My Passport’s Travels

Thursday, June 11, 2026

We made it to Iceland! It’s cold this morning!

I was up early for my shore excursion in Seydisfjördur. After some pictures and a quick breakfast in the buffet, I headed to the theater to check in for Hafnarhólmur Puffin Capital. (Mom enjoyed a lazy day on board the ship!)

We boarded our tender around 8:30 and shortly thereafter disembarked ashore where we met our tour guide, Raptice, and our driver, Thora. (I hope I spelled their names correctly!

We crossed over a mountain pass with stunning views of ice and snow before heading into land that looked like plains. The yellow post is a snow guide – it helps the plows find the road when the snow is deep.

The roads were all at best one lane each way, and at times, was more like a lane and a half between both directions. We did learn that in pretty much every scenario, the bus will win right of way, simply because of size! Once through the pass, we stopped for a quick restroom break, before journeying on another hour (including another mountain pass).

Along the way, Raptice told us about the Icelandic Ponies. They’re prized, especially in Germany, where the annual Icelandic Pony show is usually held. However, when ponies leave the country to compete, they cannot return. Iceland has extremely strict quarantine laws for animals because there are very few animal diseases so they can’t afford to inadvertently bring any in.

We arrived in Blábjörg for lunch a few minutes early, which gave us time to explore.

These cases were filled with fish! No lid on top, just a pile of fish!

The restaurant was part of a resort complex with hotel rooms and an attached brewery. I enjoyed their wheat beer (brewed with coriander and orange). The restaurant building had been a fish freezer when first built, but evolved over the decades until its current incarnation.

A note on the receipt – my beer was 1,390Kroner, about $11USD.

The tables were set with rolls, butter and water when we arrived. We were offered our choice of fish soup, lamb stew or veggie soup. I had the lamb and it was delicious – lots of meat, carrots, tomatoes, onions and potatoes. Although it was a little disconcerting to remember what we had learned about the life of sheep in Iceland. After lambing season, the sheep and lambs are set free to roam all summer. They’re gathered up in the fall, and their future is decided.

Outside of town is a rock formation – Álfaborg, City of Elves. Raptice told us the town has a population of 1100 – 100 people and 1000 elves! The Icelanders call them the “Hidden Folk” and they’re not like Santa’s elves – they’re taller and more beautiful than humans.

A short drive later and we arrived at Hafnarhólma, home of the Puffin Sanctuary!

It’s actually shared with several other types of birds – including Eier Ducks, which are prized for their down, and Red Wings.

The parking is set up on a hill, then you go down a couple flights of stairs to the road leading to the sanctuary. There is a staircase up to the top of the outcropping, or you can stay at the base and walk part way around.

After about 45 minutes, it was time to head back to the ship. We did run into a little traffic on the road:

Back over the two mountain passes!

Hunting is popular in Iceland. Raptice told us they hunt ptarmigans for Christmas dinner. Reindeer meat is also prized, but to help control the population, hunters must enter the annual lottery for a license. She has decided they are fixed, though, since she has not won in several years! 🤣

Long ago, the Icelanders built cairns (rock formations) to help guide travelers. They are placed every 100 meters or so, and in bad weather travelers would wait until they could see the next cairn before heading out across the mountains.

Back in Seydisfjördur, the Rotterdam greeted us with hot chocolate and oatmeal raisin cookies at the dock!

I think one of the biggest surprises was the number of waterfalls. Which I should have realized when pretty much every port stop offers an excursion with “waterfalls” in the name.

The captain opened the bow for viewing during the scenic sail away. Mom and I enjoyed the view for a bit, until it got too cold!

We’re not sure what this large hoop in the water is. With the four white things around it, it almost looks like a helipad. (We would learn later it’s a fish farm.)

We retreated into the warm ship, grabbed the game bag and found a table with a lovely view.

Dinner was in the main dining room tonight – it’s Orange Night! Every cruise Holland America celebrates their Dutch heritage with Orange NIght. Food is primarily Dutch themed, everyone is encouraged to wear orange (which is their national color, but not found on their flag. The color honors the royal family, Orange – Nassau.), and they have a party in one of the clubs. For dinner, Mom had the French onion soup, the Hodge Podge Klapstuk (braised beef brisket), and Creme Brûlée. I enjoyed the Westland Salad, the pork Cordon Bleu and the Lind Hot Chocolate Fudge Sundae.

We played a little in the casino after dinner, but when the machines weren’t friendly, decided it was time to call it a night. Asep & Wayan, our stateroom hosts, had left mini Stroopwaffls on our beds as a final Orange Night treat!

Trip Report Index
Thursday – Saturday, June 4-6, 2026 – Flight over and Rotterdam 
Sunday June 7, 2026 – Embarkation day
Monday June 8, 2026 – Day at Sea** Tuesday June 9, 2026 – Invergorden, Scotland
Wednesday June 10, 2026 – Day at Sea
Thursday June 11, 2026 – Seydisfjördur, Iceland
Friday June 12, 2026 – Akureyri, Iceland
Saturday June 13, 2026 – ľsafjörður, Iceland
Sunday – Monday, June 14-15, 2026 – Reykjavik, Iceland and Helsinki, Finland