10-night United Kingdom cruise from Newcastle, UK on Bolette
The Whales & Wonders of Iceland is a 10-night United Kingdom cruise aboard Bolette, operated by Fred Olsen Cruise Lines. Departing Newcastle, UK on May 8, 2027, the voyage visits 5 ports including Reykjavik, Iceland, Isafjordur, Akureyri. CruiseCaptain has fare history for this sailing.
Fixed editorial images from the places on this itinerary. They stay stable each time you return to this sailing.
Reykjavik, Iceland
Reykjavík is mirrored in the waters of its bay, as you can see when your cruise ship sets anchor in the port. The quays along the seafront host a variety of shops, live music clubs and cafés.
Take a stroll down Frakkastigur up to Lækjartorg, to admire the Sólfar, also known as the Sun Voyager, a large modern steelsculpture by Jón Gunnar Árnason, that represents a Viking vessel, with the bow pointing towards the north.
Go back in history as you reach the historic centre, in the districts of Aðalstræti and Suðurgata, where you can still see the remains of some primitive Icelandic dwellings. Also the church of Hallgrímur, probably the most important architectural monument in Reykjavik, is worth a visit. As you will discover during your MSC cruise of Northern Europe, geothermal energy positively conditions the life of the entire country and there is an abundance of spas.
Don’t miss an excursion to the Þingvellir national park, in the south west region of the island, a UNESCO world heritage site since 2004. On the northern shores of the Þingvallavatn, the largest Icelandic lake, the Öxará river forms the Öxaráfoss waterfall in the vicinity of Almannagjá, the largest cleft in this land.
If you like waterfalls, you should not miss a visit to Gullfoss, in the south east of the island: the river Hvítá here drops down 11 and then 21 metres forming the queen of all Icelandic waterfalls and then continues along a narrow gorge in the plateau. In this area we also find the Strokkur, the only geyser that regularly erupts every 4-8 minutes. Then proceed to Geysir, in the Haukadalur valley, the oldest known geyser, from which the term originates.
Its eruptions spray boiling water up to 60 metres into the air, but often reach higher than 100 metres: it is the tallest of the active geysers.
Isafjordur
When your MSC cruise to northern Europe takes you to the north western point of Iceland, you will cast anchor at Isafjordur, a small town of ancient origins.
In Isafjordur you will find the oldest standing Icelandic house, built in 1743. In the periphery of Bolungarvík, the northernmost location in the western fjords, one can instead visit Ósvör, once a fisherman’s village and now an open air museum.
The past re-emerges also in the old town of Nedstikaupstadur, where Icelandic and Norwegian merchants first, and then British and German ones, would meet in the mid-15th century in the bay of Isafiord. Here, in the second half of the 18th century, Krambud (the shop) was built, that was converted in the 20th century into a private home; as well as Faktorshus (the farmers house); Tjoruhus (the tar house) and Turnhus (the tower house) used as warehouses and fish processing centres.
While on your MSC cruise to Northern Europe, if you want to get an idea of how Icelanders used to live in the past, try an excursion to Vigur, literally the “spear-shaped island”. Its waters host a great deal of sea lions who feed on marine birds such as the puffin, the black guillemot, the aggressive arctic tern (who can attack people if it feels threatened) and the common eider.
Another spectacle of nature is the Naustahvilft, the “troll’s seat”, a large depression shaped like a half moon in the flat mountains that surround the Isafjordur fjord. Legend has it that it was created by a troll caught by the sunlight sitting on the mountain with its feet in the water.
Whether you believe in the legend or more likely in a valley dug out by the ice during the last ice age, try this brief but intense excursion, it is certainly worth it.
Akureyri
When you set ashore from your cruise ship for a vacation in Akureyri, you should take an excursion to Lake Myvatn. To get there you will pass through Eyjafjördur, where you can enjoy a splendid view of the city port.
