The Emerging Destinations team visited Iceland a few months back in preparation for Iceland ProCruises debut in June 2015.  While we couldn’t cruise on the Ocean Diamon, we did visit quite a few of our ports of call.   Jessie Bligh, put together a few helpful thoughts for those who are visiting Iceland for the first time . . .

• Shoes off! It’s common courtesy while visiting an Icelandic home (house or apartment) to take your shoes off and leave them at the door.
• Iceland’s weather is completely unpredictable and often finicky. So do your research before you leaving home. A rain jacket, good walking shoes (preferably waterproof or water resistant), and a warm jacket are musts, especially is you’re spending a lot of time outdoors. And remember to layer! Jeans and a T-shirt might be perfectly fine one minute and then you suddenly need a warm jacket or rain coat.
• Iceland Pro Cruises sails during the beautiful North Atlantic summer months, which is also the season of the midnight sun. If you have trouble sleeping when it’s light outside, be sure to pack eyeshades or something else to repel the brightness. But set your alarm for midnight on at least one occasion to witness this magnificent sight.
• No need to bring an adapter to Iceland; a converter (for different shaped wall plugs) is all you need for your electronics.
• Most everyone speaks English including restaurant staff, tour guides and shop employees. So don’t fret if you haven’t perfected your Icelandic yet. Take a look at our recent blog post on how to Pronounce our Iceland ports though!
• Icelandic food is delicious, especially the seafood (the scallops in particular) fresh from the sea. Vegetarians should be aware that Icelandic restaurants offer a limited amount of choices, so bring a few snacks just to be safe.
• You may smell sulfur (rotten eggs) from time to time. But don’t worry — it’s just the natural geothermal springs of Iceland.
• Iceland’s public hot springs and pools have their own etiquette. Always remove your shoes before entering the changing room. You can take them with you in a plastic bag or leave them on racks outside (nobody steals shoes in Iceland). Everyone is asked to shower and wash off with soap before entering a public spring or pool. Likewise, after your dip, it’s customary to shower and dry off completely before returning to the changing room.
• Tipping is not customary in Iceland and service charges are often added to hotel, restaurant, taxi and other bills. However, gratuities for superior service are much appreciated.