengen visa, Svalbard travel needs a visa with two or more entries.
- You want fjord ports plus Iceland on one round trip from a UK port. Celebrity's 14-night route calls at Flåm, Ålesund and Bergen, then Reykjavík, Ísafjörður and Akureyri. It also calls at Kirkwall in Scotland.
- You want the Faroe Islands and Seyðisfjörður as well. Viking's Majestic Landscapes calls at Tórshavn and Seyðisfjörður. Settle the Faroe Islands visa question before you book.
- You want to start in Copenhagen. Princess's 2027 voyage runs Copenhagen to Reykjavík with four Norwegian and three Icelandic ports.
- You would rather join a guided tour than sail the whole way. Hurtigruten's 19-day package combines rail, the Coastal Express and a six-day land tour of Iceland.
Need flights or a hotel quote?
An open-jaw cruise needs flights into one city and out of another, and sometimes hotel nights at either end. Contact us with your travel dates and we will quote flights and hotels around your sailing: Contact us.