The first worthy stopover is in Godafoss, here the waters if the Skjálfandafljót form a 12 meter tall waterfall. According to the legend, in the year 999 or 1000, one of the Icelandic rulers proclaimed Christianity as the official religion of Iceland and hurled the idols of the Nordic gods (Odin, Thor and Freyr, to which probably the waterfall was previously dedicated) in its waters.
A stained glass window of the church of Akureyri (Akureyrarkirkja) depicts this legend. As you continue along the Icelandic wild nature, with its incredible variety of colours, varying from the bright green meadows to the red minerals erupting from the depths of the island, one reaches the pseudo-craters of Skutustaðir, generated by underground vapours produced by an eruption 2500 years ago.
From here one can reach Dimmuborgir, an incredible labyrinth of lava, where amidst peculiar formations rises the Kirkjan, a natural church with two pointed-arch portals and, inside, real chapels with altars. You can end your visit at the Viti crater, known also as the Inferno, one of the many mouths of the central Krafla volcano.
If you feel like tackling the steep climb from its internal lake, you can also enjoy a relaxing hot bath. Here you will also find the Askja, an immense caldera that extends for 50 sq.km., a desert of lava and the finest sand resembling moon dust: this in fact was where the astronauts of the Apollo 11 trained for their lunar landing.
Before returning to Akureyri, if you feel curious, you can stop to visit Santa Clause’shouse, about ten kilometres south, a delightful Christmas toy shop, with the largest Advent calendar in the world.
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Show all 31 cabin grades
Cabin grades and pricing
Name
Supplier code
Type
Terrace Cabin
LTC
Balcony
Terrace Cabin
TC
Balcony
Superior Interior Cabin
G
Inside
Interior Cabin
H
Inside
Interior Cabin
I
Inside
Interior Cabin
IS
Inside
Two Bedded Cabin
LLH
Inside
Single Superior Interior
M
Inside
Single Interior
N
Inside
Superior Ocean View Cabin
B
Oceanview
Superior Ocean View Wheelchair Adapted
BD
Oceanview
Superior Ocean View Cabin
C
Oceanview
Ocean View
CD
Oceanview
Superior Ocean View Fully Restricted
CO
Oceanview
Ocean View Cabin
D
Oceanview
Ocean View Cabin
E
Oceanview
Ocean View Cabin with Porthole
F
Oceanview
Ocean View Wheelchair Adapted
FD
Oceanview
Single Ocean View
K
Oceanview
Ocean View Cabin
OS
Oceanview
Superior Ocean View
SOS
Oceanview
Terrace Adapted Cabin (TCD)
TCD
Oceanview
Junior Balcony Suite
BJ
Suite
Balcony Junior Suite Wheelchair Adapted
BJD
Suite
Balcony Suites
BS
Suite
Single Balcony Suite
JB
Suite
Balcony Junior Suite
LBJ
Suite
Balcony Suite
LBS
Suite
Olsen Suite
OW
Suite
Premier Suite
PS
Suite
Premier Suite Wheelchair Adapted
PSD
Suite
Current prices
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Our flagship Bolette is everything that our loyal guests have come to expect from a Fred. Olsen ship. Proudly bearing the name of Fred. Olsen Jr.’s great-great-grandmother, as many other Olsen vessels have over the years, she exudes classic, elegant style in her exterior and interior design, features spacious and comfortable public areas, and has all the facilities and special touches you need for a relaxing and enjoyable holiday.
While she’s one of the largest ships, by overall size, in our fleet, Bolette has capacity for less than 1,400 guests. So, in keeping with our smaller-ship ethos, you’ll find that you’re not overcrowded on board, Show lessand have plenty of space in which to indulge yourself in the stylish dining venues, enjoy a glass of your favourite tipple and fantastic entertainment at the bars, lounges and theatres, and while away the hours by the all-season pool. And of course, with our friendly staff providing our typical level of personal, attentive service, there’s an intimate feel to the on board experience too.
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