A cruise to Iceland fires the imagination

The breathtaking landscape outside of ReykjavikThe breathtaking landscape outside of Reykjavik
The breathtaking landscape outside of Reykjavik
You’ve seen it in Game of Thrones but nothing prepares you for the true drama of Iceland

They call Iceland the land of fire and ice and that’s certainly proving the case as we tour the volcanic landscape outside Reykjavik. It’s March, it’s freezing but we’re basking in the warm spray thrown up by the hot springs, gazing at an active volcano in the distance through scads of steam. Iceland has re-entered a cycle of regular eruptions, but guide Nico couldn’t be more stoic as he tells us there’ll be 200 years of activity, then 800 years of calm. It’s the price paid for the multi-coloured rocks, covered in a unique moss, formed by escaping magma from the Mid-Atlantic Rift.

This is where the tectonic plates of Eurasia meet those of North America – stand on Midlina bridge and you’re spanning two continents. We wander to the nearby sea cliffs, gasping at every haunting rock formation and getting why Game of Thrones, Prometheus and so many other productions needing a dose of epic grandeur shoot here.

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The Viking World museum provides a whistlestop look at my ancestors’ ways – I’ve nine per cent Nordic DNA, you know – and outside there’s a Noggin the Nog style statue of Hrafna-Flók, one of the earliest Norse settlers of Iceland.

The classical lines of the Ambassador AmbitionThe classical lines of the Ambassador Ambition
The classical lines of the Ambassador Ambition

Another notable explorer makes for a terrific selfie in Reykjavik itself – Leif Erikson, the first European to set foot on continental America, stands in bronze outside Hallgrimskirkja. At 244ft, the tallest church in Iceland is breathtaking, with its stepped, curved spire and side wings reflecting the mountains and glaciers of the landscape.

After all that spirituality we embraced Mammon in the shape of the charmingly colourful Swiss chalet-style shops leading to the modern city centre. We weren’t staying in the city, but in the port, overnight as part of an 11-night cruise on the Ambition. Part of Britain’s no-fly Ambassador Cruise Line – we boarded at Tilbury in Essex – the liner, which has ten guest decks, is a luxurious base for an itinerary that also included Rotterdam, Orkney and the Faroe Islands.

The latter stop we didn’t make, due to unseasonably rough North Atlantic seas. This was disappointing, but not disastrous, as Ambassador pulled out all the stops to keep passengers entertained… as well as more original evening shows than we’ve ever seen on a cruise, in the plush Palladium theatre, the production cast staged 15-minute vignettes around the ship, pint-size plays guaranteed to amuse. When they’re not in costume, the 12-strong team runs trivia quizzes, games, discos…

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For people who like to keep their hands busy with something other than a tasty cocktail, the Ambition offered dozens of crafting sessions led by tutors, while mental stimulation came in the form of lectures on everything from Art Deco ship design to Hollywood’s lady legends.

The beautiful Italian Chapel on OrkneyThe beautiful Italian Chapel on Orkney
The beautiful Italian Chapel on Orkney

The Ambition is in the top 10-15 per cent of environmentally sustainable ships globally, making it possible for her to sail to the most protected areas in the world. A series of talks by marine conservation charity ORCA workers Joanne and Amy schooled passengers in the variety and ways of whales, dolphins and more, especially those to be found in Icelandic waters. I took to the top deck and managed a marvellous 27-second video of a particularly lively piece of driftwood…

When not conquering the oceans, we availed ourselves of the many bars and restaurants – seven of each. Our assigned dining room was, appropriately, The Holyrood, where food and service were exemplary. We also loved the Borough Market buffet, and the Saffron, which alternates between Indian and Chinese nights. It was difficult to resist the scrummy afternoon tea offered daily, and as we were on board for St Patrick’s Day we were dazzled by glorious green grub.

Being a very British ship, bars included the Angel (of the North), the Clifton Lounge, the Cavern and Pendennis. Our fave name, though, was the Purple Turtle, handy for a pre-Palladium drink.

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Facilities also include a cute library, Bronte’s, where you can engage in some judicious book swapping, and by that is the card and board games room, Aces and Eights.

A Premium Twin Suite provides an ocean viewA Premium Twin Suite provides an ocean view
A Premium Twin Suite provides an ocean view

Prefer to shed the calories? The Ambition has a well-kitted-out gym, adjoining the Green Sea Spa where I tried a rejuvenating head massage – and most stimulating it was too. With so much going on, sea days passed in a wave of relaxation.

Knowing it would be cold, we didn't bother with a balcony room, but the picture window let us see the dramatic views. Being very British, the Ambassador has a kettle in every cabin – you don’t get that on many cruise lines. Our Premium Twin Suite also had very comfy beds, oodles of storage and a cleverly imagined bathroom.

Rotterdam was a revelation – having been razed in the Second World War, it was rebuilt as a thoroughly modern city. With wide streets and an enviable transport infrastructure, it’s easy to negotiate. Having been to the Netherlands previously we passed on trips to the famed windmills and tulip fields, and eschewed Gouda tasting. Instead, we wandered around the city centre – the Ambition’s sensible size means it can get into ports the mega-ships can’t – and headed for the famous cube houses. The result of a wacky architectural concept that viewed houses as trees in an urban forest, walls and windows are angled at 54.7 degrees – making around a quarter of the space unusable! The idea didn’t catch on.

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The Maritime Museum by the strikingly streamlined Erasmus Bridge is also worth a visit – look for the statue of a horse being lifted by a crane.

Street sculpture in ReykjavíkStreet sculpture in Reykjavík
Street sculpture in Reykjavík

On the way to Iceland we called at Kirkwall on Orkney, where we took a tour to the famed Italian Chapel, two Nissan huts transformed into a beautiful place of worship by Italian prisoners of war, some of whom happened to be master craftsmen. Anything they could get their hands on was recycled – bully beef cans, for example, became stunning lanterns.

Tour guide Pauline gave us the heads-up on island flora (few trees due to the wind) and fauna (the supersized Orkney vole), and history of the sunken block ships and Churchill barriers, part of island defences in the First and Second World Wars.

Back in picturesque Kirkwall, the 12th-century St Magnus Cathedral – the most northerly in Britain – allowed for a spot of spiritual sustenance before we found the physical kind at the excellent Archive Coffee, a local library turned eatery and music venue, with our pals Sylvia and David. They moved to Mainland from London a couple of years ago and, given the stark beauty and unique atmosphere of the island, and the friendly folk, I’d say it was a good decision.

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All too soon our Iceland’s Northern Lights itinerary was over – so what if we never saw the iconic display, such things can’t be guaranteed. What can be assured is a fantastic time courtesy of a cruise line offering a warm welcome in cold waters.

Martin Gray was a guest of Ambassador Cruise Line. The 12-night Icelandic Discovery cruise, with ports including Runavik, Reykjavik, Isafjordur and Akureyri, departs Liverpool on 6 May 2025, from £1,166pp. See www.ambassadorcruiseline.com/cruise, which also has details of Dundee sailings.

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