October 2015

I hate that day when we decided to come back to the continent, and more exactly, to Hirtshals in Denmark by ferry. I hate it. Why on Earth did we listen to people claiming that it was genius and wonderful? Lies!

But let’s start from the beginning. Since we had no box anymore to transport our tandem, an idea came to us that probably it would be much easier and safer for the bike to leave Iceland by ferry. In addition to this, so many people eagerly advised us trying it, that finally the fatal decision was taken.

You should know only one thing: this ferry is NOT for budget travelling. If you want to enjoy it – be ready to invest. So here they are, all the reasons why we should have taken a plane instead.

The departure is NOT from Reykjavik

It doesn’t matter for people who start their trip in Seyðisfjörður, but we were making our tour From Reykjavik To Reykjavik, which meant… taking a bus or a plane to get to the East Fjords. Our plane ticket cost us (drum-roll) 160€ in addition to more. (I know, I know, we are such loosers!)

Price

Only this point should have discouraged us on the first place. Because it IS NOT cheaper than any plane ticket. I guess the ferry is useful exclusively for people travelling by their own car, and I’m not sure I want to know how much they pay for this doubtful pleasure. Even considering the “low season” we paid for the cheapest option possible (a couchette in a shared cabin) around 400€ (one way ticket for two). (By the way, the accepted currency on board is Danish Krona). During the endless booking procedure, we reached a page, where we were asked to choose our meals. However, there were already 2 lunch meals chosen with additional 11€ each, and we couldn’t deselect them. So whether you want it or not, you are obliged to pre-pay your meal, even if you were planning to eat the Heinz beans during the whole trip. Why not just include it in the price instead of making you feel forced? No idea.

The travelling conditions are… pretty awful

We didn’t realize that choosing 2 couchettes in a shared compartment would mean being stuck in the tiniest cubical possible where 9 people are supposed to sleep and basically live for three nights and two days. It’s just amazingly claustrophobic.

But what just knocked us completely down was… the absence of any sleeping material. Yes, yes, if you want a pillow and something to put on yourself except for your own sweater – pay a small extra, which is just 20€. Fortunately, the majority of travelers have their sleeping bags, but there were some of them who didn’t know about this circumstance, and it can’t be blamed. To know all the details you really should read every page of the SmyrilLine web-site. Surprise!

And just as a bad joke, on our deck (honestly, just like the third-class on Titanic) no one could avoid passing by the posters proposing to upgrade your cabin. Ha-ha.

Ferry from Iceland to Denmark
Ferry from Iceland to Denmark

But where to keep the bags? – you might ask. Because if every person out of 9 brings the bag – there will be no space at all! Smyril Line has thought about it, of course. For a smaaaall extra you can use the luggage boxes. But you will have to re-pay every time you need take something from it.

The only positive point, I would say, are the bathrooms. They are kept in a quite good condition, relatively clean.

Ferry from Iceland to Denmark
Ferry from Iceland to Denmark
Ferry from Iceland to Denmark
Ferry from Iceland to Denmark

Just in case if you plan being hungry

The meal we’ve paid for was quite okay, it was a buffet, and the food was rather tasty. If not tasty, at least normal.

Ferry from Iceland to Denmark

However, there are still breakfast and dinner that are not “included” in the main package. We prepared some food in advance, but the main ordeal was…to find a place to eat it. In our cabin, it was impossible, in the hall with nice tables and chairs as well. Of course, the staff is interested in making you buy their products in their 3? 4? cafés, that’s why not only above every table there is a sign forbidding you to consume your own food and drink, but the employees pass by quite regularly to spot anyone trying to swallow his sandwich.

Obviously, in the restaurants one can’t arrive with his picnic set. Desperate, we asked at the reception if there was any place we could eat our meal. There was one. Outside on the upper deck in a smoking area. By “smoking area” they meant a place where you can’t really walk without getting the lung cancer.

We’d also like to mention once again that everything is paid, even the hot water. And the worst thing in all this is that you know that there is no way out three days more.

Ferry from Iceland to Denmark
Ferry from Iceland to Denmark

Cool Passengers

It’s not that we have something against the elderly German pensioners, 90% of our boat-fellows, but when they get drunk and start behaving according to their mood, it looked absolutely hillarious, especially when the boat started rocking. We were happy they could enjoy themselves, but the horrible snoring with the beer smell in our claustrophobic cabin was a special bonus. Actually, a lady on board actually taught us to knit!

At night the pools were crowded despite horrible prices :D

Ferry from Iceland to Denmark
Ferry from Iceland to Denmark

Absence of Internet

It can be either positive or negative – depends. But the sad thing is the fact that the connection they propose costs really expensive, even for this ferry standards.  We didn’t need it, but there were people, who were hoping to work and purchased the connection. They told us though that it was a total waste of money.

The last and THE WORST. Seasick

It should have been the point #1 or #0 or even better – just a title of this article, but we decided it was better to maintain the suspense. Those 3 nights and 2 days were the most horrible ones of our life. We were awfully and incredibly sick, both of us. Even the food issue became slightly less urgent. The first evening was particularly awful. The staff member told us that it was quite unusual, but nothing surprising anyway, as we travelled during the “winter time”, and the part Iceland – the Faroe Islands was always rougher than from the Faroe Islands to Denmark. “Rough” is not the right word, though. I will repeat – it was horrible. The only way to survive that horror was just staying on our magnificent couchettes in total darkness with eyes closed tightly. For some moment, we really started thinking about sending everything to hell and taking a plane from the Faroe Islands to Copenhagen, but double dose of pills and better weather calmed us a bit down. Never the minutes and seconds were so slow…

To conclude this sad story, let’s concentrate on something positive. :)

First, there was a cinema. Not for free, of course, but it helped us to forget about the fact that we were on the horrible ferry for almost two hours!

Ferry from Iceland to Denmark

And the second – the 6 hours stopover in Torshavn, the capital of the Faroe Islands. We were not too much in the right mood to be happy about it, but just imagine the relief the solid ground.

I know that we must have researched a bit more on the ferry crossing, but well, instead we got a lesson for life: buying pills against the sea-sick and avoiding ferries in the first place.

Now the most important question – is there some efficient way to fight against the seasick, or should we say goodbye to all the cruising stuff without even trying it? Did you have any similar ferry-experience? :)

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