Seyðisfjörður and Djúpivogur cruise port: what to book
From Seyðisfjörður pick Stuðlagil or the puffin tour at about €191; from Djúpivogur the Jökulsárlón tour at €202 to €220 is the long day.
The short version
- Seyðisfjörður shore tours run five to six hours and cost €191 to €198 per person.
- Stuðlagil canyon is the all-year pick; puffins are summer only.
- Djúpivogur to Jökulsárlón and Diamond Beach is a 6.5 to 7 hour day at €202 to €220.
- The 3 hour fjord sailing from Seyðisfjörður is €99 and the easy option.
Two small east coast ports, two different answers. From Seyðisfjörður, take a Stuðlagil canyon tour at about €191 (or the puffin tour in summer). From Djúpivogur, the glacier lagoon at Jökulsárlón is the only big name in reach, and it fills most of your port day.
Seyðisfjörður: the town is the stop
Ships anchor at the head of a long fjord, and the town of timber houses is a few minutes from the quay. If your ship gives you only a few hours, walking the town is a good plan on its own and costs nothing. Tours are for people who want something beyond that.
- Seyðisfjörður: Hidden Stuðlagil Canyon & Reindeer Tour, €191, 6 hours, all year. Pickup included, and it pairs the basalt canyon with a reindeer stop.
- Stuðlagil Canyon from Seyðisfjörður, €198, 5 hours, all year. You meet at the start point, and it adds Gufufoss waterfall.
- Seyðisfjörður: Puffins, Reindeer & Eastfjords Tour, €191, 6 hours, summer only. Puffins are seabirds that nest on cliffs and islets in summer; we never promise a sighting.
Between the two canyon tours, the six hour one has pickup and a reindeer stop, the five hour one costs €7 more and is shorter. Compare the stops on each page before choosing, not the title.
Downside: Stuðlagil is a long drive each way, and six hours leaves little slack. Check your ship’s all-aboard time and ask the operator how they handle a late return.
The fjord from the water
Sailing in Seydisfjordur and nearby area, €99, 3 hours, all year. This is the pick if you want to see the fjord and the village from the water and be back with plenty of spare time. It does not cover Stuðlagil, so it is a different day, not a cheaper version of the same one.
Djúpivogur: one big day
Djúpivogur is a small fishing village in the southeast corner of the east. From the quay, the main shore excursion is to the glacier lagoon at Jökulsárlón, with the black Diamond Beach beside it.
- Glacier Lagoon & Diamond Beach Tour From Djúpivogur Port, €220, 7 hours, all year. Meet on location.
- Djúpivogur: Jökulsárlón & Diamond Beach Cruise Tour, €202, 6.5 hours, all year. Pickup included, and the listing promises a return to your ship.
The cheaper tour has pickup and a shorter day. That is the easy choice. The dearer one is a longer day; read the page to see what the extra half hour buys. Either way you spend most of the day in a vehicle with a short time at the lagoon.
Downside: this is a tour that works against the clock. A delay on the road costs you time at the lagoon, or worse.
Weather and the road
The east has fog, wind and snow patches outside high summer. The Fjarðarheiði pass above Seyðisfjörður can close in winter. Ships sometimes skip a port when the sea is rough. Book tours with a clear refund policy; our cancellation guide explains how the rules work.
Our honest take
Seyðisfjörður: in June to August, the puffin tour; the rest of the year, Stuðlagil. If you are unsure, walk the town and take the €99 sailing. Djúpivogur: the €202 tour, because of the pickup and the stated return to the ship, unless the meet-on-location one fits your plan. Neither port is a place to improvise. Book before you sail, since the vehicles are small and fill. The downside of all of these is the same: much of your day is a drive. If you would rather see one place properly, stay in the town.
